When did you decide to rid yourself of resort skiing?

The word Gaper is overused · 01-21-2008, 06:45 PM

At what point (year, moment, instant) did you decide that skiing a developed ski resort with chairlifts was not your thing anymore?

There has to be a lot of people that have given up resort skiing entirely or at least whenever they can do without and head to the BC.

Personally, I think that I'm there. Resort skiing, while fun with friends, is simply turning into a gigantic shitshow of goon squads who piss me off.

I can't believe I've gone this far without dedicating more of my time to backcountry adventure....

**JoeStrummer** · 01-21-2008, 06:49 PM

In Colorado, probably spring of 2009. I can feel it coming on. I still like the social aspect of skiing with bc-challenged friends and the fact you can find good stuff if you're willing to work.

In the Alps - never! They are going to scatter my ashes off the Aiguille du Midi so I can watch punters navigate the handline for the rest of eternity.

**rideit** · 01-21-2008, 06:55 PM

Since finding the internetz, I don't bother to go at all.
I just ski right here, on TGR.

**montanamike** · 01-21-2008, 06:57 PM

Well, if they take away our tram, then add a million people to Bozeman, I might consider...

**alpinerider** · 01-21-2008, 06:58 PM

This will be my first year going BC. It was a ridiculous "shitshow" (I actually used that same word) at Homewood on Saturday, where we went with friends who convinced us that was the best option. Plus BC means no lift ticket, better excercise, less people who annoy me. Just be careful and don't be stupid out there!

**paleale** · 01-21-2008, 07:00 PM

I can't give up the lifts! At least not yet. I know what you mean about the shit show. Weekend powder days have almost made me hate powder. But I just try to laugh it off and ignore the tourist stares.

**forum8fox** · 01-21-2008, 07:06 PM

Well the notion set in a long time ago when I had a 3 mountain pass and waited in line more then I skiied..... I didn't quit then but I deffinately started riding loveland pass. I worked at loveland for 2 years 03/04 - 04/05 I believe. During this time I got to travel to steamboat and crested butte and saw how much better things can be, it sucks if you want to ski anything good from the front range your going to drive 6+ hours to ride the lift. Beyond that I got so good at riding the resort that to have fun on repeat runs I ended up riding switch alot. Untill I was riding double diamonds switch(bumps included). There are few things that entertain me anymore at resorts, gotta drive really far for it to be worth my time so I don't fuck with it unless I want to road trip. I have been riding berthoud mostly for the last 3 seasons and I still have new places to explore and a list of things I still have not hit. Not to mention I now know of a bunch of other spots plus all the sickness to be had in the spring...... I don't regret it a bit; more pow, more solitude, no lift lines just sick lines. I feel I have progressed more since I stoped riding lifts (with exception to a trip to jackson, silverton and whistler).

Plus it's nice that there is no rules in the bc and no gay partoler to yell at you. no closed runs is always a plus. For me it's a no brainer.

**DropCliffsNotBombs** · 01-21-2008, 07:07 PM

I haven't given up completely on skiing resorts. Not even close. I agree with the negatives that you mentioned, trust me, but how else does one expect to log over 20,000 feet of vertical of powder before lunch with your skins? It also depends a lot on your home mountain too. If my only option for lift access was on the level of Keystone or Purgatory, I might have quit years ago.

nomensteven · 01-21-2008, 07:08 PM

I remember skiing in bounds for a few runs and it was cold, super foggy, and really bumpy with no fresh snow. We decided to just go on a short slack-country tour but that brought us above the cloud line where it was warm, bluebird, and untouched powder. The total opposite of what was happening down below in the resort.

**Dhelihiker** · 01-21-2008, 07:11 PM

Polaris O'Clock

**summit** · 01-21-2008, 07:13 PM

People are still responding to this troll? Lame...

**Bawheed** · 01-21-2008, 07:28 PM

Originally Posted by DropCliffsNotBombs

but how else does one expect to log over 20,000 feet of vertical of powder before lunch with your skins?

I will never understand people who log this shit...20,000 vertical feet! 50billion calories burned! Winnar! Seriously, who cares about this, and why?

**forum8fox** · 01-21-2008, 07:37 PM

sorry this was my first offence, the topic just really spoke to me. No offence but if you think about it your feeding the troll too.

I know what you mean though, we all need to stop feeding the trolls!

damnit I'm feeding the troll as we speak

I can tell you though no one get's 1000+ posts from only TR's, everybody feeds a troll at some point

Oh and to get back on topic, comparing vert is like this in my opinion... would you rather farm pow all day or get 1 of the sickes lines of your life all day? I would personally rather one sick run to 20,000ft of GFP any day.

**DropCliffsNotBombs** · 01-21-2008, 07:46 PM

Originally Posted by Bawheed

I will never understand people who log this shit...20,000 vertical feet! 50billion calories burned! Winnar! Seriously, who cares about this, and why?

Why put yourself in a situation where you have to choose between quality and quantity? You can and should have both.
Oh yeah, and saying that 20,000 ft. of skiing is silly is like saying one sweet run of bottomless bc powder per day is silly!

20,000 ft. of powder before lunch does speak pretty loud. And it's not hard to calculate... 10 runs @ 2,000 vert./run = 20,000 ft.! Didn't even need an altimeter!

**backcountry1pr** · 01-21-2008, 07:51 PM

Originally Posted by montanamike

Well, if they take away our tram, then add a million people to Bozeman, I might consider...

man, no offense, but I skied Big Sky for a day this season and I was ready to get back into the bc by noon, the bc up there is awesome (except for the wind). Bridger was way better.

**2FUNKY** · 01-21-2008, 08:25 PM

For me it was mid way last season. I moved to an area that has just par lift serve but insane bc. I only have 51 days this year due to partners schedule conflict,family and what not, they have been the best 46 days. I have only ridden a lift 5 days this season, they were pretty fuckin sick 5 days though and not around here. If I was still in bzone, I would be 60/40 again.Lift/bc.Food for the troll.

**~mikey b** · 01-21-2008, 08:43 PM

1998

I was riding a chair at Alpine Meadows with a bunch of idiots and was bored as shit. After that, I rarely skied at ski areas unless I was working at them. At one point, I skied 100 days per year in the backcountry over 3 years. Last season I actually bought a lift ticket to Loveland and skied a full day at a ski area for the first time in 7-8 years. Had a 1/2 dozen area days last season, and 2 so far this season.

Great troll.....

**smitchell333** · 01-21-2008, 08:51 PM

I still have not gone entirely feral as I have a Loveland Season pass, but each year I seem to feel less and less like riding the lifts.

**skibiker** · 01-21-2008, 08:53 PM

Well if you have to get on a jet or two to reach any mountains, resorts are the way to go. Those of us that take a ski trip once or twice a year do look forward to 20,000 feet by lunch. Lifts are a good way to accomplish that, skinning, hiking, bootpacking,or whatever will not get it done.

**KillingCokes** · 01-21-2008, 08:54 PM

Summit I don't think this is a troll. I think it's a good question.

Last year I only skied the area with my son, 3 years old at the time and only midweek. I skied one other day at the area when some friends came to visit. Now given the choice I don't think I'll ski the area for "myself" anymore. I don't really have a choice as I think it's really the only option for teaching my son though.

**telepariah** · 01-21-2008, 08:57 PM

PM Rontele, he...

Oh wait, you *are* Rontele. Never mind.

**easyrdr** · 01-21-2008, 09:10 PM

my resort days have varied season to season depending on location. Living in SLC I was putting in 100+ days at the resort-(parlty due to the fact that I worked there and mostly due to the fact that I had no backcountry experience). When I lived in Tahoe it was the exact opposite-in two years I got about 10 days of resort and the rest were backcountry (again probably due to the fact that I had no ski pass and I completed my avy 1, and the snow for the most part is pretty safe to learn on)

with that said I definitely prefer bc and small mom and pop hills, places you have to make an effort to get to (sort of a natural way to weed out asshats)

**GeoMatt** · 01-21-2008, 09:37 PM

Ski about 90% BC, probably 60% of that solo. Started in the winter of 2004-2005. Only ski resort if the partner/snowpack combined situation is of concern.

**MW88888888** · 01-22-2008, 12:01 AM

I asked the same question of myself last year and just for kicks looked back through the ski log and was amused to see it was November of 2002 when I bought my last ticket - 6 years ago! (Taos, NM of all places, while on tour). I ski 60 days a year without the "luxury" of lifts.

It wasn't really a conscious choice, just evolved away from that scene. I enjoy getting up early (lifts start cranking when??), skiing all snow types (ski season is only half over when the lifts shut down, people!), enjoy my friend's company and not the gondola crowd.

SL · 01-22-2008, 12:08 AM

Originally Posted by MW88888888

I asked the same question of myself last year and just for kicks looked back through the ski log and was amused to see it was November of 2002 when I bought my last ticket - 6 years ago! (Taos, NM of all places, while on tour). I ski 60 days a year without the "luxury" of lifts.

It wasn't really a conscious choice, just evolved away from that scene. I enjoy getting up early (lifts start cranking when??), skiing all snow types (ski season is only half over when the lifts shut down, people!), enjoy my friend's company and not the gondola crowd.

What is a ski log?