Powder Mountain Size Claims

BeefyBoy50 · Nov 1, 2016

I know that ski areas like to fudge statistics - Jay Peak probably doesn't really get 376 inches of snow a year and nobody ever skis the 3000 vertical feet top to bottom at Killington, etc.

I'm wondering if anyone (especially those who live out west) can expand on Powder Mountain's claim of being "over 7000 acres" due to the addition of two relatively small lifts (one of which really only serves the new ski village they are building). In fact, I saw the claim on the website of 8464+ acres which would make PowMow larger than Whistler Blackcomb. Does it really ski as large as they claim? I spent 5 days skiing at Whistler this spring and wasn't even close to skiing the whole mountain; it really did feel much bigger than any ski area I've ever been to in the past. Just looking at the PowMow trail map, it doesn't look nearly as large.

I understand skiing isn't solely based on the numbers, and I've had just as much fun on short runs in the Poconos as I've had skiing 4000 vertical foot tram laps at Jackson Hole, but I think that PowMow should be fact checked considering they have "largest ski area in the United States" now plastered all over their website. I might even go and use the google earth area tool to check for myself.

The Sneak · Nov 1, 2016

I have been to Powder Mountain. It's a cool place, but I thought the acreage claim included their cat skiing service across the street?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

deadheadskier · Nov 1, 2016

Pow Mow = Les Otten's Balsams?

Sent from my XT1565 using AlpineZone mobile app

BushMogulMaster · Nov 1, 2016

Pow Mow is huge, no doubt. But looks like they've adjusted their stats on the website in the last couple months. They used to break it down by category, and prior to this year's data, they advertised:

INBOUNDS:Lift served: 2,800 acres
Powder Country Shuttle: 1,200 acres
Lightning Ridge Snowcat Ride: 700 acres
BACKCOUNTRY TOUR AREA:
Snowcat Powder Safari: 3,000 acres
DMI/Wolf Canyon Tours: 1,000 acres

New lifts not included, that means about 2800 lift-served acres. Very big. Not Whistler/Blackcomb big, though.

Hawkshot99 · Nov 1, 2016

I just went and looked at there map online. Lift served it's a big place. When they go and add in all of the surrounding Canyons that you can access via cat skiing I consider the 7000 very possible. But as a ski "resort" claiming the biggest is a bit much...

Sent from my SM-G930F using AlpineZone mobile app

snoseek · Nov 1, 2016

Also a lot of the inbound stuff is really low angle. No doubt its huge but don't compare skiable acerage to the larger resorts. If your into cruisy powder with a super low skier density it is heaven. Its a nice way to break up a bunch of lcc/bcc days when you need a chill day.

mbedle · Nov 2, 2016

Kind of an odd place with a lot of terrain in boundary, but requires hike to access. Plus, it looks like most of the runs end on very long run outs. Any run off of Paradise looks painful to get back to the lift on a snowboard.

4aprice · Nov 2, 2016

snoseek said:
Also a lot of the inbound stuff is really low angle. No doubt its huge but don't compare skiable acerage to the larger resorts. If your into cruisy powder with a super low skier density it is heaven. Its a nice way to break up a bunch of lcc/bcc days when you need a chill day.

Just about spot on for our Utah trips BCC and Pow Mow.

Pow Mow is a world of its own. It's so vast that I've maybe seen a fraction of it in the 7-10 days I've skied there. Have spied many tracks on the way up the Canyon to the lodge but never gotten over into there. From what I was reading the 2 new lifts would open up access Mary's and Lefty's which are guided areas now.

A little Pow Mow Love:

Alex

Lake Hopatcong, NJ

thetrailboss · Nov 2, 2016

First, any ski expansion is great expansion. It is exciting to see new terrain opening and a business growing, especially with skiing because it is a tough business. So call me happy.

As to this, I'm skeptical of their claims. As said, they are including lift and cat served terrain and probably the boundaries of what they own that one may or may not ski. As to being the largest, that's being generous. I know that they own a lot of land up there, but it is spread out and relatively flat in many places. It is a high plateau with a few peaks here and there. It is way different from Whistler.

As to these lifts, they are minor at best. They are short and serve relatively little vertical. I'm not sure where they are getting the 2,000 acre figure for these lifts that I have seen. They are also out of the way and focused for a new village development they are building.

I don't think that their marketing is targeting Whistler. They are competing with the behemoth that is Park City who claims that they are the largest ski area in the U.S. I think that Powder Mountain is not the same as Park City at all. Apples to oranges.

dlague · Nov 2, 2016

On their stats page

Over 8,464 acres: The most of any ski resort in United States.

http://www.powdermountain.com/en/the-mountains/mountain-statistics/

mbedle · Nov 2, 2016

What I also found odd is they are planning on limiting adult season pass sales to 1,000 and day passes to 2,000 per day. Considering that their plan is to build 500 homesites, it would seem that 1000 adult season passes is a little limiting. 2,000 per day seems really limiting. Isn't deer valley's 7,500 per day limit?

snoseek · Nov 2, 2016

mbedle said:
What I also found odd is they are planning on limiting adult season pass sales to 1,000 and day passes to 2,000 per day. Considering that there plan is to build 500 homesites, it would seem that 1000 adult season passes is a little limiting. 2,000 per day seems really limiting. Isn't deer rally's 7,500 per day limit?

Yeah I don't quite understand this. Maybe its a move for them towards an exclusive type experience in which case sooner or later the price is gonna go up substantially I imagine

BenedictGomez · Nov 3, 2016

BeefyBoy50 said:
I'm wondering if anyone can expand on Powder Mountain's claim of being "over 7000 acres" due to the addition of two relatively small lifts

I cant speak to acreage, but that place is huge. Everywhere I looked, I thought, "I'd put a lift there", or "I'd put a lift over there" for sure. In fact, their best looking and steepest terrain isn't even life serviced. In my opinion, Pow Mt. has huge potential, but is basically a giant blue square in its' current form.

snoseek said:
a lot of the inbound stuff is really low angle. If your into cruisy powder with a super low skier density it is heaven.

This is another good point. That place skies "easier" than the map ratings.

The only reason I skied there was because I had a free lift ticket courtesy of Warren Miller, and because I thought it would be cool to go on a 1.5 hour drive and see a different chunk of Utah, but I doubt I'd return.

The entire on-map place is basically an intermediate playground, which I imagine must be EPIC for intermediate desires, but lacking for others unless you wish to hike a bit or seek out some lines. Cool place, don't get me wrong, but if I'm going on a once-per-year western trip, I'm not going to hit a place that's lift-served isn't as challenging as northern Vermont.

mbedle · Nov 3, 2016

Apparently google maps thinks the same thing as us. They basically have every lift served run as blue and green. Does anybody know how google integrates the ski resorts into their maps? I always thought it was when they took the snowmobiles onto the runs and took the pictures. Apparently that is not the case with Powder.

Jully · Nov 3, 2016

mbedle said:
Apparently google maps thinks the same thing as us. They basically have every lift served run as blue and green. Does anybody know how google integrates the ski resorts into their maps? I always thought it was when they took the snowmobiles onto the runs and took the pictures. Apparently that is not the case with Powder.

You mean the map of lifts and trails on google maps itself?

mbedle · Nov 3, 2016

Yes - the overlay of lifts and trails that google puts on their maps.

Jully · Nov 3, 2016

mbedle said:
Yes - the overlay of lifts and trails that google puts on their maps.

I thought that was resort generated. Could be completely wrong though.

Hawkshot99 · Nov 3, 2016

mbedle said:
Apparently google maps thinks the same thing as us. They basically have every lift served run as blue and green. Does anybody know how google integrates the ski resorts into their maps? I always thought it was when they took the snowmobiles onto the runs and took the pictures. Apparently that is not the case with Powder.

Powder does not have very challenging groomers in the slightest bit. Most of the follow the bottom of a canyon back to a chair lift and are only there for run outs. Now the condition of them and there grooming was great, but not challenging or steep.

Sent from my SM-G930F using AlpineZone mobile app

sugarbushskier · Nov 3, 2016

Paradise Lift! Can (and have) spend an entire day skiing that pod. Yes the runout back to the lift is a gentle cruiser, but after skiing those trees all day on both sides of the ridge, the break is very much needed. Also, Powder Country has some nice advanced skiing, but I found the snow was a bit heavier in that area due to aspect.

Hawkshot99 · Nov 3, 2016

Loved the views out there and that you could ski anywhere you thought was skiable.

Sent from my SM-G930F using AlpineZone mobile app

Powder Mountain Size Claims

New member

Member

Moderator

Industry Rep

Active member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Moderator

Active member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Active member

Well-known member

Active member

Active member

Member

Active member

Similar threads