Changes coming to ORDA

snoloco wrote

mattchuck2 wrote

interested in new management making much needed changes at the mountain.

What would those changes be?

One small thing I'd like them to start doing is take the cars off the gondola when blowing snow on Wild Air.  They do this on the AE2 when blowing snow on Showcase.  Whiteface takes the cars off their gondola during high winds, heavy snow, freezing r*in, extreme cold, and when the lift will be closed for a long period of time.  It sucks when you get the gondola car that sat in the snowmaking all night and you can't see out and the windows are all frozen shut.

You might have a point there sno. I worked at Killington  during the K1's first season. My memory is that they put the whole fleet in the shed every night; not sure if they still do. Also, in snowmaking, we were supposed to report any time a chair got hit by the guns, even a little bit. That can be a real hazard. Ice is heavy.

There clearly is still room for improvement.  Killington opens Skyeship Base tomorrow and that's their last base area and major lift to open.  Gore still hasn't opened 4 entire sections of the mountain (Dark Side, North Side, Burnt Ridge, Ski Bowl).  They may open the North Side soon as they're blowing snow on it, but nothing on the other sections.

Hate on Killington all you want, but they're clearly doing better than Gore is in terms of holiday terrain availability and will make a much greater profit.

Gore may have already doubled snowmaking capacity, but if they intend to compete with Vermont on holiday terrain availability, it'll need to be doubled again.

Brownski wrote

You might have a point there sno. I worked at Killington  during the K1's first season. My memory is that they put the whole fleet in the shed every night; not sure if they still do.

Yep, that's exactly what is done on both gondolas.

I was at Whiteface one day where they took the cars off the Gondola the preceding night.  They are so much more clean when this is done.  No ice on the windows at all makes for great views the whole way up.  No ice or mud in the cars either.

At Whiteface, it takes about 20 minutes to take them all off, and the same to put them back up.  Should take less time at Gore since their gondola is shorter.  Well worth it to be able to see out of the cars IMO.

snoloco wrote

Well worth it to be able to see out of the cars IMO.

Plus you won't plunge to a terrifying, painful death cause there's too much weight on the grip, another benefit.

Who's hating on Killington?  Google "killington is awesome" to read my point of view.

The janitor told me years ago that something wasn't completed on the " Gondi barn " when it was built. Track, conveyance system or something that makes it hard/impossible.

Anybody else know ?

tjf1967 wrote

 Just cause they asked you not to come back..I hear because they think you are no it all did not change what the numbers say.

I came back, worked for 3 more years, and then left on my own accord. Where do you guys even get your information?

And any of us could make Gore the highest performing venue - it has a geographical advantage that all the other ORDA venues can't match. Specifically, it is within easy day tripping distance to the 1M+ population capital district.

I am happy that Pratt moving on would open up a spot for someone else to come in. Similar to the way that I was hoping Andrew Cuomo would take a spot in a Hillary administration and someone else could be governor. Certain people are better in Different roles. (Was that political enough for you, but yet, hopefully, you people can see what I'm saying?)

snoloco wrote

Hate on Killington all you want, but they're clearly doing better than Gore is in terms of holiday terrain availability and will make a much greater profit.

Sno, Killington has always and will always have more terrain availability and have a much greater profit margin than Gore. Period, end of story. Different league alrogether in terms of snomaking power, skier visits, natural snow advantage, real estate base. Etc., etc.

I totally made it up to get you going. I'm guessing you for your job well.

The other day I saw Teddy standing at the window by guest services gazing out the window in what struck me as a being sad or wistful.   I was going to say hello but something about him seemed like he wanted to be alone.  Makes sense now.

Pratt makes sense for the role though having worked at several other ski areas including Killington I think that the best thing that Orda could do is bring in a mid level executive from another Ski Company like Powdr, Epic, Boyne or IW as the long term replacement where they can bring in some new ideas and blood.

snoloco wrote

There clearly is still room for improvement.  Killington opens Skyeship Base tomorrow and that's their last base area and major lift to open.  Gore still hasn't opened 4 entire sections of the mountain (Dark Side, North Side, Burnt Ridge, Ski Bowl).  They may open the North Side soon as they're blowing snow on it, but nothing on the other sections.

Hate on Killington all you want, but they're clearly doing better than Gore is in terms of holiday terrain availability and will make a much greater profit.

Gore may have already doubled snowmaking capacity, but if they intend to compete with Vermont on holiday terrain availability, it'll need to be doubled again.

According to On the Snow - the snow totals to date are:
Gore    22 inches
Killington 75 inches

Killington is reporting 81.5 inches so far this season. There is no sign of a seasonal snow total on the Gore snow report.
Maybe if you can move Gore to the spine of the Green Mtns in VT  Gore will be able to have to same ability to open terrain as Killington.

mattchuck2 wrote

Oooh! Chance for new management at Gore? I'm interested...

Wonder who it will be. Nobody is picking Howie.

Coach Z wrote

 I think that the best thing that Orda could do is bring in a mid level executive from another Ski Company like Powdr, Epic, Boyne or IW as the long term replacement where they can bring in some new ideas and blood.

Maybe they can convince Trump to give up the awful job in DC - let's make ORDA great again.

We've got Gore at 31 inches but the point still stands.

MIke's not talking, to me at least. I wouldn't be surprised to see him get the job. As Coach said ORDA does hire from within. He is definitely a very different personality from Ted.

Will be interesting to see what happens.

Harvey wrote

We've got Gore at 31 inches but the point still stands.

MIke's not talking, to me at least. I wouldn't be surprised to see him get the job. As Coach said ORDA does hire from within. He is definitely a very different personality from Ted.

Will be interesting to see what happens.

I bet that no matter what when it snows (the natural stuff, not that necessary but so crappy man made stuff) the skiing will still be really fun. :D