Meadows Blog

22 Comments

1. Eric

   April 17, 2011

   That dude is on some sweet ski's. :P

2. Matt

   April 18, 2011

   That’s all? Really? Come on, you got the snow keep it open until June. Also, open 2 more lifts, and keep it open tell 6pm.
   
   Meadows: While we appreciate the enthusiasm, there just aren't enough who share your enthusiasm to justify the additional lifts and operational days. It's been a great season and we hope that by making this announcement now everyone can plan accordingly to get their spring turns in.

3. Jay

   April 18, 2011

   "The resort has received extended winter weather through March and April fortifying its snowpack which is now at a season high twelve-and-a-half feet (150 inches)."
   
   It would be nice if we could ride that out until June rather than only getting 4 weekends out of it. :-( Spring challenge?
   
   Meadows: It would be nice, but unfortunately our history with May turn out (including all the years of the May Challenge) drops off even more significantly past mid May. We also have some substantial improvement projects which we need to get accomplished requiring construction beginning in May to have ready for next winter. On the bring side - we have four more weekends to enjoy!

4. Erin

   April 18, 2011

   Will the rentals also be discounted? You have an online package for rentals and lift ticket for $79 now - will that be in effect or might it be cheaper? Thanks.
   
   Meadows: The online price at $79 will still be a better deal than purchasing the $49 lift ticket and rentals separately on those bonus weekends. Plus purchasing online and registering in advance speeds up the process. Thanks!

5. Aryn

   April 19, 2011

   Stay open until June so all the college kids can get at least one weekend in! I know I'll come!
   
   Meadows: The bonus weekends have been set - hopefully you can break a way for a fun day on the mountain on one of those weekends. Good luck with your studies and finals!

6. Joe in Hillsboro

   April 19, 2011

   4 weeks longer than most resorts in UT & Colorado... Outstanding!

7. Dave

   April 21, 2011

   Bonus? I wouldn't consider two lifts, I'm not counting Buttercup, a bonus.
   
   No hiking to super bowl without the Heather lift operating. I guess long flat runs equals bonus, weeeeeeeeeeeee.........
   
   I remember skiing Meadows into June with all but Hood River Express operating.
   
   Just call it what it is "Very Limited Operations"
   
   Meadows: Thanks for the input. One of the issues with extending the season is meeting the expectations that all our guests have. We need to find a way to operate through April and into May that is sustainable. Historically the turn out in May does not support operating more than just a few lifts. Keep in mind that the costs for operating a lift go well beyond that lift - there is the grooming, patrolling and management of the terrain that those lifts serve. So the extension of the season into May, with the "limited" lift operations offered is a bonus, which we hope you'll enjoy and appreciate.

8. Jeff

   April 21, 2011

   How about Heather? Any plans to open upper or Twilight down for the Spring extension (which is awesome, btw)? I know it's been closed for a long time because of avy danger and then unfavorable sfc conditions, but I've been speculating that it's also because you now have limited/skeleton ski pat crew to control and patrol. Some of the best Spring stuff, and my best Spring memories of MHM, is back in Clark and Accordian.
   
   Meadows: Heather opened Thursday (4.20.11) and we plan to continue operations in Heather as conditions allow through May 1. We don't plan on offering it on the extended weekends for the reasons you mention above. There is a considerable cost associated with control work and readying it, for the bonus days we are offering - and sometimes all of those efforts are meaningless when weather or conditions prevent the canyon from opening on the bonus days. So our focus will be on the terrain that we have found to be the most popular.

9. Aubrey

   April 21, 2011

   This is AWeSOME!~ :)

10. Zach Carlson

    April 21, 2011

    This so called "bonus" is only a bonus for those who work mon-fri, 9-5. What about people in the service industry who work weekends? Are these people expected to view this as a bonus? Many of these people are pass holders and now their passes do not hold as much value as those who only ski weekends.
    How about instead of cutting the season off before the snow is gone (and I understand there is a break even line that must be met), you guys get your marketing team together and figure out ways to get people to the mountain when they would be normally be doing warmer weather activities? Maybe more pond skim type activities? Bands? Do you remember the late 90's and Snow Job?
    A good way to save costs- DONT GROOM anything except the park, corn and parks are what people want to ride in the spring.
    I have read all the posts and Meadows subsequent responses and feel that the opinions being shared are falling on deaf ears. DEcisions have been finalized, the mid-weekers season is over in a week and a half. Viva La Weekend Warriors, because they are the ones who spend the most money for their meadows pass.... right?
    
    I'll see all you mid-weekers at T-line in their ridiculous parks and high above palmer where you will be able to see the still lifts of meadows in the background as dozens of people still skiing in may cruise by.
    
    Thanks for a great "bonus" season
    
    Meadows: Hey Zach. In addition to an early opening this year (November 20), we also extended the daily operations this season by one week over last year. That's 115 days of midweek riding. That's a great deal with the midweek pass.
    
    Special note to midweek and night pass holders - we're going to honor your passes on our final weekend - May 14 and 15. So plan on joining us.
    
    We focus on the weekends because that's when the greatest number of people are available to come to the mountain. Last year we averaged 50 lift tickets sold / midweek day the last week we were open. The numbers drop even more historically on midweek days in May.
    
    While we like the ideas of adding more events to attract people to the mountain, the budget for Snowjob exceeded $120K, and even though it was a great event, it didn't pencil out for the promoter and the sponsors to continue to produce it. The Sno-Kona Pond Skim is a great event, lots of fun and it does bring up some additional people. We're looking at other events that are affordable to produce but have high participant and spectator value. But we can't overlook the reality that the interest in skiing and riding drops off significantly in the spring. Our May weekend is a bonus as the line you mentioned above traditionally is crossed before the end of April.
    
    We offer these weekends for our most loyal and passionate guests and others who love riding and skiing on the corn, in the parks and in the sunshine. We sincerely hope you can join us!

11. Cecil

    April 21, 2011

    I've never been to Meadows this late in the season (new snowboarder !) and am loving it. I notice that the two weekends in May will have a slightly different schedule of 9 till 2PM. Why is this? Do conditions deteriorate on the mountain as it gets warmer?
    Thanks for the extra days!
    
    Meadows: Thanks Cecil. Usually by May the day will start out with firm conditions which soften up mid-morning, and transition into slushy conditions in the afternoon. There's some great skiing and riding, and then refreshing on the Paradise Sun Deck working on tans and enjoying BBQs and Brews.

12. JTTT

    April 22, 2011

    Sweet
    thank you!

13. SEC

    April 28, 2011

    Dear Meadows,
    
    Bonus Days makes it sound like you are doing your loyal customers a favor when in fact it's quite the opposite. You are prematurely trying to fend off angry season pass holders for basically announcing an end April closing when you have 160+ inches of snow on the ground. People who are actually from here still remember the days when skiing until June was a given and even later was not unheard-of. You used to offer a May pass (good for the entire month of May) for $99. Everyone understands businesses need to turn profits but just because your May profit margin doesn't mimic that of January's doesn't mean you should suspend operations for the season right before spring skiing actually starts. I guess if your customers are not waiting in long lift lines you are not happy. If you respond to this please do not mention November 20 opening...I'm talking about the fact that there is no Spring skiing available at Meadows.
    
    Meadows: Thanks for the post.

14. Jim

    April 29, 2011

    Thank you for the great day on Thursday, (4-28) It's hard to call it spring skiing when there was that much great snow, cold, sun, too much. Overall meadows did a great job this year. Thanks for the bonus days I'll be up.
    
    Meadows: Thank you! We'll you on the mountain!

15. Chad

    April 30, 2011

    I swear that I remember Meadows being open until July 4th one year sometime in the 90's. Am I imagining this? With all of that snow, and with the tons of people who paid for season passes, it would be nice to go on weekends until at least early June. Spring skiing is some of my favorite skiing.
    
    Meadows: Meadows has attempted extending the season in the 70s for race camps and again in the mid 90s with "SolarSki". In both cases the season ended in April, and was reopened on a limited basis for race camps and general public skiing - primarily focused on Cascade. While extending the season or offering skiing and riding on the 4th of July is novel, it hasn't been financially viable.

16. Jack

    April 30, 2011

    How about Friday for us people that have to work Saturday & Sunday?

17. Jackie

    April 30, 2011

    People have little league on the weekends how about opening on Friday?
    
    Meadows: Here-in lies the issue with being able to extend the season at all. We have to offer the bonus days on the days that the most amount of people are available, so weekends only is what we're offering. We hope you can join us - and good luck on the little league season!

18. Son

    May 1, 2011

    My 5 year old loves the ballroom carpet. Will that be open during the May weekends?
    
    Meadows: Yes - the Ballroom Carpet is scheduled to operate, although if we don't have any lessons we may limit the operations.

19. Waldo

    May 1, 2011

    So you say the Nigh pass will be honored on bonus days? What about the 5-time night pass?
    
    Meadows: The night pass will be honored, but not the 5-time night pass. We will be honoring our 10 Time day pass holders who used up all 10 days however. Night, midweek and 10 Time Pass holders can go direct to lift (their passes have been activated for our final weekend).

20. bill

    May 2, 2011

    BUILD IT AND THEY WILL COME!!

21. Cole

    May 2, 2011

    Cascade Park????
    
    Meadows: We've started to build Cascade Park in anticipation of opening the weekend, if the weather cooperates. It should have large features. We're also planning on City Park, the Super Pipe, Mini Pipe, Shipyard and the Zoo for these bonus weekends in May.
    

22. Jeff

    May 3, 2011

    Woo-hoo. I'm coming up on Saturday for my first ski day ever in the month of May. Getting full use of my spring ski pass.
    
    Meadows: We'll see you on the mountain!