Season Ticket Holder Meeting
Saturday 20th March 2010
Present: Please note that attendee names have been removed for web site publication.
1. Ian Whitaker (IW) welcomed the group and delivered an overview of the season to date. CML has achieved just over 105,000 skier visits for the winter of 2010. 3,500 skiers on our busiest day. Skiing has been possible on a continuous basis from the middle of December with 15 stormed off days so far. This represents the busiest season since 2001/2.
2. IW also commented that the busy season has not been without challenges particularly; the huge snowfalls resulting in the train track being covered and the amount of digging required to run the train both in January and again in early February. The core team had been working long hours to deliver the winter operation. A number of those attending the meeting acknowledged the work done by the team and expressed their appreciation.
3. All uplift on the mountain has been operating on the mountain and despite the age of some of the lift system, in general the lifts had performed well and this was due in principal to the preparation in the non ski months undertaken by the engineering and fitting team.
4. IW acknowledged that with CML’s financial year end concluding in March, the Company, for the first time in many years, was in a more robust position to make investment in the business. However, the “wish list” was considerable and this would be prioritised. Preparations are underway to review the investment priority programme.
5. Snow and weather permitting, CML made a commitment to offer snow sports until Monday 3rd May (Bank Holiday weekend). A further review would take place at the end of April to consider skiing beyond May 3rd – if this happened it would likely be a weekend only operation. Season tickets from this season would be valid into May.
The following questions were also discussed in full:
Q1. Would it still be possible to ski off the train into May?
A. Anything is possible but it depends on the snow line and the staff resource we have available. The longer we ski and commit resource to the ski operation in terms of engineering and patrol, the shorter the summer maintenance period.
Q2. If we ski into May would CML consider extending the weekend to include a Friday or a Monday?
A) CML to consider this as part of April review.
Q3. A number of season ticket holders expressed a concern regarding the lack of ticket checking on the mountain especially on the Fiacail Ridge, Car Park t Bar and Day Lodge Poma. It was felt the company was losing revenue and “hard tactics” were required. Season ticket members wish to see a zero tolerance approach taken with more consistent checks and checks later into the day. Could we have a continental access system installed with gates at each lift?
A) CML acknowledged that ticket checks have been increased this season but there is still scope for improvement. Continental access systems would be great and feature in the wish list for investment.
Q4. Whilst the web site is better than it’s ever been for information there were times where the telephone message, the web site home page and the web cams were giving conflicting information. Could CML stick to a standard format for delivering the information; temperature, wind speed and direction, description of snow cover and visibility?
A) Acknowledged that there is a huge amount of information to deliver and it changes quickly and often and there is a lag time in updating all the information sources. Comments would be taken on board and CMl will work harder at consistency of the information delivery. CML will continue to try and deliver timely, accurate and honest information and tools like Twitter were also making this possible.
Q5. What capital expenditure plans does CML have for the next 5 years? Following this winter is it not time to focus on skiing investment and not the visitor attraction?
A) CML will continue to be both a ski area and a year round visitor attraction. Whilst we have had 1 very successful season the reality is CML require 5 seasons out of every 8 to be like this winter season to look at serious capital expenditure plans. Investment decisions had not been finalised yet and even with this year’s success investment will have to be prioritised.
Q6. Where there any plans to reinstate the White Lady?
A) No plans to reinstate the White Lady.
Q7. The reason that the uplift is in the condition it is because all the money has been taken out of the Company and nothing is going back in.
A) CML pays no dividends and has no preferential shareholders. In the last 15 years the Company has made very little profit and the reality is that there has simply been no money to reinvest and the focus has been on ensuring that CML has met its Health & Safety obligations by maintaining the remaining uplift so that is it safe and operational for public use.
Q8. Can you improve the old lifts and keep them going? – e.g. Cas, Car Park and other surface lifts.
A) Yes we can up to a point. Majority of breakages are caused by human error – e.g. tbars being thrown over lines, other lifts like the Sheiling platter are so old the manufacturers no longer hold spare parts so they have to be manufactured to order. An investment in new oil filled t bar boxes would resolve the Cas problem of bars over the line. This has already been done on the Ciste and Ptarmigan to great effect.
Q9. Will CML inform Season ticket holders about the investment that are planned?
A). When CML have them fully costed and assessed we will announce them.
Q10. Is there any way the Pomas (particularly the West Wall) can be modified to make them less jerky on takeoff?
A) The take offs should be properly prepared and some modifications could be made to assist in some places. This was on the list of investment options too.
Q11. Could the Ambassadors be used to help more with queue management, ticket checking etc?
A) IW reminded group that Ambassadors were volunteers and we were mindful of just how much CML asked them to do as they do take considerable abuse form sections of the public. Ambassadors helped with a range of tasks including ticket checks, queue management, car parks, meet and greet as well as mountain tours. The group of Ambassadors was as large as it has ever been and it was a valuable resource to be used but not abused.
Q12. Specific comment about the state of the M1 queue today and the fact that racers had priority on it and it appears it was being abused.
A) The M1 is the race piste and racers do have priority on the lift although we ask racers to follow a 1 on 1 system. Racers very rarely have such conditions to compete and this weekend was the Scottish Junior Championships so congestion on this lift was to be expected. CML will remind race organisers that all officials including racers and course setters should wear bibs or armbands in order to identify themselves.
Q13. Is it true that the CML Company structure is due to change this April (2010)?
A) CML came under the ownership of HIE in May 2008 and there were early plans to put the operation of the mountain out to tender in 2010. This tender process will still happen but timescales have been postponed and it is likely to be 2012 before that tender process takes place. HIE is aware of the uplift weaknesses and is working with CML to get to grips with the capital investment reality and find a stable business model. There is a commitment to the skiing operation from both HIE and CML. HIE will not sign a blank cheque.
Q13. Would 100k skier visits a year provide a stable business model?
A) Yes it would go a long way to providing a stable business model but the reality is that 100k skier visits is a 1 in 15 year occurrence at the moment and we need 5 out of 8 years to be 100k skier visits.
Q14. Would snow making achieve this skier visit target?
A) Not at the moment. Snow making technology is improving but the air temperatures and humidity levels on CairnGorm are still beyond the capabilities of existing technology to provide consistent snow making cover to achieve full cover for 3- 4 months of the winter season.
Q15. What are you going to do about car park capacity?
A) The snow gates have only been closed on 2 occasions this winter. On most days once the car parks have reached capacity (normally around lunchtime) we have simply let the traffic run round and let cars park up under the direction of carp ark staff strategically placed around the car parks. Spaces do become available during the afternoons.
Q16. Is the Company aware of the Save the Ciste Campaign? If the Ciste were reinstated it could be used for mountain bikes, walkers etc.
A) Yes we are aware of the Ciste campaign but no approach or information has been shared with CML by the campaign organisers. Overall mountain development has to be considered in view of climate change and the Ciste side of the mountain is being considered in the overall plan. Rowena have been looking at the Ciste and we await the outcome of their visit. Alan Brattey will email IW him to ask for a meeting re the Ciste Campaign.
Q17. Are there any facilities still useable round the Ciste?
A) There is no useable water or sewerage treatment facility round at the Ciste. CML has installed port loos for this winter for customers to use.
Q18. Is it possible to get a drink in the Cas Bar after 4.45pm?
A) We do try and be flexible on closing and it easier as we move into the spring months as there are fewer problems with the road (ice and visibility when it gets dark early).
Other comments received from Season ticket holders included:
1. Move the stop / go lights on the pomas so they can be seen.
This is on the summer maintenance plan for summer 2010
2. Encourage more doubling up on the T bars.
Lifties have been inviting customers to do so, some do and some refuse. CML are going to try more use of video on site to assist with this message.
3. Get more signs out and put them in the right place so skier and boarders can see them before they get to the loading areas.
Signage stock & location is reviewed regularly - suggestions welcome.
4. The Sheiling is a great asset that is never open – can it be used?
The water is not high enough quality to allow facility to be used. It could be reinstated with investment and is included in the wish list.
5. Pisteing has been great this winter.
ENDS
