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spwrozek posted:What is making it so bad? Thanks for giving me the chance to respond, I realized that my comment seemed quite like vaguebooking but I did not want to bring it up again unless people were actually interested. Let me start with saying that Whistler is probably a very nice mountain resort, for good and nice people, and my comment was more specific to my trip, which is actually like the culmination of a lot of frustration on my end, not due to the mountain or the location. Most of the negative experience of my trip is due to the vacation portion of it, as opposed to the mountain portion of it. So, if you don't want to hear me blather, you can stop reading now. So, this goes back about two years or so. My sibling came out as a trans woman while also losing over 100 lbs of weight. So, since I saw her really pushing herself and coming into her own I wanted to be as supportive as I could be. She said that one of her life dreams was to learn how to snowboard. So I thought to myself, "well, I have not really been involved with them for the last few years and feel bad about that, and this could be a good opportunity to give someone support when they need it, so let's do what we can to help them meet their goal". Unfortunately I do not know how to snowboard and that has extremely limited my ability to help them. Last year I thought it would be very supportive to organize a trip, so I paid for and arranged a trip to Sun Valley. I wanted them to be able to do a few runs at Sun Valley so I also organized, arranged, and paid for them to come down and do 3 days at Meadows and 1 day at Cooper Spur with lessons. Unfortunately they did not pick it up as quickly as I expected them to, so when we went to Sun Valley they just rode the beginner lift at Dollar Mountain, the easy mountain. I stayed with them two of the three days, but one day went to the big mountain myself and had a nice time. It was a good trip, I felt good about my skiing and thought their riding was getting a lot better, even though it was obviously a bit pricey. This year my father had this intense desire to go to Whistler, because he says it is "So Iconic". I felt, at the outset, that this was perhaps a bad choice based on what I know about my parents. I suggested that perhaps Mt. Bachelor would be better, because the village is a lot easier to drive into and out of, and my father likes to drive away from wherever we visit, and Whistler seems to be the terminal stop. Mt. Bachelor was also much closer and there were some logistical things that were easier. I knew the routes and whatnot and could be a more effective coach to my sister and my son and do what I could to ensure they have a better time. But my father keeps saying "Whistler is so iconic, I can't imagine not seeing it!". So, we decide to go to Whistler then. Making my best guess I figure mid January is the best time to visit, so I pick MLK day as the drive up day, we stay there, and leave Friday. That way my son misses the least amount of school. I worry about my sister so arrange for her to come ride 3 days. She now has her own equipment, at least board and bindings. She still has to borrow my extra helmet. Anyway, we go to Meadows for 3 days and it is some sort of awful regression for her, and she can barely come down the magic carpet lines. So I become a little worried that we are going to Whistler, drive all the way there, just for her to do the magic carpets, which seems like a waste. Also, this makes like 9 times on a mountain, with the biggest lift ever ridden being buttercup at Meadows, a towering 122 vertical feet. So I am apprehensive and a bit upset that I don't know enough to coach or help them. We had 3 more days scheduled for Mt. Hood but there was too much weather for them to make it down safely. So the day before our reservations kicked off the plan was to drive up to my parents, which is about the 2/5ths way there. Well I get the check-in instructions for the AirBNB and it turns out the parking garage is like 6'6" or some such, and I can't bring my top box. Which I bought specifically for this trip after I scratched my new interior with my skis by being a careless rear end in a top hat. So I had to go out and repack my whole rig, and, amazingly enough, ended up scratching my interior again by being a careless rear end in a top hat. The drive up to my parents after that was uneventful, which was nice. After arriving at my parents I situated all the equipment and got everything ready and packed, the extra stuff that we needed, and left the next morning at 0500, requiring me to wake up at around 0430. The drive up was kind of rough and I was a bit rattled when a rear end collision at pretty high speed occured right next to me at Vancouver. I finally made it to Whistler, and it just seemed so super inconvenient that everywhere was pay parking. But whatever, on vacation, can afford it, just annoying. So my son and I specifically came up early to ski and check out the area to find a good area for my sister to practice in, and to see conditions, and to let my parents know how the roads were. Well, the conditions on the mountain just seemed really poor. Chunky slushy near the base and slush over ice in the middle, and everything else closed. So we did not have a great ski day and quit a little earlier than expected. My parents left a lot earlier than I expected/asked them to, so checking in to the AirBNB was a huge pain. When we check in the downstairs/main room TV does not work, and the hot tub is a swamp that does not work. So that was a bit of a headache. My father also must have CNBC or MSNBC on 24 hours a day. So for the bedroom situation, I took the master because it had the hot tub attached and had the worst TV viewing situation. All the beds were the same size, so I did not think it would be a worry. Also, I am more likely to stay up and use the hot tub than my parents. So it seemed reasonable. Well, the second day was just awful, bad conditions again, my sister was struggling on the bunny hill and magic carpets, and visibility was just very poor. Not a good time over all. The next morning, however, seemed to be so much worse. My father had been complaining about the toilets at the place being too small, which is odd. But on that morning they bust into my room at 0500 and just stroll into the bathroom. Of course it woke me up and I thought it was weird as can be. Really ruffled my feathers. I ended up switching rooms with my parents afterwards because my father said he would just keep using the restroom. I mentioned the restroom was in my bedroom and he said "Oh, I don't mind, I will just come right in" and the whole situation was just mind blowing to me. So my mother kind of smoothed that over. But it was weird and odd enough I considered packing up and leaving. So with that weird personal story setting the backdrop, the usual complaints about any ski trip just really fired me up. For this trip, in particular, but no fault of Whistler were: --Oddly angry and rude Australians. Like a lot of them. I was not ready for that. --Poor Conditions on the mountain that made it less fun. --Specifically for me, I don't have the athleticism to easily do 2k+ vertical runs and most of the lifts here seem to have just a huge amount of vertical. --The whole area seemed a little much for me. Too loud, too many people, etc... I mean, I guess destination ski resort and those complaints are synonymous. So My bad there. --Lots of little things that just make it a pain. Long waits for the shuttle bus, long walks in ski gear, parking meters and purchase parking everywhere, lack of wifi, etc... --The place seems to cater to a different tourist segment than me; I prefer slightly smaller, quieter locals to commune with nature, like Sun Valley. They have this obnoxious steakhouse right at the base of the village that just pumps a bunch of club music and it is actually kind of awful. So, I guess, the answer to the question would be "I was really worried about the other people in my party, and then I wasn't skiing very well due to the conditions. Then that caused me to get the yips or whatever and ski even worse, while simultaneously having some weird issues with the people I was travelling with. So my very nice ski vacation ended up with me skiing poorly down a bunch of slush and chop doing some of the worst skiing in my life, while trying to balance my enjoyment with ensuring everyone else I was with had a good time, and I started to break down and was not able to do any of my goals." On the plus side, I got to see a very nice Marmot.
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Jan 24, 2020 03:24
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Sorry you're having such a bad time, dude. If it helps, when snow conditions are the way they are it is really hard to get any sort of ski improvement done, and it's super easy to feel like you're a terrible skier even when you're not. I did a few laps when it was that pure ice with a foot of fresh powder on top and I personally loved it, because I was on sharp race skis, but I remember feeling bad for anyone who wasn't and who was trying to enjoy it. It's been truly garbage conditions this week.
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Jan 24, 2020 05:30
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On a lighter note:
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Jan 24, 2020 05:34
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Aussies in Whistler, shocker What made them especially rude? I just kind of expect that as a ground state and give as I get. Haven't been punched yet for it. Marmots are cool as gently caress. I remember one time one got into an irish pub in Banff and it took me effort to get anyone, including my darling sweetie, to believe I actually saw one behind the empty beer boxes under the bar e: sorry that the trip has been such a stressor for you though dude. You are doing a lot despite your efforts to go elsewhere more appropriate, so I get why you are feeling that way. Good vibes your way Bilirubin fucked around with this message at 06:28 on Jan 24, 2020 |
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Jan 24, 2020 06:25
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Captain Apollo posted:Hi, I’m literally driving to Colorado right now and I am going skiing Friday but haven’t picked out where. If it weren't X Games this weekend I'd suggest Aspen Snowmass. But since it is Winter X, I think Copper is a better bet
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Jan 24, 2020 08:35
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Yeah, that does sound crappy, and a crappy reason for going in the first place, sorry dude. Aussies in Whistler are largely dickheads, and that (possibly unfairly) has largely coloured my perception of Aussies in general. Also Aussies abroad. That said, some of my best friends in Vancouver are Aussies that couldn't stand living in Whistler
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Jan 24, 2020 08:43
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IncredibleIgloo posted:--Specifically for me, I don't have the athleticism to easily do 2k+ vertical runs and most of the lifts here seem to have just a huge amount of vertical.
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Jan 24, 2020 09:44
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Just confirms my thoughts that vacations with family are bad. Hope your next time out is way better.
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Jan 24, 2020 15:01
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Eejit posted:If it weren't X Games this weekend I'd suggest Aspen Snowmass. But since it is Winter X, I think Copper is a better bet Thirding Copper. It has naturally divided terrain, a relatively nice base area, and is proximate to Silverthorne/Dillon if that’s your jam.
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Jan 24, 2020 15:02
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As an Aussie temporarily in Nelson: - I avoid Australians at all costs - the vertical here is definitely a challenge. I'm riding less laps but heaps more vertical (3.3km yesterday) - I'm better than them because I avoided whistler Hakuba on Australia Day was the worst example of aussies abroad I'd seen. The prefecture sends out letters to locals saying "stay indoors and do not approach drunk Australians"
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Jan 24, 2020 16:42
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ante posted:(possibly unfairly) Nope. Signed, Someone who lived in Australia for four years.
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Jan 24, 2020 16:54
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spwrozek posted:Just confirms my thoughts that vacations with family are bad. Hope your next time out is way better. If your family vibes well on the slopes, then they're tons of fun. I personally love any day I get to ski with any or all of my fam. Usually involves a run or three with dad. Then he'll go in/down/on his own and I'll ski several more with my mom. Once she's done I'll ski the rest of the day with my sister if she's around and everyone meets up for apres and /or dinner. But we all get along, we all are reasonably good skiers (even if not everyone is in great athletic shape), and everyone is ok with splitting up to do their own thing after a few runs together. I think if you can find or agree on that kind of vibe, family ski trip can own. If you already have family issues or everyone demands to stay together all the time, it might not be as good. Dangerllama posted:Thirding Copper. It has naturally divided terrain, a relatively nice base area, and is proximate to Silverthorne/Dillon if that’s your jam. Moose Jaw Also Outer Range
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Jan 24, 2020 17:41
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Laserface posted:- the vertical here is definitely a challenge. Never go to Chamonix.
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Jan 24, 2020 18:59
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Eejit posted:If your family vibes well on the slopes, then they're tons of fun. I personally love any day I get to ski with any or all of my fam. Usually involves a run or three with dad. Then he'll go in/down/on his own and I'll ski several more with my mom. Once she's done I'll ski the rest of the day with my sister if she's around and everyone meets up for apres and /or dinner. But your family is cool. So you know. I have fun skiing with my family too. They are also cool. Other family vacations though... No thanks.
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Jan 24, 2020 19:51
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Laserface posted:As an Aussie temporarily in Nelson: Yeah Australia Day is no joke. I saw a huge brawl break out in a tiny bar in Myoko when the someone suggested we listen to something other than the Australian anthem 
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Jan 24, 2020 19:55
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drat. sending good vibes your way  poor conditions are one thing, but a planning ordeal and an overall poor experience when you’re not even skiing drags everything down. i kinda had a similar experience when i was at mt. snow a few weeks back. conditions were beyond excellent, but there was a major headache w/r/t lodging & planning and honestly i guess i just don’t vibe well with new englanders. i posted about it earlier already, but it seemed like almost everyone was uptight and prickish for no reason aside from the fact that i was on a snowboard. on a higher note, i’m finally riding out west for the first time next month. my girlfriend’s brother and his wife are moving back to hood river in oregon, so the four of us are heading out there to ride at meadows. it’s mostly a ski trip, but what also has me excited is that there’s talk about me moving out there as long as i can find work lined up for me
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Jan 24, 2020 20:45
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I have never been this soaked through to the bone in January in my life. (That's probably a lie, but that's how I feel right now after a morning of skiing in the rain)
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Jan 24, 2020 22:03
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HookShot posted:I have never been this soaked through to the bone in January in my life. It’s been raining the last four times I’ve gone skiing and it really is the worst. Don’t build your ski resorts at 5500ft base elevation in California, people.
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Jan 25, 2020 03:23
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Macnult posted:drat. sending good vibes your way I live out in The Dalles, near Hood River myself. The job market here is kind of weird, but there are some options. If you are technical at all there are some possibilities at Insitu, Google, and breweries. If you are looking for a specific line of work let me know and I can let you know what is available locally.
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Jan 25, 2020 04:37
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IncredibleIgloo posted:I live out in The Dalles, near Hood River myself. The job market here is kind of weird, but there are some options. If you are technical at all there are some possibilities at Insitu, Google, and breweries. If you are looking for a specific line of work let me know and I can let you know what is available locally. That’s awesome! They actually lived in The Dalles momentarily before finding a place in Hood River. I appreciate that. I have a stable/consistent job opportunity doing carpentry which is perfect, but I’d also like to see if I can pick up a job on either the mountain or a local ski shop during the winter. I have roughly a decade of experience with service and tunings thanks to working at the best ski shop in Maryland (lmao), so I have that going for me.
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Jan 25, 2020 17:24
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HookShot posted:I have never been this soaked through to the bone in January in my life.
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Jan 25, 2020 18:07
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Yuns posted:I just gate judged a race all morning in the pouring rain. 3 layer Goretex kept me dry but my hands and feet are so cold now. I just looked at the radar in New Jersey... How? I mean just how? Seems like it would be impossible yo ski in those conditions.
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Jan 25, 2020 18:12
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I’m just gonna take a wild guess and say there’s probably not a Great Clips in Aspen. To be fair it is an Xtremely high-consequence haircut.
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Jan 25, 2020 21:51
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Yuns posted:I just gate judged a race all morning in the pouring rain. 3 layer Goretex kept me dry but my hands and feet are so cold now. Ugh, yeah, I had Goretex head to toe but when you got to get down the layers to train welll..... Once the gloves start going it’s all over.
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Jan 25, 2020 22:43
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spwrozek posted:I just looked at the radar in New Jersey... How? I mean just how? Seems like it would be impossible yo ski in those conditions. HookShot posted:Ugh, yeah, I had Goretex head to toe but when you got to get down the layers to train welll.....
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Jan 26, 2020 02:00
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Hestra lobster gloves are life.
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Jan 26, 2020 02:58
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Moot .1415926535 posted:I’m just gonna take a wild guess and say there’s probably not a Great Clips in Aspen. To be fair it is an Xtremely high-consequence haircut. There are three very reasonably priced barber shops in Aspen, surprisingly. But you are correct, none of them are Great Clips.
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Jan 26, 2020 15:44
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Yuns posted:The 1st run in the early morning was fine but it was pouring by 2nd run. We have enough man made base that we could survive the rain. In the mid-Atlantic/Northeast, you just get used to skiing/riding in the worst conditions even heavy rain (so long as there is no lightning) otherwise you limit the days you can ski/ride. There were almost no other people at the South lifts today other than the racers because the weather was so bad.. Keeps the kids tough. Yeah, I have Level gloves that I really like, but the leather on the fingers is really thin and I always forget and wipe the rain off my goggles and then ugh.
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Jan 26, 2020 16:10
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Every event I've had to work so far has been in the timing shack, and both days were bluebird and mild. It was snowing pretty good when I pulled into the lot today, but things are supposed to mellow out. Since it's my birthday and our first slopestyle comp next Saturday I fully expect to have to work top of course in some combination of blowing rain and snow.
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Jan 26, 2020 16:44
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HookShot posted:Yeah, I have Level gloves that I really like, but the leather on the fingers is really thin and I always forget and wipe the rain off my goggles and then ugh. I’ve got a pair of Level gloves I stole from my brother probably 15 years ago. I almost lost them when I went up skiing over New Years and apparently they don’t make that exact model anymore, so when I lose them I’ll have to figure out which Hestras to get
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Jan 26, 2020 17:27
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Yuns posted:The 1st run in the early morning was fine but it was pouring by 2nd run. We have enough man made base that we could survive the rain. In the mid-Atlantic/Northeast, you just get used to skiing/riding in the worst conditions even heavy rain (so long as there is no lightning) otherwise you limit the days you can ski/ride. There were almost no other people at the South lifts today other than the racers because the weather was so bad.. Keeps the kids tough. You know what you're right. Burton makes a lot of great things, especially bindings but man the gloves are always bad for some reason.
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Jan 26, 2020 18:44
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Wish I rode red before my legs were a strange mixture of cardboard and jello because holy poo poo that mountain is incredible. Only did a few laps but Slides was pretty amazing. Wish it was a clear day so I could have seen everything too.
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Jan 26, 2020 18:53
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I haven’t seen a single Chiefs jersey so far today. Come to think of it, I haven’t seen a single sports jersey.  Content: My son warmed up on a black today. GET HYPE!!!!!
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Jan 26, 2020 19:13
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Any ice coasters been to Wisp recently? I was planning on going to Liberty or Roundtop tomorrow, but Wisp is getting some snow over the next few days and I’m debating whether or not to go there instead.
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Jan 26, 2020 19:23
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luminalflux posted:I’ve got a pair of Level gloves I stole from my brother probably 15 years ago. I almost lost them when I went up skiing over New Years and apparently they don’t make that exact model anymore, so when I lose them I’ll have to figure out which Hestras to get Level gloves are more comfortable than any other brand I’ve tried. I also like their protection but that’s only a race thing. The wool insides are so nice.
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Jan 26, 2020 19:59
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Macnult posted:Any ice coasters been to Wisp recently? I was planning on going to Liberty or Roundtop tomorrow, but Wisp is getting some snow over the next few days and I’m debating whether or not to go there instead. Fake edit: Forgot he sent me a picture. 
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Jan 26, 2020 20:19
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The Pensacola Ski Club has graced us with their presence this week. Last week it was Tampa bay. So, so grateful I no longer work with these people.
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Jan 26, 2020 20:32
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Fifty Three posted:My buddy was just there yesterday and said conditions were terrible. Lazy grooming and mounds the size of cars. LOLLLLLLLLLL
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Jan 26, 2020 21:09
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Skied Timberline yesterday, got a glorious +4c Bluebird day. Terrain was fun as gently caress, ran the half-pipe terrain park like twelve times giggling like a madman the entire time. Snow was spring slush below the lodge, 1/4" thick rock-hard raincrust with a single groomer cut into it on the Mile. Went exploring off that groomer, shat myself when I tried to stop, went right back onto the groomer. Rentals were hot garbage, the "demo" gear was bargain bin packed-out Rossi boots and skiis from half a decade ago. Best they had were some Vantage Ti's. Ridiculous, for the price they're charging and with Meadows around the corner renting Black Crows. It must cost them an arm and a leg to get Palmer running again every summer, those cables had 15' of stretch in them thanks to the 6" of ice rimed on. I can't say I would ever feel safe on that lift after seeing how it's abandoned for most of the year.  I'm being sent to Colorado for the next 8 weeks, and I get a 50% employee discount at every resort in Colorado. 
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Jan 26, 2020 21:20
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I saw an article about Vail resort visits down 8% and man do I believe it. Didn't wait more than 3 min at breck for a lift today.
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Jan 26, 2020 22:13
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