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Rope Tows in Park

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603pow
Posts: 151 - Karma: 1,392
I think that all mountains should have a rope tow going up the side of their park along with the chair lift. This would be extremly beneficial because if you wanted to have a sesh on a rail/jump you wouldn't have to hike, but rather simply hop onto the rope tow and then hop off when you get to the top of the feature, your skis wouldn't even have to come off (unless you fall). The rope tow would also open the possibility of seshing jumps because right now the hike needed for a jump sesh is to large to realisticly be feasible. Does anyone else think this is a good idea?
Feb 19 2015 12:50PM
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drewolson24
Posts: 450 - Karma: 898
OP, Move to the Midwest and you will be in the Mecca of hot laps and shredded gloves. It's purely awesome.
Feb 20 2015 10:35AM
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john_k
Posts: 347 - Karma: 931
Rope tows are the greatest thing in the world. I can't even ski lift parks anymore get too anxious to shred Definitely think parks out west could use some tow ropes!
Feb 20 2015 11:04AM
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John18_6
Posts: 7313 - Karma: 49,165
drewolson24OP, Move to the Midwest and you will be in the Mecca of hot laps and shredded gloves. It's purely awesome.


True. True. True. Wild mountain has a massive double jump line accessible by rope. Hyland has a decent sized jump you can lap. Lapping rails by rope is terribly fun. The one disadvantage of rope laps is that everything gets rutted out and icy about 10x faster and 20x worse than chair parks.
Feb 20 2015 11:05AM
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shin-bang
Posts: 4101 - Karma: 6,997
Holzsteezy*get some gloves from fucking ace hardware for $10


i have kinco axemen bruh. sounds like you need to pick yourself up a pair. most durable ish out there. i was talking about a general crowd rather than just me... since not everyone rides around with leather work mitts like me...
Feb 20 2015 11:34AM
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NMMedia
Posts: 982 - Karma: 1,700
Ropes can be fun (I grew up at Hyland in MN) but I feel like I always burned out so much faster in a rope park, not just like getting tired in one day but I would hit everything so many times that in a couple weeks Id be sick of the park. I much prefer it at spirit mountain where we have like a 6 or 7 min break in between laps and a much longer park since its too long to use a rope.
Feb 20 2015 12:49PM
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_69
Posts: 1772 - Karma: 4,979
histonskierI've been saying that mountains need tow ropes for years now. The Amount of ignorance in this thread is unbelievable. I have ridden a tow rope with a decent park for the past 10 years and can honestly say it's the best thing ever and by far the best way to ski park. You can get so many laps in, you can try tricks over and over again with out having to take a 10 minute chairlift ride, you never get cold even at subzero temps because your always moving, the list of benefits goes on and on. Those complaining that it rips your gloves and would rather have a T bar can just stfu. Ya it rips your gloves but you can just buy cheap durable ones at the hardware store. T bars are slow as fuck, the Tow rope at my hill goes like 20 mph and brings you up the hill in about 30 seconds, fast hot laps and you can learn tons of tricks in a short amount of time. And to people who say it's too costly for mountains are also idiots because it would a hell of a lot cheaper than a chairlift. I seriously don't understand why mountains haven't figured it out yet. GET TOW ROPES TO MOUNTAINS!

This. Don't even bother buying new gloves regularly, just buy protectors. I've had the same gloves for 2 years.
Feb 20 2015 1:19PM
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NMMedia
Posts: 982 - Karma: 1,700
The issue I see with bringing ropes to all mountains is that they can only be so long. They work here in MN where the hills that use them are only a few hundred ft of vertical. If you tried to take it out West where the parks are over a mile long it just wouldnt work.
Feb 20 2015 1:54PM
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John18_6
Posts: 7313 - Karma: 49,165
Spirit needs an express chair for their park.
Feb 20 2015 2:00PM
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histonskiah
Posts: 467 - Karma: 1,834
TheWingmenThe issue I see with bringing ropes to all mountains is that they can only be so long. They work here in MN where the hills that use them are only a few hundred ft of vertical. If you tried to take it out West where the parks are over a mile long it just wouldnt work.


Ya this is why they should have both options. Have their normal long park but then at the bottom pack a bunch of rails into a little rail yard the size of a Midwest hill and have a towrope next to it. That way you get the best of both worlds. Take the chair if you want or just hot lap some rails.
Feb 20 2015 2:09PM
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MNSkiers
Posts: 1154 - Karma: 7,533
john18061806Spirit needs an express chair for their park.

Totally agree with this and talking about chairlifts so does Keystone and Breck!!!!
Feb 20 2015 2:09PM
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MNSkiers
Posts: 1154 - Karma: 7,533
histonskierYa this is why they should have both options. Have their normal long park but then at the bottom pack a bunch of rails into a little rail yard the size of a Midwest hill and have a towrope next to it. That way you get the best of both worlds. Take the chair if you want or just hot lap some rails.

Or they could do what Wild did and have the double tow rope
Feb 20 2015 2:13PM
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GayWolf420
Posts: 37548 - Karma: 121,703
integratedRope tows up and down the park would clear up a lot of congestion in the lift lines. Which makes everyone happy. Also a lot of people ski park, if a mountain had rope tows or t bars running up through the park (like windells) you would be able to get 100+ laps on your favorite feature. This would bring in way more peeps, generating more ticket sales (I bet you could even do a rope two add on charge). Tows would be a great investment for any mountain (who has a decent park), if they can't see that then they are stuck in the past.


rope tows would also make the features get ruined a lot quicker. That many people taking those many laps within a small amount of time just screams rutted lips and bombed-out landings.
Feb 20 2015 3:05PM
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el_mn_op
Posts: 577 - Karma: 1,175
Move to Minnesota.
Feb 20 2015 3:48PM
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603pow
Posts: 151 - Karma: 1,392
pizza_LIBREMove to Minnesota.


Haha I don't think it's worth it
Feb 20 2015 6:15PM
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MitchT
Posts: 560 - Karma: 4,095
Yes rope tows are dope as they let you get more laps in daily.

However, rope tows arent as cheap and useful as people think. Sure compare them to chairlifts, the initial cost is way less, but once its in operation it is subject to similar maintenance costs, paying a lifty at the top and bottom, rope repair/changing, etc.

Just because it's a rope spinning around and is far less complex than a chairlift doesn't necessarily mean that it's a smart choice for all resorts.
Feb 20 2015 10:52PM
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Swandog7
Posts: 4955 - Karma: 9,023
Move to Minneosta or Wisconsin. You'll find what your looking for. They do make your pretty fucking tired and destroy your gloves tho but worth it.
Feb 21 2015 12:05AM
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603pow
Posts: 151 - Karma: 1,392
Swandog7Move to Minneosta or Wisconsin. You'll find what your looking for. They do make your pretty fucking tired and destroy your gloves tho but worth it.


Haha
Feb 21 2015 8:14AM
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OP_has_Aids
Posts: 183 - Karma: 837
Wisconsin has a shit ton of them. In our little terrain park though, we have a j-bar and a rope tow. The rope tow is shit though because it rips your gloves. But the j-bar isn't as fast, so it's just about which one you want.
Feb 21 2015 8:17AM
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603pow
Posts: 151 - Karma: 1,392
guentrya16Wisconsin has a shit ton of them. In our little terrain park though, we have a j-bar and a rope tow. The rope tow is shit though because it rips your gloves. But the j-bar isn't as fast, so it's just about which one you want.


I don't mind the damage done to gloves because I can just buy a cheap pair
Feb 21 2015 11:03AM
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Huck-e-Cheese
Posts: 303 - Karma: 417
I ski seven springs, they used to have two, one at the bottom, which got switched to an urban park, and one in the small feature park. Also they have two magic carpets for beginners, which could be really sick to have in a park because you don't have to hold anything you just ride up standing.
Feb 21 2015 11:18AM
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OP_has_Aids
Posts: 183 - Karma: 837
Huck-e-CheeseI ski seven springs, they used to have two, one at the bottom, which got switched to an urban park, and one in the small feature park. Also they have two magic carpets for beginners, which could be really sick to have in a park because you don't have to hold anything you just ride up standing.


I've never heard of those "magic carpets"
Feb 21 2015 11:21AM
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603pow
Posts: 151 - Karma: 1,392
guentrya16I've never heard of those "magic carpets"


The problem is you can't just hop on and off of a magic carpet whenever you want.
Feb 21 2015 8:40PM
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John18_6
Posts: 7313 - Karma: 49,165
603powThe problem is you can't just hop on and off of a magic carpet whenever you want.


you can if ur a fukin thug
Feb 21 2015 9:27PM
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603pow
Posts: 151 - Karma: 1,392
john18061806you can if ur a fukin thug


No thug rides a magic carpet.
Feb 21 2015 9:44PM
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jackdonovan
Posts: 2248 - Karma: 3,079
603powNo thug rides a magic carpet.


all thugs ride the magic carpet
Feb 21 2015 9:46PM
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a_burger
Posts: 5240 - Karma: 20,806
jackdonovanall thugs ride the magic carpet


i did the switch on a magic carpet
Feb 21 2015 9:51PM
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jackdonovan
Posts: 2248 - Karma: 3,079
A_Burgeri did the switch on a magic carpet


wot?????
Feb 21 2015 9:52PM
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joelski
Posts: 1014 - Karma: 736
a rope tow at the bottom with night skiing and even just a smaller rail garden with a few average jibs would go a long way, something like the mini park at sun peaks, which stays open later then the rest of the hill. If whistler replaced the magic chair (bunny hill at the bottom lit for night skiing) with a rope tow and built a park on the side where the metal slide thing is (unused space next to the bunny hill) my progression would go through the roof. you could even sesh it after work.
Feb 21 2015 11:15PM
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theabortionator
Posts: 51745 - Karma: 163,550
histonskierignorance


integratedRope tows up and down the park would clear up a lot of congestion in the lift lines. Which makes everyone happy. Also a lot of people ski park, if a mountain had rope tows or t bars running up through the park (like windells) you would be able to get 100+ laps on your favorite feature. This would bring in way more peeps, generating more ticket sales (I bet you could even do a rope two add on charge). Tows would be a great investment for any mountain (who has a decent park), if they can't see that then they are stuck in the past.



Because most mountains really see lift congestion due to the park. Buy a lift ticket for million dollar lifts, pay extra for rope tow pass. Any mountain that doesn't see your award winning management and economic strategies is stuck in the past? sure.
Feb 22 2015 1:14AM
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BianKarrett
Posts: 360 - Karma: 2,110
This has been said many times, but move to the midwest, you can get probably close to 100 laps within an hour. Plus rails are awesome here.
Feb 22 2015 2:52AM
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Rusticles
Posts: 2180 - Karma: 1,337
Steezy_McbreezyThis has been said many times, but move to the midwest, you can get probably close to 100 laps within an hour. Plus rails are awesome here.


Could this be a correlation to why Midwest skiers dominate the parks? Just ridiculous number of park laps?
Feb 22 2015 3:07AM
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theabortionator
Posts: 51745 - Karma: 163,550
Steezy_McbreezyThis has been said many times, but move to the midwest, you can get probably close to 100 laps within an hour. Plus rails are awesome here.


Moving there now oh wait lol
Feb 22 2015 8:28AM
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Blynch2
Posts: 480 - Karma: 1,006
Talking about this today with my friends. The park lift at mad river is incredibly slow and the line can be very long. Usually about 20 seconds to ski down, then 5 minutes of waiting to get back up. I would cut off my penis for a t-bar or rope tow
Feb 22 2015 8:15PM
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gperry1
Posts: 377 - Karma: 818
At waterville valley in NH they have a rope tow on the biggest park and it is amazing.
Feb 22 2015 8:47PM
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603pow
Posts: 151 - Karma: 1,392
captain_whaleAt waterville valley in NH they have a rope tow on the biggest park and it is amazing.


Ya but I'm pretty sure at Waterville you can't just hop on and off of the rope tow whenever you want which takes away the benefit of seshing one individual feature.
Feb 22 2015 10:42PM
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NMMedia
Posts: 982 - Karma: 1,700
RusticlesCould this be a correlation to why Midwest skiers dominate the parks? Just ridiculous number of park laps?


Also we learn on features that are comparatively pretty shitty. So when MN kids go out West to compete they are skiing on features built 10x better, while the kids from Breck are complaining about how the features are built.
Feb 23 2015 10:02AM
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dustygoldflakes
Posts: 484 - Karma: 700
I think about this all the time! The chairlift at my park is particularly slow too so it kills a lot of time just getting up the hill. A Rope tow or even a T-Bar would be a hell of a lot better at every single park.
Feb 23 2015 10:10AM
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John18_6
Posts: 7313 - Karma: 49,165
It takes less than 10 minutes and 15 laps to learn a trick you've never done before with ropes. It does wonders for progression and doing stuff on super tech rails. I've actually lapped so hard on one rail that i nearly passed out.
Feb 23 2015 11:37AM
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The.Fish
Posts: 2269 - Karma: 4,992
My resort is nice cause the normal hills have 3 person chairs but the park gets 2 quad chairs so there are never lift lines and the vertical drop is only 250 ft so we don't have to ski to the park. We also have a mini park with a jhook tow but it is a kids one so it goes very slow. http://media.nscdn.com/uploads/member/pictures/1301084164March_Park_Build_2011-03-25_014.jpg
Feb 23 2015 2:06PM
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J-Wile
Posts: 481 - Karma: 804
My home hill has ropes and they're the shit. We have a sick jump too so it's the perfect combo for hot laps. Wouldn't have it any other way. Only downsides is it shreds gloves, and sometimes gets jammed with gapers.

The thought of a rope through Park Lane gets me slightly aroused.
Feb 23 2015 2:20PM
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John18_6
Posts: 7313 - Karma: 49,165
The only downside to rope parks is how ridiculous the ice and ruts get. When you have a few hundred kids hot lapping features on a Saturday, it gets brutal real quick.
Feb 23 2015 2:28PM
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mike759
Posts: 884 - Karma: 1,978
One park at the mtn i go to has a magic carpet, its worse than being shot with a gun up the anus, when there is snow on it everyone slides down instead of going up bc it gets slippery
Feb 23 2015 8:45PM
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603pow
Posts: 151 - Karma: 1,392
mike759One park at the mtn i go to has a magic carpet, its worse than being shot with a gun up the anus, when there is snow on it everyone slides down instead of going up bc it gets slippery


Ya but I'm talking about a rope tow not a magic carpet.
Feb 24 2015 6:18PM
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mike759
Posts: 884 - Karma: 1,978
if someone lets go it has the same chain reaction
Feb 24 2015 7:31PM
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603pow
Posts: 151 - Karma: 1,392
mike759if someone lets go it has the same chain reaction


True
Feb 24 2015 8:03PM
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JohnLocke
Posts: 337 - Karma: 1,057
Maine needs rope tows
Feb 24 2015 8:08PM
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integrated
Posts: 527 - Karma: 749
theabortionatorBecause most mountains really see lift congestion due to the park. Buy a lift ticket for million dollar lifts, pay extra for rope tow pass. Any mountain that doesn't see your award winning management and economic strategies is stuck in the past? sure.


I'm guessing you work at a resort? I didn't mean to offend you in anyway. Sorry when I said "stuck in the past" I meant resorts that don't give their park programs any money because they think its a waste of time/money. And for my "award winning management and economic strategies" I simply think it would be a good investment for any resorts with a good park. Do you not agree? Mission ridge is a small resort in the middle of no-where Washington and they have had massive success because of their t-bars integrated in their park.
Mar 2 2015 4:36PM
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.Hugo.
Posts: 17360 - Karma: 28,488
if your gloves get shredded from rope tows youre riding them wrong. I can go days with thin pipe gloves and never even wear down the sticky palms. You just have to keep moving
Mar 2 2015 4:44PM
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Thom4s
Posts: 213 - Karma: 1,079
One of the mountains near me has a rope tow and 9 rails. You can hit 3 each run and just sesh one if you want. I spent about 30 minutes lapping the whole thing while some of my friends went in for lunch and progressed more than I had all season. Rope tows need to be a thing in every park.
Mar 2 2015 4:50PM
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OzzyJ
Posts: 723 - Karma: 927
shin-bangmy resort barely even has a lift.... ive also heard rope tows absolutely shred your gloves.



cost $3 and they last a month before holes appear. Problem solved.
Mar 2 2015 4:55PM
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