VAIL SUCKS

[kingslug]

Its why i go to alta...or even sbird.
It was deep today.
But there are deep spots at pc..just have to know where.

 

[trackbiker]

Interestingly enough, the only reason Spring Mt is still operating is because the major ski shop in the area bought it when it went under - because THEY for one recognize that if novices do not have an affordable and welcoming place to ski, their entire business will soon enough disappear...

That and the property is actually owned by Upper Salford Township who leases it to the ski area. I don't have any idea what the deal is but I'm sure it's not outlandish rent. Probably a percentage of sales or something similar.

 

[eatskisleep]

 

[BenedictGomez]

Vail will make this guy wish he was never born.

 

[Smellytele]

wow even a pair of tele's.

 

[doublediamond]

Okemo won't build the half pipe this year "due to this season's late start to snowmaking" and that they have to prioritize the main terrain.

But funny to say that with some of the best snowmaking weather in a decade other than the end of November.

Shits gonna hit the fan. Okrmo is hosting AASi national freestyle academy first week of March.

 

[PAabe]

Interesting. I had been operating under the assumption that my 75mm bindings were immune to being stolen

 

[drjeff]

Okemo won't build the half pipe this year "due to this season's late start to snowmaking" and that they have to prioritize the main terrain.

But funny to say that with some of the best snowmaking weather in a decade other than the end of November.

Shits gonna hit the fan. Okrmo is hosting AASi national freestyle academy first week of March.

The reality is that while there are certainly some IMPRESSIVE athletes who both ski and board a 1/2 pipe these days, those athletes tend to reside in the few areas (Copper, Park City, Mammoth, Mount Hood) where they still put the big $$ resources into building and mainting a pipe for the fewer and fewer athletes who have the skills to use it. Heck the last time Mount Snow had a pipe, now multiple years ago, you saw a far greater percentage of folks just casually skiing/riding down the pipe and maybe getting 1/2 up the walls rather than actual pipe athletes doing tricks in it, and that is at a location that has very good overall park facilities and a ski academy based there with some very good park athletes. Heck, even thos season at Mount Snow, we're hosting a USASA slopestyle event this coming weekend as well as a USSSA Futures tour slopestyle event in a few weeks, and to my knowledge there will be no attempt to build an actual half pipe this season. And I have even heard that after this season at Stratton, when their 5 year contract to host the Homesick 1/2 pipe Event, and mind you Stratton has hosted many, many top level 1/2 pipe Events over the last 25 years or so including the US Open many times, that unless they choose to sign on with a different 1/2 pipe based event, that this is likely the last year that there will be a1/2 pipe at Stratton.

The 1/2 pipe definitely played a key role in getting the park based free skiing/riding movement going back in the 90's and early 2000's, but it sure seems like the bulk of the public has long since moved on from 1/2 pipes in favor of terrain parks

 

[KustyTheKlown]

terrain parks are just so much more approachable. pretty much anyone can hit a jump, even ride a box straight. riding halfpipe is really difficult and kinda dangerous. the ROI on building these massive things must be so low for most ski areas.

 

[4aprice]

Okemo won't build the half pipe this year "due to this season's late start to snowmaking" and that they have to prioritize the main terrain.

But funny to say that with some of the best snowmaking weather in a decade other than the end of November.

Shits gonna hit the fan. Okrmo is hosting AASi national freestyle academy first week of March.

Saw that Killington was making their pipe on the Bear Mt side as of yesterday.

The reality is that while there are certainly some IMPRESSIVE athletes who both ski and board a 1/2 pipe these days, those athletes tend to reside in the few areas (Copper, Park City, Mammoth, Mount Hood) where they still put the big $$ resources into building and mainting a pipe for the fewer and fewer athletes who have the skills to use it.

The 1/2 pipe definitely played a key role in getting the park based free skiing/riding movement going back in the 90's and early 2000's, but it sure seems like the bulk of the public has long since moved on from 1/2 pipes in favor of terrain parks

Don't forget the big one at Buttermilk in Aspen home of the X Games. That thing is huge

 

[drjeff]

Saw that Killington was making their pipe on the Bear Mt side as of yesterday.

Don't forget the big one at Buttermilk in Aspen home of the X Games. That thing is huge

Rumor going around is that K's pipe dragon is broken, and the non used this year one at Okemo may be flat bedded up to K???

And that X-Games Buttermilk one is kind of an anomoly as ESPN foots the bill apparently for that one and contracts in the wizzards at Snow Park Technolgies to build it (as well as the rest of the X-games venues) Vail also builds one as well as they host the US Open for snowboarding

 

[BenedictGomez]

wow even a pair of tele's.

Great eye. There's you tip-off the thief isnt familiar with snow sports.

 

[teleo]

Interesting. I had been operating under the assumption that my 75mm bindings were immune to being stolen

Same. I often say I have theft deterrent bindings. Especially the NTN tech toe ones that just look strange to most people.

 

[deadheadskier]

I don't know if theft is more rampant or it's just being amplified on social media, but I've been either locking or splitting up my family's skis this season

 

[2Planker]

I don't know if theft is more rampant or it's just being amplified on social media, but I've been either locking or splitting up my family's skis this season

After a ton of thefts over the holidays I heard that Kton has planted skis w/ Air Tags hidden, to catch 'em....

 

[deadheadskier]

Wow. If true, I love it.

 

[2Planker]

After a ton of thefts over the holidays I heard that Kton has planted skis w/ Air Tags hidden, to catch 'em....

SR caught a group of NH high school kids a few years back.
They had 12 pairs of stolen skis in their truck.

Unfortunately for them, they picked the wrong guys to steal from....

 

[deadheadskier]

The reality is that while there are certainly some IMPRESSIVE athletes who both ski and board a 1/2 pipe these days, those athletes tend to reside in the few areas (Copper, Park City, Mammoth, Mount Hood) where they still put the big $$ resources into building and mainting a pipe for the fewer and fewer athletes who have the skills to use it. Heck the last time Mount Snow had a pipe, now multiple years ago, you saw a far greater percentage of folks just casually skiing/riding down the pipe and maybe getting 1/2 up the walls rather than actual pipe athletes doing tricks in it, and that is at a location that has very good overall park facilities and a ski academy based there with some very good park athletes. Heck, even thos season at Mount Snow, we're hosting a USASA slopestyle event this coming weekend as well as a USSSA Futures tour slopestyle event in a few weeks, and to my knowledge there will be no attempt to build an actual half pipe this season. And I have even heard that after this season at Stratton, when their 5 year contract to host the Homesick 1/2 pipe Event, and mind you Stratton has hosted many, many top level 1/2 pipe Events over the last 25 years or so including the US Open many times, that unless they choose to sign on with a different 1/2 pipe based event, that this is likely the last year that there will be a1/2 pipe at Stratton.

The 1/2 pipe definitely played a key role in getting the park based free skiing/riding movement going back in the 90's and early 2000's, but it sure seems like the bulk of the public has long since moved on from 1/2 pipes in favor of terrain parks

I agree with everything you say.

What I don't care for is Vail's dishonesty. Just flat out say you don't have the participation anymore to justify the resources needed to offer a half pipe product. Don't feed us some BS about weather issues or whatever.

End of the day, my dislike of Vail is equal parts their poor operational performance and their lack of transparency and honesty. The removal of terrain percentage from the PC snow report is a perfect example of this. The people running that organization are total scumbags.

 

[jimmywilson69]

they literally took a trail off the map and the website that they haven't been able to make snow on the past 3-4 years at roundtop. Its a small trail under the lift. literally probably takes 3-4 guns to make snow on. So its not so much that they took it off. They took it off so they could say/show 100% open. This is words from people in management...

 

[2Planker]

they literally took a trail off the map and the website that they haven't been able to make snow on the past 3-4 years at roundtop. Its a small trail under the lift. literally probably takes 3-4 guns to make snow on. So its not so much that they took it off. They took it off so they could say/show 100% open. This is words from people in management...

SR did exactly that 10+ years ago with Spruce Cliffs