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Durango Mountain Resort pulls critic's pass
Ski area says woman's remarks caused 'concern, confusion'
Herald Staff Writer
Photo by JERRY McBRIDE/Herald
Lauren Slaff of Durango holds her revoked Purgatory at Durango Mountain Resort all-season ski pass on Wednesday. The ski resort revoked Slaff’s pass after she criticized DMR’s changes to its early- and late-season schedule in a news article in The Durango Herald.
In a Nov. 2 letter, Durango Mountain Resort CEO Gary Derck said Lauren Slaff's comments to The Durango Herald caused "concern and confusion" among employees and customers, and the management team decided it would be best to "part ways."
In the Oct. 2 Herald article, Slaff expressed concern that DMR's new operating schedule would reduce the number of ski days. But DMR said the new schedule actually extends the number of ski days, by up to 21 days.
Without Slaff's input or knowledge, DMR refunded Slaff's all-season pass, at a cost of $539, and discontinued her pass privileges. In response, Slaff contacted an executive at Telluride Ski Area and explained her predicament, "and they were very understanding of my situation and helpful at procuring me a season pass."
DMR has a 40-year permit with the U.S. Forest Service to use public lands 25 miles north of Durango.
A copy of Derck's letter to Slaff was dropped off Wednesday at the Herald offices.
"While we have never met, I understand from your calls to The Durango Herald and your conversation with our general manager that you are most unhappy with the approach that Durango Mountain Resort takes in trying to meet the skiing and riding needs of both our local and out-of-town customers," Derck wrote. "Our general manager tried very hard to explain our early/late additional weekend days, but it is evident that the offering and services we provide are not meeting your expectations.
"Accordingly, we held a meeting with our management team and determined that it would be best if we part ways and refund you the all-season pass you purchased so you can find another place to ski/ride that better meets your expectations," the letter reads. "We have refunded your credit card $539 and we have discontinued your pass privileges.
"On behalf of our 800-plus employees, we wish you well and want you to know that we will continue to do our very best to meet or exceed the expectations of all our customers, regardless of where they live," the letter concludes.
DMR declined to comment for this story.
In an interview Wednesday, Slaff said she moved here 2½ years ago from New York City, largely because Durango has a ski area nearby. She has bought a season pass for three consecutive seasons.
About a month ago, Slaff called DMR General Manager Mike McCormack to discuss the new operating schedule. Several of her friends who have weekday passes were upset that the ski area planned to be open only Friday, Saturday and Sunday at the beginning and end of the ski season, she said.
McCormack offered Slaff a refund, but she declined.
"I said, 'No, I'm just upset and wanted to talk to someone,'" she said.
In the Oct. 2 Herald article, Slaff said the new operating schedule reduces the number of ski days for weekday pass holders, and it is another example of DMR catering to tourists at the expense of locals.
"It's rough on the weekday pass holders who can't go on the weekends," Slaff was quoted as saying. "It still seems like they're gearing all their business toward the out-of-towners."
When contacted Wednesday by the Herald, Slaff said she was saddened by DMR's decision to revoke her ski pass.
"I'm just really taken aback that expressing an opinion warrants such drastic punishment," she said. "It was a real eye-opener, and I don't wish to cause any further conflict with the ski area."
Tom Watkinson, spokesman at Telluride Ski Area, said the area revokes skiing privileges if someone breaks the law or acts recklessly, but it has never revoked someone's skiing privileges for expressing opinions.
In fact, Dave Riley, CEO of Telluride, has a Web blog accessible via the ski area's home page that allows the public to ask questions and share comments, Watkinson said.
"We've never kicked anyone off the mountain or revoked anyone's skiing privileges for disagreeing with our mountain policy," Watkinson said.
Rosanne Pitcher, vice president of marketing and sales at Wolf Creek Ski Area, said the resort has revoked skiing privileges for inappropriate behavior but never for expressing negative views. If someone were to say something slanderous that damaged another skier or the ski area, Wolf Creek would consider revoking skiing privileges, she said.
"We've had people say all kinds of things about Wolf Creek, and we haven't revoked their passes," Pitcher said. "It would depend on what the issue was."
Jennifer Rudolph, spokeswoman for Colorado Ski Country USA, could not recall hearing of another ski resort revoking someone's pass for being critical of the ski area.
While it is not illegal for a business to deny service to anyone, it is not made explicit in DMR's season pass holder agreement that the ski area reserves the right to exclude service to anyone at any time. What is clear is that DMR has the right to revoke skiing privileges when a customer breaks the rules by cutting a rope, loading the lift while intoxicated, letting someone else use the pass and a variety of other reasons.
Passes also can be revoked if a pass holder damages DMR's property or is "a nuisance to other guests and/or Durango Mountain Resort staff," the pass holder agreement says.
Matt Janowiak, Columbine district ranger for the Forest Service, said DMR has to abide by the Americans With Disabilities Act and follow the laws of the land, but otherwise it can make its own business decisions.
DMR's opening and closing will rely heavily on Mother Nature. If snow is lacking during the early season, DMR will attempt to open on weekends - Friday, Saturday and Sunday - for the first three weekends, from Nov. 27-29, Dec. 4-6, and Dec. 11-13. But if snow conditions allow it, DMR will open seven days a week from the season's start.
And weather permitting, DMR plans to stay open through April this year, but in the late season only on weekends - Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
DMR said it will honor weekday pass holders during weekend-only offerings.
Last year, DMR was open seven days a week from Dec. 6 to April 5.
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Durango Herald Calendar of Events
Thursday, November 19, 2009
at 4:01:05 PM
Suggest removal
yupitisme says...
This just goes to show you that the IDIOTS at DMR hate to be shown their errors. I worked at DMR for sometime, and left on my own accord when I noticed the IDIOTS in charge reminded me of the movie Zoolander.... you know the sceen where the two poeple are hitting the computer like a couple of monkies?? Truth be told, Wolf Creek has better runs. T-ride is top notch.
Thursday, November 19, 2009
at 3:44:50 PM
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Mixed Fuel says...
If Funcenter cycles and Handlebar can make it with out a motocross track in Durango, I think Ski Barn will do ok when DMR is gone.
Thursday, November 19, 2009
at 3:27:46 PM
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truthman says...
I would say the bigger issue here is Gary Derck's proven inability to lead. Out dated chairs, a brand new dysfunctional base area and ridiculous architecture are but a few examples of flagrant incompetence that has been demonstrated under his command. He runs the place like it was government. Perhaps the big cheese that pays his salary will realize money is being ill spent.
Thursday, November 19, 2009
at 1:52:59 PM
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Mike says...
I think she should ski on our town's 300K "hill" instead of DMR !!!
Oh wait, we spent HOW much taxpayer $ on that hill and we use that "hill" how many months out of the year ???
Thursday, November 19, 2009
at 1:41:58 PM
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mike says...
yeah, lets boycott them and try and hurt the mountain as much as possible so that they have to raise lift ticket prices even more to make ends meet and fire tons of people too...or better yet lets hurt them so much that they have to shut the resort down all together and then nobody can ski or board! who cares if it hurts real locals as well? i dont care if she was unhappy with the service and actually got her money back! how dare they refund her...err...i mean, i have a right to complain in my complete ignorance!
i for one am taking my trust fund elsewhere where i can be selfish and care about only myself...and can say anything i want without any consequences!
--Wannabe Local
Thursday, November 19, 2009
at 1:22:18 PM
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earnyourturns says...
Gayle is right, the Herald is equally responsible for this PR debacle. DMR messed up royally by handling the situation the way they did. But the DH portrayed it in a really ugly light and got a lot of people really mad. If DMR loses 20% of their skier visits this year, the town of Durango loses a huge chunk of it's winter income. Not a very good move on either parties part in an economy like we have now!
Way to go team!!
Thursday, November 19, 2009
at 1:14:01 PM
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Chloe Marie says...
Great...just the kind of publicity Durango tourism didn't need...
Thursday, November 19, 2009
at 12:33:24 PM
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duh! says...
Well it sounds like DMR just shot themselves in the foot. I suggest you correct it and give this lady a free pass or you are going to be in trouble and you need some courses in customer service. Durango lacks in customer service...I am a shopper and travel and hour away to do my shopping because of this attitude bad service and just people could care less if they get your dollar or not...so I spend spend spend it else where.
Thursday, November 19, 2009
at 12:24:34 PM
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mike says...
this is a great example of extremely poor journalism again by the herald and these comments r great examples of the sheep that read it.
come on people, this is just more sensationalist media trash. if u dont like it here, move on! dont move here and then start complaining about how u dont like it.
i applaud the resort for refunding her pass. its not like they kicked her off the mountain. she is still welcome to buy lift tickets whenever she wants just like anyone else.
if the town doesnt like it, fine, u can stay home too. i have no problem with fresh tracks and less crowded slopes.
Thursday, November 19, 2009
at 11:24:21 AM
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Jazz says...
It doesn't matter what she said. DMR needs to give her back her pass (for free now!) and issue an apology. They handled this very poorly. I don't ski, but am familiar with how customer service works!
Thursday, November 19, 2009
at 10:42:08 AM
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C says...
I think that DMR handled this situation horribly. This is a reflection of how they deal with locals on the whole. The fact is a large majority of durangotangs who have supported the resort in the past are left out making way for more texans with big money to come and clog up the mountain. Most of us can not afford the $800.00 pass and feel there is no deal that has locals in mind. With the Epic Pass up north giving skiers access to five mountains for less than $500.00, it seems a little outragous to be charging this much for just one mountain. I just wish that DMR would appreciate the locals more and show us the respect we deserve by giving us a locals deal that is affordable and practical. Thanks, Charles Alberto
Thursday, November 19, 2009
at 10:33:58 AM
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Mark says...
Umm, Purgatory is great...umm its' the best ski area ever...umm...I would pay three times as much to ski at, umm, purgatory, because they are the best, and the greatest too, and with the best, nicest people and with the best everything, pretty much, umm,
And anyone who disagrees should be waterboarded, and sent to Gitmo, and um, purg is the greatest...the best....ever.
Thursday, November 19, 2009
at 10:23:20 AM
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Chloe Marie says...
In this economy, Mr. Derck and his 800+ employees ought to be sending out hand written thank-yous to anyone willing and able to spend this kind of money at their quaint little ski slopes.
Careful DMR, it's going to get worse before it gets better...
Thursday, November 19, 2009
at 10:05:05 AM
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Rich says...
The amount of time one has lived in Durango seem irrelevant to the situation. If the resort in question can't handle a little criticism from a paying customer their upper managment needs a reality check. When I worked at Purgatory (not DMR yet), complaints about the resort were common, and I don't recall anyone having their passes yanked for verbalizing their discontent (employee's included). This is just another example of the arrogance of large corporations, and their bloated egotism. I plan to spread this information to the all major ski groups of Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, Texas, and Utah. I have a feeling the actions taken by DMR will seriously reduce their number of visitors (locals and tourist alike) this season, and possible in the future as well.
Thursday, November 19, 2009
at 9:54:31 AM
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Snowball says...
Oh please, what a lame hit story by the Herald, I am sure Slaff said far more than just "I said, 'No, I'm just upset and wanted to talk to someone,'" to get a reaction like this, I would bet money she called DMR many times and was abusive to staff to get her pass revoked. I have lived in a lot of ski resort towns from Durango to Jackson Hole, Lake Tahoe, to Vail, and every one was the same, locals bashing the ski area exactly as the Durango locals do. Why didn't the Herald get DMR's side of the story????????
Thursday, November 19, 2009
at 8:55:38 AM
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Durangotang says...
Oh please, with the economy as it is this Lauren should be happy she can still afford a season pass, which is not the case for her fellow "locals". If you can call being here for 2 1/2 years a local, as a born and bred Durangotang, I cannot. Tourists, like she once was, have been the bread and butter of this dear Durango. It's people like her, who move here from out of state and expect to be catered to as a local, that are making this town anything but tourist friendly. Get over yourself and go ski somewhere else!
Thursday, November 19, 2009
at 8:48:31 AM
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KOOT says...
Sounds like it is time to get rid of the DMR chiefs and get a new fresh crew in there
Thursday, November 19, 2009
at 8:45:42 AM
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Veteran Shawna says...
DMR awfully defensive about a comment one of your loyal season pass holder's said. I believe you just violated the Freedom of speech ammendment. You should be sued! Also, need to cater to your locals more! Write this woman and the public an apology, Ski To-Hell-U-Ride aka Telluride or Wolf Creek!
Thursday, November 19, 2009
at 8:07:24 AM
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charleroi says...
I think this is more entertaining than consequential. I would love to have been at the "meeting with our management team and determined that it would be best if we part ways." I can imagine the conversation and debate, and it is hilarious. Here's a sample: "OK, it's pretty clear she won't be skiing here very much, so she won't add to our costs. But let's reduce our revenue by $539 by refunding her pass."
Thursday, November 19, 2009
at 7:57:39 AM
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County Taxpayer says...
Dissent will not be tolerated under the new version of corporatism. Get used to it, Amerika.
Thursday, November 19, 2009
at 7:16:29 AM
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Ryan says...
One more reason to live closer to Telluride. I wonder what Laurens attitude was like when she called? Was it one that would get a positive response from any business? Stay positive and ski Telluride more!
Thursday, November 19, 2009
at 6:51:52 AM
Suggest removal
PL says...
DMR does not have the terrain nor the snow to charge what they do for a season pass. Lauren had a legitimate concern with the price she paid for that pass and the limited number of days she could ski. I am shocked at their customer service in this economy! I will hope that more locals will refuse to by passes next year so they can see what it feels like without our support. I have lived here for five years and have not returned since my first season because it is a BIG FAT RIPOFF!
Thursday, November 19, 2009
at 6:30:22 AM
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Bob says...
I'm officially and hereby criticising the policies of the IRS in hopes that their they invoke the "Purgatory Plan" regarding me 'membership'.
Scott Williams