3skiwv wrote:
... I have messaged management asking if they would consider staying open that week....
LOL
Forgive me for my ignorance here....
Fred and family have owned the ski area since it's inception, right? In 2004 were things ran better than they are now? This is a legitmate question, I'm not trolling.
Just seems to be geeting worse and worse year after year.
Lame. I really feel like things will change for the better eventially. Their social media presence makes me feel much better about the mountain as a whole. They also did really well with that season pass deal.
Your comments aren't lame, the situation is. I am overly critical of Timberline, and actively refuse to ski there unless I'm going with a group and have no choice. Year after year, I hope to see some sort of positive change, and it just never seems to happen.
As an avid Timberline skier since 1994, I have since taken my business to Canaan Valley and learned to cross country ski at Whitegrass as a direct result of Tlines ineptitude. Gave up being challenged at the best ski hill in the mid-Atlantic, and embraced XC skiing for the same challenge and the greatest ski scene there is in Canaan Valley. When there is no Whitegrass, Canaan Resort satisfies with virtually no lift lines on the weekend, tubing hill for the family, an actual terrain park, and CLEAN bathrooms. Canaan has a long way to go, at least they are trying, I’ll support that with my $.
As for the snowmobile races”¦.Tline got your money and that is all they care about. Like the 3 year season pass; resorts offer these great deals to get interest free start-up capital for the season, each and every season. No more interest free capital for the next two years and if they go under, Tline has your money.
There is hope for you 3skiwv. It seems anyone can be Tline puppet master on facebook. Anytime folks complain enough, the customer gets what we want (except for new ownership). A couple of years ago it actually work and Tline stayed open an extra week, unbelievable!
Andy Gene, keep up the good work! Hopefully your absence, as well as past loyal customers will bring about positive changes in the near future.
Gotta wonder, how much financial trouble T-Line would find themselves in should ALL the snow met before the snowmobile event? Would they have to sell a bunch of season passes at even lower prices to scrounge up the cash to refund the deposit put down by the snowmobile clubs?
Where is the "like" button on this forum? I like the way you think about skiing!!! One more point to top of this gentlemans moment of brilliance. When there is no more lift access at the end of march, you can usually still ski with your free heels till your hearts content at the areas on the man made snow till mid april usually.
realmccoy wrote:
As an avid Timberline skier since 1994, I have since taken my business to Canaan Valley and learned to cross country ski at Whitegrass as a direct result of Tlines ineptitude. Gave up being challenged at the best ski hill in the mid-Atlantic, and embraced XC skiing for the same challenge and the greatest ski scene there is in Canaan Valley. When there is no Whitegrass, Canaan Resort satisfies with virtually no lift lines on the weekend, tubing hill for the family, an actual terrain park, and CLEAN bathrooms. Canaan has a long way to go, at least they are trying, I’ll support that with my $.
crgildart wrote:
Gotta wonder, how much financial trouble T-Line would find themselves in should ALL the snow met before the snowmobile event? Would they have to sell a bunch of season passes at even lower prices to scrounge up the cash to refund the deposit put down by the snowmobile clubs?
Except eveyone who buys season passes at Timberline year after year now have their passes for the next 2 ski seasons. They will be lucky if 100 passes sell from now to the next ski season.
Actually, the more I think about it, the more I suspect if the snow looks to be melting faster than they can keep it for the end of March event they will just stop the lifts even sooner and bump up the dates of the snowmobile club events..
Time Out!!
Not fair, speculation and a singular opinion
I am sure they will stay open for Snowy Luau, March 18,19, 20.
Not to defend- Each resort has a break-even point per day of visits. Even if only paid pass holders.
manage by metrics - This year many resorts stayed open in rain so they can log an open day. depends on the metric and goals of the business. Resorts like liberty, roundtop close even when there is enough snow. People stop showing UP. It really is that simple. No One goes.
At best Liberty/ or Roundtop have made it to the last weekend in march. I hope for the 20th so I can get my 30 times in. Even when they open the last 2 days for all passes free the visits are not that high.
As for weather 30 days outlook first 15 below normal temps next 15 days normal temps.
jimmy wrote:
I am sure they will stay open for Snowy Luau, March 18,19, 20.
Snowy Luau is March 11-13 on thier website. Locals cup weekend is the 18-20th.
I feel sorry for their social media person. I really enjoy reading stories of people complaining on their facebook page. It makes me miss the days when Fred would argue with people on the page about why he was right, and they were wrong.
Towards the end of the season there are primarily season pass holders at any of the slopes. The day skiers often figure it isn't worth the money and the skiing is not as good as mid-winter. Season pass holders don't bring in any additional money other than food and perhaps an overnight stay and maybe a lesson. So it is considered a money drain even if there is plenty of snow. Even if a slope sells season passes starting in March I guess they figure they have your money, so it really doesn't give them anything more other than perhaps goodwill and a reputation for closing last. They probably hope you'll forget it when the season starts again. But with the late season and warm conditions they probably don't care at this time and are watching the bottom line.
Joe
jkaplenk wrote:
Even if a slope sells season passes starting in March I guess they figure they have your money, so it really doesn't give them anything more other than perhaps goodwill and a reputation for closing last. They probably hope you'll forget it when the season starts again. But with the late season and warm conditions they probably don't care at this time and are watching the bottom line.
Joe
Snowshoe's reputation as a resort that stays open the latest is a big factor in us renewing our season passes each year.
Snowshoe also opens 3 weeks - month earlier (usually). This year being the exception to that.
AndyGene wrote:
Snowshoe also opens 3 weeks - month earlier (usually). This year being the exception to that.
Agreed, Snowshoe has a great reputation. But some other slopes where I've worked and skied had plenty of snow but closed due to lack of skiers other than season pass holders.
One interesting place I skied regularly while in Chicago was Cascade Mt. One year they ran the snow machines almost continuously on one slope and accumulated at least 12 ft on one of the greens. They closed late March or early April. Then they had a spring fest in the middle of May and it was swimsuit and shorts skiing. I'm not sure if they repeated it though.
Joe
JF/BB May Day
Timberline: Please correct the confusion generated by this thread as to when Snow Luau 2016 will be held.
Your web site indicates 2nd full weekend in March, but some regulars seem to think it is the third weekend in March.
URGENT since some folks, including me, have already made reservations for March 11-13.
MorganB aka The Colonel
I believe you have it correct. Locals cup is scheduled for the 20th; this race is always held the last weekend of the season.
....And yes there will be plenty of snow through the end of the ski season.
jkaplenk wrote:
One interesting place I skied regularly while in Chicago was Cascade Mt.
I skied Cascade regularly when I lived in Madison. Sorry for the brief thread hijack, but it's rare to run across someone else who was a Cascade regular back in the day.
eggraid wrote:
Snowshoe's reputation as a resort that stays open the latest is a big factor in us renewing our season passes each year.
I do recall a season a few years ago when Snowshoe decided to close a week earlier than expected. I wonder how much of an outcry there was, and whether it resulted in a renewed commitment on their part to stay open into April.
snowmobiles don't need lifts
AndyGene wrote:
I feel sorry for their social media person. I really enjoy reading stories of people complaining on their facebook page. It makes me miss the days when Fred would argue with people on the page about why he was right, and they were wrong.
QFT Fred=rainman
scottyb wrote:
AndyGene wrote:
I feel sorry for their social media person. I really enjoy reading stories of people complaining on their facebook page. It makes me miss the days when Fred would argue with people on the page about why he was right, and they were wrong.
QFT Fred=rainman
This probably explains why he was so upset a few years ago when they decided not to open a Casino in Tucker County. He is awesome at BlackJack, but sucks at running a ski area.
wgo wrote:
jkaplenk wrote:
One interesting place I skied regularly while in Chicago was Cascade Mt.
I skied Cascade regularly when I lived in Madison. Sorry for the brief thread hijack, but it's rare to run across someone else who was a Cascade regular back in the day.
Yeah, Cascade is a really good place within a 3 1/2 drive of Chicago and comparable to Liberty but more consistent runs. My wife at that time had moved to Janesville for work and I worked in Chicago and so I spent the weekends there and the whole family went to Cascade. The season pass was $150 for a family when we first went and we did a lot of skiing there including night skiing. Then it went to $450 which is when we decided it was too expensive for that time. I also tore my ACLs two years in a row doing racing and the doctor told me to lay off skiing for a while. My daughter was on the ski team and they had their own private ski slope with a rope tow and chalet about 10 miles north of Janesville. The parents maintained the slope and chalet and it was quite spacious and we had about 75 skiers. Then my daughter and I both went to skating when the price jumped. I returned to skiing after about 20 years.
Joe
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