Lake Tahoe 2015/16 - Year of Godzilla Baby Jesus

[4matic]

It was only on chair six too. I guess the criminals don't ride 11.

[emcee]

I just came here to check about the kirkwood lock down. Seemed really tight like security was looking for somebody at the base of each lift. I took a lift bump up 6 to get out into the back bowls and they were trying to tear apart my backcountry kit. My buddy got screened a bunch on 10 too.

Prison camp kirkwood

[powdrhound]

The Vailwood closing day security situation has not changed since Vailwood began. It's not that they don't want you drinking on the hill. But if you are carrying, you probably didn't buy it from them. Can't have that. And no way a return of the Cone Zone!

The skiing is good. It has had trouble softening, but tomorrow should warm up better. Empty slopes. Where is everyone? Seven feet of snow on the ground, and Closing?? Makes no sense.

I'd still prefer a storm day....
Let it Snow!

[powdork]

Anybody got plans to ski the forbidden zone tomorrow?

[Eastern Sierra Skier]

Yep, just like a baseball game.

Were they looking for booze or what? I feel like this has been discussed in this thread before (or previous versions) around closing day but can't remember for sure.

Is it legal? Here's my question...is this on private property or is this on public lands? Here's what you should be asking: "Do you believe I have committed a crime?" "This is a clear violation of my 4th Amendment rights (illegal search and seizure)".

Your answer should be "no thank you". Don't give away your rights. Most people don't know that they can say "no".

[old goat]

Is it legal? Here's my question...is this on private property or is this on public lands? Here's what you should be asking: "Do you believe I have committed a crime?" "This is a clear violation of my 4th Amendment rights (illegal search and seizure)".

Your answer should be "no thank you". Don't give away your rights. Most people don't know that they can say "no".

You can cerainly refuse to be searched. And they can certainly refuse to allow you on the premises. By leasing forest service land they basically have the same rights to control access--in the same way they can refuse to allow you to skin or ride the lifts without buying a pass or in the same way a resort can set up a closure rope a few inbounds of the ski area boundary and thereby deny you access to the BC through the resort. That said--it's lame to make people buy their overpriced booze. Next step will be confiscating energy bars and sandwiches.

[TahoeJ]

^^ Well, the legality of some of that is still under question (the skinning and BC access part) and going to come under scrutiny soon, as discussed in this thread earlier. But if you're riding their lifts I agree they have the right to search you, as I'm sure there's some vague language in a basic lift ticket agreement or season pass that covers them.

[Ottime]

Forbidden zone may not have softened up today. 10 down to Eagle was pretty firm today at 1:30. Lower Cirque was as well. Unless the freeze tonight is expected to be less. Or the warmth tomorrow. It is fat up there. Everything was fat.

Security was lame at the wood today but not really an issue. I was asked if I had alcohol and I said no. I did not have anything distilled, so I felt honest. He felt up my pack. Funny thing was I that when my kid rolled up, he went from stern to friendly. I suggested they work powder days when they might actually be needed. Later, at 10, another security dude suggested my pack was big and wanted to know what I had in it. Um, Avy shovel, probe, an orange, 2 V8s, water, a camera, jelly beans... He waved me through.

Not sure why they felt the need to have them around. My family was not impressed. I felt like the resort wanted to antagonize their base. They just don't get it. This place still has great terrain.

[Eastern Sierra Skier]

Next step will be confiscating energy bars and sandwiches.

Good point. What's next, searching your back pack before entering the lodge? "Sir, is that a brown bag lunch? I'm sorry, you cannot enter the lodge with any food purchased outside the ski area."

[Mr. Toad]

Great closing day at the wood! Slush bumps, apres tailgate bbq and byob's. The only shit I saw was when a drunk snowboarder started mouthing off to security for asking him to dump his beer in line. What a shitty job. I wanted to give those guys a beer afterwards but seemed a little inappropriate.

[jahoney]

I can understand telling people to dump their beer out (or at least make them chug it and toss it) but searching packs is a huge wtf. squaw/alpine doesn't mind people drinking in their lift lines

[Nevada29er]

Security was crawling all over the wood today. Even after the masses had left and I was chilling with a beer on the patio, dudes in black jackets were walking around doing nothing. I though maybe the president was going to make an appearance or something.

You would think Vail has learned a thing or two about running ski areas, but apparently they really don't get it.

[powdork]

aspen does it right. this is the highlands closing day (except they will be open weekends for a while)

[Dhelihiker]

^^Id sooner live in AZ than CO


Having security go through my pack was good thing, I found about 5 lbs worth of snowmobile parts and random shit I've been amassing during the season.

I never drink and ski, I have bad judgment sober.

[4matic]

What do they do if they find weed?

[Ottime]

Smoke it.

I was just sad they did not perform a full body pat down.

Seriously though, I give it a big WTF.

I guess, fine if you want to search bags. Whatever. Lame, but whatever. Much better to have your guys In the yellow coats out there doing IMO. At least they know why one might have a shovel in their pack.

Perhaps have them out there reminding you to have fun and ride sober. When a publicly drunken fool rolls up, cut them off. No riding lifts while intoxicated. I'm pretty sure the second guy I talked to had pepper spray on his vest. Sure made things feel like they were expecting problems. Or wanted them.

So glad my son did not see any rider/security conflicts. This was our first closing day since Vail showed up. Seems like it is a bit less rowdy, a bit less fun. And fewer people showing up. Perhaps when you start shutting down big portions of your hill on April 2, people stop planning on visiting.

Thunder Bowl looked prime yesterday. I did not have time for it. Only had 30 minutes sans family. OTOH, corn was best I've ever seen in Pali and beyond.

5# Dheli? Clean that shit out.

[~mikey b]

Closing day at Vail, CO can be a real shitshow.

[4matic]

Could be Vail has a single enforcement policy based on worst case at their most crowded resorts and have to show consistent enforcement. Liability is paramount for a publicly traded company.

The black uniform sunglass terror force look is so counter intuitive it does strike strange.

They were also seriously enforcing pass check.

[Driver]

Fun closing day at Kirkwood despite the storm troopers. Stayed pretty hard in spots like Cham and Oops, below Jim's, off piste on the wall. But I only skied till 130 so may have gotten better.

Pretty low key as far as closing days go.

Felt like higher snowboarder to skier ratio than usual. Also a few really cool mono boarders.

So much coverage it's shame to close early.

Human powered skiing is fine by me.

[Nevada29er]

This use to be the norm on closing day.



Now apparently its a No Fun Zone.

[emcee]

The conditions were great at KW on closing day but +1 to the jarringly serious vibe-killing security.

Also apparently the open boundary policy is now a gate policy starting this year? They wouldn't let me up 10 with my backcountry pack because the gates up there "are closed" and then had to get subjected to a search on 6. Nothing like being forced to unpack your carefully packed touring setup.

Here's some Yosemite-Ostrander hut stoke to change the mood. Nobody there cared one bit about how much beer you had in your backpack (I wish somebody had--don't try to haul 50lbs of booze on a sled and expect to get in to camp during daylight...)

[meter-man]

This use to be the norm on closing day.



Now apparently its a No Fun Zone.

Wait a minute...I know that cock! Where did you find that pic?

Bummed to hear that the Wood has been thoroughly de-Funkified.

Aside: I've got a kid-free weekend coming up with the wife this weekend, and need a place to stay for Saturday night. Any recs for lodging in Olympic Valley? Never stayed in the Valley...or in a hotel in the Tahoe area, but it's for me and the wife. Prefer cheap and funky, maybe a hot tub.

[Nevada29er]

^^That one comes from the 2010-11 archives.

If anyone has some closing day photos from the good old days, post em up, like Josh Diak straightlining the wall on his 210 pencils while holding a beer!

[TahoeJ]

Wait a minute...I know that cock!

LOL (almost spit my drink out)... that might be the post of the thread.

[Ottime]

Emcee - you were not allowed on the lift due to the pack on your back? Seriously?

KW has never allowed access off 10, once the backside closes. That is not new.

Another reason why KW is failing is they don't actually have a BC Access policy. You can talk to patrol, EK, lifted, yellow coats, managers... And you will get a different answer every time. They have no idea what their policy is. Seems like they want to promote the hell out of BC access, but only really want you heading out if you have paid for a $500 guide. From what I pieces together, it is open access, except when it not.

My son was a little disappointed in the lack of shenanigans. I promised him shenanigans and he saw almost none. Some guy in a giraffe suit was as good as it got. No cock on 10.