MAKE TAHOE DEEP AGAIN ~ 2016/17 OFISHUL SNOW/FOOD/WHINE & STOKE THREAD

[xtrmjoe]

Very ill timed IMHO of KSL to state that now. I was a Alpine pass holder for the last 9 years, there are to many things to list they changed for the worse. I mostly only care about operations but as time went on the littler things started to bother me as well. Shorter seasons, delayed openings, etc had me and Ms xtrmjoe deciding to take our money elsewhere this season. I know a few others who caved this year as well and went to other mountains. What else can we do other than vote with our dollars? If someone voted with thier dollars to KSL they need to hear what customers have to say. We take every survey the email me and I answer them honestly.

We ski leased at the alpine condos and bought a place in 2011, I am so glad we did not buy there. We bought in Truckee so we have more options for riding which is more important now we have a almost 2 year old.

When we first heard about the accident my first thought was RIP and that sucks. My second was I am sure they will use this to defend not having much open over the storms cycles of the last 3 weeks. I agree with Unofficial Alpine that Kirkwood, Mt. Rose and Sugar Bowl were making them look bad from an operations standpoint and I just knew they would try to use the tragedy to their benefit because they are corporate bastards.

[TheK12]

Playing devils'a advocate but all the people here who are claiming Squaw is lying on their latest public message, do you know this for a fact?! Is there hard evidence of this? Have you worked there specifically to know that a zone isn't being opened up becuase Squaw decided to hold on the terrain and focus their manpower elsewhere that would a)make more money or b)save some powder for the masses from the Bay coming on a weekend. Just kind of seems a bit more conspiracy theory than truth. I can't see Headwall, Granite, and Siberia qualifying for these "money holds" since those are primary zones on the mountain. Having said that, I can see Silverado being a "money hold" to a certain extent since that zone requires a metric ton of work to get opened and can see Squaw focusing resources on a bigger bang for the buck terrain.

[spnce]

Playing devils'a advocate but all the people here who are claiming Squaw is lying on their latest public message, do you know this for a fact?! Is there hard evidence of this? Have you worked there specifically to know that a zone isn't being opened up becuase Squaw decided to hold on the terrain and focus their manpower elsewhere that would a)make more money or b)save some powder for the masses from the Bay coming on a weekend. Just kind of seems a bit more conspiracy theory than truth. I can't see Headwall, Granite, and Siberia qualifying for these "money holds" since those are primary zones on the mountain. Having said that, I can see Silverado being a "money hold" to a certain extent since that zone requires a metric ton of work to get opened and can see Squaw focusing resources on a bigger bang for the buck terrain.

I think the issue is that we don't know how this person is defining a money hold. Lacking the employees to open your lifts is, in my mind, a money hold. So maybe they're not lying, but I'd say they're using intentionally misleading definitions.

I am less sure that they're "holding terrain for the weekend" though.

[TheK12]

Understood... But to be fair, Squaw terrain is pretty complex and I'm sure that it's not easy to "staff up" and "staff down" based on snow conditions. It's not like there's a "bench" that they can pull from to get on the mountain and actually be knowledgeable, safe, and efficient... Or for that matter, that actually wants to do it for whatever is being paid.

I don't know. Definitely have no love for Squaw and $15 sandwiches but not sure they're manipulating openings and closures to the tune of whatever beancounter's spreadsheet.

[gimpy]

The fact that they used this opportunity, when everyone is throwing positive energy at the squaw community, to make excuses whether they are valid or not is in such bad taste its disgusting. Ive always loved making fun of squaw valley USA jokingly w my n shore friends. Now the joke is too true to be funny anymore

[BGnight]

lmao KSL

STAY IN THE BREEZEWAY OR ELSE UR ALL GONNA DIEEEE!!!!

[hercule33]

What BS. Their message suggests that there is nothing management can do to help patrollers get the mountain open safely and quickly. I also hate how crappy KSL management that a lot people dislike is trying to hide behind the hard working and beloved patrollers.

The patrollers should consider making a ton of demands and going on strike. And we should consider writing KSL management letters letting know what we think.

[TheK12]

Would also throw out that it's not that much better on our side bitching about them misleading people. Maybe they're telling the truth. Maybe the regular people who manage the facebook page are tired of fielding complaint after complaint about things that they can't do anything about and so they snapped, especially after the tragic events of this week, and decided to rant back.

Not trying to make excuses but there are two sides to every story.

And besides, the absolute best way to provide feedback to a company is to not buy their products. Easier said than done, I know. But it is an extremely effective way.

Anyway... I'm done. Was just trying to inject another side to the Squaw dog pile. I tend to agree with their post this morning that skiing is supposed to be FUN and that there should be more chatting about FUN rather than complaining all the time. But I do get that if you open yourself up to the Social media world, you have to welcome all comers and not just the ones that want to profess their love.

[Gerome]

On a side note...my buddy Bevan had a fun day at Alpine the other day. Holy hell it looked good.

Sweet tele backflip!

[MashedPotatoes]

the post from Squaw is mind-boggling. Haranguing your customers is generally bad business, no? There's just no upside for them and it comes off as incredibly tone-deaf and dismissive. What is the big change? They are going to start banning people from their Facebook page if they complain? Give me a break. Of course they shouldn't have to tolerate abuse or anything but that shouldn't be anything new. Just comes off as very whiney and unprofessional.

I love Squaw but I'm glad I don't ski there anymore.

[Gerome]

the post from Squaw is mind-boggling. Haranguing your customers is generally bad business, no? There's just no upside for them and it comes off as incredibly tone-deaf and dismissive. What is the big change? They are going to start banning people from their Facebook page if they complain? Give me a break. Of course they shouldn't have to tolerate abuse or anything but that shouldn't be anything new. Just comes off as very whiney and unprofessional.

I love Squaw but I'm glad I don't ski there anymore.

It's ridiculous that they're whining about trolls on their facebook page. Between the community comments during their development plan review and their facebook page being open to anyone to view, I'm pretty sure no one is hiding.

[SchralphMacchio]

Squaw: "We're going to have to rethink our relationship..."

[kidwoo]

Squaw: "We're going to have to rethink our relationship..."

I hope they realize it just isn't working out, and fuck off out of Tahoe.


Irreconcilable differences and all.

[ToastedPopsicle]

Not trying to make excuses but there are two sides to every story.

Maybe so, but Google the Wikipedia page for "false balance" (won't let me post the link). The facts presented overwhelmingly do not support Squaw on this, so it's perfectly fair to give their side of the story very little credence.

[TahoeJ]

KSL: there's just not enough snow, there's nothing we can do.

Okay... fair enough. Sure, you're using the drought as an excuse for some other lapses, but whatever.

KSL: there's just too much snow, there's nothing we can do.

Go fuck yourself.

Using the death of a patrolman to wash over ongoing deficiencies of service and obvious short-staffing is just despicable. I had already said this was my last season there but this kind of crap makes it even easier.

[drjoyous]

Well said, Tahoe J. A corporation doesn't get to "vent" on its customers. Each passholder and single-ticket skier/boarder pays them mega-bucks...so for them to whine is just, well, in keeping with where our country is headed, unfortunately. Sensitive, snowflake, small fingered KSL

[4matic]

I watched undercover boss and other appearances. Wirth comes off as smarmy. That's ok if this were a family business but it isn't. This is private equity.
KSL should sell.

[BGnight]

On a side note...my buddy Bevan had a fun day at Alpine the other day. Holy hell it looked good.

Damn! You and your friends are badasses!!!

[BGnight]

KSL: there's just not enough snow, there's nothing we can do.

Okay... fair enough. Sure, you're using the drought as an excuse for some other lapses, but whatever.

KSL: there's just too much snow, there's nothing we can do.

Go fuck yourself.

Using the death of a patrolman to wash over ongoing deficiencies of service and obvious short-staffing is just despicable. I had already said this was my last season there but this kind of crap makes it even easier.

+1
I feel kinda bad that a few days prior to the incident I ranted on Squaw's FB page about how they were going to kill one of their patrollers by not staffing enough of them.

[hercule33]

I can thank KSL for getting me into backcountry skiing. I just had enough of what they did to Alpine and wanted to be free of the shackles of resorts.

TahoeJ is right: NO MORE EXCUSES. Everyone makes mistakes and that's OK. But when you continually make mistakes AND move in the wrong direction that is a different story. But now KSL is not only moving in the wrong direction, they're blaming their customers for complaining. I am pretty sure most of the Squaw/Alpine customers idea of "FUN" is NOT waiting for 45 minutes to ride Roundhouse on a 3 foot powder day. But clearly, there is NOTHING that management can do to fix the problem so the customers need to stop their bitching and patiently wait for days for the mountains to open while their friends with a Vail Pass are skiing Lookout Mountain and lapping Chair 6 at Kirkwood.

I already voted with my money and I recommend that everyone else does too. I will also send a letter to KSL management letting them know that because of their actions I am advising all my friends and family against visiting their resorts.

[54-46]

KSL makes me nostalgic for the old days with Cushing and the "We Care" slogan.

[stanmarsh]

+1
I feel kinda bad that a few days prior to the incident I ranted on Squaw's FB page about how they were going to kill one of their patrollers by not staffing enough of them.

Do you think mass outcry to get stuff open faster after (or during) storms is going to make things safer for patrollers?

[powpig]

KSL makes me nostalgic for the old days with Cushing and the "We Care" slogan.

I'm with ya, never would've thought Squaw could be managed worse than when Cushing ran the show. Now I know better.
Clone Alex!

[BGnight]

Do you think mass outcry to get stuff open faster after (or during) storms is going to make things safer for patrollers?

No, but every resort feels pressure to get stuff open. If you don't have enough qualified employees to do that then you're either going to have chronic late openings or are going to cut corners in safety for your employees and/or customers.

[spnce]

lol if squaw is putting patrollers in bad situations because of assholes like me, the management problems are even worse than I thought. That's fucking ridiculous.