Smuggs

[bdfreetuna]

So with this strategy, Smugglers can either go for the world record of oldest running lift at some point, or they can upgrade. To what?

Another slow double? What happens with M1 kicks the bucket for real?

Jay Peak tram also services some of the best terrain in the east and that isn't a problem of skier traffic.

All I'm saying is a triple chair at a somewhat faster speed would be par for the course. They are basically running in MRG mindset now where the terrain is so much holier than the people who travelled and paid to ski it, by operating a lift that is laughably under serving it's terrain.

 

[MadMadWorld]

So with this strategy, Smugglers can either go for the world record of oldest running lift at some point, or they can upgrade. To what?

Another slow double? What happens with M1 kicks the bucket for real?

Jay Peak tram also services some of the best terrain in the east and that isn't a problem of skier traffic.

All I'm saying is a triple chair at a somewhat faster speed would be par for the course. They are basically running in MRG mindset now where the terrain is so much holier than the people who travelled and paid to ski it, by operating a lift that is laughably under serving it's terrain.

Sorry but Jay doesn't light a candle to the terrain at Smuggs except for the ridge area. But the big boy lines aren't skiable all that often and if they are, it's not usually that good. The main expert terrain off of M1 - Freefall, Liftline, Robin's, and Black Hole all require a great base. They are just series of ledges one after another. On a busy weekend they can get skied to shit. And when that happens those trails can get ugly. I generally don't have to worry about slabs of exposed rock or frozen waterfalls over 10 ft drops at Jay. Not to mention the crap Jay pulls with "wind hold" excuses.

 

[BenedictGomez]

Depends what you like. It is a mountain that truly has a really nice balance of beginner, intermediate, and expert terrain that are broken into pods.

Smuggler's Notch is not a pod mountain. I dont think there are many actual pod mountains in the east (SEE: Gore Mountain).

with this strategy, Smugglers can either go for the world record of oldest running lift at some point, or they can upgrade. To what? Another slow double? What happens with M1 kicks the bucket for real?

Here, here.

 

[MadMadWorld]

Smuggler's Notch is not a pod mountain. I dont think there are many actual pod mountains in the east (SEE: Gore Mountain).



Here, here.

You have a lot to learn about Smuggs BG.

 

[deadheadskier]

S

Jay Peak tram also services some of the best terrain in the east and that isn't a problem of skier traffic.

Jay Peak tram has a capacity of 360 skiers per hour. The reason it's not a problem for skier traffic is that Jay has the smallest summit capacity of likely any ski area in the East. Madonna at Smuggs is 800 skiers per hour. They already put more than double the skier traffic on the summit than Jay does.

 

[BenedictGomez]

You have a lot to learn about Smuggs BG.

You have a lot to learn about the term, "pod mountain" MMW.

Jay Peak tram has a capacity of 360 skiers per hour.

That's horrendous. I knew it was poor, but I never did the math. Six skiers per minute for the entire peak? And in fits and starts to boot.

 

[xlr8r]

I have never been there, but looking at maps and google earth, I think Morse, M2, and Sterling could all be upgraded to detachable quads. These quads could have wide chair spacing to provide a fast ride, but keep capacity slightly lower than a regular detachable quad. For M1 I would replace it with a new double as its getting very old, that starts at the current midstation. That way the Madonna sumit becomes like what Castlerock is at Sugarbush, but with blue runs in addition to the blacks. Everything else at Smuggs would then be served b fast lifts , but the summit would keep its classic character as is served still by a double.

 

[bluebird]

Jay Peak tram has a capacity of 360 skiers per hour.

And that assumes it is running at full speed!

 

[BenedictGomez]

I have never been there, but looking at maps and google earth, I think Morse, M2, and Sterling could all be upgraded to detachable quads. These quads could have wide chair spacing to provide a fast ride, but keep capacity slightly lower than a regular detachable quad. For M1 I would replace it with a new double as its getting very old, that starts at the current midstation. That way the Madonna sumit becomes like what Castlerock is at Sugarbush, but with blue runs in addition to the blacks. Everything else at Smuggs would then be served b fast lifts , but the summit would keep its classic character as is served still by a double.

You're suggesting replacing almost every lift. That would cost a ton of money.

I also dont see any point in starting the M1 lift at mid-mountain. Sterling needs a HSQ, I'm with you there. I do think M2 could easily support a HSQ, but I dont think it's anywhere near a priority or even a necessity. The M1 should at least be replaced with a HSQ that operated at less than full speed.

In terms of "when" do any lift upgrades happen as was asked before, speculation, but the owner isn't exactly a spring chicken. He's gotta' be pushing 80 at this point, which is circa when it's not uncommon for sales to occur.

 

[MadMadWorld]

You have a lot to learn about the term, "pod mountain" MMW.

I'll have to look up the BG approved Encyclopedia Brittanica. I consider a pod a section of mountain that is either unskiable from another lift or very inconvenient. So maybe M2 is not a pod in that definition but I think most people would say it skis like one. Morse is definitely a giant beginner pod. Most of Sterling's terrain is inaccessible from another lift.....yup pod again! M1? As an estimate I would say at least less than 20% of its trails are accessible from the top of the M2 lift. Most of it is runout and none of it is expert.

Keep it coming little doggy!

 

[BenedictGomez]

I consider a pod a section of mountain that is either unskiable from another lift or very inconvenient.

Seriously?

Sterling, Morse, and Madonna are literally THREE different mountains.

And I'm the one that has "a lot to learn about Smuggs" he says = Lulz.

Sterling's terrain is inaccessible from another lift.....yup pod again!

Killington's terrain is inaccessible from Crested Butte... yup pod mountain!

It has nothing to do with the fact that they're entirely different mountains (or separated by a few thousand miles).... pod mountain!

By your bizarre definition, there would be very few places outside of the Poconos that couldn't be considered pod mountains.

Keep digging.

 

[MadMadWorld]

Seriously?

Sterling, Morse, and Madonna are literally THREE different mountains.

And I'm the one that has "a lot to learn about Smuggs" he says = Lulz.



Killington's terrain is inaccessible from Crested Butte... yup pod mountain!

It has nothing to do with the fact that they're entirely different mountains (or separated by a few thousand miles).... pod mountain!

By your bizarre definition, there would be very few places outside of the Poconos that couldn't be considered pod mountains.

Keep digging.

Lol there is the know it all we love. The top of Morse isn't a mountain. It's not even a peak. It's basically part of a ridge. The area that Smuggs refers to Sterling as is a peak on Madonna Mountain. So again you lose.

 

[steamboat1]

May be a tad off topic, but.... I'm heading up there tomorrow and I was wondering if anyone could PM me with good spots to ski, on map or off, and where to find them. Thanks

Stay away from the High Speed Quads.

 

[steamboat1]

The area that Smuggs refers to Sterling as is a peak on Madonna Mountain. So again you lose.

Now that there is funny.

 

[BenedictGomez]

Lol there is the know it all we love. The top of Morse isn't a mountain. It's not even a peak. It's basically part of a ridge. The area that Smuggs refers to Sterling as is a peak on Madonna Mountain. So again you lose.

Morse Mountain is not a "pod".

Sterling Mountain is not a "pod".

Madonna Mountain is not a "pod".

You don't know what the ski term, "pod mountain" refers to (though I do think you've now learned, even though you're likely too stubborn to admit it).

 

[MadMadWorld]

Morse Mountain is not a "pod".

Sterling Mountain is not a "pod".

Madonna Mountain is not a "pod".

You don't know what the ski term, "pod mountain" refers to (though I do think you've now learned, even though you're likely too stubborn to admit it).

Hi Kettle my name is Pot. I give up

 

[C-Rex]

I'm fine with leaving M1 capacity alone, just make it faster and more comfortable. It sucks to work up some body heat when layered appropriately and have all of it sapped away by sitting on long, slow, cold, uncomfortable lift. So how about a HSQ with half the chairs? Capacity stays more or less the same (maybe a small increase) but you get to the top more quickly and comfortably.

A quad on Sterling would be great, especially when there's racing going on. The days it gets crowded is mostly because of racers anyway, and since they're all going to the same spot I don't think the extra capacity would hurt the rest of the trails.

 

[dlague]

Morse Mountain is not a "pod".

Sterling Mountain is not a "pod".

Madonna Mountain is not a "pod".

You don't know what the ski term, "pod mountain" refers to (though I do think you've now learned, even though you're likely too stubborn to admit it).

The are all pods! They are all unique trail groupings that are not accessible from the others besides a connector trail or two! People were calling then Pods in this thread.

http://forums.alpinezone.com/showthread.php/131959-Best-Trail-Pod

 

[BenedictGomez]

People were calling then Pods in this thread.

A few, yes, and amazingly, MMW seemed to agree with my (and most others) general definition of pod back then.

I think those are solid descriptions of what a trail pod is.

Regardless, this IMO is the best example of pod skiing east of the Mississippi.
If anyone has a better example than this, please post the map so we can see.

 

[ceo]

I think a HSQ with wider than standard chair spacing would be an ideal solution for M1. It's similar to what Sugarbush did when they replaced Castlerock.

Thinking about it, it was actually four runs: two on M1, one on Sterling, one on M2. That's not counting the time it took to get from and to the ski school meeting place at the base of Morse. And I ski pretty fast (though it's hard to ski fast on those flat traverses, which is another issue)