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The Rules

kingslug

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Thinking about this lately, especially after this weekend, when I missed a good 3 hours of pow at K.
Nothing special, just some basic rules I live by which over the years ...actually work.
1. Be there early. Why...you get a good parking spot, you don't deal with the lodge shitshow..you get the POW before its all banged up. I actually get anxiety showing up late and parking in Oshkosh, the crowded lodge, etc. When I went to MRG a few weeks ago I was the first one there and it was great. Got the "coveted " parking spot and got to walk around, in peace..very tranquil.

2. If you say you will be somewhere at a certain time..be there or let me know. I'm probably waiting for you, outside if its the lift. I would prefer to not stand there for a half hour. Shit happens, I can take a run, or 2 , or 3 ..whatever.

3. Don't be a fusspot...whats a fusspot you ask..well. You forget your gloves, your helmet, your skis..whatever. You take forever getting ready, screw with boot buckles all the time. You know..get your shit together and ski.

4. Don't complain the whole day about conditions. There are many ways to figure out before hand what is going on and how it will be. It rained the night before, then went down to 10 degrees...don't bring the twin tips. it snowed..its a POW day..don't bring the ice skis. It sux..but were here..better than being..THERE, where THERE else may be. Who knows ..it might get better..it might get worse..beer is available..we'll live.

5. Meeting up with people..your late..don't spend the whole day trying to find them..they're skiing, not waiting for your text. Your the odd man out. Maybe you'll meet at lunch. Worse case, you miss them the whole day and find them..at the end. They're wiped..you started late..you keep going..whatever.

There more but these are the basics.
Thoughts???
 

skiur

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Rule 1 applies most of the year but in the spring there is no reason to get there early. The parking lots don't fill up and the skiing sucks until the sun has had a chance to work it's magic.
 

SIKSKIER

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Rule 1 applies most of the year but in the spring there is no reason to get there early. The parking lots don't fill up and the skiing sucks until the sun has had a chance to work it's magic.
I beg to differ this spring.The last few weekends we have had new snow and its been the best early on.No real softening because of winter like temps.Last weekend at Cannon got worse as it got skied.But in general you are correct.
 

NYDB

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I can't stand trying to meet up with people on the hill.

Either go out with me in the morning or meet at such and such time at this lift or lodge (+/- 5 min window) planned before hand.

trying to meet out on the hill and trying to communicate via texting is a pain. Especially in mid winter conditions.

And +1 on rule 1. Get there early. Luckily my kids are little and they still get up at 6am every day. I don't know how its going to go when they are teenagers sleeping in.
 

Domeskier

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6. Cut others some slack if they lack the same scrupulous attention to following your preferred rules of thumb.
 

MommaBear

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I take it your wife is still in the doghouse over Saturday? :wink:

As for the teenagers, we ended up doing two cars.
 

BenedictGomez

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My rule now is not to ski with people who make rules about having fun.

Yeah, I mean, I'm pretty much the exact opposite as him.

Do whatever the hell you want, we're here to have fun.

You want to go in the trees? Okay, I'll go in the trees. You want to hit a groomer into a bump run? Okay, sounds good, I'll do that. You want to show up at 9:30 rather than 8:40? Okay, I'm not going to execute you for that.

Whatever, it's all good.
 

Glenn

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We don't really have many rules, but we have adopted things over the last few seasons:

Don't bother with Saturday unless conditions are off the charts and/or we're up north and everyone is stuck on the highway trying to get up north.

Unless conditions are off the charts, get there mid/late AM. Most times, still decent parking. And you'll have two hours or so of a lull in lines whilst everyone goes in for lunch.

Riding a fixed grip is always better than standing in line to ride a high speed.

Figure out the brand/color of the rental skis the area offers. When said skis are spotted out on the hill, gives those people a wide berth.

If people get into the line queue and then stand aimlessly while waiting for the rest of their party, it's ok to run over their gear.

Last one is in jest...somewhat. Why do people do that?
 

mister moose

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5. Meeting up with people..your late..don't spend the whole day trying to find them..they're skiing, not waiting for your text. Your the odd man out. Maybe you'll meet at lunch. Worse case, you miss them the whole day and find them..at the end.

As big as Killington is, it's easy to meet people on the fly. I can be almost anywhere in 10-15 minutes if it doesn't involve K1 at 11am on a Saturday, or starting at Ramshead, which never happens anyway, "Meet you at Superstar in 10" isn't very hard.

6. I'm not your carbon copy. I'll ski slower for you, or you ski slower for me. I'll do a few cruisers but I'm headed elsewhere for a few runs too. We don't have to be attached at the hip to have a good time.

7. DO NOT DO NOT lose me in the woods. I am constantly aware of your rough position and reestablishing contact. We should have each other's 6, it's not a race.

8. Groups larger than 4 die an early death.

9. We can ski a trail more than once if it's good. Really. It's allowed.
 

kingslug

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Stressfull to ski with..no
Like i said..do whatever you want..but have a little consideration. Ive tried to ski with some people who can be very difficult ..about everything..they are stressfull.
And yes..guidelines is a better term.
This spring early or late has not mattered. Except last saturday..then early was good.
Early at the lodge and parking lot is most times much better than late..unless you like crowded and parking far away...up to you..
 

bdfreetuna

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keep the faith
Kingslug those rules are so good I think you might have discovered the 3rd slab of Commandments Moses dropped.

Skiing isn't really a social sport for me, but it is a family tradition and as such I'll go with family of any ability. As long as we're departing on time, I'm happy. Wife and father will both ski <><> and woods, even if I'm waiting up for them, I'm still exhausted and sore by the end of the day, so I can't really say I would have done a lot better on my own.

Then again, I absolutely get more runs in on my own.
 

mister moose

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If people get into the line queue and then stand aimlessly while waiting for the rest of their party, it's ok to run over their gear.

Last one is in jest...somewhat. Why do people do that?

This was getting out of hand the last 2 weekends. Some folks would wait in the pre-load cattle chute completely blocking access to the lift while empty chairs go by. Or completely block the lane 20 feet from the lift and when you ask them to move you get the look "What, you had 14 full inches to get by"

Or stand inches from the lift maze entrance. That's the "polite clog". "I'm not in the maze, I'm just waiting, (blocking the entrance), just come completely to a stop and wriggle by me."

OK, I feel better now.
 

bdfreetuna

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keep the faith
^
I come into lift lines HOT but I also come in narrow and squirrely. Your skis are safe but you'll feel the breeze.
 
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