Terrain park “park passes”

[Phildozer]

It sucks that places are charging for a park pass but it seems to be the only reasonable way to keep the non-serious park users out.

As a Wachusett skier, I've noticed a huge decreasein the number of trail penguins in the park since the $5 pass was implemented.

 

[danny p]

I never heard the expression.."Jersey Jump"..so that's getting air off the side of the trail..I like to get tons of air off blind spots..lol

"jersey jumps" are the ones that dip down off the side of the trail and then swoop back up and use the side of the trail as a lip to launch back on the trail.

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

"jersey jumps" are the ones that dip down off the side of the trail and then swoop back up and use the side of the trail as a lip to launch back on the trail.

Those are fun..

 

[eastcoastpowderhound]

It seems to me that everyone benefits from these and they are covered by your lift ticket. Building the parks takes a lot of extra effort and man power ( and cat time) on top of all those benefits. So it makes sense to have an extra fee to use them and to restrict access to those who don't pay.

The beginners don't benefit from snowmaking on the expert trails or efforts spend thinning the trees for another double diamond glade. The experts don't ride the magic carpet...the non-breeders don't benefit from the childrens slopes with all the cute little mascots, etc...we're all paying for some things we aren't using. Following the park rats should pay rationale, shouldn't they then be allowed to buy a "park only" pass if all they wanna do is session rails and kickers? Or, shouldn't the bumpers pay more for the seeded bump trails? Those racers oughta pay extra for that run they took over with gates. Skiers with fat skis should have to pay for the upgrade to the racks on the gondola...the skinny ski folks shouldn't have to subsidize that...you people who ski all day long should have to pay more because you put more wear and tear on the slopes...etc etc etc. This argument is a slippery slope...and not the kind we all know and love. I'm okay with $5 one time park pass fee...to patrol the park and keep it safer for everyone...but if we're all using the same hill, we should be paying the same price...once you try to segment it there's no reasonable place to stop.

 

[MrMagic]

my biggest problem with the 5 dollar rate, was that Jim. Peaks park looked lame, (from what i could tell from the next trail over) if im going to pay extra for the park, i would hope the jumps vary in size, good lines to ride and at the very least it should be well taken care of. at least aw Wa Wa if you pay the extra 5 dollars a day to ski the park it has many good options

 

[Hawkshot99]

my biggest problem with the 5 dollar rate, was that Jim. Peaks park looked lame, (from what i could tell from the next trail over) if im going to pay extra for the park, i would hope the jumps vary in size, good lines to ride and at the very least it should be well taken care of. at least aw Wa Wa if you pay the extra 5 dollars a day to ski the park it has many good options

The trail not only looked lame, it was. There were 3 groups of jumps on the trail.(multiple jumps to 1 landing). There was also like 3 groups of rails I think, and a quarter pipe at the bottom to choose from or hit the big kicker. The jumps were very poorly built for the terrain that existed as well. Long flat area then a decent size step up that was real hard to clear without straightlining the entire trail.

Then there was the alpine slide line goes rite across the trail in the run out from the big jump, yea thats safe...........:smash:

 

[MrMagic]

The trail not only looked lame, it was. There were 3 groups of jumps on the trail.(multiple jumps to 1 landing). There was also like 3 groups of rails I think, and a quarter pipe at the bottom to choose from or hit the big kicker. The jumps were very poorly built for the terrain that existed as well. Long flat area then a decent size step up that was real hard to clear without straightlining the entire trail.

Then there was the alpine slide line goes rite across the trail in the run out from the big jump, yea thats safe...........:smash:

yeah glad you agree, ill save my 5 dollars. thank you

 

[sledhaulingmedic]

Is the "Jersey Jump" any relation to the "Joey Berm"? (The "Joey Berm" is what is left when the cat driver cuts into the snow at the edge of the trail to leave a small wall. I believe this does have a legit purpose...to trap the tilled snow from getting pushed/blown into the woods. That being said, the ledgend is that the "Joey Berm keeps the players on the field.") Along with the "Jersey jump" a closely related move would be (in the words of a Someday Bigger patroller) the "Side out": jumping off the groomed (and graded) part of the trail to porpoise one turn in the soft snow back onto the trail.

OK, back on topic. Although I'm a proponent of "pay for what you use" (my wife and I (child-free) cringe when we look at the school budget, for example), I think charging for park use is a poor business practice. (Those who know me at all know that they'll sooner find me listening to wrap, I mean rap, then they'll find me in the park.) All that being said, I think a "park pass" such as Stratton's SES program (which, last I knew was free) are good for a whole host of reasons. The provide a risk management comfort level (wich will allow the continued existence of parks) and will keep the wanabees out of the way of the real park players. (Point of amusement: Stratton employees refered to the manditory video to get the "SES Pass" as "SES education")

Now, if you said the same standard would be applied to trees...

 

[Phildozer]

Those racers oughta pay extra for that run they took over with gates.

Um...we do.

I forget what it cost last season I raced but seem to recall it was around $79.

 

[wa-loaf]

Um...we do.

I forget what it cost last season I raced but seem to recall it was around $79.

It was $100 buck last year. Probably go up a bit this year.

 

[Birdman829]

Keeps gapers out of the park which makes park rats happy. Minimizes the risk of injury which keeps a the mountain happy. $5 isn't exactly prohibitively expensive. As long as you don't have to go back to the bottom I see no problem with it.

With the size of the parks these days things are going to be moving in that direction. Parks are very inconsistent too. By which I mean you can have someone thinking they can ski the park (because they do just fine at their rinky dink local hill) getting themselves killed at Sugarloaf, Stowe, Stratton, etc. Some mountains have parks with pretty big gaps and plenty of people with no business hitting them.

 

[Hawkshot99]

Um...we do.

I forget what it cost last season I raced but seem to recall it was around $79.

That is a bit different though. I assume that price also covers your league fees.

The park pass is just access. Go enter a bump contest or park contest or any other and there will be a entry fee.

 

[dl]

it seems to me that racers have been paying "fees" for years. yes, nastar is a program that tracks your handicap and offers awards - it makes sense to pay for that. but, many areas don't have nastar but they do set up a course - typically it's $1-2 per RUN (less if you buy a bulk pass).

when was the last time you were able to run a course where you didn't have to pay?

as a skier i like to enjoy all aspects of the mountain - trail skiing, woods/glades, park/pipe, bumps, racing, etc. as an ex-racer, i'm always upset to find out that I can ski the park or pipe at no charge but i can't take a course without forking over some green.

personally i'll pay $5 for a season pass on the park/pipe if I can also get $5 to run the fun course anytime I want. (and if you're argument is that setting a race course and having a clock up requires more work than the park/pipe i say bull. most areas have 2-3 park rangers on duty at all times - set up the course in the morning and take it down in the afternoon - that's all that's required. if the clock stops working, i can still run the course).

 

[Phildozer]

That is a bit different though. I assume that price also covers your league fees.
The park pass is just access. Go enter a bump contest or park contest or any other and there will be a entry fee.

It might include a league fee but we're also talking considerably more money. They shut down a full trail at night for racing so I'm willing to pay for the use of that trail without having to worry about anyone getting in my way during the run.

Park passes, in my mind, provide a similar service. They keep wanna be people out of the park.

 

[eastcoastpowderhound]

It might include a league fee but we're also talking considerably more money. They shut down a full trail at night for racing so I'm willing to pay for the use of that trail without having to worry about anyone getting in my way during the run.

Park passes, in my mind, provide a similar service. They keep wanna be people out of the park.

I pay for the beer league fee too, it goes to cover nastar fees, timing, prizes, tee shirts and a host of other things not included in the typical on hill experience...but there are numerous race groups on many hills at any given time who are not paying a fee to use it. None of the high school race programs pay a fee to SR to use the hill for training, they don't pay for races when the states are held up there...they don't pay for practice time even though it closes a whole trail. Does the US Ski Team pay Sugarloaf a fee for the Tall Timbers Classic...I don't think so (someone please correct me if I'm wrong), more likely they spend a ton of money to host the event hoping to make it up on visits. Early season at SR you can find as many as 3 trails closed for race training...Gould, high schools, colleges, etc. Sure, if you enter a USSA race, masters race, etc you've got a fee, but its like hawkshot said, if you enter a park contest you pay an entry fee...and most of those fees go right to USSA or the events governing body, not the mtn. You don't pay an additional fee to ski in the woods...or to ski seeded bump trails...so other than a $5 SEASONAL park pass I don't think you should have to pay extra for parks and pipes...its all part of the overall appeal of the mtn.

 

[dl]

most mountains charge a hill fee for any event if the event is put on by an organization separate from the mountain. if masters have a race at SR, they are paying a hill fee. the racers registration fees go towards the hill fee among other things. i would imagine that similar fees are negotiated for organizations, schools included, that need training space. if trail space is being reserved for a 3rd party, chances are they're paying for it.

 

[Phildozer]

You don't pay an additional fee to ski in the woods...or to ski seeded bump trails...so other than a $5 SEASONAL park pass I don't think you should have to pay extra for parks and pipes...its all part of the overall appeal of the mtn.

It is true you don't pay extra to ski in the woods or on seeded bump trails but for whatever reason, those types of trails tend to be more self-selecting for newbies. Maybe it is a testosterone-thing for younger boys but there seems to be a strong need for guys to say they use a park, no matter what their abilities.

I've also seen parents take their *really* small kids through the park. If a $5 seasonal pass keeps idiots like this out, I'm 100% for it.

 

[Highway Star]

butternut does the same thing with that park pass, but it is free and all you have to do is sign a form that u read the rules. the guy at the gate never really checks ur passes after the first week of the park being open. and everybody has a park pass now there and the little kids jsut sit on the top of the jumps and rails and dont move . they should have a height restriction, also it is ridiculous to pay money to go in the park.

Hum....I'll talk to someone about that.

 

[powderman]

bump

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

I'm for them..in the expert parks..