Would you pay to ski a Mogul Course?

[deadheadskier]

With all the talk of bumps lately around here

It seems the one thing most recreational bump skiers really dislike is the fact that ski areas close bump courses to the public; or if they're open, the kickers are roped off.

Would you pay extra above your lift ticket cost to ski a bump course including having it timed like a Nastar course?

It probably would never be much of a revenue generator for a mountain, but I think it would be a GREAT amenity. I'd pay $2-3 a run and if the course is killer, I'd possibly take multiple runs. In theory, a mountain could pocket $20-$30 extra a day off me.

In a perfect world, the course would be at no extra charge, but I could see how the mountain ops people might want to use the cash exchange as a convenient time to get a skier to sign a waiver.

Guess this shows where I place value as someone was talking about 'park passes' at a PA resort that you had to pay extra for, which I thought was ridiculous.

So.....would you pony up the extra cabbage?

 

[highpeaksdrifter]

No freakin way and I would resent any ski area trying to nickle and dime me that way. I like the all inclusive package.

NASTAR courses have to be set and takin down for grooming every day and you have to pay staff to work the start and finish.

 

[Highway Star]

Please see my related thread about pay per use charging:

http://forums.alpinezone.com/53785-would-you-pay-use-ski-area-restroom.html

 

[Greg]

Probably not if there were good bumps elsewhere on the mountain. But if it was like NASTAR and timed and judged, I'd pay for a few runs through it, especially if I was going to be competing in a bigger comp in the near future.

No freakin way and I would resent any ski area trying to nickle and dime me that way. I like the all inclusive package.

What are your thoughts about courses being roped and closed to the public?

NASTAR courses have to be set and takin down for grooming every day and you have to pay staff to work the start and finish.

I would argue that setting up and maintaining a bump course is probably more labor intensive that a race course. At Sundown, it takes a few hours to set up the timing and gates and probably 15 minutes to pull the course. Granted, it's not a long course, but neither is a typical mogul course. Seeding the course, shoveling/skiing in the lines maintaining the kickers and landings would take a lot of effort. And if the runs were timed and judged, you gotta pay those people.

I brought up the concept of a mogul league at Sundown. It's something we might actually pursue.

 

[Greg]

No, that's the sillyest idea ever.

That's cuz your a crappy bump skier. At least that's what I hear. How someone claims to be within K's top 30 and sucks in the bumps is beyond me...

 

[Warp Daddy]

NO Way that would only lead to OTHER specialized fees - as others have said no nickel and dimeing need be encouraged .

 

[Highway Star]

That's cuz your a crappy bump skier. At least that's what I hear. How someone claims to be within K's top 30 and sucks in the bumps is beyond me...

Crappy? That's a stretch. I'm out of practice because I have better things to do.....I've been a better bump skier than you'll ever be.

At least I'm not a one trick pony.

 

[deadheadskier]

So, those opposed I take it are against NASTAR as well?

 

[Greg]

Crappy? That's a stretch. I'm out of practice because I have better things to do.....I've been a better bump skier than you'll ever be.

At least I'm not a one trick pony.

:lol:

 

[mondeo]

No freakin way and I would resent any ski area trying to nickle and dime me that way. I like the all inclusive package.

NASTAR courses have to be set and takin down for grooming every day and you have to pay staff to work the start and finish.

But that's the point. You have to maintain mogul courses on a daily basis, including slipping, salting the kickers, chopping the landings, filling in holes on the landings, etc., and every once in a while taking it down and building a new course when the bumps get too far spaced. With the mediocre interest in bump skiing, it's not financially viable for mountains to just do it on their own; there's simply no ROI. I'd want to see the cost set up purely to offset the amount of effort that goes into it.

While day in, day out I'd rather ski natural bumps, I'd probably be willing to pay to ski a course sometimes. But I'd rather pay through volunteering than money; just have the bump skiers do all the maintenance rather than paid staff. And if someone doesn't want to do the work, then they pay.

 

[highpeaksdrifter]

What are your thoughts about courses being roped and closed to the public?

I'd be against it, if you buy a ticket you should be able to use the whole mountain.

I would argue that setting up and maintaining a bump course is probably more labor intensive that a race course. At Sundown, it takes a few hours to set up the timing and gates and probably 15 minutes to pull the course. Granted, it's not a long course, but neither is a typical mogul course. Seeding the course, shoveling/skiing in the lines maintaining the kickers and landings would take a lot of effort. And if the runs were timed and judged, you gotta pay those people.

It's the same deal setting up a trma park, plus you have to pay staff to keep it running smothly, but no mountain that I know of charges extra to use it.

I brought up the concept of a mogul league at Sundown. It's something we might actually pursue.

A league would be different, that's a group of people paying for a service outside of the normal lift ticket.

 

[highpeaksdrifter]

So, those opposed I take it are against NASTAR as well?

I know guys who take NASTAR very seriously and those who go on a ski vacation and think it would be fun to snowplow through. So anyone can use it who wants to.

Most of the general public trys to advoid bumps. There's no way there would be enough customer interest to maintain pay for staff to do the same type of thng with moguls.

 

[mondeo]

It's the same deal setting up a trma park, plus you have to pay staff to keep it running smothly, but no mountain that I know of charges extra to use it.

Unless you consider the fact that park rats basically fund the terrain parks through their lift passes. No mountain is going to make enough extra money by keeping a course maintained to offset the costs purely by lift tickets.

I really don't have a problem with KMS and the like keeping their courses closed to the public. The courses are built and maintained by the teams. If I were them and forced to open the course up to snowboarders, tele skiers, and beginners on short skis to destroy the lines, I'd be royally pissed.

 

[Greg]

There's no way there would be enough customer interest to maintain pay for staff to do the same type of thng with moguls.

We never thought we'd have a spring bump comp with a $1K top prize in CT either. This sounds like a challenge.

 

[highpeaksdrifter]

But that's the point. You have to maintain mogul courses on a daily basis, including slipping, salting the kickers, chopping the landings, filling in holes on the landings, etc., and every once in a while taking it down and building a new course when the bumps get too far spaced. With the mediocre interest in bump skiing, it's not financially viable for mountains to just do it on their own; there's simply no ROI. I'd want to see the cost set up purely to offset the amount of effort that goes into it.

While day in, day out I'd rather ski natural bumps, I'd probably be willing to pay to ski a course sometimes. But I'd rather pay through volunteering than money; just have the bump skiers do all the maintenance rather than paid staff. And if someone doesn't want to do the work, then they pay.

You CLITS wear me out sometimes with your rightous, know everything preaching about skiing moguls. You may think you invented it but trust me you didn't.

DHS posed a question and I answered it with my opinion - you don't like my answer too bad.

 

[Greg]

DHS posed a question and I answered it with my opinion - you don't like my answer too bad.

I thought this was a discussion forum. :roll:

 

[mondeo]

You CLITS wear me out sometimes with your rightous, know everything preaching about skiing moguls. You may think you invented it but trust me you didn't.

DHS posed a question and I answered it with my opinion - you don't like my answer too bad.

So I guess healthy debate is something to be avoided? All we can do here is answer the original post?

 

[jack97]

I really don't have a problem with KMS and the like keeping their courses closed to the public. The courses are built and maintained by the teams. If I were them and forced to open the course up to snowboarders, tele skiers, and beginners on short skis to destroy the lines, I'd be royally pissed.

The freestyle coaches over at Sunapee do let other hit the kickers. Sometimes I see a couple of older bumpers tag along with the team when they are making their practice runs. Kickers are open, I think the coaches are ok with it if they know the other won't ruin the line, the kicker and the landing area.

btw, some times I do feel like I paid extra just to ski the moguls..... tickets at sunapee are expensive compare to other places but that's what I like to ski.

 

[highpeaksdrifter]

We never thought we'd have a spring bump comp with a $1K top prize in CT either. This sounds like a challenge.

Don't go all defensive on me hear, but it might work at a little place like Sundown (I doubt it though) cause you guys have stated yourselfs that it would get boring fast without bump runs. Places like that have also produced some good racers cause it gives people something to do on a hill with variety limitations.

I've said it before and I'll say it again here, you guys have done a great job promoting bump skiing at Sundown. You make the most out of what you have. Without Greg and his forum it would never have happened.

I just don't like the idea of charging people extra to ski bumps. Plus it would be exclusionary and discourage people who might like to try skiing them if there was no charge.

 

[highpeaksdrifter]

I thought this was a discussion forum. :roll:

So I guess healthy debate is something to be avoided? All we can do here is answer the original post?

Whatever, everybody goin to gang up on me now like you do Highwaystar?