CHRIS MCBETH
Well-Known Member
I looked online and wasn’t able to easily find anything verifying if/when Dangling Rope opens back up. Any assistance is appreciated.
I looked online and wasn’t able to easily find anything verifying if/when Dangling Rope opens back up. Any assistance is appreciated.
Here is the number for The Rope
928-691-0206
I use this to call to see if they are open and also if i am running late and won't make it before they close. They will usually wait if they know you are on your way. That happened to me once coming back from the San Juan. I called them and they waited the 20 minutes I needed.
Good ol' Aramark.But when you think about it, if it was such a money maker, there would be companies lined up to try to get the Concession. Is the infrastructure so expensive to operate that they can't hire enough people to operate it properly without being upside down. I'd love to know the numbers. I wonder how much the mussels add to the operation costs. A lot.So when we were there at Easter I figured Dangling Rooe was OPEN. And when we cruised up to the end of Last Chance we were going to visit Dangling Rooe to gas up.
That afternoon when I decided to head that way, my wife told me she had seen the sign at Wahweap staring it was CLOSED, so we turned south to Wahweap.
We ran out of gas, literally 500 yards from the ramp and a good sam towed us in.
The moral of the story was the gauge is inaccurate. But also, don’t make assumptions about the concessioners who manage.
My experience has been there are good people at Powell, but Aramark woefully under staffs, completely lacks managerial standards and training, and does a VERY poor job of communicating.
That errant sign at Wahweap (which I missed and Amy saw) could have cost us a much worse fate if we’d headed up there only to find it really was closed... then we’d have run out of gas in the main channel up by Padre I’m guessing.
By the way, when we were emerging from Last Chance near Greggory Butte, I called on the VHF to channel 16 and 14 to see if anyone knew if Dangling Rope was open and I got no response.
That radio has about a 10-15 mile range so I was alarmed by that too.
You're story would be funny if it wasn't so sad. I guess at some point you just quit taking free coupons cause you know you won't be able to redeem them. That almost sounds like a business strategy in itself. My fishing buddies and I rent a houseboat at least once a year that originates at Stateline. We purchase what is called a pre-board which lets us sleep on the boat and leave early. It is always a fight to get the boat in a timely manner and get any commitments from anyone in the office to give me a time when the boat will be delivered to the loading dock, when I can receive my instruction, etc.etc.. I always approach a porter who will expedite things by going around management and dealing directly with the employees that get my boat to the point we can board. 20 bucks goes a long way. It actually feels like management is purposely dragging their feet. What a shame to not realize the excitement the customers have and why not do everything that can be done to enhance the experience. You are right, there are good people working but so often their hands are tied by the and you it named it, MEDIOCRITY.The Lake Powell Resort is probably the most visibly bad in terms of management. All of the employees we've encountered were good people, working hard, BUT they were short-handed.
Last time my wife and I were there for Easter, we waited in line 90 minutes to check in because there were only two people working the desk (with about 75 people in line), only to be told at 4:00pm that our room wouldn't be ready until 6 or 7pm because the laundry (linens for beds and towels) were backed up due to only one person being on staff that day.
Mind you, this is Easter Weekend... probably the busiest early-spring day they have.
And our room wasn't ready at 6 or 7. We waited until 8:30pm before we could check-in.
They offered "Free Drink" coupons in the bar. So we went in there to wait, only to wait for 45 minutes to be served a drink by the one bartender serving the 200 people waiting :-0
They offered "Free Breakfast Buffet" coupons. So we went to breakfast Saturday morning, only to be told it would be a 90 minute to 2 hour wait for a table, since there were only 2 servers on staff and about 300 people to seat.
We grabbed two To-Go containers, piled some eggs, potatoes and bacon, and left, then I got food poisoning later that night and we had to go home early Sunday.
The main gas station at Wahweap didn't open until 10:00 on that Saturday because someone called in sick (and they only had one guy scheduled). That put us about 90 minutes behind schedule (getting to the back of Last Chance Bay!). Lesson learned: Fill up in town!
So it's a pattern of mediocrity.
I have to admit, if it all went away we'd be very sad... but on the other hand my Dad always taught me do it right or don't do it at all.
I only have high expectations because the Resort charges very high prices for lodging and food relative to what you can get in town.
I suppose in the scheme of things it isn't that big a deal, but I honestly believe with a little care and attention they could fix most of the issues customers deal with by managing staff schedules more effectively, and more effectively communicating and updating info on websites, signage, etc.
In any case, it's Lake Powell and one of the most amazing places on earth. A little diversity is worth the experience. Hopefully they can show gradual improvement. I've sent constructive feedback and suggestion letters to Aramark in Philly a number of times, and they do respond.