SkiDork
New member
what happened to the link?
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US Ski Tickets 2005-2006
- Thread starter billski
- Start date
billski
Active member
billski
Active member
VAIL
new rates are out for VAIL!
:blink: :blink: :blink:
$81
:blink: :blink: :blink:
Just verified it on their site.
ZOWA!
new rates are out for VAIL!
:blink: :blink: :blink:
$81
:blink: :blink: :blink:
Just verified it on their site.
ZOWA!
ctenidae
Active member
The other interesting dynamic in all of this is that, simply put, snowboarders are saving these industry
I don't know that I agree with that, exactly. While it's true that skier visits are down and boarder visits are up, overall the number of visitors has stayed pretty flat. That tells me that, rather than recruiting more people to snow sports, snow boarding is simply converting skiers. Granted, it's an infusion of cash into the system as people get new gear, but I think boarders are maintining the ski industry more than they are saving it.
Could be that lift ticket prices are going up to cover the additional grooming costs resulting from so many boarders scraping the trails clean.
I don't know that I agree with that, exactly. While it's true that skier visits are down and boarder visits are up, overall the number of visitors has stayed pretty flat. That tells me that, rather than recruiting more people to snow sports, snow boarding is simply converting skiers. Granted, it's an infusion of cash into the system as people get new gear, but I think boarders are maintining the ski industry more than they are saving it.
Could be that lift ticket prices are going up to cover the additional grooming costs resulting from so many boarders scraping the trails clean.
billski
Active member
ctenidae said:The other interesting dynamic in all of this is that, simply put, snowboarders are saving these industry
I don't know that I agree with that, exactly. While it's true that skier visits are down and boarder visits are up, overall the number of visitors has stayed pretty flat. That tells me that, rather than recruiting more people to snow sports, snow boarding is simply converting skiers. Granted, it's an infusion of cash into the system as people get new gear, but I think boarders are maintining the ski industry more than they are saving it.
Could be that lift ticket prices are going up to cover the additional grooming costs resulting from so many boarders scraping the trails clean.
From my vantage, very few skiers convert to boarders. Most boarders start from scratch. I saw some stats on that. a few years ago:
http://www.nsaa.org/nsaa/marketing/docs/2005-industry-update-ff.pdf
good reading, if you can't be skiing!
ctenidae
Active member
Maybe "convert" was a bad choice of words. Overall, skier/snowbarder visits were down 1.2% in 2004 vs 2003, while the number of visits by snowboarders has increased. A more accurate statement than "convert" is probably that the number of people who pick up snow sports has stayed the same (or declined a tad), and more are snowboarding than did in the past.
Either way, there certainly aren't more people engaging in snow sports now than before (relatively speaking), so the growth in snowboarding has to be at the expense of skiing. It's reasonable to say that, if there were no snowboards, the number of skier visits would probably be the same as the current number of ski/snowboard visits. You could, and I'm not going to, make the argument that the increase in snowboarding has led to a decrease in the number of total visits, as some skiers stop skiing to avoid snowboards (small decrease, and extremely grumpy skiers, but the argument could be made).
Not trying to start an argument, just saying that holding snowboarders up as the saviors of snow sports is probably reaching a bit.
Either way, there certainly aren't more people engaging in snow sports now than before (relatively speaking), so the growth in snowboarding has to be at the expense of skiing. It's reasonable to say that, if there were no snowboards, the number of skier visits would probably be the same as the current number of ski/snowboard visits. You could, and I'm not going to, make the argument that the increase in snowboarding has led to a decrease in the number of total visits, as some skiers stop skiing to avoid snowboards (small decrease, and extremely grumpy skiers, but the argument could be made).
Not trying to start an argument, just saying that holding snowboarders up as the saviors of snow sports is probably reaching a bit.
riverc0il
New member
i think the 'convert' arguement is that boarders would have entered the sport as skiers if boarding was not an option and had not been invented. i think this is a reasonable assumption. i don't think snowboarding saved or grew the sport. rather the 'extreme' and 'park' and 'freeride' aspects of skiing and boarding strongly influenced the so called 'growth'. of course, the extreme, park, and freeride aspects began with the snow board movement. but now you see a ton of jibbers and park folks starting off on skis since skis can do the park and jump thing just as well as boarders which wasn't true when parks were first being developed pre-twin-tips.
in a matter of fact, i would argue we are about to see a slight drop in boarding due to the increase of twin tips and the impressive freeride activities that can be done just as well if not better on two sticks. i have no data to back up that assumption. in either case, boarding once helped bring more interest to the sport, but i dobut that influence is as strong any more. also, all of the big resorts usually have good parks, so i don't think the 'snowboarder won't pay the big bucks' arguement is valid.
in a matter of fact, i would argue we are about to see a slight drop in boarding due to the increase of twin tips and the impressive freeride activities that can be done just as well if not better on two sticks. i have no data to back up that assumption. in either case, boarding once helped bring more interest to the sport, but i dobut that influence is as strong any more. also, all of the big resorts usually have good parks, so i don't think the 'snowboarder won't pay the big bucks' arguement is valid.
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