Squaw has a no-blackout college pass for $389

Stereotype much? Sounds like a way of getting skiers with limited funds onto the mountain. In other words, a positive.

I guess I'm kind of happy for the college kids, but resorts should be a little more strict with verifying.  I know folks who have used this option to their advantage at other resorts (they weren't in college).  Crowds will be there one way or another, there are always deals.  Some resorts had the Shell deals a couple of years ago and that pretty much ruined all Sundays.

Quote:

Originally Posted by alexzn 

If you are a full time college student you can ski Squaw no blackout for less than $400.
I have decidedly mixed feelings about this announcement. I have kids on the mountain and the last thing I need is a bunch of clueless hungover college kids mowing them down on a holiday weekend. Good skiers of college age were skiing Squaw anyway, do it will only bring in a bunch of gapers on a winter break.

So full of failed logic.

If you want to go with the stereotype of hungover college kids, then they're hungover and 

1) won't be on the slopes until noon or later (so just go early)

2) will be puking or feeling not-so-hot from dehydration/altitude so will quit after taking about 5runs and a few group pictures

So you're making a bogeyman out of nobody.  

The people MORE likely to mow down your kids are the weekend warriors who hit the slopes maybe just once/twice a season and

1) ski beyond their limits to maximize their day.

2) feel they are entitled to the whole mountain as they just paid for a $100 lift ticket and $60 in rentals.

If you went up early this past season prior to march, during the crappy snow (and a still shaky economy); it kept most day-trippers away, and the slopes were mainly passholders.    Passholders are typically more experienced on the slow and not clueless ; just by the self-selection of having bought a pass (although there are always those on the bell-curve).  So don't worry about them.

This being said, in my opinion the snottiest people I've run into were skiteam kids during some race-days at some resorts. These were kids in the 1% who have had the most experience on the snow, but they were the ones that were the most obnoxious and least polite:  pushing and cutting their way through the lift lines, weaving and skiing almost recklessly around beginners in slow zones and general tomfoolery with each other, such as a "game" to attempt to pop the others out from their bindings while skiing the return run to the lift.  

I'm sure yours are perfect "angels" though 

Actually, my son is one of those college kids, and there are several Epic Ski members who can testify he is a "real" skier.  I bought him a pass as a present last year, and I assure you that $400 is a lot of money for a college kid or some parent paying tuition.

As it was he only used his pass 3 or 4 days last year because he doesn't have a car, and arrangements kept falling through.  (One time he didn't go because his ride's mother was afraid for them to drive up in a snowstorm.  Other times his ride had to work, or he had to work, or just life happened.)

I'm of the mind that the ski slopes should be for everyone.  If someone else gets a good deal and I don't; I don't take the attitude that it makes it worse for me.  Lucky for them.  Wishing that people don't get a deal and so they are economically priced out of the opportunity to ski just seems mean-spirited to me.  

It doesn't have to be a win-lose.

If safety is the issue, that's for ski patrol to sort out.  

I better get one: it was offered to o/seas colleges last season

Quote:

Originally Posted by raytseng 

So full of failed logic.

 

If you want to go with the stereotype of hungover college kids, then they're hungover and 

1) won't be on the slopes until noon or later (so just go early)

2) will be puking or feeling not-so-hot from dehydration/altitude so will quit after taking about 5runs and a few group pictures

So you're making a bogeyman out of nobody.  

 

 

 

 

New Year's day before last at Squaw two feet of fresh, Silverado open (earliest in the year I've ever seen it open) and absolutely zero lift line--if you ski Squaw you know how rare that is. A few years ago on summit 6 at Alpine on New Year's Day--pretty good crowd in the maze, sun, fresh snow, and the lift op that was supposed to be running the maze just stood there with a dazed look while everybody just went around her.  raytseng knows of what he speaks.  

Quote:

Originally Posted by alexzn 

Stereotype much?  Of course I stereotype!

 

Im my parental role, I am actually not worried much about the weekend warriors, hopefully my ski team kids are good enough skiers that they already don't ski where those weekend warriors go, but I admit that I am scared sh&tless about a bunch of college students going where they should not be going...  Again, those college kids who know what they are doing were already skiing Squaw, I am not worried about them all that much (although the only time my daughter was hit seriously at Squaw, that was someone who looked like a 200+ lb local dude- she was unscathed, but had a bent pole, and what later turned out to be a broken ski, and good size gash on her ski boot).   But $400 is so low that it makes perfect sense to buy that pass for half of the Christmas week, so I am not buying the idea that all these kids would suddenly turn into committed pass holders in 4 days it takes to pay off the pass with holiday day ticket rates. 

 

And yes, I spend many days early 2011-12 season, and I am well aware how real passholders ski.  Those college pass holders are probably going to be a different crowd.  BTW, on those early days the average age on the mountain was about 10, those were the Mighties and Mighty parents.  

 

Generally I have a very pro-business attitude about Squaw's development efforts, but I admit that I am really conflicted on this one.

Well then, you're doing it wrong. This is just illogical fear of small change. Squaw isn't innovating anything new in offering a cheap student pass/ticket, and I've never heard of any other mountain getting overrun by wild, drunken, fornicating co-eds going all Cancun on your ski day. You sound like a grumpy old man.

squaw was so nice when it had the thousand dollar passes. I would buy a day pass on a powder day and it was a nice experience with not so bad lines, now things are very very different.

Quote:

Originally Posted by alexzn 

That pretty much describes Squaw everyday-- no need for hangover... 

 

So ... when was the last time you were 21 and hungover?  Did that stop you from going skiing? I dont think so...  

Yea, it turned out like above.  5runs, then time for the lodge for a bloody mary.

I will counter with your rugrats (or their friends if that's too harsh) who are dropped off on the slopes as "day care" and run around the mountain like it is their's are equally if not more dangerous.

Where else do kid go 30mph without a license or supervision.    At least the college kids have driven cars before and have some semblence of speed/danger.

If safety is the issue, are you for banning all alcohol on mountains? and also for bag searches?

Any group has gapers and it only takes one to ruin you rday.  

I understand you are a parent, but arbitrary classification that you don't want college kids to ski on your slopes doesn't make sense, other than you are biased against a particular group.

If you are going to apply a restriction, logically applying it equally and unbiased, it follows that you are looking for a more private resort and require mandatory ski "licenses" or "membership" based, which pretty much stinks of elitism.

Quote:

Originally Posted by alexzn 

   yeah, I am a grumpy old man (although not by the usual EpicSki standards:-).

not even close

I figured maybe you were just in a bad mood the other day and would have realized the error of your thinking. Instead, you keep getting more and more illogical.

You ski at friggin' Squaw, essentially ground zero of American extreme skiing, and you're worried about a few college kids, who by your very definition aren't all that experienced, dropping cliffs and going all extreme skier to the detriment of most-important patrons like yourself? Pretty sure the average profile for those types of skiers isn't the casual college kid that only buys a pass because it's cheap. I think you should be more worried about the kid/manchild that didn't go to college or graduated, skis most days of the week and has actually been at Squaw long enough to "blind-drop cliffs".

You tripping or trolling? Either way, I'm sure you'll be singing a different tune when your own children are in college and you want to ski with them.

Maybe you need to go back and read your post? Although, you won't find what you're looking for. You're trying desperately to make a connection between irresponsible skiers and college-age skiers taking advantage of a discount pass. It doesn't exist. There may be some irresponsible skiers in that mix, but guess what?! There are irresponsible skiers in every other group, too - including those that pay full price for a pass.

"Those damn college kids, and DARN their fat skis!!!"  At the moment at the risk of being sharp, you're sounding a bit like an old man talking to a chair. Relax. I'm betting that you won't notice one single bit of difference. A lot of places have great college ski deals. Did you notice Whistler being overrun by students from UBC? Probably not so much. When your kids are in college and cash is tight for everyone (well, maybe you've been fortunate and money is no object), you'll be thankful. Realistically, most kids in college spend fewer days on the hill that they would have when they were in HS or even after graduating. It kind of like the gym membership that doesn't get used, and ski areas know this. As a student, if you're having a great academic experience, you get absorbed in school and all that it has to offer. When you're out of class and done studying, it's time for the 'I'm away from home' on or near campus extra-cirriculars... and the latter, that's what most parents should (and you will as well) actually worry about. 

Quote:

Originally Posted by mdf 

Actually, my son is one of those college kids, and there are several Epic Ski members who can testify he is a "real" skier.  I bought him a pass as a present last year, and I assure you that $400 is a lot of money for a college kid or some parent paying tuition.

 

As it was he only used his pass 3 or 4 days last year because he doesn't have a car, and arrangements kept falling through.  (One time he didn't go because his ride's mother was afraid for them to drive up in a snowstorm.  Other times his ride had to work, or he had to work, or just life happened.)

This is the target group that I'm happy about with the Squaw/Alpine Student pass.  

There are some great college age skiers who have limited funds that this will help to get out on the snow.  

Quote:

Originally Posted by alexzn 

Joe-  read my post, ok?  I am all for having good skiers on the mountain, college kids or not, does not matter.  Squaw already has plenty of college-age people who are great fun and great skiers, so give me a break.  The more of those guys/gals come the merrier, and the more cliffs they drop, the more fun I will have watching.   My concern is about a different crowd.  

And yeah, I am worried about inexperienced people going all-extreme skier, not because I am such an all-important patron (I personally don't give a crap unless they land on me, my kids, or my friends).    But I do know that if inexperienced people start falling down the Chimney, or Adrenaline Chute, there will be more terrain closures, the patrol will get much more aggressive, and things will change.  Maybe I am in a bad mood, but whatever...

 

Eric-  GNAR - I love the original concept, I don't like what Unofficial did with it.  What McConkey and Gaffney did was funny and original precisely largely because they were the best skiers on that mountain.  There are a lot of chapters in Squallywood and only a few pages on the extra points; now it seems that those extra points are all that matters.  

 

The truth is that whatever we think does not matter.  There is a lot of money in the college-age skier market, and KSL wants a piece of it.  We will have to live with the consequences, good and bad.     

If there's enough snow at xmas to open the Chimney I'll be happy to put up with the extra skiers, even though I'll have to pay to ski with my bronze pass. Not that I plan to ski Chimney, just would like to see that much snow. I don't think patrol will close more terrain as long as people falling down go all the way to the bottom where they're easy to sled out--shouldn't be a problem for most Squaw lines. (I've been told by a patroller that one reason tram face is a permanent closure is that when they tried to open it years back too many people got stuck IN it--not fun to get them out. Not that I plan to ski that either.)

Quote:

Originally Posted by alexzn 

Yes, agree, and I was not talking about them.    I was talking about people who would come to Squaw only because the pass is cheap.  I was perfectly content with Vail Resorts' Tahoe properties taking care of that crowd.   But time will tell.  

 

MDF:  I'd repeat it again, I was not talking about skiers like your son (the more "real" skiers we have the better), so the cheap pass is a welcome development there.

 

P.S. My skis are still fatter than the college crowd' skis .   Now I'm back to talking to my chair.

My butt is still bigger than the college crowd's butts. 

All I can say is, at least they've gotten past the absurdity of a college pass that's blacked out during college vacations.

Quote:

Originally Posted by alexzn 

Yes, agree, and I was not talking about them.    I was talking about people who would come to Squaw only because the pass is cheap.  I was perfectly content with Vail Resorts' Tahoe properties taking care of that crowd.   But time will tell.  

 

MDF:  I'd repeat it again, I was not talking about skiers like your son (the more "real" skiers we have the better), so the cheap pass is a welcome development there.

 

P.S. My skis are still fatter than the college crowd' skis .   Now I'm back to talking to my chair.

No worries.