Vail fail aka stevens pass wtf?

[jackattack]

I'd be willing to sacrifice up to 50% of the purchase price of my Stevens select pass to crowdsource a lawyer to get my money back from VAIL.

Anybody interested?

[MakersTeleMark]

I'd be willing to sacrifice up to 50% of the purchase price of my Stevens select pass to crowdsource a lawyer to get my money back from VAIL.

Anybody interested?

What are your grounds for a refund?

[skysos]

Tom Fortune has not exactly been providing the “experience of a lifetime” the past several years on the south shore. Hope he works out for Washington crowd.

True, but Heavenly has been running pretty smoothly this year given the supposed challenges. Only one chair (Galaxy) is unstaffed. I talked to some liftys about it and they said there were no issues with staffing.

Anyway, I imagine Tom Fortune will be an improvement for Stevens. I've talked to him on a couple of lifts over the years and he is willing to listen at least.

[jackattack]

What are your grounds for a refund?

I have no interest in driving up there to ski Hogsback and Skyline.

[grskier]

This one in here yet?



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[east or bust]

^holy shit that’s good


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[wickstad]

Does the drinking fountain at the top of the service tow still go? I imagine they shut that thing off for Covid.

[stolitonic]

That water fountain brings back memories!

[Jaxson]

I have no interest in driving up there to ski Hogsback and Skyline.

I am in this camp too and would sure like to see a refund somehow if I do not use my pass.
After moving to Wenatchee I thought I may get tired of Mission and would want some days at Stevens but need all the mountain open for it to be worthwhile.

[The AD]

At least they've got the Tye chair running now. When people suggested that it was likely that the back side would not open at all this season I thought the idea was absurd, but I'm believing it more and more each day now.

[Markeyz]

Pretty stupid to fu the holiday $ season that bad. Especially in a rare La Niña year.

[Markeyz]

I guess that’s what you get when you out source your not local knowledge.

[Markeyz]

But whoever is sitting pretty doesn’t give a hoot as long as they have your $.

[blazes_boylan]

As Vail Resorts petition hits 40,000 signatures, author asks Epic Pass holders to cancel “auto-renew”

https://www.vaildaily.com/news/eagle...el-auto-renew/

As the Change.org petition to Hold Vail Resorts accountable” for alleged ski area mismanagement this season reached 40,000 signatures Sunday, an update from page manager Jeremy Rubingh was posted with a new call to action. Rubingh, on Sunday, put out a request for Epic Pass users to email seasonpass@vailresorts.com Tuesday with a request to disengage the auto-renew option on their Epic Pass.

“Please join us on January 18th by sending a message stating that you’d like to cancel your pass ‘auto-renew,’” Rubingh wrote in the Sunday update. “Even if you don’t have the auto-renew activated, you can send an email to seasonpass@vailresorts.com explaining why you will not be renewing your pass.” Rubingh described the action as “a great next step” toward a goal of better pay and treatment of Vail Resorts employees.

‘Within the next two weeks’
The original petition, which had 40,037 signatures as of Sunday evening, was focused on Stevens Pass ski area in Washington, which, according to its website as of Sunday, has only 35% of its terrain currently available to skiers, with 27 of 77 trails open. The lack of terrain openings resulted in massive liftlines over the holidays. According to the petition, “Vail Resorts needs to commit to returning 60% of the cost of a season’s pass to all pass holders unless this problem is addressed immediately (by January 15th).” In the Jan. 16 update, Rubingh addressed the fact that Vail Resorts has responded to the petition. “They have hired a new interim General Manager, Tom Fortune, who grew up skiing at Stevens and knows what we expect of operations and access to our mountain … Still, they haven’t actually solved the problem at Stevens Pass yet and we remain vigilant in holding Vail Resorts accountable,” Rubingh wrote. “Weather conditions at Stevens Pass left the road closed for a week starting on January 6th with limited access to the ski resort. However, now the road is open, and changes have been promised. We need to see more staff hired and the majority of terrain open and lifts running, including the Mill Valley side, within the next two weeks, otherwise this has all been merely optics by Vail Resorts to attempt to quell our movement.”

Opinions on the bonus
While the movement started at Steven’s Pass, it quickly spread to other Vail Resorts-operated ski areas. Stories about the movement made the front page of the Seattle Times and the front page of Wall Street Journal’s B section. On Jan. 11, Vail Resorts CEO Kirstin Lynch said employees who stick with the company through the end of the season will receive a $2 per hour bonus for all hours worked after Jan. 1. Rubingh, in Sunday’s petition update, said while the bonus doesn’t amount to a whole lot for most employees, it’s “a start in the right direction.” Lynch told the Wall Street Journal she also believes the bonus is a step in the right direction. “Is this going to make everything perfect? Absolutely not,” Lynch said in an interview with The Wall Street Journal on Friday. “But is this a step in the right direction? And that I hear you and that I’m willing to take action to address it? Yes, I believe that it is. And as I said, we’re always willing to hear and change and pivot.” On Wall Street, investment bank Truist Securities, which has an analyst assigned to Vail Resorts, offered an opinion following Lynch’s message to employees announcing the bonus. “This is an action that probably should have been done earlier in the season but it is better late than never,” wrote Truist’s Patrick Scholes, a travel and leisure analyst who covers Vail Resorts stock. “That said, from anecdotal conversations, an additional $2/hour, especially for newly hired hourly employees, is still not fully competitive in many markets.”

[Bronco]

It was weird driving over the pass at 5:00 PM on MLK Day and seeing everything closed down and dark. Sad.

[f=ma]

At least they've got the Tye chair running now. When people suggested that it was likely that the back side would not open at all this season I thought the idea was absurd, but I'm believing it more and more each day now.

I mean they're literally going have the SPAC parents working Big Chief so their kids can train...

[Jaxson]

Seems WA attorney general is interested so I sent in a complaint. Not too optimistic for any resolution.
Here is the link to the form.

https://fortress.wa.gov/atg/formhand...laintForm.aspx

[Markeyz]

I mean they're literally going have the SPAC parents working Big Chief so their kids can train...

Scabs then right?

[Markeyz]

Not against bumping my own chair so the lifty doesn’t have to get out of the shack but that is presuming that the chair is running. Anything less than 100% open is a failure.

[Markeyz]

https://youtu.be/tJkZgjrzJ40

[Markeyz]

Just sayin spinning lifts and grooming runs should be the baseline. Let’s see how it’s going. Oh, more than a week of no new snow and about the most stable avy conditions possible but if you want to ride the backside that you paid for, which should be butter with this inversion, you are sol.

[The AD]

To Our Valued Pass Holders at Stevens Pass,
Thank you for patience and understanding as we navigate a challenging start to the 2021/22 ski and ride season at Stevens Pass. As the new Interim General Manager of the resort, I want to take this opportunity to provide you with a few updates on our operations and how we plan to honor your loyalty as a pass holder.
As I have been sharing with guests on our blog, we have made good progress in the last couple of weeks getting more terrain open and implementing new strategies to make sure we are providing you with a great experience. Yesterday, in addition to being a beautiful blue bird day, we were excited to open additional lifts and trails – we had 72% of our terrain available. This weekend, we’re hoping to have 86% open. Looking forward, our plan is to open all our lifts as soon as we have enough employees trained to do so safely. In the meantime, we are prioritizing our resources to maximize the experience. Right now, we have seven lifts on weekends and plan to add Jupiter and the backside this Friday, which will bring us to eight out of 10 lifts running Friday through Sunday. You can read more about our next lift priorities (both for daytime and night skiing) here.
As we shared previously, hiring has been a challenge at Stevens Pass this season for a variety of reasons. It was a bit of a perfect storm of circumstances, which certainly included the impacts from Omicron. At times over the holidays, upwards of 30% of our lift operators were out due to COVID-19 or symptoms. That aside, we are very focused on bringing on additional people, and I am proud to share that we have hired many new team members over the last month. We secured additional housing for employees and added a $2 per hour bonus to their compensation, which is supporting these efforts. We also provide free transportation to both Monroe and Wenatchee and just increased the size of the bus to accommodate more staff. We have amazing employees and are working hard to ensure they feel recognized, appreciated and engaged.
I also want to address the concerns many of you have raised as pass holders. We have heard that you do not feel the experience so far this season has lived up to your expectations and you want to know how our company plans to address those concerns. As you know, our passes are non-refundable given they are highly discounted products that provide access all season long and because we cannot predict exactly how the season will play out in terms of conditions or terrain. Pass holders accept the possibility of limited terrain and variable conditions in exchange for significant discounts. While we provide Epic Coverage for no additional cost, it does not provide refunds relating to the amount of terrain open; rather, it provides refunds for certain resort closures or personal events such as job loss, injury or illness. That said, we acknowledge that Stevens Pass has experienced very unique challenges this season – unique in comparison to any prior season, unique for the region, and unique when compared to the 36 other resorts our company operates throughout North America.
We greatly value your loyalty as a pass holder as well as your passion for Stevens Pass. To honor that loyalty, we are offering you the option of a discount on a 22/23 Stevens Pass season pass or a spend credit to use at Stevens Pass during the 22/23 ski and ride season:
22/23 pass renewal discount for Stevens Pass: As a 21/22 pass holder receiving this email, you and any dependent with a 21/22 pass are eligible for the following discounts on 22/23 Stevens Pass season passes:
$150 discount off Adult, Young Adult, and Teen Passes:
Stevens Pass Premium Adult Pass at $385 (compared to $535 this season).
Stevens Pass Premium Young Adult Pass at $305 (compared to $455 this season).
Stevens Pass Premium Teen Pass at $169 (compared to $319 this season).
Stevens Pass Select Adult Pass at $193 (compared to $343 this season).
$50 discount off Senior Passes:
Stevens Pass Premium Senior Pass at $53 (compared to $103 this season).
Stevens Pass Select Senior Pass at $37 (compared to $87 for this season).
OR
$150 renewal spend credit at Stevens Pass for 22/23 season
If you choose to renew or purchase a 22/23 Epic, Epic Local, Epic Military, Epic 4-7 Day pass, 5 Day Edge Card, or 10 Day Edge Card for yourself, you will receive a Stevens Pass spend credit of $150.00 that you can use next season at Stevens Pass for restaurants, retail and rental locations, lift tickets or for ski and ride school lessons. This offer is valid for 21/22 pass holders who received this email, as well as any dependent who has a 21/22 pass.
To be eligible for either of these offers, you will need to renew or purchase your pass by May 30, 2022.
More details on how you can redeem this offer will be emailed to you directly in the weeks to come and before our passes for next season go back on sale in March. However, we wanted to provide you this information now as we have heard your concerns and want to share the actions we are taking in response, in addition to the progress we are making with hiring and terrain openings.
Thank you again for your patience and for your passion. The team at Stevens Pass and I are working hard to improve every day, and I am truly looking forward to a great season ahead. Stevens Pass is an incredibly special resort. Everyone at Vail Resorts is committed to its future success and to ensuring we provide all of you an amazing experience each time you visit.
Tom Fortune
Interim General Manager
Stevens Pass

P.S. I didn't get the email, I just saw this posted on Facebook. Does that mean I don't get the credit and, if so, why not? Who exactly qualifies? That's the shit I'd like to know.

[Stikki]

What pass do you have? I have a SP Premium and received the email, I've also heard Epic Local pass holders received the email. Maybe full Epic pass didn't?

This thing reads like a plea to the AG to stay off their case.

[The AD]

I've got the full Epic Pass. It seems odd that I'd be punished for buying the more expensive pass.

I think it's a plea for the AG to stay off their case and a bone to get people to renew for next year rather than look elsewhere.

[counterfeitfake]

As you know, our passes are non-refundable given they are highly discounted products that provide access all season long and because we cannot predict exactly how the season will play out in terms of conditions or terrain. Pass holders accept the possibility of limited terrain and variable conditions in exchange for significant discounts.

Maybe this is totally normal business speak, but it seems really disingenuous to use the term "discount" when they set all of the pricing.