Why I hate Mount Hood Meadows...

**extreeski** · 10-20-2006, 07:12 AM

Every year they claim improvements to the mountain. But never is there anything that actually improves the real skier experience. They keep making it cheaper, which means it will be even more crowded. And most improvements are surface at best...

Here's what they are calling improvements to the mountain.

• New Ticketing/Season Pass/Group Sales technology (hardware and software)
• An exciting new Children’s Learning Center in the former location of the South Lodge Rental Shop – this will be a great addition for kids
• The North and South Lodge Rental Shops are being merged into the North Lodge Rental Shop which is being upgraded with all new Salomon equipment, new carpeting and new point-of-sale (POS) technology
• The rooms allocated previously to children’s programs (except for the Snowblaster room) on the second floor of the North Lodge will become a new overflow Food Service’s area with 300 additional seats, new furniture and new carpeting
• 3 new Prinoth 350 snowcats all with terrain master tillers and blades have been purchased. These are the finest snowcats money can buy. We traded in 2 older cats so the fleet has increased
• New outdoor furniture for the deck and other locations
• New furniture in the Alpenstube Loft (formerly the Sahallie Room)
• We are leveling and paving the snow storage “island” in front of the lodge to create a better bus / handicap / circulation area
• New Food and Beverage POS systems in the Alpenstube, Alpenstube Loft, and Finish Line Pizzeria
• 2 new outdoor electronic variable message signs – one at the bottom of Cascade Express and one at the bottom of Shooting Star Express (to communicate the status of Heather Canyon). These will all be helpful in communicating lift status information, grooming, lift maintenance, avalanche control work, and other important messages
• Another electronic variable message sign will be mounted on a pickup truck for highway and access road communication purposes
• 8 new snowmobiles which replace 7 older machines
• Lots of new special events equipment to accessorize the competitions - new rails and a replacement fun box also
• The new demo equipment is moving to where the SnowSports School was located last year to expand the Salomon presence
• The “Gear Box” retail store is being remodeled and renamed as “Altitude”
• The SnowSports School is moving to where the Group Sales / Season Pass Desk was located last year
• The Group Sales / Season Pass Desk is moving downstairs to a new counter outside of the Season Locker Room
• A new timing building is being constructed for snowboard events

**extreeski** · 10-20-2006, 07:12 AM

oh, yeah, three new groomers.

Big whoop...

**Tippster** · 10-20-2006, 07:19 AM

What did you want them to do? Pile some more dirt on the mountain?

**extreeski** · 10-20-2006, 07:22 AM

lol.... no, But if you've ever skied there, you'd know that the experience is like being in a five o'clock traffic jam. They never send their groomers out early enough to open the upper mountain. And then they groom the hell out of it. Not a single run has uniform moguls.. (Which I love on a good spring day or after the pow has been skied off.) When they are super busy on weekends they rarely run the blue chair, which would help with lift lines. And, they need a surface lift above the shooting star express to help people access higher terrain and not need to go all the way back to base just to access other side of mountain.

Meadows is all about construction of buildings and money. Not about the skier experience.

Its like Disney Hell for skiers.

**extreeski** · 10-20-2006, 07:29 AM

Its all about getting more and more people to the mountain. Without actually improving the "Riding" experience.

Major Clusterfuck.

There are plenty of other places to ski in Oregon/Washington

**bdog** · 10-20-2006, 07:34 AM

Originally Posted by extreeski

Meadows is all about construction of buildings and money. Not about the skier experience.

Its like Disney Hell for skiers.

Well I agree that for "skiers" the "improvements" do nothing for our experience you have to understand what drives capital expenditures for a ski area. Profit. The improvements listed will appeal to the majority of visitors and from Meadows management point of view will bring more (people). Good bump lines and deep pow under empty chairs does nothing to keep them in the black. I am not defending this, just explaining it. Besides, what would you have them do to improve your skiing expereince, move the area to another state, limit how many people ski there per day (and thus restricting their profit)?

**extreeski** · 10-20-2006, 07:47 AM

I see your point. I understand that profit is the motive. and don't expect empty chairs in this day and age. And yes, most skiers/boarders don't consider what I would consider improvements. But that noted, I am sickened by the notion that all of those listed are improvements. Its just going to contribute to making the experience worse?) (Ever driven highway 26 on a saturday afternoon. Makes i-70 from denver to eisenhower look like a montana highway.

**bdog** · 10-20-2006, 07:53 AM

Originally Posted by extreeski

(Ever driven highway 26 on a saturday afternoon. Makes i-70 from denver to eisenhower look like a montana highway.

26 is a nightmare on weekends. Years ago when I lived in PDX I often took 84 and came up through Hood River. It is faster when 26 grid locks. That's why I ski mid week now and frequently tour out of area. Ski areas, other than a very rare few will never spend money to draw folks like us ... we are the minority.

**Viva** · 10-20-2006, 08:03 AM

While Hood Meadows generally blows, I have had some very nice, uncrowded days there. And I'm talking weekend skiing during the hight of the winter season.

**powstash** · 10-20-2006, 09:11 AM

Originally Posted by Viva

While, Hood Meadows generally blows, I have had some very nice, uncrowded days there. And I'm talking weekend skiing during the hight of the winter season.

I call BS. This post worthless without pics.

Haven't skied meadows since I left Oregon in 93. The lift lines sucked back then. Like the grid on I-5 it's just gotten worse from what I hear.

**cj001f** · 10-20-2006, 09:18 AM

Their forest service lease, and the permit process it requires, makes all of the things you would consider "improvements" difficult.

**puma** · 10-20-2006, 09:19 AM

What they really need is to expand the area. Offer more terrain to spread the riders out. They know this, and have actually talked about it in the blog I believe. They are running into Forest Service\environmentalist problems...that's the problem...

There are things that can be done to make things better outside of the expansion, but as has been mentioned above, they are a business and trying to spend their resources in the places that give them the best bang for the buck...

The bottom line is, they have the market cornered. We've all been biXching and moaning for years about how much Meadows sucks, but we keep going back. What to do, go to TimberFlats? How about Skibowl on anything but a STELLAR snow year...it's just too low...Maybe you want to drive three hours to Bachelor. LOVE Bachelor, and in my old age love cruising the endless powder in the trees of NW, but, some like a bit more steepness...

Oh well...Off to get in on a 4X4 pass...I'm very VERY nervous about this season as documented in:

http://www.tetongravity.com/forums/s...ad.php?t=64576

The lower than average precip I can live with. Precip is usually not a real issue around here. We will still get our storms. It's the temp that troubles me greatly. Freezing level is our problem. Combine the two...DISASTER...

**extreeski** · 10-20-2006, 09:19 AM

me thinks viva works for meadows?

**extreeski** · 10-20-2006, 09:24 AM

I am wholeheartedly against any expansion outside the boundaries of meadows. I've skied Heather and White River Canyons without lift access. I would hate to see White River go the way of Heather Canyon. White River is pristine.... Trackless most of the year, and very high avy danger.

I had a great day in WRC on Earth Day last season. Not a track anywhere. Perfect corn smooveness.

They can't even manage what they have well. Why should they be allowed to expand further?

**cj001f** · 10-20-2006, 09:25 AM

Originally Posted by extreeski

I am wholeheartedly against any expansion outside the boundaries of meadows. I've skied Heather and White River Canyons without lift access. I would hate to see White River go the way of Heather Canyon. White River is pristine.... Trackless most of the year, and very high avy danger.

I had a great day in WRC on Earth Day last season. Not a track anywhere. Perfect corn smooveness.

They can't even manage what they have well. Why should they be allowed to expand further?

So what do you want them to do, aside from "something"?

**extreeski** · 10-20-2006, 09:26 AM

surface lift above shooting star.

That is all....

**Viva** · 10-20-2006, 09:31 AM

Originally Posted by extreeski

me thinks viva works for meadows?

Methinks iViva! lives in San Diego, roots for USC, and really doesn't give a shit about skiing until the college bowl games have concluded.

**extreeski** · 10-20-2006, 09:32 AM

okee dokee... my apologies. You were lucky to get a midwinter uncrowded weekend day.

**natty dread** · 10-20-2006, 09:42 AM

Originally Posted by puma

The bottom line is, they have the market cornered. We've all been biXching and moaning for years about how much Meadows sucks, but we keep going back.

I don't.
I'd rather drive 3.5 hours to crystal than the 35 minutes it takes me to get to meadows.

**extreeski** · 10-20-2006, 09:43 AM

Originally Posted by natty dread

I don't.
I'd rather drive 3.5 hours to crystal than the 35 minutes it takes me to get to meadows.

Me too, and sleep in lot b in my car in the freezing cold. Way more worth it.

**extreeski** · 10-20-2006, 09:49 AM

Or Hoodoo, where I had 20 runs of untracked, no liftlines and 20 inches of fresh on a saturday.

**Buster Highmen** · 10-20-2006, 09:55 AM

I had some really shitty experiences there. I've never gone back.

**puma** · 10-20-2006, 10:01 AM

Originally Posted by natty dread

I don't.
I'd rather drive 3.5 hours to crystal than the 35 minutes it takes me to get to meadows.

Wow...I wish I had the time in life these days to be that picky...Hell, I'd rather drive the 8 hours to Whistler...unfortunately work, wife, kids, the house gets in the way of that game plan.

NOTE: I'm just bitter I don't have your luxury...

**extreeski** · 10-20-2006, 10:05 AM

Puma, respectfully, Meadows is the resort for you then. If I had kids I would still rather go to Timberline. A much classier and well run resort. Even if it is flatter.

**tenB** · 10-20-2006, 10:40 AM

If you hate Meadows so much, stay home, so the rest of us don't have to listen to the bitching! Meadows has plenty of problems, but decent access to good terrain. The biggest problem at Meadows is the daily belly aching of skiers who feel they should be treated better.