California/Nevada Rough day for the backside at Northstar

[Stephen]

https://fox40.com/2019/02/24/riders...own-chairlift-at-northstar-california-resort/

 

[Eric267]

Wonder how many people jumped off? Kind of strange they didn’t have patrol ski the lift line and talk to every chair to at least keep people in the loop as to how long it was going to be. Been stuck on the chair a few times and they’ve always come by to check up and update. Happened to me twice in the same month a few years back, once at Heavenly then again at N*. Longest was a little over an hour. Both times someone was waiting at the top handing out water, food vouchers, and lift tickets.

The video is pretty funny
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.sf...d-after-chairlift-breaks-down-at-13641066.php

 

[Nathanvg]

That video is funny. Clearly Heather didn't know anything nor was she able to get someone who could help. Dealing with people like that is extremely frustrating. It's not Heather's fault, it Vail's.

 

[Pat AKA mustski]

That is my biggest nightmare! When I was a kid (13 yrs) I was stuck on a chair in an ice storm for a few hours. They eventually got it going, manually I believe, and ski patrol had to evaluate all of us for frostbite. My closest friend was on the chair in front of me and she jumped, shattering her heel. I have never been so cold and so frightened in my life. I was lucky. I was on the chair with an adult (early 20's) who had a flask. He kept me calm and gave me shots. He talked me through the whole thing. When I finally got off the lift, both my feet were gone - zero feeling. I can still remember the agony of the thaw. I thought ski patrol put my feet in boiling water, but apparently it was actually lukewarm. To this day, it takes everything in me to stay calm if a chair is stalled for more than 5 minutes. Ski patrol are absolute heroes in that situation. Even telling us what was going on was helpful because we knew they were working on it.

 

[raytseng]

snowbrains has some writeup fyi.

 

[onstar1]

So this happened..
There was an issue with the lift and people were stuck on it from 1 to 3.5 hours. Apparently on social media, there was a skeleton staff on duty because of the weekend, (not sure how true this is since weekend is usually has alot of visitors). They had to shut down parts off the other mountain because of diverted staff. Eventually staff from Heavenly had to be called in...yikes

 

[skibob]

I've been complaining about understaffing at N* for 4 years now. Until they raise their pay rates, its going to stay that way. I woke up yesterday sick as a dog. Couldn't even walk up a flight of stairs without feeling like my heart and head would explode. Was supposed to ski, but obviously couldn't. Could have easily been on that lift with my son (his favorite) if we had made it . . .

 

[marjoram_sage]

I was pretty lucky that I wasn't on that lift. My earlier plan was to ski the runs off Promised Land in the morning but it wasn't open when I went up Zephyr around 08:45 in the morning. I headed to lookout mountain instead. Since there were no lift lines on Martis Camp Express, I did my laps there and thought I will head to Backside after lunch. I usually have a backpack with an extra layer and food but yesterday I wasn't carrying that. I feel super lucky that I didn't end up for hours on that lift.

Northstar definitely has some staffing issues. I was slightly annoyed when the magic carpet near the Ritz wasn't running on Saturday. There was a red coat at the bottom of the lift telling us that they cannot operate this magic carpet because they don't have enough people No apology or anything.. just straight factual information. I think she was giving me a hint that this is not an equipment issue but a management issue and I should complain to management.

That was a pretty minor inconvenience and I thought maybe somebody called in sick. I then took my daughter to the magic carpet near the gondola. I think Northstar has the highest daily ticket rate in Tahoe. My guess is they are collecting enough revenue to staff appropriately so not sure what is going on. Should we stop going to Northstar? Are other places in Tahoe better managed?

I was reading that the Northstar GM is moving to Beaver Creek. It's probably a promotion so my guess is Vail thinks she has been doing a great job!

 

[Pequenita]

There was an issue with the lift and people were stuck on it from 1 to 3.5 hours. Apparently on social media, there was a skeleton staff on duty because of the weekend, (not sure how true this is since weekend is usually has alot of visitors). They had to shut down parts off the other mountain because of diverted staff. Eventually staff from Heavenly had to be called in...yikes

I was facetiously joking that they had to drive down to Reno to get a spare part.

 

[skibob]

I was pretty lucky that I wasn't on that lift. My earlier plan was to ski the runs off Promised Land in the morning but it wasn't open when I went up Zephyr around 08:45 in the morning. I headed to lookout mountain instead. Since there were no lift lines on Martis Camp Express, I did my laps there and thought I will head to Backside after lunch. I usually have a backpack with an extra layer and food but yesterday I wasn't carrying that. I feel super lucky that I didn't end up for hours on that lift.

Northstar definitely has some staffing issues. I was slightly annoyed when the magic carpet near the Ritz wasn't running on Saturday. There was a red coat at the bottom of the lift telling us that they cannot operate this magic carpet because they don't have enough people No apology or anything.. just straight factual information. I think she was giving me a hint that this is not an equipment issue but a management issue and I should complain to management.

That was a pretty minor inconvenience and I thought maybe somebody called in sick. I then took my daughter to the magic carpet near the gondola. I think Northstar has the highest daily ticket rate in Tahoe. My guess is they are collecting enough revenue to staff appropriately so not sure what is going on. Should we stop going to Northstar? Are other places in Tahoe better managed?

I was reading that the Northstar GM is moving to Beaver Creek. It's probably a promotion so my guess is Vail thinks she has been doing a great job!

I had a conversation with the previous GM about this very issue. She implied that their corporate pay rates are set in Vail and they have to comply. These rates are not adequate for the area. And ALL resorts in the area struggle to adequately staff and have operational issues as a result.

I don't think N* is poorly managed. Quite the opposite. In some ways it is too well managed. I run a small company. In the last 5 years we've raised our rate for "unskilled labor" by over 30%. The result is that we've retained good people long term. ANd seen a decline in margins. We are private and can take the long view. If VR did that, their shareholders would have a fit. Yet its exactly what is needed. In another year, if VR doesn't raise the rates, their pay rate will be less than 10% above minimum wage (in CA).

 

[marjoram_sage]

I had a conversation with the previous GM about this very issue. She implied that their corporate pay rates are set in Vail and they have to comply. These rates are not adequate for the area. And ALL resorts in the area struggle to adequately staff and have operational issues as a result.

Makes sense. Management prioritizes profits and over convenience for skiers. One should not expect anything different.

 

[Erik Timmerman]

In that video, how is the person being lowered while both ropes appear to be slack? Who is belaying her?

 

[Wilhelmson]

You might need a larger screen to see that the rope becomes taught once she gets off the lift.

 

[Erik Timmerman]

You might need a larger screen to see that the rope becomes taught once she gets off the lift.

Looked like it was wiggling around and he's barely holding it with one hand!

 

[fatbob]

So this happened..
There was an issue with the lift and people were stuck on it from 1 to 3.5 hours. Apparently on social media, there was a skeleton staff on duty because of the weekend, (not sure how true this is since weekend is usually has alot of visitors). They had to shut down parts off the other mountain because of diverted staff. Eventually staff from Heavenly had to be called in...yikes

Talked to a Mountain Host at Squaw. Apparently Squaw offered patrollers and they were turned down. So further delay while they drove in from Heavenly. That's a doozy for the new GM to start with. Still bet the stranded got hot choc vouchers on top of no info.

 

[skibob]

Talked to a Mountain Host at Squaw. Apparently Squaw offered patrollers and they were turned down. So further delay while they drove in from Heavenly. That's a doozy for the new GM to start with. Still bet the stranded got hot choc vouchers on top of no info.

I am sure it was due to liability, insurance and indemnification. Still, seems to me like all of the resorts within an hour drive of each other ought to have a mutual indemnification and agreement to cooperate in situations like this, or worse.

Good on Squaw to offer. If I were stuck on that lift I wouldn't give a damn who helped get me down.

 

[Pequenita]

I am sure it was due to liability, insurance and indemnification. Still, seems to me like all of the resorts within an hour drive of each other ought to have a mutual indemnification and agreement to cooperate in situations like this, or worse.

Good on Squaw to offer. If I were stuck on that lift I wouldn't give a damn who helped get me down.

Seriously. I'd be complaining very loudly but effectively if that happened to me. I've been stuck on a lift for 40 minutes; I know that there is no way that my knees could handle dangling with skis for 3 hours. Also, yesterday was my birthday, so I'd be pretty irate.

 

[Philpug]

I had a conversation with the previous GM about this very issue. She implied that their corporate pay rates are set in Vail and they have to comply. These rates are not adequate for the area. And ALL resorts in the area struggle to adequately staff and have operational issues as a result.

I don't think N* is poorly managed. Quite the opposite. In some ways it is too well managed. I run a small company. In the last 5 years we've raised our rate for "unskilled labor" by over 30%. The result is that we've retained good people long term. ANd seen a decline in margins. We are private and can take the long view. If VR did that, their shareholders would have a fit. Yet its exactly what is needed. In another year, if VR doesn't raise the rates, their pay rate will be less than 10% above minimum wage (in CA).

Train your people well enough that they can leave, pay them well enough so they don't want to.