$1M for Mittersill "improvement project"

[Newpylong]

I know. My increase in season pass price.

I think it's premature to say that. It could be the same thing as what we used to do at Sugarbush on Inverness. If the whole mt. is open and there is terrain for everyone then it's business as normal. If snow is being made and lifts closed to the public on Inverness then the school and club pay for it. Of course Sugarbush is not state owned, but you would have to read into whatever agreement was made.

 

[SIKSKIER]

Thus my commnet. Who is paying to ski a trail pod that is closed to the public?

From Cannons website:
The improvements at Mittersill will allow the club to train on a dedicated trail with T-bar lift service and up to four training lanes on the Taft Slope during predetermined timeframes. Baron's Run will also see limited training or racing. The T-Bar will be open to all skiers and riders, and is expected to run on weekends and holidays

I dont believe you will see anything running at Mittersill without public access.That would really inflame a lot of people.

 

[MadMadWorld]

So are they planning to just blow snow on that one trail? If that is the case, why would even bother running the t-bar on weekends and holidays unless all of Mittersill is open?

 

[skiberg]

I believe this has been covered exhaustively already, but Barons and the new cut open slope will only be closed a percentage of the time. The US Ski Team training probably will happen in the early season PRIOR to mid December. Not saying they wont train other times also, but once the season is underway no need for them to be at Cannon. It has something to do with the NE snowmaking snow and how similar it is to mid-season conditions in Europe. They can get similar conditions here before they head over to Europe.
I do not believe USSA has committed any money YET. Probably will, but not yet.
Also, keep in mind, IF this happens and IF they train, they will pay Cannon for the use of the hill. So don't think this project will raise anyone's season pass costs.
Whether they train or not its not going to increase the footprint of the project.

 

[doublediamond]

Thus my commnet. Who is paying to ski a trail pod that is closed to the public?

The USSA pays a very high rate to have access to terrain. They pay for the entirety of the cost of snowmaking on the race trail at Copper to gaurantee it gets open for them.

 

[Smellytele]

The question I have is...
I know at Copper they train there very early in the season even before the mountain opens to the masses and sometimes before the euro season starts. With Cannon the Euro season will be well on its way before snow can even be made so who will be training there? I am assuming those who are on the B team hoping to make the A team?

 

[SIKSKIER]

Smelly raises the exact question I have.I wonder if there are breaks in the season where it would be used or maybe late season?

 

[Puck it]

Smelly raises the exact question I have.I wonder if there are breaks in the season where it would be used or maybe late season?

And if it is only the training trails open will and the USSA paid for the snowmaking will the public be allowed over there.

 

[SkiRaceParent]

And if it is only the training trails open will and the USSA paid for the snowmaking will the public be allowed over there.

You need not go any farther than the Colorado mountains that cater to academy, international and USSA teams this time of year to understand how it works...they are Copper, Loveland and Beaver Creek. Essentially, how it will work is that 3 or 4 trails will be closed to the public and 'laned' off into 4 or 5 (or less or more depending on the width) training courses that the teams will use. They will rent these lands, usually for something in the hundred, or low thousands of dollars per session plus lift tickets for athletes and coaches. What I foresee as usage of this training complex, if it ever gets completed, is perhaps for athletes who are on the development teams and sort of on the fringe of the world cup circuit. Nolan Kasper from Burke and Julia Ford from Okemo/Holderness would be two good examples. Right now, they train a lot at the ski schools in the northeast when they are not in Europe, and then may pop over there for a race or two, then come back. It would save them the flight back all the way to Colorado or the high cost of staying in Europe to train.

I really don't see a role for the A team except perhaps a 'cameo' if the snow conditions are good around the time of the Beaver Creek and Lake louise (north american) races around last week in November and first week in December. Then after that, they will be in Europe all the way through unless World Championships or olympics are in North America, which may happen once every 15 years or so.

For younger, less established athletes who are in the national training program, Mittersill could be a good place to escape from the Academies for camps and speed training. Perhaps it would be a good place to host Junior Nationals every once in awhile as well in the rotation with Park City and Sugarloaf that is going on right now.

The real winners will be area college teams. I bet if affordable and good to work with, Dartmouth, UVM, UNH, etc. will be there a lot.

 

[skiberg]

I think you have identified the most likely usage. I doubt you will be seeing any A-Teamers. Probably the pay your own way guys and gals. It will be sporadic and probably have minimal affect upon the skiing public.

 

[MadMadWorld]

Julia Ford will be training there this year!

 

[doublediamond]

There's no speed skiing in collegiate racing. Only GS and SL.

 

[SkiRaceParent]

There's no speed skiing in collegiate racing. Only GS and SL.

Yes however a wide and long trail better enables a long course of GS gates. Also most of the carnival level racers will be racing nor ams and a few even world cups or Europa cup races so there is some super G training even at the NCAA level.

 

[witch hobble]

The real winners will be area college teams. I bet if affordable and good to work with, Dartmouth, UVM, UNH, etc. will be there a lot.

PSU is D1 these days, and the student senate ski package is always Cannon for the general student/employee deal. You'd think the ski team might abandon Waterville for Cannon now too.

 

[skiberg]

Julia trained at Canon last year. She is an FSC alum. You need to understand that this development is taking place as D1 college racing in North America has become basically the second highest level of racing in the world. Also,my understanding is that the barons course will be a homologated super G for women. So I think it's accurate to say the college racing will benefit from this development

 

[thetrailboss]

UVM and Dartmouth do go to Burke every once in a while (or did). I could see Dartmouth going to Cannon a few times. UVM has Stowe in their backyard and I don't see them driving 2:30 or so for Cannon. Maybe though....


Sent from my iPhone using AlpineZone

 

[skiberg]

We are not talking about day-to-day training. They will stay at their home mountains for day-to-day training. Training at Canon will be periodic and very specific purposes. It's a sport it's contested in the 100ths of seconds any advantage they can get they will try and find. They fly six hours to ski for five days in July, they will drive to or three hours to ski for a weekend in November.
all of this assumes however that this does not become Home hill to some college. They've already been in talks with a number of D1 programs who are interested in putting their program at Canon full-time. Don't be surprised if it happens because that is going to be a big portion of where the remaining 2 million comes from.

 

[witch hobble]

I know this is the intertube and all, but let's try to spell the mountain's name correctly here

 

[Smellytele]

I know this is the intertube and all, but let's try to spell the mountain's name correctly here

Auto correct

 

[skiberg]

Siri