KILLINGTON: 2005 Alpinezone Ski Area Challenge

[snowsprite]

Were there more injuries at Killington this season? I have heard a lot of complaints about increased weekend crowds (though I myself didn't necessarily perceive that) and "skier aggression" incidents (that I did perceive).

I'm curious if you noticed more injuries and/or complaints about people not following "the skier's responsibility code."

Thanks!
Sprite

 

[dmc]

Were there more injuries at Killington this season? I have heard a lot of complaints about increased weekend crowds (though I myself didn't necessarily perceive that) and "skier aggression" incidents (that I did perceive).

I've seen the video on KChat...
Near misses followed by chasing people down, following up chair lifts and verbal altercations... All on video.. People acting like idiots...

the video..
http://www.killingtonzone.com/albums/spanky_videos/EastFallRunIn.wmv
Horrible..

 

[JimG.]

Were there more injuries at Killington this season? I have heard a lot of complaints about increased weekend crowds (though I myself didn't necessarily perceive that) and "skier aggression" incidents (that I did perceive).

I've seen the video on KChat...
Near misses followed by chasing people down, following up chair lifts and verbal altercations... All on video.. People acting like idiots...

the video..
http://www.killingtonzone.com/albums/spanky_videos/EastFallRunIn.wmv
Horrible..

Trail rage; pitiful. And all because someone skied too close to someone else.

 

[dmc]

Trail rage; pitiful. And all because someone skied too close to someone else.

I made it my work last winter to call out people that I think use the skiers responsibility code as some sort of pass to act like a jerk...

 

[thetrailboss]

Were there more injuries at Killington this season? I have heard a lot of complaints about increased weekend crowds (though I myself didn't necessarily perceive that) and "skier aggression" incidents (that I did perceive).

I've seen the video on KChat...
Near misses followed by chasing people down, following up chair lifts and verbal altercations... All on video.. People acting like idiots...

the video..
http://www.killingtonzone.com/albums/spanky_videos/EastFallRunIn.wmv
Horrible..

Trail rage; pitiful. And all because someone skied too close to someone else.

First off, nice video. The SKIING and SCENERY part hit the spot for me...man, the snow looked great.

But the whole CONFRONTATION theme was just over the top. I felt bad for the other guy...he apologized profusely, but the video man kept on going...mistakes happen...drop it! :roll:

 

[Greg]

But the whole CONFRONTATION theme was just over the top. I felt bad for the other guy...he apologized profusely, but the video man kept on going...mistakes happen...drop it! :roll:

A classic case of knowing when to pick your battles. Stopping to tell the guy once is fine, but three times is a bit much.

 

[dmc]

But the whole CONFRONTATION theme was just over the top. I felt bad for the other guy...he apologized profusely, but the video man kept on going...mistakes happen...drop it! :roll:

A classic case of knowing when to pick your battles. Stopping to tell the guy once is fine, but three times is a bit much.

Totally outta control...

Sorry - didn't mean to highjack the thread...
Like I said - Last winter I made a serious attempt to bust chops of people using the "CODE" to harass and justify being total jerks...

 

[thetrailboss]

OK, I think we have enough questions for now...time to send them out. Thanks for the enthusiasm and now bring that energy to our other Challenge, Ascutney. :wink:

 

[Greg]

Tom's responses are in:

http://skiing.alpinezone.com/articles/challenge/2005/response.htm?resort=killington

Unlocking this thread to allow for additional comments.

 

[Joshua B]

Bob, We will continue to stick with an early-mid November opening and mid-May closing next year. However, it is all dependant upon the weather!

Is it really *all* dependent upon the weather?

 

[thetrailboss]

Hmmmm....jury is out regarding the responses :-?

Read his response to Bob R's question:

Bob, We will continue to stick with an early-mid November opening and mid-May closing next year. However, it is all dependant upon the weather!

Ummm...correct me if I'm wrong... :-? ...but Killington has a history of Opening in October and closing in June, which contradicts what Tom said.

 

[Vortex]

I got a better answer than I thought I would. The days of Oct opening and June closing I felt were not happening anymore.
They seem to state that this past fall in some of the rumblings I had heard in the property owners meetings. Geoff could attend to that more. He had a great question. I was more concerned about the season shortening further. Others may have wanted more of a resonse out of my question. If they do what he said.... I will be satisfied.

 

[Greg]

Let me also give Tom props for a fast response. We waited literally months last year, although they were going through a number of marketing and communication staff changes at the time which may have lead to the delay.

 

[Geoff]

Since ASC yanked out the K double chair, I was always a pickup truck/Rime person but I'm OK with the new policy of waiting for a cold snap to blow lower Bunny Buster and open with top to bottom skiing. Personally, I hate Superstar as a spring trail. I like buttery unskied corn snow, not huge slush bumps with glacial ice in every trough. I tend to stop skiing when you can no longer poach all that great corn snow from the K1. You can only walk up Launch Pad from the top of the Superstar lift to get to Killington basin so many times before it gets old.

If I owned the place, I'd put in an upper mountain lift from roughly the old Cascade midstation up to K peak. That would be my fall/spring lift. I'd also rebuild the K Peak gondola building with the cafeteria on the lower level and a white tablecloth place on the upper level. It wouldn't quite be the Two Elks at Vail but it would be a good way to spread out the lunch time crowds.

I thought my question of poor product quality due to cheap pass-induced crowding versus selling new upscale condos at an upscale resort to millionaires wasn't answered at all. If I'm ASC or the developer "partner", I would not care that the Access Road businesses had a good year. You make money in the ski business by selling real estate. ...something that ASC has sucked at. If you attract a downmarket crowd, you have to charge downmarket prices for your condos. It's like trying to sell golf course real estate on a course where it takes 6 hours to complete a round and all the fairways & greens are trashed from public play. You don't see it since the millionaire who plays a round while looking at your condos isn't going to buy.

 

[Vortex]

The key reply to me was early to mid November opening to Mid May closing. To me the opening and closing seems to remain the same as this past year.

At least that is what he said..... No not what it was just a few seasons ago. The Rumours I heard were ThanksGiving until May 1st.
The days of Oct opening seemed to involve trucking people up. That is just not going to happen anymore. The weather statement does leave them an out. I'll take him at his word until I see different. He answered my questions about the rumors to a level I can live with. If his answers are not correct I will call ASC on them in the fall or Spring.

I look at Killington being my early and late season area. If I owned property or spent my majority of days there I would feel different and would have had a different question.

 

[riverc0il]

Is it really *all* dependent upon the weather?

not a chance. this is killington, with the biggest snow making system in the united states to the best of my knowledge. granted they can't make snow until it's 28 or below, but other than that it's all about desire to open early or blow enough snow to stay open late. the second answer in relation to BeanoNYC's refund question was a total dodge. very corporate answers...

 

[awf170]

i really should of asked this ? but forget, ill put it up anyway maybe someone knows. You know how every year ASC ski areas claim increased snow making by about 10-20%, but every year they make less snow, so how do they need increased snow making power but end up making less snow... ahhh yes remembered i could ask Sunday river if you get them greg

 

[eatskisleep]

Awww man me question never got asked...

 

[Vortex]

i really should of asked this ? but forget, ill put it up anyway maybe someone knows. You know how every year ASC ski areas claim increased snow making by about 10-20%, but every year they make less snow, so how do they need increased snow making power but end up making less snow... ahhh yes remembered i could ask Sunday river if you get them greg

Send a pm to Oz of this board. We had some talk about this in the SR board. He moderates over there. He might be able to linc you to the thread. Curious.. I don't doubt it , but where did you get those figures? I would like to read that.

 

[Geoff]

Is it really *all* dependent upon the weather?

not a chance. this is killington, with the biggest snow making system in the united states to the best of my knowledge. granted they can't make snow until it's 28 or below, but other than that it's all about desire to open early or blow enough snow to stay open late. the second answer in relation to BeanoNYC's refund question was a total dodge. very corporate answers...

Snowmaking temps depend on humidity. If it's dry, you can make snow when it's pushing 40F. If it's very humid, you won't have much success even at 28F. Some years, most of October into November is too warm & humid to make much progress blowing snow on the lower mountain. Rime at 3,000 feet is no problem. Lower Bunny Buster at 2,000 feet is impossible. As long as they continue with their top to bottom policy, opening day is going to be unpredictable.