Does it bother people that Liftline at Stowe is a Double Diamond? Ripcord at Sugarbush? Escapade or Flume at Killington? Ripsaw at Sugarloaf?
Those are all mountains that are well regarded for their expert terrain, yet they all have some real suspect terrain rated as DD. They also all have trails that are worthy of a DD rating.
It was mentioned that someone skiing a DD at Sundown, Pat's etc. could get a false sense of security that they can ski a DD at the steeper mountains up north and potentially hurt themselves.
That maybe so.
However, couldn't the same thing happen at MRG, where someone skis Slalom Hill and thinks they can also ski Paradise because the two trails are rated the same? Or Wildcat when someone skis Upper Wildcat with ease and thinks they can then go ski Hairball? Or Jay Peak when someone skis the Jet and then thinks they can also ski Face Chutes? Or Cannon, when someone skis Zoomer or Skylight and then thinks they can ski Tramline? Hell there are many people who probably ski Zoomer or Skylight and then find themselves screwed on the Blue Square Vista Way.
All of those areas that so hardcore they don't even offer a DD rating on their maps might create an even greater risk of someone getting in over their head because they don't distinguish what terrain on their hill is truly far and away more difficult than other terrain with the same rating.
I guess my point is that if ripping a mountain for overstating the difficulty of their terrain is what gets your jollies off, well, you could rip on any ski area in the east really. No one has it right. Not even as it relates to their own terrain.
I'm with 2knees on this one. I stopped caring about trail ratings in 7th grade. Other than to troll, I don't know why trail ratings are even a topic of discussion anymore on skiing message boards.
Those are all mountains that are well regarded for their expert terrain, yet they all have some real suspect terrain rated as DD. They also all have trails that are worthy of a DD rating.
It was mentioned that someone skiing a DD at Sundown, Pat's etc. could get a false sense of security that they can ski a DD at the steeper mountains up north and potentially hurt themselves.
That maybe so.
However, couldn't the same thing happen at MRG, where someone skis Slalom Hill and thinks they can also ski Paradise because the two trails are rated the same? Or Wildcat when someone skis Upper Wildcat with ease and thinks they can then go ski Hairball? Or Jay Peak when someone skis the Jet and then thinks they can also ski Face Chutes? Or Cannon, when someone skis Zoomer or Skylight and then thinks they can ski Tramline? Hell there are many people who probably ski Zoomer or Skylight and then find themselves screwed on the Blue Square Vista Way.
All of those areas that so hardcore they don't even offer a DD rating on their maps might create an even greater risk of someone getting in over their head because they don't distinguish what terrain on their hill is truly far and away more difficult than other terrain with the same rating.
I guess my point is that if ripping a mountain for overstating the difficulty of their terrain is what gets your jollies off, well, you could rip on any ski area in the east really. No one has it right. Not even as it relates to their own terrain.
I'm with 2knees on this one. I stopped caring about trail ratings in 7th grade. Other than to troll, I don't know why trail ratings are even a topic of discussion anymore on skiing message boards.
