WOOT WOOT! Nukin' in Missoula

[stuckathuntermtn]

Yeah, that's my thought on TV Mountain. I mean, it's not high enough to really get a lot of snow on a normal year, but if it's 800-1,000' of blue trails, it'll be great to move the lesson/beginner crowd over there.
That being said, go look at the lifts at Disco, then look at the lifts at Snowbowl. None of them are high speed, but they're bigger and more comfortable and don't swing wildly leaving the wheelhouse, and I'd assume it's easier for kids to get on them. Yes, I'm aware they'd probably need to replace all the towers to do that. Hey, maybe if they keep skimping on Ski Patrol staffing and driving away all the talent that would command a higher wage, they'll one day be able to do it. Probably not.

Even with that, the lifts are still terrible for kids. I have a four year old who was fine on the lifts at Disco last year but he still ain't riding Griz or Lavelle this year.

Ah, you beat me to it.

[jamal]

Was riding up butler creek today, planning on just going to the gate, but got there and decided to keep going. Found some chairlift towers



There was one up at the bottom



I didn't have time to go to the top but it looked like there were a couple up there too. none in the middle



Good amount of space back there. Here's a run



I don't know how long it takes to put up all the towers and then the cable and chairs but it seems like they're running out of time to have it done this year.

[wordbird]

Good to know that I can try to shoot for a dozen good runs of power line if the season cooperates... (Also I bought full pass this winter), anybody know when we're supposed to pay the full price if you paid the deposit initially?

[RootSkier]

Good to know that I can try to shoot for a dozen good runs of power line if the season cooperates... (Also I bought full pass this winter), anybody know when we're supposed to pay the full price if you paid the deposit initially?

Usually around the first weekend in November.

[RootSkier]

seems like they're running out of time do have it done this year.

I'm gonna win ALL THE BETS.

[wordbird]

Glad they aren't going to build TV mountain lift. El Nino might still bring the suck here though(or maybe lots of warm storms so a stable snowpack?). Also why is our thread so active right now, we're a forgotten place on this board typically unless it's semi-dumping(it never REALLY dumps here).

[S_jenks]

El Nino might still bring the suck here though(or maybe lots of warm storms so a stable snowpack?).

Oh man, growing up I remember there were some horrid seasons for the bowl. My cousins in Missoula would constantly bitch about it, and more often they'd drive up to ski Big Mtn vs. the other way around.

El Nino certainly isn't a guarantee, but it's def got me spooked. We're overdue for a bad season.

[cloud cult]

Even with that, the lifts are still terrible for kids. I have a four year old who was fine on the lifts at Disco last year but he still ain't riding Griz or Lavelle this year.

This^^

Blows me away they went to the trouble of getting a new lift and it's a double. You want intermediates to come, that means families, and families don't ride doubles.

[cloud cult]

http://www.tourismresearchmt.org/ind...nds&Itemid=113

The year Marshall closed it had move visits than Snowbowl.

[Rasputin]

The year Marshall closed it had move visits than Snowbowl.

Which makes sense, it was cheaper, and had mostly beginner and intermediate terrain. Snowbowl's terrain limits its appeal to families with young children, and casual occasional skiers, which are majority of skiers actually. That's a big reason why places that have a lot of beginner and intermediate terrain get more traffic than Snowbowl.

Snowbowl also due to it's Southern aspected slopes, leads to some horrendously bad conditions, making much of the mountain challenging, to painful, for good skiiers. Beginners and intermediates avoid challenging conditions, and aren't lured by steep terrain either, which is most of what Snowbowl has. Add that to a road that many are afraid to drive up (even now that it's all wide and easy), many less experienced sno-goers go elsewhere. Thank God!

[Rasputin]

Which makes sense, it was cheaper, and had mostly beginner and intermediate terrain. Snowbowl's terrain limits its appeal to families with young children, and casual occasional skiers, which are majority of skiers actually. That's a big reason why places that have a lot of beginner and intermediate terrain get more traffic than Snowbowl.

Snowbowl also due to it's Southern aspected slopes, leads to some horrendously bad conditions, making much of the mountain challenging, to painful, for good skiiers. Beginners and intermediates avoid challenging conditions, and aren't lured by steep terrain either, which is most of what Snowbowl has. Add that to a road that many are afraid to drive up (even now that it's all wide and easy), many less experienced sno-goers go elsewhere. Thank God!

Also, in its closing year, Marshall allowed purchase of hourly tickets, so if a person wanted to ski for an hour they could pay for an hour, so more people payed less for less, the strategy didn't work to keep the area open.

[tetzen]

Also, in its closing year, Marshall allowed purchase of hourly tickets, so if a person wanted to ski for an hour they could pay for an hour, so more people payed less for less, the strategy didn't work to keep the area open.

Could Marshall even keep the needed snowpack to stay open given recent seasons? (Except this last one.)

[stuckathuntermtn]

Probably not. It's pretty low.

[Iowagriz]

Back in the day, Marshall was always a foot deep of boiler plate man-made snow. As long as the temps are low, the snow would have lasted. Economics was likely the main problem. I remember that main lift getting pretty old and costly.

They did have a killer night racing series. Tuesdays(?) for the dual slalom team series on downhill boards. I think Wednesday was the tele dual slalom series. Lots of fun and late nights up there.

[stuckathuntermtn]

Oh, that makes sense.
So, el niño year and it's gonna suck, huh? Great....

[Iowagriz]

Oh, that makes sense.
So, el niño year and it's gonna suck, huh? Great....

Yep - NOAA long-range forecast says a good winter to keep the cycling fitness

[yeahman]

I did those nighttime tele races at Marshall for a couple years. The always icy course was challenging on those old skis. I remember doing a lot of sliding around. Then beers in the lodge. Fun times.

[CountryFunk]

... El Nino certainly isn't a guarantee, but it's def got me spooked. We're overdue for a bad season.

You shut your filthy whore mouth!

[RootSkier]

Also, in its closing year, Marshall allowed purchase of hourly tickets, so if a person wanted to ski for an hour they could pay for an hour, so more people payed less for less, the strategy didn't work to keep the area open.

$4 per hour. I had a lot of good 2 hour sessions up there as it was getting dark back in the day. Can't imagine why a bunch of dirtbags shelling out $8 couldn't keep the lifts spinning.

[stuckathuntermtn]

I found a new place, yay!

I guess this winter should be average. Whatever the fuck that means anymore.

[toast2266]

Which makes sense, it was cheaper, and had mostly beginner and intermediate terrain. Snowbowl's terrain limits its appeal to families with young children, and casual occasional skiers, which are majority of skiers actually. That's a big reason why places that have a lot of beginner and intermediate terrain get more traffic than Snowbowl.

Snowbowl also due to it's Southern aspected slopes, leads to some horrendously bad conditions, making much of the mountain challenging, to painful, for good skiiers. Beginners and intermediates avoid challenging conditions, and aren't lured by steep terrain either, which is most of what Snowbowl has. Add that to a road that many are afraid to drive up (even now that it's all wide and easy), many less experienced sno-goers go elsewhere. Thank God!

Soooo... snowbowl sucks for everyone, and that's why people don't go there?

[jamal]

You might be onto something.

Although they've had some really good days the last few years.

[senior researcher]

You will have a bad time.

[Rasputin]

Soooo... snowbowl sucks for everyone, and that's why people don't go there?

It sucks for people who suck. My slogan for the Bowl is: Don't bring your weak shit here. Take it to heart Mr. Whiney.

[toast2266]

It sucks for people who suck. My slogan for the Bowl is: Don't bring your weak shit here. Take it to heart Mr. Whiney.

I think that's marketable. Like how Snowbird posts their one star reviews from people who say it's too hard.

"Snowbowl: don't bring your weak shit here, because there's usually horrendously bad conditions."

I'm sure a lot of high level skiers will be excited to rise to the challenge.