Mount Snow: Inside Track

[Smellytele]

cdskier, I agree completely. That was sort of what I was getting at. Yes those numbers have stayed basically the same, but look around out there on the slopes. The median age is slipping north, the big exception being Carinthia(and other parks) were the median age in the parking lot or on Nitro is probably under 30 80% of the season. These 20-something passes keep those numbers steady, without them you would lose some of those numbers, personally I'd go from a 30+ days on snow season down to 10-15 max. Lose us now and when we have kids we won't come back for those rentals, lessons, and condos. That's where this all leads. If you hook us now, I ski my 20's at a Peaks resort as a Drifter in 15 years when time comes to buy a vacation home I'm going to go look at the Carinthia condos. Get rid of the Drifter and I go to Stratton on a 20-something pass, maybe then in 15 years I'm looking in the village up there because of those memories from "the glory years."

I wonder if you'll still hit the park in 15 years. If not why get a place next to it?

 

[drjeff]

I wonder if you'll still hit the park in 15 years. If not why get a place next to it?

So the future kids can.....

Honestly that's one of the main reasons my wife and I bought our place 11 years ago when our kids were 1 and 3... It was more about future experiences for them and creating family memories than our own personal enjoyment

 

[sull1102]

LoL, oh I will be. Might not be launching off on a Inferno, but maybe I'll be watching a son/daughter on Grommet and then I can watch them from my imaginary condo's patio overlooking the park . I see tons of older skiers in the park, unfortunately half the time risking themselves cutting under a jump it seems, but a lot of older guys like a few seconds of air time from what I can see. Surely you can see how much of a success Carinthia is and how much it contributes to the mountain as a whole.

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[Smellytele]

LoL, oh I will be. Might not be launching off on a Inferno, but maybe I'll be watching a son/daughter on Grommet and then I can watch them from my imaginary condo's patio overlooking the park . I see tons of older skiers in the park, unfortunately half the time risking themselves cutting under a jump it seems, but a lot of older guys like a few seconds of air time from what I can see. Surely you can see how much of a success Carinthia is and how much it contributes to the mountain as a whole.

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How popular are parks outside of Mt Snow? Most places I frequent don't even have parks and the ones that do aren't usually that busy.

 

[drjeff]

How popular are parks outside of Mt Snow? Most places I frequent don't even have parks and the ones that do aren't usually that busy.

There was an article in Ski Area Management Magazine a year or 2 ago about what makes a park an asset verses just a trail covered with a bunch of expensive snow and not enough use to really justify the costs associated with the park.

What it boiled down too, is successful parks have figured out the proper combination of marketing, progression as the season goes on, variety to cater to the beginner to advanced level park user, and regular feedback between the park users and park builders and crew that maintains the park daily. It can be an asset for sure when the commitment from the mountain is there and the essentially daily effort to keep things interesting for the clientele is there.

Unsuccessful parks tend to be one where they're the same park, just with a fresh coat of corduroy every day of the season, and little to no interest from the mountain in hearing feedback from the users of the park.

Mount Snow does the park thing about as well as any resort in North America, but it also didn't happen overnight

 

[machski]

I hate to say it, but the park thing is already a trend that is on its way down. Much like the mogul scene used to be, parks will end up the same. Sure, we still have mogul comps and young skiers coming up as such, but it is not the scene it was in the 80's and 90's. I have already started to see parks drop off. Used to be the place to be seen on mountain a decade ago, now mostly just frequented/seen by those skiers/riders inclined to it and by no one else. It will become a sideshow, just like pro comp level bump runs now. Half pipes even more so now.

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[SkiingInABlueDream]

^^ what's replacing it then?

 

[icecoast1]

I hate to say it, but the park thing is already a trend that is on its way down. Much like the mogul scene used to be, parks will end up the same. Sure, we still have mogul comps and young skiers coming up as such, but it is not the scene it was in the 80's and 90's. I have already started to see parks drop off. Used to be the place to be seen on mountain a decade ago, now mostly just frequented/seen by those skiers/riders inclined to it and by no one else. It will become a sideshow, just like pro comp level bump runs now. Half pipes even more so now.

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It's sad but true. Mountains seem to be uninterested in building serious parks anymore. The US Open even had to go out west. I don't think there's a lack of interest though. Carinthia always seems popping to me, if you put in the time and effort into your parks and get creative, people will come. The problem is too many mountains would rather cater to the high end clientele than the park rats and thus their "parks" just become sideshows. Carinthia is a good example of what can happen when you actually try. Who knows where it sits on Mount Snows list of $ makers but its certainly proof that there is interest in park skiing/riding

 

[Smellytele]

It's sad but true. Mountains seem to be uninterested in building serious parks anymore. The US Open even had to go out west. I don't think there's a lack of interest though. Carinthia always seems popping to me, if you put in the time and effort into your parks and get creative, people will come. The problem is too many mountains would rather cater to the high end clientele than the park rats and thus their "parks" just become sideshows. Carinthia is a good example of what can happen when you actually try. Who knows where it sits on Mount Snows list of $ makers but its certainly proof that there is interest in park skiing/riding

I wonder what the insurance cost is if you have a park. Is it more? it seems more people get hurt in the park then while on other trails. At least it seems that way at Pats Peak. I could be wrong but I see more sleds coming from the park than from other trails.

 

[MommaBear]

So the future kids can.....

Honestly that's one of the main reasons my wife and I bought our place 11 years ago when our kids were 1 and 3... It was more about future experiences for them and creating family memories than our own personal enjoyment

Ditto. Thou they've seem to have moved on to other things....I still enjoy my place, all 4 seasons.

 

[machski]

I wonder what the insurance cost is if you have a park. Is it more? it seems more people get hurt in the park then while on other trails. At least it seems that way at Pats Peak. I could be wrong but I see more sleds coming from the park than from other trails.

It probably adds some cost insurance-wise. I know when SR was installing the lighting for night skiing, it was when T72 was built as the signature park (and lower 3-D became the mid level park). It was asked if the mountain would add lights to those trails to increase night skiing interest. We were told they wanted to until insurance stepped in due to risk with the low light (if you have skied SR at night, you know the lighting on Escapade and Dreamaker is marginally adequate) and the big features. So only the beginner South ridge park is lit.

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[ss20]

^^ what's replacing it then?

Trees.

 

[Newpylong]

In my experience (MountainGuard) there are no insurance increases for having a park.

Insurance company requires proper signage at the top and throughout the park, and that signage just changed in the last few years - PITA.

 

[GregoryIsaacs]

Big shout out to Southern VT topping the list of seasonal snowfall to date (Elevation is obviously not taken into effect I assume).... I see you Wilmington!

 

[machski]

It is on Mount Washington. But most NOAA reporting points are not at the summit or elevation.

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[Smellytele]

Big shout out to Southern VT topping the list of seasonal snowfall to date (Elevation is obviously not taken into effect I assume).... I see you Wilmington!



View attachment 23856

Randolph, NH actually topped the list for a town in Northern NE.

 

[deadheadskier]

The marketing folks at Wildcat need to stay on top of things. They are advertising 173" for the season, where as Pinkham Notch on that list is 187". With a Jay Peak ruler at 4K feet, Cat probably had 275".

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[Jcb890]

The marketing folks at Wildcat need to stay on top of things. They are advertising 173" for the season, where as Pinkham Notch on that list is 187". With a Jay Peak ruler at 4K feet, Cat probably had 275".

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Jay Peak got 450" of snow this year!!!

 

[MountSnow]

Shameless Plug Alert
Today is the last day to save on 2018/19 Peak Passes.
Head over to www.mountsnow.com/passes

Bonus points if you can guess where this was taken this year.

 

[MountSnow]

Been a little quiet on here recently. Must be the weather!

Does anyone have any questions or comments for us?