Storm Skiing Podcast with Vail Inc. Eastern Head Honcho

[MarzNC]

So no. I was all over the place in my thoughts but too lazy to write it all down but since you and 1000x posted like I hurt your feelings I felt like I had to.

Actually I was reacting to x10003q's comment more than yours. In any case, I like hearing more about your viewpoint. Wasn't taking it personally at all.

I don't count runs or vertical. I don't use an app to track where I've skied. I do count ski days (half day counts as a day). I do think about the cost up to a point. I value ski forums because it helps me figure out how to avoid long lines. Although I figured that out pretty quickly when taking my kid to learn to ski at Massanutten in 2004-06. Between noon-2:30 the lines for the two base lifts used by beginners were 15-20 min . . . for a short groomed run that takes even a beginner no more than 5 min, even with a fall or two. She learned early on that we would be at the lodge 30-45 min before the lifts opened so that we could get first chair when she wasn't in ski school.

Happens that the people I know who have an Epic pass are mostly seniors or have flexible work schedules. So they ski midweek and avoid holiday periods and Saturdays completely.

There are jackasses everywhere, not just on crowded ski slopes. But I'm more of an optimist than a pessimist and think most skiers who get Epic/Ikon probably don't fit any particular description. In particular people who have no idea that ski forums even exist.

 

[Ripitz]

No secret, it's just that these trips are often fluid and can go exactly as planned or change completely at the drop of a hat.

Originally, I booked a late January flight to Toulouse to try (for a second time) to do a nine-day road trip through the western Pyrenees; however, British Airways cancelled its afternoon connecting flight so it became too much trouble or too many FF miles. The Pyrenees will have to wait for retirement, when I'm living the entire winter over there.

I'm now flying nonstop to Milan twice as a gateway to these two regions within two hours (each ski area on the itinerary is marked/zoom in a bit to see most of the lifts and trails on the maps):

• January 28 - Feb 6: while based in Brig (Switzerland), I'll hit a pile of big and small ski areas in the Aletsch Arena region of southern Switzerland. I like the idea of being in one hotel the entire time.
• March 4 - 13: the Hautes-Alpes of southern France including Serre Chevalier and the Forêt Blanche (White Forest).

Very cool James! Those are bucket list places I would love to hear more about. Looking forward to the trip reports and hopefully something in the magazine. Skiing there is larger than life. Bon ski!

 

[raisingarizona]

Actually I was reacting to x10003q's comment more than yours. In any case, I like hearing more about your viewpoint. Wasn't taking it personally at all.

I don't count runs or vertical. I don't use an app to track where I've skied. I do count ski days (half day counts as a day). I do think about the cost up to a point. I value ski forums because it helps me figure out how to avoid long lines. Although I figured that out pretty quickly when taking my kid to learn to ski at Massanutten in 2004-06. Between noon-2:30 the lines for the two base lifts used by beginners were 15-20 min . . . for a short groomed run that takes even a beginner no more than 5 min, even with a fall or two. She learned early on that we would be at the lodge 30-45 min before the lifts opened so that we could get first chair when she wasn't in ski school.

Happens that the people I know who have an Epic pass are mostly seniors or have flexible work schedules. So they ski midweek and avoid holiday periods and Saturdays completely.

There are jackasses everywhere, not just on crowded ski slopes. But I'm more of an optimist than a pessimist and think most skiers who get Epic/Ikon probably don't fit any particular description. In particular people who have no idea that ski forums even exist.

If I put my boots on, I count it! ?

 

[MarzNC]

If I put my boots on, I count it!

Haha!

I used to add to the day count when I skied an hour under the lights after I arriving at Massanutten for a long weekend with kids. But that was when my total was under 20 for the season. Now I rarely ski for less than half a day. No backcountry uphill for me. A half day is usually an afternoon after driving 3 hours from a midway overnight stay, or the morning before driving to the next stop 4-6 hours away. By the time I started really keeping track I was taking 2-3 trips out west per season, in addition to skiing at Massanutten or wandering around doing a ski safari elsewhere in the east.

 

[Brownski]

One run counts as a day

 

[jamesdeluxe]

Those are bucket list places I would love to hear more about.

As almost always, none of what I'll be checking out would be considered top-tier Alps resorts or regions in the ski-public consciousness. Serre Chevalier, Forêt Blanche, and Aletsch Arena are second tier (but each could still swallow a couple Vails). The rest are third and fourth tier, which I especially look forward to.

 

[sig]

Haha!

I used to add to the day count when I skied an hour under the lights after I arriving at Massanutten for a long weekend with kids. But that was when my total was under 20 for the season. Now I rarely ski for less than half a day. No backcountry uphill for me. A half day is usually an afternoon after driving 3 hours from a midway overnight stay, or the morning before driving to the next stop 4-6 hours away. By the time I started really keeping track I was taking 2-3 trips out west per season, in addition to skiing at Massanutten or wandering around doing a ski safari elsewhere in the east.

dude is there nothing to ski in NC? I see some big mountains in western part of state(6000 + feet). granted i know nothing about snow fall down there.

 

[Ripitz]

There are jackasses everywhere, not just on crowded ski slopes.

FTW

 

[tirolski]

If I put my boots on, I count it! ?

Yup.
The laps on the kiddy rope tow at Lab opening day last year counted too.
Wasn’t gonna do the wait in the long dang triple line.
I skied.

 

[MarzNC]

dude is there nothing to ski in NC? I see some big mountains in western part of state(6000 + feet). granted i know nothing about snow fall down there.

Actually, I'm a dudette.

NC has mountains, yes. The Appalachian Trail goes through NC on some of the tallest peaks. Big ski resorts and enough natural snow to run a ski area without 100% snowmaking . . . umm, no.

Snowshoe in WV is the only true "destination resort." It's now owned by Alterra and on Ikon. Total skiable acreage is 244 acres with 1200 ft vert on two black runs that are off the same lift. That's a 7 hour drive from my house. Beech Mountain is over 5000 ft, 95 acres, just over 800' vert.

Cataloochee in NC is on Indy. It's good fun, close to where my daughter is in college in Asheville. Was founded in the 1960s based on 100% snowmaking. Opens early, closes late, snowmaking the entire season from whenever it gets cold in Oct/Nov thru late March if Mother Nature cooperates. Cat has 50 acres, 740' vert. Do I have fun there? Yes. Is it worth driving 4.5 hours to ski there for more than a day or two when visiting my daughter . . . no.

My home mountain, Massanutten (northern VA, 2.5 hours west of DC), has an average annual snowfall of around 25 inches. Massanutten is celebrating 50 years this season, all based on snowmaking. I checked out all the ski areas within a half-day drive of my house before settling on M'nut as the most practical home mountain when my daughter was in elementary school. I've made friends who are locals, as well as with a few people who drive from DC for ski weekends or timeshare vacation weeks.

I could go on, but I'm sure you get the idea.

If you check out SkiSoutheast.com , you'll see that there is plenty of interest in skiing/boarding in the region. That website evolved from SkiNC about 15 years ago. What I learned when I checked NC skiing is that the regulars who get "rock star" parking on weekends because they arrive early are self-described rednecks who like to drink beer and ski. There was a time when lifts would close from 4-6pm between the day session and night session for grooming. Tail gating for dinner in the parking was a big party Sat and Sun afternoons. They are nice guys, but not really my type as ski/travel buddies.

In short, Vail Resorts is unlikely to be spending any money buying a ski area/resort in NC. Indy has Cataloochee in NC, Winterplace and Canaan Valley in WV, Bryce and Massanutten in VA.