Kelly’s Blog: Hello Winter!
I have to admit, I thoroughly enjoyed last weekend’s Spring tease. I pulled out the sunscreen, sunglasses and my lightest layer (and was still over dressed!) But with my business hat on, I have to say that the mid-winter weather that is visting our valley has many attributes to keep skiers and riders happy. Most importantly, temps in the teens and 20′s at night and 20-30′s during the day ensures zero snow melt. And flurries (squalls) that drop an inch or two without warning provide a nice refresh.
Hopefully, you read my last 3 blogs where I reported on a storm every midweek….just in time for the weekend. Dare I say, that trend is setting up for next week? I have my eye on a Tuesday storm, Over four feet of snow since mid-February has been an absolute treat. I don’t want to be greedy but I would like to add a foot for good measure.
I’ll admit, I have a touch of spring fever but I know those warm, corn-skiing days are just around the corner. In the meantime I am embracing the cold, hitting my favorite groomers and pulling my big jacket out for the weekend.
To answer a few questions that may be on your mind:
Q: Did you winch/groom the bump runs?
A: No, because they can still be skied (firm but able to set an edge) and we feel waiting is best because snow in the forecast (tonight, Sat and Tues) will refresh them. Fingers crossed.
Q: Will you groom any naturals?
A: We have already groomed trails like Overbrook and One More Time. If the trails still has good snow coverage we can put a grooming machine on it. But a trail like Big Dipper lost snow on the pitch so we are unable to groom it.
Q: What will be groomed on the North Face?
A: Tonight we are grooming Chute, Timbers and Plummet.
Q: Is the tubing hill still open?
A: Yes, last weekend for the tubing hill. And we rebuilt the lanes this week so you should get your last runs of the season in. The tubing hill will be converted into our Duct Tape Derby venue for the Reggaefest Weekend! Can’t wait!!
Q: Should I wear green on Sunday?
A: Absolutely, everyone is Irish at Mount Snow on Sunday. Get lucky and find the pot of gold and your 2014 season pass is on us!!
Here’s a few pics of the hill.
Dennis, our Snow Surface Mgr, told me they groomed One More Time and Overbrook. So I went to Overbrook first and was pleased – this pic taken from the whale.
Ridge was sweet! The skiing today was fast and easy. A nice break for my legs after all the natural trail runs last weekend.
First tracks was sugary in some spots and set up on other trails – depending on when they groomed.
Beautiful views this morn!
Our snow reporter, Andy snapped this shot. Thanks Andy!
It is safe to say that this groundhog saw her shadow and we are in for some more winter – button up and enjoy!
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Hi Kelly ! Again nice pics! What type of storm is expected for Tuesday? Regards , Marilyn “45″
Just wondering if Mount Snow is considering a an “early bear” seasons pass promotion like Stratton’s…”Get your (Stratton) 2013/14 seasons pass by April 22nd and you’ll save up to $300 off of this year’s in-season prices.” Stratton’s 7 day per week Value Pass (valid all season except holiday blackout dates) is only $399 (until April 22nd) compared to Mount Snow’s Classic Pass for $599.
Hey Debbie, that is a pretty sweet deal for their value pass i must say. I like Mount Snow better, but that is a pretty big difference to just ignore. Im not sure why Mount Snow doesnt offer an ealy discount like that. It seems like the core adult group of skiers dont get any kind of break, but lots of other groups of people do. I sure wish i was 25 again, because those folks get an absolutely massive discount.
I would like to know that too!
The season pass pricing that Mount Snow has posted is our pricing. We have no plans to change our pricing based on prices that Stratton has just announced. I understand how important the price of a season pass is but equally important is value for price paid. When Peak Resorts purchased Mount Snow in 2007, they began adding value immediately. In the last 5 years, we’ve added 250 fan guns, Carinthia Parks and the Bluebird Express, to name a few things.
We are baffled by Stratton’s decision to cut their pass pricing. We learned a lot about selling low-priced season passes when we were owned by the American Skiing Company – remember the All For One pass? That experience taught us that is very difficult to sell the volume of passes needed to make up the revenue you lose when you deeply discount passes. More importantly, we learned that when you sell that many passes, everyone shows up to ski on the same days. We remember how uncomfortable the resort was during those peak days and we are not interested in recreating those circumstances.
I know our strategy will be unpopular with some. If you are considering the Stratton pass some things to think about are the differences in product. You also have to consider the attitude or vibe of the resort. Finding a mountain that makes you feel at home is important. Mount Snow can offer you a relaxed, unpretentious environment with attention to service and making your time at the mountain fun.
If you are a Classic passholder, please understand that the Stratton black out pass has 17 blackout days and Mount Snow only has 11 black out days.
In the end, you will have to choose the mountain that best fits your lifestyle. I THANK YOU for being the supportive passholder group that you are and hope you will stay with Mount Snow. Mount Snow will continue to look closely at your feedback, pricing and added value and make improvements and adjustments that make sense for the long term success of our resort.
Great explanation Kelly thanks! As Jason noted below, the only reason to even remotely consider that Stratton pass (IMO) is if you got Okemo along with it. Mount Snow is WAY, WAY, WAY better than Stratton, even if I have to pay a couple hundred more for my classic pass, its money well spent no question about it! Besides, if you ski with any frequency what-so-ever the 600 dollar Classic pass is a darn good deal in its own right and pays for itself very quickly.
Please, lets not compare prices on season passes to other areas – Summit county Colorado $689 for a pass good at EVERY mountain in the county and surely you know them all as world class resorts – Local pass is $529 guess since I own my house at Mt Snow that doesn’t count as local – terrain in VT can’t even come close to CO – The daily tickets prices at these mountains are more then anywhere in VT.
I get a pass mostly every year but surely you can come up with a better program.
http://www.snow.com/epic-pass/passes.aspx
Dude. Are you seriously comparing 3 thousand vert mountains in Soutern Vermont with 14 thousand foot mountains in Colorado? Really?! I think the Epic pass is a great deal…. unfortunatley, I live in CT and the airfare kinda dwarfs the great deal on the pass. Oh well. I guess I’ll continue to live in reality.
I to have been skiing mount snow since 1985 of witch the last 12 have been with a nor Easter season pass I was very disappointed to find out that because my birthday is 16 days after 6/2 I will not be able to get my senior pass at the early rate ! I’m not getting good vibes?
For your gold pass how are you going to keep someone from selling its use on a daily basis?
Theft of Service is illegal and whenever we find someone committing such a crime, we turn it over to the police.
Just wanted to let you know the live cams are stuck on a picture from yesterday.
The summit and base area cams are updating just fine. Carinthia cam looks like it needs a reset. Will make that happen this morning!
Since the Sundance lodge is closing, will the Tumbleweed lift still be running this Monday andTuesday (allowing access to the mountain from Seasons)?
Yes – tumbleweed is still operating daily
Also, Stratton no longer has Okemo as an add-on to their pass. Mt. Snow still has the other Peak Resorts.
Kelly, I agree with the “theft of services” post, but is it OK if I take my kids out of school later this week to ski? You won’t report us will you? I know a doctor who be willing to write me a note.
Our kids have a snow day today so I guess it is only fair that A and M get one too! Full on snow storm – get here!!! You too, Doc.
With all the snow this March , what are the chances of extending the season ?
Same question. It seems there will be more snow next week (at least early next week). Is there any consideration of extending to the 14th?
Please see my blog 10 Reasons to Keep Skiing
Kelly, you brought up the All for One Pass. Apparently not a good deal for ASC, but I thought the ticket ROCKED! Along those lines, why don’t we see more mountains (e.g. Mount Snow and Killington) enter into agreements where a season pass at one entitles the holder to a discount (20-30%) on a day pass at the other?
It seems to me it would promote people buying season passes at their “home” mountain while also increasing the probability that the mountain will see day trippers from participating resorts.
I know some mountains do, or have done it (Jay Peak unilaterally).
In a perfect world you could purchase one pass and ski all the Vermont ski areas but logistics have kept us from moving forward on that front. As you can imagine, revenue from pass sales would need to be shared. There are examples of how this can work in Europe but it has not been a topic of discussion with VT resorts.