The Rules

[bdfreetuna]

RFID prevents you from coming in hot unless you want to take a bar to the waist on the way in.

Reminded of this reality today at Jay with zero lift lines.

Sent from my LG-D850 using AlpineZone mobile app

 

[MommaBear]

If people get into the line queue and then stand aimlessly while waiting for the rest of their party, it's ok to run over their gear.

I'm a really nice person - polite, gracious, patient. But THIS ^^ has driven me nuts this year, to the point I actually did run over their gear. You are standing sideways in the one open corral checking your phone. Sorry but I've got an open chair to catch. Guess I need to work on that coming in narrow and squirrely thing! :wink:

 

[mikec142]

Not sure why this is a thing. Did Sugurbush only have money to buy 1/2 of a system?

Of all the places I've skied that have RFID (about 10 I'd guess) Sugarbush is the only one I can think of where you must have the card on 1 particular side of your body.

Sugarbush was also the only one where having anything else in the pocket could short-circuit the whole thing, but that's another issue.

I have a huge stack of RFID cards at home (Sugarbush, Stowe, Blue, Okemo, Jackson Hole, Squaw/Alpine and others). All of the systems pretty much work the same. Sugarbush has just spelled out the details loudly and clearly in their first year. You can't ski at Okemo with the card on the wrong side and buried with other stuff. My experience is pretty much the opposite of yours.

That said, I think the RFID card system is amazing. Love skipping the ticket line. Love not having to dodge the lifty. Love not having to do a yoga contortion so the lifty can scan my pass. So much more efficient.

Additionally, I don't think it puts liftys out of work...there usually is a person or two manning the RFID system and dealing with any problems.

Also, love that my kids can use their Sugarbush RFID cards to buy food so I don't have to give them cash.

 

[kingslug]

The cards are so much better than the gun...

 

[cdskier]

That said, I think the RFID card system is amazing. Love skipping the ticket line. Love not having to dodge the lifty. Love not having to do a yoga contortion so the lifty can scan my pass. So much more efficient.

I was skeptical at first before using it, but now I'm sold as well after using it all season at Sugarbush. I agree that it is far more efficient than the old barcode system (other than when people can't follow directions and get stuck).

 

[Smellytele]

The cards are so much better than the gun...

Hate both. Rather have neither.

 

[bdfreetuna]

Best system is to have a liftie profiling people that look sketch and checking passes if anyone seems suspicious.

 

[Smellytele]

I was skeptical at first before using it, but now I'm sold as well after using it all season at Sugarbush. I agree that it is far more efficient than the old barcode system (other than when people can't follow directions and get stuck).

It stills screws up things every now and then even when you follow the directions.

 

[Smellytele]

They have a new system somewhere where i was this year where they scan by proximity but only scan a few random people. Waterville maybe.

 

[cdskier]

It stills screws up things every now and then even when you follow the directions.

Yea, nothing is perfect. Still far less often than the guns though.

Only twice all season did it not scan for me. Once I just backed up slightly and approached again and it was fine. The other time it was a problem with the gate itself. I looked at the little display screen and it was basically what you would see when a computer reboots. Had to move to the next gate over that time (that was early in the season so maybe some kinks were still being worked out with the system itself).

With the old guns you could almost guarantee at least once a day the pass would either not scan or would take the lifty numerous tries to scan.

 

[abc]

I try to ski different trails just to mix things up, but if a particular trail is really good I have no problems lapping it and don't feel compelled to ski different trails.

That’s me also.

I believe in “Never leave good snow in the hope of finding better snow in another trail”! Too many times I follow others AWAY from good snow in the hope of finding better snow, only to find worse snow and time wasted.

Exception is if I KNOW from past experience the “other” trail WILL have better snow. Enjoy what I have rather than hoping for more.

This come from someone who loves travel and skied a lot of different mountains. There’s time to explore. But a powder day isn’t it. Powder day is for enjoying the powder right under my feet! (applies to corn also, maybe even more so)

 

[jimk]

That was a really "core" post from SkiFanE.
I am pretty hard on myself as far as having my stuff together. I am rather tough on my family and it has driven my wife out of the sport. For others I try not to be too hard, esp if they are infrequent skiers/boarders because I want to encourage them to try or stick with the sport.

A philosophical rule I aspire to and haven't perfected yet is that: you are not really a zen master of skiing until you have brought another person into the sport and given them a chance to learn to love it as much as you do.

 

[Scruffy]

6: No friends on a powder day!

Hotel room keys can get messed up by cell phones in the same pocket. Damn Cliff Lodge at Snow Bird is an example.

 

[Smellytele]

A philosophical rule I aspire to and haven't perfected yet is that: you are not really a zen master of skiing until you have brought another person into the sport and given them a chance to learn to love it as much as you do.

Do kids count? I brought my wife into it but she does not love it like I do. I have probably tainted my kids by showing them how to be impatient with others.
I do have a few rules now that i think of it. Never ever ski with your jacket totally unzipped and always pick up your skis and lean them somewhere. Never leave them on the ground.

 

[drjeff]

My rules.....
Every day you plan on skiing, you do!! There's enough clothing and equipment out there for whatever Mother Nature throws you on any given day... Some days you just stay out there longer than finding the barstool than others.....

#2 - your family, if well disciplined knows the proper schedule better than others.... And that's all that matters!!!

#3 any day on the hill is WAY, WAY, WAY better than a day not on the hill!! Don't make escuses for why you didn't ski/ride on a day when you could of, and then rationalize why it WAS OK!!

#4 - One of the best experiences on any day of the year is Apres ski/riding having a drink (s) with friends after a day on the hill!!

Sent from my XT1254 using AlpineZone mobile app

 

[abc]

I’m NOT a morning person. But I’ve come to appreciate rising early on a ski day. 1” or 10”, no matter. It’s great to be putting down fresh tracks.

I actually think the “rules” are quite reasonable, for a powder day.

But I’m not one who insist on it any day. If it’s a day without fresh snow, I don’t insist on first chair. Though I still don’t like it if you make me wait because you don’t have your shit together. It’s just bad manner! And chances are we may not be skiing together again if you keep me waiting repeatedly.

If there’s fresh snow in the forecast, I don’t make plans with people I don’t know so I don’t get into situations the OP found himself in last Saturday. That said, if you suggest we meet BEFORE first chair, I KNOW we’re likely get along just fine. I will be there, at the agreed time.

 

[BenedictGomez]

I have a huge stack of RFID cards at home (Sugarbush, Stowe, Blue, Okemo, Jackson Hole, Squaw/Alpine and others). All of the systems pretty much work the same.

Sugarbush is the only one I've seen like that. And Stowe's is not the same, you can do Stowe on either side.

Same as:

Jay Peak
Smuggler's Notch
Stowe
Park City
Canyons
Snowbird
Vail
Copper Mountain IIRC?

So for me, only being able to use it on the left side was new. So was not being able to have a bubble gum wrapper in the same pocket with it, I had to clear out everything in my pocket at Sugarbush before it would function properly. The employee at the lift knew exactly what was up, so they must see it a lot.

 

[BenedictGomez]

Hate both. Rather have neither.

Same. The only purpose is to collect data on you for targeted marketing and to decrease labor costs.

Some are worse than others though. For instance, for whatever reason I didnt have any problems at Smuggler's Notch with their new system this year, whereas the Sugarbush one as I mentioned was the worst I've seen. Jay Peak's can be hit or miss, I've noticed the employees there get frustrated with them from time to time, but usually they work fine.

 

[cdskier]

Sugarbush is the only one I've seen like that. And Stowe's is not the same, you can do Stowe on either side.

Same as:

Jay Peak
Smuggler's Notch
Stowe
Park City
Canyons
Snowbird
Vail
Copper Mountain IIRC?

So for me, only being able to use it on the left side was new. So was not being able to have a bubble gum wrapper in the same pocket with it, I had to clear out everything in my pocket at Sugarbush before it would function properly. The employee at the lift knew exactly what was up, so they must see it a lot.

You can buy the gates with a single antenna or double antenna from this particular vendor (Jay Peak uses the same vendor that Sugarbush does according to the vendor's website). This is also the same vendor I believe that Killington is going with for next year.

I really don't see it as a big deal as long as it is clearly communicated (which it is at Sugarbush).

 

[cdskier]

Same. The only purpose is to collect data on you for targeted marketing and to decrease labor costs.

Some are worse than others though. For instance, for whatever reason I didnt have any problems at Smuggler's Notch with their new system this year, whereas the Sugarbush one as I mentioned was the worst I've seen. Jay Peak's can be hit or miss, I've noticed the employees there get frustrated with them from time to time, but usually they work fine.

Just looked it up and Smuggs has a solution from the same vendor as Sugarbush as well. The only possible difference is whether they went with antennas on only one side of the gate or whether they went with dual-sided antennas. Otherwise there's really no major differences you can even purchase from this vendor in terms of the RFID technology or scanning options.

Smuggs also has the same warnings about the pass needing to be by itself in a pocket

Where do I carry my Notch Card?

PLACE the Notch Card in a pocket by itself.
CARRY only One RFID card at a time.
RELOAD and SAVE at www.smuggs.com/reload


The Notch Card should be carried in the "strike zone", which is located anywhere between your shoulders and knees. The Notch Card does not have to be removed to be read by the sensor.

The card should not be placed in the same pocket as your cell phone, iPod, or other electronic devices, near any aluminum gum wrappers or near another RFID Card. These may interfere with the transmission of the data and require you to move your card.