2023 New England Gathering Discussion (March 24 - 26, Sugarloaf / Saddleback)

[JCF]

I promised myself I would be going to Saddleback once this year. Sugarbush is this week but this might just work out.

 

[Tony S]

 

[Tony S]

@zircon Say it it ain't so about your knee! What happened?

 

[zircon]

@zircon Say it it ain't so about your knee! What happened?

Just skiing along. Pre-released left on Middle Earth (stepped out coming down the face of a bump), stuffed the right tip, forward twisting slow motion face plant.

 

[Tony S]

So. I am digging myself slowly out of a deep hole I fell into on my last next-to-last ski day in Utah ten days ago. Came down with a bad respiratory bug - not Covid; not Flu A or Flu B, apparently - and have been pretty much curled up in a ball ever since, with an off-and-on fever, narcolepsy, and a hellacious cough. Today is basically my first day back at something approaching normal humanity. May none of you catch this very nasty thing.

We are closing in on the New England Gathering weekend so I thought I should just pop my head out and say, "It's still on!"

Reports from Sugarloaf and Saddleback look good. I'd been hoping to get up there this weekend to collect some info first-hand, but that obviously didn't happen. Maybe next weekend. We're still a little too far out to have any kind of a weather forecast for the gathering, but between now and then they are at least not calling for any big rainstorms or tropical sun. Knock on wood!

One thing I was wanting to check out personally was how Saddleback is doing with its new (this year) RFID system. Earlier in the season they were having some issues with it. With this in mind, I will just suggest that you allow extra time on your first day of the season at Saddleback, for processing your ticket. This may or may not be necessary, and your experience may depend on whether you have a simple day ticket or some kind of a limited pass.

In particular, at the risk of way over-preparing you, I'd suggest that while you are still at home you:

• Make sure you have created a Saddleback account on their website. (Clarification: If you did this way beck last summer, you might have done it before they moved to the new system. If so, you need to start over.)
• Make sure you know your username and password. Write these down on a piece of paper, or somewhere else that is not dependent on cell service!!!
• Make sure you have signed their electronic waiver. If you can take a screen snap of this or download a pdf, all the better.
• Make sure you keep all receipts, etc., from online ticket purchases, waivers, etc. in a place that's easy to access. E.g., tag them with "Saddleback" in your email app.

The background of all this is that at least at the beginning of the season there were a lot of people who ran into problems when they went to pick up their passes. The ticket counter staff needed them to log onto their accounts to finish dotting "i"s and crossing "t"s, even if they'd already been dotted and crossed. This might have been okay, except that many people did not have a good enough signal to do this. So they got handed an iPad to do it, but THAT didn't work either because of course the poor users hadn't memorized their credentials. It was a cluster.

So. Hopefully they've smoothed out some of the bugs, but please do allow some time in case they haven't.

 

[TheArchitect]

So. I am digging myself slowly out of a deep hole I fell into on my last next-to-last ski day in Utah ten days ago. Came down with a bad respiratory bug - not Covid; not Flu A or Flu B, apparently - and have been pretty much curled up in a ball ever since, with an off-and-on fever, narcolepsy, and a hellacious cough. Today is basically my first day back at something approaching normal humanity. May none of you catch this very nasty thing.
We are closing in on the New England Gathering weekend so I thought I should just pop my head out and say, "It's still on!"

Reports from Sugarloaf and Saddleback look good. I'd been hoping to get up there this weekend to collect some info first-hand, but that obviously didn't happen. Maybe next weekend. We're still a little too far out to have any kind of a weather forecast for the gathering, but between now and then they are at least not calling for any big rainstorms or tropical sun. Knock on wood!

One thing I was wanting to check out personally was how Saddleback is doing with its new (this year) RFID system. Earlier in the season they were having some issues with it. With this in mind, I will just suggest that you allow extra time on your first day of the season at Saddleback, for processing your ticket. This may or may not be necessary, and your experience may depend on whether you have a simple day ticket or some kind of a limited pass.

In particular, at the risk of way over-preparing you, I'd suggest that while you are still at home you:

• Make sure you have created a Saddleback account on their website.
• Make sure you know your username and password. Write these down on a piece of paper, or somewhere else that is not dependent on cell service!!!
• Make sure you have signed their electronic waiver. If you can take a screen snap of this or download a pdf, all the better.
• Make sure you keep all receipts, etc., from online ticket purchases, waivers, etc. in a place that's easy to access. E.g., tag them with "Saddleback" in your email app.

The background of all this is that at least at the beginning of the season there were a lot of people who ran into problems when they went to pick up their passes. The ticket counter staff needed them to log onto their accounts to finish dotting "i"s and crossing "t"s, even if they'd already been dotted and crossed. This might have been okay, except that many people did not have a good enough signal to do this. So they got handed an iPad to do it, but THAT didn't work either because of course the poor users hadn't memorized their credentials. It was a cluster.

So. Hopefully they've smoothed out some of the bugs, but please do allow some time in case they haven't.

View attachment 196365

Ugg. That sounds awful. Glad you're finally feeling better.

 

[flying_j]

I have just learned that for family reasons I will not be able to make the NEG this year. Was looking forward to my first gathering, but not to be this year.

On a related note, if anyone needs a ticket to saddleback for Friday or Sunday pm me

 

[James]

Just to get up to speed, for those who haven’t been paying attention in months. (That’s like 100 generations of fruit flies)

-We’re going to Saddleback 2x
-We’re going to Sunday River 1x
-We’re then going to… oh, out of time.

I presume, due to State law, Saddleback accepts payment in wampum and beaver pelts. Albeit with a diabolically complicated computer process that requires a swab registered with 23andMe, some sort of digital Authenticator, and an implanted password laser projector a la Jason Bourne. (There’s a line at First Aid before the lifts open to remove the implant and get the password)

Now, does Sunday River accept Ikon chits?

 

[dbostedo]

Just to get up to speed, for those who haven’t been paying attention in months. (That’s like 100 generations of fruit flies)

-We’re going to Saddleback 2x
-We’re going to Sunday River 1x
-We’re then going to… oh, out of time.

I presume, due to State law, Saddleback accepts payment in wampum and beaver pelts. Albeit with a diabolically complicated computer process that requires a swab registered with 23andMe, some sort of digital Authenticator, and an implanted password laser projector a la Jason Bourne. (There’s a line at First Aid before the lifts open to remove the implant and get the password)

Now, does Sunday River accept Ikon chits?

Sugarloaf, not Sunday River!!

 

[ScottB]

I think you are mixing up Sunday River and Sugarloaf?

 

[DebbieSue]

I think you are mixing up Sunday River and Sugarloaf?

Agree, these names are very confusing . . . . they all begin with S, and multi-syllables.
Same at Alta . . . Supreme and Sugarloaf, and then you bring in Snowbird. Then there is Snowbasin, Solitude, and Sundance, all also in Utah.
We need some "S" relief.
And yes, NEG is Saddleback and Sugarloaf.

 

[Tony S]

Sugarloaf, not Sunday River!!

I think you are mixing up Sunday River and Sugarloaf?

You guys are just taking the James bait whole.

 

[Tony S]

Albeit with a diabolically complicated computer process that requires a swab registered with 23andMe, some sort of digital Authenticator, and an implanted password laser projector a la Jason Bourne. (There’s a line at First Aid before the lifts open to remove the implant and get the password)

Yeah, I was not too amused by that whole production, my first day out.

 

[dbostedo]

You guys are just taking the James bait whole.

Hard to tell if it's James bait, or James muddled thinking, when we're talking about @James (Has he ever talked to you about boot tongues?)

 

[James]

Oh, ok, Sugarloaf. So they’re Ikon.

These are simple questions. Next time I’ll make up a harder quiz with @zircon, who went through through Middle Earth and got attacked by a troll.

 

[Tony S]

Hard to tell if it's James bait, or James muddled thinking, when we're talking about @James (Has he ever talked to you about boot tongues?)

I just assumed that speaking of tongues was unintelligible by definition.

 

[ScottB]

The thought crossed my mind, but yes I did swallow the hook.

 

[TheArchitect]

So. I am digging myself slowly out of a deep hole I fell into on my last next-to-last ski day in Utah ten days ago. Came down with a bad respiratory bug - not Covid; not Flu A or Flu B, apparently - and have been pretty much curled up in a ball ever since, with an off-and-on fever, narcolepsy, and a hellacious cough. Today is basically my first day back at something approaching normal humanity. May none of you catch this very nasty thing.

We are closing in on the New England Gathering weekend so I thought I should just pop my head out and say, "It's still on!"

Reports from Sugarloaf and Saddleback look good. I'd been hoping to get up there this weekend to collect some info first-hand, but that obviously didn't happen. Maybe next weekend. We're still a little too far out to have any kind of a weather forecast for the gathering, but between now and then they are at least not calling for any big rainstorms or tropical sun. Knock on wood!

One thing I was wanting to check out personally was how Saddleback is doing with its new (this year) RFID system. Earlier in the season they were having some issues with it. With this in mind, I will just suggest that you allow extra time on your first day of the season at Saddleback, for processing your ticket. This may or may not be necessary, and your experience may depend on whether you have a simple day ticket or some kind of a limited pass.

In particular, at the risk of way over-preparing you, I'd suggest that while you are still at home you:

• Make sure you have created a Saddleback account on their website. (Clarification: If you did this way beck last summer, you might have done it before they moved to the new system. If so, you need to start over.)
• Make sure you know your username and password. Write these down on a piece of paper, or somewhere else that is not dependent on cell service!!!
• Make sure you have signed their electronic waiver. If you can take a screen snap of this or download a pdf, all the better.
• Make sure you keep all receipts, etc., from online ticket purchases, waivers, etc. in a place that's easy to access. E.g., tag them with "Saddleback" in your email app.

The background of all this is that at least at the beginning of the season there were a lot of people who ran into problems when they went to pick up their passes. The ticket counter staff needed them to log onto their accounts to finish dotting "i"s and crossing "t"s, even if they'd already been dotted and crossed. This might have been okay, except that many people did not have a good enough signal to do this. So they got handed an iPad to do it, but THAT didn't work either because of course the poor users hadn't memorized their credentials. It was a cluster.

So. Hopefully they've smoothed out some of the bugs, but please do allow some time in case they haven't.

View attachment 196365

Hey all. I just sent my 4-pack email receipt and QR code to @Sandy_NYC She only needs 1 ticket so if anyone else is looking for a $50 ticket please check in with her on the day. Given @Tony S post I hope there aren't any issues redeeming the 4-pack.

 

[Tony S]

Hey all. I just sent my 4-pack email receipt and QR code to @Sandy_NYC She only needs 1 ticket so if anyone else is looking for a $50 ticket please check in with her on the day. Given @Tony S post I hope there aren't any issues redeeming the 4-pack.

I love the teamwork here! Thanks, @TheArchitect . Any issues will no doubt be resolvable with patience.

 

[TheArchitect]

I love the teamwork here! Thanks, @TheArchitect . Any issues will no doubt be resolvable with patience.

You're welcome.