Some pics from today (Mt Bachelor)

[DJAK]

I agree. I've written about this.

My first reaction when getting off the Summit lift on my first time visit - April powder day in 2000 -- 'This is 360 skiable. They do not market the entire backside. Expletive!"

I do not think people understand the place until they have been there.

Ah yes the two opposing user groups at Mt. Bachelor. Some say "WTF why are you marketing 360 degrees of skiing when it's only open half the time"? The other says "you are so epic why don't you hype yourself more?". Finding that balance is the only hope. We have to communicate low hype to our local audience to build our cred back (they see right thru hype), which impacts our out of market message. Hard to have two successful messages that do not agree with one another. Other mtns can go the high hype routes as they do not have the 100,000 people in their backyard who will call BS and impact the overall reputation. I even saw a large resort in oregon (nameless) start hyping opening early on Oct 4 when it snowed 6" (then melted), mostly to sell passes. If we did that we'd get crucified by improperly set expectations.

But to Marc's question:

About 55 people in attendance
Hottest topics:
New lift location and access to its base via lift or human power (human power would be a slog, but potentially helpful)
Mtn Biking generally well received (but few comments)
Night skiing brought up by public, but lots of varying viewpoints (not in current proposal)
Location of tubing and Nordic implications
Future of Rainbow (lots of ideas tossed out)
Future of Red (lots of ideas tossed out)
Future of halfpipe
Sunrise base adjustments generally well recieved
Uphill capacity at base areas when some parts of mtn closed (cycling skiing vs traveling to other lifts skiing)

Good other thread going too.
AK

 

[Tony Crocker]

WTF why are you marketing 360 degrees of skiing when it's only open half the time

I suspect the odds in April are better than that. How about a marketing campaign for the spring break crowd for the best spring mountain in North America? The disadvantage of no on-mountain lodging can be turned around here. Spring breakers are more price sensitive and would be quite happy with lodging options in Bend vs. some pricey resort town in Colorado. Bring back some of the 1990-level grooming and the families on spring break would like that too.

Perhaps DJAK would find my report from April 15, 2007 instructive: viewtopic.php?t=3147
Note that my personal experience was fantastic (Summit open, 40,700 vertical skied, how could it not be?) but the input from locals (much of it unsolicited) was as negative as I've ever heard.

 

[schubwa]

New lift location and access to its base via lift or human power (human power would be a slog, but potentially helpful)

I don't get why a ski-to access trail, from Sunrise Lodge, was not proposed in this draft of the Master Plan. The proposed base is 200 vertical feet below the Sunrise Lodge. There is an existing summer road that parallels Century Drive and is used by the dog sled concession. We have a major skate ski marathon, the "Great Nordeen" (32K), that also uses this route, passing right by where the base of the new chair is to be located.
I think it's because the proposed Magic Carpets/Beginner/Snow Play area (see map) is right where you would put your skis down and shove off for that lift. If you landscape, and don't consider human traffic, people will trample your flower beds looking for a shortcut. :stir: Same thing here. Riders already ski down to Rainbow, and it's only a little farther and downhill to the new lift, so they'll cut right through your fenced kiddie area to get to that lift! You can already get to Rainbow/new lift from the top of the farthest lift to the west, the Northwest Express. Dave said we can get back to Pine Martin from the top of the new lift. Skiers could park at Sunrise, drop off their families, and get to the other side with one fast chair ride (skipping the busy Sunrise Chair altogether). Then one chair ride to get back to Sunrise for lunch. Remember the "360 degree" Marketing Plan, here you go.

 

[DJAK]

The main reason a ski to trail from Sunrise Base is not on the prelim draft is that in actuality, it would be a hike to trail. If folks want a hike to trail as a back up option, that seems reasonable. There is some down, but there is also a about a par 4 of up in there.