Good Weekend

[summitchallenger]

Judging by the crowds at North, I'd say that this was a very good weekend. My sources told me that Saturday saw about 2,700 skiers and riders at North alone and that they were expecting more on Sunday. I could only imagine what South must have looked like....

[jwt]

South had nothing more that 10 minute lines from 8:30- 3:30 my last run 3 on Gatehouse with my kids. I never went to SB because at 8:30 it was on wind-hold.
Spent the morning on NL and went into SB - SLip was so boeny compared to last w/e - I blame the sign at the bottom of GH on that. Just too many people in there now.

Skied rigth on CR 10-1 PM for four runs, never got to HG either. Ski patroller and instructor in our house both saod the snow up there was the best on the mountain ( Spills, etc)

Near perfect weather and if all lifts are open the place can hold a lot of people without more than a few minute lines - all depands on where people go and if they know where there are no lines. Vail had those lights way back when letting customers know what lifts had long/short lines. Some rough version of that - a white board at the top of each lift would do a lot foe spreading out skiers. Update only when the lines change.

[summitchallenger]

Worth saying three times? :shock:

[jwt]

Gave me only one 'preview/send' option? Sorry.

[summitchallenger]

Gave me only one 'preview/send' option? Sorry.

That's OK. I was just kidding. :wink:

[Lostone]

Worth saying three times?

All better. :wink:


I thought the weekend was pretty good. Started on a sour note, with Bravo down, but they got Valley House and Gatehouse running early.

Lots of people, but the mountain handled it well. Got the first of the noon grooms on Birch and Sleeper, which went over well.

Today, we had snow, and . . . Everyone went away. :shock:

Those who stayed had a great time. Spoke to many and had not one negative comment. Lots of "Awesome". You like working on days like that. 8)

[John Walden]

Good weekend all around. North was busy on Sunday. Lower FIS was surprising good. Ski instructors told me today that their business was off somewhat. Ripcord was the best trail today I think. Thank God for that 4" dump we got last night.

[HowieT2]

great weekend. Even got to watch some football at the CRP without the wife or kids around.

what happened at HG when the bravo started to run saturday? I have never seen the line that long. I didn't stick around to find out how long the wait was.

[shadyjay]

Saturday started pretty crazy. When I was walking in, I thought for sure we'd have windholds, but didn't. I got a "transport" for a ride up to Heaven's Gate. After establishing the usual straight shot corral, I was told to make it curve up back towards the HG Hut. A couple reasons for this... the end of the standard weekend corral is at the top of the pitch, and further extension would drop down Lower Downspout. On busy weekends, the line naturally curves at more of a 90 deg into the middle of Downspout/Lower Downspout. So by doing a curved corral, similar to a Bravo setup, we were able to utilize more of the "flat". It was an inconvenience to those coming down Ripcord, hence the NAY votes I got from many. And after Bravo opened, from 11-1pm, the line did stretch into the trail, but it seemed less than when the corral was a "straight shot".

Since the curved corral may make an appearance again during President's Week, if you're coming down Ripcord and looking to head back up, you can always utilize one of two crossovers... Paradise Extension to Downspout, or the cutoff marked on Lower Ripcord as "Downspout".

We tried to keep people moving right along, and with the help of some crowd control by myself and in my absence, some self-guidance, we had 3 to a chair, every chair, for 99.9% of the busy 10:30-1:30 period. Seeing every chair full is a good thing and shows that everyone was "on the ball"... which doesn't always happen at, say, Gate House.

[HowieT2]

Saturday started pretty crazy. When I was walking in, I thought for sure we'd have windholds, but didn't. I got a "transport" for a ride up to Heaven's Gate. After establishing the usual straight shot corral, I was told to make it curve up back towards the HG Hut. A couple reasons for this... the end of the standard weekend corral is at the top of the pitch, and further extension would drop down Lower Downspout. On busy weekends, the line naturally curves at more of a 90 deg into the middle of Downspout/Lower Downspout. So by doing a curved corral, similar to a Bravo setup, we were able to utilize more of the "flat". It was an inconvenience to those coming down Ripcord, hence the NAY votes I got from many. And after Bravo opened, from 11-1pm, the line did stretch into the trail, but it seemed less than when the corral was a "straight shot".

Since the curved corral may make an appearance again during President's Week, if you're coming down Ripcord and looking to head back up, you can always utilize one of two crossovers... Paradise Extension to Downspout, or the cutoff marked on Lower Ripcord as "Downspout".

We tried to keep people moving right along, and with the help of some crowd control by myself and in my absence, some self-guidance, we had 3 to a chair, every chair, for 99.9% of the busy 10:30-1:30 period. Seeing every chair full is a good thing and shows that everyone was "on the ball"... which doesn't always happen at, say, Gate House.

thanks.

[WWF-VT]

Glad I took MLK Day as a holiday. Best day of the weekend was today at Mt Ellen with the fresh snow.

[summitchallenger]

http://rutlandherald.com/article/20100119/NEWS01/1190355/1002/NEWS01

Interesting....

[win]

Yes, It was the most skier visits for the three day MLK weekend since we have owned Sugarbush.

[Strat]

Yes, It was the most skier visits for the three day MLK weekend since we have owned Sugarbush.
Awesome! Good news for the mountain and the Valley.

8)

[vonski]

Yes, It was the most skier visits for the three day MLK weekend since we have owned Sugarbush.
Not sure what South was like, but Ellen was not over crowded.. It is amazing how there was no lines, great snow and overall fun this last weekend at North!

[summitchallenger]

Yes, It was the most skier visits for the three day MLK weekend since we have owned Sugarbush.
Not sure what South was like, but Ellen was not over crowded.. It is amazing how there was no lines, great snow and overall fun this last weekend at North!

Not sure I agree with that assessment on Sunday. The line at Summit was the longest I have seen...the trails skied fine (except for crowding on FIS) but the liftlines were pretty long (by my standards). I skied single and the wait was about five minutes or so. I normally can ski on. Is that really bad? Of course not.

[vonski]

Yes, It was the most skier visits for the three day MLK weekend since we have owned Sugarbush.
Not sure what South was like, but Ellen was not over crowded.. It is amazing how there was no lines, great snow and overall fun this last weekend at North!

Not sure I agree with that assessment on Sunday. The line at Summit was the longest I have seen...the trails skied fine (except for crowding on FIS) but the liftlines were pretty long (by my standards). I skied single and the wait was about five minutes or so. I normally can ski on. Is that really bad? Of course not.

the sun out on top made for some line, but again, if you did not want to go to the summit there was no line any where else! But the views were pretty cool. If it was 5 minutes it did not seem like it. I started at the end of the corral once and it was no biggy!

[summitchallenger]

I've seen lines that are longer, but for ME standards it was quite busy. Good to see every chair have someone in it. Good for business and shows that people do like skiing at Mount Ellen. I got first chair both mornings, so no complaints.

[gone.skiing]

We fought the crowds entire weekend... ;)
http://searcher.smugmug.com/Sugarbush/Sugarbush-Jan-18-10/20100118-sb-3947/768129436_kiQed-L.jpg

Great to hear that mountain did well!!!