Storm Skiing Podcast with Vail Inc. Eastern Head Honcho

[Benny Profane]

Don’t worry you’ll be able to ski Smuggs and Stowe on one ticket soon enough. Enjoy the old school charm and freezing your ass off on slow lifts while you can ‘cause it’s gonna go bye-bye.

At around 28:00, just after not being able to comment on gobbling up Jay, Stuart asks if they would consider a partnership with ORDA. To that I would say, NO FUCKING WAY!!! His response was that they will constantly be looking for opportunities with the intent on increasing the value of the Epic Pass for their guests. If this ever happens I hope NY and Fail takes all proceeds and disperses it among the 40 other ski areas in our state to ensure that they stay in business.

Skiing at a downhill ski resort is expensive and it should be. The pass price drops didn’t help the other areas, it squeezed them. This reminds me of the $5 rotisserie chicken you can buy at Walmart. When I pasture raise free range, organic birds, I need to sell them for $20. Fuck Walmart. Fuck Vail.

Ikon, or, its previous incarnation, what was it, Maxpass? had Orda passes in the deal. Maybe Orda thought that the exposure wasn't worth it, but, Orda has proven that they are pretty dumb and almost arrogant when it comes to marketing. Besides, why compete that way when you really don't have to compete to survive. The taxpayer covers your butt, in the end.

And I'm a big fan of supermarket roasted birds. It's the best value in healthy fast food anywhere. They are considered loss leaders. The whole point is to get you into the store to buy one, and then you wind up spending a hundred bucks on other stuff. This is why I drive by two markets close by to get to the one with the best chicken. Well worth the loss of profit on the bird to them. Ski hills do this to get you to buy 25 dollar burgers and 100 dollar lessons and, in Vail's world, pay ten to 40 dollars to park.

 

[Benny Profane]

Vail Inc.’s recently anointed “Eastern Head Honcho” is from Texas.

Yeah, that really has to be emphasized. I mean, the guy really has no clue about the hills under his umbrella. He hasn't even skied them. Really does not bode well for the whole Vail management structure, a company that just promoted it's marketing manager to CEO, a marketing manager that has done a pretty bad job recently, in my opinion. A few times in the interview he talked about integrating these new acquisitions into the Vail culture and "system", whatever that is, not the other way around. It seems that the board and executives are big fans of the Starbucks and MacDonalds of the world, and somehow believe that they can somehow homogenize the skiing experience at all of their hills, which is absurd, of course. But, maybe not. I won't even consider Breck anymore because of the crowds, and Breck is a pretty cool ski mountain, if you eliminate 10,000 skiers everywhere (and the paid parking). But, crowds are a sign of success, so, the average 6 day a year skier seems to love the place, along with Park City. I guess the best solution is hope they're even more successful, and suck all the crowds away from the other hills I like.

 

[Harvey]

Vail culture and "system",

I'd love to see a precise definition of Vail's culture. System I get. Culture?

I guess the best solution is hope they're even more successful, and suck all the crowds away from the other hills I like.

You may be onto something here Benny. The real question is, what is the long term effect of Pass Math Broism on skiing?

Seems like NYSB's mission is becoming clearer.

 

[Ripitz]

I’m sorry you drive so much for rubber chicken.

Breck is flat.

 

[Brownski]

Seems like NYSB's mission is becoming clearer.

Becoming? I think It’s pretty clear

 

[Ripitz]

Becoming? I think It’s pretty clear

Buy local, ski fresh!

 

[Low Angle Life]

I’m sorry you drive so much for rubber chicken.

Home made roast chicken is a lost art form.

 

[Ripitz]

Home made roast chicken is a lost art form.

and the bone broth thereafter.

 

[Low Angle Life]

and the bone broth thereafter.

Well thats just a given. Come this time of year I'm roasting almost 1 bird a week. Start with dry brine for 24 hours in the fridge, that is the key. I always make avgolemono soup with the left overs, good eating and makes one bird stretch multiple meals and days.

 

[tirolski]

I'd love to see a precise definition of Vail's culture. System I get. Culture?

Found this.
It’s about the place (town and mountain) not the Corporation...
It’s a snowboarder’s Masters Thesis writeup so YMMV.
Vail, Colorado, as a Voluntary Culture Region
Some rating agency graded the company a big fat D, an F would’ve been appropriate in my simple mind.

Vail Resorts' Company Culture, Scored on 18 Different Metrics

Overall Culture at Vail Resorts is currently rated an “D” by its employees. See Vail Resorts' Culture Report Card on Gender, Diversity, Compensation, and more. Last updated 8 days ago.

www.comparably.com