Sundown Gunny Plans

[gmcunni]

i'm surprised to hear that 1 month of skiing on Gunny makes a significant impact on season pass sales for bumpers or racers. granted 1 month is almost a 1/3 of the season.

i was buying a season pass before they put bumps on gunny. gunny bumps are a welcome addition but i don't think I'd stop getting a pass if they told me next year bumps would only be on NorEaster and Exhibition (i do prefer Nor Easter over Temptor but even if they went back to temptor i'd still get a pass)

EXPANSION is the answer!!!!!! :smash:

 

[threecy]

Having no ability or interest in bumps, I'd be let down in losing Gunbarrel late season if I were a passholder. In my opinion, that's one of the nicest trails in Southern New England. I'm no longer in the Sundown area, though, so that's purely anecdotal.

 

[Greg]

Not really voting with dollars, as I greatly respect Bob and really want the area to be successful. It's more a matter of going somewhere that supports how you want to ski. Berkshire East, for instance, is almost twice the size of Sundown with much more challenging terrain. Until late February, though, the shorter commute to Sundown is attractive. After that, not so much.

Berkshire East is a great hill. I'm glad you have found an alternative.....not like it's the only one. Virtually every mountain in SNE has an overabundance of groomed terrain. I do give props to BEast and also Catamount for offering moguls too though.

Having no ability or interest in bumps,

Lack of ability and interest usually go hand in hand when it comes to skiing bumps. Let's face it, there's a bit of a commitment in order to become even remotely capable in bumps. It takes literally years of skiing them a lot. We all know that. The great thing about Sundown is its multiple bump offerings. And for all but March on Gunny, they are pretty low angle which allows people to learn (even on Gunny, there's only a few sections with a fair amount of pitch). Trust me, I've been skiing bumps regularly at Sundown since 2006 and the number of rippers, and people that are decent in the bumps has increased. A lot. Not sure if it's because more mogul-centric skiers are being drawn there because of the bumps, or because the overall Sundown skier population is just getting better at them. Probably a bit of both.

I'd be let down in losing Gunbarrel late season if I were a passholder. In my opinion, that's one of the nicest trails in Southern New England. I'm no longer in the Sundown area, though, so that's purely anecdotal.

Let's keep things in perspective. The groomer crowd is losing half of Gunbarrel. The steeper skier's left section remains groomed all spring. If someone absolutely needs the full width of Gunbarrel to be ale to ski it, they are either over their head, or perhaps skiing recklessly. One half of one trail for 4 weeks out of the season is a fair compromise.

 

[Greg]

EXPANSION is the answer!!!!!! :smash:

Indeed.

 

[Greg]

i was buying a season pass before they put bumps on gunny. gunny bumps are a welcome addition but i don't think I'd stop getting a pass if they told me next year bumps would only be on NorEaster and Exhibition (i do prefer Nor Easter over Temptor but even if they went back to temptor i'd still get a pass)

Temptor is way better in the spring than Nor'easter. At least skier's right tends to soften. Nor'easter is tough for late season bumps as it takes forever, if at all, to soften on marginal days. Also, as the base recedes a lot of rock is exposed. Anyone that's ever hiked N'E in the summer knows how much that terrain undulates under there. Base in N'E can be from 0" to several feet despite it being relatively even when groomed.

 

[Grassi21]

Really? 100-200 a week for eight weeks just for CISC not to mention the junior program and the passes sold to racers and the kids' families? Sunday before last you couldn't get into the lodge for all the kids wearing race suits. Compare all that to the two bump competitions. The vids that I have seen don't show any crowds although friends and families standing around probably make it seem that way. I highly doubt there are more $$ in bumps.

Do they park a beer truck at the base for racing? Do people come to New Hartford and stay in a hotel for racing?

The Spring bump comp is an event people mark their calendar for and is equal parts competition and party. The race scene comes off as stuffy to me. Just my 2 cents though. Racing in all its forms has been part of the sport since the beginning. I think you spandex wearing freaks deserve your time and space on the mountain. The great thing about Sundown is every skier demographic can find something to have fun on at some point in the season.

 

[2knees]

What is it with racers/groomer lovers. Did you guys forget about the concept of sharing? its not YOUR trail, its not MY trail, its OUR trail and we each get our time on it, albiet the bumpers get a much shorter piece of the action.

 

[threecy]

Lack of ability and interest usually go hand in hand when it comes to skiing bumps. Let's face it, there's a bit of a commitment in order to become even remotely capable in bumps. It takes literally years of skiing them a lot. We all know that.

Some folks' knees won't let them venture into the bumps, even if they had interest.

 

[gmcunni]

Let's keep things in perspective. The groomer crowd is losing half of Gunbarrel. The steeper skier's left section remains groomed all spring. If someone absolutely needs the full width of Gunbarrel to be ale to ski it, they are either over their head, or perhaps skiing recklessly. One half of one trail for 4 weeks out of the season is a fair compromise.

respectfully disagree. once gunny gets bumped the groomed side really isn't that much fun. narrowed down to where it gets skied off very quickly. maybe early in the day with light traffic and a fresh groom but other than that i don't like to ski it.

 

[Grassi21]

What is it with racers/groomer lovers. Did you guys forget about the concept of sharing? its not YOUR trail, its not MY trail, its OUR trail and we each get our time on it, albiet the bumpers get a much shorter piece of the action.

2knees, always and forever the level headed voice of reason.

 

[Greg]

Really? 100-200 a week for eight weeks just for CISC not to mention the junior program and the passes sold to racers and the kids' families? Sunday before last you couldn't get into the lodge for all the kids wearing race suits. Compare all that to the two bump competitions. The vids that I have seen don't show any crowds although friends and families standing around probably make it seem that way. I highly doubt there are more $$ in bumps.

CISC and JRD are all mid-season (January and February). We're debating bumps on Gunbarrel in March. The beauty of moguls from a mountain ops standpoint is you have Kurt seed them one night and then they just sit there and cook for the rest of the season. The Gunbarrel bumps will draw day ticket buyers to Sundown on any given warm and sunny Sunday afternoon. Compare that to setting up a NASTAR course, for which you would have to pay three employees for 5 hours to run it. Bumps = better ROI.

 

[gmcunni]

Temptor is way better in the spring than Nor'easter. At least skier's right tends to soften. Nor'easter is tough for late season bumps as it takes forever, if at all, to soften on marginal days.

i was thinking more general terms rather than spring specific. no doubt spring bumps on Temptor were/are/can be fun.

 

[Greg]

Some folks' knees won't let them venture into the bumps, even if they had interest.

Yeah, like 2knees who's had them both replaced. He still does it.

respectfully disagree. once gunny gets bumped the groomed side really isn't that much fun. narrowed down to where it gets skied off very quickly. maybe early in the day with light traffic and a fresh groom but other than that i don't like to ski it.

:blink: Who's side are you on? :lol:

You've actually strengthened my point. The groomer lovers still get a half groomed Gunny from 8 am - around noon on weekends in March. Bumpers won't show up until 11 am or noon anyway. Again, fair compromise.

2knees, always and forever the level headed voice of reason.

The reality is he broke down the entire debate in just a few sentences.

 

[Greg]

not to mention the junior program

Speaking of JRDs, I would love nothing more than there to be a mogul development program at Sundown for kids someday.

 

[threecy]

Yeah, like 2knees who's had them both replaced. He still does it.

In other words, to a skier who wants to ski a groomed wall to wall Gunbarrel late season, 'go get your knees replaced and spend a few years learning how to ski moguls.'

 

[Greg]

In other words, to a skier who wants to ski a groomed wall to wall Gunbarrel late season, 'go get your knees replaced and spend a few years learning how to ski moguls.'

Yeah, pretty much.

Or go to Mohawk.

 

[bvibert]

respectfully disagree. once gunny gets bumped the groomed side really isn't that much fun. narrowed down to where it gets skied off very quickly. maybe early in the day with light traffic and a fresh groom but other than that i don't like to ski it.

I have to agree with Gary on this one.

 

[bvibert]

Speaking of JRDs, I would love nothing more than there to be a mogul development program at Sundown for kids someday.

This would be cool!

 

[Greg]

once gunny gets bumped the groomed side really isn't that much fun.

I have to agree with Gary on this one.

Of course. The bumped side is much more funner.

 

[gmcunni]

i don't know if the B or B comps generate more annual $$ for the mountain than racing, i'd suspect not. But i would guess that at this point in time that isn't the driving factor. Many (every??) mountains offer race programs, it is a popular activity. Sundown promoting and hosting B or B is unique and something they can use to differentiate themselves from the rest of SNE.