Great place to stop......

[MntMan4Bush]

So this is kind of a common sense thread for most out there and likely won't be instrumental in change, but where it might help is if the mountain staff reads this.

We all see people get off the lifts and stop right there and start to boot up or in dangerous intersections stop and hang out. It happens at the top of Super B where there is always a crowd that would rival the line at a Fran Drescher Dunk Tank when you get off the chair and also at the choke point on the traverse by the Valley Double where people plop down or stand about making it necessary to thread a Tom Brady-esque needle through the crowd on ice to make it through to Spring Fling. Maul, Snowball, Twist, etc.

There are others but those are the two most dangerous and annoying ones I can think of. It also applies to boarders and skiers alike. No one party dominates this non-commonsensical approach to getting ready or taking a break. It's almost as thoughtful to those around you as the guy that stands in the men's room in front of the towel dispenser on his cell phone.

So I'm guessing no one on this board is guilty of this, or their friends, or their families (if you are be warned) None of us can really control this apart from a good natured ball busting comment as you ski by or making sure your party isn't one of the offenders, however perhaps SB Staff can help a bit. What I've seen particularly at the top of Super Bravo is the mountain guides, ski instructors, GMVS teachers and people standing in SB jackets directing traffic ignoring this phenomenon. If you work for the mountain or are associated with the mountain is it possible to ask the crowd to disperse and boot up or hang out on the sidelines? It can be said in a friendly manner promoting safety and convenience for all. I'd bet that 95% of the people who do it have no idea they are doing it. I've seen instructors have whole herds of kids just standing there right in front of the lift milling about. Teach them to go to the side. Good habits are just as hard to break as bad ones. I'm not asking anyone go running out of the lift house or that we have people staffed there to do it. Enough people who work for the mountain likely ski by these sections on a regular basis throughout the day or bring their groups through it. Promote the practice in your groups or if you ski by a cluster F just ask people to respect those around them as you ski by. You're wearing a SB jacket. People will listen to you.

Just a rant as I wait for more snow to fall.

[HowieT2]

So this is kind of a common sense thread for most out there and likely won't be instrumental in change, but where it might help is if the mountain staff reads this.

We all see people get off the lifts and stop right there and start to boot up or in dangerous intersections stop and hang out. It happens at the top of Super B where there is always a crowd that would rival the line at a Fran Drescher Dunk Tank when you get off the chair and also at the choke point on the traverse by the Valley Double where people plop down or stand about making it necessary to thread a Tom Brady-esque needle through the crowd on ice to make it through to Spring Fling. Maul, Snowball, Twist, etc.

There are others but those are the two most dangerous and annoying ones I can think of. It also applies to boarders and skiers alike. No one party dominates this non-commonsensical approach to getting ready or taking a break. It's almost as thoughtful to those around you as the guy that stands in the men's room in front of the towel dispenser on his cell phone.

So I'm guessing no one on this board is guilty of this, or their friends, or their families (if you are be warned) None of us can really control this apart from a good natured ball busting comment as you ski by or making sure your party isn't one of the offenders, however perhaps SB Staff can help a bit. What I've seen particularly at the top of Super Bravo is the mountain guides, ski instructors, GMVS teachers and people standing in SB jackets directing traffic ignoring this phenomenon. If you work for the mountain or are associated with the mountain is it possible to ask the crowd to disperse and boot up or hang out on the sidelines? It can be said in a friendly manner promoting safety and convenience for all. I'd bet that 95% of the people who do it have no idea they are doing it. I've seen instructors have whole herds of kids just standing there right in front of the lift milling about. Teach them to go to the side. Good habits are just as hard to break as bad ones. I'm not asking anyone go running out of the lift house or that we have people staffed there to do it. Enough people who work for the mountain likely ski by these sections on a regular basis throughout the day or bring their groups through it. Promote the practice in your groups or if you ski by a cluster F just ask people to respect those around them as you ski by. You're wearing a SB jacket. People will listen to you.

Just a rant as I wait for more snow to fall.

Dude, "fran Drescher"? you're dating yourself.

[Tin Woodsman]

I don't see the crowd at the top of Bravo as a problem. They never get close to the exit of the chair, so I don't see collisions being an issue there.

As for VH, that issue will exist so long as the current physical/topographical set-up in place. Unless you have someone standing there almost full-time to keep people moving, you will have people stopping in the eddy as the current picks up on that icy downhill after the flat. Doesn't strike me as a great use of resources.

[Strat]

In my experience people tend to move out of the way at the top of Super Bravo. If I'm heading toward Jester/Downspout I'll move off to the right at the top of the incline, and if I'm going the other direction I'll move around so the chairs are to my back and strap in over there, and I think most people follow the same general protocol. I think you may have just caught a few particularly busy times.

The end of Valley House Traverse, as Tin said, is a legitimate problem spot, especially when the VH chair is running and you can't hang out in the unload area. Again though, it's not terribly common that this happens (although of course when it does it's the busiest times). Just have to keep your speed under control and be alert, especially as you round that corner. Maybe I'm just used to it by now.

[vonski]

I don't see the crowd at the top of Bravo as a problem. They never get close to the exit of the chair, so I don't see collisions being an issue there.

As for VH, that issue will exist so long as the current physical/topographical set-up in place. Unless you have someone standing there almost full-time to keep people moving, you will have people stopping in the eddy as the current picks up on that icy downhill after the flat. Doesn't strike me as a great use of resources.

I agree with Tin not a problem at top of Bravo, but the traverse section by Valley House is one! But overall, I would have to say that stopping in the middle of the trail is an issue anywhere on the mountain unless there is no one on the trail. But my biggest issue is the folks that just start skiing and do not look up hill first on any trail. One can be cruising down Cruiser and folks just start skiing without looking up hill. I ranted on a few last weekend.

[castlerock]

I don't see Bravo as an issue either. No danger there. Stopping at the throat of VH is an IQ test. Last weekend there was a young female boarder just sitting, blocking both the turn towards the Mall/Steins and in danger of being clobbered by the an out of control rider on the ice. Insane.....I have no idea how to fix it...maybe some signs, "DO NOT STOP".

The other place that has become a problem is where the valley house lodge and the baby terrain park pinch together, at the valley house lodge level above the bottom of Bravo. People stop there to gather before they go to the lifts. Some stop for the park, some stop to decide where to go, and others cruise on through. It seems that it is narrower this year and I've seen several near misses as someone rocketed through and a little kid was turning to stop.

[Lostone]

A problem here is you are asking for common sense, and if we had common sense, we wouldn't be going down a mountain on sticks.

When we're on ski cycle, ambassadors try to keep the unloading zones clear at Bravo and Gatehouse. Valley house...?

Yeah, that is just ugly.

When I see people stopped in the middle, I ask them to not stop there. They generally move without trouble. More so, if I'm wearing the Sugarbush jacket. But sometimes, if not, they look as if I'm coming out of nowhere and bossing them around.

That is a terrible place to stop! And I've had a few close calls with people leaving the lift area or the entrance to The Mall and not looking up, too.

I always tell people, when giving directions, that as they get close to the caution sign, to pull it way in. You never know what is over the dip.

[chuck]

+1

[summitchallenger]

I agree. What is more annoying is the attitude of some that they can throw their skis anywhere they want in front of the lodge except in the ski racks. Worst offenders are the ski racers, sorry to say, which is puzzling considering the amount of time and money spent in maintaining said skis.

[vonski]

I agree. What is more annoying is the attitude of some that they can throw their skis anywhere they want in front of the lodge except in the ski racks. Worst offenders are the ski racers, sorry to say, which is puzzling considering the amount of time and money spent in maintaining said skis.

Yeah this started at the base at Ellen and has now drastically spread to the Glenn House. Not at South lately so not sure what it is like there, but the other day one could not skate to hammerhead area from Rim Run with out going way around and from GMX to the summit lift. Funny is the racks were all empty. Not a big fan of the practice! Also had issues going from Inverness over to GMX come to think of it!

[HowieT2]

I agree. What is more annoying is the attitude of some that they can throw their skis anywhere they want in front of the lodge except in the ski racks. Worst offenders are the ski racers, sorry to say, which is puzzling considering the amount of time and money spent in maintaining said skis.

It doesn't bother me on a regular day, but last week it was out of control. You couldn't get to the lodge through the maze and it was practically all the way to the inverness lift.

[summitchallenger]

I agree. What is more annoying is the attitude of some that they can throw their skis anywhere they want in front of the lodge except in the ski racks. Worst offenders are the ski racers, sorry to say, which is puzzling considering the amount of time and money spent in maintaining said skis.

Yeah this started at the base at Ellen and has now drastically spread to the Glenn House. Not at South lately so not sure what it is like there, but the other day one could not skate to hammerhead area from Rim Run with out going way around and from GMX to the summit lift. Funny is the racks were all empty. Not a big fan of the practice! Also had issues going from Inverness over to GMX come to think of it!

EXACTLY! The fact that the racks are empty is simply amazing.

Not to add to the complaint list but the only other racer issue was the mountain having race training on Cruiser (Joe's Cruiser (?) )side by side with families snowplowing down the trail. I talked with an insider who was rolling his eyes as well...said that they had no choice due to the weather, but this really was not a good idea.

[Fishwife]

As far as the sheep who herd up at VH, you just gotta shake your head! It is sometimes downright dangerous, but I really don't see how it can be solved. If ter were am ambassador there I think most of these sheep would just get indignant and rattle off some excuse as to why they are stopping right there. Makes it interesting - slaloming through humans! Off to do the Dance..........

[HowieT2]

As far as the sheep who herd up at VH, you just gotta shake your head! It is sometimes downright dangerous, but I really don't see how it can be solved. If ter were am ambassador there I think most of these sheep would just get indignant and rattle off some excuse as to why they are stopping right there. Makes it interesting - slaloming through humans! Off to do the Dance..........

new lift.

[Tin Woodsman]

As far as the sheep who herd up at VH, you just gotta shake your head! It is sometimes downright dangerous, but I really don't see how it can be solved. If ter were am ambassador there I think most of these sheep would just get indignant and rattle off some excuse as to why they are stopping right there. Makes it interesting - slaloming through humans! Off to do the Dance..........

new lift.

That's pretty much it. Relief won't come until they replace VH with a higher capacity lift and blast the summit area so that the traffic can be reconfigured. Ultimate solution, IMO, is to blow up that cliff to the right of the VH traverse/VH summit so there's more room and better visibility to the off-load area for skiers coming down the traverse. Re-grade it a bit as well and make sure that traffic can get past the lift to Snowball while allowing people coming off the lift to get to Stein's and the Mall. It's a tough spot.