Viability of a snowboard only mountain?

[AdironRider]

So first and foremost, lets keep this on topic and not let it turn into a why do MRG, Taos and Deer Valley not allow boarders thread. Weve all been there.

My question is this, given that those areas exist, do you think that it would be viable to create a snowboard only type hill? Coming from NH I always have wanted to buy Whittier and open it back up as a snowboard only, mainly expert terrain type place. Thoughts?

 

[ajl50]

you forgot alta- no snowboards there.
I don't think there will ever be a snowboard only mountain because of the explosion of park and pipe skiing.

 

[TwinTips21]

Parks and pipes aren't only for boarders...

 

[wintersyndrome]

As one who rides, and hasn't skied since the first Bush. I think it would be wrong to have a snowboard only mountain, The segregation of skier/ snowboarders is just wrong to begin with..not being able to snowboard at these mountains makes it as rediculous(sp) as not being able to ski in a "snowboard" park, as that really is just a location on the mountain with man-made terrain features.

we're all trying to do the same thing, enjoy the force of gravity as we slide over (hopefully through) snow

 

[Big Game]

As I boarder, it's only natural that I would never want to impede anyone's enjoyment of the hill. But I am curious as to what a steep slope would bump up like if it was boards only. Maybe it's a stupid idea, but I'd still like to see it. Of course, I think it would be very difficult to have a "board only" trail even for a couple of days. Sure there would be poaching.

 

[thebigo]

I seem to remember mount snow running carinthia as a giant snowboard only park at some point in the 80's, does anybody else remember this?

Edit: my memory failed me, actually waterville ran snows moutain as a snowboard only area

And from Bob Hatcher: The Waterville Valley ski area, just before the Tom Corcoran era of ownership ended in the late 1990's, tried to market Snow's Mountain as the world's first snowboard-only mountain. The entire mountain was developed into a park with tabletops and other snowboard-friendly amenities. Unfortunately snowboarders preferred the larger Waterville ski area across the valley, the plan failed, and Snow's became a summer-only mountain.

souce: http://www.nelsap.org/nh/waterville.html

 

[theguy10]

My feeling is that the ski-only have become ski/snowboard for a reason and that is why only 4 remain. Skiers grew up being with only skiers but snowboarders grew up learning to share the mountain. In my opinion, It just wouldn't be financially possible to do it.

 

[Talisman]

The idea of a snow borader only mountain has been tried at Snow's Mountain by I believe Waterville Valley with little success. Snow's Mountain had no snow making and was probably doomed because of this but the snow board only thing didn't catch on despite fairly aggressive marketing. Whaleback seems to be trying the park theme which should attract an interesting demographic.

 

[AdironRider]

Considering snowboardings relatively short lifespan, I think its kinda unfair to compare a no-snowmaking hill with a run or two (Ive seen snows from the Waterville lifts, its nothing to speak of really) to the market today. I think today snowboarding is even more popular, especially as the snowboarding market is no longer a niche sport kinda thing. Snowboarders from the 80's are now middle aged adults, etc. Seems like it might be more viable. But I agree, I think it would be a tough sell.

 

[Geoff]

I think a 100% terrain park mountain would make more commercial sense than a 100% snowboard mountain. You'd put the terrain park facility as close as possible to a metro area and light it to service the after school & after work market.

 

[FRITOLAYGUY]

I think this is the closest thing to what you want right now.. http://www.echomountainpark.com/

 

[Marc]

I don't know as though I see there being enough demand. Then again, I think the fact that there are no snowboarders at the remaining ski only mountains does not play as big a role in attracting skiers than the terrain upon which the resorts are built.

 

[Rushski]

Like others have said, it seems like a huge business gamble limitting to just snowboarding. Skiing can (sort of) get away with it as it has been around longer and the purists like it that way.

Be a skier, I wouldn't be against it. And opening Whittier back up would make sense as it's location is good. But, it is a fairly small mountain and board cruiser types would probably get bored of it. Park only may work, but Whaleback seems to make more sense with that similar approach as a park-oriented area...

 

[thebigo]

From the business perspective the question would have to be:

Would the exclusion of skiers increase the number of snowboarders at the moutain.

IMO the answer is no. I have never heard a snowboarder complain about skiers.

 

[PowderDeprived]

It makes sense if a small sub feeder hill with say 200-500 feet of vertical decided to mostly offer terrain features, and mabey some begining terrain. But beeing in a metro area, or an area far from any place with serious terrain could be a problem, as there would be no serious terrain to practice Ski/Riding ability, which is what comes first before the park. That in a sense would limit the featuers to small table tops, rails, funboxes, and mabey a restrained pipe.

My point aginst a snowboard specific hill is that if places like MRG are supposedly discriminating, and wrong in their policy, why would it be right for anybody to do the same by opening a Snowboard Only hill. I honestly don't see how it would get a place like MRG back or even stick it to Skiers, as the snob type Skiers who hate Riders, would only rejoice that it would keep boarders away from their "Ski hill"

As a skier, I have no problem shareing the hill with snowboarders. Most of the Skiers I know who trash snowboarding, are misinformed and don't know what they are talking about, and they are Gaper skiiers anyway.

I think MRG could open the mountain to serious snowboarders who could enjoy it, but then agiain as 90% of skiers wouldn't touch MRG, most snowboarders wouldn't either. And MRG doesn't discriminate, because they don't allow snowboarding, not snowboarders, Snowboarders are more then welcome at MRG, as long as they are on a pair of Skis.

And as terrian parks beeing Board Specific, that was back in the day of 215 CM stiffies, wich would be usless in a Pipe, and rails which the Idea was stollen from Skateboarding, and was initialy associated with Snowboarding as such, and then a bunch of Skiiers pooh poohed them off because "I prefer to ski on sneau)

Anyway, times have changed snowboading has gained in popularity, and Skis have goten shorter, fatter, and have gained a Sidecut (some even twin tips , and now the two sports actualy have something in common, and they share somethign that they initialy didnt, the ability to carve it up. So who really cares about the differences, as we can all carve it up on the same hill.

 

[BeanoNYC]

I think a 100% terrain park mountain would make more commercial sense than a 100% snowboard mountain. You'd put the terrain park facility as close as possible to a metro area and light it to service the after school & after work market.

I can see Mountain Creek doing this.

 

[Hawkshot99]

I can see Mountain Creek doing this.

They already are basically. They have 5 terrain parks, and the only reason to actully go is the parks.

 

[BeanoNYC]

They already are basically. They have 5 terrain parks, and the only reason to actully go is the parks.

Yep....the main mountain especially. South and Granite is the place to go if you're not into parks.

 

[Big Game]

I think a 100% terrain park mountain would make more commercial sense than a 100% snowboard mountain. You'd put the terrain park facility as close as possible to a metro area and light it to service the after school & after work market.

I would think the perfect combo would be a 80% terrain park and 20% beginner zone. Seems with a mix like that, you could really turn a small area without much natural anything into a big deal. Like if someone bought Powder Ridge at the foreclosure sale.

 

[AdironRider]

I dont understand why it has to be a terrain park/beginner mountain. If anything I would want it to be like any other mountain (of course with damn good parks). Its a misconception that snowboarders only ride to ride in the park. Snowboards are pretty damn hard to beat in pow. Plus plenty of riders love the steeps. I think its pretty ignorant to lump all snowboarders as park guys or something like that.