Alpine Slides coming back?

**Alaskan Rover** · 04-30-2017, 10:16 AM

With snowless winters a growing possibility at many ski areas in the future, ski area owners are thinking of ways to bring in money and keep the chairlifts running. DH biking isn't going to do it to that extent.

So....Alpine Slides....bring back grass-skiing (for the foolish and young)....maybe a new type of Alpine slide that becomes a water-slide in sumner.....snowless downhill mat skiing (they have in Japan, along with indoor snow skiing hills), more DH biking. Maybe other types of gravity pursuits: (mountain-style roller coaster only downhill....think of speeds of a bobsled, but in a tube using maglev tech, so much higher speeds than a bobsled due to minimal friction).

I was last on an Alpine Slide in the mid-eighties at a local New York ski area and it WAS fun. Shut down due to conflux of prohibitive insurance and maintenance costs, but the fact is, it was mainly shut down because it simply wasn't their main business....the new owners wanted to focus on skiing and snowmaking. That's gonna have to change if ski areas want to be in business at all. And of course the term "ski area" is SOOO pre-global warming.

I couldn't find much footage of Alpine Sliding....at least this one is going at a decent clip (not at the beginning).

**Alaskan Rover** · 04-30-2017, 10:43 AM

The guy in this one is an obvious duche, but I've never seen an Alpine Slide on a rail before... Interesting idea!

Or what about a fucking zipline from top to bottom of hill? Lol...too bad the poles holding zipline up would be unnavigable...mehh. Scratch that idea.

**iceman** · 04-30-2017, 12:13 PM

Originally Posted by Alaskan Rover

Fuck's wrong with that guy?

**irul&ublo** · 04-30-2017, 12:37 PM

Uncle Crud?

**Benny Profane** · 04-30-2017, 12:38 PM

Action Park! Always fun to be reminded of that place. Check out that loop water slide. Classic. I always imagine Homer Simpson's fat ass jammed in there.

http://www.avclub.com/article/new-je...ury-who-236163

**DasBlunt** · 04-30-2017, 12:50 PM

they make the downhill mountain bike courses SO hard.....everything has to fit the narrow range of young gun, like really hard stuff and I can ride all of it.

Build more trails. they will come.

**raisingarizona13** · 04-30-2017, 12:59 PM

Easy and fun trails could bring in a whole new market to left accessed mountain biking. Family style trails with berms and whoops, maybe some wooden bridges built like those roller coasters from the 1920's- 30's that were built for cars.

Ropes courses and ziplines are cool but if every place has em what's the point?

Maybe some really cool hiking loops from the top of the bike park lifts?

Maybe giant hotels at the base with indoor amusement parks and casinos?

None of these are my cup of tea but if I were in management for a ski resort that wasn't making any profit I would be looking at ideas like this.

In the end it's going come down to location for ski areas and making alternative activities profitable. Ski areas near large population centers could probably make it work as well as the top 10 resort areas. then the ski areas that still get some kind of reliable winter will probably stand the test of time but after that I think that most ski areas are going to be closing the doors over the next 40 years or so if climate predictions are correct.

**gravitylover** · 04-30-2017, 01:12 PM

Berkshire East/Thunder Mt has some of the easiest beginner bike trails of any park I've been to., they also have some insanely fast, big hit stuff to keep the kidz happy. There are miles and miles of xc trails ranging from silly tough to low intermediate family friendly stuff around the valley too. There's a rafting company based out of the base area and a skills and ropes course around the base and HUGE ziplines off the top of the ski area too. They really are turning themselves into an outdoor park with an incoming mt coaster that I think is under construction now. For winter they're in a lucky spot that's cold enough that they can make good snow frequently with nearly unlimited water and have a great racing program that draws a fair number of people keeping the place busy enough to be profitable while also being affordable. Can ya tell I like the place

**raisingarizona13** · 04-30-2017, 01:37 PM

Originally Posted by gravitylover

Berkshire East/Thunder Mt has some of the easiest beginner bike trails of any park I've been to., they also have some insanely fast, big hit stuff to keep the kidz happy. There are miles and miles of xc trails ranging from silly tough to low intermediate family friendly stuff around the valley too. There's a rafting company based out of the base area and a skills and ropes course around the base and HUGE ziplines off the top of the ski area too. They really are turning themselves into an outdoor park with an incoming mt coaster that I think is under construction now. For winter they're in a lucky spot that's cold enough that they can make good snow frequently with nearly unlimited water and have a great racing program that draws a fair number of people keeping the place busy enough to be profitable while also being affordable. Can ya tell I like the place

That looks like a really cool place in a beautiful valley. And there is a town there too right? It looks like a classic little New England town from what I can tell from pictures.

**iceman** · 04-30-2017, 01:53 PM

That place is actually beautiful, you'd never think you were in Mass. if somehow you got transported there.

**zartagen** · 04-30-2017, 03:47 PM

Come visit the fucking amusement park at the top of Vail.

**BmillsSkier** · 04-30-2017, 07:10 PM

I dunno man, looks like they're killing people in Gatlinburg.

http://www.wbir.com/mb/news/local/ga...ride/267929335

**Alaskan Rover** · 04-30-2017, 07:40 PM

A different, more comprehensive video of the angry guy. He is still a douche (actually, he looks like a retarded douche), but that Alpine coaster thing looks like a total blast!! And a helluva long run, too! It's apparently in Germany or Swiss alps by looking at the signs. No wonder it's a long run! The single rail would be so much cheaper to build ....and safer.