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Thread: Whistler 2019 - 2020
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12-17-2019, 10:03 AM #51
It's surprising to me that Vail hasn't purchased one of the local Vancouver hills yet. That seems to be their overall strategy: buy small, regional hills thus encouraging the local skiers to buy Epic Passes and that encourages those folks to pony up on a destination vacation to one of Vail's premier resorts.
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12-17-2019, 10:05 AM #52
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12-17-2019, 10:06 AM #53Registered User
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Am I the only one who's been ok with Vail? I thought I would hate them, but tbh, the season's pass is way cheaper now, anything harder than a groomed blue sees way less traffic (in my experience) and the staff I know on the service side are all loving life with the better tips they're getting from the flush tourists. Sure, its not perfect - the staff have to be clean shaven, the USD pricing was infuriating and they messed up the snowfall reporting, but some of that got fixed and the rest isn't the end of the world. The rules around booze are a bit weird though, especially for staff, and I imagine that's a bit frustrating.
My biggest fear was they were going to start closing areas and restricting access with a US eye to risk, but that hasn't seemed to happen (yet...)
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12-17-2019, 11:22 AM #54
Fancy pass is good for unlimited at Whistler, at Vail and Breckenridge, and good for seven days at Telluride -- I'm stoked.
What really gets to me is how Vail made Vancouver totally unaffordable.
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12-17-2019, 02:04 PM #55
You're spot on about their strategy. I think Whistler, being less than 2 hours from Vancouver, is already considered penetration into the Vancouver market. No need to purchase Cypress, Grouse..etc
I agree, it's been coming, Vail or not. The reality is, the week long package tourists are what these places like Whistler rely on for survival. People who used to buy their tickets from the 7-11 in Squamish or more recently the occasional edge card days - are not the way to keep financially afloat.
I'm just waxing nostalgic. Whistler is still so damn magical.
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12-17-2019, 04:37 PM #56
Quick Q - Which bus company from YVR to the Village? The SkyLynx seems to the be The Authority, and then there's the Snowbus, slightly cheaper but their website has art and pictures and stuff. Will have me, one pair of underwear, two pairs of skis.
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12-17-2019, 04:47 PM #57
I think some other resort goers have complained that since joining Vail/Epic, accommodations, restaurants etc are over run but Whistler has always been crazy busy.
Has Vail made an effort to squash GAS? Obviously competition would be bad for them but what have their evil corporate tactics been? Secretly funding the local environmental opposition groups? I hope it does get built, solely to take the pressure off of Whistler ie more pow for us!
Definitely a little better out there today but the reality of the base hits you pretty hard as you body slam into a ditch.
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12-17-2019, 05:32 PM #58
I recall some senior management responses to the public comment period on the Env Approval process but can't find it with a quick google search. I'm sure there's been lobbying to local and regional gov's too as there's been pretty consistent opposition from the RMOW and SLRD. This was from earlier this year...
SLRD RGS SUPPORT DEFERRED
A decision on whether or not to support the Squamish-Lillooet Regional District's (SLRD) new Regional Growth Strategy (RGS) amendment bylaw was deferred at the Jan. 22 council meeting to allow the new District of Squamish council a chance to discuss the matter in depth with the SLRD board.
The SLRD has been working on the amendment (considered to be an update rather than an overhaul) since 2016.
On June 5, 2018, council endorsed in principle a draft of the document, while suggesting two changes: specifically identifying certain types of development, like new destination resorts or backcountry resorts, as triggers for RGS amendments (which would require approval from member municipalities), and; adding option sites (which could be developed) that are already included in the Whistler Blackcomb Master Development Plan to Whistler's Settlement Plan map in the proposed RGS.
"The RMOW's proposed changes pertaining to amendment triggers were extensively discussed, but not supported by the remainder of the steering committee," said senior planner Jake Belobaba, in a presentation to council.
"The prevailing opinion was that the proposed changes are adequately addressed by the existing wording in the draft of the RGS, and other SLRD approval processes."
The second change was supported by the steering committee and incorporated into the draft.
While the option sites will now be included in Whistler's Settlement Area in the RGS, any proposed development would require an amendment to Whistler's Official Community Plan (currently sitting at first reading), as well as a rezoning.
Any development would also have to fit within Whistler's existing bed cap.
Whistler's request to include the option sites in its settlement plan drew attention from proponents of the proposed Garibaldi at Squamish (GAS) ski resort on Brohm Ridge at a recent Squamish council meeting.
According to the Squamish Chief, GAS' proponents argue that if Whistler's option sites are to be included within RGS settlement boundaries, it would only be fair to include GAS in that zone as well.
The assertion prompted a discussion, with Squamish council ultimately deciding to tell the SLRD a discussion ought to be had on the matter, and that the SLRD make further considerations about the fairness of the process.
But the comparison GAS is making to Whistler's option sites is potentially misleading, Crompton said after the Jan. 22 meeting.
"The comparison of Whistler Blackcomb, which is a ski resort in an existing municipality with a Master Development Agreement and 30 years history, to a speculative development outside of a municipality, is a conversation that is misleading in and of itself," he said.
The SLRD's next meeting is Wednesday, Jan. 30.
The RGS amendment will come back to council at a future meeting.
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12-17-2019, 06:10 PM #59Registered User
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Pros and cons to each;
Skylynx; set schedule, drop offs at creek and gateway loop in village. Good if you have little luggage or a friend picking you up or something, and the set schedule works for you.
Whistler shuttle/ridebooker; not set schedule they send vehicles depending on flight arrivals to minimize waits. Drop offs at all hotels, so good if you have loads of luggage/big group etc. Different vehicles sprinters/mini buses/full size coach.
Snowbus; I am not familiar with them but looks like similar to skylnx and cheaper.
Then a couple others that do downtown van to whistler, but I think with the time wasted on transit it's not worth it.
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12-17-2019, 06:41 PM #60
In case my negative comments earlier were taken to mean the disparagement of that company in any way, they are not.
I think Vail is a well run, well managed, company and the staff and systems they have in place are first rate.
They really are.
The Vail staff and corporate management are FIRST RATE.
And no one at Vail sucked me to make me say that.
Except for the fact that they count on the generosity (time and dedication) of a lot of volunteers for ops such as
Safety Patrol
Mountain Hosts
etc.
To that end, the perks don't align well with the commitments that these unpaid staff make.
That doesn't mean that they should continue to ignore the general affordability equation
and the resort appeal to locals with more modest means.
Such as, maybe adding a few bonus days to the Edge Card and/or allow the carry-over of unused tickets to summer, etc.
Basically, they could lower the daily posted rate during bad season opening periods,
Allow passes to be extended a bit,
and actually turn it into a marketing opportunity to get more people
onto the hills and into the resort
-- a marketing person with a creative bent could turn a bad season opening into a grand and memorable opportunity to create value and goodwill with all visitors alike.
Offering perks, offering bonuses, doing it as a marketing opportunity,
could net Vail Corp much more than sitting on their hands and blowing a little snow here and there.
It really could.
They really could.Last edited by puregravity; 12-17-2019 at 07:04 PM.
OH, MY GAWD! ―John Hillerman Big Billie Eilish fan.
But that's a quibble to what PG posted (at first, anyway, I haven't read his latest book) ―jono
we are not arguing about ski boots or fashionable clothing or spageheti O's which mean nothing in the grand scheme ― XXX-er
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12-17-2019, 08:25 PM #61
There are quite a few pissed off workers behind the scenes let me tell you.
Thank goodness it’s snowing
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12-17-2019, 08:27 PM #62Registered User
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Good turns today. nice to be able to ride right to Handlebar now too.
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12-17-2019, 08:47 PM #63
https://www.whistlerblackcomb.com/th...tain-cams.aspx
Snow-cam looks promising!OH, MY GAWD! ―John Hillerman Big Billie Eilish fan.
But that's a quibble to what PG posted (at first, anyway, I haven't read his latest book) ―jono
we are not arguing about ski boots or fashionable clothing or spageheti O's which mean nothing in the grand scheme ― XXX-er
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12-17-2019, 08:51 PM #64
That's what you do between runs?
I always wondered by there are no vending services in the Gondolla cars.
If they put a mini-spresso machine in the corner of the car, put a cam on it to catch vandals, and required a Credit Card linked pass to use it for hot chocolates and hot espressos en-route, they would make $$$ killing in revenue and encourage a lot of top-to-bottom ski activity.
It just seems like the obvious has been overlooked.
Comfy butts for 20 mins need hot drinks.
Nice windows, nice brew.
I digress.OH, MY GAWD! ―John Hillerman Big Billie Eilish fan.
But that's a quibble to what PG posted (at first, anyway, I haven't read his latest book) ―jono
we are not arguing about ski boots or fashionable clothing or spageheti O's which mean nothing in the grand scheme ― XXX-er
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12-17-2019, 09:11 PM #65
Whistler 2019 - 2020
Is it just me or does whistler seem to be twice as busy as Blackcomb this year? I’ve done quite a few half whis half bcomb days. Whis has been slammed in comparison. Especially the ski tourers, by like 5x.
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12-17-2019, 09:37 PM #66
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12-17-2019, 09:50 PM #67
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12-17-2019, 09:54 PM #68with stoopid
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12-17-2019, 10:56 PM #69
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12-17-2019, 10:56 PM #70
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12-17-2019, 11:44 PM #71OH, MY GAWD! ―John Hillerman Big Billie Eilish fan.
But that's a quibble to what PG posted (at first, anyway, I haven't read his latest book) ―jono
we are not arguing about ski boots or fashionable clothing or spageheti O's which mean nothing in the grand scheme ― XXX-er
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12-18-2019, 02:23 AM #72
Thanks much.
Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums
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12-18-2019, 06:16 AM #73
Meh. I grew up skiing blackcomb, only because when I started skiing, it was actually affordable for middle class folks. If I was born now, there's no way my parents could afford taking me to WB, they arguably couldn't afford taking me skiing at all.
Seeing less and less little ones on the hills these days and that's actually kind of depressing. That's not the way one grows a sport.
... but hey, season passes are slightly cheaper since Vail took over for all of us, so fuck all the new-comers eh?
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12-18-2019, 09:33 AM #74
It does seem like sort of a short-sighted plan. I guess the idea is new skiers and boarders will learn at the small, feeder hills while the premier resorts will be focused on the established skiers (and the wealthy).
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12-18-2019, 10:22 AM #75
yup, and WB will always be the premier resort, but look at the demographic trends and projections for the lower mainland, 1 million more residents in the next 20 years, the north shore mountains aren't going to cut it as feeders and the Sea to Sky will be the recreation destination for most of those people.
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