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Has anyone tried to dye their hills jumps?

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Cyanicenine
Posts: 966 - Karma: 2,294
If so how did it go? I'm getting really frustrated with the flat light and fog we've been having. One of my local hills is really good about keeping their jumps painted, but the one closest to me just uses some flags on the lip (sometimes, they don't always even have those). Unfortunately that doesn't help you land when you can't tell the knuckle from the flat or even the sky from the ground. I know well enough not to use spray paint or some harsh chemical. How pissed do you think park crew would be if I came through and laid some blue food coloring down?

I'm probably just going to deal with it, but it made me wonder if anyone has tried to dye the ramps themselves out of frustration.
Jan 27 2016 3:31PM
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addie.
Posts: 350 - Karma: 1,432
You may have very well already tried this, but if your hill has a park crew, bring it up with them! I think they would agree considering that the fog has been an issue - it's a safety concern, so I dont see why they wouldn't be all for it.
Jan 27 2016 3:38PM
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FrenchFry
Posts: 969 - Karma: 3,432
Fuck hitting jumps when can't tell the ground from the sky...just go hit rails for the day.
Jan 27 2016 3:55PM
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Cyanicenine
Posts: 966 - Karma: 2,294
FrenchFryFuck hitting jumps when can't tell the ground from the sky...just go hit rails for the day.


If I did that I'd never get to hit the jumps. We hardly ever see the sun or get good high contrast light in the PNW. Some days are worse than others, but the flat light thing is more often than not.

I posted on park crews facebook page about the jumps needing paint, but yeah I'll try talking to the guys directly next time I'm there before I do anything drastic.
Jan 27 2016 4:33PM
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trevorschu
Posts: 708 - Karma: 2,357
Just bring some food coloring or windex
Jan 27 2016 5:02PM
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cydwhit
Posts: 5074 - Karma: 43,034
CyanicenineIf I did that I'd never get to hit the jumps. We hardly ever see the sun or get good high contrast light in the PNW. Some days are worse than others, but the flat light thing is more often than not.

I posted on park crews facebook page about the jumps needing paint, but yeah I'll try talking to the guys directly next time I'm there before I do anything drastic.


Where you skiing in the PNW that has this issue?
Jan 27 2016 5:08PM
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Cyanicenine
Posts: 966 - Karma: 2,294
cydwhitWhere you skiing in the PNW that has this issue?


Western Washington.
Jan 27 2016 5:37PM
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cydwhit
Posts: 5074 - Karma: 43,034
CyanicenineWestern Washington.


Word, for some reason I thought you were talking Schweitz, and I was like "Just talk to Nick and Dan, they are usually super good about that" haha
Jan 27 2016 6:09PM
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Deepskier
Posts: 3267 - Karma: 4,832
Its called spraypaint.......
Jan 28 2016 12:41AM
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theabortionator
Posts: 51744 - Karma: 163,531
If you think it's a problem, mention it to the park crew when you see them. Don't paint the jumps on your own though. Different places have different policies. Honestly, most places you don't need it. Just because a place near you has it, doesn't mean the other place needs it.

If the fog is really bad that changes things though. I've worked a couple places where we dyed our jump corners, and then one place where we dyed everything, jumps, rails, and jump knuckles. The clouds would move in sometimes there and get gnarly.

Idk, flat light is kind of just a part of skiing imo. For the most, part, I don't see any reason why any places should have to dye things. If places want to that's fine, but i feel the same about places that don't.

My $.02
Jan 28 2016 1:30AM
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bardissono
Posts: 443 - Karma: 213
CyanicenineIf I did that I'd never get to hit the jumps. We hardly ever see the sun or get good high contrast light in the PNW. Some days are worse than others, but the flat light thing is more often than not.

I posted on park crews facebook page about the jumps needing paint, but yeah I'll try talking to the guys directly next time I'm there before I do anything drastic.


do you ride at the skummit?

if so, park crew should be pretty easy to talk to about this
Jan 28 2016 1:31AM
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TOAST.
Posts: 7511 - Karma: 36,436
We use feild marking paint, the stuff that you use to paint lines in grass. I hate it everything looks like an orange blob when it warms up and all the paint runs everywhere
Jan 28 2016 5:13AM
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Julius_Steezer
Posts: 776 - Karma: 4,536
Tbf to OP, dropping in just hoping that your skis are pointing towards the jump and then only seeing the jump properly as you're about to go off it is one of the sketchier moments I've had on skis

So yeah, dye sounds like a plan
Jan 28 2016 5:23AM
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Huck_Fin
Posts: 355 - Karma: 968
The juice of a melted otter pop usually works pretty well to dye the snow
Jan 28 2016 11:57AM
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Jbresch
Posts: 153 - Karma: 415
Just bring it up with the park crew, if they aren't chill enough to dye their jumps then thats another problem in itself
Jan 28 2016 12:25PM
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theabortionator
Posts: 51744 - Karma: 163,531
JbreschJust bring it up with the park crew, if they aren't chill enough to dye their jumps then thats another problem in itself


Not really. A lot of places, don't and you really don't need to.
Jan 28 2016 4:20PM
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bigwhite.steeze
Posts: 8227 - Karma: 1,032
if they're are good park crew just mention it to them...or tell guest services whoever, its a pretty big safety issue if they have jumps open when they really need to be dyed...

food coloring and windshield washer fluid (so it doesnt freeze) in a pump sprayed is the best bet...
Jan 28 2016 5:30PM
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will_powder
Posts: 3194 - Karma: 5,445
If there are coniferous trees in the area, a few handfuls of neetles usually does the tree. Used to do that all the time
Jan 28 2016 5:46PM
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sNaubi
Posts: 1633 - Karma: 2,357
Something like this
with water+food coloring would work, if someone complains, just say youre fixing a safety issue, which you actually are.
Jan 28 2016 6:04PM
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Cyanicenine
Posts: 966 - Karma: 2,294
I went and asked the park crew supervisor a few days ago about painting the jumps in question here, and finally got a response today:

Apparently a couple years ago some gaper gaped his way across the paint on the knuckle and stained his jacket with the evil food coloring. The gaper then sued the mountain, apparently won, and now we can't ever have paint on any features again.

I have no words for the idea that some dudes jacket is more important than the safety of everyone that rides the park, but that's Snoqualmie for you I suppose.
Jan 31 2016 6:09PM
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skiP.E.I.
Posts: 7841 - Karma: 22,153
Get some spruce/pine branches and smack them on the landing and kicker to dislodge the needles. Kind of a pain in the ass, but the little bits help a lot with depth perception. This is what is often done at aerials sites in flat light.
Jan 31 2016 7:05PM
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snophie
Posts: 99 - Karma: 202
jelly crystals work wonders!
Feb 1 2016 4:41AM
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snophie
Posts: 99 - Karma: 202
if it's a question of what to use, jelly crystals work wonders!
Feb 1 2016 4:43AM
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Sounder
Posts: 96 - Karma: 95
CyanicenineI went and asked the park crew supervisor a few days ago about painting the jumps in question here, and finally got a response today:

Apparently a couple years ago some gaper gaped his way across the paint on the knuckle and stained his jacket with the evil food coloring. The gaper then sued the mountain, apparently won, and now we can't ever have paint on any features again.

I have no words for the idea that some dudes jacket is more important than the safety of everyone that rides the park, but that's Snoqualmie for you I suppose.


That right there is bullshit. The fact that one gaper fucked up and now everybody has to suffer is retarded.


As others have said, I reccomend using evergreen needles.
Feb 1 2016 7:32PM
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Cyanicenine
Posts: 966 - Karma: 2,294
The saga continues. I sent an email to the resort and got a different response:

We were asked to stop using dye by Boyne's Director of Mountain Sports Development, a couple of years ago. The reason we were given was because we could not keep a consistent dye job when we were having a blizzard. We can accomplish consistency with flags. I will pass your email up the chain.


The best part about this story is that Boyne owns another mountain nearby that does happen to paint their features.
Feb 2 2016 9:18PM
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theabortionator
Posts: 51744 - Karma: 163,531
Honestly from the first post it sounds like they just don't want to, which is made more clear in the second. Idk, they have flags on the takeoffs that's pretty decent and more than a lot of places.
Feb 2 2016 11:28PM
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shin-bang
Posts: 4100 - Karma: 6,997
MeapSomething like this
with water+food coloring would work, if someone complains, just say youre fixing a safety issue, which you actually are.


"Don't worry guys, I'm just spraying weed killer on the jump. It makes it hold its shape and gives you more speed"


weed killer is life
Feb 3 2016 12:41AM
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RICK_ROSS
Posts: 6983 - Karma: 3,343
DeepskierIts called spraypaint.......


i dont know why this is downvoted. its called spraypaint
Feb 3 2016 3:35AM
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lurking
Posts: 2222 - Karma: 6,788
RICK_ROSSi dont know why this is downvoted. its called spraypaint


I mean, other than fucking the water table, spray paint is great
Feb 3 2016 8:41AM
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BonusNo413
Posts: 342 - Karma: 2,478
Yellow snow is the key
Feb 3 2016 10:40AM
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SkiLefley
Posts: 1073 - Karma: 954
Typical Boyne response right there, I work for Boyne back in Michigan and we have dyed our jumps before but not often because we never have a solid mixture and sprayer..always looks stupid. However at Cannonsburg, they do it often and looks great. They have these little tab things you put in water and it makes it look damn good. A lot of the time you wanna mix it with some window washer fluid you put in cars so it doesn't freeze up the nozzle while putting it down. Personally I think it looks way better than non dyed jumps. But stay away from food coloring because that will run on the snow and not look very good..
Feb 3 2016 11:00AM
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RICK_ROSS
Posts: 6983 - Karma: 3,343
loganschnurI mean, other than fucking the water table, spray paint is great


what do you think most mountains are using?
Feb 3 2016 1:43PM
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LynxNation
Posts: 780 - Karma: 5,853
CyanicenineThe saga continues. I sent an email to the resort and got a different response:



The best part about this story is that Boyne owns another mountain nearby that does happen to paint their features.


You've just unraveled one of the greatest conspiracies of our time. If you dive any deeper, hire protection.


There's more to this story, I can smell it.
Feb 3 2016 2:58PM
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Mr.Bishop
Posts: 22708 - Karma: 76,635
CyanicenineIf so how did it go? I'm getting really frustrated with the flat light and fog we've been having. One of my local hills is really good about keeping their jumps painted, but the one closest to me just uses some flags on the lip (sometimes, they don't always even have those). Unfortunately that doesn't help you land when you can't tell the knuckle from the flat or even the sky from the ground. I know well enough not to use spray paint or some harsh chemical. How pissed do you think park crew would be if I came through and laid some blue food coloring down?

I'm probably just going to deal with it, but it made me wonder if anyone has tried to dye the ramps themselves out of frustration.


MeapSomething like this
with water+food coloring would work, if someone complains, just say youre fixing a safety issue, which you actually are.


If you get one of those and mix in bulk carpenters chalk (in powder format) it works fantastically. From what I understand its not very toxic either - though someone would need to fact check that.

That's what we used in the park I used to work at.
Feb 3 2016 3:11PM
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