Gore report card

[TomCat]

Over the summer I sent Emily a "report card" on my Gore experience. My intent was to give credit where it was due, make some suggestions concerning possible imporvements and to back up my opinion with facts. I won't bore everyone with all the detail but rather provide a summary below. Emily appreciated the feedback. I'm posting my opinion to encourage others to submit their ideas to Gore, not to generate controversy.

Terrain A
Lifts B-
Snowmaking C+
Grooming A
Lessons B+
Food A-
Customer service A
Daycare N/A
Parking A-
Lodges A
Value Adults B/Children A
This is very dependent on the type of tickets purchased. Youth passes are a very good deal if you ski a lot. While prices are generally lower at Gore than VT, that gap has narrowed a lot in the last few years. At mountains like Okemo, Stratton and Snow there will be more terrain open from opening through mid January, which is a significant part of the season. These mountains are generally fully open midmeek while gore typically closes some areas of the mountain. You can also ski there all day on high speed lifts. Other mountain I think have more attractive ski and stay deals, especaily mid week.Finally, I find it odd that new customers can get discounts on passes, but long time customers do not.

tom

[ComeBackMudPuddles]

why a B- for lifts?

[TomCat]

This is what I sent Emily:

The North Quad and Topridge Tripple are painfully slow. One thought for the North would be to possibly extend the lift to the bear summit and have a midstation by the saddle. Also it seems odd that all the high speed lifts are at the base. At some mountains it is possible to ski all day using all high speed lifts.

The last sentence should really say that at some mountains you can ski the whole mountain riding high speed lifts.

[Denison]

Daycare N/A

They don't have daycare or you didn't get to use it ?

[Denison]

Daycare N/A

They don't have daycare or you didn't get to use it ?

[TomCat]

I have never used their daycare.

[Harvey44]

Mine:

Terrain A
Lifts B+
Snowmaking C+
Grooming B
Lessons B+
Food B
Customer service B
Daycare B
Parking B
Lodges B
Value Adults A/Children A

Of course I've got to explain....

LOVE the terrain at Gore. I know there are flat spots and the mountain doesn't face true north and the summit's not that high, and you have to skate around the old Gondi shed, and yaddi yaddi. The mountain is freakin COOL. For a small mountain there are so many different areas, even if you stay on the map and inbounds. I take it back..it's not a small mountain. It doesn't feel crowded and the lines are short. And it's a GREAT tele-mountain.

The lifts...I like em. Want to trash the goods super fast? Make all those improvements. HS Quads at the summit. Remove the Gondi shed. Run the Summit Chair to the true summit. A lot of this has to do with being on teles, and coming from an xc background. And maybe being 50. If the mountain was all maxed out with lift capacity, I'd get two runs in before the alpine rippers of the world shred it to bits. On a great day like last 12/20 (http://harvey44.blogspot.com/2008/12/more-photos-from-122008.html)...I got first tracks in a bunch of places. On a Saturday. Love that.

Snowmaking...put it this way...what Gore does is great. But it's not enough. It's my understanding that Gore returns money to the state every year. I think it'd be wise to spend the money in December to get the mountain going. It seems like you get a new trail online every two days when temps are right. I know Gore can do better. MORE GORE Please.

Grooming is good. Gore has the reputation for over grooming. I think if you have groomers, groom em. My only thing would be to leave a single black and ONE BLUE bumped. To me learning to be a bumper is much easier if you've got a blue to practice on. Did some great learning a couple of times on QuickSilver when they where blowing on it and it was bumped.

Lessons...not really enough info. My wife had one tele lesson with Mark Lacek and she thought it was great.

Food - I like the Egg McGore and the Chocolate Chip Cookies. And the Cheeseburgers. That lady at the Saddle Lodge is WAY nice to me. She is the best.

Customer Service - I think Gore really cares about their customers. I always get respect. My only comment would be to have one ticket line - indoors - for cash only tix, no lessons. As a passholder this doesn't affect me, but nothing is more frustrating than having your 70 bucks in hand - you want one ticket and you are behind a guy getting lessons for his family of 5. Also - if you are going to publish a grooming report - have it ready by first tracks. Tell us where you are making snow too. In the last 24 hours not 48.

DayCare - the women in the Bear Cub Den are awesome caring people who love children and the price is right. One beef... open up the BCD early enough so I can get on first Gondi. Don't hose the guy who is into the mountain for bigtime pass cash by making him watch the Gondi go while his nose is pressed against the glass of the Den waiting for it to open.

Parking - I like to park close. I get to and I like it. I've already said WAY to much on this topic. :oops:

Lodges are nice enough. Move the dividers at the end of the tables in the base lodge away from the tables so you can get into the rows from both sides. Love the way everyone leaves their stuff under the tables at Gore.

Value - if you are a passholder and use the Bear Cub Den, you're getting a great deal. Break even on a full boat pass is 12 days. Compare that to any mtn in VT. Plus you get Whiteface and the Slides. Yowza.

Buella once introduced me as the guy who loves Gore. It's true I do. Sorry to be so long winded.

EDIT: GREAT concept for a thread TomCat.

[I:)skiing]

Nice topic---I am sure someone else is reading...I hope.

Mine, added a few at the bottom.

Terrain A
Lifts A
Snowmaking C+
Grooming B
Lessons: no comment
Food A-
Customer service A
Daycare Comment, no grade yet
Parking A
Lodges Last year---B, hopefully this year A ??
Value Adults A/Children A
Marketing Overall C-
Interent Marketing, Fail.

I will let Harvey do my talking except for the following comments/add ons.

Terrain---got to give points for the natural separation of green/blue/black.

Lifts--the extra points given for a gondi---way offset slow chairs. Plus a gondi you can get on, not wait 1 hour.

Snowmaking---come on....its freaking 10 degrees and Gore is blowing one slope? Got to get beginner slopes open too on the same day the mountian opens. Read any Ski Area Management discussions. Beginners that have fun...come back.

Food---just took a few points because the "old straight line" way of getting it. Want fried food...go here, want pre-mades, go here, want cold sandwiches, here. But then that is more labor intensive and prices may reflect this. If so, I will take cheeper prices. Overall quality is good and prices are fair. Easy to get to from the slopes. The lodge revamp may get your points back to a full A.

Customer Service---have only met up with one "mean" person in several years. And I think they were just mean, or it was the end of the season and they were tired. Everyone else seems to love their job.

Daycare/kids camp---have not used yet. But when I do....I want it open 1/2 hour before the gondi starts spinning. I understand this is not happening.

Parking: Here, I disagree with the Harv. Tons and free, up close too on weekdays/ beginning/end of season.
NOTE: Would it be possible to put the next lot....maybe the pay lot, near the compressor/scrap yard downhill and to the left of the lodge? Seaon pass holders---those who would/might pay, can put on their skis and head directly to BRQ.

Lodges---I like the stuff under the chairs too.... Its been some time for some paint and new features. Looks like that is coming.

Value Adults A/ChildrenA

Marketing: See other threads. ORDA is in WF's marketing back pocket in my view. Gore and the town of NC need to spread the love---share, market. NC business community has it's hand out, Gore...shake. See internet below.

Internet: People are starting to plan their winter vacation. Does anyone see photos of the lodge improvements? Come on? Digital photos are literally free...the website shoudl be plastered daily with all of the stuff that Gore is doing--which is a TON. Great slogan...MORE GORE. Advertise to the young adults and kids who are on the net. They will ask/tell their parents to go to Gore...then who knows, they too will come when they can drive or take a vacation from college. Send Twitters to twitter people...."check out our site....we just dropped the beams over roaring brook, see you this winter!" Photo of the day is getting better...but in reality, there should be tons of photos each day. Web cams? Hello? You have snow and there are generally no people/lines. This is FREE advertising---go to Gore, NOW. No new trail map???? No map for mountain biking? I can go on about the value of this relatively free tool for a long time, but if you get this far, you will be well on your way.

[Denison]

I:).., Good points on Internet Marketing, 100% agree

[TomCat]

Might as well add my comments as well:

Terrain: A
The terrain is excellent. The only real negative are the numerous flats. I do think however there are a number of improvements that could be made to. Burnt Ridge: I assume more is planned here. Opening up the cutoff from twister (and not closing the trail for racing) would improve accessibility. I think Cedars would be nicer if it were narrower - more like wood in/out.Opening up hedges so skiers could avoid the base lifts would also be helpful. Main Face: Moving the terrain park to wild air is a great move. Sleighride adds some variety between two straight lift-line trails. Topridge:It looks like a new trail could be cut on skiers left of the liftline. Also possibly one between Uncas and Topridge. More trails would draw additional skiers over there. Straightbrook: A trail skiers right of Chetimac. A blue would be real nice to keep families together at the summit. The only blue option is cloud which is a hike from the quad. Removing the old gondola building would also reduce the hike. Would it be possible to use an overpass to go from the hairpin turn of ruby run to wood in?

Lifts: B-

Snowmaking: C+
Terrain is very slow to open up early in the season. Even for prime holiday periods whold sections of the mountain are typically closed. There seems to be little urgency in opening up the North area, which is a very nice intermediate section.

Grooming: A
I think the grooming is excellent. I would suggest having a trail of two be left half bumped and half groomed. This is nice for families where people are at different levels. Wood lot north or wood lot south would be a good choice to leave bumped up.

Lessons: B+
Overall good. I've done master the mountain and been happy. I've had less satisfactory results with kids camp. Good skiers mixed with beginners. Pricing is good if you need to purchace a day lift ticket; Not so great (but not bad) if you have a pass.

Food: A-
Overall centerplate does a nice job. Most items are above average quality and prices are not too high. Some of the kid oriented fare is a bit expensive though. Additional items at saddle would be nice.

Customer Service: A
Always though everyone has been treated well.

Daycare: N/A
I don't have first hand experience, but what I hear is that it is excellent.

Parking: A-
The situation has been good. Time will tell what impact "gold parking" will have here.

Lodges: A
The improvements over the last few years have made things better. I think if some lockers were moved to the walls where the old rental area was then a few additional tables could be added where the lockers are. The locker area space is largely unused (and wasted) during lunch.

Value: Adults B; Children A

[Snowballs]

Buella once introduced me as the guy who loves Gore. :roll: Ah, Harv.......you said that never happened. :lol: :lol: :lol:

[mattchuck2]

Opening up the cutoff from twister (and not closing the trail for racing) would improve accessibility.

I heard that (for better of worse), Echo will be the new racing trail. This has the advantage of opening up Twister more (and what's left of Twister Glades), but closing Echo more (too bad, because Echo is a GREAT trail).


I think Cedars would be nicer if it were narrower - more like wood in/out

I think this would be disastrous . . . It's crowded enough at certain times of the day, if there were more people poling past each other in a tighter space, someone would lose an eye.


Opening up hedges so skiers could avoid the base lifts would also be helpful.

This wouldn't really do much (people would still have to go to the base lifts). Something that would help is a Green or Blue trail next to Tahawus Glades (so people can get from the top of the BRQ to the North Quad without going through Twister Glades).


Straightbrook: A trail skiers right of Chetimac. A blue would be real nice to keep families together at the summit. The only blue option is cloud which is a hike from the quad

NOOOOOO!!!!!!! Not only are you taking out Chati Glades, you're taking out . . . uhhh . . . Some other stuff too.


Wood lot north or wood lot south would be a good choice to leave bumped up.

Not enough pitch on those for a good bump trail. Plus, the bumps might feel like a pain in the a$$ after negotiating Darby Woods, Dark Side Glades, Steilhang, or Hulaballoo. I'd rather just rip GS turns down to the lift to prepare for another lap.

Other than that, I mostly agree with you ;-)

[Harvey44]

Something that would help is a Green or Blue trail next to Tahawus Glades (so people can get from the top of the BRQ to the North Quad without going through Twister Glades).

I *think* this is in the plan?

http://www.postimage.org/TsjQI5J.jpg (http://www.postimage.org/)

I like the idea too. Looks like it might be a Blue at the level of Echo.

[I:)skiing]

EDIT:

Ok with the addition of FACEBOOK Page I might have spoken too early. While I "failed" them, I will have a teacher/parent conference to say "if you continue to improve, listen in class and do your homework for the rest of the season.....we will let you 'pass' with a C. Next year....we start with a clean slate.

Facebook page appearance earns Gore....50 points ! :idea:

[I:)skiing]

SKI Magizine---Readers ranked Gore within the top 10 East ski areas in the VALUE category and Access, if I recall.


I would like to think they would have scored higher in some other areas---if more people would ski Gore. Not asking for more skiers. Come-on, Mt Snow ranked for Terrain.