A New Goal.....Open First!

[Hawk]

I realize that it may be an expensive proposition but........I think this should have been us. They recieved no snow with this last storm and they are at a lower elevation.

http://www.sundayriver.com/TheMountain/MountainReport/Photos/Camshot.html

It took 24 hours for SR to get the coverage shown in this link. They open yesterday and every ski industry message board in the east is talking about it.
I think if Sugarbush is going to make legitimate run at a higher slot on the Ski Magazine poll this is something that it needs in it's resume. Also look at all the free publicity they are getting. I saw this on several TV stations.

Thoughts? Comments?

[Last Tracks]

are the snow guns even on at the bush yet?

[ski_resort_observer]

It's going to be 45-50F at the 3000ft elevation today.

[Yard Sale]

Nice photo, but I actually prefer the steak over the sizzle.

[Dawn Patrol]

My two cents:

Sunday River is not in the same league as Sugarbush. Their publicity stunt to blast snow for a day to open for two days and surely have to close by this weekend will be seen as such and probably cost them tens of thousands of dollars.

*shrug*

[Hawk]

I have many friends over there. They skied yesterday and said the base is 3 to 4 feet deep and edge to edge. They also said that they will be open until Sunday and have possibly 3 trails and be top to bottom. I don't look at it as a publicity stunt. Their community is Skiing this weekend as a group. We should be doing the same. They may shut down for mid week but as of next weekend they will be open for good. Why not open early also?

I can't figure you guys out. Don't you want to ski? And I am not talking about earn your turns. I enjoy that as much as anybody. I am just so stoked to get out there with friends and this is something that SB has the power to do. I'm sick of the road trips every year and paying the other resorts for the pleasure.

[Dawn Patrol]

I honestly have no interest in skiing re-frozen snow today and re-re-frozen post rain snow tomorrow. Especially if that cost Win five figures...

[gone.skiing]

I honestly have no interest in skiing re-frozen snow today and re-re-frozen post rain snow tomorrow. Especially if that cost Win five figures...

What are you going to do in January? :roll: Last time I checked we are still on East Coast.

[ski_resort_observer]

This is not Sunday River but based on my ski days up there with limited terrain it will be very crowded. I wouldn't be skiing at SR if I lived in Bethel...but that's me. Diferent strokes for diferent folks. The fact that lots of folks are up there having a great time is awesome.

http://forums.skimrv.com/albums/album33/boreal3.jpg

[skiladi]

I actually considered going. I talked to a very nice man up there and he was very honest about conditions and said it was all man made. They didn't get but a few flurries. So considering I would be tossing together a "leftover" package of gear (mine is in vt) and driving 3 hours up and back ( no where to crash ) and dressing like Sarah Palin for a free ticket I decided to stay home. I SHOULD HAVE GONE!! nothing has gone right all morning.
; { My appt. was cancelled , my ebank wouldn't let me log in. But I had a good walk with the dog and cat.

[Tin Woodsman]

It's going to be 45-50F at the 3000ft elevation today.

That's great. It's been under 32 since Tuesday. So what's your point?

[vonski]

The Killington Refugees are putting away their T-shirts. Kmart opens on Sunday with top to bottom.

[Dawn Patrol]

I honestly have no interest in skiing re-frozen snow today and re-re-frozen post rain snow tomorrow. Especially if that cost Win five figures...

What are you going to do in January? :roll: Last time I checked we are still on East Coast.

Lol.. Don't worry, usually not refrozen. Nothing like March, but there's usually something around in Jan.

[ski_resort_observer]

It's going to be 45-50F at the 3000ft elevation today.

That's great. It's been under 32 since Tuesday. So what's your point?

That making snow today would not work from the question asked in the second post. :roll:

[thinksnow]

So who here actually skiis the Bush because of its status in SKI magazine anyway???

[Last Tracks]

i was wondering if the snow guns had been turned on at any point so far this year.

[win]

Our goal is not to be the first to open. It that happens as it did two years ago that is great. We are shooting to open by Saturday, November 22nd and to remain open through April at least. One can waste a tremendous amount of money making snow foolishly. The forecast next week is not good for snowmaking, and I am not going to spend a lot of money and watch the snow run down into the Mad River just so we can pump it up again later next week. Our goal is to have a full 160 plus season and to put out as good a product as we possibly can and to deliver as good service as we possibly can.

[Tin Woodsman]

i was wondering if the snow guns had been turned on at any point so far this year.

That should have been obvious.

[Dawn Patrol]

Our goal is not to be the first to open. It that happens as it did two years ago that is great. We are shooting to open by Saturday, November 22nd and to remain open through April at least. One can waste a tremendous amount of money making snow foolishly. The forecast next week is not good for snowmaking, and I am not going to spend a lot of money and watch the snow run down into the Mad River just so we can pump it up again later next week. Our goal is to have a full 160 plus season and to put out as good a product as we possibly can and to deliver as good service as we possibly can.

Amen, I'd rather Sugarbush save its cash and maybe be open a week or two later at the end of the season than blow dollar bills out the guns in October!

[Treeskier]

Killington to open Sunday top to bottom also.

[Yard Sale]

Our goal is not to be the first to open. It that happens as it did two years ago that is great. We are shooting to open by Saturday, November 22nd and to remain open through April at least. One can waste a tremendous amount of money making snow foolishly. The forecast next week is not good for snowmaking, and I am not going to spend a lot of money and watch the snow run down into the Mad River just so we can pump it up again later next week. Our goal is to have a full 160 plus season and to put out as good a product as we possibly can and to deliver as good service as we possibly can.

Steak not sizzle! Thank you.

[mattlucas]

i'm glad that someone is open, but i'm just as happy it isn't us.

let's take our time, do things right, and have lots of runs on the Valley House double all year.

[Last Tracks]

Here's just one example from Stowe TODAY. Look at this trip report and tell me there is no steak there.

http://tetongravity.com/forums/showthread.php?t=138423

There are tons of trip reports and posts in forums by people who have skied the great October snow we had the last three days. I've seen amazing pictures from MRG, Stowe, Jay and others. This is free advertising and it gets people excited and they pick up the phone and book a vacation.

I haven't seen a single post, trip report or picture from anyone who hiked and skied sugarbush this week and doesn't work there.

[Tin Woodsman]

Here's just one example from Stowe TODAY. Look at this trip report and tell me there is no steak there.

http://tetongravity.com/forums/showthread.php?t=138423

There are tons of trip reports and posts in forums by people who have skied the great October snow we had the last three days. I've seen amazing pictures from MRG, Stowe, Jay and others. This is free advertising and it gets people excited and they pick up the phone and book a vacation.

I haven't seen a single post, trip report or picture from anyone who hiked and skied sugarbush this week and doesn't work there.


BBBBuuutt, the liability!!!!

[slatham]

While I can't argue with Win on the financial downside of making snow only to see it wash away, its still unfortunate that what I consider to be the best early/late season terrian in New England is unused - that being the top of Mt Ellen. The summit chair terrian is all above 3,000 feet, which means more natural, longer snowmaking temperatures and less melting temps. There's also a great mix of terrian, with easy intermediate (Rim Run), more challenging intermediate (Looking Good) and top notch cruising (Elbow) and of course, if its really cold and snowy and you can pull it off snowmaking-wise, incredible expert terrian (FIS, Exterminator). There's a lodge, easy downloading, views, etc etc. Now, what I don't understand are the financials - what does it cost to get this terrian open by say Nov 1st, vs the Nov 1st - Thanksgiving (when South would open anyway) revenue? I do not buy the argument that PR/marketing/blogging adds much to the bottom line........

At the end of the day though, given the fantastic job Win and crew have done with the 'bush, I'll give them the benefit of the doubt.

Now, let's keep the snow and cold coming! :D

[007]

My.02, for what it is worth....

Hawk, nice to hear your thoughts of increased media attention and promotion, and I AGREE that the MRV can CERTAINLY use more of both.

The "early opening award" goes to a notoriously different class of ski area (which is the major reason why some of us relocated here) that needs to spend a TON of resources and energy for that publicity, even though the one day of media coverage and potential nano second of magazine reader attention grab costs an absurd amount of $ when compared to ROI. IMHO that $ can be better spent on things like running a cabin cat up Heaven's Gate on windhold days.......... Maybe a selfish thought, although prudent nonethess.

QUALITY is what Sugarbush is all about, it's what makes us so passionate about the place, and it is essential to why it's better here! We should continue to encourage Win and crew to promote JUST that and help SB evolve into "A Class All Its Own" far above any rating in the east coast readers poll. Besides, some have been hiking and skiing terrain and snow conditions in the MRV for over two weeks now that far surpasses any lift accessed skiing at SR or K.... just sayin'....

Slatham, I agree that having lifts and amenities at all peaks in early Nov and May is surely missed, although the basic computation/economics just wouldn't make sense..... To open Glen Ellen would cost just as much as Lincoln Peak, so Win would have to spend 2x the $ without any increase in number of skier visits and potential revenue. Fiscal responsibility, smaller more efficient and effective infastructure, and lower early/late season expenses give him financial resources to ride out events like the Dec rain storms and thaw-freeze cycles.

Now, everyone just go "take a hike".................................................. .............. um, ?somewhere?, in the Green Mountains, with skis.........and enjoy the MRV life while they are there.

[Hawk]

Well we headed up to the Bush on Saturday to do the annual lug a cord of wood up 3 flights of stairs to the condo event. That was good training. :roll: In the back ground we heard the sounds of the snowmaking plant cranking up. We look up and saw the guns cranking on OG.

I looked at my wife and said "feel like a road trip". She responded with an ear-to-ear grin and said. "Absolutely!". So we did the route 2 shuffle across 3 states over to Sunday River. Its 145 miles and 3 hours if you haven't done it. Nice drive this time of year. Especially when you crest the hill in Jefferson, NH to view the snow covered Presidential Range. That's an awesome view from that side.

Too late to ski Saturday so we opted to ski on Sunday instead. Good call. They were top to bottom with great coverage. We met up with all our old friends and had a blast skiing run after run on soft velvet machine made and perfect bumps. From what we heard Saturday was a little firm because Friday was warm but they recovered nicely for Sunday. I figured I would see Treeskier, 007 or notorius.....Where were you guys?

They will be open with multiple trails starting next weekend for anybody who needs to get a fix. God knows we did!!!!! :wink:

[WWF-VT]

They will be open with multiple trails starting next weekend for anybody who needs to get a fix. God knows we did!!!!! :wink:

Not likely - temps in the 50's and rain later this week.

I prefer 100% open in December over a publicity opening in October

[Hawk]

They will be open with multiple trails starting next weekend for anybody who needs to get a fix. God knows we did!!!!! :wink:

Not likely - temps in the 50's and rain later this week.

I prefer 100% open in December over a publicity opening in October

I don't know, I skied top to bottom bumps all day and enjoyed frosty ales with many of my old friends. It was a perfect day.
If that is what a publicity stunt is then I hope they make more publicity.....

You sound like the fable of the Fox and Grapes.......but actually your chewin gum..... :wink:

[win]

Having anyone open this time of year and getting publicity is good for all!

It is going to be very warm for several days, so keep your fingers crossed that it cools down by the end of the weekend and then stays cool enough to keep the guns on continuously from then on!