overstating base depths

[skijay]

When a ski area promotes that they have a base depth of 10 to 30 inches of snow why is it when you ski an open trail there is a bare spot in the middle?

The conditions should be stated truthfully, 0 to 30 inches base depth on trails.

 

[Greg]

I don't know for sure, but perhaps a 10" - 30" base depth represents averages, not a true range. The trails with the least cover maybe average at 10" and the trails with the most cover average at 30"?

 

[Joshua B]

Let's ask this of the first marketing rep to take the AlpineZone challenge.

 

[threecy]

It is indeed average, per Snocountry. There may be a barespot in the middle, however there could also be 4 feet on the edge.

 

[tree_skier]

Base depth is irrelevant. There could be 10 feet in one spot and 5 inches in the next, does it matter, no all you are skiing on is the top couple of inches. At most areas if you look at the trails in the summer they are very irregular but in the winter very smooth what does that tell you????

 

[eatskisleep]

I hate when they do things like one foot of new powder over night, and then the wind blows all of the snow off of the mountain(errr Wildcat, Great Mountain, but they lie alot)

 

[Greg]

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Now that's a sig plug.

 

[riverc0il]

WORD josh! who's gut the guts to respond to that challenge!

tree_skier has got it right, base depth is irrelevent. the most BS marketing "statistic" used by ski areas. here's a better challenge: which ski are marketing rep will gain the favor of alpine zone forum members by announcing right now that they will eliminate this stat from their snow reports?

eatskisleep - you got that right about wildcat! worst snow reporting in new england as far as i'm concerned! they were still bragging about 30" of fresh powder in the last week when i skied there last saturday on mostly junky wet snow (especially where groomed) and lots of thin spots. i've been to wildcat about 2 dozen times in my life and never seen a ski report even close to what i actually skied.

 

[Greg]

WORD josh! who's gut the guts to respond to that challenge!

And it's something I'm considering:

http://forums.alpinezone.com/viewtopic.php?t=1407

Feel free to provide feedback in the above thread...