Windham Mountain Going Private?

[Benny Profane]

Sounds like another example of very rich people buying up everything nice for themselves and ruining it for everyone else.

I don't know. They kind of ruin it for themselves, too. I'm always reminded of my favorite Groucho Marx quote, that he wouldn't want to belong to a club that would have him as a member.

I read this recently:

The stuffiest country club stories we've ever heard

Golf has made progress in loosening up, but at some clubs old habits persist.

www.golfdigest.com

It's bizarre what happens to humans when you give them too much money and allow them too much attitude. I've heard stories coming out of Yellowstone that are on the same level. I really think that eating dinner there is awkward and uncomfortable.

 

[Harvey]

Sounds like another example of very rich people buying up everything nice for themselves and ruining it for everyone else.

Can you explain this to me, or cite an example? Not sure what you are saying.

 

[Benny Profane]

Can you explain this to me, or cite an example? Not sure what you are saying.

Manhattan

 

[tirolski]

Manhattan

Manhattan sucks, unless ya like sky scraper cities.

 

[Benny Profane]

Well it would be a lot better if it was affordable.

 

[Low Angle Life]

Pretty sure Belle had limits on day-pass sales last year, which they hit on at least some peak weekends (sometimes in advance iirc). I was there on a day when they either hit the limit or came very close, it was crowded enough to be kind of annoying but they kept the lines moving

You're right about the day pass cap at the Belle however they can't accurately forecast how pass holder numbers play into that. They do there best but it's a pretty difficult forecast to accurately gauge. I make an effort to talk with employees on mountain as much as possible, I was out last season for multiple days where an employee told me they hit their day pass limit, some of the differences in crowds on those days were stark. I'm talking days at capacity where cars were parked to the stop sign at Galli Curci Rd and others when Lot H didn't even fill completely.

 

[Peter Minde]

I don't know. They kind of ruin it for themselves, too. I'm always reminded of my favorite Groucho Marx quote, that he wouldn't want to belong to a club that would have him as a member.

I read this recently:

The stuffiest country club stories we've ever heard

Golf has made progress in loosening up, but at some clubs old habits persist.

www.golfdigest.com

It's bizarre what happens to humans when you give them too much money and allow them too much attitude. I've heard stories coming out of Yellowstone that are on the same level. I really think that eating dinner there is awkward and uncomfortable.

When I worked in the retail wine biz in Summit NJ, one guy came in and dropped big coin on an assorted case of wine. He was bringing it to his country club, which in addition to annual dues, offered members an optional wine locker for $600 / year.

 

[dubstar]

A few quick comments after reading through the thread:

1) "I don't think anyone knows that. Windham has had high season passes and crazy high day passes for a while now. I think some if the race program has already moved to NYSEF at Belleayre. I think that almost everyone who skis Windham has either a season pass or an Ikon."

As a season pass holder, I can tell you that there are many people who ski and ride Windham who are not pass holders. Even without buses, the parking lots were frequently packed this past winter with numerous days at capacity and the overflow lots across South street filled. More than a few non-holiday midweek days this past winter were also quite crowded.

The race program has always annoyed me at Windham. If some of it has shifted to Belleayre, it wasn't obvious this past season. Wicked and sections of Why Not continued to be periodically closed during weekends for practice, as well as Wedel (which I have never seen happen before and really limits terrain options especially if Wheelchair is not in play). Seems to be the same endless amount of annoying race kids cutting the line as well.

2) My pass for next season was $1,399. Yes that is expensive, but if you're not purchasing early and waiting to pay the full $1,899 rate, you're doing it wrong. Daily passes are also significantly less expensive when purchased ahead of time, at least they were in past seasons. There's something in the club section about guest ticket availability being guaranteed at "prevailing prices", so it appears that some form of dynamic pricing will continue.

3) Reading through the club membership "benefits", I see complimentary parking is listed as if that is a positive thing. So it seems that in addition to reducing desirable parking for non-members, there may also be some form of paid parking forced upon the public.

 

[Ripitz]

A rare time in rarified air? It looks like the wildfires are back and the AQI is off the charts.

 

[TomCat]

3) Reading through the club membership "benefits", I see complimentary parking is listed as if that is a positive thing. So it seems that in addition to reducing desirable parking for non-members, there may also be some form of paid parking forced upon the public.

Maybe a “paid parking” season pass at gore is the first step to establish an exclusive club.

Seriously, the ski industry in general has been moving toward more exclusive. A lot of casual skiers (2-3 weekends a year) are dropping out due to cost. They don’t ski enough for a pass, but day tickets are too expensive.

ORDA mountains are some of the few exceptions.

Tom