TAHOE: LAND OF THE SNOWFLAKES -- 17/18 STOKE

[gnarbro365]

It may be hard for resorts to keep enough employees to staff the resort.


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[gimpy]

The corn before the storm



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[MTT]

The corn before the storm



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Nice! and no rain runnels.

[gimpy]

Boot deep lift pow



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[gimpy]

Behind the emerald curtain



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[gimpy]

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[TahoeJ]

It may be hard for resorts to keep enough employees to staff the resort.

Yeah, you're probably right. The number of help wanted signs in the Squaw village alone is pretty crazy. It's almost like there's a housing shortage or something.

[rod9301]

Yeah, you're probably right. The number of help wanted signs in the Squaw village alone is pretty crazy. It's almost like there's a housing shortage or something.

Paying a bit more might help.

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[Ottime]

It may be hard for resorts to keep enough employees to staff the resort.


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Maybe.

When Alpine and KW used to do this they would operate just Summit (AM) or 5/6 (KW). So there was not a huge staff required. Services were at a minimum as well. No ski school, limited food. At KW they would operate Monte Wolfe’s on a limited menu (what ever they had left over in the freezer). I don’t think it took a lot of people to run. OTOH, at Heavenly last weekend, I was shocked how much staff they must have had on hand with most lifts running and most food joints in the hill operating. They even had people working the yurt at the bottom of Powderbowl and the place at the bottom of Sky.

Trim things down and you can operate with a pretty skeleton crew and keep a few lifts turning. But taking care of the locals has taken a back seat to maximizing profits for out of state shareholders.

Hell, I’d offer to bump seats for 90 minutes on my Saturday to keep the lifts spinning.

Gimpy brining the stoke!

[mcski]

Nice pics Gimpy. Stellar day

[gnarbro365]

I think it is hard for people working seasonal jobs.

You sign up to work at a resort late November-ish through mid April-ish. Then you make plans to work a summer gig. All of the sudden you get 600” of snow and your winter job wants you to stay until late May? Sweet! More skiing! Except your summer job ain’t having that. So you work a $12/hr job for ~7months...how are you supposed to live in Tahoe on that?

Not to mention the resorts are staffed heavily with J-1s, which all leave around the middle or end of March.

And finally, the number of fucks given by employees who have been paid enough to scrape by with 6 roommates is very low when April rolls around.

To run Gondola, Tamarack, and Dipper (lifts required for any real skiing at Heave), you need to fully staff the gondola (8 operators per day, 2 mechanics, 1 electrician), Tamarack Lodge (minimum 8 staff, 1 manager), Tamarack chair (3 lifties minimum and one mechanic) Dipper chair (3 lifties and one supervisor, one mechanic), and patrol (6 line staff and one supervisor), you need groomers (3 minimum for that footprint), staff to clean/restock lodges, and operating costs for gas/diesel/electricity.

There isn’t much of an argument to be made from a business perspective. That’s rad that everyone wants to enjoy the spring skiing. I do too, but I don’t really blame businesses for shutting down when they start losing money. Name one other business that runs on a deficit for weeks/months just to keep it “rad” for the diehards and locals?


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[TahoeJ]

Well, when the ski resorts weren't all owned by the same company or two they would have to compete for all of that advanced margin from season pass sales. So they aren't truly running on a deficit. But meh, who cares?* More fun to earn your turns this time of year anyway.

*obviously if you're trying to ski with your kids, you care.

[hercule33]

Well, when the ski resorts weren't all owned by the same company or two they would have to compete for all of that advanced margin from season pass sales. So they aren't truly running on a deficit. But meh, who cares?* More fun to earn your turns this time of year anyway.

*obviously if you're trying to ski with your kids, you care.

True that. Cheap season passes mean earlier closing dates along with more expensive food, drinks and lessons. One of the benefits of expensive season passes is that a lot more people bought lift tickets (which were a lot cheaper) and that revenue stream made it much easier to stay open late into the season.

[Ottime]

I think it is hard for people working seasonal jobs.

You sign up to work at a resort late November-ish through mid April-ish. Then you make plans to work a summer gig. All of the sudden you get 600” of snow and your winter job wants you to stay until late May? Sweet! More skiing! Except your summer job ain’t having that. So you work a $12/hr job for ~7months...how are you supposed to live in Tahoe on that?

Not to mention the resorts are staffed heavily with J-1s, which all leave around the middle or end of March.

And finally, the number of fucks given by employees who have been paid enough to scrape by with 6 roommates is very low when April rolls around.

To run Gondola, Tamarack, and Dipper (lifts required for any real skiing at Heave), you need to fully staff the gondola (8 operators per day, 2 mechanics, 1 electrician), Tamarack Lodge (minimum 8 staff, 1 manager), Tamarack chair (3 lifties minimum and one mechanic) Dipper chair (3 lifties and one supervisor, one mechanic), and patrol (6 line staff and one supervisor), you need groomers (3 minimum for that footprint), staff to clean/restock lodges, and operating costs for gas/diesel/electricity.

There isn’t much of an argument to be made from a business perspective. That’s rad that everyone wants to enjoy the spring skiing. I do too, but I don’t really blame businesses for shutting down when they start losing money. Name one other business that runs on a deficit for weeks/months just to keep it “rad” for the diehards and locals?


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Bear Valley.

Sierra at Tahoe

Kirkwood, pre Vail.

[hercule33]

Back when season passes were expensive many ski resorts were owned by people who cared about skiing. I remember spring skiing at Alpine in the morning and drinking beers in the afternoon listening to a blue grass band. Those owners found a way to stay open and make a little money in the process.

Fast forward to today. Vail could have kept Kirkwood open longer this season and they probably would have broken even (either small losses or small profits). Other seasons they would lose money for sure but with the late snow this season was unique. But Kirkwood is small potatoes and I don’t think it’s worth Vail’s trouble to stay open longer if they break even. Now if significant profits were left on the table...

[old goat]

Ugh. All of the talk about Alpine Meadows....get it while you can. Those fuckers from over the hill announced the April 29th closing date for the red headed stepchild resort. Which says "we don't give a shit about the quality of spring skiing as long as the beautiful people end up in the High Camp hot tub, and the rest of you spend your money in the village."

Based on current conditions I suspect that getting to the bottom at AM will be problematic in May and that SV will be upper mountain only. Or not.

[PB]

Getting to the top (assisted) at AM will also be problematic, since they're closing on April 29

[bodywhomper]

Is there at least a skiable wrod on south facing castle peak to the rest stop right now?

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[powdrhound]

Skiing Summit laps this afternoon with that sweet lady from New York was quite pleasant.
The snow was fun, too.
Glad I am getting to ski Alpine this weekend, before it closes.

[gnarbro365]

Meh.

I’d say there is a reason 90% of the resorts close mid April. I’ll stop speculating though...way above my pay grade.

I don’t really see why it’s a huge deal if resorts close in April. There was a 5 month window to get lift-served turns in. Don’t like it? Don’t support it.


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[gimpy]

Porn on pass



Last lift bump of the year



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[Mr. Toad]

Pretty cool for heave to keep the face open for the facerats, must have been a dozen skiers to about 6 workers today. And I’m sure nobody bought a day pass

[Ottime]

^^^that is pretty cool.

Gnarbro, we just like to ski and are bummed to see this change in the industry. Most would rather see those 5 months start a little later and last a little later. Like when we get snow in Tahoe. It is what it is.

I still can’t get my foot into my Mercury’s and don’t really want to pull Dukes up hills anymore. But I have been enjoying the lift served the last two months. A lot.

[old goat]

Getting to the top (assisted) at AM will also be problematic, since they're closing on April 29

I was addressing the issue of why AM might not be skiable much longer even if KSL wanted to keep it open. Or whatever they call themselves these days.

For those planning to ski AM this weekend--High T, Beaver, and Estelle close before 11 today.

[Banh Mi]

Gaper Alert! Does high temp wax make a big difference in hot pow or slush compared to all temp wax? I have never skied later than mid April, until now, and after 1PM it's pretty slushy. I found myself catching base on some slush patches, on freshly waxed skis with all temp wax. Almost went over the bars twice.

Any recommendations?