Opening Day with WROD or Multiple Trails/Acreage

So A Basin opened with one trail as well as Keystone. However, last weekend we skied Breck on their opening weekend and they opened with a bunch of trails and 312 acres,

While I have joined the ranks of WROD skiers to get those early days, I think opening weekends with multiple trails is much better. I know some one this forum wait until ski areas have more coverage.

Do you think opening days with more terrain to sacrifice opening early is better or should the race to open early be WROD?


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Whatever works for a particular mountains operational plans and what their clientele comes to expect from them. Places like Killington, Sunday River, Wildcat etc have clientele that want a lift spinning once there's WROD available. Places like Okemo or Stratton have less of a demand for that, so they can push off opening and perhaps do so with several trails.

I think having the WROD places really going for it is beneficial towards pressuring all areas to kick their seasons off reasonably early.

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I agree, I believe there is a niche for each type of opening. The WROD die hards are served by the areas that serve that up. Obviously, not an overwhelming demand as many resorts now hold off opening day until they can open with several routes and potentially multiple lifts. I think with the growth of the mega passes, there is definitely room for both within a pass network. K and SR supply the Ikon in the East, I guess I'll count wildcat for Epic (Hunter and Snow both opened with multiple routes, so not really WROD). Epic picked up early players late this fall so remains to be seen how they will operate them moving forward.

Myself, I will go as early as possible. If that's one trail and the stairs at K both ways or the always horrible midstation experience at SR, I'll deal cause it's skiing and I hate the summer gap.

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I think if Jiminy Peak and Berkshire East could have soft openings a week and a half ago with multiple trail options... it depends who gets the cold temps and when and if they're motivated

Skiing Rime and Reason, the shortest and more boring trails at Killington, doesn't interest me at all. Now Killington has Snowden somewhat filled out so it's just starting to look slightly appealing.

So my vote is for at least 2 top to bottom routes. That said I appreciate anyone who opens as early as possible just for getting the ski season kicked off.

Stratton waited until this past weekend to open and did so with the best selection of terrain (IMO) in Vermont. Making me with I had some passes there but I'll keep it in mind for early season next year.

WROD = white ribbon of death?

Pez said:

WROD = white ribbon of death?

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Correct!

Pez said:

WROD = white ribbon of death?

Click to expand...

Ohh lets try again. FBGM?

so my local hill in PA did the soft opening thing the last 2 weekends. It worked out really well for them. NO rentals, ski school, or Full service lodge F&B. they setup a grill and sold burgers, dogs, and sausages along with Beer, pop, and water. All this while running 1 lift that serviced 3 routes and a terrain park.

Being closest to DC they attracted a ton of people that normally ski the other 2 resorts that are actually closer to DC and didn't make snow yet.

Anyways, as to preference. I'll ski whatever they get open in PA when they open it. the earlier the better! Unfortunately its not really worth it to me to drive all the way to New England to Ski a WROD. Although I do want to bash summer bumps on Superstar sometime...