Friday, "Ski for Schools" day, Mt Bachelor 12/3

[schubwa]

Yeah OK, bluebird. Yesterday it got drier after a damp week. But it was good 'cuz we received about two feet (Bachelor feet, not Mammoth feet) and so it covered anything abrasive left on the lower mountain. The beauty of having a relatively mellow lower mountain is you can ride new gear really early!

Bluebird and PNW don't usually go together.

No sh_t folks, we're at 136" total so far. Ain't no lie.

I was wrong! Outback is on the schedule tomorrow. Should be excellent as the east wind blew today, a very good omen for that side of the hill. You can see the top of OBX in this photo, as well as the top. Lookin' good!

Pretty much mid-winter conditions prevail.

This is in the "Meadow", looking up at the Moraine and Cirque Bowl. We sure get to ski a lot out here!

 

[Tony Crocker]

No Summit with the bluebird weather and that coverage?

 

[schubwa]

Same story, different day (Powdr Corp).

Even though I've been poking fun at Mammoth, you have to admire the progressive-thinking ownership there. They open when they they get snow and close when it melts. Heck, they had the top open on the first weekend. There was a lot of speculation when Dave sold that Mammoth would tighten the reins ala Powdr Corp on their lift opening policy. Guess that didn't happen.

There has been progress here, such as agreeing to extend the season two weeks. But then they have dragged their feet this fall getting additional lifts online.

In their defense, it's snowing again this morning, so any effort to open the top would have been for one day.

 

[Tony Crocker]

I've talked to a lot of people around Mammoth. Some of the people on Mammoth Forum bitch, but they have no clue vs. how managements like Powdr Corp, ASC, RCR etc. would react in Mammoth's situation. Starwood paid way too much for Mammoth in 2006 and is carrying a big debt load. I asked about the wind power issue during my recent visit, was told they have studied it and and are likely to do something eventually, "but we can't use the tax credits now." This corroborates other comments I've heard that Mammoth has shown a loss due to debt service from 2007-2009, and that refinancing is Mammoth's financial priority now.

Mammoth's other priority is increasing revenue. This year they want to sell 250 Black Passes, which allow priority parking and line cutting privileges for $15,000 (single), $20,000 (couple) or $25,000 (transferable corporate) per season. There's a 17-page thread on Mammoth Forum bitching about buying privileges in the national forest, cuts on powder days (when you know most of these people will be up there just for weekends and holidays), etc. Would these people rather see Mammoth cut expenses like Powdr Corp, ASC, RCR etc. ?

 

[schubwa]

Mammoth's other priority is increasing revenue. This year they want to sell 250 Black Passes, which allow priority parking and line cutting privileges for $15,000 (single), $20,000 (couple) or $25,000 (transferable corporate) per season. There's a 17-page thread on Mammoth Forum bitching about buying privileges in the national forest, cuts on powder days (when you know most of these people will be up there just for weekends and holidays), etc. Would these people rather see Mammoth cut expenses like Powdr Corp, ASC, RCR etc. ?

Times are tough and these kinds of decisions have to be made or you lose your long seasons due to cash flow issues. I could see the Black Pass idea working, especially since Mammoth draws from the prosperous southland. But the locals would be swallowing hard to see the fat ass West LA elites cut in line and get the first few gondi's on a sunny weekend powder day. That idea would never fly here, there are just too many quiet powder days to choose from. And always ample parking.

But maybe a better fate than us commoner Oregonians who have to watch the riches being sent off to keep PCMR afloat. I still think with a little more marketing smarts and strategic lift openings Powdr could get more ticket purchases. I want this place to be profitable so they can keep folks working and build that new lift this summer! We complain a lot, and often have a reason, but there is so much skiing to be had around here (with or) without lifts that I might start to see both sides of the issue.