Poll: What changes would you like to see at your home mountain?

[Harvey]

1. Expand the snowmaking footprint (add snowmaking to trails that don't already have it) and capacity.

2. Expand capacity only, but not footprint.

3. Maintain existing footprint and capacity. Efficiency upgrades only.

4. All of the above.

5. All of the above except leave SOME natural terrain

 

[Harvey]

So far, as a group, at home, we still:

Don't want any more high speed lifts, we want lift maintenance
Want more access for uphill traffic
Want skier visits to stay flat where we ski most
Want want day ticket prices to drop or stay the same
Don't want to be part of a mega pass, but maybe Indy

 

[RichTee]

It is about 300 feet wide facing west. It is impossible to cover. During a big natural snow year it is by far the best trail on the mountain and one of the best trails in the East.

What could be done, is to open the bottom half, there is a cut tru from Clairs.

 

[RichTee]

Hunter needs new snowmaking infrastructure..

 

[chumpomatic]

For Whiteface, I cast my vote for:

Other changes not included in poll​

Improve Reliability​

was one of the poll options, that's what I would have selected. I'd just like for things to work better.

As we all know, weather over the past several years has been a challenge. When the weather cooperates, and snowmaking is possible, the system needs to work. All too often, something goes wrong. A break in a pipe ... a pump failure ... an electrical problem ... and on and on and on. ORDA has done a great job in recent years upgrading the system and expanding capacity, and that's all great, but at the end of the day, if it doesn't work when you need it, it's all a waste of time & money.

The lifts need to work, especially during crowded holiday periods. Whiteface can accommodate the number of skiers it typically gets, even on the busiest days, fairly well, IF the lifts are operating. Again, all too often, there's some kind of a problem with either the Little Whiteface chair or the summit quad, and I'm not talking about wind holds. Instead of adding new lifts that will get little or no use, it would be nice to see something done, whether it's permanent repairs that actually work or replacement of these two key lifts ... whatever it takes to make them more reliable. Just get me back up the hill when I get to the bottom!

In my opinion, the reliability issues make Whiteface a good mountain instead of a great mountain!

I am 100% in alignment with what Face4Me writes here. Reliability is orders of magnitude more important than any other changes I would list. In particular the Gondola, LWF, Summit, and Lookout chairs. I have skied 18 days at WF this year and the Gondola has actually been in good shape on those days, I can't say the same for the Summit and LWF chairs. If they have to be replaced I would prefer keeping them slow but would be fine with high speed if that's what had to happen. If they don't have to be replaced, some insulation on the chair backs of Summit would be nice.

Since it's a wish list (in order of importance to me):
Add a reservoir.
Given the way the water use is regulated this would add some consistency to snow making. It has also been explained to me that even when the river is running high, maybe even especially when it is, they lose snow making days due to debris. A reservoir would help with this too. So this one is also related to reliability.

More summer trail maintenance.
I'm talking about existing trails. I've seen them go years without cutting Hoyt's which probably contributes to it rarely being open in the past several years. I would be happy to volunteer a few days in the summer to help with cutting/clearing trails. I'll bet there are many other season pass holders who would as well.

Move the bar in Cloudspin back to where it was before the remodel.
I feel ridiculous drinking a beer with my back to the mountain.

 

[rebel1916]

@Harvey What is the story with the pond on top of Platty?

 

[Warp daddy]

Titus : footrests on All lifts

 

[raisingarizona]

1. Better Lift line management.

2. I'd like the staff to stop telling me where I can and can't park as well as not allowing me to drive a FWD car up the road when I'm completely fine doing so.

3. Get the Upper Bowl opened before the sun wrecks the snow.

4. The food is shit. If you're going to rip everyone off at least make an effort.

 

[x10003q]

@Harvey What is the story with the pond on top of Platty?

There was always a pond up there they used for snowmaking. I think it is still there. After Hurricane Irene in 2011 (or another storm?), the region needed gravel/stone to repair damage from the storm. Laz offered the stone for free in an attempt to add to the water storage at the top of the mountain. It turned out the hole would not hold water and it is too expensive to line the hole.

 

[Milo Maltbie]

At Gore, they should re-grade that bump at the top of Hodges. No one likes to climb it and it makes the other side steep and narrow enough to be intimidating for some who would otherwise enjoy that trail.
Also, on slow weekdays when they limit lifts, close the gondola instead of High Peaks or Burnt Ridge. The gondola is completely redundant. Closing HPQ, BRQ or even the North Quad limits terrain. Closing the gondola does not.
Also, give up competitions that no one pays attention to. Those are just directing snowmaking away from the places we want to ski.
Also, sausage tortellini soup every day.

mm