Stowe/Vail rumors

I visited Stowe over MLK weekend, my first time ever skiing in the East. This is one case where I think a Vail acquisition would be good. The conditions were horrible, which Vail couldn't totally fix (anything ungroomed was closed due to ice), but everything controllable was terrible. It took 1.5 hours to get our Mountain Collective passes, and that was with every ticket window manned--they only have 5 for everyone trying to pick up any sort of a pass or pre-purchased ticket. Lift lines were over 20 minutes with zero organization. Where snow was made (probably on less than 1/5 of the open runs), it wasn't groomed out, so there were huge snowmaking whales in the middle of overcrowded, narrow trails, causing a large number of collisions, plus snowboarders couldn't get over the whales on the flat cat tracks, so they constantly had to unstrap, adding to the congestion and danger.

That being said, the town of Stowe is great, I wish I could drink Heady Topper every day.
 
Staley":1trppchh said:
I visited Stowe over MLK weekend, my first time ever skiing in the East. This is one case where I think a Vail acquisition would be good. The conditions were horrible, which Vail couldn't totally fix (anything ungroomed was closed due to ice), but everything controllable was terrible. It took 1.5 hours to get our Mountain Collective passes, and that was with every ticket window manned--they only have 5 for everyone trying to pick up any sort of a pass or pre-purchased ticket. Lift lines were over 20 minutes with zero organization. Where snow was made (probably on less than 1/5 of the open runs), it wasn't groomed out, so there were huge snowmaking whales in the middle of overcrowded, narrow trails, causing a large number of collisions, plus snowboarders couldn't get over the whales on the flat cat tracks, so they constantly had to unstrap, adding to the congestion and danger.
Click to expand...
Welcome to skiing in the Northeast. It can be very good, but your experience, alas, is far more common. At least you didn't get 38F and 2" of rain followed by -15F the next morning.
 
Marc_C":2mzgtn6v said:
Welcome to skiing in the Northeast. It can be very good, but your experience, alas, is far more common. At least you didn't get 38F and 2" of rain followed by -15F the next morning.
Click to expand...
That's pretty much what Staley got, except for the -15F part.

I would not say Staley's experience is more common than good conditions, but I'd say the probability of horrendous conditions in northern Vermont on an advanced booked winter weekend is on the order of 1/4. Which is a lot if you're committing those $$$. I'm guessing that Staley was in the region on business so a low cost speculation.
 
According to the linked article, VR bought Whistler Blackcomb for $1.06 billion, Australia's Perisher for $136 million, and Wisconsin's Wilmot Mountain for $20 million.

Admin: how about a contest to guess the selling price of Stowe? As a prize, you can give away something in that ski-store garage of yours.
 
:lol:

And the Canyons annual lease was $25M. Think they'll overpay for Stowe too?
 
Admin":8bqd612l said:
:lol:

And the Canyons annual lease was $25M. Think they'll overpay for Stowe too?
Click to expand...

Vail didn't overpay for Canyons. The price included an option to pursue the legal case to take over Park City. That option proved to be very lucrative.

My understanding is the the combined price of the Canyons lease plus the forced sale of Park City was in the ballpark for what the combined properties were worth.
 
Well on a good note they did get 37 inches in the last week with more on the way..so off to Stowe I go this weekend. Its still the best Mt on the east coast...with the Bush a second. And yes ..thank god I bailed on MLK...
 
Admin":1lz5wyu8 said:
Marc_C":1lz5wyu8 said:
kingslug":1lz5wyu8 said:
Its still the best Mt on the east coast...with the Bush a second.
Click to expand...
You're forgetting Sugarloaf.
Click to expand...

I think that he was referring to places that actually get snow.
Click to expand...
You forgot the snark tag!
You mean no snow like this?
016_14A.JPG
 
Admin":ej7rt7ht said:
See all those weird looking trees in the background with the yellow hoses hanging from them?
Click to expand...
Those are special Maine trees. They produce far more maple syrup than their VT, NH, or QUE counterparts.

Sure, you never ever see any of those yellow hoses and valves and funny looking trees at Stowe or Sugarbush!

Seriously though, of the NE areas I've skied, SLoaf felt and skied the most western-like.
 
My comments are primarily borne of these average annual snowfalls:
Stowe: 333"
Sugarbush: 262"
Sugarloaf: 197"
 
Admin":10dxdphw said:
My comments are primarily borne of these average annual snowfalls:
Stowe: 333"
Sugarbush: 262"
Sugarloaf: 197"
Click to expand...
Yes, snowmaking is essential.
As is typical of the NE, recovery after rain event + hard freeze is even more essential.
 
Jay seems like it would be good with a nice covering..only skied there in May but it felt like a western mt...too bad its on Pluto ...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top