JohnE Posted January 4, 2021 Report Share Posted January 4, 2021 Would you prefer to ride about 30 times a year in conditions varying from bad to good or ride 10 times a year in good conditions? Often the way you get some really great days is to go regularly regardless of the conditions. However, if you could pick & choose your days and go only when you think conditions are optimal, your overall experience may be better - just less. I realize that in order to improve your skills, quantity helps a lot. Your skills are likely to improve more when conditions are bad. But, if you are like me and have begun to realize that you're at a plateau in ability, why waste your efforts going up when conditions are likely to be bad? Also, every trip you make has a hassle overhead that is likely worse on crowded days. When I describe conditions, to me it is a combination of snow quality, crowds and weather - likely in that order. A great day would be good snow, few people and nice weather. Poor conditions would be lousy snow, lots of people and poor visibility. A mediocre day would be somewhere in between. At this point in life, I'll choose quality over quantity. Other perspectives? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allee Posted January 4, 2021 Report Share Posted January 4, 2021 I'm with you 100%. I don't do well in the cold, so I have a -20C rule in place these days. If it's a perfect bluebird day with a foot of fresh then I'll rug up and go, but otherwise I'll stay home. I've given up on the early season white ribbons of death, and this year with Covid I didn't rush to make reservations at the local hills over Xmas. I have a bunch of vacation I have to use, so I'll pick and choose days midweek when there will be few people on the hill and I know conditions are decent. I'm totally good with being called a fair weather rider. I don't see the point of spending a lot of money (between a day pass, a tank of gas and lunch, it can run $150 depending on where I go) on mediocre conditions. I'd rather have a short, epic day, than six hours of meh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolf Posted January 4, 2021 Report Share Posted January 4, 2021 Me too. At somewhat of a plateau and with limited years left on the legs I'd happily take ten really nice days. I get out more than that but a few times a season I'll bail out after the first hour if conditions aren't great and head to a nearby state park for a hike instead. That way I feel like I haven't wasted the 1 1/4 hour drive without getting something out of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barryj Posted January 4, 2021 Report Share Posted January 4, 2021 Geez! That hurts to even think about! If I only got 30 sorta ok days or even 10 good days I'd still be depressed!! I need my season to be at least 50 and hopefully closer to 80 days even now! But to answer your question "if only 30 or 10" I'd have to go for 30/Quantity.... and take the risk that more than 10 would be good! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JRAZZ Posted January 5, 2021 Report Share Posted January 5, 2021 Please don't flame but I'll take a bad day in CO over a good day in the NE. Loveland on a bad day still has much better snow and way more terrain than Killy. That being said I've always considered days on the snow as good days. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
workshop7 Posted January 5, 2021 Report Share Posted January 5, 2021 I'll take quantity over quality every time. Even if I reach a plateau in the improvement of my riding there is no workout that can take the place of actual riding when it comes to conditioning. The more I ride the more my body is prepared for riding. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueB Posted January 5, 2021 Report Share Posted January 5, 2021 4 hours ago, JohnE said: Would you prefer to ride about 30 times a year in conditions varying from bad to good or ride 10 times a year in good conditions? I'll go for 60-70 days of riding. If I like it and have time, I'd stay all day. If not, few hours. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
big mario Posted January 5, 2021 Report Share Posted January 5, 2021 Quantity. 30-40 days a season barring injury or a pandemic. You never know if you're going to have a quality day unless you go. I've experienced some magical days, like last Sunday, that on paper looked like a potential suckfest. High of 16, 40mph wind gusts, and the end of the holiday shitshow. Best day of the season for me so far, I would've missed it if I hadn't taken the shot 3 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barryj Posted January 5, 2021 Report Share Posted January 5, 2021 15 minutes ago, big mario said: I would've missed it if I hadn't taken the shot Ditto! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corey Posted January 5, 2021 Report Share Posted January 5, 2021 Quantity for me. Any day when I'm able to ride, I ride. It's no where near as often as I like. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
big mario Posted January 5, 2021 Report Share Posted January 5, 2021 3 minutes ago, Corey said: Quantity for me. Any day when I'm able to ride, I ride. It's no where near as often as I lik Good thing you took that get out early advice a few seasons ago, that was one of the most epic days any carver could dream of at the love... Mario Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corey Posted January 5, 2021 Report Share Posted January 5, 2021 (edited) That was an epic day! An avalanche closed the highway minutes after my arrival, so only the early risers made it to Loveland. @Dusty Bottle and I practically had the place to ourselves! Glad he suggested meeting there for breakfast! Edited January 5, 2021 by Corey Wrong name! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
big mario Posted January 5, 2021 Report Share Posted January 5, 2021 Dusty bottle.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poloturbo Posted January 5, 2021 Report Share Posted January 5, 2021 (edited) I just ride when I can. This year. When I really can. Enjoy every day guys... Edited January 5, 2021 by Poloturbo 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corey Posted January 5, 2021 Report Share Posted January 5, 2021 8 hours ago, big mario said: Dusty bottle.... Right! Sorry to James, wrong username! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carvin' Marvin Posted January 5, 2021 Report Share Posted January 5, 2021 There's nothing else to do in this frozen hellscape besides ride, so it's either ride or sit on my ass and fester. If it's great, then great! If it's not great at least I got outside and exercised/exorcised. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b0ardski Posted January 5, 2021 Report Share Posted January 5, 2021 you'll never get to 10,000 hrs second nature riding at 10 days a season I'd rather rip on the good days rather than just cruise, that takes practice; I love the satisfaction I get from conquering a heinous sastrugi bump run under the lift and making it look smooth through Herculean efforts. However being from the NW I say phuq ice The 1st decade of my skibum career was 100 day seasons, lots of crappy days in there. These days either side of 50 makes me satisfied; that said this year I'm on track for maybe 30, but those are pick and choose days, so in my old age I'm going more for quality Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pow4ever Posted January 6, 2021 Report Share Posted January 6, 2021 It's been a tough season for me so far. lack of snow is part of it for sure (there are snow but just not when I am on the slope)... Been a long while since I called it quits before my legs are fry and on softboot. Doing both of those things this season. Hiking/walking around the ski resort is a new activity for me. went from getting kudos from onlooker on the first few run of the day to be not able to link decent turn around noon is frustrating. I am happy/glad (quantity) every time i get to ride but I am never "satisfy" at the level(qualify) i ride at. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnE Posted January 8, 2021 Author Report Share Posted January 8, 2021 It appears that the consensus is quantity over quality. When I originally posted I purposely called them "times" and not "days" because it has been a long time since I have boarded all day. Five hours of either being on the lift or riding is about the most I can handle. We spend almost no time in the lodge and going mid-week there are no lift lines. Spending 3+ hours in the car in order to ride for 2 hours just doesn't make the cost/benefit ratio for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lowrider Posted January 8, 2021 Report Share Posted January 8, 2021 With the industry shut down either quality or quantity would work for me. Numbers of Covid still growing here and unless 14 days post Jan 1st. numbers don't decline i doubt it will reopen. I would like to thank all the anti vax anti mask shit heads for allowing the world to document just how stupid humans are. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnE Posted January 8, 2021 Author Report Share Posted January 8, 2021 In the limit: If I could ride every day would I? Probably not. Not even if it was only a short walk to the lift. It would loose it's specialness. The days that stick in my memory are the really great ones. The great days make the mediocre ones pretty forgettable. Most people think sex is pretty great but If you could every day would you? Might start to feel like brushing your teeth. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pow4ever Posted January 8, 2021 Report Share Posted January 8, 2021 i enjoy brushing my teeth; just saying flossing too. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
queequeg Posted January 8, 2021 Report Share Posted January 8, 2021 At this point in my life, I am no longer willing to go to the mountain when it is mobbed with people on weekends etc ... which means I only go snowboarding a few times a year, and will usually go for an entire week or more. I find that I can have fun on the mountain in just about any kind of conditions other than crowded. Ice, Powder, Crud : it’s all fun as long as there aren’t a bunch of people around mucking up the works! I guess for me it is quality over quantity — but if I could ride a whole lot more I certainly would. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pow4ever Posted January 8, 2021 Report Share Posted January 8, 2021 Agree. day trip turn to weekend trip which inter term turn to week long time. quantity(time on mountain) help me to turn those precious fewer day into quality time. rinse and repeat - speak like a true addict Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr.E Posted January 9, 2021 Report Share Posted January 9, 2021 It's 5-6 hours in the car for me, so if they weather sucks I don't waste my time. I'm fortunate that I can make my schedule, so if I just have to wait a couple of days for better conditions, I will. I'm trying to hit as many days as I can, but I want to have fun on those days. When I lived 15m from the hill I was there every day of the season, at least for a few runs. Couldn't do either if I was buying day passes, so I'm happy to be able to do season passes and spread out the good days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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