 Poster: A snowHead
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A proposal to install a new chairlift to Breckenridge's 'Peak 8', a favourite summit for off-piste descents, is being opposed by purists who don't want the snow cut up by ticket-holders.
The resort, which has been a favourite with British skiers, is keen to build the lift and extend its lift-served terrain for advanced skiers. But the lift's opponents argue that the treasured powder snow available from Peak 8 will be lost.
This report from Summit Daily News.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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David Goldsmith,
I would say keep it for people who will hike it. My general thing is that you should not be looking to build lifts everywhere, where do you draw the line? I don't think that off-piste areas should be made too readily available for everyone to access them on a whim. Things like mountain awareness should not be taken for granted.
In the Alagne valley they have pisted Olen and put in a new lift to connect Alagne to Gressoney. As the old cable car is on its last legs this is understandable but it will completely change the whole ski experience. And once the old cable car goes you will have to hike upto Indren to get to Altaluce and the other valleys. I am not sure this is progress.
I don't know why they didn't just replace the old cable car, probably because high winds would still shut it and cut of Alagne completely. The new lift will provide all a way back to Gressoney without an off-piste route and a fabulous steep gully. I don't know how this will work out, the locals are against it, but it will change the whole valley experience.
So, as I say, generally I am not in favour of making things easier to access skiwise just for the sake it...
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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?
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David Goldsmith,
I am for the Peak 8 lift.
The Lake Chutes is steep, above-timberline, "extreme" in-bounds terrain, something that is pretty rare in central Colorado (A-Basin is the only other area with similar stuff).
By the way there are some good Lake Chutes photos at http://homepage.mac.com/saemisch/BestOfBreck/BreckBest.html
It's all well and good for the locals to say it should remain hike-to, but that effectively discriminates against those who are holidaymakers and not acclimatised to the altitude. I have done the hike to Peak 8 many times - when fully acclimatised, it's an easy 30 minutes; when I was living mainly at sea level it used to take me 45-50 minutes of lung-bursting effort.
The fact that there will still be a short hike to the Peak 8 summit (and therefore also the Lake Chutes) will still keep 90% of the tourists away. But holidaymakers who are expert skiers will have much improved access to some unique terrain that will really transform the scope and nature of Breck's skiing.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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David Goldsmith, stinking NIMBYs! There's plenty of hike-to terrain to be had. They just want it to be close to the top of a lift, is all. Hike to the top of Peak 7, then! 
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Stop the Brutal Grooming . Stop building lifts.
Hike
Pure is Best 
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