Ticked off

[Swamp Dog]

I was paying for my son's snowboard lesson and someone walked off with my gloves. They were on the counter right in front of me. What is wrong with people?? Luckily I had some mittens with me too, but it's not what I wanted to wear. Burton Gore Tex mittens with breathable liners were a bit of overkill for today. But the Kombi gloves were my favorites and I've been wearing them when I ride my bike too.

So we get back out to where we left my skis and his board and there's a pair of old beat up gloves next to my skis. I swear they were laughing at me.

 

[SnowHot]

I feel for you, honestly I do :(

Our business has had two thefts since October 1st. One of which there is no lead, and the second we caught in the act. A grown man and his 16 year old son.

The gloves are replaceable, as were the items stolen from us, but the sense of trust in the general public gets eaten away which is hard to get back.

 

[num]

Sorry to hear that, TriMom. Having your stuff stolen always sucks, especially when it's a favorite.

Stealing gloves, too...seems like you can't put anything down and know you'd be able to pick it back up :(

 

[SnowHot]

Stealing gloves, too...seems like you can't put anything down and know you'd be able to pick it back up :(

That leads to the lunch time question.
How many times have you gone into the lodge, put your goggles, helmet and gloves on a table or chair, so you can go get your food tray without being encumbered by your "stuff"?
More risky these days?
I fear so, but I hope not.

 

[MaineSkiLady]

There are some resorts where you just can't do that, the risk of theft is too high. Better to wear a small backpack, stash the gloves in it when inside, leave the helmet, etc., on and deal.

TriMom, just so sorry this happened to you----:( :mad:
And your favorites, too---doggone it, doesn't that figure??
PM sent.

 

[Swamp Dog]

well, I'm glad it was only a pair of gloves. I do have others and it's not like someone walked off with my skis.

We hardly spend any time in the lodges anymore. We get there nice and early for front row parking and usually put stuff in the car when we need to go in for something. It's a pain in the neck but I hate dealing with the mobs in the lodge.

Knowing now that there are thieves in the midst, I'm even less likely to put stuff down and walk away.

 

[SnowDancer]

There are some resorts where you just can't do that, the risk of theft is too high. Better to wear a small backpack, stash the gloves in it when inside, leave the helmet, etc., on and deal.

TriMom, just so sorry this happened to you----:( :mad:
And your favorites, too---doggone it, doesn't that figure??
PM sent.

Warning: If you do stash stuff in a backpack, don't leave IT unattended; I learned the hard way. After years of not having any problems at any mountain, someone took off with my whole backpack at Steamboat a couple of years ago. :mad: Nothing was recovered (surprise). Lost my spare goggles, gloves, neck gaiter, etc., and a core warmer (thin stretch fleece pullover vest I loved) that I have not been able to replace - and my snow clogs! I had to buy shoes at the mountain to have something else to walk in for the rest of the trip - and a new backpack to take my remaining stuff home!

Now we pay for lockers; added expense and a bit of a nuisance, but some peace of mind.

 

[dloveski]

I'm in Utah, work as a ski host, and was so surprised at the Easterners who ski here and just plop their bags down all over the lodges. By 11 a.m., around the lodge, I can count 40 or 50 unattended bags on a busy holiday when non-local traffic is peak. I always wondered about this custom, but I've been told it's customary in Eastern resorts. Why don't folks stash stuff in lockers, esp. when paying so much to travel/lodge/ski? Just curious, I'm sure there's a reason?

I may be wrong, but dropping bags/packs in the lunch room or lodge is not a local thing. Lockers and backpacks, and cars are the stash places (or the forest---don't ask me to explain this please).

One more thing---I NEVER bring my wallet with me while skiing---ever. It is not in my car nor my locker nor my pack. Please ladies---take your drivers license, credit card (one) and the cash only. Leave the rest at home (or lodge safe). I stash the license/credit card/small cash wad in the cargo pocket of my ski pants.

Just some cheap advice from a mountain host who has to help folks find their car keys, wallets, glove (never both).

Oh---and NEVER answer your cell phone on the lift. Let it ring, please. We find cell phones in the spring when the snow melts. I never ever answer my phone on the lift, fingers get stiff and gloves are clunky. And is it really that important?

 

[MaineSkiLady]

Why don't folks stash stuff in lockers, esp. when paying so much to travel/lodge/ski? Just curious, I'm sure there's a reason?

How about, we don't have day lockers? I can't speak for all eastern resorts, but I frequent 2 very large ones, and there aren't any. That doesn't excuse the mess made elsewhere when lockers ARE available, though. At most Maine resorts, there are large, seasonally rented lockers (more like small closets) for those who want to pay the large fee. Otherwise, we're lucky to have cubbies. Also, it's either a long walk or a shuttle bus ride to the base lodge(s) from the parking lot(s). So once in boots, what to do with the bag? Take the shuttle back to the parking lot?? Most of us have, at the very least, our street shoes, extra socks, gloves, etc. We often don't have a choice with where we leave our bags - and it's a leap of faith to leave it unattended, believe me. Some resorts are way riskier than others in the theft dept. If the resorts where I ski had $1-2 daily lockers, I'd use one in a heartbeat. There aren't any.

As for the cell phones, many people seem to use them to communicate with their parties or families. I don't. But I sure know what you mean about stuff being dropped from the lifts. In the spring after the snow melts, the "treasure hunting" beneath the lifts is amazing. I'm sure it would make a great thread all by itself!

 

[ski diva]

I know you're upset about your gloves, TriMom, but is it possible that someone made off with them by mistake? I once picked up someone's car keys from the key board at the gym and had them for THREE DAYS before I realized I had them! Boy, I felt awful. And stupid. Just a thought.

And about the bags at eastern resorts: yes, it is a problem. A number of resorts have started requiring that bags be stowed in cubbies or lockers. I think it's a good move; it makes for a much more pleasant environment.

I never bring my wallet, either. Instead, I put the essentials in the pocket of my jacket. And I don't leave my jacket unattended in the lodge. Why ask for trouble?

 

[Swamp Dog]

I'm in Utah, work as a ski host, and was so surprised at the Easterners who ski here and just plop their bags down all over the lodges. By 11 a.m., around the lodge, I can count 40 or 50 unattended bags on a busy holiday when non-local traffic is peak. I always wondered about this custom, but I've been told it's customary in Eastern resorts. Why don't folks stash stuff in lockers, esp. when paying so much to travel/lodge/ski? Just curious, I'm sure there's a reason?

well, I'm relatively new to the ski scene, having only restarted skiing about 4 or 5 years ago. When I walked in the lodge and saw everyone's stuff everywhere, I assumed that was what you did. I would never dream of taking anyone else's stuff and figured others thought likewise. Wrong!

I may be wrong, but dropping bags/packs in the lunch room or lodge is not a local thing. Lockers and backpacks, and cars are the stash places (or the forest---don't ask me to explain this please).

ok, you HAVE to explain the forest thing!

One more thing---I NEVER bring my wallet with me while skiing---ever. It is not in my car nor my locker nor my pack. Please ladies---take your drivers license, credit card (one) and the cash only. Leave the rest at home (or lodge safe). I stash the license/credit card/small cash wad in the cargo pocket of my ski pants.

good advice. That's what I do and the cell phone stays in the car. I'm just not that important that I need to be reached 24/7.

 

[abc]

I always wondered about this custom, but I've been told it's customary in Eastern resorts. Why don't folks stash stuff in lockers, esp. when paying so much to travel/lodge/ski? Just curious, I'm sure there's a reason?

"Reason" is over-stating it. But here's the rational.

I'm one who leave my bags in the day lodge. What's in it? Street shoes. And whatever spare I don't use for the moment. So that's socks, hat, glove (or mitten, depending on which I'm using), even a pair of pants sometimes.

Say, if the weather warms up in the afternoon, I take off the heavy-weight and put on the lighter ones. Mitten got exchanged for gloves, dry pair of socks, etc. If I stash the bag in the locker, I'll have to pay again! What a hassle! What about if after one run I need to add another layer? Open the locker and pay again???

So you see, the whole point of bags are for things I may or may not need for the day and flexibility. Locker defeats that purpose. Perhaps out west you don't have such uncertainty and change of weather so you don't need to keep the contents of your bags accessible?

So, if someone walks off with my extras, they probably need them more than I do. Let them have it. And if they're the type that don't desire to have them? They'll choke on my scarf!

 

[Pequenita]

How about, we don't have day lockers?

Or if we do, they're broken. I've seen some areas that have hooks in the ceiling/walls for people to hang stuff on, but unless a lodge is newer or has been renovated recently, in my experience, it's rare to find day lockers or even changing rooms at the lodges of eastern ski areas.

 

[volklgirl]

I just hate it when you go to sit down for lunch and every table has people's bags on them, saving their place Keep your stuff in the lodge if you must, but put it somewhere out of the way.

Our area had both day lockers and storage crates - a small room with shelves and milk crates. You pay the attendant $1 (I think) for a crate and put your stuff in it, then the attendent puts it back in the room and gives you the crates number. You can get back into it anytime during the day for no charge. I think that's so cool.

 

[Elangirl]

I'm with you on this one---Last week I skied at Lookout and it was impossible to find a free lunch table with all the stuff everywhere. and, it was hard to even walk around since bags were just left anywhere and everywhere.

We also have attendant lockers here now too--a new improvement so that you can access your gear at any time. Also a big huge locker only costs $5 for the day and there are smaller ones for 50 cents.

Sometimes when I went into our day lodge in the past, there was stuff in every room. Now, with our new snazzy day lodge there will be tighter control over all the stuff left around. There is a locker room in the basement with hundreds of lockers, so I suppose that people will litter that area with extra bags. My husband lost a pretty expensive fleece last year leaving it in a "cubby" when he did not want to walk downstairs and put it in his locker.

Seriously, I have gone skiing with kids--and I know how expensive it is to do so, but I think most people are pretty thoughtless about the rest of us who (1) want to sit down for lunch and (2) want to eat in a room that does not look like a storage locker with gear everywhere.

 

[abc]

Where do you draw the line? How about people who bring their own lunch to the lodge so I can't find a place to sit even though I paid for my food. How about Moms who just sit there and read, taking up a table? Or kids who don't behave? People next to you change their socks while you're having lunch? ...

The bottom line is, everybody interprets what they want the lodge to be like. Some think lodges without bags are just restaurants, not lodges. Others don't want a lodge to look like a locker room.

Automatically lableing others as "thoughless" is a clear sign of intolerance.

 

[MaineSkiLady]

One of the solutions that seems reasonable is for lodges to have a "no bags" area specifically for those who intend to buy food and carry trays. Where I ski, I've not seen too many infringements on this where I ski, which is great. I personally would be willing to spend up to $5 on a day locker that I could access more than once per day, especially a busy day.

 

[Pequenita]

I just hate it when you go to sit down for lunch and every table has people's bags on them, saving their place Keep your stuff in the lodge if you must, but put it somewhere out of the way.

I actually don't think the intent is to use the bags to save lunch spots; it's just that the lodges I've been in were not designed for people to bring in the clothes people would drive home in and lunches, and so it's difficult to put stuff out of the way when there's limited space to being with.

I think it will take ski areas renovating their lodges to accommodate the shift in consumer practices and also for the lodges to educate (well-marked signs) the consumer in the new options.

 

[SnowHot]

I think Pequenita is right in the idea that most of these places were designed years ago when a person came to the slopes, skied and went home. Today there is a sense of being at home in the lodge and using it as a personal dressing room.

Volklgirl, did you notice the new signs up at Crystal this year? Many more than ever before, warning people to keep theft down, lock your gear up and work with the on mountain security.

 

[cyn]

I don't bring my wallet either - just some cash.
As for leaving stuff in the lodge, my husband will wait while I leave the table, and I stay with the stuff when he goes.
If the lodge is crowded, and the tables are covered with bags and gear but there are no people sitting there, we just plop down anyway.