Hunter Conditions

[Harvey]

you may be right, don't know but even from a selfish perspective this would be a win for Vail, once the trails are contoured on WestWay and real snowmaking installed , there and Annapura, they'd have almost a resort of a mountain [ok I hear the scoffing] but it sure would be more profitable, I have spoken to many skiers who will take the extra two hours to get to Gore/Whiteface or Vermont for the extra terrain and lack of crowds, if the West side was really developed they would poach a fair amount of these skiers without overloading the rest of the mountain. If the detachable lift wasn't already in place I could see not investing , but as it is the West Side of Hunter is a wasted asset, depended on a very inconsistent snow pattern. Any smart corporation knows that wasting an asset is poor business.

I don't mean they don't care about their investment.

It just that there is no one like Orville walking around trying to figure out how it could be a better business and a better ski area.

 

[jimmypete]

I don't know. I heard a few Vail guys on some podcasts, while they could be B.S.ing they all seemed dedicated to the recreational sport of skiing and many grew up in the sport, none were primarily in the East Coast region so it would be good to hear from the execs in charge at Hunter and in the East, I did hear lift rumors of how cheaply they were paying their snow makers, to me pay those guys like professionals because that's your franchise the way a quarterback makes an NFL team, who knows it's been a crappy natural snow year thus far. We will see what this next projected storm does, but to me the future of Hunter lies in redeveloping the West Side and it won't be cheap but much of the basic infrastructure is already there. Don't waste it Vail.

 

[Brownski]

All they have to do is use all the snowmaking firepower they have in place and hire enough lifties to open it. That would go a long way all by itself

 

[jimmypete]

True but I will tell you up there everyone is looking to hire, so they gotta pay, and it's stupid not to, not only are they turning people off they are going to hurt some one with the bumper cars on Belt and the Mainline,.Get K27 , Racer's Edge and the West Side open and you would release the pressure of having some excellent skiers and boarders mingle with slower or smaller skiers. Vail if you are reading this pay your damn Snow Makers, they are invaluable.

 

[x10003q]

Hunter is one of my all time favorite areas, but it will never compete with Gore/Southern VT. It lacks real blue terrain and that is what the vast majority want.

Hunter's ace in the hole was monster snowmaking. That is not true now. The other Hunter ace was the advanced and expert terrain. Right now Hunter lacks advanced and expert terrain because they are not cranking up the snowmaking. I do not want to hear about them having trouble finding workers. Somehow, Windham, only 10 miles away, has 50% more terrain open vs Hunter. This is a corporate driven decision not to use the snowmaking. Vail is taking advantage of the confusion that Covid has provided.

 

[jimmypete]

is there any reliable news about the West Side? any insiders? Ski Patrollers? is the Zephyr down or being repaired? Or is it just lack of snow blowing? I have heard enough rumors to fill a bible.

 

[Jersey Skier]

is there any reliable news about the West Side? any insiders? Ski Patrollers? is the Zephyr down or being repaired? Or is it just lack of snow blowing? I have heard enough rumors to fill a bible.

How about, actions speak louder than words. Doesn't look like they are doing anything to open the West Side at all.

 

[jimmypete]

ok but the rumors I hear is that there is something wrong with the Zephyr, we can bitch all we want but that doesn't tell me is it them being cheap or is the Lift broken? If you are pissed off go to Belle , Platte, or Windham, even Catamont, I just want to know from someone with real information, there has to be somebody who can pass it on,

 

[x10003q]

ok but the rumors I hear is that there is something wrong with the Zephyr, we can bitch all we want but that doesn't tell me is it them being cheap or is the Lift broken? If you are pissed off go to Belle , Platte, or Windham, even Catamont, I just want to know from someone with real information, there has to be somebody who can pass it on,

They are a dominant, highly capitalized ski area corp that has no problems getting things repaired. I seriously doubt there is anything wrong with the Zephyr. Is Hunter/Vail really going to pretend they are like Magic? If the front HS6 broke, are we to believe they would say we cannot fix it?

 

[Flying Z]

ok but the rumors I hear is that there is something wrong with the Zephyr, we can bitch all we want but that doesn't tell me is it them being cheap or is the Lift broken? If you are pissed off go to Belle , Platte, or Windham, even Catamont, I just want to know from someone with real information, there has to be somebody who can pass it on,

why should an epic pass holder go to a non epic resort and spend more money? The epic pass deal was for an epic experience at their resorts. I would expect snowmaking and working lifts , or at least information as to why a lift is not running if it's broken, and a timeline to fix it.