So what is so great about Blue?

[snorovr]

First of all I regularly noticed way more than a 2-4 degree temperature difference between Boulder and Blue this past November. Once I saw as much as a 9 degree difference. Also Method, I usually think your arguments are very solid but you're missing some key differences in this one.

 

Boulder: Opened a bunny hill. Ran one lift. Only food service was drinks, burgers, and dogs from the grill and coolers. Basically they had one of their ticket offices open, the lodge was open for heat, bathrooms, and sitting. Basically skeleton staff and services that could have been shut down at a moments notice. Their Web site even said they'd only be open weather permitting.

 

Blue: When they open they want to open with full services and stay open. Last year when they closed down they threw away a ton of food from their cafeteria because they were legally not allowed to keep it. This probably played some role in them waiting a little longer to open this year, as well as temps that were forecast at one point to go back into the 50s. Just due to the layout of Blue they pretty much have to open in a certain way and will continue to due so as long as current management is around. I would prefer for them to focus on opening the 6-pack first, but its just easier for them to operate out of the top lodge because they control all of the services up there. The bottom lodge has food service that is operated by an outside contractor, and there are no administrative offices down there. Those are just some of the many reasons that Blue has to open in a certain way for the time being. Do I agree with it? Maybe...maybe not, but I understand why they do it.

[k2rider2690]

not to mention that every single time i ride blue i almost get blown over or kill myself on all the ice...by the way what exactly was blue doing that whole week and a half when they had perfect snowmaking weather? It took them a week and a half to open 10 trails? hah thats poor. oh and about the whole boulder thing yeh maybe they opened with the bare minimum, but the pt is that they still opened a month earlier, there is not other explanation.

[toast21602]

not to mention that every single time i ride blue i almost get blown over or kill myself on all the ice...by the way what exactly was blue doing that whole week and a half when they had perfect snowmaking weather? It took them a week and a half to open 10 trails? hah thats poor. oh and about the whole boulder thing yeh maybe they opened with the bare minimum, but the pt is that they still opened a month earlier, there is not other explanation.

 

what were they doing? well, making a 3-4 foot base on their trails so they dont have to close down during a warm spell.

[method9455]

First of all I regularly noticed way more than a 2-4 degree temperature difference between Boulder and Blue this past November. Once I saw as much as a 9 degree difference. Also Method, I usually think your arguments are very solid but you're missing some key differences in this one.

 

Boulder: Opened a bunny hill. Ran one lift. Only food service was drinks, burgers, and dogs from the grill and coolers. Basically they had one of their ticket offices open, the lodge was open for heat, bathrooms, and sitting. Basically skeleton staff and services that could have been shut down at a moments notice. Their Web site even said they'd only be open weather permitting.

 

Blue: When they open they want to open with full services and stay open. Last year when they closed down they threw away a ton of food from their cafeteria because they were legally not allowed to keep it. This probably played some role in them waiting a little longer to open this year, as well as temps that were forecast at one point to go back into the 50s. Just due to the layout of Blue they pretty much have to open in a certain way and will continue to due so as long as current management is around. I would prefer for them to focus on opening the 6-pack first, but its just easier for them to operate out of the top lodge because they control all of the services up there. The bottom lodge has food service that is operated by an outside contractor, and there are no administrative offices down there. Those are just some of the many reasons that Blue has to open in a certain way for the time being. Do I agree with it? Maybe...maybe not, but I understand why they do it.

 

 

No idea on the lodges, I've never been inside either. I think I walked through the bottom one at Blue to buy a ticket once because their ticket window is/was on the inside. I dunno, when I go to a hill to ride, I ride all day. Food/drinks/color of the carpet really doesn't phase me. If there was a shack with tickets and no food I would be perfectly happy anyway. No one says Blue has to open with all that crap but Blue's own management. They could open with two dozen people working and no food/lodge if they wanted to just get people on the hill, but they don't want to do that. Boulder does. It is that simple. I'll take the place that is about the skiing first please. As for the temperature difference, 1) how could you be in both places at the same time. 2) Are you judging it by what your car says? Because thats not all that accurate 3) 9 degrees is rediculous 4) water temperature plays a huge part 5) as does equipment. 6) If it is a 9 degree difference between Blue and Boulder, it is a 20 degree difference between Boulder and Mountain Creek, which is just not the case, if it were Mountain Creek would never be able to make snow. Maybe it happened once, but on average, Boulder is NOT 9 degrees colder than Blue.

 

But fine, we'll say it is utterly impossible for them to open at the same time as Boulder - which is probably true even if they had equal equipment becuase there is SOME temperature difference, and the water is usually colder at Boulder and JF, once they're open they should get enough time to lay down a big base because the mountains don't blow snow for 100% of the time during the season when they could. Then where is Blue's superior season? If they lay down so much snow why aren't they last to close? And if they're not last to close, and they consistently have the worst surface condition, doesn't that make their snowmaking system suck? By my scorecard, they are open later or same as other places, have worse conditions, and close same as or earlier than other places. That is not a superior snowmaking, that is average at best.

[toast21602]

blue isnt last to close because they book receptions at their lodge so they need time to close down and clean the place up for that. thats one reason.

 

 

 

how about this... for those of you who don't like the conditions at blue... go somewhere else and stop complaining about it. if you dont mind them, then who cares and go ski.

[method9455]

blue isnt last to close because they book receptions at their lodge so they need time to close down and clean the place up for that. thats one reason.

 

 

 

how about this... for those of you who don't like the conditions at blue... go somewhere else and stop complaining about it. if you dont mind them, then who cares and go ski.

 

 

Ah ha, don't like to so much now do you. I like blue a lot but you guys spend forever ripping on JFBB for being short and Camelback for being crappy park/crappy lifts/policies/whatever that its fun to show all the blue fanboys how ridiculous it is.

[snorovr]

No idea on the lodges, I've never been inside either. I think I walked through the bottom one at Blue to buy a ticket once because their ticket window is/was on the inside. I dunno, when I go to a hill to ride, I ride all day. Food/drinks/color of the carpet really doesn't phase me. If there was a shack with tickets and no food I would be perfectly happy anyway. No one says Blue has to open with all that crap but Blue's own management. They could open with two dozen people working and no food/lodge if they wanted to just get people on the hill, but they don't want to do that. Boulder does. It is that simple. I'll take the place that is about the skiing first please. As for the temperature difference, 1) how could you be in both places at the same time. 2) Are you judging it by what your car says? Because thats not all that accurate 3) 9 degrees is rediculous 4) water temperature plays a huge part 5) as does equipment. 6) If it is a 9 degree difference between Blue and Boulder, it is a 20 degree difference between Boulder and Mountain Creek, which is just not the case, if it were Mountain Creek would never be able to make snow. Maybe it happened once, but on average, Boulder is NOT 9 degrees colder than Blue.

 

But fine, we'll say it is utterly impossible for them to open at the same time as Boulder - which is probably true even if they had equal equipment becuase there is SOME temperature difference, and the water is usually colder at Boulder and JF, once they're open they should get enough time to lay down a big base because the mountains don't blow snow for 100% of the time during the season when they could. Then where is Blue's superior season? If they lay down so much snow why aren't they last to close? And if they're not last to close, and they consistently have the worst surface condition, doesn't that make their snowmaking system suck? By my scorecard, they are open later or same as other places, have worse conditions, and close same as or earlier than other places. That is not a superior snowmaking, that is average at best.

 

 

Never said that it is 9 degrees colder on average, but I did notice a major temp. difference a few times in November, especially on some of the sunnier days. Also, when Boulder got all that snow the one day there was like 6" at Boulder, and mostly rain at Blue. I just know what I've experienced in person, and that is Boulder being able to make snow at many times when Blue is not able to. Don't compare apples to oranges. It's like me saying that since there was a winter storm in Allentown today then there should have been one in Philly too. I talked with Ian at Boulder about it and even he says that their sub-climate is crazy up there. The temps are different, the humidity is different, and it is plain and simple just way better for making snow. Especially with their fan guns!

 

I think we could all agree that a mountain with the lodge/hotel of Bear Creek, the park and sub-climate of Boulder, the funding of Mt. Creek, and the terrain and lifts of Blue would be the prime Pennsylvania mountain. However, we gotta make due with what we've got and when it comes down to it you just gotta go with what makes you happy.

 

I guess you're just trolling for "fanboys," but your argument is off.

Edited December 14, 2007 by T*Maki

[snownskateguy]

ahhh this is fun

[Shadows]

i like blue because they have bangin lifties on vista. daaaaaammmnn.

[Justin]

There's this BANGIN girl that works at the ticket office too. She took my pass picture.

[method9455]

.Kind of like being a Phillies fan..

 

It must be something about PA, you guys are CRAZY for the stuff you like. I live with an Eagles/Phillies/76ers fan and it blows me away. I fear for my life every time the Giants beat them.

[AtomicSkier]

It must be something about PA, you guys are CRAZY for the stuff you like. I live with an Eagles/Phillies/76ers fan and it blows me away. I fear for my life every time the Giants beat them.

 

Just get out there a fckin ski method...all you ever do is (read: over) analyze everything.

[Shadows]

There's this BANGIN girl that works at the ticket office too. She took my pass picture.

 

i know exactly who youre talking about.

[snownskateguy]

There's this BANGIN girl that works at the ticket office too. She took my pass picture.

 

 

 

WERD YES!!! she took mine too. thats def the best reason to go to blue.

 

i can do without those lifties tho.. they not so hott.. plus i know a guy that works vista and he said one just had a kid this fall.. haha

[method9455]

Just get out there a fckin ski method...all you ever do is (read: over) analyze everything.

 

I wish. Last year, ripped spleen. Last weekend, spent the weekend in the hospital with my grandfather. This weekend, a funeral for my grandfather. Next week, two jobs interviews. Not exactly my choice. Thats why I spend my time on here, its about the close I've been getting lately.

[Papasteeze]

There isn't much to criticize Blue about, except the garbage problem and the circus rails, flat jumps, poor snow quality, poor grooming, boring fall line trails, obnoxious crowds, dirty lodges, it sort of feels like the Hunter Mtn of Pa.

 

[AtomicSkier]

Papasteeze I didn't write that quit trolling

 

when we put you on staff, you can delete those posts.....

[Justin]

i know exactly who youre talking about.

I was going to get her number, but my debit card got declined and I had to use my mom's, that blew pretty much everything.

Edited December 14, 2007 by Justin

[snorovr]

I was going to get her number

 

Talk - Action = Zero...

[jsong83]

blue has horrible conditions (at least last year) but i still prefer blue over the others. the snow practically turns into ice at the top of the double blacks and the trails never seemed groomed EVER. but nothing can make me want to go to camelback where you pay $50 for going down a trail that sends you 5mph for what seems like 20 seconds. camelback does have nice snow but snow is found at every mountain. if snow conditions were such a huge concern for me, i would just drive to vermont. but yea, and the lifts and trail layouts are better at blue. the trails are camelback just seem to easy for me but blue still challenges me. probably because of the crappy snow.

[toast21602]

blue has been open for a week and i havent noticed any issues with the snow as of yet. once we get some mid season thaws is when the bad conditions start to happen. also, skiing at night doesnt help someone's view on the conditions either... i ski during the day as much as possible and dont really see any problems with the snow. its once everybody and their neighbor come to the mountain after 3:00 that the place goes to shit.

[First Grade Teacher]

funny thing about that is that Boulder opened 1 month before Blue.

An extra "Month" at BB doesn't compare to 1 day at Blue! The only people that value that extra Month is the park rats who want to stand around pulling up their pants and shooting video. We should turn BB into a park rat prison!

 

Edited December 14, 2007 by First Grade Teacher

[AtomicSkier]

An extra "Month" at BB doesn't compare to 1 day at Blue! The only people that value that extra Month is the park rats who want to stand around pulling up their pants and shooting video. We should turn BB into a park rat prison!

 

 

hahahah sooooo right. It took me 4 days at BB to rack up the vertical that I can do in a sub 4 hour session at Blue.

[First Grade Teacher]

hahahah sooooo right. It took me 4 days at BB to rack up the vertical that I can do in a sub 4 hour session at Blue.

 

Everyone who hates the snow at Blue, go to BB. Just be ready for the cavity search! You might like it!

 

[Justin]

Everyone who hates the snow at Blue, go to BB. Just be ready for the cavity search! You might like it!

 

And season pass validation...

 

Waiting in line when you have a season pass is rediculous.