1/19/8 my 2 cents

[Ski]

Chippy, I was doing laps on WL and Boomer all afternoon looking for you

 

Crowds? Yeah, it was insanely crowded for Sno...it was a Tuesday afternoon for BC or Blue.

 

Ty and I pulled into the lot at 7:50am. Mostly employees and a couple of other people with out of state plates were scattered around. It was cool to see just about every gun on the mountain firing. After booting up in the lodge, I turned TY over to her coaches and started out on Cannonball. There was one or two guns on a bad setting and it had a wet mix. Cannonball wasn't so great, with some crusty spots.

 

I met up with some other race parents at the Phoebe and we did our next run on Boomer. Holy crap! The guns were tilted, so you could see, and the snow was soft and fluffy and there was a ton of it. By far the best slope on the mountain. WL was good, too, but the moguls never formed with rhythm.

 

Mike P and I think Keith (sorry, I always forget names) had made their way out of the park for Boomer's snow. A word to Mike P.: sell those twin tips, dude, you should be racing.

 

Some time after 9am, I ran into Chippy and his cool dad and we lapped Boomer for a few runs, then headed to the upper mountain for a look around and for me to meet up with Ty for her 11am lunch break.

 

A word to Jeff: you better watch out, Chippy's starting to ski more and more like you

 

The lodge was busy, but we had plenty of room for our brown bag food. Since I keep getting in trouble for my posts by management, I've decided not to buy the $6 chicken tenders. They're good, but they need to be nicer to their loyal customers.

 

After lunch, I turned Ty back over to her coaches and went to look for Chippy. I ran into Nick at the top of the Iron Horse. It would be really cool if his boss lets him enter the comp. Nick said he'd rather support the mountain and work the event, but Sno should have it's best skiing the event.

 

There were 11 tour buses in the house and a couple of the bus companies from Maryland had purchased a hundred sets of the crapiest old rentals ever. Some of the Hagan skis (anyone ever heard of Hagan?) didn't have brakes or leashes. Their edges were worn away by 1988, or so. I heard some instructors saying how bad they felt for people trying to learn on them.

 

I saw Melissa and her best friend forever, but didn't say hi because she's on thin ice with me.

 

So it was back to the NF and 10 runs down Boomer's amazing moguls. They were building up each run and just kept getting better. I finished the day on WL, but didn't see the lone bunny skier over the headwall coming down the best line, which was a drag. Sorry, lady, I didn't mean to scare you.

 

BTW, Smoke was closed most of the day for training. Tomorrow, the J3's will be ripping it up in a USSA race. Awesome day and def a decent day for ticket sales. The longest line at the Phoebe was three or four minutes. I guess we can tolerate that for the greater good

 

Here's the Devo Team early in the day on Boomer, with two of the best coaches on the planet:

 

Edited January 20, 2008 by ski

[ColoradoHigh]

After lunch, I did a run on WL, and a few boomer runs. Then my legs got beat, so I went to Whistler, and worked on carving. Ski, you should've seen the way my carving improved. I was carving so well. My dad even said I look like Jeff.

 

Next season, when Jeff is good again, I'll race him at Blue. Chinese downhill.

 

Boomer was bumped up with very soft bumps, which allowed me to practice mogul skiing.

 

 

Next weekend, my dad and I will try to make the trip again!

[Ski]

Cool, Chippy. If you do come up, make it Saturday and not Sunday, since there's PA Cup races. Good skiing with you!

[ColoradoHigh]

Cool, Chippy. If you do come up, make it Saturday and not Sunday, since there's PA Cup races. Good skiing with you!

Saturday I am not working. So I'll be there. Hopefully they'll have NASTAR running.

 

It was good skiing with you to again.

[bigdaddyk]

... Some of the Hagan skis (anyone ever heard of Hagan?) didn't have brakes or leashes. Their edges were worn away by 1988, or so. I

 

 

I didn't think that you could use skis without safety features?

[Ski]

I didn't think that you could use skis without safety features?

You can until you get caught. But these people were mostly shuffling around the base of the bunny hill and not posing much of a danger.

[trackbiker]

Since I keep getting in trouble for my posts by management, I've decided not to buy the $6 chicken tenders. They're good, but they need to be nicer to their loyal customers.

 

ski, you're the biggest promoter/defender of Sno! Never mind the $6.00 chicken tenders, they should give you a free season pass for all of the free marketing they get from your post! They've sold a lot of tickets to people from the other PA ski areas who you convinced to give Sno a try. If anything, to be honest, I find your posts to be a little too defensive sometimes. But I understand where you are coming from and it's almost always just a difference of opinion. I have never found any "facts" in your posts not to be true.

Hey, you don't always have to agree with your customer's, but you should listen to them. If they think that throwing in a High Speed lift and some new trails next year will bring hoards of skiers to Sno next year, they haven't seen the loyalty of skiers/boarders to their home mountains. All you need to do is read the threads on this sight to see that. Are they really listening?

[Ski]

 

ski, you're the biggest promoter/defender of Sno! Never mind the $6.00 chicken tenders, they should give you a free season pass for all of the free marketing they get from your post! They've sold a lot of tickets to people from the other PA ski areas who you convinced to give Sno a try. If anything, to be honest, I find your posts to be a little too defensive sometimes. But I understand where you are coming from and it's almost always just a difference of opinion. I have never found any "facts" in your posts not to be true.

Hey, you don't always have to agree with your customer's, but you should listen to them. If they think that throwing in a High Speed lift and some new trails next year will bring hoards of skiers to Sno next year, they haven't seen the loyalty of skiers/boarders to their home mountains. All you need to do is read the threads on this sight to see that. Are they really listening?

 

I was surprised to find out recently just how closely Sno management has been following PASR. And while I come off as a total 'homer' for Sno, I have hammered them on some things with the lift and a shuttle not always running. Amazing how two part time employees can make the experience of a lot of guests really bad. Even more amazing was Sno's response---the issues were fixed the very next day and haven't recurred. 'Liftguy' listened to a customer complaint and simply made it right. That never happened in all my years at CB. At CB, they'd 'yes' you and do nothing.

 

And, yes, I believe I was almost fired three times now from Sno. Luckily, I don't work there. My PASR nickname is Coach C, which is what all my soccer players have called me for years. It's apparently caused some unintended confusion. But I'm not changing my nickname just to stay out of trouble...

 

If I could give any advise to Sno regarding message boards, I'd tell them to assign someone like Glenn to read them. Someone with a very chill personality that isn't going to kick doors in when there's something they don't like. Look at what just happened with the Blue thread and BlueSnowSports guy...a mountain employee can never win an MB argument and they only end up pissing people off. My company was founded by a man who wasn't allowed in most meetings because he'd always end up threatening to fire somebody. He was great guy, but when people in power try to micromanage, it puts everyone on edge and makes department heads reluctant in their decision making.

 

I guess what I'm getting at is that it's great that Sno is listening, but there's a reason places like CB and Hunter shut down their message boards. It's simply better to back off and allow the ideas to flow, be aware of recurring issues and be quick to fix problems, but understand what makes Sno a great place. Instead of apologizing for a lack of a high speed quad, embrace the fact that since there are no lift lines, it's just as fast to get up the NF as at Blue. And the slower lifts makes the skiing better. The slower the lift, the less crowded the slopes. Mad River Glen is a good example for Sno to follow. The single chair is one of the charms of the place with the added bonus of it keeping the best terrain free from crowds.

 

I keep reading all the complaints in Ski Mag about "cookie cutter" ski resorts, where every trail seems the same and every lift is fast and every hamburger is brown. The writers say they sometimes forget which resort they are at. So when Doug is saying Sno should be more like Blue, I say Sno should be more like Sno. And probably the biggest untapped weapon in Sno's marketing arsenal is White Lightning. When CB touts Cliffhanger and Blue mentions Razor's Edge, Sno can always suggest those two slopes are a good way for skiers and riders to practice for taking on WL's headwall. And then offset the unfamily friendly image by suggesting all of CB and Blue's beginner terrain combined would fit on Upper Fast Track and Upper Runaway with Highball left over.

 

But they seem to be on the right track. They blew tons of snow on the park and tons on the NF. They ponied up for the park rats and the advanced skiers/riders. The buses will come, but they were working on their core by doing that. In ski resort marketing, it's been my experience that you succeed in the long term by building loyalty and then the weekenders will follow.

 

Sorry for the long, mostly off topic rant, Track...

 

About the $6 chicken tenders? Well, I'm not buying them until I get my food discount back and an apology for trying to fire me so often

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oh, and since Doug will make me pay for the Razor's Edge comment, let me just add that Challenge and RE are two of the best slopes in the Poconos---and two of my favorites.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(crowded as hell, though )

[Papasteeze]

I ran into Nick at the top of the Iron Horse. It would be really cool if his boss lets him enter the comp. Nick said he'd rather support the mountain and work the event, but Sno should have it's best skiing the event.

 

They did this to snowboarder who was on National TV representing his home mountain last year. Super Lame Sno - that kid and his parents were/are long time pass holders and they rather vocal about him loosing his job. I think he ended up having the event people list his home as the Poconos instead of SNO. Rightfully.. loyalty is a two way street - give nick the day off and be happy about it.

[Ski]

They did this to snowboarder who was on National TV representing his home mountain last year. Super Lame Sno - that kid and his parents were/are long time pass holders and they rather vocal about him loosing his job. I think he ended up having the event people list his home as the Poconos instead of SNO. Rightfully.. loyalty is a two way street - give nick the day off and be happy about it.

 

WTF? Why are you bitching about someone else's problem from last year? Don't you have anything at your home hill to worry about?

[toast21602]

WTF? Why are you bitching about someone else's problem from last year? Don't you have anything at your home hill to worry about?

 

probably not. boulder is perfect. remember?

[n0xidee]

Skied from 8-4 and had a great time except for the guns blasting all day and sticking to my goggles. That was annoying. Rode the lift with Eugene on like my 4th run. Also met Melissa. Was lookin for you ski and an orange helmet. I was on the NF for most of the time but never saw you.

[ColoradoHigh]

Skied from 8-4 and had a great time except for the guns blasting all day and sticking to my goggles. That was annoying. Rode the lift with Eugene on like my 4th run. Also met Melissa. Was lookin for you ski and an orange helmet. I was on the NF for most of the time but never saw you.

 

My dad told me that some guy called him Eugene. My dad didn't remember you. I was like, did he have camoflauge skis? My dad said yes, and I was like , OH, its nOxidee!

[Papasteeze]

WTF? Why are you bitching about someone else's problem from last year? Don't you have anything at your home hill to worry about?

 

just backing you up buddy... I agree with what you said.

[dwy33]

They did this to snowboarder who was on National TV representing his home mountain last year. Super Lame Sno - that kid and his parents were/are long time pass holders and they rather vocal about him loosing his job. I think he ended up having the event people list his home as the Poconos instead of SNO. Rightfully.. loyalty is a two way street - give nick the day off and be happy about it.

ok, let's get this straightened out. We never told Nick he couldn't do the Loki's contest and he never asked me about having the day off until today at work. Nick is off the day of the competition and WILL be competing. We want our employees to compete in our contests as well as anyone else's. Our management team is very flexible and all it takes is a little communication from our employees.

Mike

[Papasteeze]

ok, let's get this straightened out. We never told Nick he couldn't do the Loki's contest and he never asked me about having the day off until today at work. Nick is off the day of the competition and WILL be competing. We want our employees to compete in our contests as well as anyone else's. Our management team is very flexible and all it takes is a little communication from our employees.

Mike

 

Thank you Mike. Not that it matters.... Often you never know both sides of the story until it's too late, this is probably true of the guy last year.

 

 

 

edit: don't you love message boards! I was going off a commment that your biggest fan made.. toooo funnny!

Edited January 21, 2008 by Papasteeze

[Ski]

edit: don't you love message boards! I was going off a commment that your biggest fan made.. toooo funnny!

 

No you weren't, Rob. You either misread my post or were just so anxious to be negative again that you tried to misrepresent what I said.

 

 

AGAIN:

 

"It would be really cool if his boss lets him enter the comp. Nick said he'd rather support the mountain and work the event, but Sno should have it's best skiing the event."

 

 

Nick always tells me how much he digs what he's doing. I don't know Nick very well, but he always stops to say hello. He mentioned he wasn't sure if he was entering and I was trying to prod him into doing it with a post. I have no idea if he asked for the day off or if he really wants to enter. It wasn't a serious post, it was just goofing around. And you tried to make it something it wasn't. Rob: read posts more carefully before jumping in and trying to start shit. You're pissed at me, so your response is to drag some hard working, great kid into your crappy world? That's pathetic.

 

I'm sorry your kid brags about smoking pot and getting drunk. That's what I meant about having to post bail. That you then turned around and called my little girl a prostitute is fucked up beyond belief.

 

Just go away, Rob. You are far and away the worst kind of hater I've ever met on a MB.

 

Nick: I'm sorry I said anything. I had no idea Rob would try to use an innocent post to start shit and bring up some old situation involving other people. I hope you enter 'cause you're a rippin' skier.

 

Jesus, Rob, you're like slow dripping poison.

[Papasteeze]

I'm sorry your kid brags about smoking pot and getting drunk. That's what I meant about having to post bail.

 

How would you know that? Stalk little kids much Coach Ski? Or just mine? and then you post about them on the internet.

 

You hate anyone who stands up to you. I'm not a hater, I get a lot of fun out of riling you up. remember you throw the first stones when you degrade threads by bringing my kids into it and going personal..

 

 

 

Besides, who said she wasn't a patron?

[Ski]

How would you know that? Stalk little kids much Coach Ski? Or just mine? and then you post about them on the internet.

 

You hate anyone who stands up to you. I'm not a hater, I get a lot of fun out of riling you up. remember you throw the first stones when you degrade threads by bringing my kids into it and going personal..

 

 

 

Besides, who said she wasn't a patron?

 

You're disgusting.