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KilaTsunami
October, 2024

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Bad Economy = Shorter Lift Lines?

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alexL
Posts: 512 - Karma: 28
so anyways, every night on the news we hear how fucked we are and how were all going to be broke and have to live in shanty towns under the railroad bridge, i personally think the media is doing more bad for the economy by hammering home how bad it is, but anyways.. today i was out skiing, and for southern ontario in december the conditions were amazing, it was just below freezing, every run was open, and it was a saturday, so i pulled up around 12:30 thinking the lift lines would be nuts and it was such a ghost town as a photographer ive noticed a huge drop off in sales at art shows since september, right around when people started shining light on the economy, and while my family is still in a position to be able to buy lift tickets and equipment whenever, im thinking that alot of families that might have been last season might not be able to afford it anymore, at least not as often, so what do you think?
Dec 13 2008 9:58PM
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Hank
Posts: 316 - Karma: 15
i wouldnt mind shorter lift lines?
Dec 13 2008 10:01PM
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ReedSkis~
Posts: 2122 - Karma: 98
this is definitely the case, with the bad economy not as many rich people can afford to go on ski vacations therefore shorter lift lines
100% agree

Dec 13 2008 10:10PM
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BigRodRiley
Posts: 1265 - Karma: 36
Good point... Only the true skiers will buy passes, making less people.  I say this because skiing to alot of people can be taken out of their budget plan if they cannot afford living expenses...etc
Dec 13 2008 10:11PM
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MitchPee
Posts: 8871 - Karma: 1,509
Not at PC lolz
Dec 13 2008 10:14PM
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matthew.
Posts: 879 - Karma: 12
yeah lots of people are canceling trips bc they dont have the money to pay for the trips
Dec 13 2008 10:34PM
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alpineplease
Posts: 2791 - Karma: 1,764
YESSSSS
Dec 14 2008 5:30AM
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B.Aussie
Posts: 5852 - Karma: 4,531
Well I suppose atleast now we have found a possitive to the dire situation our economy is in.
I'm sure it will effect the people coming and also the type of people we will start to see more of. Instead of the middle class people who come for a holiday each year they will be replaced with the upper-class coming to mountains closer to them instead of going abroad.

Dec 14 2008 6:04AM
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caucasian_chad
Posts: 4078 - Karma: 3,625
I'd say low gas price is the best positive.

But yes, I have noticed shorter lift lines, and, believe it or not, less gapers.  Skiing is not a priority for them, so they just don't go, while all the diehard skiers and boarders are still out there. 
Dec 14 2008 12:07PM
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KarmaInitiative
Posts: 2028 - Karma: 174
on the flip side, global warming=less snow
Dec 14 2008 12:26PM
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BMB
Posts: 3138 - Karma: 232
this is very interesting, yes while the economy is bad, it means that more people will be skiing closer to home, so this means that you're local  hill depending on where you live may be actually more crowded.  Also, yes even though gas prices are down, that doesn't mean people will be able to afford to ski.
Dec 14 2008 12:46PM
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bermbuster49
Posts: 7445 - Karma: 90
i noticed this as well. i was stoked at first becuase i didnt have to walk like a mile after i parked my car...but it sucks because they are going to be hurting this season..
Dec 14 2008 12:50PM
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maclem
Posts: 2497 - Karma: 17
at my home mountain, they sold more season passes this year then they ever have before.
Dec 14 2008 1:21PM
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Elife
Posts: 2829 - Karma: 44
truth be told. I just saw a piece on the news about how Whistler is seeing something like a 60-70% increase in cancellation rates over the Christmas holiday. I don't think it will impact local hills but the destination resorts are definitely taking it in the bum bum. Which is sick.... no more lines during presidents day weekend.
Dec 14 2008 3:27PM
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yourthemannowdog
Posts: 4541 - Karma: 313
my mountain only got worse. But next year i am moving to burlington where i will ski stowe where i never have had a problem with lifts
Dec 14 2008 3:30PM
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pmills
Posts: 7162 - Karma: 59
few different points to be made not all directed at Klazo

1. 'fewer rich people will be able to afford to take vacations' -- er no, fewer poor people will be able to start skiing, the rich people will be taking advantage of all the killer deals that the mountains will be giving trying to save their own asses.

2. If you do see shorter lift lines, you can expect to also see more mountains closing up shop. EC people, i haven't kept up with details, but ASC? dead right? smaller mountains -- Thinking Jimminy buying up brody, and did catamount or another pioneer valley mountain fall out of the game--(otis ridge?)

3. The effects of global warming are measured at the poles of the planet. Saying EC had best start in a long time, or citing details about climate outside the arctic and antarctic circles is a red herring. Warming will be noticed in the most fragile systems -- those at the top and bottom of our planet.
Dec 14 2008 4:57PM
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M+M
Posts: 7935 - Karma: 25
less money = smaller budget line, people can chose wat to do with their money, but im guessing they arent choosing to go skiing
Dec 14 2008 5:20PM
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Dustin.
Posts: 13839 - Karma: 7,704
A great point indeed.

If global warming is happening and it's not just a cycle, weather in the US has little to do with it at this point.  CO has a ton of snow, Washington has none.  EC is booming, Whistler sucks (who could have called that one!).  You can't make enormous generalizations about the entire planet because your mountain doesn't have snow.
Dec 14 2008 6:16PM
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