SkyeShip Gondala > Number of busted chairs..

[KingsFourMan]

I don't ski Killington enough anymore to experience what you have but given how much you do ski it, and how long you have been doing it, I trust your opinions fully.

That being said, I think Mike has generally been good for Killington (hear me out) especially when compared to his predecessors Less Otten and Chris Nyburg who basically drove Killington into the ground in more ways than one. Killington has never fully recovered from those years and the long list of needed projects that Killington is now facing is in large part due to them...AND also now Powders inability or unwillingness to make the massive investments necessary to catch up. They've made some big investments in recent years for sure, but it isn't enough.

Operationally, I think Mike also has a lot of constraints placed on him by Powder that he obviously can't air and he is probably doing the best with what he has to work with. That is purely just speculation on my part but that is the gut feeling that I have. I genuinely think that he is a very capable GM holding a bad hand dealt to him by Powder.

You also came at him pretty harsh and with a lot of obvious frustration (which I get) and I think he might have taken it a bit personally. Had you said "Powder", instead of "you", you might have gotten a less defensive response without the "then go somewhere else" type statement at the end which I'm sure he regrets. That sounds like frustration too. We've all made mistakes like that.  

[Stormchaser]

I don't ski Killington enough anymore to experience what you have but given how much you do ski it, and how long you have been doing it, I trust your opinions fully.

That being said, I think Mike has generally been good for Killington (hear me out) especially when compared to his predecessors Less Otten and Chris Nyburg who basically drove Killington into the ground in more ways than one. Killington has never fully recovered from those years and the long list of needed projects that Killington is now facing is in large part due to them...AND also now Powders inability or unwillingness to make the massive investments necessary to catch up. They've made some big investments in recent years for sure, but it isn't enough.

Operationally, I think Mike also has a lot of constraints placed on him by Powder that he obviously can't air and he is probably doing the best with what he has to work with. That is purely just speculation on my part but that is the gut feeling that I have. I genuinely think that he is a very capable GM holding a bad hand dealt to him by Powder.

You also came at him pretty harsh and with a lot of obvious frustration (which I get) and I think he might have taken it a bit personally. Had you said "Powder", instead of "you", you might have gotten a less defensive response without the "then go somewhere else" type statement at the end which I'm sure he regrets. That sounds like frustration too. We've all made mistakes like that.  

Well put. I've seen Mike as a positive for Killington for a long time, and likely the major reason I provided him with my reasons for departure. The deficiencies I noted were primarily related to mountain operations, to which I really only fault him for his choices in management. But I will say, his defensive responses were shocking and un-Mike-like.

[jimmywilson69]

wow I've got to be honest can't believe he'd put that in an email. And surprised he doubled down on it...

Clearly he's frustrated and maybe he's just trying to protect his team. They MAY be doing the best they can with a "shoestring budget"...

Its been a challenging season everywhere and the snowy march will do some to erase that until next winter... He's in a tough spot, but a world class resort should operate better. And to his credit the grass probably isn't greener or not much greener really anywhere. That being said its clear from my view from afar that things are out of sorts this year. I can't say I saw it at Okemo I was only at Stowe in the early season. I can certainly tell you Hunter is friggin mess and my local mole hill did the best they good with perpetual early spring all season.

[K42]

I ski sugarbush/Ellen/smuggs 2-3 weekdays a week and make it down to Killington about one every two weeks. I have ~40ish ski days his year, 8 of them at K. Understaffing is an issue across the board, Bush just shutdown heavens gate-- equivalent to K closing canyon and going superstar and Snowden only April 1st with a 2 days notice.

At Ellen/North North ridge the main lift for lapping their terrain (North Ridge) has run less than half of it's operating days, this isn't a joke check r/icecoast. They have fully shutdown the Inverness pod for their KMS equivalent, you can access only one of the runs from the catwalk.


It's Ikon, powder, alterra, Vale and co.

Smuggs is the only indy MTN I ski regularly, It's held the most of its culture from pre mega pass. However, mega passes have them bleeding bad, snow making and overall operations have had to be scaled back.

It sucks but I see this as a greater movement happening within the industry, the pass holder has lost their power since every skier has become one.

[Big Bob]

I ski sugarbush/Ellen/smuggs 2-3 weekdays a week and make it down to Killington about one every two weeks. I have ~40ish ski days his year, 8 of them at K. Understaffing is an issue across the board, Bush just shutdown heavens gate-- equivalent to K closing canyon and going superstar and Snowden only April 1st with a 2 days notice.

At Ellen/North North ridge the main lift for lapping their terrain (North Ridge) has run less than half of it's operating days, this isn't a joke check r/icecoast. They have fully shutdown the Inverness pod for their KMS equivalent, you can access only one of the runs from the catwalk.


It's Ikon, powder, alterra, Vale and co.

Smuggs is the only indy MTN I ski regularly, It's held the most of its culture from pre mega pass. However, mega passes have them bleeding bad, snow making and overall operations have had to be scaled back.

It sucks but I see this as a greater movement happening within the industry, the pass holder has lost their power since every skier has become one.

Lift was shutdown to start construction of the replacement lift. They may not be able to work during the Bicknell Thrush nesting season at elevation. Yes, it's a bird...

[K42]

I ski sugarbush/Ellen/smuggs 2-3 weekdays a week and make it down to Killington about one every two weeks. I have ~40ish ski days his year, 8 of them at K. Understaffing is an issue across the board, Bush just shutdown heavens gate-- equivalent to K closing canyon and going superstar and Snowden only April 1st with a 2 days notice.

At Ellen/North North ridge the main lift for lapping their terrain (North Ridge) has run less than half of it's operating days, this isn't a joke check r/icecoast. They have fully shutdown the Inverness pod for their KMS equivalent, you can access only one of the runs from the catwalk.


It's Ikon, powder, alterra, Vale and co.

Smuggs is the only indy MTN I ski regularly, It's held the most of its culture from pre mega pass. However, mega passes have them bleeding bad, snow making and overall operations have had to be scaled back.

It sucks but I see this as a greater movement happening within the industry, the pass holder has lost their power since every skier has become one.

Lift was shutdown to start construction of the replacement lift. They may not be able to work during the Bicknell Thrush nesting season at elevation. Yes, it's a bird...

Reasoning was valid however I know many of us were just surprised about how short notice the close would be, it's been scheduled for a year why not let the public know, have heard of some late spring break trips soured by the short notice closure. Also the fact that they won't keep Ellen open, unless you pay 8000 for you and your group to rent the place out.... ick

[Big Bob]

Face it, Mother Nature kicked the NE ski industriy in the balls this winter with the weather during Christmas week. Big money maker for the industry. Along with the flooding which destroyed existing infrastructure cutting off acess for paying customers during the off season. This diverted their resources to repair the resort, items that would not need attention due to normall wear and tear. This, rather than fixing what needed attention, such as the Needles Quad. Skyship needs a refresh, hopefully it happens this summer and Mother Nature behaves herself! She should be delivering another big dump starting tomorrow, better late than never.
And Stormy, you experanced first hand what differed maintance along with poor management can due to a property, almost rendering it worthless.

[newpylong1]

Yes, Mike can blow smoke up people's asses and tends to duck the hard issues. They need to come up with a Skyeship investment plan and make that knowledge public. However if I was in his shoes (and I have been) and I received an email like that out of the blue that is EXACTLY the type of response if any someone would have gotten from me.

I don't exactly care for the direction or performance of the resort in the past few years but that initial email is the not the way to go about things. You write a short and concise bullet item list of perceived issues and recommendations for improvement right out of the gate and offer a phone call to discuss further. If there any positives you list those. Someone would be more willing to engage with you instead of a disgruntled customer who wouldn't listen anyway.

He probably laughed when he read 12,000 GPM the real number is closer to 7,000.

[Bubba]

...doing the best they can ...

This phrase always bugs me. Is that the good news or the bad news?

[wtf021]

Anyone else notice Mike signs his email with his cell phone number. Give him a call and tell him how you really feel.

[Captain Hafski]

FWIW my friend Stormy. Seems to me Mike's responses were professional.

Let us not forget that K [as well as myself] had to scramble, and spend boo koo bucks, after the July 2023 flooding events.

[KingsFourMan]

Shortly after Mike took over at Killington, seeing that things were starting to turn around there after the disastrous Otten and Nyburg years, I sent Mike an email telling him that me and my family had stopped skiing Killington as a result of what it had turned into since Pres Smith sold it and that I was very happy to see him turning things around. We hadn't skied there in several years and I told him that because of what he was doing, we were going to give it another try. He thanked me for the email and then sent me 5 complimentary lift tickets for me and my family which was totally unexpected. My kids ended up skiing there and at Pico more than anywhere else (by far) while they were growing up.

Interestingly enough, it came up in our email conversion that he was from the same town that we were living in at that time which was Chester, NJ and that he went to all of the same schools that our kids were going to. Has nothing to do with anything but it was fun to talk to him about that.

I think Stormy hit the nail on the head, the new operations guy is probably still learning the ropes a bit. The previous operations guy (can't remember his name) seemed to be a well seasoned rock star, so he's had big shoes to fill to make matters worse. The flood on top of all that was a major setback and we've had one of the worst winters weatherwise I can ever remember, at least up until very recently. Staffing issues are problem everywhere. Hopefully next year is a different story and hopefully Powder starts to pump a lot more money into it which is sorely needed.

[Big Bob]

...doing the best they can ...

This phrase always bugs me. Is that the good news or the bad news?

I think Mike is being honest with alll the negative events that they have had to deal with lately.

killingto0n has had a few top level people retire recently. Hard to fill those shoes with someone who can hit the ground running and not notice a change in management.The new snowmaking guy from what I have been told is a complete opposite of the person he replaced. And I will leave it at that...

[hillbangin]

Killington is a lot better now than it was 10 years ago.

The new stuff makes the old stuff look really bad.

Their biggest problem is they either dont pay enough for help - or there's no more good help in VT to get.



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[GlenPLake]

I saw Mike and bunch of other executive level looking folks waiting at the mid-station for an empty gondola cabin. Looked like they had 5-6 in their group, and by the looks on their faces as we went by, it seemed they had been waiting considerably longer than they expected for an empty cabin to come up from the bottom. It was mid week, and not crowded, so I’m pretty sure he understands that issue is real.

The entire mid-station area is an eye sore, the loading area is ancient, and seems dangerously dilapidated, including metal grates that are totally bent up and obviously past their time, barn doors and other infrastructure that look seriously neglected.

Even the pitiful signs they hang on the broken cars are old and broken. I count on stage 1 most of the ski season, and it is really saddening to see the utter neglect.

Hopefully they can get some money together to get it updated, but I have a feeling there is nothing but mulch on order until the village plans are more solidified.