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View Full Version : Ripcord Grooming (3/21/10)



summitchallenger
03-21-2010, 09:20 PM
To the guy(s) who winched Ripcord, you guys deserve a beer or two! :D :D :D Ripcord was SOFT all morning Sunday and after six laps, I still could not find any ice on the upper part. Wow! Tons of folks skiing it and still soft and sweet! You really saved the day for a lot of folks including me. Thanks! A big surprise considering that most of the rest of the mountain was frozen from the night before until lunch time or so.

shadyjay
03-21-2010, 09:54 PM
What I'm sure helped it to remain soft was the considerably less people on it today compared to Saturday... I counted about 20 or so on the lift during our first hour or so of operation this morning (9-10)... Castlerock had noone until after 11, and for good reason.

I have definitely noticed Ripcord seeing quite a bit of traffic with it being groomed regularly this season while Organgrinder has been bumped up. How is everyone enjoying a groomed Ripcord? Personally, I didn't think I'd enjoy it as much as I have. I do have to wonder how many "novices" see the corduroy and go for it, ignoring the fact that its a double diamond and pretty steep in sections.

summitchallenger
03-22-2010, 07:04 AM
Love the fact that it is groomed. I think a few folks in here suggested it :wink: Because it is wide it does not get skied off as fast as OG. Yesterday there was a steady stream of people going down it. I know that it probably takes more time and money to groom than OG because of its width, but I think it is money well spent. It is a better trail to be groomed because of its consistent pitch, lack of double fall line, and because of its width. I lapped it six times yesterday. I like the half grooming of Lower Ripcord. Very nice.

skibum1321
03-22-2010, 07:19 AM
I'm glad that they groom it just so they let OG bump up. Grinder is usually a death slide when there are no bumps on it. I can't actually comment on Ripcord, though, since I haven't skied it all season. I do hope that they let it bump up in the spring because it usually has some really sweet bumps once it really warms up.

HowieT2
03-22-2010, 08:21 AM
I think the grooming of Ripcord this season has been an unqualified success. Personally, I have gotten a lot more enjoyment out of it. If I want bumps, I go to Paradise anyway. My wife, who skis mostly groomers, has loved being able to ski ripcord. The only downside, which is a reflection of its popularity, is that the lines at HG between 10 and 12 have been significantly longer than in the past.

FWIW-I had been involuntarily deactivated for the last month or so. Thank you Greg for getting me back in the game.

vonski
03-22-2010, 09:03 AM
I think the grooming of Ripcord this season has been an unqualified success. Personally, I have gotten a lot more enjoyment out of it. If I want bumps, I go to Paradise anyway. My wife, who skis mostly groomers, has loved being able to ski ripcord. The only downside, which is a reflection of its popularity, is that the lines at HG between 10 and 12 have been significantly longer than in the past.

FWIW-I had been involuntarily deactivated for the last month or so. Thank you Greg for getting me back in the game.

Was wondering where you had been!

HowieT2
03-22-2010, 09:07 AM
I think the grooming of Ripcord this season has been an unqualified success. Personally, I have gotten a lot more enjoyment out of it. If I want bumps, I go to Paradise anyway. My wife, who skis mostly groomers, has loved being able to ski ripcord. The only downside, which is a reflection of its popularity, is that the lines at HG between 10 and 12 have been significantly longer than in the past.

FWIW-I had been involuntarily deactivated for the last month or so. Thank you Greg for getting me back in the game.

Was wondering where you had been!

I was here, just couldn't post. I was about to give up and create a new username, "Artist-formerly known as HowieT2"

Fourwide
03-22-2010, 11:08 AM
Agreed that grooming Ripcord was an inspired idea! It's wonderful that those who prefer groomers have another option from the top of HG. It seems that Ripcord is easier for that crowd to handle than is OG, due to its width.

Hawk
03-22-2010, 12:57 PM
I am from the other side of the coin but will not rain on the groomer parade. You guys seemed to have had a blast so that is Good. :wink: Good weekend out there for just about everybody.

summitchallenger
03-22-2010, 06:15 PM
I am from the other side of the coin but will not rain on the groomer parade. You guys seemed to have had a blast so that is Good. :wink: Good weekend out there for just about everybody.

Good point, but there are plenty of other ungroomed options that are always nice.

djd66
03-22-2010, 08:07 PM
I like the fact that Ripcord has been groomed. There are not many trails like that on the mountain where people over varying abilities have so many options (bumps + cruising + trees) all in the same run. Judging from the lines on the Heaven's gate chair, I think most people seem to like it too. That being said, grooming ripcord has done a nice job of spreading people out on the mountain. The only enhancement would be a new HSQ. I am not saying you have to have more uphill capacity - just a chair that will move you up the hill faster.

shadyjay
03-22-2010, 09:12 PM
Win has said here in the past no more HSQs, in part because they would present too much of a burden on the existing trail network, getting more skiers up to the same amount of terrain, thus creating overcrowding. If that was the case, Ripcord on a weekend would become the new Downspout before 10am.

Plus, if there was a HSQ there, what would I do? Operators of fixed-grip chairs are much more personable since they have to hold the chair for you, vs a lift that can be run from the confines of a terminal. I like the interaction, and to be honest, I have no problem with a non-high speed lift ride - gives my legs/feet a good rest.

djd66
03-22-2010, 09:37 PM
Win has said here in the past no more HSQs, in part because they would present too much of a burden on the existing trail network, getting more skiers up to the same amount of terrain, thus creating overcrowding. If that was the case, Ripcord on a weekend would become the new Downspout before 10am.

Plus, if there was a HSQ there, what would I do? Operators of fixed-grip chairs are much more personable since they have to hold the chair for you, vs a lift that can be run from the confines of a terminal. I like the interaction, and to be honest, I have no problem with a non-high speed lift ride - gives my legs/feet a good rest.

Shady - I certainly enjoy my interaction with you, I always make sure to say hello when you are working. Again (this is more of a wish as I don't think this is in the cards) I am thinking of a HSQ that will move the same amount of people up the hill as the present HGT, not looking to increase uphill capacity as I know the trails could not handle the traffic, BUT, once I am on the lift, I just wish the thing would move faster! I know there are plenty of cold days when it just seems like that chair is just chugging along while I am freezing my ars off!

vonski
03-22-2010, 11:13 PM
Win has said here in the past no more HSQs, in part because they would present too much of a burden on the existing trail network, getting more skiers up to the same amount of terrain, thus creating overcrowding. If that was the case, Ripcord on a weekend would become the new Downspout before 10am.

Plus, if there was a HSQ there, what would I do? Operators of fixed-grip chairs are much more personable since they have to hold the chair for you, vs a lift that can be run from the confines of a terminal. I like the interaction, and to be honest, I have no problem with a non-high speed lift ride - gives my legs/feet a good rest.

Shady - I certainly enjoy my interaction with you, I always make sure to say hello when you are working. Again (this is more of a wish as I don't think this is in the cards) I am thinking of a HSQ that will move the same amount of people up the hill as the present HGT, not looking to increase uphill capacity as I know the trails could not handle the traffic, BUT, once I am on the lift, I just wish the thing would move faster! I know there are plenty of cold days when it just seems like that chair is just chugging along while I am freezing my ars off!

In my Utopian world , I would bring the base of the HSQ down lower downspout to the top of the Castle rock chair where Lower Jester cuts back. then it could be accessible from a lot more runs off of Bravo!

summitchallenger
03-23-2010, 07:07 AM
HSQ: If you look at the map, the intent of the HSQ's at LP is simply to get the masses out of the base and up to midmountain where they fan out. None of the upper elevation lifts are high speed at either area (with the exception of NRX). I agree that the HS lifts are great for banging out runs, but they do get more folks up quicker which means more congestion. On a good year, you have only four ways off the summit of LP (Jester, OG, RC, Paradise). Only 2 are regularly groomed. That is not enough for a HS lift. Maybe they could consider a high speed triple? Seriously....Alpine Meadows and Alta (I think) have one.

John Walden
03-23-2010, 08:18 AM
Shady Jay- As always thanks for the latest and greatest info on the mountain. I agree that Ripcord has gotten very popular this season when it's been groomed. OG was quite bumpy last weekend.