On the subject of kids in Slidebrook:

Saturday I was waiting for the bus, and a big group of blazers came out and the leader yelled out to the large crowd to let the kids on first. While I'm all for women and chidren first, seems to be the Mad Bus is not affiliated with the ski school and I shouldn't have to wait for another bus if I was down well before them. See this with the Guides too and that chaps me even more.

arc1 wrote:

On the subject of kids in Slidebrook: Saturday I was waiting for the bus, and a big group of blazers came out and the leader yelled out to the large crowd to let the kids on first. While I'm all for women and chidren first, seems to be the Mad Bus is not affiliated with the ski school and I shouldn't have to wait for another bus if I was down well before them. See this with the Guides too and that chaps me even more.

It is my understanding that the resort pays somewhere around $70k for the mad bus to operate at their bequest. There are other businesses that do pay a share also. If you have not paid for a tour or are not in an organized program you will be asked to allow these patrons first serve.
I have been at the SB stop when grown men have pushed their way forward when children were waiting ahead of them. When I protested I was told " No one told them to bring their kids in there " Major JERK! And that's the nicest word I can think of.

I know that the Outback guided tours have the right to load the bus first. It was in one of the orginal agreements with the bus. They can even call in a special bus. But as for Blazers not sure of the their rights. I do know at Powder MT they have an outback area with bus service and at the bus stop sign and line form. The line deturmins who loads the bus first, and if your at the back you may need to wait till the next bus.

Funny now at the moment with such great snow we have these new issues. In many ways I am glad to have these issue over ice or lack of snow

We’re talking about a bus ride not a sinking ship, right?
People who have been waiting deserve to get on the bus first, that’s a common courtesy everyone should have.

first come first serve. seems pretty simple rite!

skituner8 wrote:

first come first serve. seems pretty simple rite!

Yes, except for if some one pays for something that includes a particular privlege such as guided ski tours, ski/board lessons and Blazers that get preference at the lift corrals and apparently the madbus. It is just the way it is.

also not a big fan of blazer groups.last i knew lessons did not include preferental treatment on public transportation that is available for everyone

Blazer groups are the future of skiing and riding. Seasonal program folks who are in Slide Brook are on an official guided tour and have preference at the bus. How many times has anybody actually had to wait for another bus because of them?

As for the nice rules, I have never seen first come first serve in action. It's always been first at the door first on the bus, no matter when you showed up. Luckily, the buses are usually big enough. The number of high traffic days are relatively small and there is always the option to go to Mount Ellen, if you don't want to wait.

BTW, this is the only resort on the East Coast that even offers a free bus service to backcountry runs. Everywhere else is hitch-hiking or car stash, so how about a little love for the extra help from the Bush?

John

p.s. We've got one of the biggest snowpack in 130 years and people still have to find things to complain about. Go make some turns!

Treeskier wrote:

I know that the Outback guided tours have the right to load the bus first. It was in one of the orginal agreements with the bus. They can even call in a special bus. But as for Blazers not sure of the their rights. I do know at Powder MT they have an outback area with bus service and at the bus stop sign and line form. The line deturmins who loads the bus first, and if your at the back you may need to wait till the next bus. Funny now at the moment with such great snow we have these new issues. In many ways I am glad to have these issue over ice or lack of snow

I've given up my seat; have been the last one to squeeze aboard; and have arranged pick-ups with my spouse while filling our car with as many as we can...so I've seen this little drama play out from many angles, other than being on a Outback tour (at least not yet). And I outgrew the Blazers program 25-30 yrs ago.

That being said, any organized group such as the Guided Tours who have a contractual right to arrange an extra bus should coordinate with the Mad Bus & exercise that right, so to avoid the issue of making the first come/first served folks wait needlessly. Other organized groups that make regular trips into Slidebrook should be courteous and do the same...else they should not expect a similar level of courteousness as they ask to 'cut the line' and make others wait.

Further, I doubt SB earmarks its Mad Bus payment to prioritize service given to a specific group, such as Blazers. Any ticketed skier is a paying customer, and that would imply hidden or otherwise undeclared tiers (and terms) of service. I'm no lawyer but that's not fair. Period. Not to mention generating confusion and ill-will.

Notwithstanding the so-stated 'right' of the Outback Guided Tour folk, I doubt there's any fine print stating preferential treatment for transport that's subsidized by a combination of SB AND local merchants AND possibly tax dollars. Just because you pay a premium for an organized outing does not mean you should get prioritized seating on a shared/community resource. The program organizer should arrange for that extra transport for its paying customers, and not force a second-class citizen status on others who have been waiting.

Mostly I agree with the sentiment that this is a nice issue to have ie, we are skiing/riding/enjoying Slidebrook.

Yard Sale wrote:

skituner8 wrote: first come first serve. seems pretty simple rite! Yes, except for if some one pays for something that includes a particular privlege such as guided ski tours, ski/board lessons and Blazers that get preference at the lift corrals and apparently the madbus. It is just the way it is.

Yes except for the fact the mad bus isn't a privately owned and operated chair lift, which you need to pay for. The Mad Bus is a free transportation service to the community. Besides I’ve never seen preferred treatment at any of the other pickup locations so don’t expect it at Slidebrook. Not to mention I am not even sure it’s an official bus stop, I think it’s more the bus picking you up anywhere along the route as long as it is a safe place to stop.

You know there is a huge difference between waiting 10 seconds for the next chair and waiting 30 minutes for the next bus and I don’t care about some clause in an agreement. Good people have common courtesy, and in this case that’s first come first serve.

atkinson wrote:

Blazer groups are the future of skiing and riding. Seasonal program folks who are in Slide Brook are on an official guided tour and have preference at the bus. How many times has anybody actually had to wait for another bus because of them? As for the nice rules, I have never seen first come first serve in action. It's always been first at the door first on the bus, no matter when you showed up. Luckily, the buses are usually big enough. The number of high traffic days are relatively small and there is always the option to go to Mount Ellen, if you don't want to wait. BTW, this is the only resort on the East Coast that even offers a free bus service to backcountry runs. Everywhere else is hitch-hiking or car stash, so how about a little love for the extra help from the Bush? John p.s. We've got one of the biggest snowpack in 130 years and people still have to find things to complain about. Go make some turns!

Actually, I generally do see most people respect the first come first served "nice rule". The interesting thing is that the people I see who most often cut are the FOG's (friends of the Guides). I'm all for the kids going in, but sometimes wonder if the blazers could time it to keep the numbers sane. I understand the time constraints with lunch schedules and all, but there have been some really big groups of blazers and coaches.

I think this is a sticky wicket that as Slide Brook gets more popular it will require some new thinking. Once, this season I was on the LP/ME shuttle(the largest sized bus in the Mad Bus stable is used BTW) on a busy Sat and since the bus was pretty full with folks going from ME to LP so not all the folks at the Slide Brook trailhead were able to get on and would have to wait for the next loop. I was very dismayed at what I witnessed regarding who got on the bus and who didn't.

madhavok wrote:

Yard Sale wrote: skituner8 wrote: first come first serve. seems pretty simple rite! Yes, except for if some one pays for something that includes a particular privlege such as guided ski tours, ski/board lessons and Blazers that get preference at the lift corrals and apparently the madbus. It is just the way it is. Yes except for the fact the mad bus isn't a privately owned and operated chair lift, which you need to pay for. The Mad Bus is a free transportation service to the community. Besides I’ve never seen preferred treatment at any of the other pickup locations so don’t expect it at Slidebrook. Not to mention I am not even sure it’s an official bus stop, I think it’s more the bus picking you up anywhere along the route as long as it is a safe place to stop. You know there is a huge difference between waiting 10 seconds for the next chair and waiting 30 minutes for the next bus and I don’t care about some clause in an agreement. Good people have common courtesy, and in this case that’s first come first serve.

Good people have common courtesy to let an instructor and 5-8 little children he is responsible for, onto the bus. Even if you don't care about showing the kids any courtesy, have some compassion for the instructor. I certainly wouldn't want to be stuck with a bunch of tired, hungry and bored kids on the side of the road waiting for the next bus. I would hope an adult would be a little better equipped on the off chance one doesn't get on the bus, then a group of 8 year olds.

The only reason the bus is free is because the mountain pays for it. You think slidebrook gnomes pay for the service? The blazers pay over and above their season passes for the program. Furthermore, the blazers get picked up at LP at 3 so they're not even an issue after about 2:30.

Why not just have a Blazer/Outback tour Shuttle van? Have it do loops for those who pay $$$ for the tour or program? It is a sanctioned shuttle for the patrons/guides and instructiors. I say forget about the Mad Bus stopping @ the SB trail head. Everyone else hitch, walk or call someone for a lift! Make both sides of German flatts a no parking zone.....

Is this too extreme or far fetched?

Now I am with JA....shut up and make some turns! Or better yet EARN THEM!

Yard Sale wrote:

skituner8 wrote: first come first serve. seems pretty simple rite! Yes, except for if some one pays for something that includes a particular privlege such as guided ski tours, ski/board lessons and Blazers that get preference at the lift corrals and apparently the madbus. It is just the way it is.

By this logic, it would be OK for a SB skier to get on the bus at any stop on the line instead of someone in town just visiting relatives, or skiing MRG perhaps. Doesn't seem to make much sense to me. I think the contribution SB makes is to the system, not for that particular stop along the way.