Powerful ad in WSJ Weekend Journal section today.

[Dellwood]

We always enjoyed driving the extra 45 minutes to Sugarbush knowing passing Killington you were leaving all the NJ & NYC crowd behind (which we are part of). Good advertising can change all that.

We received the Sugarbush DVD in the mail just prior to Thanksgiving, another great marketing effort.

We are very excited about all the improvements at the Bush and we plan to spend 100% of our skiing dollars there this year, Christmas, MLK, February vacations and various other times after good snow and plan to continue years to come.

My one request is that when the Bush becomes the place to be, that you do not hold it against us who have been going the extra mile for years to experience "epic" skiing.

Just as forums like these have blasted the Bush in the past for lack of advertising, two years from now you may wish for the good all days.

One thing about the NYC and NJ crowd is they know quality, they know value and they appreciate and reward good (client comes first) service, the Bush offers all three. Another thing about NYC & NJ crowd $$$$$$.

We always viewed the Bush as our little secret that we shared with friends

Today Win let the "cat out of the bag."

All the best to Sugarbush future success!

[random_ski_guy]

Welcome to the board Dellwood.

I'll have to grab the journal to see what Win has done now.

I'm not too worried, I think the Bush can handle more people.

[Plowboy]

Welcome Dellwood. Some of us miss the good ole days when it was busy. :)

[Fourwide]

A Claybrook ad has appeared in that section of the Friday WSJ for a few months. That's sure a great bit of marketing! I'm looking at downtown Manhattan right now from my office in the MetLife building (42nd St., over Grand Central Terminal) on this cold December morning, thinking about the mountain. I bet others are thinking about that ad (and how to spend their bonuses--sure to be a big bonus year on Wall St.!)

[freeheel_skier]

Busy=commerce which is good for the valley. Come mid-week off holliday if you want to miss the crowds. :)

Welcome Dellwood!

[Tin Woodsman]

Good, straightforward ad. Win definitely knows his audience.

I've always appreciated that the likes of Stratton and K-Mart acted as a filter for the less adventurous or knowledgable about what lies to the north. There is a perverse, sublime pleasure at watching the license plates from CT, NY and NJ get off at Exit 2 and then Ext 6 on I-91. "Suckers!", I say to myself (and sometimes to others).

SB has always attracted not only some of the best conditions in New England, but also the best people. The atmosphere is just completely different that what you see further south. It is my sincere hope that campaigns like are able to strike a balance between attracting the necessary quantity and the right quality of people. As Denq Xiao-ping once said, if you open the window, it's inevitable that a few flies are going to come in. :lol: :lol:

[Fourwide]

We rented at Killington (Woods condos, across from Peppino's) for two years, then bought at Sugarbush in '03. Always feels great taking the left hand turn onto 100 north, rather than the right turn up the Killington access road!

[9thCav]

Sugarbush can handle more crowds. Indeed, we need more people to enable it to thrive. I think the biggest issue is the lack of bed space in the MRV. More beds need be added but older places need some updating. Another problem is the lack of decent places to eat and party. The state police are quite zealous in enforcement of the DWI laws. This is great but does scare off many from going out. I like how Killington has bus and taxi service available for the nightowls. Net, I would hate to have the MRV lose its character but thoughtful development is necessary.

[win]

9th Cav hit a bulls eye. That is why we built Clay Brook and have plans for more slope side residences. Claybrook has over 420 pillows ( a king bed in 2 pillows) so it is a great start but not the total answer. We can handle more crowds that what has been the average over the past decaded or so without over crowding on mountain. Sugarbush had had more in the past without the lifts and snowmaking and now base facilities that we have and have planned.

[jwt]

More skiers/riders? The mountain(s) can handle them, even though for 25 years we have had it all to ourselves. . . . . but there has gotta be more snow put down. . . . . if they could have connected Cruiser ( which had a fair amount of snow in it and was blown on it Sat) to North Ridge Chair it would have alieviated all the lines ( longest I have seen in years and years ( w/o lifts breaking) at the Summit Chair because South was in such rough shape. . . . must be a reason? but it was obvious South was not enough to hold them, because when the three buses arrived. . . . for uploading. . . .
well the snow was spectacular on Exterm and FIS, especially considering the break last week? ( Maybe that was why no snow was blown Sunday?) . . . . . and I'll stake the North snows almost anyday over South execpt Paradise/C/R but gee, if we are going to concentrate on opening a hill. . . instead of two. . . . . . . . and no fireplace in the new lodge? Only other disapointment of the weekend. . . .but a big one? Must be a reason? If you asked anyone what is a central theme of any large ski lodge. . . . . besides a view, which we certainly have,. . .then tease us all with that massive stone multi flued exterior. . . . . . . did I mention I was dissapointed? . . . maybe an outside one for us 7 a day hour skiers? That would cut dissapointment way down. . or maybe directing clients to the Timbers? where there MUST be one? That would do. . . . . . I see a capitalist( s) taking a risk and ( hopefully) getting a return on investment, and adding to the Valley as he/they have done, and if a ROI, then a well deserved one. . . . . and for now I have Mt Ellen Lodge, with it's fire place and that will do for 25 years of great memories. . . . . . almost skied to the big red house though. . . . . . . bigger than ME Lodge! Just please have Slidebrook running as much as possible and there will be no crowds with double the skier days.. . . . . . . . here's to what we hope will be a big, positive change for the Valley, merchants, skiers, and residents. . . . . . . grounds frozen now, snow has gotta come.

[Mike_451]

Interesting use of punctuation JWT.........


Look, Developing Sugarbush, Increasing Midweek Skier Days, Increasing Profits, might lead to some great things.

Such as, More Snowmaking, Slide Brook Express, and Northridge chairs durring the week, how about developing the terrain over the inverness? A long list of possibilities.

[Strat]

Interesting use of punctuation JWT.........


Look, Developing Sugarbush, Increasing Midweek Skier Days, Increasing Profits, might lead to some great things.

Such as, More Snowmaking, Slide Brook Express, and Northridge chairs durring the week, how about developing the terrain over the inverness? A long list of possibilities.

Interesting use of capitalization Mike...

:D 8)

[Lostone]

Please take all comments about grammar and spellink (:wink: ) to the proper thread in the Feedback room.

Not doubting the validity of comments, just don't want them to take up all threads.

If referring to somone's post, there please send them a PM, politely telling them that they are invited to reply, there.

Thanx! 8)

[Bubba]

Anyone seen the new new Coke truck advertising?

Maybe that explains the fountain drink prices. :lol:

[win]

Bubba, the drink is on me the next time you are here. Your are the first to admit you saw the truck. Where did you see it? Find me and I will buy you the drink of your choice!

[Treeskier]

JWT I agree with some of what you are trying to say. I Know you have skied else where...and they offer a lot more at this point. I also agree that we should have had cruser running so we could have had North Ridge running. Plus if it was running...as in the very mild days of ASC days, then we could have run the Slidebrook express and then skied Gatehouse. (the next most important skiing for the Xmas rush) As much as I understand the global net $ gain of not having the desial compressors, I also understand that when the power company turns your low cost power off but Mother nature has not been kind it is time to turn on your alturnative energy source and still make snow.

God please get cold and snow so we do not have to have these type of post and we can ski the trees!!!!!!

[Tin Woodsman]

JWT I agree with some of what you are trying to say. I Know you have skied else where...and they offer a lot more at this point. I also agree that we should have had cruser running so we could have had North Ridge running. Plus if it was running...as in the very mild days of ASC days, then we could have run the Slidebrook express and then skied Gatehouse. (the next most important skiing for the Xmas rush) As much as I understand the global net $ gain of not having the desial compressors, I also understand that when the power company turns your low cost power off but Mother nature has not been kind it is time to turn on your alturnative energy source and still make snow.

God please get cold and snow so we do not have to have these type of post and we can ski the trees!!!!!!

For the record, the SBX won't open until there's enough snow at the lower elevations of Slide Brook to enable lift/skier evac via snowmobile. That's why the lift wasn't operating much last year - the snow just wasn't there below 2000'. Given the forecast, don't count on SB running for a while even is Cruiser and Gate House are open.

[Treeskier]

interesting because ASC did. You can evac. with no snow. Or at least they where willing. Is what you are quoting in the permit?

[freeheel_skier]

I am stuck over at ME when the SBX isn't running. :( I don't want to wait for the bus. Why would they run the SBX now with 14 trails open? SBX closed = no snow.....closed midweek with a dumpage is another story. But when there is no snow what is the point? If there is please enlighten me :)

It will dump! :D

[Tin Woodsman]

interesting because ASC did. You can evac. with no snow. Or at least they where willing. Is what you are quoting in the permit?

Interesting. Didn't know that. Regardless, I recall very clearly that this was SB's explanation for not running the SBX more often last year. Perhaps their procedures are a little more stringent than ASCs or perhaps the permit language has changed. Or perhaps it's something more sinister. Heck if I know.

[win]

It is a question of being able to get transport in an out. We have a special piece of equipment that requires snow depth. An evacuation of Slide Brook is a lengthy and complicated procedure, and we can't risk people being up there too long in cold weather and also not being able to be transport out on a supervised basis. Not all the riders with be Treeskiers.

There were never diesels at ME and it is a judgment call whether to make the top really good as it is now or risk trying to get to the bottom in marginal temperatures. We would have liked to have progressed down sooner, but when you have the temperatures we had lower, you are able to make a lot less snow.

The diesels were rented for a couple of months, and we are not adverse to doing it again if we need to for a short time frame to get some extra capacity for unusual times.