17 replies to this topic

[Peter]

(Off Topic Warning) I actually have, Presidents week a few years back. I know that people don't like lines, but thats when people should go elsewhere on the mountain or go to another mountain. Slope congestion is dangerous and just as annoying as standing in line. Do you guys plan to operate both the Snow Ghost and Ridge Rocket at the same time all the time, or on slow days will just one of them run?

[mikest2]

Skier, on Oct 2 2006, 08:36 PM, said:

(Off Topic Warning) I actually have, Presidents week a few years back. I know that people don't like lines, but thats when people should go elsewhere on the mountain or go to another mountain. Slope congestion is dangerous and just as annoying as standing in line. Do you guys plan to operate both the Snow Ghost and Ridge Rocket at the same time all the time, or on slow days will just one of them run?

Off topic it is, only about 60% of the Ridge traffic rides the ridge, the rest is access traffic. Think of the future, not everthing happens instantly, you have much to learn grasshopper.

[Peter]

I'm not the only one who feels this way about the Snow Ghost Express,

SkiBachelor:

Quote

I think this is a bad idea installing this lift next to the Ridge Rocket Express since it will contribute to a lot of slope conjestion in the area, especially when Big White has all those stupid slow skiing signs everywhere.

Who knows, maybe they will move the Ridge Rocket to some new expansion area or to Silver Star somewhere.



Am I who you are referring to in your signature?

[WBSKI]

Lol Skier

I would agree with you though because when i went to Big White at Easter I wasnt too bothered with the line but the slope conjestion is potentially really really bad. How about a new lift over from Gem Lake. Or the Alder Point area at Silver Star has cut runs which just look like they need some summer grooming and lift service.

[SkiBachelor]

I decided to split this topic just because I felt it was going off topic quite a bit.

Now, if this thread gets out of hand and an argument develops, I will close it. So please keep things civilized.

As for my opinion about the new Snow Ghost Express, I'm going to have to be on Skier's side do to the fact that I had an AWFUL time when I was at Big White. The main reason why I left the ski area early was because of all the slope congestion and lack of advanced terrain that was open. Now if more terrain had been open, things might have been different. It just seemed there were just crowds of people on every run and you couldn't find a single run to enjoy yourself.

As for 60% people riding the Ridge Rocket Express just as an access lift doesn't always mean the runs won't be congested. People still have to ski down a run to access another part of the mountain. Therefore, these access runs will be the ones with all the slope congestion and to my knowledge, there are only three access runs from the top of the Ridge Rocket lift, Easy Out, Serwa' and Powder Gulch.

[skierdude9450]

That's interesting that it's going to be a L-P. Aren't most of their lifts Dopps?

[SkiBachelor]

There are four high-speed quads, three of them built by Doppelmayr, the other by POMA.

[KZ]

I haven't been to Big White but a 6-pack next to a hsq just sounds excessive. As others have said, lift lines stink but crowded slopes are the worst. On holiday weekends longer lift lines should be something you expect and can't do much about.

Are the long range plans to move Ridge somewhere else on the mountain?

[Ontariodude]

I agree, that does seem like alot of capacity. For any hill to have 5000+ pph capacity at any given point would result in very crowded conditions. I actually wrote a e-mail to Big White in the summer voicing my concern but I never got a reply. It was a very long e-mail with a bunch of questions about how they expect this would work but I never heard anything back from them. All I can say is that they better move that Ridge Rocket soon, the lift lineups may may zero, but just think of the increase of skier collisions that will occur.

I go to a ski hill that has 1 quad servicing 1 run at night and I know what happens when runs get crowded. On the average night, you see quite a few skier collisions. Ive had my fair share myself

Will T. (ontariodude)

[SkiBachelor]

Looking at the terrain were the Snow Ghost Express is located, it's actually a few feet above the Ridge Rocket Express and isn't accessible from the Hummingbird trail which comes down from the Village unless the people want to hike up the hill about 70 feet. So I'm guessing the Ridge Rocket Express will stay where it's currently located.

[Ontariodude]

Its kind of weird they didnt put the new chair a bit lower. I dont ski to cross-country ski Uphill is even worse.


Will T. (ontariodude)

This post has been edited by Ontariodude: 10 October 2006 - 03:59 PM

[mikest2]

SkiBachelor, on Oct 10 2006, 04:39 PM, said:

Looking at the terrain were the Snow Ghost Express is located, it's actually a few feet above the Ridge Rocket Express and isn't accessible from the Hummingbird trail which comes down from the Village unless the people want to hike up the hill about 70 feet. So I'm guessing the Ridge Rocket Express will stay where it's currently located.

FYI: you just ski across above the Rocket drive fence, groomed and no hiking. I am not at liberty to say what the next step is in development as far as lifts go. Think about it:

Highrise hotel, casino proposed for ski resort
By J.P. Squire
Saturday, October 7, 2006, 12:01 AM


Lower Mainland millionaire businessman Ralph Berezan plans to build a $200-million highrise hotel, destination casino and convention centre at Big White Ski Resort near Kelowna.
An open house will be held 4:30-8:30 p.m. Oct. 19 at the Rotary Centre for Arts in Kelowna to outline his plans and receive public input.
The blockbuster Chateau Blanc deal depends on development approvals by the Kootenay Boundary Regional District, but Berezan hopes to begin construction next spring and open the doors for the 2009-10 ski season.
The project would involve 400-plus rooms in a 17-storey tower (the first highrise at Big White), a casino of 8,000-10,000 square feet, up to 10,000 square feet of convention space, at least 10,000 square feet of commercial space, and numerous lounges and restaurants.
The proposed location is the current Ridge parking lot at the base of Big White’s new $7-million Snow Ghost Express, the longest six-passenger chairlift in Canada, currently under construction.
Berezan would replace the existing Ridge Day Lodge with another free-standing day lodge. Big White would replace the lost parking elsewhere on the mountain.
The hotel would have both strata-title and rental units; the breakdown has not yet been finalized.
Berezan is reviewing proposals to possibly let an international chain handle management of the hotel, but it would be premature to make that decision now, he said.
The proposed hotel at Big White isn’t Berezan’s sole interest in the B.C. ski industry. On Sept. 19, he bought the bankrupt Hemlock Valley Resort, near Harrison Hot Springs, for $3 million through the B.C. Supreme Court.
“I thought this would be a good opportunity,” Berezan told The Province newspaper. “In the long term, I think it will be a good investment. I think we’ll enjoy the challenge — although my grandson says it’s a money pit.”
Asked about his sudden interest in the ski industry, Berezan joked Friday in an interview with The Okanagan Saturday: “I’m really interested in how much snow comes down.”
The founder of Berezan Management Ltd., a private family company established in 1997, has owned a condo in Big White’s Snowpine Estates for several years and has skied Big White “the last few years.”
“I like the hill. To me, it’s an excellent family hill.”
Although he has never operated a ski resort, Berezan is the owner of several restaurants and pubs in the Lower Mainland and Kelowna.
His website lists the 28,644-square-foot Berezan Liquor Store at 115-135 Roxby Rd., and he owns the Zodiac Pub on Rutland Road and Black Mountain Pub on Highway 33.
He is also part-owner of the Surrey Eagles Hockey Club, and his company has numerous commercial properties in Calgary and Edmonton.
Hemlock Valley Resort was placed into receivership last December after the previous owner failed to upgrade the ski hill as required by a 50-year master development agreement with the provincial government. That agreement expires in 2053.
Berezan said his purchase agreement for Hemlock includes a promise to be open for this year’s ski season and make improvements to the resort.
Disappointed skiers who bought 2005-06 season’s passes before last December will be able to use them this year.

[Peter]

Personally, I don't think a 17 story casino would be good for Big White. The village has grown drastically in the past few years, and I think they need to expand the mountain to match. Just my opinion.

This post has been edited by Skier: 10 October 2006 - 07:14 PM

[mikest2]

Skier, on Oct 10 2006, 07:37 PM, said:

Ugh, Even though I considered going back, after reading that, I will NEVER go to Big White again. I've never heard of such a poorly managed ski resort. Between the Nintendo consoles everywhere, ads on lift towers, Dodge cars at the tops of lifts, billboards on runs, blaring music in the liftlines, the new 10 person per second lift, and now a 17 story casino, I can't see how it could be worse. Might as well rename it the Disneyland of Canada. Hopefully they won't mess up Silver Star too.

Geeez, I guess we really lost some money there !

[SkiBachelor]

I don't think Big White is really wanting to cater to the hardcore skiers anymore, but rather to the families that want to experience everything they can from a ski resort. However, I don't expect Big White to even consider turning Silver Star into a Disneyland because the mountain doesn't appeal to those types of skiers.

[Allan]

Wow Skier, not only are you hacking on the resort that Mike puts countless hours of work into but you are hacking on the management team of which Mike is part of! I think the new lift is a fine idea. And who knows - maybe the quad is slated for relocation? Even if it's not, another access lift out of the base is never a bad idea. We could use about three lifts on those big snow days. Don't worry Mike - I'll come over and make up the lost revenue both on the hill and at Snowshoe Sam's...

[mikest2]

Allan, on Oct 10 2006, 08:01 PM, said:

Wow Skier, not only are you hacking on the resort that Mike puts countless hours of work into but you are hacking on the management team of which Mike is part of! I think the new lift is a fine idea. And who knows - maybe the quad is slated for relocation? Even if it's not, another access lift out of the base is never a bad idea. We could use about three lifts on those big snow days. Don't worry Mike - I'll come over and make up the lost revenue both on the hill and at Snowshoe Sam's...

I'll get warned, but you can't win a pissing contest with a pissant. Also, you should check out the Alemite cordless greasegun that Camoplast/BR/Prinoth is selling, believe it or not you can park the nitrogen bottle, it will also pump grease at -15c

[Peter]

I am not saying that Mike doesn't work hard, I just had a bad vacation there and think a 17 story casino would ruin the place. Tons of people from here in Seattle go to Big White and love it.

I guess you and your management team know your target market which is families with young kids. (which is not me) I think the programs and activities that you offer are great for families.

I guess I was a little harsh, but it does seem like some of the ads go over the top, especially for a resort which probably doesn't need the ad revenue from a couple signs. I am excited to see how the mountain expands to fit the huge growth in the village.

Consider it constructive criticism, I altered my above post.