Snowbird closed its doors to the longest season in its history Monday, but for the first time, its tram remains open to skiers and snowboarders.
Snowbird spokeswoman Laura Schaffer said while the resort has previously kept the tram open in the off-season for foot traffic only, it is now going to allow skis and snowboards as well, in exchange for a liability waiver.
"It's something people have wanted for a long time," she said. "It makes sense to do if people can do it safely."
So, for a $10 pass and a signature, skiers and snowboarders can be transported to Hidden Peak, the high-point at Snowbird, for unsupervised access to all the slopes they can find.
"You can head out wherever you see snowfields," she said. "There's enough snow to link together a few good turns."
Schaffer said the ideal snowpack the resort received this year — 633 inches, with some of it as recently as June 12, according to Snowbird's Web site, made this year a good time to change its policy. She said even as the snow has been melting under the summer heat, some good skiing remains.
"Little Cloud Bowl is still filled in pretty nicely," she said. "You can ski probably around 1,500 vertical feet. And that's just talking Snowbird alone."
The resort's Web site Tuesday listed the mid-mountain snowpack at 57 inches.
"But I'm sure you can get more than that in some of the backcountry," she said.
Of course, the area has always been open in the off-season, she said. After the resort closes for the summer, the snow and hills become backcountry areas, not administered by the resort alone. The change, she said, is that the resort now provides a new access point for those areas.
And that's good news for Ron Cram of Sandy, a longtime skier who said he plans to take advantage of the new policy.
"I think I'll probably end up going a couple of times a month now, since it'll be much easier," he said.
Cram, an experienced off-season skier who prides himself on having skied at least once a month for 154 consecutive months, almost 13 years, said with the prime conditions this year, he thinks the snow will last easily into September.
But, Schaffer said, off-season skiers and snowboarders understand the slopes in summer provide a much different experience than riding the winter powder.
"They understand that summer skiing is really a biathlon of skiing and hiking," she said.
Cram agreed.
"You sweat a heck of a whole lot more because you don't have the benefit of the chair lifts," he said. "It's definately harder."
Still, he recommends it for those who need a break from the heat of summer.
"I can't stand going too long a time without getting out," he said. "To feel the sensation of a ski turn again and feel the coolness of the snow in your hand — I'd go nuts if I didn't have that."
Schaffer said those who use the tram to ski in the backcountry will be required to bring a partner, a shovel and a locator device. In addition, she said, the liability waiver is meant to screen people out who might not have the knowledge, expertise or equipment to safely do backcountry skiing.
If there is a problem, she said, those with jurisdiction over the area will cooperate to provide help.
"But ultimately," she said, "the people are in charge of themselves." |
发表于 2005-7-7 00:23
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