Private On-Hill Lodges

[ISki]

Is this a new trend?

I got kicked out of a lodge at Northstar. It was a plain wooden building, a few yards away from the top of a chairlift, midmountain. Lovely interior. Turns out it is a private lodge, for members only. I had no idea. I saw a lodge and, well, assumed I could go in and sit down. Silly me.

 

[Jilly]

Was it posted??

 

[ski diva]

There's one like that at Stratton. And it's one of the reason Stratton is not my favorite place. They have a big, fancy lodge (I think it's called the Stratton Mountain Club) that you have to pay a gazillion dollars to belong to (well, big bucks, anyway) and it's private. No riff-raff allowed.

w.ski skis Stratton, so she probably knows more about this than I do.

 

[alaski]

It's probably worth the money if you ski there all the time - crowded, dirty lodges are awful. I can't stand the day lodge at my local hill.

 

[ISki]

Was it posted??

No, I didn't see any signs on the outside of the building. DH & I stumbled in, looking for a place to sit and rest our knees for a few minutes. Once inside I saw a small sign by the dining area saying "members only". It just didn't register. It's a new experience to me that a lodge on the hill would be off-limits.

Northstar is somewhere I only go once a year. It is usually a highlight. This year, I am just going to remember being tossed out of a lodge! I really was asked to leave. Politely, but still. I'm just riff-raff.

Are these private clubs going up at large resorts everywhere now? :(

 

[mollmeister]

It's odd that it was in such a public location. Vail's had the Game Creek Club forever, but it's tucked away a bit-- you have to ski to it or snowshoe or take a snowcat. And it REALLY costs a gazillion dollars.

There's a cabin like that at Snowmass as well, but I think this year they opened for lunch for non-members a few days a week, during certain hours.

 

[w.ski]

There's one like that at Stratton. And it's one of the reason Stratton is not my favorite place. They have a big, fancy lodge (I think it's called the Stratton Mountain Club) that you have to pay a gazillion dollars to belong to (well, big bucks, anyway) and it's private. No riff-raff allowed.

w.ski skis Stratton, so she probably knows more about this than I do.

Well, I think you summed it up. Costs lots to join, then I guess there's an annual fee. I hear there's a fancy restaurant inside (which I think the general riff-raff can make reservations at & go to). I don't know much else about it; I pretty much ignore it and it really doesn't affect my skiing at Stratton at all. I like the regular lodge just fine.

 

[ski diva]

I pretty much ignore it and it really doesn't affect my skiing at Stratton at all. I like the regular lodge just fine.

Me, too!

 

[MaineSkiLady]

This country-clubby-you-gotta-join-to-play thing is catching on in more and more places. My feeling? I suppose a lodge here and there to cater to the elite rich is expected. What's happening at Sunday River, Maine is a little more annoying: in recent years, they have started "preferred parking" at their busier lots. You wanna park close? You better have a pre-paid sticker on your car. (I think they're about $300 a season ) New this year: valet parking, for day lots, $30 a pop.
(Sugarloaf, under same ownership, offers neither.)

I think there is a members only "club" at the main base lodge, an area I stringently avoid anyway. Another new trend there: "gated" subdivisions. 2 new ones as of last year. At the rate of this whole trend, I fully expect to see made available soon a "preferred" pass: if you can afford this pass, you can cut the lines, every time.

I certainly HOPE this doesn't happen. It's a disturbing trend, because it's all the more segregation. I used to think of skiing as a great "equalizer." The college kid on a tight budget could park close because s/he arrived early and shine on the slopes due to youth and ability. These days, the people who can come up with the big money for the frequent privates have the clear advantage (and privates are well worth it, but let's face it: only those with serious dollars can afford them ALL the time). I heard years and years ago that wealthy people hired all-day privates at Vail so they could cut lines all day - that was the way to insure line-cutting privileges. Coaching was secondary to the line-cutting.

A trend? Well, look at Deer Valley. It certainly has succeeded as a resort. Stratton hasn't exactly fallen apart, either. Beaver Creek is way deluxe and way pricey. And the ultimate Big Bucks vacation, heli-skiing, is forever out of my budget.

I guess the word I'd use to describe it all is gentrification. Frankly, I prefer the good old mix. Day parking: first come, first served. We all get on the same shuttle buses. Lift line: deal with it. Indeed, lots of day lodges leave a lot to be desired. Somewhere between these 2 extremes, there has to be a happy medium. I'm not sure what that medium might be.

But I sure have noticed the exclusivity "you can have it if you can afford it" creeping in to northern New England.

 

[Robyn]

Well, Copper already has the line cutting privileges for a price, I think $20 a day. Although, I've never thought of skiing as an equalizer. At over $400 for a season pass around here plus gas to drive, equipment etc it's never cheap.

 

[Jilly]

Our local club has a member's only area in the lodge. But its for season pass holders. Tremblant has "the Summit Club". They have a separate building, but its more of a social ski school/yatch club thing. I don't think I've ever seen any one eat in there except when they are having an event.
I suppose private clubs/lodges within ski resorts will happen. I just hope they let the vacationer know that the premises are off limits and not be snooty about it. Maybe if you know a member you get a day pass, or a visitor pass if you're staying on the mountain for a week! Kinda like joining the clubs in SLC.

 

[pinto]

Well, as I'm sitting in the Red Carpet Club at O'Hare waiting for my flight to Europe so that I can go ski at Lech-Zurs, I guess I shouldn't say anything.

However ... it doesn't bother me too much. They should have better signs posted, but I don't see how it's different from any other part of life. Do we get huffy while we trudge past the flyers in First Class on our way to Economy? (At least we're Economy Plus this time. I think ....)

It's more egalitarian than, say, the Yellowstone Club!

By the way, have fun at the DIVA gathering ... I'll be in Austria, but you'll have better snow! I'm just praying that the precip predicted won't be RAIN!

 

[geargrrl]

devils advocate as usual...

Does a private lodge for an organization count?
I am a member of a private lodge. A slightly different situation: our ski patrol built a beautiful chalet with all donated labor and materials ( lots) and unfortunately it's 100x nicer than the day lodge. You bet I feel proprietary about it. We've found over the years that "regular folks" just don't take care of it the way people from the organization do. I

There's numerous times I've had to politely ask people who weren't guests to leave. Nice people I'm sure. It felt sucky, but we've had enough rip offs from people who acted like they should be in there but did not have an affiliation, that we are pretty tight about you have to be a guest or member to come in.

But, duh, signs on the door, like our says SKI PATROL, would help so people KNOW what's going on.

 

[MaineSkiLady]

Do we get huffy while we trudge past the flyers in First Class on our way to Economy?

OMG, I'm thinking about that episode of "Seinfeld" where Jerry flies First Class and meets the gorgeous model while Elaine has to sit in Economy :ROTF: one of the best episodes ever!

Have a GREAT time over there!! Can't wait for your trip report

 

[alaski]

Do we get huffy while we trudge past the flyers in First Class on our way to Economy?

Oh, I wouldn't know, I never fly coach.