Wachusett, 21 January 2002

[billski]

Please, someone should remind me why I don't go to Wachusett.... <BR> <BR>Went on Monday with my five-year old and her sister. She's just coming up to speed and thought it would be a good place for her to get some time in. Boy was I wrong! She has been doing turns at lessons and was glad to be rid of the turning stuff, though she uses it more than she realize, she can stop in a crowd of 100-odd skiers with inches to. <BR> <BR>We got there at 12:30 for the afternoon session. The sign out front said "SOLD OUT". I freaked, but further up the road they waved us in. <BR> <BR> First, the lodge was sooooo crowded there were places where everyone stood motionless for 1 or 2 minutes unable to move. No joke. The cafeteria line was about a 30 minute wait. Not a place to sit, even with the expansion. Fifty to sixty people standing to eat. My kids sat on the back edge of someone else's bench and I stood to get dressed. <BR> <BR>Got outside and went to the beginner lift (no rope tow for me) and it took 35 minutes in the lift line. (I forgot that ski lessons get to cut line and add at least 10 minutes to the wait.) The lift took about 15 minutes to the top (mind you, they call this a "lower lift" and down the slope in 5 mins. Essentially 1 hour round trip. by 3:30 we got in a whopping 3 runs. My 10 year old was complaining - she finally understands why we drive "so far". <BR> <BR>The main quad lifts easily had a 45 min wait. The place is a gold mine. I guess all the beginners who come don't mind a lot of resting (read: waiting). I guess it calms the soul. <BR> <BR>It appears that W. has become the epicenter of ski moms of America - that plague of non-paying people who saves seats for twenty when you're tired and cold and can find no place to sit. <BR> <BR>We got 2 runs in between 3:30 and 4 (when day tix expire) when everyone bailed out. I looked at the parking lot and decided there was no rush to leave. Looks like the Fleet Center after an event! <BR> <BR>There was what looked to be a 20-30 min wait at the lodge for a shuttle bus to take the poor souls back to the satillite parking lots! We came midday and snuck up front for a good spot. <BR> <BR>Once the place cleared, you could see they had made the place look like a mall of concessions - mostly high-priced food and drinks and a very large bar. <BR> <BR>Very few helmets to be seen. <BR> <BR>Great snow when you could get on it. OK. Back to Cannon. Even for the 5-year old.