Lifts.....uggg

[Treeskier]

Came up mid-week for a powder day. Went to North first only to be stuck on North Ridge for 20+ minutes. Closes behind us. Then a few runs later we are on Summit and it stops for a while. So we decide to go to South. Get on Brovo to sit again for 20 minutes then to get to the top and learn it is closed. So we go in to have lunch. Come out to find it still closed. They had opened Valley House lift. Hike up to it, to get half way up it and it stops. Wait 15 minutes to then have them turn it on at dead slow. Again it closes behind us for the day. End up taking reverse travers to Heavens Gate. Which does work fine, finish our day there. Snow was good but under-performer most of the day until the last 1.5 hours, when it dumped. Finally some really nice silky turns on Paradise. Over all the day could have been better. Did so much traversing it felt like I was at Sunday River or the Canyons.

[Go Figure]

This should be shared on the main AZ site, alas I cannot cross log there.

[Chewbarka]

When this happens, the it should be posted at all lifts that other lifts are shut down. It was not posted at Heavens Gate. If one was to ski down today, the day would have been over.

[skevmandoo]

The lift issue is becoming common place unfortunately... Especially if you log a good number of days, as the frustration builds atop a lackluster snow season. May need a Lincoln Limo loyalty program for pass holders to get ya up the mtn..

[angler]

When this happens, the it should be posted at all lifts that other lifts are shut down. It was not posted at Heavens Gate. If one was to ski down today, the day would have been over.
That would take someone with common sense. Hard to find on this mountain....

[ducky]

Frustrating, Tree. Guess I got lucky. By chance, went to South first at 9:00, left for lunch and to bring kid to North by 1:00. Skied the rest of the day there and finished at 4:00. Even got in the trees - fun but sustained some base/edge damage.

Warning for those considering North this weekend: Porsche has their clients (not open to public) driving a "Winter Driving Experience" on Starightshot and Crackerjack from Th-Su. All of Crackerjack is closed and only skier's left on Straightshot is open for skiers, the whole right side is closed and fenced off for cars. In addition, there is a Women's FIS race on Inverness on Sat and a Vermont U16 race on Sun with roughly 200 competitors, coaches and parents. I saw a 911 attempting to ascend from the base to Straightshot and it needed to be towed up by a groomer. None of the cars have real snow tires, just "sport" snows, so not sure how they are going to make it uphill or stop when going downhill. You don't notice how steep these lower trails are until you hike or bike them. Should make for an entertaining fiasco if they can drive it at all.

The 20' wide skier area of Straighshot under the GMX, yes, the only way down to the base with Inverness closed, is sure to be very crowded and is likely to become moguled. Most of the upstairs bar and seating area are also closed for the Porsche event. The upstairs seating area is also where the non-local competitors from both ski races will assemble. Oh, and there's a large trailer port-potty outside in the ski school corral area which is closed to the public - Porsche poo only.

http://www.sugarbush.com/porsche

[Go Figure]

No Bravo this morning, hoping Valley House keeps running.

[skierdon]

No Bravo this morning, hoping Valley House keeps running.

what a joke. the lift situation this year is completely unacceptable and the mountain should be embarrassed. Has a major mountain ever had this much trouble with this many lifts in a single season?

[Go Figure]

Hey, they did get Bravo going around noon for 45 minutes, back to Valley House now. Light mid week crowd and a cold one in the Cellar Bar makes it bearable . The Cabin Cat did go out with a load of Clay Brookers bright and early.

[skierdon]

The Cabin Cat did go out with a load of Clay Brookers bright and early.

Before or after they tore around Mt. Ellen in a bunch of Porsche's?

I shouldn't complain. The inability to get the masses to the base of HG and Castlerock is ideal for those of us capable of skinning up under our own power. Glad I am not a passholder this year.

[Benski]

The 20' wide skier area of Straighshot under the GMX, yes, the only way down to the base with Inverness closed, is sure to be very crowded and is likely to become moguled.
http://www.sugarbush.com/porsche
That sounds terrifying. at least they opened walts trail, semi-tough and brambles

[HowieT2]

Bravo is down again today.

[Go Figure]

It's on again, bring your own evac. rope.

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onoffonoffonoffonoffonffonoffonoffonoffonoffonff onoffonoffonoffonoffonff onoffonoffonoffonoffonff onoffonoffonoffonoffonff onoffonoffonoffonoffonff onoffonoffonoffonoffonff onoffonoffonoffonoffonff onoffonoffonoffonoffonff onoffonoffonoffonoffonffonoffonoffonoffonoffonff onoffonoffonoffonoffonff onoffonoffonoffonoffonff onoffonoffonoffonoffonff onoffonoffonoffonoffonff onoffonoffonoffonoffonff onoffonoffonoffonoffonff onoffonoffonoffonoffonff
onoffonoffonoffonoffonffonoffonoffonoffonoffonff onoffonoffonoffonoffonff onoffonoffonoffonoffonff onoffonoffonoffonoffonff onoffonoffonoffonoffonff onoffonoffonoffonoffonff onoffonoffonoffonoffonff onoffonoffonoffonoffonff
onoffonoffonoffonoffonff

[Go Figure]

*** Sunny D chair is on maintenance delay. ***

[angler]

Maybe we should hang some coffee cans at the bottom of the lifts so we can start a collection for maintenance and new lifts......

[Go Figure]

So we are now using artificial rain on the hill, to make an ice track for the Germans.

Bravo is spinning but not loading as of 9:10

[Go Figure]

Loading as of 9:16, but for how long? Who wants to guess?

Glad we are out of town [NYC] till Tuesday.

[chrisinvermont]

Pretty sad even though my ski partners and I have joked for years about marketing a NRX self evac kit. In addition to the kit we may start selling stickers with the new slogan "Sugarbush - which lifts are running?" "Mount Ellen - skin it, you'll probably have to".

Best quote came from a friend who recently moved back to VT and chose a Killington pass over sugarbush. "Sugarbush, when it's good it may be the best terrain in the state. When it's bad, the saving grace is that Mad River Glen is worse."

[Go Figure]

And it's down! 10:39 one hour 7 minutes

[HowieT2]

looks like its running on the webcam

[Plowboy]

Running yes...open NO......Nice line on the Gate House>>>>

[Go Figure]

Friday, February 7th - 11:00 AM

*** Sunny D and Super Bravo chairs are on maintenance delay. Valley House is open. ***

This is not true, got a call from a friend on the hill and she just said "valley house is NOT running"

[vonski]

Hey the waffle house is open though. Having Bravo broke should help their business out. At least one can see an open flag when looking at the gatehouse line. Does not look like anyone hiking to VH lift.

[sgottmann]

Yesterday, the problem with Bravo, as explained to me, was that the chairs were getting to close together. They ran it for a while but could not ultimately get it to work properly. The crowds were minimal so the lines were not a problem. There were many complaints in the lines and general sense of frustration. The good news was that there was some sweet powder on Murphy's, upper Birdland and Domino until the afternoon when Bravo ran for a while. Another inconvenience was that the Valley Lodge was not serving food. Thus, you had to go down to gatehouse and then hike back up to the Valley House to get on the lift. I get that skiing is a sport and that a certain amount of effort is to be expected. However, it is pain with kids in tow (powder flu hit the entire household) and not optimal in terms of customer experience and expectation. Anyway, I hope Bravo is in working order tomorrow or it will be a mess.

As for conditions, the woods looked tempting and some were venturing in. I did not because my skis took a beating on some of the natural trails (alpine options loves me this year). How are things in the woods?

Any word on the status of Slidebrook Lift?

[ducky]

As for conditions, the woods looked tempting and some were venturing in. I did not because my skis took a beating on some of the natural trails (alpine options loves me this year). How are things in the woods?



Went in XT woods on Weds pm toward the end of the storm. While really nice to be there first time this year and some good areas at that time which looked great, there were many hidden obstacles and my base and edges took some damage. Bravo woods were even less covered and definitely not ready for a crowd.

[angler]

Where is Win to tell us about all the misinformation and how everyone tells him how great this mountain is managed......

[Go Figure]

Where is Win to tell us about all the misinformation and how everyone tells him how great this mountain is managed......

http://blu.stb.s-msn.com/i/8A/77AC79B6C4EB42DE36DF56F5DF417.jpg

[angler]

http://blu.stb.s-msn.com/i/8A/77AC79B6C4EB42DE36DF56F5DF417.jpg

picture is worth 1000 words, lol

[sgottmann]

Went in XT woods on Weds pm toward the end of the storm. While really nice to be there first time this year and some good areas at that time which loaded great, there were many hidden obstacles and my base and edges took a beating. Bravo woods were even less covered and definitely not ready for a crowd.

Thanks for the heads up. Sounds like I need one more good storm. Enjoy.

[ducky]

Thanks for the heads up. Sounds like I need one more good storm. Enjoy.

Skied MRG today. Their lifts were running. Sign at top reads "Woods are strongly discouraged!"

[pcampbell]

i had a good time there yesterday- no lines anywhere and the lifts were running. Bring your MRG skis if you go in the woods...

[Go Figure]

Saturday, February 8th - 6:30 AM

*** Super Bravo is on maintenance delay. We are working hard to have it open today.***

[angler]

Saturday, February 8th - 6:30 AM

*** Super Bravo is on maintenance delay. We are working hard to have it open today.***
All that preventive maintenance is really paying off.

[HowieT2]

All that preventive maintenance is really paying off.

Unbelievable. This is going on since Wednesday. Appears that they don't know what they're doing.

[Go Figure]

Clay Brookers will have no problem walking up to VH for the front of the line. I bet a Sugar Sherpa will even carry their gear.

Super nice day on The Island, love the weekend quiet. Mid 20's and sunny is going to make for a nice walk in the park, then a trip to Zabars for some salmon and bagels.

[angler]

Clay Brookers will have no problem walking up to VH for the front of the line. I bet a Sugar Sherpa will even carry their gear.

Super nice day on The Island, love the weekend quiet. Mid 20's and sunny is going to make for a nice walk in the park, then a trip to Zabars for some salmon and bagels.

Would you mind being my Bagel Sherpa? Love everything bagels with onion and smoked salmon. I have an extra ticket to a real mountain that I would trade you for. ;)

[angler]

Unbelievable. This is going on since Wednesday. Appears that they don't know what they're doing.

One would call this week a clue! What a bush mountain so glad I switched to another mountain this year. If you paid attention over the past few years you could see this coming. The ownership should be embarrassed instead of living in a fantasy world where they think everything is just great. Maybe the next book will be "How not to run a mountain"

[MorningWoods]

Yeah! A crappy snow season and a broken lift and throw out the management! It sucks but the comments are going way to far and you are ruining what was once a constructive forum. Why don't you beat it and enjoy your other mountain.

[angler]

Please, educate me on what is constructive about telling someone to beat it?
It goes far beyond that, if you want to ignore the obvious thats your choice just like its mine to post. BTW if you don't like what is being said don't read it.
P.S.
I am enjoying my other mountain thanks for your concern.

[djd66]

Angler - you really need to get a life,... get lost!

[MorningWoods]

Angler - you really need to get a life,... get lost!

Seriously. This guy needs medication. He skies at another mountain and still has time for this.

[angler]

Like I said before I appreciate your constructive support, I have a very nice life so thanks for your interest. Getting back on topic this thread is about how poorly this mountain is being run at this time not telling people to get lost or beat it.

[southvillager]

C'mon, its not that bad. 108 trails are open! It says so on the web site.

Here is the insider's tip. Wait 45 mins in the Gatehouse line, disembark and enjoy a leisurely uphill slog toward the North Lynx triple, (hold on, here is the insider part!) ski under the rope for Castlerock Connection, hike 3 or 4 hours, enjoy the best that Sugarbush has to offer. Or if you prefer a less rigorous hike, climb up 100' or so to the double, wait an hour, enjoy a peaceful creaky ride right out of 1963, then hop on the reverse traverse, magically ski uphill (sorry riders), then wait 30 mins for Heavens Gate chair. Spend the next 45 minutes hiking and skiing to get over to Castlerock. Because after all, it is open, right? Awesome experience for the kids. Then after that rewarding day, drop into the Castlerock pub to be ignored by the bartender. Does it get any better?

I usually don't outright dump on the place, but holy crap, it is getting hard to ski at Sugarbush.

[skevmandoo]

Boy I'd have to agree. I don't post (first time other day in this thread and maybe couple yrs ago) but I can't hold back. As a long time Sugarbusher and proponet of the mtn., I'm disgusted both for myself as well as others that I met this week that have not been to the Bush in years. I can tell you they were extremely disappointed with the 'product' since they arrived Wednesday because of the lift issues. I too have been up all week (and most winter) and can't understand it.

Is it time to change maintenance contracts (are there are any), is it prudent financial foresight to invest in the lifts further or at the very least to keep them from failing days straight? I tell many we are going through growing pains as the mtn. progress toward what I believe to be necessary business growth. Savy marketing of the hill has resulted in tremendous numbers showing up to experience what it is to ski the Bush.. Or perhaps what it used to be? I think the best is yet to come.

However, it's unfortunate now that numbers are coming they have to be subjected to what I think is a wilted product (I believe the skiing is more the product than hospitality but that's not really the issue here...oh or is it.) ? I want the mtn to kick but. I want my mtn to make it work. But when you know Bravo will most likely be down for the day as it has been all week... Plan to have extra busses to truck those that want to hit North or make an exception and open SBrook chair... But I know there's a reason why. Always a reason.

I have a solution. Recognize that part of your overall product may just be the most important one... getting people up the hill to experience what most come here for. To ski. As one person on the lift said today... They should change the motto to: Sugarbush, Be Bitter Here. Because that's what many are taking home. A bitter taste.

[skevmandoo]

.. Oh and sorry for the lengthy rant. My bad edicate.

[Benski]

I heard the super bravos computer broke and was saying the lift was broken for no reason.

[HowieT2]

Yeah what a disaster today.

Myself, I made some lemonade from the lemons. Got to vh double before the line got bad. Waited maybe a minute. Slogged reverse traverse to hg, where there was no one. So I did a few laps there. Then I hiked over to cr and had a great run down middle earth. In for lunch, hiked to the vh, waited 20-25 minutes, over to hg, hiked over to cr and had another great run down middle earth.

Summit and Inverness both went down today for brief periods. They have a serious issue on their hands and better get it worked out before the holiday next week.

[Tin Woodsman]

Summit and Inverness both went down today for brief periods.

I'm not usually one to pile on, but that's just embarrassing given the context.

[bumpcrasher]

Add Heaven's Gate to the long list of chairlifts broken this weekend!!

[Go Figure]

Live lift and trail report says open. Castlerock is only a short hike away.

Off to a matinee, quiet on The West Side. Left a candle at The Dakota last night.rip

[jwt]

2400 views - this will need instant attention and my guess is that they have a shortage of engineers or parts or both. Crews that have this amount of work get burned out quickly. Whenever basic operations of a company are this obvious, there is much more than meets the eye.

My housemates - three new this season to da 'Bush - are not happy - maybe never to return next year? As it is, they go off to far flug resorts to get the goods. Weather is uncontrollable, but mechanics of lift ops shouldn't be.

Or is this the worst luck in Vermont? Ice Coast? ( as AHM would say)

Some light snow coming thru - but if you can't get there from here sans skins, what's a customer to do?

[MntMan4Bush]

That's not what I've heard. Everyone I talk to says how excellent things are. I'm getting tired of reading how things are actually going. I'd prefer to only hear compliments so I'm off to go drive a Porsche. It's all about priorities.

A bit harsh, so sorry I guess. But based on the last set of responses to us and what is happening I think certainly due.

So let's start over. Hey Win. Help us out here. Sorry about all the posts. We love it here. Now you can apologize to us as well, let us know you understand/accept the problem and let us know what you're plan is to fix it. Then we can all move on from this and get back to some good old sugarbush lovefest as I'm sure we'd all prefer over this. But you have to own up here.

[Go Figure]

Monday 9:00 am update

"Castlerock lift is set to open, but is currently on delay, as is Northridge."

[BushBumpGirl]

I'm with MtnMan4Bush ... I'd really like to see Win and/or team address the elephant in the room here. I've been a season pass holder for 10+ years, and hands down, Saturday was one of the worst experiences on the mtn. Ever. Started the day at North ... crazy crowds. Went to get on Summit - went down. Decided to hit the straight shot ice luge to hit up Inverness. Down. De-booted, and drove to South... saw that no one was skiing Spring Fling and thought it odd... VH Double, not moving. Boot up, and head to GH ... chair goes down for 10+ minutes while we are on it. Debacle of a day. Spoke with a higher-up <I'm not naming names> on Sunday about it... and it was honestly refreshing to hear him ADMIT that it was a terrible day, the Porsches were a horrendous idea ... and there are some things they need to address. I quite honestly, appreciated his honesty - and told him so. Half the battle is admitting you have a problem ... the other half is clearly addressing it.

I love SB, and am a repeat season pass holder for a reason. I'm not going anywhere, nor is anyone in my 30+ person ski crew that religiously drives up every weekend. We drive up every weekend to ski ... and in the end... you can't 'Be Better Here' if you can't get up the Mountain. :-/

[skimore]

I know many factors can come in to play with lifts being down, let’s say it is a run of bad luck, timing, etc.
With Brovo being down last Wednesday, Thursday & put to bed Friday still not working so it is known that Saturday will at least start without Brovo.
Does mountain management ever even consider a back-up plan that can help elevate the madness and at the same time show the customers that they are trying to make the experience the best they can.
Have all staff (lift operators, groomers, patrol, etc.) come to work 1 hour early or whatever is needed , prepare all other lifts to open at 8 am, don’t have to advertise this just do it. I say one hour since that is the amount of time between lifts opening. I know it would involve paying overtime, additional utility fees but it seems like it would help things from getting out of control too soon and show the customer that they care.

[chrisinvermont]

Well I'll start by saying I skied Wednesday in the storm and then Saturday both at north. Conditions are the best they've been all year. Crowds were insane, had a snowboarder run into the back of me while skiing. Skied GMX early then NRX and finally over to Inverness. Great fun on semi tough and brambles. Exterminator wasn't bad either. Never had a lift problem but I was gone by noon anyways.

What was really a shame about the day was after a season of icy conditions we finally good some nice snow that wasn't blown off the trails. Instead of being able to enjoy that all the way down the mountain they purposely iced up the only 2 trails to get to the bottom so the privileged could drive Porches on them. Saw a boarder some how end up on the closed course and it is all ice. Really unbelievable that they had to destroy the best conditions of the year.

Like others I'm a long term pass holder with no plans to go anywhere else, yet. I've also posted nice comments to Win in the past and thanked him in person. I hope he can get through this and recover. I do think he needs to come back here and address the big issues though. He should also read up a bit on the QBurke fiasco because his last post on here was heading towards the same tone management has taken there. If it wasn't for the fact that they are flooding the marketplace with cheap tickets, I would think they were trying to run everyone off so the claybrookers would have a private mountain.

[HowieT2]

Well I'll start by saying I skied Wednesday in the storm and then Saturday both at north. Conditions are the best they've been all year. Crowds were insane, had a snowboarder run into the back of me while skiing. Skied GMX early then NRX and finally over to Inverness. Great fun on semi tough and brambles. Exterminator wasn't bad either. Never had a lift problem but I was gone by noon anyways.

What was really a shame about the day was after a season of icy conditions we finally good some nice snow that wasn't blown off the trails. Instead of being able to enjoy that all the way down the mountain they purposely iced up the only 2 trails to get to the bottom so the privileged could drive Porches on them. Saw a boarder some how end up on the closed course and it is all ice. Really unbelievable that they had to destroy the best conditions of the year.

Like others I'm a long term pass holder with no plans to go anywhere else, yet. I've also posted nice comments to Win in the past and thanked him in person. I hope he can get through this and recover. I do think he needs to come back here and address the big issues though. He should also read up a bit on the QBurke fiasco because his last post on here was heading towards the same tone management has taken there. If it wasn't for the fact that they are flooding the marketplace with cheap tickets, I would think they were trying to run everyone off so the claybrookers would have a private mountain.

fwiw-last year they did the porsche thing on the golf course. I assume that is where it was to be again, but couldnt because of the lack of snow. staging it at mellon on a weekend was a mistake

[Hawk]

I was at Sunday River this past weekend. I guess there is no need for a trip report. Things over there are as expected. I have a sneeky suspision that my skins are going to come in real handy next weekend with the holiday week crowd. I pray they have the lifts figured out by then.

[Hawk]

So I was thinking. There is no real hard evidence but I get the feeling that something is up. Sometimes when a company cuts costs and also boosts revenue with deals and specials, there is a specific reason for this.........My minds wanders some times.

[angler]

I agree, Chewbarka and I were talking about this a few weeks ago as well. So much of this does not make sense unless of course you are looking to...............................

[angler]

I was at Sunday River this past weekend. I guess there is no need for a trip report. Things over there are as expected. I have a sneeky suspision that my skins are going to come in real handy next weekend with the holiday week crowd. I pray they have the lifts figured out by then.

might be quad pack central this weekend.....

[cmoore]

http://www.sugarbush.com/blogs/wins-word/the-snow-returns-339
and more to follow...

[chrisinvermont]

http://www.sugarbush.com/blogs/wins-word/the-snow-returns-339
and more to follow...

Well that's a start, the first step is admitting there's a problem. I really do hope they get things straightened out, it's a fun mountain. I look forward to the detailed plan.

[sglatham]

Ok, so maybe Wins silence was simply a momentary lapse of reason and not some permanent affliction.

[Chewbarka]

We rocked Castlerock hard today! Was great having the chair running. Would have been skied out if *opened* this past weekend. Glad we stayed the extra day!

[angler]

For your bedtime reading, no mention of the quad or triple packs.

http://www.sugarbush.com/blogs/wins-word/mid-season-update-340