Article on Crowding on Slopes

[Wilhelmson]

I am admittedly a bit of a denier, but have to agree with @MissySki that the vibe has changed for the worse. My wife got a flat in a gigantic pothole that also claimed at least 5 other cars. For every 1 person that stopped to check on her, another 20 whizzed by and some honked etc. Provinciality aside, the bad attitudes are permeating what used to be a gentler side of society and seem to be more infectious than other pandemics. Ironically, once we made it to the four lane highway on a donut (long story), other drivers didn’t bat an eye to we idiots driving 50 mph in the slow lane. A learning experience for sure.

 

[Gina D]

Yesterday a friend of mine told me they stopped to pick up a ski that had come off with the skier having slid about 40 feet downhill from it. They picked up the ski, skied down to the fallen skier, who it turned out was a race coach (female by the way.) They handed the ski to her, she turned away and back to talking to the person she was skiing with without a thank you, or even an acknowledgement that the person who just saved them from climbing up an icy slope even existed.

 

[Wasatchman]

I am admittedly a bit of a denier, but have to agree with @MissySki that the vibe has changed for the worse. My wife got a flat in a gigantic pothole that also claimed at least 5 other cars. For every 1 person that stopped to check on her, another 20 whizzed by and some honked etc. Provinciality aside, the bad attitudes are permeating what used to be a gentler side of society and seem to be more infectious than other pandemics. Ironically, once we made it to the four lane highway on a donut (long story), other drivers didn’t bat an eye to we idiots driving 50 mph in the slow lane. A learning experience for sure.

Ah. I think this is a completely different issue than crowding on the slopes.

I completely agree that manners and cordiality have significantly deteriorated. And yet at the same time our culture has never been more accepting of differences and inclusivity. It's a weird dynamic.

 

[Gina D]

I completely agree that manners and cordiality have significantly deteriorated. And yet at the same time our culture has never been more accepting of differences and inclusivity. It's a weird dynamic.

Complete polarization. Progress vs. reaction to progress.



(Progressive vs. reactionary.)

 

[AmyPJ]

Yesterday a friend of mine told me they stopped to pick up a ski that had come off with the skier having slid about 40 feet downhill from it. They picked up the ski, skied down to the fallen skier, who it turned out was a race coach (female by the way.) They handed the ski to her, she turned away and back to talking to the person she was skiing with without a thank you, or even an acknowledgement that the person who just saved them from climbing up an icy slope even existed.

Hindsight…

 

[Wilhelmson]

It is expected to be busy on the busy days. Just like a restaurant with a wait list is busy on Friday night, and the experience may or may not be worth the effort expense and slow service.

See comfortable carrying capacity in Aspen’s master plan here https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fseprd1086170.pdf

 

[DanoT]

See comfortable carrying capacity in Aspen’s master plan here https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fseprd1086170.pdf

When it comes to skiing I am very crowd adverse. Aspen is my favourite US resort principally due to the fact that it is the least crowded of any major US resort that I have visited. Having 4 different mountains helps. Aspen also seems to be very well run.

 

[altabrig]

From the UK.
Alps crowd ski risks

 

[Pat AKA mustski]

From the UK.
Alps crowd ski risks

It’s behind a pay wall. However judging by the opening hook, the EU resorts are experiencing similar issues to the US

 

[altabrig]

It’s behind a pay wall. However judging by the opening hook, the EU resorts are experiencing similar issues to the US

Main take away is the cultural shift in skiing towards less control at higher speeds combined with less respect for rules - principally the lookout for and avoidance of downhill persons.

Also noted is the lack of piste controlers ability to enforce rules, most notably at Feench resorts.

Easier skiing skis have also made it possible for lower level skiers to think they can hot dog it and shuss without the skill sets to turn and shut it down.

The article cites instances of several people being seriously injured while standing near a lift line or riding on an easy run.

 

[skiki]

I always appreciated the system used for school groups at Chicopee in Ontario. The kids had to test for access to the next level up lift. No silver stripe stuck to your lift pass was magic carpet only, one stripe was the beginner chair. Two stripes for full access to all lifts. Sometimes stripes were removed. It encouraged the kids to work on skills and ski responsibly.

 

[KingGrump]

Also noted is the lack of piste controlers ability to enforce rules, most notably at Feench resorts.

The new Euro mountain safety team. They have been effective where deployed. Not many repeat offenders.

 

[Shawster]

I always appreciated the system used for school groups at Chicopee in Ontario. The kids had to test for access to the next level up lift. No silver stripe stuck to your lift pass was magic carpet only, one stripe was the beginner chair. Two stripes for full access to all lifts. Sometimes stripes were removed. It encouraged the kids to work on skills and ski responsibly.

It works, but Chicopee is a different animal when it comes to newbie skiers, busy day for patrol today!

 

[jt10000]

There was a heck of a crowd on the piste.

 

[Noodler]

I'll just leave this here...

 

[Pat AKA mustski]

There are a couple of runs like that ^ at club med Val Thorens. It is the one everybody has to ski out on in the morning and another for back home at the end of the day. Both of these get busy like this at meal times and morning start time. The end of the day is the worst because the run has bumped up and there are many trying to ski it who don't know how. At least the morning run was nicely groomed, but it still was bumped up quickly on a few days after much overnight snow fall. It was crazy but the rest of the time, everyone was well spread out.

 

[Sibhusky]

I'll just leave this here...

Note to self: Never go here.

 

[AltaSkier]

I kept expecting to see Candide carving through that...

 

[pais alto]

I'll just leave this here...

I thought it was Mountain Run at Palisades Tahoe on a three day holiday weekend.

Or maybe Whitefeather at Taos during Texas school break.

 

[Jim Kenney]

I was at Snowbird last weekend. Parking was tight! It was very busy, but bad lift lines can be avoided with simple measures. Ski Mineral early, then ski the front side of the mtn from 1030 am onward, lines are modest. Mineral is a people magnet much of the day. I was there in Mineral about 1030 and the line was getting fierce, about 20-30 min wait, even in singles line. I heard a person in Fast Tracks enter their bypass line and call out to a group of about six, "best $70 we ever spent!" Of course that meant about 6 x 70 = $420, on top of whatever kind of lift ticket/pass they had. And naturally, the following weekday the place is deserted.

If you think skiing is crowded, check out this article on Walt Disney World. People pay hundreds just to take a class on how to navigate the crowds and waits. Cell phone/app expertise critical.