2012 Montana Conditions, Stoke and Whatev Thread

[Bunion 2020]

You could've wrote that 10 years ago and it would still have been true(minus ikonification). This wave is just worse because it affects lift lines.

In my mind the downhill slide began right around 2005 when MLB and Big Sky rolled out the BSIA pass. We just didn't see it then.

That said, maybe it was 1996 when the Tram was the new draw instead of having to hike for a lot of the goods.

Probably some long time locals would say, nope, it was in 1988 when Challenger was installed and the LRT traverse became another route to the Bowl rather than vice versa.

There are plenty of people in Bozeman who think the area should never have been built.

Whatever, this is just the latest disturbance and it will pass, meanwhile the voice of Boyne will continue to walk all over his dick while wearing golf spikes.

Way back when those 2 women got left on Soco overnight and were relating how they burned money trying to use it to signal several members of the cat crew who were at the bottom of the lift doing what we could easily guess.

The same voice of sanity blurted out something to the affect of, "How much did you burn, we will reimburse you for that".


Almost forgot, I hooked up with Kinnikinnick today and we bumbled around Lone Mountain in decent conditions and even managed a N. Summit lap with a tag along who was a sweetheart. And even though he was on an IKON pass we both got along swimmingly.

[peterbmoorman]

Came here to see if skiing in Montana was less crowded than Wyoming.....aaaaaannndddd....Ikon ruining another place so I'll just post these.

[drstuess]

I am an outsider (non-super pass owner, non MT local who has only skied BS a few times in the last 10 yers) so take this drive-by, likely flawed take with a grain of salt, but every time I look it seems BS is installing a new crazy high capacity, heated, comfortable lift targeted for masses. Isn't all of this higher capacity infrastructure in the pursuit of more skiers? It seems like Ikon is just the latest method in an ethos which was set well before this year. I assume all this new capex investment needs to be funded somehow...

Other resorts certainly upgrade infrastructure and want to draw people in, but the rate, atleast as I have perceived it, has seemed a little more thirsty at Big Sky the last few years than other places.


Hopefully for everyone there is a way this can all work itself out, where mountains are sustainable businesses without sacrificing the experience for people who care about the skiing. My fear is that the skiing world moves to the two extremes, where a place has to either pull through high quantities of Joe shmo level 2 skier or have an exclusive, $$$$$, country club type experience. I imagine this would not cater to most of the people here.


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[Sledzski]

My fear is that the skiing world moves to the two extremes, where a place has to either pull through high quantities of Joe shmo level 2 skier or have an exclusive, $$$$$, country club type experience. I imagine this would not cater to most of the people here.
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Unfortunately I think this is a legitimate fear...

I am new here, only 60 days in so I don’t have the history but one thing I have noticed is while there is a ton of total acreage and people moving capacity when a portion of the mountain is shutdown (wind, avy, lift issues) it feels like a big portion and funnels people awkwardly. Even when this happens there is a ton of terrain to be had but personally it feels like BS hasn’t yet figured out all the details how to respond to the influx creating choke points. Examples...ticket checkers holding up loads, singles lines and corals not well developed, challenger auto loader down due to icing and lefties struggle to figure out what to do (throw snow on it and load old school), cluster on top of challenger/headwaters with people not knowing where to go, etc.

Sometimes the resort feels at odds with itself...marketed as the alps but catering to the masses on the same terrain.

From my limited perspective I feel the influx wouldn’t feel as abrupt if these things were sorted.

All in all...the terrain is fantastic and I am getting spoiled by the short lift lines and untracked late into day compared to Tahoe and CO.

It’s going to be interesting to see how the industry as a whole responds to this new model. Hopefully there is a “third” solution to drstuess’s fear...



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[3PinGrin]

Hopefully there is a “third” solution to drstuess’s fear...

[Sledzski]

3pin...I spit out my beer on that one.

I hear you and will be looking forward to start exploring the BC soon.


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[lifelinksplit]

In my mind the downhill slide began right around 2005 when MLB and Big Sky rolled out the BSIA pass. We just didn't see it then.

That said, maybe it was 1996 when the Tram was the new draw instead of having to hike for a lot of the goods.

Probably some long time locals would say, nope, it was in 1988 when Challenger was installed and the LRT traverse became another route to the Bowl rather than vice versa.

There are plenty of people in Bozeman who think the area should never have been built.

Whatever, this is just the latest disturbance and it will pass, meanwhile the voice of Boyne will continue to walk all over his dick while wearing golf spikes.

Way back when those 2 women got left on Soco overnight and were relating how they burned money trying to use it to signal several members of the cat crew who were at the bottom of the lift doing what we could easily guess.

The same voice of sanity blurted out something to the affect of, "How much did you burn, we will reimburse you for that".


Almost forgot, I hooked up with Kinnikinnick today and we bumbled around Lone Mountain in decent conditions and even managed a N. Summit lap with a tag along who was a sweetheart. And even though he was on an IKON pass we both got along swimmingly.

Ha. I knew I should have put " or insert whatever time period you want".

Only been around since 98 and am leaving this year.

Btw nice deleted rant. That was awesome.

[Kinnikinnick]

Thanks for the hospitality Not Bunion, it’s almost as if you used to manage the goods here!! Where’s that maggot karma point accounting system, NB deserves to be near the top.

The Big, North Snowfield, South side from the top in total pea soup. And yesterday late PM I started discovering the vast tree lines that apparently not many ski in these parts. Found many shots of the whole enchilada of pow in the trees.


Such a vastly improved lift served mountain since ‘93 or whatever. The acreage and number of lifts is awesome. Count your blessings locals.

Speaking of which, I have an Ikon pass and a Montana Birth certificate and dozens of MY family and our immigration was direct from Ireland to the Buttehole, so where does that put me in the gripping order? Am I entitled gripe about everyone in the line without a MT Birth doc?

No, I don’t think so.

As NB says, I do think the IKON invaded locals are getting the short stick since you don’t get reciprocal benefits at the other areas. You should demand that at the least.

Thanks BS!

On to Butte!!






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[406]

Speaking of which, I have an Ikon pass and a Montana Birth certificate and dozens of MY family and our immigration was direct from Ireland to the Buttehole, so where does that put me in the gripping order? Am I entitled gripe about everyone in the line without a MT Birth doc?

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I plan to hang my birth certificate, passport, high school diploma, UM diploma, honor cord all from my IKON lanyard.

On to Butte!!

WOP Chop!

[FringeLife]

This last Tuesday we celebrated Pete’s life. It was a beautiful day with many beautiful people.





You are missed bro!

[skaredshtles]

I'm just curious - who in the fuck still wears their pass on the *outside* of their jacket? I mean - pretty much every Ikon resort is RFID at this point... so nobody even needs to know that I'm an Ikonhole when I'm skiing.

[skifishbum]

personally i think if you never used purple
your a bc ikon jongy come lateley
and at this point thats well over 1/2 the participants

[skaredshtles]

personally i think if you never used purple
your a bc ikon jongy come lateley
and at this point thats well over 1/2 the participants

I started on Scarpa Denali's, shitty old Kastle straight skis, and purple skins.

Actually I started with Voile Snakeskins, but it only took TWO short trips before I threw those fucking things in the garbage.

[Norseman]

This last Tuesday we celebrated Pete’s life. It was a beautiful day with many beautiful people.





You are missed bro!

Thanks for sharing.

RIP Pete Lazar.

[Bunion 2020]

This last Tuesday we celebrated Pete’s life. It was a beautiful day with many beautiful people.

You are missed bro!

Thanks for posting that. Vaya Con Dios Esteban Lazar

[skifishbum]

Play nice to our visitors ha ha.
http://www.explorebigsky.com/guest-e...CbmDvAYXImTDBc

leave it to the brits to be 1st world butthurt by stickers
and a soulless money grabbing ceo to respond to such butthurt
in an editorial
when harry becomes mayor im so taking his job

[Talisman]

Thanks BS!

On to Butte

Sorry we missed connecting yesterday! NB is a better guide, but it would have been fun to show you a few places.

[Talisman]

when harry becomes mayor im so taking his job

Get ready for a huge line of applicants, most not as qualified as you mind you.

[Talisman]

I'm just curious - who in the fuck still wears their pass on the *outside* of their jacket? I mean - pretty much every Ikon resort is RFID at this point... so nobody even needs to know that I'm an Ikonhole when I'm skiing.

At BS the passes are optically scanned versus RFID so the type of pass: BS season pass gold, bronze, garnet, silver, IKON, day ticket, MC is out there for the lift line to assess.

[skaredshtles]

At BS the passes are optically scanned versus RFID so the type of pass: BS season pass gold, bronze, garnet, silver, IKON, day ticket, MC is out there for the lift line to assess.

No RFID?

What the hell kind of backwater hick ski hill is this place?!?

[PNWbrit]

leave it to the brits to be 1st world butthurt by stickers

Hey. Easy tiger.

I need me some fuck Ikon stickers to put up at XTal.

[Talisman]

No RFID?

What the hell kind of backwater hick ski hill is this place?!?

Optical scopes on our rifles, so why not optical scans in the lift corral? An IKON brand on the forehead is another option, works well with cattle.

[Bunion 2020]

No RFID?

What the hell kind of backwater hick ski hill is this place?!?

When I showed up at the Really Big in 1992 they had Skidata passes that were the forerunner of RFID and very few if any ticket checkers. Ticket fraud was rampant.

[yeahman]

When I showed up at the Really Big in 1992 they had Skidata passes that were the forerunner of RFID and very few if any ticket checkers. Ticket fraud was rampant.

I think I remember those from the first year I went there, 90/91? My friend put the pass in the reader, then handed it back to me and I tried to use it immediately after. Some kind of alarm beeped and a checker came over and said uh-uh. At that point I went to the (old?) mountain mall and found a guy who was obviously leaving and asked him for his ticket. He looked quite confused but he handed it over.

[skifishbum]

soli was in on rfid early and I swear I still have a ski data hat the ticket ladies bestowed upon me
our first multi day rfid hard cards required a $5 deposit and there were after hours and on mountain return recectables for softer no deposit single day tickets
the more willie wonkas my bro collected at the end of the day
the more thirsty squirrel bloody Mary's that day
the first year was a complete junk show with every lift being different point values on ride tickets
and the turnstile gates at summit fucked up a lot so the lifties would say fuck it and just move the whole gate out of the way
and you could ride summit all day without using puntos