Love the line about how skiers are irriatated by nothing as much as empty seats on chairs. I've been trying in vain to get ski patrollers at Arizona Snowbowl to fill up the chairs instead of riding up two or three at a time on the six packs, but they do not care to change and start riding with customers, even when there is a long line.
I agree on the efficiency and ease of lift line set up at WB, with two lines merging and then merging with other lines. When there are only two lines merging at a time then It is very clear who goes next. Why can't they set that up in the East? I have been begging Okemo to do it on South Face. Unless someone is managing it, which is sadly not often, 3 or more lines dumping at once into the load ramp is always a problem of who goes next. If the group in front of you is timid or too busy checking out their phone, then that line slows down a lot. There is the same issue with the parallel lines dumping into the "Front row". Unless someone is managing it is a complete mess.
Great write up. On my last day of my first trip to WB (April 2004) I wanted to concentrate on 7th Heaven. I get there before the lift is to start to discover that the haul rope has partially worked out of the bull wheel. The liftie explains to the five or so of us there that we can wait for the mechanics to arrive (30? 60? 90? Minutes) or we can help him work the rope back on the wheel. Everyone got out of their bindings and helped, of course! About five minutes later we’re stepping into our bindings and heading up the mountain. I marvel still about that. In the States, we’d have to wait for the mechanics to arrive.
Stuart, this is an exemplary write up and photo intro! We've skiied the West for over 60yrs, but never WB. We're going for sure now, and have not even listened to the interview yet!
Love the line about how skiers are irriatated by nothing as much as empty seats on chairs. I've been trying in vain to get ski patrollers at Arizona Snowbowl to fill up the chairs instead of riding up two or three at a time on the six packs, but they do not care to change and start riding with customers, even when there is a long line.
I agree on the efficiency and ease of lift line set up at WB, with two lines merging and then merging with other lines. When there are only two lines merging at a time then It is very clear who goes next. Why can't they set that up in the East? I have been begging Okemo to do it on South Face. Unless someone is managing it, which is sadly not often, 3 or more lines dumping at once into the load ramp is always a problem of who goes next. If the group in front of you is timid or too busy checking out their phone, then that line slows down a lot. There is the same issue with the parallel lines dumping into the "Front row". Unless someone is managing it is a complete mess.
Great write up. On my last day of my first trip to WB (April 2004) I wanted to concentrate on 7th Heaven. I get there before the lift is to start to discover that the haul rope has partially worked out of the bull wheel. The liftie explains to the five or so of us there that we can wait for the mechanics to arrive (30? 60? 90? Minutes) or we can help him work the rope back on the wheel. Everyone got out of their bindings and helped, of course! About five minutes later we’re stepping into our bindings and heading up the mountain. I marvel still about that. In the States, we’d have to wait for the mechanics to arrive.
Stuart, this is an exemplary write up and photo intro! We've skiied the West for over 60yrs, but never WB. We're going for sure now, and have not even listened to the interview yet!
You must go! I’ve been twice and loved it both times. The mountains and the village have no comparison.