Judge OKs White Pass ski resort expansion

Telemack ,When all skiing was still backcountry skiing the elitists were those riding new fangled chairs. Think Squaw and Sun valley ,being promoted with lots of stars and starlets. And imagine paying for preferred parking now that could be called elitist.
I'm not immune from this either as when my wife got her hand kissed by Stien Erickson at Deer valley a few years ago.!
Still on any given day I'd rather be skinning up in wild terrain away from the Elitists.

dirtbag skinners as elitists? That's quite a leap if you ask me.

Very sad. Brenda and I did some of our first backcountry ski trips there many years ago. Bought a fair number of lift tickets there as well. With the Hogback gone I really can't see any reason to ever visit the area again.

Funny, I never really thought the terrain out there could excite lift skiers. It's not that steep and there ain't much of it. But for us just starting out with backcountry skiing it was really something.

I'm with Lowell on this one and have no stake in  WP expansion but one reason IMVHO  that many areas are trying to expand despite flat skier visits , is to produce more varied terrain and cash in on the "sidecountry" boom. Just thumb throuh the newest Powder or Skiing and nearly evry ad is promoting new terrain and shows a picture of skiers not on groomers but in "untracked powder". Vail, Bridger Bowl etc.

Our sport is one of the few areas that is expanding and has growth in sales and hence the desire for every ski area to promote its radical new terrain. From my personal experience I know about 6 lift skiers who this year for the first time have bought " backcountry" gear and intend to start by hitting the sidecountry. These are mostly 30-40 year olds, the demographic no doubt that Black Diamond et al are trying to reach with their new skis and boots.

I haven't read the book that Telemack references but will and will then form my own opinions.Obviously given the book's publisher, whomever wrote it has a point of view and an agenda and I'm sure it has some good arguments and bullshit as well.

As with most things in life, there's usually a SENSIBLE middle ground whereas Telemack's position of No Expansion, Never and that lift skiing is mindless and hence implies those that do it are morons, too far to the left as usual but that's why I luv him.

To me there is also some reverse elitism going on here. Lift skiers are rich and elitist and skinners and dirtbaggers somehow sanctified by their self proclaimed poverty and austerity in choice of snow transportation.

I proudly say that I am a lift skiing moron, pseudo dirtbagger when I want to be, skinner and backcountry enthusiast and believe that some expansion is OK if it makes sense. Some of the most mermorable days I have ever had have been lift skiing and some have been in the BC.

I love the Northway chair when it is delivering me to untracked powder shots but hate it later in the day when it's all tracked out. Overall I would prefer no Northway as I miss the bus ride back to the base ! Seriously!

I think the last time I rode the Northcountry bus it was with you, Scots.  It was especially memorable b/c I forgot my skis on the rack and had to wait for the bus to take another lap.   :-[

Yep Telemack your right. AAAH I miss the bus. I miss sitting at the base waiting for the bus talking to other skiers. I miss trying to get my fat skis with twin tips into the outside ski carriers and hoping they would still be there when we got to the resort.
I miss the smell!

We should start a campaign" Bring back the Northway Bus"
It had character and somehow added to the ambience and adventure.
I remember skiing at Wolf Creek in COand there was an area there where they had a cat with a tow rope on the back. You all grabbed the rope and got towed back to the resort.Mucho fun!

Bring back the bus, Bring back the bus!!!

I haven't read the book that Telemack references but will and will then form my own opinions.Obviously given the book's publisher, whomever wrote it has a point of view and an agenda and I'm sure it has some good arguments and bullshit as well.

Notes on "Downhill Slide" can be found here:

www.alpenglow.org/ski-history/notes/book/clifford-2002.html