Wachusett 2020-21

[liquidfeet]

Wachusett is blowing snow today.
Here are the two heated benches they bought. Nice thought, but with social distancing I don't see how these will be very useful.

 

[MissySki]

I love these, they are used by the NFL too. I've sat on them on the field and they are very welcome in cold weather. I think these will be fine for families etc., or people sitting on the ends. Just a little warm up can do wonders for a cranky kid or adult I imagine haha. They have a ton of deck heaters too and those actually throw off a ton of heat. I used mine for the first time last week and it was awesome even from several feet away.

 

[liquidfeet]

@jmfd84 how about posting in this thread? People will can try to meet up come winter.

 

[marzNC]

Here are the two heated benches they bought. Nice thought, but with social distancing I don't see how these will be very useful.

I assume there will be families who go skiing together who can sit together for a bit to enjoy a hot chocolate outdoors.

Also long enough for two people or two pairs of people to sit for a short while. It's not as if someone would really want to sit for more than 15 minutes. Plus everyone will be masked.

 

[jmfd84]

@jmfd84 how about posting in this thread? People will can try to meet up come winter.

Thanks for looping me into this thread, @liquidfeet!

Wawa is my home mountain. I'm 90 mins south in RI.

In another thread, I mistakenly said I had purchased a Bronze pass for this season... I actually got a Steel pass. I bought it so long ago that I forgot, LOL. I typically ski handful of weekdays per season and more on weekends, as I work M-F. But this year, I have about a million unused vacation days and would prefer to avoid the mountain on the weekends. The only wrinkle is RI-MA travel restrictions.

I'm impressed with the investments Wachusett is making in heaters, benches, etc. Hope I get to experience them!

 

[liquidfeet]

jmfd84, I'm adding you to this list. If you like, you can copy it, add your details, then paste it in a new post. This way we'll know who might be available for sharing some runs.

@jmfd84 -
@TeleChica - some weekends if I plan ahead enough
@diymom - Bronze pass, weekday mornings, usually not until around 10, but I'll be trying to get there earlier this season.
@Marta_P -
@liquidfeet - ...weekday mornings early - (steel pass) - hopefully 9:00 on (long drive).
@MissySki - I have a bronze pass, but it's a backup to my usual Sunday River plan so tbd what will happen overall.
@BlueSkies - I have a Steel pass. Planning for early weekday mornings, especially early season (then Vermont later season)
@NewEnglandSkier - bronze pass, weekday mornings early (usually 9-12pm)
@Divegirl - Bronze Pass - Weekday mornings, early - 9 am til about lunch time

 

[jmfd84]

@jmfd84 - Steel pass, weekday mornings, but not that often due to work, so I tend to arrive at opening and ski until 2/3pm.
@TeleChica - some weekends if I plan ahead enough
@diymom - Bronze pass, weekday mornings, usually not until around 10, but I'll be trying to get there earlier this season.
@Marta_P -
@liquidfeet - ...weekday mornings early - (steel pass) - hopefully 9:00 on (long drive).
@MissySki - I have a bronze pass, but it's a backup to my usual Sunday River plan so tbd what will happen overall.
@BlueSkies - I have a Steel pass. Planning for early weekday mornings, especially early season (then Vermont later season)
@NewEnglandSkier - bronze pass, weekday mornings early (usually 9-12pm)
@Divegirl - Bronze Pass - Weekday mornings, early - 9 am til about lunch time

 

[diymom]

Believe it or not, Wachusett is going to open tomorrow.

 

[MissySki]

Believe it or not, Wachusett is going to open tomorrow.

My pass is up in my boot bag in ME so that isn't helpful! lol I could use my AT boots and skis, but I think not having my pass would be problematic.. what a dummy I am.

 

[marzNC]

Okay so I totally saw someone mention this elsewhere, but couldn't confirm.. Did they post it officially now? My pass is up in my boot bag in ME so that isn't helpful! lol I could use my AT boots and skis, but I think not having my pass would be problematic.. what a dummy I am.

Give them a call and ask. As long as you are in the system, they might issue a card.

 

[diymom]

Here's a link to their FB post--
www.facebook.com/WaWaWachusett/

If only I had known, but unfortunately I now have commitments for tomorrow, and all of next week :(

 

[MissySki]

Thanks @diymom and @marzNC !

I called and they said they'd print me something free of charge. I can't go at opening, but I have a half day on Fridays so I may head up midday tomorrow. Assuming Sunday River doesn't announce an opening for the weekend because then I'll be heading north. Anyone else planning on going tomorrow afternoon? I'll be in all of my second rate gear because everything is up north, including gloves, goggles, helmet.. guess my bootbag is traveling with me back and forth this season from now on haha.

 

[NewEnglandSkier]

If anyone ends up going tomorrow, let us know how it was! (crowds, people adhering to policies etc). Inquiring minds want to know

 

[MissySki]

If anyone ends up going tomorrow, let us know how it was! (crowds, people adhering to policies etc). Inquiring minds want to know

If I go I'll definitely take pictures and come report back on how things are working

 

[liquidfeet]

Whoah. I was on their facebook page earlier this afternoon and ... no sign they were going to open tomorrow. Quite the secret they kept there!

My steel pass won't work on Fridays or weekends, so I will continue to rake my driveway tomorrow and this weekend. Here it is with raking in progress.
What a contrast.

By the way, when I bought the pass they made it clear we could get a full refund if we cancelled our pass before they opened. There was absolutely no warning they were going to open. So that option is gone. I wonder if they thought this through when they decided to open with no warning. I wasn't going to cancel anyway, but some folks might be thinking about that.

 

[marzNC]

By the way, when I bought the pass they made it clear we could get a full refund if we cancelled our pass before they opened. There was absolutely no warning they were going to open. So that option is gone. I wonder if they thought this through when they decided to open with no warning. I wasn't going to cancel anyway, but some folks might be thinking about that.

Given that Boyne is pushing out the refund date in New England to January, Wachusett could certainly consider doing the same.

When does Wachusett usually open?

 

[diymom]

Usually around now, so they are on schedule. Kind of amazing considering the warm weather we had up until about a week ago.

Wachusett is pretty accommodating. If anyone were to call them this week to ask about a refund, I would be surprised if they wouldn't do it. I think they have a wait list for passes at the moment, so they wouldn't be out any money, they would just let someone else buy it at the current (higher) price.

 

[MissySki]

Usually around now, so they are on schedule. Kind of amazing considering the warm weather we had up until about a week ago.

Wachusett is pretty accommodating. If anyone were to call them this week to ask about a refund, I would be surprised if they wouldn't do it. I think they have a wait list for passes at the moment, so they wouldn't be out any money, they would just let someone else buy it at the current (higher) price.

Seriously, there are so many angry people about missing out on passes. People are also upset about day ticket prices increasing from last year for opening day tomorrow. People are in for a rude awakening for that this season I think.

 

[BlueSkies]

If anyone ends up going tomorrow, let us know how it was! (crowds, people adhering to policies etc). Inquiring minds want to know

Steel pass won't work tomorrow/this weekend, but I'm not sure I'd want to go for opening day with the trails they will have open. even in normal years I don't go until there's 5 or 6 trails open. I'm going to try to remember to check the webcam to see how crowded it gets.

 

[liquidfeet]

I have a friend who was planning on being at Wachusett this morning making first turns of the season. He is going to report to me how lift lines worked and to what extent people were wearing masks and keeping their distance. He skis as a single, so he'll let me know how that went too.

I'll report his observations here when I hear from him.