Vail Buys Whistler

[digitaldeath]

Why, yes I did. I think I know what you're getting at. Sorry, I'm not traveling all friggin day from the east coast for rain at the bottom, snow and fog at the top. I mean, SLC is half the distance.
It's nice that a flat lander like myself can breathe, though.

who the fuck skis the bottom half of the mountain? pwnbrit?

snow at the top????

[Benny Profane]

You're that guy riding the gondola down with the tourists.

[Buster Highmen]

who the fuck skis the bottom half of the mountain?

Me. The top half too. I'm just a nobody tourist though.

[AlexC]

MTN up $10 on the deal. $1.0b is nothing for a wall street acquisition. I can't find exactly what they bought. Is it like Kirkwood where they got the lifts and lodging operations? Not much real estate?

W/B is a lift company only these days, so Vail probably got the lifts, restaurants, other on-hill amenities and Crown land tenure. The village holdings were spun off when Intrawest went belly-up a few years ago and W/B was turned into a publicly traded corporation.

Don't really care what they do to the mountain/resort unless they fuck with the backcountry access. Does vails other resorts close off backcountry access?

The backcountry is public land, so W/B would not be able to cut off backcountry access since we all have the right to access that land.

[media310]

ya'll really surprised that Vail bought Whistler??

[digitaldeath]

You're that guy riding the gondola down with the tourists.

i got 86'd for violating the skier code at the pinnacle of some shitty colorado resort = too extreme

you broke your femur on the flats, at the bottom, loading a lift = too keen

[Jacolac]

The backcountry is public land, so W/B would not be able to cut off backcountry access since we all have the right to access that land.

Right but couldn't they do something like where you aren't allowed to leave the resort boundaries except at specific spots? It was my understanding that happens at some other resorts, I guess in an attempt to not have any liability for backcountry users because they accessed the terrain using their lifts.

[TahoeJ]

Haha. Here's the thing about Vail and backcountry access - they are completely inconsistent. We've had some pretty indepth discussions about accessing public land via Kirkwood, especially after the season ends and there's still a shitload of snow to be had. Access used to be no big deal, then Vail bought the place and installed these dickhead security guards who won't let you park anywhere.

Yet just up the road at Heavenly - also owned by Vail - they're completely cool about it. So strange.

[digitaldeath]

how can one own a mountain?


http://www.epicski.com/t/122842/whis...ckcomb-or-vail

[jvskinn]

Right but couldn't they do something like where you aren't allowed to leave the resort boundaries except at specific spots? It was my understanding that happens at some other resorts, I guess in an attempt to not have any liability for backcountry users because they accessed the terrain using their lifts.

This makes me wonder how Canadian liability law is different from the US, as that will probably affect how VR handles the backcountry access.

[PNWbrit]

who the fuck skis the bottom half of the mountain? pwnbrit?

snow at the top????

I've was probably skiing whistler before you were potty trained little man.

Assuming you are actually potty trained?

[Benny Profane]

ya'll really surprised that Vail bought Whistler??

People are all like, whoa, you jump out of helicopters. I'm like, yeah.

[AlexC]

Right but couldn't they do something like where you aren't allowed to leave the resort boundaries except at specific spots? It was my understanding that happens at some other resorts, I guess in an attempt to not have any liability for backcountry users because they accessed the terrain using their lifts.

I can't think of a single Canadian resort with a backcountry gate system. Let's hope Vail doesn't try to set a precedent.

[The SnowShow]

I'd laugh at the Whistler locals but comparatively speaking I wish Vail would buy Squaw (better than KSL at least). There's something I thought I'd never, ever say.

Give it time. The plague will spread.

[shirk]

I can't think of a single Canadian resort with a backcountry gate system. Let's hope Vail doesn't try to set a precedent.

Whistler basically controls the bc access via the lifts and a few inbounds access points.

To keep people out of the main Spearhead access point they just close all access to the Blackcomb glacier at the top of Showcase. Make it an avy closure and anyone that thinks they can just duck it and they'll lose their pass. Same with Lakeside Bowl. That leaves you with skinning up via the bottom of 7th, and if they want it's easy to toss in a no up hill sign there. Boom all closed off and they do it like this frequently.

When Harmony is closed you need to skin way out past the bottom of Symphony to get to the bc access gate. I don't ski Whistler side to often but I'll bet they frequently put up the no uphill traffic sign there.

So it's not a check everyone person gate, but they do act as pseudo gates.

The good think is that once they've controlled the terrain that will slide into their controlled area they'll open and allow people to get out into whatever they want. It's not micro managed, it's macro managed.

[LeeLau]

W/B is a lift company only these days, so Vail probably got the lifts, restaurants, other on-hill amenities and Crown land tenure. The village holdings were spun off when Intrawest went belly-up a few years ago and W/B was turned into a publicly traded corporation.

WB does own some RE but not much anymore. The operation is ski hill focused. Vail bought the shares so therefore bought the cash flow generating machine that is WB.

As a shareholder my vote for the takeover is YES

[steventy]

Does Vail have a one-up backcountry access pass at any of its other resorts?

[Coño Frío]

I just hope they don't fuck up the waffles...

[TahoeJ]

This makes me wonder how Canadian liability law is different from the US, as that will probably affect how VR handles the backcountry access.

Vail is Vail and they don't necessarily give a shit about the law, or at least are happy to swing a big dick around in spite of it. Keep an eye out for next April / May when there will likely be some kind of showdown at Kirkwood after closing day regarding our legal right to access USFS land and them complying with their lease agreements. Having said that, I suspect they will defer to the local knowledge / routine in Canada and not act like they are in El Dorado county.

[digitaldeath]

Pm me if you need a fixer. We always got time for a showdown

[Shredhead]

Telluride and Revelstoke just joined the MCP, circling the wagons.

[Clownshoe]

Makes me nostalgic for the old days when WB was owned by small time "mom and pop" operations like Intrawest and Fortress Investments...

[Jacolac]

"Vail Resorts says it will slash the price of a Whistler season pass starting in 2017 — normally around $2,000 Cdn — to roughly half that, and fold it into Vail’s popular 13-resort Epic Pass, which currently sells for US$809"

If it wasn't crowded already... might buy it just for backcountry access though.

[Benny Profane]

Telluride and Revelstoke just joined the MCP, circling the wagons.

Link? Nothing on website.

[TahoeJ]

Link? Nothing on website.

Weird there hasn't been an announcement, but on Telluride's FAQ page they do mention half off for MC passes... which would make them a participant.

http://www.tellurideskiresort.com/pr...ason-pass-faq/

Revelstoke had a page that showed up in Google search results but now it's gone. Strange.