Weekends are horrible, way too many people on the mountain. During the week you are good. Skiing is OK. Pass works in quite a few places, Purgatory, Brian Head, NM, and a few others. My son got 35 days in last year.
Opinions on Snowbowl?
Sorry for the non-bike post, but it’s local related so I figured this is a good place to ask…
I grew up snowboarding and used to live in Colorado, but then moved to the Midwest and put it out of my mind due to not having mountains around. Been in Arizona a couple years now and I’m getting the itch to hit the snow again. I’m just curious what everyone’s opinions are on Snowbowl. Season passes these days are insanely expensive, and a new board isn’t exactly cheap either.
Obviously I’m going to try it out before I commit to anything. Just curious what to expect the first time I head up that way.
I grew up snowboarding and used to live in Colorado, but then moved to the Midwest and put it out of my mind due to not having mountains around. Been in Arizona a couple years now and I’m getting the itch to hit the snow again. I’m just curious what everyone’s opinions are on Snowbowl. Season passes these days are insanely expensive, and a new board isn’t exactly cheap either.
Obviously I’m going to try it out before I commit to anything. Just curious what to expect the first time I head up that way.
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I went once after a 3-5 foot dump. The light dry powder was everything I had ever heard it could be (coming from the Sierras and the relative "cement"). That was a great day and I had a couple other good ones at Snowbowl. That said, skiing and boarding in general has gotten so out of control at resorts as far as pricing is concerned. There are a few places where it can be worth it for a weekend if the crowd balances with the number of high speed lifts and conditions, but more and more people are going backcountry for good reasons. $100+ lift tickets for the privilege to fight it out with crazy crowds and if there is good powder it tends to get skied out so fast you don't even know what hit you.
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Yea the pricing is pretty wacky. Over $1000 a season for a pass. That’s a steep price if you spend all day standing in line. I work a normal job so week days are a no go for me.I went once after a 3-5 foot dump. The light dry powder was everything I had ever heard it could be (coming from the Sierras and the relative "cement"). That was a great day and I had a couple other good ones at Snowbowl. That said, skiing and boarding in general has gotten so out of control at resorts as far as pricing is concerned. There are a few places where it can be worth it for a weekend if the crowd balances with the number of high speed lifts and conditions, but more and more people are going backcountry for good reasons. $100+ lift tickets for the privilege to fight it out with crazy crowds and if there is good powder it tends to get skied out so fast you don't even know what hit you.
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The unlimited Power Pass was $649 pre-season. Or maybe it was $699 I can't remember but honestly the cost of a pass hasn't kept up with inflation. This is my 34th year with a pass and 20 years ago it was $499. With snowmaking and lift upgrades Snowbowl is putting out a good product but with the upgrades come the crowds. And there are a lot of winter recreation enthusiasts in Phoenix. The weekday pass is the best deal. And the pass is good at sister resorts Purgatory, Brian Head, and Sipapu and Pajarito in NM.Yea the pricing is pretty wacky. Over $1000 a season for a pass. That’s a steep price if you spend all day standing in line. I work a normal job so week days are a no go for me.
Most other ski resorts are $1000-$3000. It's actually a pretty decent mountain when the trees open up and there are lots of slackcountry options. That requires a 50" base or so.
25 years as a passholder, almost 40 now since the day I first learned to ski, in a blizzard on the Prairie. It's always been easy to armchair q-b Snowhole while failing to recognize its vast organizational and technological complexities, all of which are wholly and entirely weather dependent. Days like today, when 15" of thick spreadable cream cheese fell from the sky overnight, and wind and rime compelled the operators to shut down almost the entire resort, one chair after the other throughout the morning, tempt even the most faithful to unrestrained snark and prolific grumbling. And yet, we return, year after year, storm after storm, not just because it's the only game in town, but because, when it's good, it's very good. Sometimes, like when the Upper Bowl is open from Rustler to Larry's, and the out-bound meadows are wide, skippable, and fresh, and the snow-snakes have all been fully oblated by repeated ample dumps, it is even very Very Good.
I am beginning to detect a disturbing trend along the lines that they are unable to operate the Arizona gondola post snow or whenever it is currently snowing. Aren't these chairlifts, which I would think were able to operate in inclement weather rated for snow? Am I asking too much? you would think that with a season's pass costing as much as it does now that their newest State-of-the-art chairlift would be able to run during and after a snowstorm.
Maybe they can and it's avalanche mitigation until the snowpack has stabilized (which takes some time/hours)?I am beginning to detect a disturbing trend along the lines that they are unable to operate the Arizona gondola post snow or whenever it is currently snowing. Aren't these chairlifts, which I would think were able to operate in inclement weather rated for snow? Am I asking too much? you would think that with a season's pass costing as much as it does now that their newest State-of-the-art chairlift would be able to run during and after a snowstorm.
pulling off all cars and chairs has nothing to do with avalanche mitigation last time I checked.
It's annoying for sure but there was 1' of rim ice on the towers and pulley wheels with lesser amounts on the cable this morning. Ski patrol used a rope to slide down the cable with two patrollers on either end dragging it down slope. Guess it worked as the chair was turning noonish. Upper gulley and liftline were pretty awesome.pulling off all cars and chairs has nothing to do with avalanche mitigation last time I checked.
Lots of ski resorts are having issues with this storm cycle. Telluride was closed entirely last Sunday because of wind. The Gondola at Vail was also shut down.
guess not then...pulling off all cars and chairs has nothing to do with avalanche mitigation last time I checked.
fingers crossed for Friday. Hopefully not a sign of things to come. Not trying to get down on those guys, was following along while on vacation and seems like not quite ready for primetime.It's annoying for sure but there was 1' of rim ice on the towers and pulley wheels with lesser amounts on the cable this morning. Ski patrol used a rope to slide down the cable with two patrollers on either end dragging it down slope. Guess it worked as the chair was turning noonish. Upper gulley and liftline were pretty awesome.
Lots of ski resorts are having issues with this storm cycle. Telluride was closed entirely last Sunday because of wind. The Gondola at Vail was also shut down.
I just keep my expectations low. Same goes for their snow report and base amount. Divide the reported amount by 2 and add 1.fingers crossed for Friday. Hopefully not a sign of things to come. Not trying to get down on those guys, was following along while on vacation and seems like not quite ready for primetime.
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