Maybe I should have been more clear that when I said "hiking" I was referring to any form of travel using your legs/feet (including skiing) as compared to using some form of mechanical travel (a lift, shuttle, etc). How "easy" the hike/ski itself is does not matter. Even a 5 minute hike across flat terrain will turn off many (or most) people. You're not looking at this from an "average" skier perspective. You will never be able to market Stowe/Smuggs as a single mega resort to the general public if you do not have a lift. And that simply is extremely unlikely to happen at this point.
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Ikon Pass
- Thread starter Zermatt
- Start date
Maybe I should have been more clear that when I said "hiking" I was referring to any form of travel using your legs/feet (including skiing) as compared to using some form of mechanical travel (a lift, shuttle, etc). How "easy" the hike/ski itself is does not matter. Even a 5 minute hike across flat terrain will turn off many (or most) people. You're not looking at this from an "average" skier perspective. You will never be able to market Stowe/Smuggs as a single mega resort to the general public if you do not have a lift. And that simply is extremely unlikely to happen at this point.
BenedictGomez
Well-known member
I think you could.
And even if you cant "physically" connect them, why not a fleet of say......6....snowcats? Each holds 12 people, run 3 in each direction. Market it as a unique experience. Probably about 20 minutes each way, maybe a touch less. I really dont see this as insurmountable. You revive & advertise Snuffy's Trail for intermediates & experts, you run a few snowcats for beginners and lazy people.
Smellytele
Well-known member
Gondola as in the whistler/blackcomb variety which no towers for about 2 miles.
Smellytele
Well-known member
Snow cats running would be even have even more environmental issues
TheArchitect
Member
- Joined
- Aug 3, 2011
- Messages
- 236
- Points
- 18
I wasn't trying to minimize the difficulty of it by saying "only". I was just trying to single it out.
ThinkSnow
Member
Thing is Rt. 108 is closed in winter for vehicular traffic. Why not just bore a tunnel (like they have at Snowbird going to Mineral basin) to connect the two? (sarcasm? yes)
abc
Well-known member
Hmmm... I'm not sure I buy that. Plenty of other mountains have long flat connector trails to access some part of their terrain.
Are you saying the Mentazuma Bowl is not "physically" connected to A-basin? The "connection" requires a rather energetic skate which many can't manage. Boarders, have no choice but to take off their board and walk. Yet, you see plenty of INTERMEDIATE skiers and boarders in Zumi bowl.
In the northeast, Mountain Creek and Vernon Valley comes to mind, and indeed many don't go over. But plenty do go over too. The new terrain in Big Sky also entails long flat trails to access. But that's what keeps those terrain nice and quiet, a setup many like.
Heck, you have to take off your ski to get from Stowe to Spruce even WITH the gondola! Why do you think the Smug link is so much worse than Spruce?
If I were Vail and Smug is for sale, I'd definitely buy it and combine them. I bet you a good 30% of visitor WILL go over just to check it out. And very likely a good many will stay and ski in Smug till the end of day.
Smellytele
Well-known member
A little further than at A-basin:
Smellytele
Well-known member
slatham
Well-known member
And A-Basin has a connector surface lift now, so there you go......
BenedictGomez
Well-known member
Except the very route you posted as an "exception" is the very route the snowcats would be taking.
I'm thinking you're not very familiar with Smuggler's Notch & Stowe.
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Smellytele
Well-known member
I was thinking snow cats over the top aka sterling pond. Also Snow cats through the notch may interrupt the millions of snowmobiles that go through there.
BG are you suggesting having the snowcat transport go through the 108 Notch? That's about 10 miles
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So now you're interpreting "maintained with groomers" to mean you can transport people back and forth? A fleet of snowcats running back and forth all day on the old Snuffy's trail is not in line with the use restrictions for that area.
Or if you meant run the snowcats on 108 through the notch itself, then that would need to be defined as an allowable use within the Smugglers Notch Scenic Highway Corridor Plan. Couldn't find a copy of that online, but something tells me it isn't a defined allowable use.
WJenness
Active member
benski
Active member
It’s called a 3S gondola. All gondolas of that type have long spans like a tram.
FBGM
Well-known member
Anyone who buys an epic pass or especially Peaks pass rides the short bus. Ikon best value and best ski. Hands down.
KustyTheKlown
Well-known member
peaks pass makes no damn sense.
epic has its arguments. one of my best ski buddies loves stowe, the beer scene around stowe, and wants to eventually buy a vacation home in stowe. for him, the inclusion of unlimited stowe was enough. for me, it's not. i dont want to put on that many miles or time in the car. i also ski 40-50 days a season and he skis 20-30. for him, stowe + breck/beaver/vail/whistler is enough. i disagree. but different strokes.
epic has its arguments. one of my best ski buddies loves stowe, the beer scene around stowe, and wants to eventually buy a vacation home in stowe. for him, the inclusion of unlimited stowe was enough. for me, it's not. i dont want to put on that many miles or time in the car. i also ski 40-50 days a season and he skis 20-30. for him, stowe + breck/beaver/vail/whistler is enough. i disagree. but different strokes.
Opinions vary, but for me as primarily a weekend skier, I'll take Cannon or Wildcat on the weekends over pretty much anywhere in New England. I slightly prefer Wildcat and that pass comes with Crotched and Attitash to mix it up. Not interested in dealing with the weekend crowds at the areas offered with Ikon or Epic.
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