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PSA: 2024-2025 Ikon Renewal

deadheadskier

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I have seen the behavior defended on these very forums that keeping the skis on the snow keeps the bases cold so they run faster. Haha

I have also attended a tuning clinic from a tech for the US ski team who stated to not worry about waxing technical event skis too much. You will barely tell the difference on technical events because you are on edge so much and running flat minimally. Touch up your edges every day? Yes. Wax? 2-3 times throughout the season is fine for most except for extreme temp race days.
 

thebigo

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I have never heard that cold bases has any impact on results. Skis left on the snow are the result of poor discipline and laziness, nothing else. Our coaches do not tolerate skis left on the snow, the result is kids pick up their skis. Language below or similar is included in every NHARA race announcement and NHARA code of conduct that every athlete signs annually.

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jimmywilson69

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wow we are really off topic in this thread LOL

I'm still considering both Ikon and some sort of Epic next year. I know that the mega pass detractors will say that is very much the problem with them. From a skier perspective if you can swing it financially, then its an absolute no brainer. The ski area that is 4 miles from my house is epic, so I am married to them in some fashion because I'm not giving up being able to ski as often as I like. I recognize that's a different approach than most on this forum or even in the northeast have.
 

4aprice

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Always strange to me that people assume every youth racer is wasting their time if they don't make the olympics. Do these people think kids playing basketball are wasting their time if they don't make the NBA?

I never set out to be a race dad, first seasonal program was more about the babysitting than the skiing. Racing is not for every family, there is a massive time and financial commitment but it is one of the best things I have done for my kids.

My daughter first learned about piches last year at champs. On the drive home she said dad 'i want to go to piches next year'. I told her she had to earn it. She then proceeded to do dryland 4x weekly all summer and make sure not to miss a single drill or gate run during the season, training 5+ days/week.

This past Sunday at champs the weather was terrible. She is a GS skier that tolerates SL. Snow was such shit they could not fence for GS, ran four SL. Run four she was on the outside looking in and ran the race of her life, qualifying with the #10 NHARA slot.

Kid set a goal, worked on it for a year and achieved her goal. She is not going anywhere near the olympics but this experience and the lesson will stay with her for life. Really is what youth athletics is about for 99% of kids.
I very much agree with a lot of this. My son raced as a middle and high schooler but neither we or he had any delusions that he would be a college or Olympic athlete, he just did it for a sport. He wanted to ski so we placed him on the "development team" which really helped his skiing and got him invited on to the mountain team. He had his personal triumphs, making High School's up in NH 2 years in a row, but while he got backing from us there was no pressure and I think he enjoyed his experience.

Funny, we did some traveling for skiing (1 western PA trip each year) but nothing like the hockey people do.
 

deadheadskier

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wow we are really off topic in this thread LOL

I'm still considering both Ikon and some sort of Epic next year. I know that the mega pass detractors will say that is very much the problem with them. From a skier perspective if you can swing it financially, then its an absolute no brainer. The ski area that is 4 miles from my house is epic, so I am married to them in some fashion because I'm not giving up being able to ski as often as I like. I recognize that's a different approach than most on this forum or even in the northeast have.

Location matters. In your situation I absolutely would have an Epic pass. If some how Gunstock was leased to Vail, first I'd be furious and then I'd buy a pass. Hopefully it's never leased to anyone and maintains the current management structure.
 

thetrailboss

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Location matters. In your situation I absolutely would have an Epic pass. If some how Gunstock was leased to Vail, first I'd be furious and then I'd buy a pass. Hopefully it's never leased to anyone and maintains the current management structure.
After the last showdown, has there been any more talk about leasing out Gunstock?
 

deadheadskier

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After the last showdown, has there been any more talk about leasing out Gunstock?

Not publicly, but there will always be local government officials trying to push for it. The place could bring in $100M a year for the county (obvious exaggeration) and there will still be folks screaming a private operator could bring in even more money.
 

BenedictGomez

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that’s why they leave the skis on the ground outside the lodge? For real?
That's what I have heard several times as the reason it always seems to be race kids doing this. Basically that keeping them on the snow helps maintain the wax on the base at the same consistent temperature. Also not exposed to direct sun where wax can degrade & possibly in irregular fashion affecting the skis' performance on the slopes.

Is it true? I dunno. Admittedly it sounds crazy to me, but I can see this making sense on the FIS World Cup where races have literally been won in 1/100 of a second.
 

BenedictGomez

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By moving there you put your balls in their hand...
Not really. I could certainly ski Deer Valley, Snowbird, Solitude and Brighton instead, but then similarly your balls are just in another duopolist's hand. That's the growing issue with 2 companies owning a crazy number of ski resorts. Frankly at this point I suspect most posters here have either an EPIC or an IKON pass (some even have both).
 

jimmywilson69

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She may have mine, but I have yours 😘
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4aprice

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I suspect most posters here have either an EPIC or an IKON pass (some even have both).
So I'm going to be in this boat one of these days. Ikon I'm pretty much stuck with for WInter Park as its their pass, plus Steamboat, Copper and A Basin are all within an easy drive, but we are also within an easy drive from 4 major Epic areas and I'm not going to just ignore them.
 
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