Would you pay to ski a Mogul Course?

[Greg]

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.

No need to think I'll get defensive HPD. Sundown would be pretty boring without the bumps. Like you said, we all think that. However, with the bumps, it's one helluva fun place. Some of whom I would consider the top skiers on this forum checked it out and all also raved about it. Who would have thought a little hill in CT would have attracted people from basically all over the northeast. The bottom line is anything is possible.

 

[eastcoastpowderhound]

I wouldn't shell out an extra shilling for a bump course...would hate to see resorts getting all ala carte on us...like fancy restaurants where the sides are extra...BS. Caveat is, after skiing bumps pretty much exclusively through my teens and into early 20s, I rarely ski them anymore...only when they're soft...pow days and spring days.

 

[Chris Sullivan]

I agree with HPD on this one. One of the reasons Terrain Parks are successful is that they are not exclusive. Keeping bump skiing available to anyone who wants to try it, is key to its resurgence.

 

[thorski]

No need to think I'll get defensive HPD. Sundown would be pretty boring without the bumps. Like you said, we all think that. However, with the bumps, it's one helluva fun place. Some of whom I would consider the top skiers on this forum checked it out and all also raved about it. Who would have thought a little hill in CT would have attracted people from basically all over the northeast. The bottom line is anything is possible.

Just think of how sweet sundown will be with a medium sized pipe. :flag:

 

[mondeo]

I agree with HPD on this one. One of the reasons Terrain Parks are successful is that they are not exclusive. Keeping bump skiing available to anyone who wants to try it, is key to its resurgence.

I think what HPD might be missing is that we're not talking about restricting access to bumps, we're talking about restricting access to a well-maintained competition course in addition to whatever else the mountain offers for bumps, essentially NASTAR for bumps. Just because there's a charge for NASTAR doesn't mean people can't go rip carved turns elsewhere on the mountain, they just don't have gates and aren't timed. Similarly, people can go do bumps elsewhere on the mountain, there just won't be slipped lines, kickers, and chopped landings.

 

[highpeaksdrifter]

I think what HPD might be missing is that we're not talking about restricting access to bumps, we're talking about restricting access to a well-maintained competition course in addition to whatever else the mountain offers for bumps, essentially NASTAR for bumps. Just because there's a charge for NASTAR doesn't mean people can't go rip carved turns elsewhere on the mountain, they just don't have gates and aren't timed. Similarly, people can go do bumps elsewhere on the mountain, there just won't be slipped lines, kickers, and chopped landings.

I'm not missing anything, I don't like the idea of paying more on top of the ticket price and like I said you could make the same argument for the terrain park.

In NASTAR you are not just carving turns, you are getting the race experience from start house to a timed finish.

 

[Greg]

In NASTAR you are not just carving turns, you are getting the race experience from start house to a timed finish.

I think part of DHS's original post was that you would get a fully judged WC mogul competition experience with this idea. Maybe I'm wrong though.

 

[mondeo]

I'm not missing anything, I don't like the idea of paying more on top of the ticket price and like I said you could make the same argument for the terrain park.

In NASTAR you are not just carving turns, you are getting the race experience from start house to a timed finish.

I still don't get the difference between NASTAR and a competition bump course. The idea of having a course is that you aren't just skiing bumps, you're getting the experience of skiing a full competition run, gate to finish line. Depending on how you work it, maybe a little lacking in the judging area, but I'm not that sure that you need it.

Maybe we just have to agree to disagree on this one.

 

[jack97]

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

taken from the first post.... a timed course. However, I'm still not sure how you could judge air. But I'm not a big fan of air in general.

 

[deadheadskier]

In NASTAR you are not just carving turns, you are getting the race experience from start house to a timed finish.

This what I'm suggesting it be, a full bump race experience. Perhaps they could set it up right next to the freestyle teams course. Have two separated courses going down a trail. Maybe the paying public gets the sloppy seconds from the previous days use by the freestyle team. And you rotate things back in forth.

The cost for the general public could help save some of the expenses. Also, it might be a cool experience for the freestyle team kids to take part in running the course; judging, timing, working the start gate.

I'd bet the combination of the two would draw a lot of curious onlookers. It might even inspire some kids to join the mountains team.

The whole thought here is that I don't like the fact that competition bump courses are now almost exclusively reserved for a freestyle team. If a mountain would make it free like they do a terrain park, that would be my preference, but I don't ever see that happening.

 

[Greg]

This what I'm suggesting it be, a full bump race experience. Perhaps they could set it up right next to the freestyle teams course. Have two separated courses going down a trail. Maybe the paying public gets the sloppy seconds from the previous days use by the freestyle team. And you rotate things back in forth.

The cost for the general public could help save some of the expenses. Also, it might be a cool experience for the freestyle team kids to take part in running the course; judging, timing, working the start gate.

I'd bet the combination of the two would draw a lot of curious onlookers. It might even inspire some kids to join the mountains team.

The whole thought here is that I don't like the fact that competition bump courses are now almost exclusively reserved for a freestyle team. If a mountain would make it free like they do a terrain park, that would be my preference, but I don't ever see that happening.

I guess another point is by paying for the "experience" (and presumably signing a waiver) you take some of the liability out of the air component. I still think it's pretty silly how kickers are typically booed off on a mogul course, but HUGE booters are open in the park that any hack can launch himself off of. But that's another discussion....

 

[deadheadskier]

I guess another point is by paying for the "experience" (and presumably signing a waiver) you take some of the liability out of the air component. I still think it's pretty silly how kickers are typically booed off on a mogul course, but HUGE booters are open in the park that any hack can launch himself off of. But that's another discussion....

hopefully someday this all changes. Remember, 15 years ago there wasn't such a thing as terrain parks and skiers weren't allowed in Half Pipes at the areas that even had them. At least this was the case my senior year in High School at my home mountain of Okemo in 1994

 

[Chris Sullivan]

I guess I misinterpreted the question posed in the original post. As far as the cost of maintaining a bump course is concerned, it is relatively low in comparison to park cost and race course cost. Once it is set up it requires some maintenance but, what you save in fuel, wear and tear on grooming equipment and grooming payroll offsets any maintenance issues.
As far as bump run kickers are concerned Greg makes a good point. Next season I hope to post proper signage at the top of our courses and mark the kickers with marking paint daily allowing them to be open to the public, weather permitting.

 

[Bumpsis]

With all the talk of bumps lately around here

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

Not a chance. Anything that adds cost to the day on the slopes is a non-starter for me.
Free bumps that I can count on play big in my decision on where I'd choose to ski.

Sunappe is a perfect example. Although is a quick reach (relative) for a day trip for me, I probably wouldn't ski there if it were not for for the two slopes that the area allows (or seeds) bump up. When the snow conditions are right (corn, powder, etc), more than likely, I'll choose Sunapee. Without the bump runs the area is a bit of a big yawn. Sad to say, so are most of the ski areas in NH.

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

hell no..but I would pay to use a restroom

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

Please see my related thread about pay per use charging:

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

You just want the restrooms to be less crowded for your discreet encounters ads from Craigslist..

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

I think a bump version of Nastar would be cool..good idea..I never thought of that..

 

[deadheadskier]

Next season I hope to post proper signage at the top of our courses and mark the kickers with marking paint daily allowing them to be open to the public, weather permitting.

bravo

as should be the case everywhere

 

[highpeaksdrifter]

This what I'm suggesting it be, a full bump race experience. Perhaps they could set it up right next to the freestyle teams course. Have two separated courses going down a trail. Maybe the paying public gets the sloppy seconds from the previous days use by the freestyle team. And you rotate things back in forth.

The cost for the general public could help save some of the expenses. Also, it might be a cool experience for the freestyle team kids to take part in running the course; judging, timing, working the start gate.

I'd bet the combination of the two would draw a lot of curious onlookers. It might even inspire some kids to join the mountains team.

The whole thought here is that I don't like the fact that competition bump courses are now almost exclusively reserved for a freestyle team. If a mountain would make it free like they do a terrain park, that would be my preference, but I don't ever see that happening.

Look...I think what you're suggesting in theory is pretty cool, but in reality at most ski areas there would be about as much demand for it as there is for GSS on Match.com.

 

[Grassi21]

Look...I think what you're suggesting in theory is pretty cool, but in reality at most ski areas there would be about as much demand for it as there is for GSS on Match.com.

Nominee for post of the day?