2012 Montana Conditions, Stoke and Whatev Thread

[swimmy]

I may be cool but I'm not very good.

Can you pull chicks? I was told that's really all that matters.

God I love winter.

I was pretty cool today.

Nice. I'm just settling into my 40's but it seems the older I get the less that happens.

[Trackhead]

Nice. I'm just settling into my 40's but it seems the older I get the less that happens.

Wait until 50 and you won't give a damn at all. That's liberating.

[Bunion 2020]

60s are even better for that DGAF vibe.

[swimmy]

Let’s go!!!

[406]

God I love winter.

Wow, West looks good, nice photos. Lifts opening today sounds like.

[Whiteroom_Guardian]

Work got in the way this AM. Lone Tree get opened?

[muted reborn]

I've been very casually checking out this thread lately so maybe I'm off, but why didn't Bridger open earlier? I thought you guys were getting decent snow this season.

[Whiteroom_Guardian]

I've been very casually checking out this thread lately so maybe I'm off, but why didn't Bridger open earlier? I thought you guys were getting decent snow this season.

My completely uninformed armchair assumption: Struggles to get the needed seasonal empoyees early and new mountain ops director = let's not try to push it despite all the early snow.

[toastybroski]

Nice skin today.

[Talisman]

Lone Tree was opened at ~9:15AM and was very good with not many people getting after the trees or groomers. The BB opening today (which I believe is because of their USFS lease) may have shifted some of the eager skiers and snow boarders further north. The 3-4 inches of fresh snow today just made things better.

Work got in the way this AM. Lone Tree get opened?

[Bunion 2020]

Yesterday a buddy from BSSP who was setting up to open LT said that for whatever reason the snow gods distributed the snow mostly lower down where it was needed.

He said the Jacks had very good coverage.

[total_immortal]

Best opener in recent memory

[swimmy]

Best opener in recent memory

Lot of good vibes on the hill today. Good to see some familiar faces and meet a few new friends.

Was able to snag first chair which is fun. The kid next to me was a freshman at MSU. He is from Polson and this was his first time ever skiing Bridger. So he grabs first chair of season opener. Nice.

He ended up following me around all morning and I sent him home with a souvenir. He was stoked.

[Whiteroom_Guardian]

Hell yeah Swimmy! Nice work on the daily vid haha!

[ski counselor]

He said the Jacks had very good coverage.

I can attest to that but most everything off Lonetree had good coverage. It occurred to me that since all these lifts have got bubbles on them and with the inflated lift ticket prices, Big Sky should put a bubble on Six Shooter. That sucker is long and cold.

[nest]

I can attest to that but most everything off Lonetree had good coverage. It occurred to me that since all these lifts have got bubbles on them and with the inflated lift ticket prices, Big Sky should put a bubble on Six Shooter. That sucker is long and cold.

https://youtu.be/1EY7lYRneHc

[Lexi-Bell]

Haha lol bronco ftmfw!

[muted reborn]

Hell yeah Swimmy! Nice work on the daily vid haha!

Ha he got interviewed, by the new manager or ?? Some familiar faces in that vid, and RIP Milton M.

[Jumper Bones]

why didn't Bridger open earlier?

I've often heard it's about their lease with the Forest Service, which handcuffs them considerably.

Conversely I've always wondered why the GNFAC couldn't do full ratings and advisories until Bridger opens, at least that's how it seemed for a very long while. I haven't followed them since I moved away from MT but it seemed like that was a thing.

[swimmy]

Hell yeah Swimmy! Nice work on the daily vid haha!

Ha he got interviewed, by the new manager or ?? Some familiar faces in that vid, and RIP Milton M.

Yeah that's Hiram. He asked me if I had goals this year...like working on my butters.

[Whiteroom_Guardian]

I'll be at the big skree looking for leftovers and enjoying the sun (and cold) today. Holler.

Edit: Er....enjoy more snow showers? Ok, cool!

[I Skied Bandini Mountain]

I've often heard it's about their lease with the Forest Service, which handcuffs them considerably.

I think BB just doesn't like to stray outside of the comfort zone. They've found a way to make things work with not a lot of money, and with often competing and well entrenched interests, intransigence, and tensions within neighbors, board, community, operations, etc. It just doesn't seem like a very nimble operation, which is fine to me if that's what has worked best over the years.

[Whiteroom_Guardian]

I think BB just doesn't like to stray outside of the comfort zone. They've found a way to make things work with not a lot of money, and with often competing and well entrenched interests, intransigence, and tensions within neighbors, board, community, operations, etc. It just doesn't seem like a very nimble operation, which is fine to me if that's what has worked best over the years.

And the skier base at BB is more than happy to skin for turns early season. It's actually just part of the charm. Get the fitness up to snuff etc. Better this way than a race to have a death ribbon open IMO.

[Bunion 2020]

IMO you both have it right. The FS lease seemed to me to be a bit flexible in terms of the opening date.

And not to be too cynical but, why open early when most revenue is from season pass sales? All you do is increase your burn rate through labor and energy costs.

[total_immortal]

Multiple BB employees said staffing is main reason they couldn't open early. They still have some 30 vacant positions to fill, and may not be able to open the Alpine Cabin at this rate.

There was a stretch in the 2000s where it was normal to open the day after Thanksgiving or the following week.