Wachusett 2020-21

[TNtoTaos]

Maybe they should try what can work with little kids. Have someone pay attention and hand out a sticker or some other minor swag when they see people who are always masked up as soon as they get to the lift line. Especially if there are obvious groups of friends where there is one person doing the right thing even though the others don't. Catch more flies with honey . . .

Love that idea! "Safe Skier" stickers, or some such.

 

[liquidfeet]

Wachusett has a well-earned reputation for stolen skis. I think they tend to disappear during the afternoon and early evening crowded times on weekdays. Not sure about weekends. When I used to ski there every Wednesday I'd use the ski check area all day long. We had to wait in line, of course, to drop off and pick up skis.

This year, if I end up skiing, I will lock my skis elsewhere. I bought an extra ski lock. If Wachusett is deleting the number of racks they usually put out because they need the space for outdoor seating, that's really a bummer. I hope requests for more racks have an effect.

 

[diymom]

The seating area hasn't gotten larger, it is the same as last year when they put in heating under the patio. But they used to have rows of ski racks around the entire edge of the patio, at least half of them ski-key racks. Not that I ever saw anyone else using a ski-key.

I don't think they have as much of an issue with theft lately. From what I have heard they have cameras up everywhere. But I still like the option of locking my skis just to be safe. Especially if they don't have the ski check this year.

I'm guessing they will add the racks back once they think it through. They don't want the patio cluttered with skis resting on the picnic tables, that would get in the way of their limited food and drink sales on the patio. They also don't want skis just left willy-nilly on the snow next to the patio blocking the pathway between lifts.

Basically, if any of you ski there, and they still don't have enough ski racks up, send them a friendly note. They have the racks, so not an extra expense.

 

[liquidfeet]

I did a chat today on the topic of ski racks. Just let them know it's important to have more out there than are being used presently. I got no real response, just that my message would be conveyed to management.

It's easy to chat now. A box comes up immediately, or at least it does for me, as soon as I go to the website. Their software knows it's me, too, even though I don't "log in." I get a follow-up email. Creepy.

 

[newboots]

Their software knows it's me, too, even though I don't "log in." I get a follow-up email. Creepy.

That’s cookies at work!

 

[MissySki]

Another food option starting this weekend

 

[NewEnglandSkier]

I did my first day at Wachusett today. I only skied for 45 min because it got more crowded than I cared for. As you can tell from the snow report they really only have a few trails open--Conifer, Ralph's, Indian Summer and Sundowner, plus the magic carpet area. Typically when I go there in Nov/Dec they have a bit more open to spread people out, but I realize it hasn't really been consistently cold enough to make snow until recently.
Anyway, there were probably also more people today being a Friday too. It was more crowded than I normally see it. Most people were wearing face coverings, but the guy booting up in the back of his car next to me didn't, so I went on my drivers side away from him to put boots on etc.
They hadn't mailed my season pass, so I used the outdoor window to pick it up. They needed a photo (not sure why since they ask you to upload one when you purchase the pass--I distinctly recall doing so), but the camera was not working properly so they gave me the pass without a photo anyway and said it probably wouldn't be a problem--and just tell the lift people there was an issue if they mentioned it. They didn't.

I felt like there were a fair number of ski racks, but not in the place where they usually are (nearer O'Brien's)--they were further down closer to the the lift that services the greens. I was able to use the end of one to lock up my cat tracks, so that worked out. Still no ski check available though for those who like that option.

Most of the people I noticed, were not wearing actual masks but typical gaiters or buffs as face coverings. I wore a KN95 and slid it under my goggles so that the googles went over it to get a good seal around the nose. Originally I was pulling it down to ski, but because I wore it under my goggles that didn't last long after 2 runs and I ended up just keeping it on all the time as I didn't want to be touch my face and or taking my gloves off to touch it all the time. It didn't get soggy and once I got the positioning right, it didn't suffocate me either.

I intended to start on the greens and then move to Ralphs and then Conifer, but because it got busy pretty quickly, I just skied on the greens for 45 min focusing on very specific things. One person tried to join me once on the chair and I just told him to go ahead. I did sort of feel like the lines were sort of close---people bunching up a bit. Not horrendous by any means but just closer than I liked given I've been careful not to really associate with anyone since March so when it got to a point where you couldn't just ski right onto the lift, I left.

I will go again--but I will wait until they have more open to spread people out at least on the trails. Not much one can really do about lift lines, but if there is at least less traffic on the trails that will improve things. Seeing the people flowing down Ralphs was simply too crowded for my taste. I will probably also try a day other then Friday.

 

[NewEnglandSkier]

They had the heated benches on, but I didn't use them. It was pretty warm out. One of the benches that is against a solid wall, has rods with curtains installed in the wall (sticking out) so you can pull the curtains between parties on the bench.

 

[MissySki]

They had the heated benches on, but I didn't use them. It was pretty warm out. One of the benches that is against a solid wall, has rods with curtains installed in the wall (sticking out) so you can pull the curtains between parties on the bench.

Oh that’s interesting! I didn’t notice that when I was there.

 

[NewEnglandSkier]

Oh that’s interesting! I didn’t notice that when I was there.

Yes, the rods are installed sticking straight out of the wall (maybe 3 rods?) and have opaque curtains hanging on them which can pulled forward to separate parties.
The bench that is installed with the glass wall behind it lacks the curtains/rods.

 

[liquidfeet]

My friend (not a member here) who has been skiing there frequently on weekday mornings said many people in the lift lines had exposed noses. I gather there is NO lift line enforcement of adequate mask wearing nor of spacing. I haven't been skiing yet, and will wait till there's more terrain open to go.

I hope people are willing to be squeaky wheels and complain incessantly about this to Wachusett management. Even though I haven't actually been there yet, I've done chats complaining about what I've heard. My next step is to start posting complaints on their facebook page. I will not be quiet and compliant; I don't want to allow this to become normalized.

 

[NewEnglandSkier]

I didn't see too many noses actually exposed in the lift line today --but you are correct there was not anyone really managing the lines/spacing or someone to spot those who may not be mask compliant.

 

[BlueSkies]

DH and I were there Thursday and only saw people without masks in the parking lot. And except for one guy who pulled his mask off as soon as he got into position for the chair, didn't see any noses while skiing. Most people seemed to be leaving the masks (mask as not being a Buff/tube) on while skiing (it was about 36F). The crowds started picking up around 10 and the trails kept getting more crowded so we left just before 11. Didn't check out the lodge or benches.

 

[MissySki]

My friend (not a member here) who has been skiing there frequently on weekday mornings said many people in the lift lines had exposed noses. I gather there is NO lift line enforcement of adequate mask wearing nor of spacing. I haven't been skiing yet, and will wait till there's more terrain open to go.

I hope people are willing to be squeaky wheels and complain incessantly about this to Wachusett management. Even though I haven't actually been there yet, I've done chats complaining about what I've heard. My next step is to start posting complaints on their facebook page. I will not be quiet and compliant; I don't want to allow this to become normalized.

I don’t understand why they STILL aren’t having people enforce the rules in line there! Even the college aged lifties that run some of the lifts at Sunday River very pointedly call people out to cover their noses as they are getting into line. This isn’t rocket science.. I do think some of this is teaching and people getting used to it while skiing up to lines etc., they need to embrace that piece and clearly show that it’s not acceptable to behave any other way.

 

[liquidfeet]

My reports are second-hand. I do trust my friend, though. So mask-wearing commitment must be intermittent depending on who is in the chairlift lines at any one time.

 

[Abbi]

That’s cookies at work!

True! It’s hard to eliminate them all and get any webpage access. But you can regularly clean out the cookies which backs it off a tiny smidgen more than just leaving it.

 

[MissySki]

Anyone going to try and get a powder morning at Wachusett Thursday? I'm tempted given the forecast, but I'm also a bit hesitant to go deal with still limited terrain and potentially a lot of powder seekers..

 

[TNtoTaos]

Anyone going to try and get a powder morning at Wachusett Thursday? I'm tempted given the forecast, but I'm also a bit hesitant to go deal with still limited terrain and potentially a lot of powder seekers..

LOL -- the age-old dilemma: how to seek powder while avoiding other powder-seekers...
I'm not a Wachusett skier, but I would expect them to open more terrain if they get that much snow, if that's any reassurance.

 

[diymom]

I've been debating Thursday. But I'm not so sure it will get too much more open. I think I might actually head up there tomorrow morning instead, in hopes that it will be quieter before the storm. Early season without too many runs open I think I prefer quiet over freshies. Thursday might be better for sleeping in, shoveling, and then sitting in front of the fireplace with some gluhwein wrapping gifts before the kids are home.

 

[MissySki]

LOL -- the age-old dilemma: how to seek powder while avoiding other powder-seekers...
I'm not a Wachusett skier, but I would expect them to open more terrain if they get that much snow, if that's any reassurance.

Haha I know right? It's more that there are only a few ways down from the top right now and it's a small mountain so even in the best of circumstances it gets tracked out extremely quickly. I'm not sure it's worth driving in hazardous conditions to deal with crowds in such a small space. As it's more of a groomed mountain than anything I'm honestly not sure how quickly and easily they open new terrain from a storm. I don't usually have a pass here, but this season it's my backup that's close to home. Other divas might be able to give input on that piece, I assume it would depend if they have any base on other trails right now for the new snow to land on. We'll see, if I don't go there I will probably just tinker around with my new cross country skis. I've never tried cross country yet, and have been planning to take a lesson over the holiday break at an actual cross country area. I've watched enough Youtube beginner videos to play around though.