Keep out!!

[blackke17]

I'm confused. The wording of your post makes it sound like you think the article that you've linked supports your beliefs. But, the conclusion in the article is that snowboards don't actually make a difference to snow quality, bump runs, etc. So, are you actually disagreeing with the article?

As for snow quality at Alta vs. Snowbird, are you sure that's not due to other factors, such as the orientation of the terrain or number of riders per acre?

never suggested the article supported my opinion, but i do stand behind my opinion

 

[James]

View attachment 76778

BTDT. World didn't end. Life goes on. Nothing changed. Surprise...not.

I only skied Taos way before the ban was lifted, around 2000. Back then the concetn was the chutes would be scraped clean by boarders. Of course, that was before fat skis had really taken hold. A few people in my ski werk group still had >200cm straight skis on.
These days, fat ski scrapers are probably as numerous, or more numerous as board scrapers. So, what's the upshot at Taos?

I'm confused. The wording of your post makes it sound like you think the article that you've linked supports your beliefs. But, the conclusion in the article is that snowboards don't actually make a difference to snow quality, bump runs, etc. So, are you actually disagreeing with the article?

As for snow quality at Alta vs. Snowbird, are you sure that's not due to other factors, such as the orientation of the terrain or number of riders per acre?

Altoids believe they ski in the greatest place ever. Forget logic, it's confusing.

 

[Jacob]

never suggested the article supported my opinion, but i do stand behind my opinion

Sorry, I was just confused by the last line "those in the know do know" followed by a link to an article that didn't agree with your opinion.

I've only skied Snowbird and Alta a couple of times each in March, always either during or the day after a dump, so I don't have enough experience to have noticed a consistent difference in snow quality between the two on the whole. Obviously, different bits of terrain will have different snow quality due to their orientation and elevation. But as a whole, I didn't really notice a difference between the two.

But to be fair, if you're skiing during or the day after a dump, snow quality is almost always going to be pretty good (like in my photo, which is from Snowbird on a dump day).

 

[blackke17]

I just think the snow holds up better at Alta during the luls where we go 3-4 days without fresh stuff .

 

[KingGrump]

I only skied Taos way before the ban was lifted, around 2000. Back then the concetn was the chutes would be scraped clean by boarders. Of course, that was before fat skis had really taken hold. A few people in my ski werk group still had >200cm straight skis on.
These days, fat ski scrapers are probably as numerous, or more numerous as board scrapers. So, what's the upshot at Taos?

I spent that season at Taos. The predicted end of the world never materialized. Perhaps it did but being a Wednesday in a remote section of New Mexico, nobody noticed. So the world kept on spinning. No blood, no foul.

The biggest change that occurred afterward was a few of the instructors in the afternoon posse would drag out a snow board with them. We get to laugh at them for a while. Then they got good after couple season and things settled back to normal.

Overall, the more thing change, the more they stay the same. There are boarders on the hill now. They usually stay on the groom like most skiers of similar skill level. A few good ones will hike the ridge and do a few of the easier runs down. Otherwise, I haven’t noticed much change over the years.

The lack of change probably can be attributed to the terrain and conditions that prevail at Taos. It takes some mad skills to negotiate the huge gnarly firm snow bumps that generally littered the landscape at Taos. Whether you are on skis or snowboard. Most Boarders are just not interested in the time required to develop those skills. One glaring evidence of that is the lack of participation in the ski/snowboard week program by boarders.

The prediction of the steeper chutes/slopes being scraped clean by the boarders never materialized. There had been intermediate skiers at Taos since the beginning. Never had issues of them scraping the chutes clean in my experience. The appearance of the boarders didn’t change much. Side slipping is the default fail safe employed by most lower level skier/boarders when they encountered steep terrain. That fail safe move often does not work at Taos. Taos terrains are generally steeper than most. That minor difference results in a much different outcome when employing the side slip.

Side slipping in the steeper chutes/slopes at Taos is generally not a recommended method of descent. Whether on skis or board. Usually, a long side slip is employed by skiers/boarders of lower skill level to negotiate terrains that are steeper than they prefer. Lower skilled skier/boarders generally employ an excessive heavy edge when side slipping while thinking “I am gonna die” over and over in their head. A minor blip on the road will stop the skis/board dead in its track. Followed by the upper body going side way across the skis/board and proceed down the fall line ahead of the skis/board. That is the initiation of a series of semi-aerial maneuvers commonly known as the tomahawk. An eighty stories express elevator ride with soiled base layers is not what most folks would call ride of a life time. Unless you die in the process. Once is enough for most.

IMO, MRG has a good reason to exclude boarders.

Alta, most of the skiing is going side way. Definite not board friendly. In fact it is not me friendly. That is why you can find me over at the Bird. I like to go downhill.

DV, it used to be one of my favorite resort. The way it looked this season. A premium resort?

 

[jmills115]

I love Alta in July. Being able to ski Main Chute in July makes it even better.
Hiking up Aggie’s Alley to the shoulder with my skis on my back.
#hikealta