Reading through the last ten or so posts most are saying that if you go uphill in a resort then you should contribute towards the running of the said resort.
And like I mentioned Steam Boat charge people for going up the hill, which is hardly surprising given how much they charge for a first tracks pass!
A backcountry ski area What does that mean? It means creating a welcoming and avalanche-evaluated environment for skiers and snowboarders to adventure and learn.
Imagine the comforts of a traditional ski area: great snow and terrain, gear rentals, backcountry lessons, ski patrol, food/beverage, and a warming hut. But no chairlifts! Skiers will ascend using easy-to-follow uphill skin tracks, and then descend fun downhill trails. Educators and guides will be on hand to provide opportunities for skiers to learn about their equipment, avalanche safety, efficient travel, and much more.
And of course, you will have to pay for it, and they will!!
Not too far from where I'm typing this, just behind me and some further 1,000m in elevation, there is a superb area for ski touring at 2,350m. It's one of my favourite areas but in Spring can be a PITA as you can spend a couple of hours climbing up to the ski area, though there is a road that gradually opens (Granon) and by April you can drive to around 1,800m
All they'd have to do would be open one of the barrack's blocks up (they are quite modernised) and charge an overnight fee to stay there etc
Tonight I'm out with some friends and I think she knows someone who has a chalet in the summer village on the other side at 2,000m and that would be brilliant to stay there for a couple of nights!
Mind you I suppose one should be careful for what one wishes for, as the beauty of the Granon sector is that there's not too many people that ski-tour there.
Last edited by Poster: A snowHead on Wed 26-02-20 16:38; edited 1 time in total
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
abc wrote:
davidof wrote:
ecureuil wrote:
People who argue that uphillers shouldn't pay at all, because a ski pass is for uplift only, would presumably be happy with a resort providing lifts only? No pistes, signposts, avi control or other facilities? Possibly no restaurants either.
Sounds like paradise, where do I sign up?
Well, there's all the mountains without resorts, just go there!
ecureil was proposing ski lifts
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
@davidof, Yeah, sounds great to me too. Mandatory 203cms skinny skis as well I think.
@abc, I think you'll find that @davidof spends much of his time "there" . One of the appeals of skinning is that you can get away from the crowds and do your own thing. In immaculate powder, of course.
@Judwin, exactly, one reason for RFID gates on each lift is where the area is multiple operators and gate numbers are used for revenue allocation. Espace killy you only really need to count pax going up the hill and then whether they cross into the "other" area".
@abc, I think you'll find that @davidof spends much of his time "there" . One of the appeals of skinning is that you can get away from the crowds and do your own thing. In immaculate powder, of course.
Not so much the last couple of years due to the poor snow in the local mountains and other commitments. Probably a week touring so far this year. In France you can only charge for using the ski lifts, not for accessing the snow (that's in the constitution and I think it is a European thing now: the right to roam where you want to). However most ski resorts have taken bye-laws to stop people skinning up ski pistes, they are lightly enforced but probably put the responsibility on the uphill skier if there is an accident, rather than the ski area and mayor. There is no way they'll be able to charge for skiing down, at least when the runs are open.
The ski fitness thing isn't stupid though, for afterworkers, but resorts will need to find a way of monetizing it and I'm not sure that's easy here. Be interesting to get some figures from Drouzin le Mont and Puigmal who've already gone down this route. In Germany/Austria they have more luck but ski tourers around here are the tightest c u next tuesdays in the world and won't even stop for a lemonade, make them pay for parking and they'll park lower down and skin up that bit.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
davidof tight bugs Most of the tourers in my local Austrian area are fairly local themselves with season passes, however, the farmers who rent out the land that lifts are on often get paid pro rata on lift traffic. Prepared trails with a gate at the bottom goes towards solving this conflict.
Most of the tourers in my local Austrian area are fairly local themselves with season passes
I've been wondering about that myself.
Most tourers I know are also avid skiers. They typically have season pass on a resort near their home. They tour to "get away" from the crowd and to access powder lifts don't take them.
I can understand fitness freaks who skin up for exercise. But they would be skiing back down and only to skin back up again, wouldn't they?
So who are these "uphillers" who only skin up as a primary means to avoid paying for a lift pass?
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
DB wrote:
@DB
Maybe it's only applicable to here but Vienna's population is around 2 million. There are a few small local resorts within 90 mins drive.
These tend to be visited mainly at the weekend and they struggle financially to keep going each year. Many lifts don't have RFID as they don't have the finances to upgrade.
Just curious as to which resorts are without RFID?
I was at Brunnalm on Sunday, first time there and all lifts were RFID controlled. Saw some tracks coming down the mountain from higher than the chairlift termination, so I presume there are a few ski-tourers using the location. In fact, it looked ideal as a bit of a beginner ski-touring location. The mountain above the actual resort looks to be accessible and the chutes skiable, without being mental. I saw only one person skinning uphill during the day.
Also been to Mariazell this season and everything was RFID controlled.
I think it was 2018 when last I was issued a paper lift pass, at Weinebene. They've upgraded since.
After all it is free
After all it is free
@phillc,
Places such as Unterberg didn't have all lifts RFID controlled last time I was there, niether did Aflenz (although I haven't been there for a few years). Basically small resorts that are having financial problems and don't have the money to upgrade. I daresay there are other resorts in the same situation.
Brunnalm is a well known ski touring destination, the Skitour up to Hohe Veitsch is pretty snow secure. I can believe that Brunnalm has all lifts with RFID (especially the T-bar furthest left) so that the ski tourers don't have a free ride.
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
. One of the appeals of skinning is that you can get away from the crowds and do your own thing. In immaculate powder, of course.
Most of the tourers in my local Austrian area are fairly local themselves with season passes, however, the farmers who rent out the land that lifts are on often get paid pro rata on lift traffic. Prepared trails with a gate at the bottom goes towards solving this conflict.
