3rd Death at Hunter this season on Hunter North (ignore it Funky)

[John9]

They are in a hurry to get it done, or after Bruce left, they hired a guy in charge that doesn't know how to groom yet.

Looking at those trenches, I don't want to think about what would happen to someone's leg or knee if they got a ski caught in one of those. How can they operate a ski mountain like this? It is like putting a booby trap in the trails, all they are missing are some pointy sticks.

 

[hub8]

Looking at those trenches, I don't want to think about what would happen to someone's leg or knee if they got a ski caught in one of those. How can they operate a ski mountain like this? It is like putting a booby trap in the trails, all they are missing are some pointy sticks.

[emoji23][emoji23]

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[Edd]

Check out them trenches.

Yeah, that’s not great. Easily avoided if you see them in time but that could screw up a novice skier easily.

 

[chrisarge]

Terrible tragedies
Perfect storm
Peak Resorts doing it "my" way or hit the highway
Minimal snowmaking
Wet snowmaking at all temps creating ice base
Grooming at wrong times
Poorly thought out engineering of Hunter North
Poor placement of new lift creates bottleneck
Mislabeled intermediate trails that are steep
Low level skiers fed off the Belt Pkwy onto black diamond steep trails mislabeled "intermediate"
Relabeled trails to made up blue/black designation
Sleepy Hollow narrow trail with cliff on skiers right, off Belt Pkwy intermediate trail, fall off side fall off a cliff, closed for season
3 deaths in under 2 months on new terrain, not normal.

Would like to see stats for injuries pre Peak and post Peak.

Add to the 3 tragic deaths numerous people who have suffered severe injuries on the new trails, Peak has problems there.
Overlook day 1, broken femur, broken back, etc etc etc, 6 major accidents day 1. It gets worse.

Also lost West side which only had Claires open, no Annapurna even, and White Cloud gone.

 

[drjeff]

If when Hunter likely closes for the season in 3, maybe 4 weeks, with likely Hunter North still 100% covered and open, is it really a case of "minimal snowmaking" as you said in your post or just smart business sense and not "waisting" thousands of dollars making snow to a depth past where historical standards say will be needed to meet the desired closing date?

Additionally, has this been a case in the 3 deaths on the new terrain where it's affected all demographic cross sections of customers? Nope. It's a demographic, male millennials, where risk taking seems to go hand and hand, and hence in the case of all 3 of the deaths, excessive speed for the conditions is cited as a factor....

Will likely some of the new trails at Hunter North receive a re-rating to a black diamond at some point? Probably. Was that the only factor in these unfortunate events? Absolutely not

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[chrisarge]

If when Hunter likely closes for the season in 3, maybe 4 weeks, with likely Hunter North still 100% covered and open, is it really a case of "minimal snowmaking" as you said in your post or just smart business sense and not "waisting" thousands of dollars making snow to a depth past where historical standards say will be needed to meet the desired closing date?

Additionally, has this been a case in the 3 deaths on the new terrain where it's affected all demographic cross sections of customers? Nope. It's a demographic, male millennials, where risk taking seems to go hand and hand, and hence in the case of all 3 of the deaths, excessive speed for the conditions is cited as a factor....

Will likely some of the new trails at Hunter North receive a re-rating to a black diamond at some point? Probably. Was that the only factor in these unfortunate events? Absolutely not

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You have valid points.

Minimal snowmaking on the mtn as a whole, yes. Divots, depressions in terrain don't get covered like they used to, gravel ground in, effects skiing. Snowmaking is what made Hunter great, when all others closed Hunter held steady without resorting to rock skis.

What do you think of that grooming picture on Overlook? Bad situation created there imho and no lollipops to mark it a hazard. Have to wonder is there a person in charge of risk management that monitors stuff like this?

Why were those "male millernials" there because they thought they were choosing intermediate blue square trails? Did they accidentally take an old trail map from the lodge with trails clearly labeled blue square intermediate?

It's sad 3 deaths and multiple major injuries from the start day 1 on North. I'm sure they'll fix it,who wants more of the same. Just an opinion.

 

[danimals]

I can say the day I took that photo, there was a ton of ski patrol all over north. Those trenches were the visible ones, as there were more on the steeper sections in the dark.


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[chrisarge]

I can say the day I took that photo, there was a ton of ski patrol all over north. Those trenches were the visible ones, as there were more on the steeper sections in the dark.


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Maybe that was the day the kid was extricated from about 20 feet in the woods with a broken leg on North? Not sure what day that happened last week or weekend?

 

[Cornhead]

GWI, grooming while intoxicated, or at least GWAI, grooming while ability impaired.

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[njdiver85]

How soon after they re-label those trails as expert terrain will there be people here complaining that those trails are too easy?

And regarding those pictures of the current trail condition, one should always approach any trail they have not skied yet that day cautiously (and in complete control) for the first run because you never know what the conditions are (ice, exposed rocks, bumps, trenches, etc.). In fact, that's what makes skiing what it is - you can ski down the same trail on two different days and have completely different experiences.

 

[cdskier]

In fact, that's what makes skiing what it is - you can ski down the same trail on two different days and have completely different experiences.

Never-mind two different days. You can ski down the same trail the same day and experience vastly different conditions each run.

 

[Funky_Catskills]

Never-mind two different days. You can ski down the same trail the same day and experience vastly different conditions each run.

Which is awesome!!!

 

[MEtoVTSkier]

If the snow isn't deep enough to cover the unburied snowmaking pipe, you don't want to be in those trees…

I was pretty much thinking the same thing when it was first posted, but hey... some people just don't care about their bases anyhow! :lol:

 

[skiur]

I was pretty much thinking the same thing when it was first posted, but hey... some people just don't care about their bases anyhow! :lol:

Thats what rock skis are for!

 

[Funky_Catskills]

I was pretty much thinking the same thing when it was first posted, but hey... some people just don't care about their bases anyhow! :lol:

If you can't avoid a brightly colored snowmaking pipe on the top of a run then you have no business being in the trees...

 

[FBGM]

Wow those grooming pics are horrible. I mean, right on par for what I’d expect but seriously.

Also, exposed snowmaking pipe like in pics posted is Busch league cheap and lazy mountain ops. Looks horrible. Huge danger. All to save a few bucks.

Everything in this thread seems Hunter and Peaks rushes this and saved a few bucks and don’t care around safety or standards

 

[Funky_Catskills]

Wow those grooming pics are horrible. I mean, right on par for what I’d expect but seriously.

Also, exposed snowmaking pipe like in pics posted is Busch league cheap and lazy mountain ops. Looks horrible. Huge danger. All to save a few bucks.

Everything in this thread seems Hunter and Peaks rushes this and saved a few bucks and don’t care around safety or standards

The next day those ruts were gone. Those pipes are a non-issue... The terrain is awesome - I ride it a few times a week. the new parking area is perfect. It's safe.. People just can't ski... Or just like to complain..

 

[skiur]

FBGM has been inappropriately touched by Peaks so take his comments about them with a grain of salt.

 

[Funky_Catskills]

FBGM has been inappropriately touched by Peaks so take his comments about them with a grain of salt.

Oh - bad touch.... not good..

Then let me just say - most of the negative shit people are pushing on this board on Hunter North is bullshit..
Either they haven't ridden it OR are just serial complainers looking to hurt Hunter because they suck and can't actually ski well to enjoy it..

There's a lot more to this then someone lost control and died in the woods. People and their responsibility to ski in control, pay attention to signs and have good updated equipment need to be factored in as well.

 

[180]

FBGM has been inappropriately touched by Peaks so take his comments about them with a grain of salt.

Hard to take this. Every ski resort has exposed pipes.