Snowbasin 1/11/13 halftime report

[Evren]

It is coming down at a prodigious pace here since morning. Basin reported 6"-- I just spoke to patrol, and it's up to 17" by 1pm. Light as feather.
Been doing knee-deep faceshots all morning on men's downhill. I could've skied so many lines just there for the taking but downhill was just as good each time. Both jp and needles walk-on. Got on gondola just now and my skis flew out the slot. Patrol gave me a coupon for free hot chocolate while I wait for them to retrieve the skis. Aren't they great? They had 20+ pairs fly out already today.
Which explains why I am sitting at needles lodge sippin' chocolate and writing this. It's all good. There will be plenty fresh this weekend. Our woes have come to an end.

 

[EMSC]

Got on gondola just now and my skis flew out the slot. Patrol gave me a coupon for free hot chocolate while I wait for them to retrieve the skis. Aren't they great? They had 20+ pairs fly out already today.

Still not sure I can envision this scenario. I can't say I've ever seen (or heard of) a significant number of skis ejected from a gondi. But then I have skinny sticks compared to most Does the Gondola have poor slots for wide pow skis or ...... For a place like Snowbasin, I'd think they would get a fix for it ASAP for customer service if this happens frequently :-k

 

[Evren]

I also have a hard time envisioning that. They were placed front-to-back (bases facing the same direction), which makes it a very tight fit. But yes, that is not unheard of at Snowbasin -- I've seen another pair fly off couple of weeks ago. Just after my incident, they started asking people to take their skis inside the gondola.

In the future, instead of handing it to the lifties, I will place the skis myself -- and not in the first slot. The other slots are somewhat protected by the cabin itself. Something to keep in mind.

Snowbasin handled this quite well. Patrol spent a lot of time looking for it but they were never found. I was ready to write it off to providence despite everyone telling me Snowbasin should take responsibility. But it turns out they do reimburse in situations like these. Which is a blessing of sorts. I had bought the S3s used, from a ski shop. They were rentals. What I did not take into account is that as light as the skis are, the rental bindings are not. For what I paid for them, I could have gotten a brand new pair from ColeSport during their annual half-off sale. It is a very expensive store usually but for one magical week in March, everything is 50% which makes things like skis, boots, helmets -- items with standard pricing -- an incredible deal.

 

[socal]

I also have a hard time envisioning that. They were placed front-to-back (bases facing the same direction), which makes it a very tight fit. But yes, that is not unheard of at Snowbasin -- I've seen another pair fly off couple of weeks ago. Just after my incident, they started asking people to take their skis inside the gondola.

In the future, instead of handing it to the lifties, I will place the skis myself -- and not in the first slot. The other slots are somewhat protected by the cabin itself. Something to keep in mind.

Snowbasin handled this quite well. Patrol spent a lot of time looking for it but they were never found. I was ready to write it off to providence despite everyone telling me Snowbasin should take responsibility. But it turns out they do reimburse in situations like these. Which is a blessing of sorts. I had bought the S3s used, from a ski shop. They were rentals. What I did not take into account is that as light as the skis are, the rental bindings are not. For what I paid for them, I could have gotten a brand new pair from ColeSport during their annual half-off sale. It is a very expensive store usually but for one magical week in March, everything is 50% which makes things like skis, boots, helmets -- items with standard pricing -- an incredible deal.

So what do they offer you in compensation? I'm always worried about them falling out on a windy day, especially when they're twin tips that don't fit that well.

 

[Evren]

So what do they offer you in compensation?

Don't know yet. There is a waiting period (not sure -- a week? the relevant person had left for the day) in case they turn up. Not a problem for me (I had another pair in the car, all-mountain skis); could hamper a ski trip, however.

It is also important to have witnesses -- so do take down names and contact info from anyone in the cabin with you and the liftie as you exit. And that makes sense, versus showing up at mtn ops claiming "my skis fell off the gondola" and expecting another pair. In my case, patrol was in the cabin and wrote up the report so that won't be an issue.

 

[EMSC]

That sounds like it could turn into an expensive proposition as well as a customer satisfaction issue. How many customers have 2 pair of skis with them? (Granted I almost always do myself). Maybe they give out a free rental. Still takes a bunch of time and adds hassle to your life.

 

[Evren]

It was the combination of high winds, deep powder on the ground, heavy snowfall, and very low visibility that contributed to the skis disappearing. I assume most of them are found (they had three pairs still missing by the next day). Of course it could turn into a very expensive proposition if they landed on another skier... and result in a very unsatisfied customer on the ground. I don't know if skis falling from the sky would be considered "inherent risk" in court :-s But with the wide range of ski widths and shapes around, I don't see how they can secure it better and still have an efficient load process. Snowbasin could have been more risk-averse by asking us to take them in the cabin earlier, however.

 

[Tony Crocker]

There was a lot of complaining at Mammoth up through 2011 because the 1999-vintage slots in the gondola would not accommodate the new wider skis. Sometimes the lifties would put them side by side in a snowboard slot. A year ago the gondola carriers were redone; the slots now vary in width.

I don't know if skis falling from the sky would be considered "inherent risk" in court :-s

Lethal if they fell from the gap at Mammoth between the top of Chair 3 and top station of the gondola. Perhaps that entered into Mammoth's thinking with the redesign.

 

[Evren]

So what do they offer you in compensation?

And finally this question is answered:

I am getting the *purchase* price of my skis & bindings, in resort credit.
Pretty happy about that. They were, too, actually, when I asked if this was an option.
I haven't been on top of this as much as I should, or it would have been resolved sooner.
Oh, and they offered repeatedly to lend me some skis from the rental shop, had I needed them.
In reality, I was hoping these skis would not be found. Wasn't happy about the bindings and the skis had some premature rust. I had paid much less than retail for them and that's what I quoted.
I think everyone comes out ahead. Next year I would have skipped Snowbasin altogether for another pass -- just to mix things up. Now, I get a free season pass, essentially. And will end up spending money on-mountain and probably take some day-ticket buyers there.

 

[Marc_C]

...and the skis had some premature rust.

Huh? What's that? Generally the only way skis rust is if they're left sitting in water - eg: in a car-top box, haven't had snow allowed to melt and drain off them, or stored in an extremely humid environment (which is kinda unlikely in Utah).

As far as skis falling out of the gondola racks, I noticed a few weekends ago that the racks differ significantly between the Needles Gondola and those on the Strawberry cabins. The Needles have some rubber gaskets at the top of the slots that keep the skis in place. The Strawberry cabins lack this. They (Strawberry) also seem to be an older, smaller design that is problematic with the wider, rockered, or curved tails of the newer skis. Basically at the Basin be prepared to separate your skis into two slots and use the snowboard slots if necessary if you have a modern powder ski.

 

[Evren]

But mine fell out at Needles.

As for rust, I keep both pairs together. Yet one had rust all along the edges after summer.

 

[Admin]

Surface edge rust means nothing. You can file or grind it off, but in most cases it will wear away in half a run.

To prevent it in summer just apply a coat of hot wax at the end of the season but don't scrape it until the next season.

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy Note II using Tapatalk 2

 

[Marc_C]

But mine fell out at Needles.

Which is why I said "Basically at the Basin be prepared to separate your skis into two slots and use the snowboard slots if necessary if you have a modern powder ski." and didn't specify a particular gondola. Although of slightly different designs, both are problematic.

 

[yak]

I used to get rust on the edges of any pair that I stored in my basement. I don't get any water leaks, but the natural moisture that comes up through the concrete was enough to create rust.

I solved this problem by leaning my skis against the wall next to the oil burner. It runs year round and creates a dry micro-climate that prevents rust from forming.

 

[Tony Crocker]

Just one more reason eastern summer humidity is disgusting.