Mount Snow opens super pipe today, 12/29

[roark]

How many people actually use that thing?

 

[tree_skier]

How many people actually use that thing?

If your talking about how many go down the middle alot. But if you mean how many actually reach the top then discounting the comp kids you can count them on your fingers.

 

[vcunning]

Ah, now I understand why there was no report from you on Jaws (you apparently didn't know it was opened!). I will expect a full report sir!

You know, DrJeff occasionally works. THus the lack of report.

 

[MommaBear]

You know, DrJeff occasionally works. THus the lack of report.

He's not working...he's slacking!! ;-)

 

[drjeff]

You know, DrJeff occasionally works. THus the lack of report.

He's not working...he's slacking!! ;-)

Hey wait a minute!!!

Okay, nevermind :lol:

 

[drjeff]

How many people actually use that thing?

It will be live on NBC this first weekend of February this year (as it was last year). Big PR for Mount Snow (and it doesn't hurt that Kelly Clark is a local either PR wise)

 

[jaywbigred]

I agree, I think this thing is mostly a PR stunt and not many people use it very well. Some small and medium pipes to practice on would be awesome.

 

[drjeff]

I agree, I think this thing is mostly a PR stunt and not many people use it very well. Some small and medium pipes to practice on would be awesome.

You'll probably see the mini pipe built up on the top of mineshaft in the next couple of weeks.

 

[jarrodski]

I agree, I think this thing is mostly a PR stunt and not many people use it very well. Some small and medium pipes to practice on would be awesome.

by new standards... it is small.

you don't get voted #1 on east coast without it, its on tv, it looks cool, and the employee sessions on it are probably awesome, so the motivation stays high to keep the pipe mint.

It is strange to me how fast rail riding blew up and pipe skiing is steady at best. probably due to the amount of effort and skill needed to use a pipe properly.

 

[drjeff]

by new standards... it is small.

you don't get voted #1 on east coast without it, its on tv, it looks cool, and the employee sessions on it are probably awesome, so the motivation stays high to keep the pipe mint.

It is strange to me how fast rail riding blew up and pipe skiing is steady at best. probably due to the amount of effort and skill needed to use a pipe properly.

They've already said that right after MLK weekend, the pipe will be closed down for a rebuild upto Dew Tour size. If this one they're saying has 16 foot walls, for the Dew Tour it will more than likely be in the 20-22 foot range.

Last year I will admit to being a bit skeptical about putting a bunch of effort and resources into 2 areas (the pipe and inferno) for the Dew Tour, but after seeing the benefits (increased volume and hence $$) it's had for BOTH Mount Snow and the greater Deerfield Valley, it's worth it in my mind.

 

[noonan]

They've already said that right after MLK weekend, the pipe will be closed down for a rebuild upto Dew Tour size. If this one they're saying has 16 foot walls, for the Dew Tour it will more than likely be in the 20-22 foot range.

Don't count on the pipe being that big for the Dew Tour. The existing area where the pipe is located could not support a 20-22 foot tall pipe. It would be too short. They would have to remove a ton of trees above the current drop-in zone to make the room necessary for something that large. Plus, I'm pretty sure Snow's pipe cutter can only support an 18 foot pipe.

 

[noonan]

I agree, I think this thing is mostly a PR stunt and not many people use it very well. Some small and medium pipes to practice on would be awesome.

There is absolutely no PR stunt behind "this thing." Mount Snow has always worked their tail off (pre Dew Tour years) to get a top notch pipe open as early as possible.

They could have easily NOT opened their pipe for the short 3 week span between now and MLK weekend and simply used the Dew Tour as an excuse to keep it 'closed for preparation.' But, they went out of their way to give the public a halfpipe to play in for a few weeks prior to having to close it down so they can rebuild it (all over, again) for the Dew Tour.

I think that says a lot about their dedication in providing a great park/pipe experience. I applaud them (with ski poles) for that.

 

[vlewis]

Don't count on the pipe being that big for the Dew Tour. The existing area where the pipe is located could not support a 20-22 foot tall pipe. It would be too short. They would have to remove a ton of trees above the current drop-in zone to make the room necessary for something that large. Plus, I'm pretty sure Snow's pipe cutter can only support an 18 foot pipe.

noonan you are absolutely right about this, we could not create a 20-22 foot pipe in the location it currently sits. We max out at 18 foot walls. I'm not sure about the pipe cutter size but will look into that, its an intersting question. Thanks for being so informed and so supportive of our efforts.

 

[jaywbigred]

There is absolutely no PR stunt behind "this thing." Mount Snow has always worked their tail off (pre Dew Tour years) to get a top notch pipe open as early as possible.

They could have easily NOT opened their pipe for the short 3 week span between now and MLK weekend and simply used the Dew Tour as an excuse to keep it 'closed for preparation.' But, they went out of their way to give the public a halfpipe to play in for a few weeks prior to having to close it down so they can rebuild it (all over, again) for the Dew Tour.

I think that says a lot about their dedication in providing a great park/pipe experience. I applaud them (with ski poles) for that.

If youve spent an afternoon at Carinthia watching people use the pipe, you'd know that there are only a handful of people who make any sort of real use out of it. My conjecture is that a smaller pipe would service a greater range of skiers who would actually use it as its designed to be used. Having the biggest, baddest pipe in the land is great for PR (see front page of website), as well as Ski Magazine rankings. Of course, they need it for the Dew Tour, which is an event I support. But given the amount of work and effort that goes into it (a lot), and into what I am sure is a superior product, you cannot deny that it services only a very limited segment of the mountain's customers. Same goes for the X-Large features on Inferno.

I'm not saying its wrong or that I disagree with what they are doing. I am a big fan of the mountain to the point where I bought a ski condo there based largely on what I see as a management team that has its sh!t together and understands its customer base. All I am saying is that we should call a spade a spade: the pipe reaps publicity and serves the Dew Tour (which also reaps publicity). The publicity draws people to the mountain, which generates revenue, which in turn allows management to provide the excellent services they provide (the brewers's fests, the Blues fest, Octoberfest, Mardi Gras week, the best snowmaking in the world, a decent lift system without major issues [ahem, Hunter, ahem], lots of food and drink options at the base, and so on).

 

[Newpylong]

The smaller pipe is on Mine Shaft that the mobs use and usually is built around now...
It is much easier to build and requires far less snow. They had great temps for a week and used them to build the pipe, I assume both for the public and so they don't get boned for the Dew Tour if there is a melt can they can't make anything down the road.

If youve spent an afternoon at Carinthia watching people use the pipe, you'd know that there are only a handful of people who make any sort of real use out of it. My conjecture is that a smaller pipe would service a greater range of skiers who would actually use it as its designed to be used. Having the biggest, baddest pipe in the land is great for PR (see front page of website), as well as Ski Magazine rankings. Of course, they need it for the Dew Tour, which is an event I support. But given the amount of work and effort that goes into it (a lot), and into what I am sure is a superior product, you cannot deny that it services only a very limited segment of the mountain's customers. Same goes for the X-Large features on Inferno.

I'm not saying its wrong or that I disagree with what they are doing. I am a big fan of the mountain to the point where I bought a ski condo there based largely on what I see as a management team that has its sh!t together and understands its customer base. All I am saying is that we should call a spade a spade: the pipe reaps publicity and serves the Dew Tour (which also reaps publicity). The publicity draws people to the mountain, which generates revenue, which in turn allows management to provide the excellent services they provide (the brewers's fests, the Blues fest, Octoberfest, Mardi Gras week, the best snowmaking in the world, a decent lift system without major issues [ahem, Hunter, ahem], lots of food and drink options at the base, and so on).

 

[mondeo]

Is the pipe built into the hill at all?

Seems like once a mountain is happy with the placement, they'd at least do some amount of digging out the pipe to save on the amount of snow it consumes.

 

[Euler]

Yeah, the pipe is carved into the ground a bit. Still takes a boatload of snow to create it though. I'll be staying far away from it this year:blink:

Is the pipe built into the hill at all?

Seems like once a mountain is happy with the placement, they'd at least do some amount of digging out the pipe to save on the amount of snow it consumes.

 

[MommaBear]

Yeah, the pipe is carved into the ground a bit. Still takes a boatload of snow to create it though. I'll be staying far away from it this year:blink:

Thought of you when I saw the post about "who actually uses this thing"! lol! All healed up?

 

[Euler]

Thought of you when I saw the post about "who actually uses this thing"! lol! All healed up?

Yeah! I've skiied three times this season and it's been great. I opted not to have surgery, so it took a looong time to heal, and I've got a funny lump in my clavicle now, but I feel good about my choice. I'm not a high performance athelete by a long shot, so the risks of surgery didn't justify the benefits for me.

It sucked last year dropping my kid off at Devo every Sat and Sun and not skiing myself, so it feels really good to be back out there.

 

[Newpylong]

If only they put that snow on some real trail they could have plummet and ripcord open, or south bowl

huh, interesting. 4 days later and South Bowl is now open on man made and Ripcord currently is being burried. like i said, just needed a little time.