Glenn

Go to a store and buy boots in person that fit well. Then work up to from there. Boot + Binding combo is important. Both of those snowboards looked alight.

Work nearly any ski resort in the country and realize it is run mostly by a bunch of drunks giving handies to their friends, clueless incompetents, a few well meaning but underpowered folks and a whole lot of dirt bags who don't give a shit.

I've never been there but I have done a decent amount of high altitude hiking, and high altitude hiking with people from 0 elevation. If you haven't been doing serious training all winter (steep hiking with gear for hours on end) then you are not going to get your money's worth I think. Also if you get lumped with other groups they will be really pissed you can't keep up, because that is their money you have wasted. I don't know all the details, but it sounds like Heli might be a good option. You should be looking at that place and realizing 5 runs a day would probably be ambitious. If you are splitting your time, think about adding crested butte, or wolf creek in. Alternatively just spend more time at Telluride. I think 1 day is all you will want or need.

Hey shit heads, trolls and topic derailers. This is a real discussion. If you don't like it keep out. Get a clue and have some respect. Karma is a bitch.

Of course they spent some money, but look at the resources they used. Even after coaches the race team costs the hill money and it removes resources from other more profitable customers. I've personally spent extra time on the clock cleaning up racers tables after a full day of posting up. That means for a full day of business no other guests could use that resource, they didn't spend any money and I used more (roughly twice as much) time cleaning up their tables than the others. I've seen it happen many times and I personally have walked out of a crowded cafeteria if there simply was no room. That's lost revenue in the most lucrative part of the ski industry outside of real estate which isn't doing anything anymore. Understand that on a daily pass most ski resorts lose money in operating costs but make it up through their other means. That "overpriced" family pass costs them lots of money, and is really just a nice way to get capitol in the beginning of the season. Consider trails. In the west it's not as big a deal, in the east when you have under 40 runs every run counts. You take a whole trail away, particularly the steeper more challenging terrain and you have a resource that no one else, higher paying customers, can use. I'm not trying to argue against having a race team. I'm just giving my perspective after being working at a hill talking to managers about all aspects of the business and living in a mountain restaurant and people watching for several years.

Bullshit. Racers are frugal. They use up huge amounts of lodge space all day, bring their own food, they aren't the ones who forgot a pair of gloves and buys it at huge markups in the shop. They don't need lessons, they don't need daycare, they don't need rentals. Racing is good for the sport on the long run, but on the short run it's better to just have the gapes come to the slopes 2 times a year. Racing costs a bunch of money, but as mentioned in here, the funds acquired don't even cover the total operating cost of coaches, gates, officials etc. Parents volunteer because the money they already put out still doesn't cover the sport. I don't know all the details involved and these are generalizations based on actually working and living in the bowels of a ski hill for 3 years. I've talked to marketing, accounting and racing folks about this kind of stuff. Races just don't spend enough money where the hill can bring it in. At the end of the day you have a race program because you want one, and it's good for the kids and the community, not because it makes you money.

Is that why you are a still a go'fer at your daddy's business?

There are more little rippers at Bridger than I have seen anywhere else. Until they get some weight and strength dipping off the groomed seems to be an issue regardless of gear. Somewhere around middle school ages they start to be able to handle it a lot better. Think about how little effort your adult weight needs to compact snow and think about ratio wise how much more effort it is for a little kid. Add the fact that 8 inches could be knee deep, it's a whole different game for the youngsters. I don't know shit about skis, I was just enjoying the side banter. I definitely don't know anything about kids skis. I've just observed a lot of kid skiers in a variety of conditions on a variety of skis. Good luck.

Still... even though it got deleted as did Justo's comment. Weak sauce Jeff.

Get your head out of your ass kid. Sib isn't shitting on the thread. Neither is Doug or anyone but you. Had this been a park shutdown thread people would be bitching and moaning to no end including those who are not affected because they are at different hills. I don't share the OP's sense of injustice over the loss of a competitive race program, but I at least had enough respect or decency or whatever not to try and shit up the thread. There are no big ego's here, no dick waving. Go find a worthwhile thread to troll and leave this one for the people who do care, as there clearly are several.

Snow was like sandpaper today. Tomorrow is Bridger's last day. Maybe a couple more in the BC and/or Big Sky, but I get in my boat tomorrow and commence heavy training for run off and creeking season.

Meh, it's got tracks. I'll allow it. Edit: By tracks I mean in a individual and unique sense, not a tracked out or indistinct sense.

Oh well this is a change from at least my first year in CO Nope I get that Have you ever been on any run besides the slowest traverses where any moderately sized wildlife jumps on to the trail? It's terrifying and 100% more dangerous than gapers. Now imagine a full herd of elk. Not being phased by people is a bad thing for us and for the animal for nearly all species.

The elk migratory paths are not set in stone. I'm positive the NFS at least takes into account the movement of elk before issuing extensions. If this wasn't an issue at all, then why wouldn't A-bay and Loveland apply for longer term permits. I agree, most resorts close because they aren't making money. Nearly every resort has the opportunity to apply for extensions, and virtually no one does. To say that the NFS has not considered the welfare of the forest and it's wildlife is a bit of a stretch though. Whitefish in particular has large grizzly populations and they are getting the point where they are coming out of hibernation and they are hungry and irritable. Grizzlies are the real deal. Whitefish apparently closed down their best terrain recently because of grizzly habitat. It says so on the map when it will be closing. All that said, the NFS is a messed up organization. Without the lengthy details, if you have enough money you can have your way with the rules.

Oh cool. Clear creek is pretty much the junkiest rafting destination in CO. Definitely talk your lady friend into trips to the Ark, Cache la Poudre, or Gore Canyon if you trust her with your life.

Assuming google maps is correct for this area, the topography clearly shows it's mammoth.

A friend took a trip to Whitefish last weekend and said he saw a grizz from the lift. Not sure if he knows what to look for but at any rate they saw a bear.

You raft?

Season isn't over but it will be soon. Nothing but powder for the past couple weeks now. Classic spring time rocky mountain storms.

I have but by the usual suspects who are probably being paid to do so. They were the least helpful "ski" shop in town. Also never trust a "ski" shop that sells lawn furniture in the off-season.

Sol Vista

http://news.google.com/news/more?q=highlands+avalanche&um=1&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&ncl=d9YUiMjhTwM0vKMk5aFmJ3ShAgP1M&ei=qHCaTcCkFI_4swO3zeGaBA&sa=X&oi=news_result&ct=more-results&resnum=1&ved=0CCkQqgIwAA 1 victim = fatality. The other 4 were not caught, they did find and attempt to resuscitate. They left the body. SAR will probably wait to tomorrow to remove the body.

Sorry 200 inches isn't much, especially with how rough weather can be on the conditions up there. My folks have a place outside of Placid and I've been up there quite a bit. I love the area, the people and the mountains are really amazing, but it just doesn't get the precipitation needed.

I'll go quality over quantity. Quality to me usually means creamy snow on difficult terrain. Doesn't have to be first tracks, but that does always make it better. The exception comes if the steep terrain isn't riding like a powder day. IE everything slid during bombing, none of the new snow stuck to the steep pitches, the wind ruined all the steep pitches etc. On a powder day I will definitely be riding powder, but not necessarily the deepest and most untouched. I avoid splitting up way more than I used to. Especially on a powder day I won't hit any daily goals if there isn't a spotter. Plus it's just more fun to share it with someone else. Best powder day run was at the end of my first season at WP. We had a week of massive dumps. Each day got lighter. First lap on the final day I broke trail to the mushroom patch. 3 15'ers a 20'er lots of 5' skippers and knee to waste deep snow with face shots every turn. Not quite bluebird but trying to be. Great visibility, perfect temperature and no body at the hill. Jive, I know. My partner's not into cameras and he's way faster at hiking than I am so he's usually waiting for me anyways. Also I don't have a point and shoot anymore, and carrying around the DSLR sucks.