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Why are there no snowboarder only mountains?

Nick

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Looking at the few mountains that ban snowboarding, we have to ask ourselves, "Why", right?

Most businesses, including ski resorts, make business decisions based on a number of factors, but the biggest factor is typically revenue and profits, right? However, sometimes businesses are satisfied where they are and a decision may be made based on something else (tradition, etc.)

If Alta / MRG / etc. were to open to snowboarders, would their revenues and profitability increase, or not? Would the snowboarder visits they get outnumber the skiers that go there specifically because there are no snowboarders? I have to think it's possible that these places are more successful because they don't allow snowboarders because there is a clientele that wants that. Or is that a total farce?

If it's possible to decrease your client base but still increase profits, why are there no snowboarder only mountains.? Would it even be economically feasible?

It seems like most mountains try to cater to everyone. I'd imagine a mountain that was dedicated to snowboarding could possibly do very well.
 

deadheadskier

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Probably doesn't exist because it would take a new mountain to do it.

It would be a little strange for an established area to all of a sudden tell their skiing clientele that they are no longer welcome to ski there.
 

drjeff

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I think that it could/might of happened maybe a decade ago since the demand business wise was likely there.

Now, since there has been far more integration with freeskiing in parks and snowboarding, AND an overall decline in snowboarding's popularity (see the increase in freeskiing's popularity for this), I would doubt that you'd see it happen anytime soon, if ever.
 

jaytrem

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I'm pretty sure there was one maybe 15-20 years ago. Some place real small that might have been all terrain park.

After a quick search I found the place was Green Valley in CA. AKA "Big Air Snowboard Park" and "Trinity Mountain". Possibly still open, but for both skiers and boarders. Nope, it's closed now, forest fire finished it off, but it wasn't going to well anyway.
 
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skiNEwhere

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I believe Waterville valley did this, but it didn't work out due to lack of interest
 

Cannonball

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If someone opened a snowboard-only mountain I would feel the same way about it as I do about MRG.... Good luck to them, I hope their niche marketing works out for them, but I wouldn't have much interest in going there. Just sounds boring.
 

Puck it

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If someone opened a snowboard-only mountain I would feel the same way about it as I do about MRG.... Good luck to them, I hope their niche marketing works out for them, but I wouldn't have much interest in going there. Just sounds boring.


So you are saying skiers are an exciting group to be with.
 

octopus

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i've always been interested in a snowboard only mountain, partly because i'd like to see what would setup instead of those f'ing moguls.
i think maple valley proposed an idea recently for snowboard only, but that place is going nowhere as far as i can tell.
 

VTKilarney

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One difference is that snowboarders have always been used to sharing the hill with skiers. Looking at the Alta video that was recently posted in this forum, it seemed like the oldest people were generally the biggest complainers. They remember the pre-snowboard days.

A serious question... Since MRG is known for not grooming, is snowboarding genuinely not compatible with an operation of this type? In other words, can snowboards and skiers live peacefully if no grooming is present?
 
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