I'm not going to bitch about things like windholds and snow that are out of management control. I understand skiing is a capital intensive, weather dependant business and it isn't easy.
But after 10 years of watching north ridge go down over and over I will bitch. And then you hear rumors about all the experienced mechanics leaving and you just scratch your head.
My point is that no other top tier resort in Vermont would allow their lifts to have all this downtime year after year. It would be totally unacceptable at Stowe or Killington.
After all its called a lift ticket. The lifts are the most important piece of the whole thing.
Happy birthday MT Ellen.
Last edited by Last Tracks; 01-06-2014 at 05:51 PM.
I'm from Vermont and I ski where I want.
Well said Last Tracks!!
After North Ridge's performance over the past 10 years, I think we can ask the question...."Are there any plans to fix or replace North Ridge?" I am not as concerned with the current problem as I am with a viable, long-term solution. It is a Doppelmeyr lift retrofitted with Poma parts--it simply does not work.
And contrary to the Lift/Trail Report, the issues this season (and many others) are not windhold. North Ridge was broken Opening Day and has been broken more days than not.
SB facebook post this morning....
"Here's an update on the North Ridge chair at Mt. Ellen. It's been closed for maintenance, but the part we need is arriving soon and we're planning to have the lift running in the next few days if not tomorrow. Typically the lift only runs weekends and holidays, so we hope to have it ready by Thursday for the Mt. Ellen 50th $6.50 day. Thanks to everyone for your patience on this. Should be a fun celebration!"
The only reason that I complain is because I care. Sugarbush was a big part of my life growing up and I bring my boys there now. I've had some of the best days of my life there and I know that there are many more to come!
I'm from Vermont and I ski where I want.
Castlerock 2001, Slidebrook, Bravo, Gatehouse circa 1995, Heavens Gate, Northlynx circa 1984, VH and Village doubles circa 1960's. So the new quad lifts at LP are now 19 years old. HG and NL are 30 years old. The doubles are 50(!!) years old. Maybe this is typical, it seems like every hill has a few ancient doubles. But wow, 50 years old? As a customer and a local condo owner, I am concerned about the age of these things. Old or outdated capital equipment can hobble a business. And make me miserable on busy Saturdays.
But let's be realistic. They used to say that there is no money in operating a ski resort, the money is in selling the condos nearby. I must admit that if I owned the place, if there was money to be made here and now, I'd be building condos not lifts. Put band-aids on the lifts and snowmaking, make a few dollars on the real estate, then sell the resort to the next guy.
I'd have to agree that the NRX has been pretty reliable the last few years. I can't seem to remember a time in recent past that it's been down for anything other than wind. Here's to you Bumpcrasher and all the support you've given me over the years in this forum. Glad I could chime in and help.
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Of course though this mechanical reliability of late is likely due to the sawed off broom handle that they use every now and again to keep things on track. God I hope no one lost that during the off season or it didn't break. How would replace such an important tool. That would be it for NRX. Seriously. I've skied a fair amount and I have never seen anything like that on a lift. It's like the chairs on Valley Double a couple years back with caution tape on them. It's almost like a red neck fixing a tractor exhaust with duct tape and the sawed off top of a Coors Light can. (I'm not looking for comments on why/if that would work or not by the way. Just go with the joke please).
Maybe it's because we spend so much time here that we see everything while we don't get this exposure to issues other mountains have because we're not there all the time, but I doubt it. As the mountain sells more and more tickets and tries to get more user visits the ability to get people up slope becomes more important than ever. No one likes standing in lines all day. In fact that used to be a reason people came to the Bush. No lines ever, better terrain, good people, good natural snow. (Notice snow making is sadly not on that list).
I like the current lift configuration. I like the VD is a double and not the Valley Triple. I like that I have time to cook a pot roast and drink a nice glass of port in the time it takes me to get up the Inverness chair (Please chime in that the bull wheel actually spins at XXX to prove me wrong. If it is then it's spinning in the wrong direction). I like that I need a howitzer to hit the guy in front of me with a snowball (never throw snow from the chair) on the CR char. The lift configuration makes sure the mountain itself is not overcrowded when you're on it. However this is only relevant when it is operating.
Lastly if we're going to be standing in line for longer can we at least take a page from the CR chair or the top of SB and fire up some tunes at the base of all lifts? Maybe some Grateful Dead? You guys up in Vermont have heard of them right? If not you should check them out. I think you'd like them.
MM4B is back baby!!! I'm back and bored at work.
I like the double too but I would think the incremental cost of installing a triple rather than a double is minimal, and you get 50% more uphill capacity which is helpful on days when there are issues with other lifts. Also, with respect to the Village double, the triple allows the instructors to take 2 kids up with them which is a big issue.
There are tunes outside the gatehouse.
I remember there used to be tunes outside GH, and usually in the morning (also remembering the good old "Goooooood morning Sugarbush skiers and riders", but the last couple times I've been in the GH line I don't remember hearing it. Of course it could be because I'm miles away from the loading area the last few times with holiday crowds and lift closures or I just wasn't paying attention because the gates are so short for it that there is always a massive swarm of people all trying to squeeze in from the sides that I was playing defense. I guess then my recommendation would be to turn it up to 11.
Agreed re the gates. When the singles line at GH is back to the magic carpet, something has to be done to deal with the cutters. The green jackets occasionally take it upon themselves to restore order but most of the time it's people picking a weak link and pretending to have no idea there was a line. Maddening.
Northridge was running today. Conditions were way better than I expected! Sugarbush did a great job with what they had to work with.
I'm from Vermont and I ski where I want.
THis was an error. NR is scheduled to run everyday. Valley House weekends and Holidays. SB this year when we have the snow depth beneath it will run everyday too.
Win,
I love that you are communicating to the public. It is one of the things that make me proud that Sugarbush is my "home" mountain. That open communication can leave you open to sometimes silly questions or requests, like the one I am about to make....
Is there anyway your snowmaking team can somehow get some snow on the upper part of Sleeper that bypasses the chutes? I realize there are no pipes on it but could it be covered by a whale at the top and bottom then spread out? I ask because my three kids' favorite trail is Sleeper but 2 of the three can't handle the chute so it eliminates the whole trail for them. We'll be coming up from NJ this weekend with a family of four who have never been to the valley.
Unfortunately, that would require putting a new snowmaking line in there and widening the trail so we could make snow without taking down all the trees. We have discussed trying to do something put don't really have a good answer yet. I do agree with you on how that would improve it for people that don't like the chute.
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