The 2006 AlpineZone Ski Area Challenge: SKI SUNDOWN (Their First Challenge!!!)

[Greg]

Tunes yes, and how about building a kicker in there too!

Indeed! We'll be the coolest old farts on the mountain! :lol:

 

[ALLSKIING]

Thats great news about the bumps! Although I have no interest in becoming a "bumper" I need to improve on the bumps and enjoy skiing them, so I hope to get to Sundown a bit more this season.

 

[bvibert]

I think it was seeded earlier than when you first skied it, Pat. Brian can probably confirm. With the whacky weather in January, they had to mow it down and start over, I think.

In any event, you're right about any little hiccup on Nor'easter killing the run. A skier's left bailout may help alleviate some the instances of newbies being the cause of the hiccup. We have to remember that Sundown is a feeder hill so this is expected, but the extension and bail-out both seem like a great move to me.

Can't wait to rock and roll again with you next season, Pat! We need to get them to install some tunes on it, a la Beartrap at Mount snow! :idea:
:beer:

IIRC they did have some setup earlier, but they didn't last and had to mowed down. I may be thinking of the year before though. In any event I think they set them up as soon as they could, like Chris said they needed to have a good base first.

I agree that the extension with bail out is a great idea, you'll be sure to see me hitting at least the upper section if I can bail out. There's been some bumps in that upper section in the past, but nothing too great I don't think.

 

[bvibert]

Great job by Chris answering the questions. I'm very excited to hear more about extension plans for skiers left of Gunny.

This made me laugh:

bad patroller, bad bad bad patroller

I can picture Chris saying this, which made it more funnier.

 

[Tin Woodsman]

Very interesting news regarding the possibility of expanding the trail system. If you could cut a trail designed from the start to be dedicated to the terrain park, that would be pretty unique in all of skiing. Not sure what changes you'd make, other than digging out some of the features into the ground. Anyone have some ideas? This would then allow Stinger to resume it's place as one of the better true alpine ski trails in Southern New England (IMHO only).

 

[Greg]

If you could cut a trail designed from the start to be dedicated to the terrain park, that would be pretty unique in all of skiing.

Very interesting point, Tinman. In addition to trenching, I wonder if you could install permanent mounts to be used to secure features once the snow is made. I know virtually nothing about terrain park design/construction so I'm just babbling here...

This would then allow Stinger to resume it's place as one of the better true alpine ski trails in Southern New England (IMHO only).

Agreed! Or a better bump run (kidding)...

 

[Tin Woodsman]

Very interesting point, Tinman. In addition to trenching, I wonder if you could install permanent mounts to be used to secure features once the snow is made. I know virtually nothing about terrain park design/construction so I'm just babbling here...

Trenching, fixed snowgun mounts - what else? Maybe built in small flats for terrain park users to congregate on before tackling the next feature?? Obviously night lights in all the right places. Sundown could REALLY make some hay with this if they sat down and thought about it. They really could redefine the construction of such a park - it would be a first in alpine skiing to cut a new trail with the sole purpose of having it be a terrain park. All other such runs are simply converted from old alpine trails as is.

The only obvious location would be skier's left of Gunbarrel. Doesn't seem like there's enough room between Gunny and Stinger and not enough pitch anywhere else. Not sure what they would do with the bottom of such a run given the placement of the old beginner slope. I guess maybe curve the new trail back to the bottom of Gunny or just take out the beginner slope entirely. It hasn't really been relevant, IMHO, since they cut the new beginner trail pod in the late 80s. Still, it would be bittersweet, as that's the exact location where I learned to ski 30 years ago. I still recall heading full speed for the split rail fence above the brook with no idea how to stop other than falling down. Good times.

 

[bvibert]

I don't think there's any way that they're going to get rid of Little Joe (the old beginner slope). It still gets a LOT of use by first timers and kids. It's ussually at least as busy as Big Bend and Sensation (the other two trails in the sunny side area). Plus they just spent a bunch of money re-grading it last summer, unless that was part of their plan for trails to skiers left of Gunny.

As far as a trail that was cut just for a park, that would be pretty revolutionary I think. I doubt they would want to mold mounts for the features into the ground since they like to move features around as the season goes on and conditions change and/or they get new features. I would imagine that the trail would be wide with lots of room for features and spots to wait for your turn. Maybe they'll work in a half pipe too...

 

[Tin Woodsman]

I don't think there's any way that they're going to get rid of Little Joe (the old beginner slope). It still gets a LOT of use by first timers and kids. It's ussually at least as busy as Big Bend and Sensation (the other two trails in the sunny side area). Plus they just spent a bunch of money re-grading it last summer, unless that was part of their plan for trails to skiers left of Gunny.

As far as a trail that was cut just for a park, that would be pretty revolutionary I think. I doubt they would want to mold mounts for the features into the ground since they like to move features around as the season goes on and conditions change and/or they get new features. I would imagine that the trail would be wide with lots of room for features and spots to wait for your turn. Maybe they'll work in a half pipe too...

Good points re: Little Joe - that's information I wasn't familiar with.

Regarding your second paragraph - yes, I think revolutionary would be the appopriate word.

 

[Greg]

I hope they don't mess with Little Joe as I plan to spending a whole lot of time on it with my daughter this season. It's nice and wide, but unlike some beginner slopes, it actually has a decent pitch which I think sometimes is necessary to help kids progress.

 

[bvibert]

As I said I'd be very surprised if they did anything to LIttle Joe. I think they realize how important it is to the beginners. I hope they don't have some plan to dump any new trails out into any part of Sunnyside actually, I think that would be a mistake. Although I'm not really sure where else they would let trails skiers left of Gunny out. If they dumped them into the lower section of Gunny they would exit into the middle of the race course...

Should be interesting to see what they come up with...

 

[Greg]

You know, I'm just going to have to hike around the mountain later this summer to see if there are any trails getting cut...

 

[bvibert]

You know, I'm just going to have to hike around the mountain later this summer to see if there are any trails getting cut...

I'm sure I don't need to tell you to keep us updated...

Maybe I'll try to make it up there as well...

 

[bvibert]

Sundown posted a new trailmap on their redesigned site today. Sadly no new trails, but they do now have a conveyer lift servicing the lower part of Little Joe for the little ones. That should help with the beginners I would think.

 

[Greg]

Sundown posted a new trailmap on their redesigned site today. Sadly no new trails, but they do now have a conveyer lift servicing the lower part of Little Joe for the little ones. That should help with the beginners I would think.

Really well done Web site. Nice!!!

Oh and could the timing on a new conveyor lift be any better? I'm psyched for my daughter!

 

[Greg]

Really well done Web site. Nice!!!

Some pretty well done vids here:

http://www.skisundown.com/media/video.php

Mostly terrain park stuff, but it's still nice to see some footage from the hill!