What ski areas did you ski in their debut season?

[sledhaulingmedic]

Along the lines of Zand's thread, which areas did you ski thier first season? (I suspect this will be a shorter thread.) I'll allow re-openings.

For me, it was Onset and then, the new Crotched. (I won't count Bobcat.)

 

[threecy]

If reopenings don't count, this will be an AARP convention

 

[nycskier]

Never skied a resort in the opening season, although I almost made it to Tuxedo Ridge which re-opened this year (previously it was the old Ski Sterling Forest) for the free Late season skiing. The plan was to take a run there on the drive up to Killington only the weather did not cooperate with that plan!

 

[AHM]

Got one!

Nakiska: This area was created for the 1988 Olympics and a group of us got to ski there right after the games. Great time to be in the Banff area.

 

[sledhaulingmedic]

If reopenings don't count, this will be an AARP convention

Quiet, Sonny! Don't be dissin' the seniors. I have another couple months before AARP recruits me!

 

[SIKSKIER]

I also skied Onset their first year operating.I thought that new bubble chair was sooo cool.I remember a guy fell off of that chair before the first tower.The footrest was down and his boot/ski got caught in the footrest and he was hanging by one leg for 20 minutes before the patrol got him down.Pretty bizaar.I've never seen anything like that since.

 

[eastcoastpowderhound]

China Bowl at Vail...yeah, okay, so it wasn't a whole new resort...but China Bowl alone is bigger than anything we've got here in the east. Also cat skied Mineral Basin (Snowbird) the spring before it became lift serviced. I'm gonna stop now before I get yelled at for cheating.

 

[wa-loaf]

I skied the Canyons, the first year it was renamed.

 

[eastcoastpowderhound]

:idea:Wow, forgot all about The Canyons...I was there the first season too...hence all the debut lift rides I'd posted for the canyons. Base area was one big construction site...no grand summit hotel yet...just 3.2 beer at Doc's at the end of the day.:beer: The "ski america" pass got a few of us out there...ended up spending much more time over in Little Cottonwood even though we stayed in Kimball junction...it was late spring and pretty muddy at the canyons while there was still plenty of cold snow at snowbird and alta.

 

[JimG.]

Deer Valet, UT

 

[wa-loaf]

:idea:Wow, forgot all about The Canyons...I was there the first season too...hence all the debut lift rides I'd posted for the canyons. Base area was one big construction site...no grand summit hotel yet...just 3.2 beer at Doc's at the end of the day.:beer: The "ski america" pass got a few of us out there...ended up spending much more time over in Little Cottonwood even though we stayed in Kimball junction...it was late spring and pretty muddy at the canyons while there was still plenty of cold snow at snowbird and alta.

Yea there were a bunch of unfinished buildings up and the base was kind of deserted. I totally forgot that those were debut lifts I could take credit for. I was staying in Park City and only skied there one day. We got some nice powder runs in, but it was really hard to get around even with all the new lifts.

 

[AHM]

And, here's another........

Cat skied Monarch CO as their first cat ski customers ever. It was written up in one of the ski mags as the best op for steep cat skiing in 1990 in the US. So, we roll in to hit it up. Not a lot of fresh, so the guides (this is a term I will use very loosely) say let's check it out via a couple sleds. With them driving, Mrs AHM on the back, and me going water ski style (this was a ton of fun) we head up to the Continental Divide (@ 35 mph!). On another sled was Dr Z. As our "lead guide" ski cuts a wind hammered bowl that hadn't slid in ages (it was obvious) we wait atop a nice cornice (freezing our a$$es off since we came dressed to cat ski). One by one we get to go. Mrs AHM on her first BC run ever drops 3 to 4 nice turns before dumping her ski. It goes well over a thousand verts...................right to me. Needless to say, it was a tough ski down for her on one (straight 190 cm GS) ski.

Dr Z and I decide to continue, while Mrs AHM hits the area (Monarch in 1990 was a pretty deserted place). As we go for the next run, our guides ask us if we think a variety of lines are skiable (our guides were rather new at this, being the first year). As Dr Z and I pick off one super steep chute after another, most absolutely bottomless (and quite possibly rarely if ever skied) and giving our guides a couple pointers here and there, it became one of those superb days that you remember forever. When all was said and done and we were back at the area, they chose not to charge us. We dropped a C note each in the tip bucket and thanked them for a great day!

 

[threecy]

Quiet, Sonny! Don't be dissin' the seniors. I have another couple months before AARP recruits me!

New nick: denturehaulingmedic

 

[sledhaulingmedic]

Deer Valet, UT

I think it's spelled: "Dear Valet"

 

[sledhaulingmedic]

New nick: denturehaulingmedic

Now that's just mean. Now I'll have to wait until after I've had my Geritol to finish clipping the "depends" coupons.

 

[threecy]

Now I'll have to wait until after I've had my Geritol to finish clipping the "depends" coupons.

Depends aren't covered under your prescription drug beneift?

 

[wa-loaf]

Now that's just mean. Now I'll have to wait until after I've had my Geritol to finish clipping the "depends" coupons.

Nice, do you have a walker outfitted with a pair of skis? :lol:

 

[sledhaulingmedic]

Depends aren't covered under your prescription drug beneift?

You're a fairly sharp witt. You might have a future in comedy, once you crack puberty.:-D

 

[threecy]

You're a fairly sharp witt. You might have a future in comedy, once you crack puberty.:-D

I cracked puberty the year you had the series of cameos on the Golden Girls I especially enjoyed the episode you gave Bea Arthur CPR

 

[billski]

been there

Quiet, Sonny! Don't be dissin' the seniors. I have another couple months before AARP recruits me!

I get AARP mailings. No point in joining though, they don't have ski discounts.