Powder days are overrated.

Harvey said:
Did the inches sneak up? Or is 4 inches not enough to get people's attention?

Honestly this is an advantage to being a old skier who started late, and honestly just isn't that good. I'm content at these small ski hills and there really isn't much competition there. Probably the biggest hill vert wise in that category for me is Plattekill. But places like McCauley and Snow Ridge and Titus get snow and are fun as hell, for me, to ski. It's almost two years since I've been to VT, and most of those days have been Killington Superstar days where competition isn't really a thing.

This conversation always takes me back to this shot of blockbuster on opening day in 2019. I remember it so clearly, because it was my third run, and I looked back up the hill and there was no one behind me.

This kind of thinking may not be possible for RA who has experienced so much, and he's so good, that he might fall asleep while skiing at a place like Titus.

I think this could make a great piece for the front page.
Click to expand...
I’m not so sure about the being so good part. I’m getting old and the sport has blown right by me. The kids today are amazing but I’ve experienced a freaking shit ton of really damn good days at some of the best resorts in the country and that has had an affect on my perspective. I like to think I can have fun anywhere but to some degree you’re right if I’m going to be honest. At a place like Titus or most small ski areas I’d probably do a few runs but the experience would be more about the social aspect, a bit of a buzz and some leisure.

I skied two days ago here. I brought up a six pack of pale ales to enjoy in the lot and share with others. After three or four scary runs on thin cover on the natural runs and dangerously crowded groomers I grabbed my beers and went to a spot to sit, take in the views and watch the mayhem from afar. It was a weird moment where I realized I didn’t drive up to the mountain for the skiing, I was there for a leisure day and to get out of the house. This felt like a big turning point for me.

IMG_3463.jpeg


This was my spot. Maybe there's some symbolism in this photo, I don't know. Anyways I don’t want to be the “bummer” on a ski forum or the “anti-stoke” guy but this is a strange place for me. I went home after my 4 beers and felt like it was time for a change and that I'm ready.

I’ve got a buddy that travels the world and skis massive mountaineering lines. He seems really happy doing that. Maybe if I had more money I’d be into that but probably not. I need to have different and new experiences. I get bored doing the same things over and over again. I'll always love skiing but in some ways it's held me back. It's been such a huge part of my identity that it's hard to walk away from. Some of you may say that I can still ski and yeah, I probably will to some degree but when you don't have much money you have to make choices. I simply don't have enough money to do it all.

Jessica and I will be leaving flagstaff within the next year. We aren’t moving to another mountain town. I don’t like the cold anymore and we want a better quality of life. Im also chasing a dream and a big project that I'm super excited about.
 
Last edited:
I'm with Harvey and Temp6 - New York State is blessed with so many "small" ski areas such as Platty, Snowridge, McCauley etc. that have terrain that is challenging and fun. I haven't been to a "large" mountain in 5 years or so (last one was Whiteface) I consider Platty my home mountain and have been a season pass holder there for many years.
I made a decision a few years ago to ski all the mountains in New York State and every year I am hitting a few more.
 
olddogbmxer said:
I made a decision a few years ago to ski all the mountains in New York State and every year I am hitting a few more.
Click to expand...

This is my goal for the next few years.

Where are you based dog?
 
raisingarizona said:
I could definitely still have fun at Plattekill
Click to expand...
Well if you come next year or any year after before I am gone from this planet I will meet you there. I should have the flexibility to be anywhere in NY or VT after the end of this year.

I do think for hanging out after skiing there is no better place.
 
I saw a fist fight on a powder day in Big Sky between two guys at the bottom of the Challenger chair because one cut the other off racing to get on. It was really disgusting to witness. It was also very silly since they both had helmets on. I got more into the backcountry around that time but the necessary gear and partner to mitigate avalanche danger was cumbersome and mind consuming. I started doing more cross country with low angle downhill around Yellowstone. Arcing big turns on bended knee in the sunshine with no one around. Just a sweater and sunglasses, that’s where it’s at.
 
The adventure sports crowd/demographic has made a shift in the past 10 years as these sports have become more accessible to broader swaths of the public. The sentiments being expressed by @raisingarizona about resort skiing is not dissimilar from how I feel about mountain biking and snowboarding to a lesser extent. The sheer amount of money and time required to partake and and maintain these hobbies draws out a different type of individual than what existed before these sports became as accessible as they are today. I feel that people are buying into the aspirational marketing and identities that companies in these spaces are portraying. I laugh when I roll up to Belleayre to see 4 $150K Revel Sprinter vans lined up in the parking lot, likely driven up for a day trip, decked to the 9's. It has become less important to actually engage in the activity itself, with more of an emphasis on having the stuff that associates you with the activities in the eye's of onlookers. Consumerism ruins shit, aspirational marketing is lame and love of the outdoors is being diluted. That said I don't think it makes it worth giving up on these activities completely, just find ways to experience fun in the outdoors in a way that is meaningful and authentic to you, until some company comes along marketing that to the masses...
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
© Copyright 2008 - 2024 NYSkiBlog
Join | Subscribe | Advertise | Privacy
NYSkiBlog is for the rest of us: regular people with a sense of adventure, who love to ski.
We zig when they zag. To connect with us, follow us:
NYSkiBlog Facebook.
NYSkiBlog Twitter.
NYSkiBlog Instagram.
NYSkiBlog RSS.
Back
Top