The 2021-2022 Ski season thread

[amarshall]

12 hours ago, powderfreak said:

They make those in a 110?  I thought I’d only seen 90.  That’s got some beef to it if it’s 110!

I just picked up some 180cm Blizzard Rustler 10s from a rep, excited to try them out.

I was wrong. I had the Cham 97s before. They are 99s. 

https://blisterreview.com/gear-reviews/2020-2021-dynastar-m-pro-99

[powderfreak]

2 hours ago, amarshall said:

I was wrong. I had the Cham 97s before. They are 99s. 

https://blisterreview.com/gear-reviews/2020-2021-dynastar-m-pro-99

Thats my favorite ski size for the east.  My last was Fisher Ranger 98s.  Waist in that 98-100 is perfect IMO for all mountain skiing in variable snow surfaces.

[amarshall]

2 hours ago, powderfreak said:

Thats my favorite ski size for the east.  My last was Fisher Ranger 98s.  Waist in that 98-100 is perfect IMO for all mountain skiing in variable snow surfaces.

I'm too cheap for a powder ski.  My Cham 97s could handle anything from waist deep Alta to skating rink Cannon. 

[subdude]

Can't wait to get out this season after a 2yr hiatus. I had a Total Knee Replacement in Oct 2019 and with all the Covid restrictions in place last season decided to take the season off and continue with building strength in the leg. I'm ready this season. 

[PowderBeard]

Powder skis (115 waist) in the east are best for when 10-14" falls on bare ground, keeps you up above the rocks lol. I like 95-100mm for a daily driver, especially in bumps. 

[Boston Bulldog]

5 minutes ago, PowderBeard said:

Powder skis (115 waist) in the east are best for when 10-14" falls on bare ground, keeps you up above the rocks lol. I like 95-100mm for a daily driver, especially in bumps. 

 

On 8/17/2021 at 12:37 PM, amarshall said:

I'm too cheap for a powder ski.  My Cham 97s could handle anything from waist deep Alta to skating rink Cannon. 

Yep, 96mm Volkl Mantra M5 owner here and I will also vouch for 95-100 as a daily driver. While maybe not as reliable on hardpack/ice at high speed as skis in the 80mm range, the versality is unmatched. Took them from Alta to Mad River and everywhere in between last year

[MarkO]

Nordica Enforcer 95's with Solomon Shift bindings. Another great all-mountain ski. Coming from 68's under foot, definitely took a couple days getting used to.

[Hitman]

On 8/17/2021 at 7:10 AM, amarshall said:

I was wrong. I had the Cham 97s before. They are 99s. 

https://blisterreview.com/gear-reviews/2020-2021-dynastar-m-pro-99

I have the rustler 11 and love them.  like the blue graphic.

[radarman]

2 hours ago, MarkO said:

Nordica Enforcer 95's with Solomon Shift bindings. Another great all-mountain ski. Coming from 68's under foot, definitely took a couple days getting used to.

I have these on my touring setup, and I mostly like them.  They're lightweight and seem to perform well on the descent.  These are the first tech pin bindings I've had and I find them on occasion a little bit less than totally secure... if I were on some big western high alpine tour I could see taking a bad step and torquing out of them on accident in a less than great spot.  But for all things eastern sidecountry it's not a concern, and for all I know the bad step caveat could be said about any tech binding.

[GCWarrior]

My favorite thread! Now that I’ve come out of my summer hibernation it’s time to talk about sliding on snow.  
 

Day one and two already in the books for me.  Garbage weather, limited snow and lack of local knowledge(friend bailed) led me to Bagley Lakes in the North Cascades.  Did get a couple days of solid 300-400 vert turns which for a New Englander in August felt like 10k vert. Rained a lot of my two days up there so I didn’t get to see Mount Baker or much of the incredible mountains in the area but I got some great shots of Shuksan one evening.  

Next year I’m thinking of lift assisted turns on mount hood may be more my style as I wade into my 40’s.  Not an option this year for me as Timberline closed 8/15. I’ll try to post some picture here 

[GCWarrior]

Just now, GCWarrior said:

My favorite thread! Now that I’ve come out of my summer hibernation it’s time to talk about sliding on snow.  
 

Day one and two already in the books for me.  Garbage weather, limited snow and lack local knowledge(friend bailed) led me to Bagley Lakes in the North Cascades.  Did get a couple days of solid 300-400 vert turns which for a New Englander in August felt like 10k vert. Rained a lot of my two days up there so I didn’t get to see Mount Baker or much of the incredible mountains in the area but I got some great shots of Shuksan one evening.  

Next year I’m thinking of lift assisted turns on mount hood may be more my style as I wade into my 40’s.  Not an option this year for me as Timberline closed 8/15. I’ll try to post some picture here 

[radarman]

KTix just went on sale.  $75 weekday, $85 weekend/holiday.  No blackouts.  I usually get a few.

https://shop.killington.com/s/k-tickets/p/k-tickets-2

[CT Rain]

Got my Epic pass in the mail today. Should ensure no snow this season. 

[MRVexpat]

On 8/30/2021 at 2:29 PM, Hitman said:

I have the rustler 11 and love them.  like the blue graphic.

Demo'd the 10s in big sky in a foot of fresh this past March. Super fun and poppy ski yet still damp enough for straight lining chopped pow  Hoping the 11s are similar, just fatter! My current quiver needs something to handle true pow as my Armada JJs were on their 5th mount and have now been retired . Running the following:

Fischer RC World Cup SL 68 under foot, 165 cm

Line Supernatural. 86 underfoot, 179 cm

Liberty Origin. 96 underfoot, 176 cm mounted w/marker dukes as touring setup

[cny rider]

Help a newb out!

We are a family of "intermediate" downhill skiers and boarders.

We get out between 6-10 times each winter for downhill.  We enjoy it, spend most of our time on intermediate trails in upstate NY and Vermont.

As an example, at Stowe we love Perry Merrell and the Gondolier.

Our kids are now about to turn 14 (skis) and 12 (boards).

We had been doing annual rentals for them but we are ready to buy equipment for them now.

I know lots about XC ski equipment but little about downhill.

What would be appropriate gear for our crew?  Some rough price ranges, brands and models to look for would be much appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[Angus]

We get out between 6-10 times each winter for downhill.  - why not keep on renting for the kids. The adults are different? We get out between 6-10 times each winter for downhill. - given growth of kids that age, think seasonal rentals would still make sense. I would have bought my stuff over the summer sales - 

[cny rider]

14 hours ago, Angus said:

We get out between 6-10 times each winter for downhill.  - why not keep on renting for the kids. The adults are different? We get out between 6-10 times each winter for downhill. - given growth of kids that age, think seasonal rentals would still make sense. I would have bought my stuff over the summer sales - 

Our 14 year olds seem to have reached their full height, or close to it.

And the 12 year old, we wouldn't mind if she went through a board or two with boots over the next few years.

 

[radarman]

3 minutes ago, cny rider said:

Our 14 year olds seem to have reached their full height, or close to it.

And the 12 year old, we wouldn't mind if she went through a board or two with boots over the next few years.

 

Honestly, for the terrain you describe, just find some mid waist ski and you really can't go wrong.  Everyone here may have their personal preferences but IMO I'd just take the kids to the shop and ask them which ones they like and roll with it.  Having em love their gear is more important than any subtle performance differences they may note. 

[cny rider]

8 hours ago, radarman said:

Honestly, for the terrain you describe, just find some mid waist ski and you really can't go wrong.  Everyone here may have their personal preferences but IMO I'd just take the kids to the shop and ask them which ones they like and roll with it.  Having em love their gear is more important than any subtle performance differences they may note. 

Thank you.

[PowderBeard]

On 9/14/2021 at 7:57 AM, MRVexpat said:

 

Line Supernatural. 86 underfoot, 179 cm

I feel like Line skis don't get enough love outside the park rat community. Light but stiff like a couple of 2x4s under your feet, perfect for everything from hard pack to fresh snow. That said, the two pairs I owned had a learning curve to them. You have to be way up and charge hard on them to have any control. No such thing as a "neutral" position.

Anyone on ON3Ps? I have tried a few pairs and cannot figure those things out. Always feel like I get thrown in back seat on them. 

[MRVexpat]

7 hours ago, PowderBeard said:

I feel like Line skis don't get enough love outside the park rat community. Light but stiff like a couple of 2x4s under your feet, perfect for everything from hard pack to fresh snow. That said, the two pairs I owned had a learning curve to them. You have to be way up and charge hard on them to have any control. No such thing as a "neutral" position.

Totally. When skied aggressively on hard pack they're like a pair of GS skis that are actually safe to take out in public, lol. 

[bwt3650]

Well, at least Wall street sees a big ski season.  I kinda buy the pent up demand. Let's see if mother nature cooperates.

https://www.cnbc.com/2021/09/21/vail-resorts-stock-upgrade-keybanc.html 

[PhineasC]

I expect a big season for my family, at least. Hope to get out at least 40 days.

[powderfreak]

2 hours ago, bwt3650 said:

Well, at least Wall street sees a big ski season.  I kinda buy the pent up demand. Let's see if mother nature cooperates.

https://www.cnbc.com/2021/09/21/vail-resorts-stock-upgrade-keybanc.html 

Summer tourism has been incredible.  People want to travel.  I think the demand for vacationing and travel is through the roof personally.  

[powderfreak]

1 hour ago, PhineasC said:

I expect a big season for my family, at least. Hope to get out at least 40 days.

That’s awesome.  I think my family from Albany used to do about 30 a season growing up.  I bet you can crush 40 days.

But even more so, to me, my favorite family memories are almost all ski trips and ski days growing up.  Can’t tell you how much your kids will appreciate that later on in life.  There’s something about getting up early, excited, Mom’s got lunch made, everyone making their bagels for the car ride to the hill… then getting to explore and have adventure with siblings and parents all day. Then 10 minutes in the car at 4:30pm and all kids are passed out.

I don’t know, I give all of you parents big props for it because I know it shaped my life and many of my best family memories are those fun days on the hill together.  I’m the oldest in my family and I remember it was like the first time I was looking out for my sisters… going through glades and stuff, everyone looking out for each other and helping them in tricky spots.

Then get home and wanting nothing to do with my sisters lol.  Some cool family dynamics take place on the hill as kids that you don’t get at home.

[PhineasC]

7 minutes ago, powderfreak said:

That’s awesome.  I think my family from Albany used to do about 30 a season growing up.  I bet you can crush 40 days.

But even more so, to me, my favorite family memories are almost all ski trips and ski days growing up.  Can’t tell you how much your kids will appreciate that later on in life.  There’s something about getting up early, excited, Mom’s got lunch made, everyone making their bagels for the car ride to the hill… then getting to explore and have adventure with siblings and parents all day. Then 10 minutes in the car at 4:30pm and all kids are passed out.

I don’t know, I give all of you parents big props for it because I know it shaped my life and many of my best family memories are those fun days on the hill together.  I’m the oldest in my family and I remember it was like the first time I was looking out for my sisters… going through glades and stuff, everyone looking out for each other and helping them in tricky spots.

Then get home and wanting nothing to do with my sisters lol.  Some cool family dynamics take place on the hill as kids that you don’t get at home.

Yeah, it's great. We love watching the kids pair off and ride the lifts together and then help each other out of jams. The self-confidence for all 4 has gone through the roof. When you have tackled an entire mountain, it makes basic kid stress stuff seem like no big deal.

I can't wait for the snow to start. Enjoying this weather for fall right now, though. Snow will be here soon enough.

[PowderBeard]

3 hours ago, bwt3650 said:

Well, at least Wall street sees a big ski season.  I kinda buy the pent up demand. Let's see if mother nature cooperates.

https://www.cnbc.com/2021/09/21/vail-resorts-stock-upgrade-keybanc.html 

I wish someone would come in and make an offer on Wildcat and Attitash. I can't imagine Vail really wants them anyway.  There were so many disgruntled pass holders/locals on social media discussing operations and lack of communication. Wildcat really is a gem and probably one of few places I would ever consider having a place at. Part of the reason why that Crotch-Snow-Cat-Tash pass worked well for Mass/NH folks was because Wildcat would be t2b in October/November. Whereas the other choices were the golf course at Bretton Woods, stairs at K, or downloading at Sunday River. 

[powderfreak]

8 minutes ago, PowderBeard said:

I wish someone would come in and make an offer on Wildcat and Attitash. I can't imagine Vail really wants them anyway.  There were so many disgruntled pass holders/locals on social media discussing operations and lack of communication. Wildcat really is a gem and probably one of few places I would ever consider having a place at. Part of the reason why that Crotch-Snow-Cat-Tash pass worked well for Mass/NH folks was because Wildcat would be t2b in October/November. Whereas the other choices were the golf course at Bretton Woods, stairs at K, or downloading at Sunday River. 

My buddy resigned as the GM up at Wildcat this summer.  We had had neighboring offices at Stowe years back.  Good guy but sounded like a very difficult task up there as they aren’t financially viable businesses on their own.  So trying to make them into one is quite tricky.  Sounds like Wildcat barely has reliable power, with the power company working in the remote woods up there many times a winter.

I don’t think there’s anyway those two ski areas can financially operate independently… why they were with Peak Resorts and now Vail Resorts.

[NW_of_GYX]

32 minutes ago, powderfreak said:

My buddy resigned as the GM up at Wildcat this summer.  We had had neighboring offices at Stowe years back.  Good guy but sounded like a very difficult task up there as they aren’t financially viable businesses on their own.  So trying to make them into one is quite tricky.  Sounds like Wildcat barely has reliable power, with the power company working in the remote woods up there many times a winter.

I don’t think there’s anyway those two ski areas can financially operate independently… why they were with Peak Resorts and now Vail Resorts.

The Attitash situation is crazy to me with the amount of beds and skier visits in the valley. Bwoods is further away and has inferior terrain but takes a lot of their business. Cranmore has invested wisely as well. Attitash should be pulling so many more skier visits but the infrastructure issues are so bad folks drive further to to Bwoods. In some ways you would think if vail would invest anywhere it would be attitash. The NoCo ski market remains huge but bizarrely lacks a flagship resort, Bwoods has really filled that void, but Attitash could take all that business back with some strategic investment ( a bubble six pack summit lift for instance). Both areas desperately need new lodges as well. Wildcat is cold as balls and really just needs to embrace the spring skiing opportunities a la ABasin - but probably will never make money IMHO. 

[powderfreak]

5 minutes ago, NW_of_GYX said:

The Attitash situation is crazy to me with the amount of beds and skier visits in the valley. Bwoods is further away and has inferior terrain but takes a lot of their business. Cranmore has invested wisely as well. Attitash should be pulling so many more skier visits but the infrastructure issues are so bad folks drive further to to Bwoods. In some ways you would think if vail would invest anywhere it would be attitash. The NoCo ski market remains huge but bizarrely lacks a flagship resort, Bwoods has really filled that void, but Attitash could take all that business back with some strategic investment ( a bubble six pack summit lift for instance). Both areas desperately need new lodges as well. Wildcat is cold as balls and really just needs to embrace the spring skiing opportunities a la ABasin - but probably will never make money IMHO. 

I agree, Bretton Woods is looked at in the industry as the flagship up there.  They do an Okemo level family friendly operation… good lift system and while the terrain is relatively mellow, they take great care of it through the snow surfaces department.

I’ve never skied Attitash but it has a very outspoken loyal following which surprised me.  Some of those infrastructure issues go all the way back to American Skiing Company.  There’s no doubt those two mountains have sort of just been getting sold and moved together as a package deal.  When Peak Resorts sold to VR, no doubt they were like if you want Mt Snow and Hunter you are taking these as well.

Maybe I’m an eternal optimist but I think someone at VR may realize Attitash’s potential in a way like you wrote.  I just know VR certainly prioritized certain integration steps to high visit spots like Mt Snow and Hunter.  The more that gets dialed in the more likely I think they start looking to other areas.  They like places that have potential growth so if Attitash does, they’ll find it.

Im on the same page as you with Wildcat… fantastic core mountain but without knowing for sure, I can’t imagine a prospective buyer looking at their financials and getting excited .