Granite Peak Caves in

[Algunderfoot]

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=4 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=alt2 style="BORDER-RIGHT: 1px inset; BORDER-TOP: 1px inset; BORDER-LEFT: 1px inset; BORDER-BOTTOM: 1px inset">Beginning this season, Wisconsin’s Granite Peak Ski Area will be restricting access to three of its runs to skiers only. </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Quote:

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=4 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=alt2 style="BORDER-RIGHT: 1px inset; BORDER-TOP: 1px inset; BORDER-LEFT: 1px inset; BORDER-BOTTOM: 1px inset">“Skiers have told us that the rhythm, turn radius, and visual orientation is different for skiers and snowboarders, and that they would enjoy a few runs dedicated just to skiers. We are now responding to this request by the dedication of three runs for this purpose.” </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

You Twin Cities guys see this? Now look what you"ve done...Just kidding. But seriously, I think we all need to send them stern and informative letters before the snow guns fire up.

[trent]

hey al,

yeah, i saw it. just wondering when our friends at welch will implement the same stupid policy.

looking at the map though, i don't thing they really took away any good carving runs anyway. but, i think i'll be traveling to a different hill this year anyway, because they're obviously idiots running granite peak.

-trent

[Algunderfoot]

Hi Trent,

Hope your summer was short and sweet. Does this mean I may see you in the UP this season? Keep us posted as to any Midwest Expression Session plans / changes etc.

Also please send Granite Peak a message with your thoughts. Seriously at least 60 % of their lift ticket sales are from boarders. I could be OK with a designated area concept as long as they threw us a bone too, or at least created "No B-Lining" areas. It's the language and the reasoning that gets me riled.

Anyway, here's to a hellofallotta snow this season and making some turns.

Cheers!

[bobble]

is that on there website? i don't see it.

[martyagt4]

It's on the current trail map. Shaded green areas at the edge of either side.

[bobble]

“Skiers have told us that the rhythm, turn radius, and visual orientation is different for skiers and snowboarders, and that they would enjoy a few runs dedicated just to skiers. We are now responding to this request by the dedication of three runs for this purpose.”

Also please send Granite Peak a message with your thoughts. Seriously at least 60 % of their lift ticket sales are from boarders. I could be OK with a designated area concept as long as they threw us a bone too, or at least created "No B-Lining" areas. It's the language and the reasoning that gets me riled.

1. on the map i see four (possibly five) skier-only runs, not three. i get riled when people can't count.

2. green is a stupid choice for designating skier-only runs. at first glance i would've assumed it was a green run.

3.

4. at minimum, they should reciprocate by designating no. 14 "Carver" as an alpine-snowboard-only run.

i don't remember if i was ever way over to the left of the map. i know we took the chair over there and rode down the run underneath it. it was steep and narrow for me.

i remember there were these two snowboarders that wanted to race us over there. they straight-lined down the runs hitting every friggin' bump. half the time they were in the air. no turning or sketching. uhhh... ummm... yeah... you go first.

[bobble]

5. how about prorating the lift ticket price? since we don't have access to all the runs, then snowboarders should get a reduced price.

[BobD]

polite email sent

BobD

[NMU Alpine Boarder]

You know, I was thinking....

I have a free lift ticket from Warren Miller or the Ski Show down here... I really wonder what they would do if I showed up on these runs with my hardboot setup?

It would be blatantly obvious that I had no interest in the park... How would they try and sell this idea to me in person? I could make the case that as an alpine boarder, I am hit twice by this... We lose terrain to the park AND the closing of runs...

I really do wonder what they would actually do if they saw me or anyone else from Bomber out there, seeing as we tend to be much better riders than the masses...

[Speedzilla]

From an article on ESPN.com:

The resort announced the plans as a one-season experiment, to be "evaluated at the end of the season based on feedback from customers." If you make Granite your hill of choice, you might want to take the resort up on this request for feedback by visiting their website, or calling 715-845-2846.

[bobble]

From an article on ESPN.com:

that's stupid. who would ever complain about skiing a near vacant run?

why don't they just sell transponders with their lift tickets and have toll lanes too?

personally i could care less about those runs.

[wjholm]

As some may know, I live on Granite Peak. I will be going in to the office tomorrow and having a conversation with the management. Thanks to Algunderfoot for making me aware of this!!!

The only consolation is that these are worthless narrow and often rocky runs that I never use. But, the principle remains.

I suspect that some of this was a response to some bad injuries and even the death of a snowboarder last year. Not a problem caused by those who would be reading this. We all know the cause of the problems which results in the profiling we are all subjected to.

[powell1.8]

Has the whole world gone crazy.

Skiers suck, except those of you who ski. You're ok, I think.

[powell1.8]

"We're talking about unchecked aggression here Dude."

"I'm talking about drawing a line in the sand. Across this line you do not..."

"And Dude Shredder is not the prefered nomenclature, Trenchdigger please."

[bobble]

"We're talking about unchecked aggression here Dude."

"I'm talking about drawing a line in the sand. Across this line you do not..."

"And Dude Shredder is not the prefered nomenclature, Trenchdigger please."

shut the fnck up donny. er.. greg!

too many great quotes in that movie. head about to explode.

might watch that tonite and have a white russian or two.

[NMU Alpine Boarder]

Glad to see that Granite Peak actually took 2 seconds to read my e-mail :lol: This is the canned response I received today

Dear Derek:

Listed below is the press release from the owner:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE For more information:

November 17, 1009 715-845-2845

New Terrain Park Features and

New Skier-Only Runs at Granite Peak Ski Area

Wausau, WI — Granite Peak Ski Area is pleased to announce enhancements for the

upcoming

season that will benefit both skiers and snowboarders.

“We are a customer-oriented business,” says owner Charles Skinner, “And the

satisfaction of

our customers is the touchstone for all of our decisions. We believe in the

value of experimenting

with new terrain concepts and will continue to do so with the goal of providing

increasingly

enjoyable experiences to our customers.”

In response to requests from skiers, who indicated that having a few ski-only

runs would be a

great addition to Granite Peak’s offerings, two runs will be designated as

“Skier-Only” runs this

year.

“Skiers have told us that the rhythm, turn radius and visual orientation is

different for skiers

and snowboarders, and that they would enjoy a few runs dedicated just to

skiers,” says Skinner.

“This particular change is an experiment and will be evaluated at the end of the

season based

on customer feedback.”

In response to requests from snowboarders, Granite Peak will offer the addition

of a half dozen

new features to the terrain parks.

“Over the past few years, we have, in response to requests, continuously

upgraded and improved

the features favored by our snowboard customers,” explains Skinner. “Our

snowboard

customers are important to us and we will continue to enhance and improve our

terrain parks.”

After this change, 72 runs will be open to both skiers and snowboarders, two

runs will be

“skier-only,” and five of the 72 runs will be covered with terrain parks that

offer specialized

features used predominantly by snowboarders.

I don't have time to write a response at the moment, but I will be informing them that they won't be receiving any financial support from me and that their PR on this is absolute garbage if this is how they chose to respond to intelligently written commentary... :AR15firin:AR15firin

[martyagt4]

I received the same canned response.

[Trip43065]

Pick a crowded day, rent/demo some shaped skis, go out there and friggin OWN those runs like the carver that you are. When they bust you for cutting off skiers, just tell them you're really a snowboarder, but you took up skiing due to the new policies and found that skis turn waay better than any snowboard.

A fatality is a big deal. Maybe some skiers got together and used the situation to limit traffic on their favorite runs. Never waste a crisis, right? Seriously, I'm interested in what really happened. I would make the argument that they could improve safety for everyone by keeping out of control skiers/boarders in check. Just hope they don't confuse "out of control" with riding fast.

Limiting runs to ski traffic is a radical move, but the hill may need to demonstrate to it's insurers, etc. that it has taken significant steps to improve safety.

This caught my attention because I was wondering where I would ride if I move to Oshkosh. I'll do some more research on bol and maybe look forward to sharing the hill with some fellow carvers this season.

[Trip43065]

Ok, I just looked at the map. Runs 1-7, 15, 27 and 28 are inaccessable. That's a lot more than 2 runs.

Another thought. Now that the skiers have their own runs, the snowboarding majority should take every opportunity to tell the skiers exactly where they should ski.

Trying to stay positive, but this does stink. Some snobs might get their way, but this policy will only rekindle all that ugly skier/snowboarder animosity from the early days. That BS can be a real buzzkill for the average recreational hill user and eventually turn people away. Resorts tried things like this in the early days and ultimately found that it was bad for business.

[Fastskiguy]

It's not snowboarding...exactly, it's the path that most of them take...straightlining! But then if we're talking *alpine* snowboarding...well...it's the path they take too, 180 degrees across the hill and all. You can straightline switch on your skis, you can carve 180 degrees on your skis too.

What they really want to do is have some runs that are idiot free. And we can all get behind the idea...even if the implementation is a bit wrong.