Summer use of ski areas

[SILENCER]

I have mixed feelings about this. I obviously go to the mountains to get away from the city, or city-like draws. In Vail's case a removable, gravity powered coaster doesn't sound awful, but starts to get close to "powered" rides. Ironically a roller coaster in an amusement park is powered purely off gravity too after some initial help, just like a lift. Anyway.

But of course I want to see ski areas survive, and if summer income helps them why should I feel weird?

Thoughts?

http://www.9news.com/news/article.as...2017&catid=339

[toast2266]

Sounds like they're just trying to build an alpine slide. Breck already has one, and I think Winter Park does too. Doesn't seem like too big of a deal to me.

I like that they're trying to somewhat limit the expansion of uses on forest service land, but it shouldn't be that hard to limit it in an intelligent manner. I can't imagine that building a waterpark on the slopes of vail would be economically viable anyways - there'd be about a 1 month window where it was actually warm enough to use it.

[karpiel]

Wonder if they mean one of these?

[kidwoo]

Every ski area in the country wishing to make off season money should run summer lifts for dh bikes.

If you disagree, you're wrong.

[summit]

You know there is already and Alpine Slide at Breckenridge? It's really not a big deal.

[TeleHoar]

You know there is already and Alpine Slide at Breckenridge? It's really not a big deal.

That slide provides a lot of ER patients to our local Hospitals.

Six-Flags over Vail anyone??

[Downbound Train]

Wonder if they mean one of these?

WOW That looks fun as hell. How much does that ride set you back? $5-$10?

I love the alpine slide, Mt. Bike, Zip line type attractions. I guess it would kinda suck if the place looks like an abandoned amusement park in the winter. But I don't think anyone is trying to go that crazy with the construction. (Yet)

[Making a Pizza]

That slide provides a lot of ER patients to our local Hospitals.

Six-Flags over Vail anyone??

Sweet, when i get my degree i'm moving to summit county, can't get that kind of job security everywhere, injured skiers in the winter/spring and injured sliders in the summer/fall...i'll be set for life!

[SILENCER]

You know there is already and Alpine Slide at Breckenridge? It's really not a big deal.

One at Winter Park too. I burned a hole in an old Columbia rain jacket on that sumbitch too. Melted it into my arm....ouch.

[chunkylover]

Its a step in the wrong Direction. How much power over the Forest Service Land do you want to put in the hands of Colorado Ski Companies. Although I have no problem with the ziplines and mountain bikers it won't stop there.

[NorthernSpotted...]

Wonder if they mean one of these?

Ohhh, that's what that monstrosity I noticed at Park City was. Looks like fun but I certainly wouldn't pay to do it more than once and I'm not sure it has much place at a ski area. I feel like there's a slippery slope there. If you allow one of them, why not allow a bunch that allow for a variety of rides? It could get out of hand and I don't think that's what anyone here wants to see.

I think ski resorts would do much better helping to promote and advance mountain biking than by blighting their landscapes with a bunch of "alpine coasters" anyway.

[Rossta]

Every ski area in the country wishing to make off season money should run summer lifts for dh bikes.

If you disagree, you're wrong.

agree. this could also provide income to ski shops at the base if they switch to bikes for the summer

[snophoto]

I was at park city last week, and I am pretty sure that coaster cost $20 a ride!

[Yukonrider]

Every ski area in the country wishing to make off season money should run summer lifts for dh bikes.

If you disagree, you're wrong.

seconded.

[joetron]

Wonder if they mean one of these?

Thats pretty much why I ride DH mtb...similar, but soo much better.

[bngofast]

Every ski area in the country wishing to make off season money should run summer lifts for dh bikes.

If you disagree, you're wrong.

Do you know the size of the DH Mountain Bike market? Let me give you a hint... IT'S REALLY SMALL! And DH mountain bikers are notoriously cheap and won't pay lots of money for passes. I'm not aware of a ski area in the country that breaks even, let alone makes a profit in the summertime on dh bike services exclusively.

Ski resorts make money on tourists in the summer, not DH mountain bikes.

On another note, that article confuses me. How do places like Breck and WP have alpine slides already?

And on yet another note. I'd way rather ride an alpine "coaster" than an alpine slide! Have you ever ridden one of those? What a fucking terrifying thing! I'll hit 40 foot road gaps on my bike without a though but I won't ride one of those things and hold it open the whole way.

[Rossta]

And DH mountain bikers are notoriously cheap

do you have any idea what a dh bike costs? or a dh race?

it's a growing sport, like snowboarding in the 90's.

[PowTron]

They have one of these "gravity" coasters in Glenwood Springs...I will admit, it is fun as shit and you do NOT have to use breaks at all due to being locked on the track.

AND, DH biking can save many resorts in the summer. Keystone is getting busier and busier each year, as is Winter Park.

[kidwoo]

Do you know the size of the DH Mountain Bike market? Let me give you a hint... IT'S REALLY SMALL! And DH mountain bikers are notoriously cheap and won't pay lots of money for passes. I'm not aware of a ski area in the country that breaks even, let alone makes a profit in the summertime on dh bike services exclusively.

That's because you don't know that much about the market I think.

edit: I had some other stuff typed here but removed it out of respect so that we could both enjoy the idiocy that follows VVVV

[kidwoo]

Mammoth is the best ski area in the world in the summer and they don't have any of that stupid crap. Just great hiking, biking, skiing, fishing, boating, horse back riding, hot air balloning, paragliding, climbing, camping, kayaking, jet skiing, swimming, national parks, and weather.

you should go check out whistler sometime long about july.

[Dhelihiker]

^^^ Whistler will fucking destroy Mammoth any day of the year. IMO And no you there is no MTB argument, its factual.

[kidwoo]

Jesus fucking christ what are you. A McCoy kid?

I've spent weeks at a time every year in both locales.

Whistler punches mammoth in the pussy in every way. That's why they make millions more than mammoth in the summer

[Shaggy]

Do you know the size of the DH Mountain Bike market? Let me give you a hint... IT'S REALLY SMALL! And DH mountain bikers are notoriously cheap and won't pay lots of money for passes. I'm not aware of a ski area in the country that breaks even, let alone makes a profit in the summertime on dh bike services exclusively.

^^^ There's truth in this statement. Just like in the winter, profit is not made on mountain access products. It's F&B and retail that make the cake.

That being said, the DH mountain bike is a growing sport which is why resorts are willing to operate at a loss to promote it.

^^^ Yeah nothing like 2 inches of rain, hail, and not being able to see 2 feet in front of you because of the fog in the middle of summer. That sounds EXACTLY how a summer should be

Completely undebatable, better:

-weather
-rock climbing
-kayaking
-backcountry/corn skiing
-dirt biking

better:

-fishing
-lake activity (jet skiing, boating, windsurfing)
-hiking/camping in varied but close wilderness areas

Argueably better mountain biking and downhill mountain biking even though Mammoth and Whistler are heads and shoulders above everyone else. Btw, how is that getting to the top of the mountain bike trail as lightening rolls in? May through August at Mammoth are complete blue skies without the slighest hit of rain, fog, or overcast EVER.

Wow ... Have you ever even been to Whistler?

[kidwoo]

You still have not challenged any of the advantages Mammoth has over Whistler. Where is Whistler's El Capitan? Where is Whistler's Cherry Creek? Where is Whistler's sunshine and dry weather? In the summer Whistler has a shitload of rich kids living in fancy corporate hotels. That's it. On and by the way, the guys at Mammoth were skiing about 3 months earlier then you guys were. How little now did you guys get again this year? How much of it was just washed out by preceeding rain? Yosemite/Mammoth/Kings Canyon/Death Valley/Seqouia NP kicks Whistler's rain, fog, and hail in the pussy.

I live in tahoe you rocket surgeon. Which is why I know mammoth. I also work down there every month. And I, like millions of others spend money to go to whistler on vacation in the summer.

Putting yosemite valley in mammoth is easily putting squamish in whistler. I think there's some big granite there too. I'm not a paddler but I do know there are plenty of rivers there that flow YEAR ROUND. As far as the biking goes.....seriously don't even pretend you know what you're talking about.

Detroit: that's cute did you already forget what this thread was about?

Here's some food for thought. You know damn well whistler is a bigger mountain than mammoth as far as skier visits (and terrain...hell...everything).
The largest profit making week in whistler occurs during the summer. Let's see if you can figure out what it is. It happens because of a certain level of summer infrastructure there.

It really is blazingly apparent you haven't spent much time up there in the summer. Or at the very least you've been there once or twice and gotten skunked by weather.

Travel some. It would do you some good.

[kidwoo]

Dude Yosemite is 10 miles from Mammoth. Squamish is what, 50 miles? And I'd hardly compare Squamish to Yosemite.

An no wonder you think Whistler is better then Mammoth in the summer, it sounds like all you know what to do in the summer is bike! If you are going to ignore the rock climbing, kayaking, hiking, fishing, camping, and all the various National Parks and wilderness areas and only focus on biking then why even compare the areas at all???

By the way, are your mountains covered with snow YET??? (You can assume I'm talking about Whistler or Tahoe, either one works fine). Mammoth, and here in LCC, was completely fine back in Oct. Hopefully you guys have now finally got some coverage. Oh and by the way, in May, June, and July Mammoth doesn't have open just some little fucking T-bar.

When you can make it from mammoth to the yosemite valley in 10 miles I'll buy you a beer. Hell even the meadows for that matter.

But yeah climbing, kayaking, hiking, fishing and camping.........man....where would a fella ever do that around whistler? And the parks? Gee whiz.....Got me there!

Seriously man. Travel some.