Alta/Snowbird, UT 1/18/2014

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Day 34: Welcome to California.

It's another holiday weekend, which once again means lots of this:

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and this:

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With the dismal snow in California it felt like that whole state headed to Utah for the holiday. Lots of rental cars in the parking lot, lots of map readers on the hill. Alta, however, never felt busy, and by 11 a.m. the Wildcat lot was still only three-quarters full.

Beautiful weather -- it felt like spring -- and a stabilizing snow pack also meant that Alta hit 100% terrain open for the first time this season, after ASP opened Devil's Castle for the first time and also got Main Chute open. There was a steady lemming line to each, so it's not surprising that we didn't ski either.

We had a posse of as large as 9 today (Bobby Danger, Skidog, Telejon, AmyZ, rdwore, TheOtherAmy, Corey, Nelson and yours truly), and we played on both sides of the border -- first with a single lap foray into Mineral Basin in the morning, and later heading over to Gad 2 after a lunch at Rustler Lodge (total tab for a chicken caesar salad with tax and a 30% tip was $10), where we bumped into Sam with his brother from Chicago who winters in Utah for 2 months, plus two other guys.

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Surfaces were slightly slicker at Snowbird, especially on those runs with manmade snow, and although they were parked along the road above Entry 1 we encountered only a minimal line at Gad 2 and MBE and no line at all on Baldy Express or Little Cloud.

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Nevertheless, by 2 p.m. I'd had enough -- all day I felt like I was firing on 7 out of 8 cylinders. While Bobby Danger, AmyZ and Telejon headed off in the direction of the Upper Cirque I dropped into Mineral and headed back to Alta, clicking out of my skis at 2:30.

Tomorrow, the APP invades PCMR.
 
Going to call bs on the $10 including a 30% tip at Rustler. Now I agree its a decent value, however you're making it sound cheaper than anything else on the mtn. You said that salad costs $8. Add taxes and a 30% tip your already over $10. Add a $3.00 soda and we are approaching $15 easy. $8 + 30% we are already at $10.40 without tax. Just don't go making this sound better than it is.

In typical fashion while the others lunched a few of us skied. Got at least 3 more run while other ate, and stopped for a quick bite in GMD. Then 2 more runs before leaving for a total of 5 more runs and I also left at 2pm. I just don't see the point eating at the mtn if afterwards you're only going to ski one run and go home which is :rotfl: quite typical of some members of our group.
 
$10 = $8 salad less 10% discount + tax = approximately $7.80. Add approximately 30% tip (Okay I guess it's more like 25%) = $10. I drank water from a carafe that they leave filled on the table. Only AmyZ had a Coke.

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Admin":25zehg68 said:
$10 = $8 salad less 10% discount + tax = approximately $7.80. Add approximately 30% tip (Okay I guess it's more like 25%) = $10. I drank water from a carafe that they leave filled on the table. Only AmyZ had a Coke.
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Where did the 10% discount come from?
Agree with skidog that $10 for lunch at the Rustler is an outlier at the low low end of the spectrum and unlikely for most people most of the time. The few times a season I eat at the Rustler typically is around $22. A burger, small fries, and soda at Alf's would be ~$17, in a lovely school cafeteria setting, with appropriate ambient noise levels.
 
Admin":2hi2icku said:
$10 = $8 salad less 10% discount + tax = approximately $7.80. Add approximately 30% tip (Okay I guess it's more like 25%) = $10. I drank water from a carafe that they leave filled on the table. Only AmyZ had a Coke.


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As Marc_C asked..where did the 10% discount come from? This isnt everyone that dines there for sure so either mention that in your "price total" or its still bunk.

Typical meal there is more like what Marc_C mentions...i'd say roughly $20. Yes its "nicer" but IMHO takes longer and just isnt my cup of tea but a few days a season. Also like mentioned at Alf's you'd get a nice fat hot sandwich fires and a drink roughly that same $20. Yeah the ambiance isnt the same, but again IMHO you would have a much heartier meal.

I'd love to hear the other diners at the table, that arent rabbits, mention what they paid for the meal yesterday. My bet is its a damn sight higher than "$10" with a 30% tip.

I did find it amusing that the story changed once i called it out. now there is a discount included and only a 25% tip...mr exaggeration :bow:
 
jamesdeluxe":3kstg80j said:
10% is the discount for employees who work in Alta's propaganda department.
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Season pass holder discount. It's a whopping 80 cents. AmyZ had the same meal I did but added a Coke. Telejon had the Thai Chicken Salad with the exact same tab that I had.

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Splitting hairs. Yes the Rustler is somewhat more expensive than Alf's, but surely worth the modest difference. Yes it takes more time and I wouldn't go there on a powder day, but on a weekend like this one (no new snow for 4 days plus the on-mountain places likely overrun with holiday visitors) it's a pretty easy call IMHO.
 
Tony Crocker":14t0zi07 said:
Splitting hairs. Yes the Rustler is somewhat more expensive than Alf's, but surely worth the modest difference. Yes it takes more time and I wouldn't go there on a powder day, but on a weekend like this one (no new snow for 4 days plus the on-mountain places likely overrun with holiday visitors) it's a pretty easy call IMHO.
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+1
Exactly.
And I disagree with skidog that Alf's provides a heartier meal.
 
+1 too. A favorite of mine. Learned from Admin

Reminds me of Jackson Hole where there's a bunch of privately owned places that are only moderately more than the on mountain options. Four seasons isn't cheap but its a great way of making the wife anxious to come back.

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It is interesting that US ski areas strive to maintain on-mountain food monopolies while privately owned high quality restaurants are on the mountain all over the place in socialist Europe. :stir:

Aspen is a happy exception, with Bonnie's on Aspen Mt. and Cloud 9 at Highlands.
 
Tony Crocker":2txrhiyz said:
It is interesting that US ski areas strive to maintain on-mountain food monopolies while privately owned high quality restaurants are on the mountain all over the place in socialist Europe. :stir:

Aspen is a happy exception, with Bonnie's on Aspen Mt. and Cloud 9 at Highlands.
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As is Alta.
 
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