Within the industry, this part of winter is often looked at as a rest moment. A respite. It’s a calmer (well, relatively) thirty days nestled in between the sprint of back-to-back holidays consisting of Christmas/MLK and next month’s President’s Week. It is, to reference an occurrence that we seldom use in society anymore, an intermission.
If you harken back to the last time you saw live entertainment, you’ll recall said intermission all too easily. A simple interval between parts of, say, a play or concert. It’s the perfect opportunity to reflect on the performance thus far, get up, grab a drink, use the bathroom, or chat with friends. An intermission provides some relief, both for the audience and the performers. In Hamilton, the intermission comes right after the song “Non-Stop”. Perfectly relevant to us in the ski industry. We all, from liftie to chef to accountant, welcome a lull from the rush of the holidays. And if our excellent guest survey staff scores are any indication, the break is also well-deserved.
Perhaps the most critical piece of an intermission is in the opportunity to readjust, reassess, and readapt. There’s no shame in reworking plans partway through the season. Looking like you won’t hit that ski day goal? No problem, let’s set a new one. Feeling like you’ve had a tough time with conditions this year? Try a lesson on for size. Sick of the commute? Grab a room and live like a local. Wanting a little more space to yourself? Rent a Base Cabin. Hey, we’re not even halfway through the season yet. Opportunity awaits.
But if there’s one intermission we haven’t welcomed, it’s one that’s weather based. Since our monster December storm, we’ve been fighting off thaws for much of January, eagerly awaiting our return to Act 2. Wait, what’s that? Did the lights just flicker? Must be the 5-minute warning to return to our seats. And if we glance at our playbill it looks like this next act consists of a potential 8-16” through next week.
In the meantime, don’t forget that an intermission doesn’t equate to a lull in the fun. You’ll find events at least every Saturday between now and President’s Week. Between that and tomorrow night’s storm, this show could become the talk of the town.
See you on the mountain,
JB