Best small ski areas debate

I'm partial to Willamette Pass in Oregon.  Steep trees, no lines, 1500 vert, and home to RTS which is 52 degrees.

....ssshhhhhh

I think a prerequisite for qualifying as a SMALL ski resort in this thread is, that they have FREE OVER-NIGHT PARKING! This helps folks enjoying the mountains on a shoestring which in turn helps families and young folks get up there! Otherwise if ski area access is only for the rich folks, then you have that plastic vibe of boring, spoiled plastic people with endless corporate "labels" and insurance regulations ruling the mountain and not the spirit of the "sliders".
BillyTheMountain

If you feel that strongly then I suggest standing on the edge of their permit area and handing out biodegradable leaflets that detail all the injustices of the ski operators to the skiers/boarders.

Crystal offers both paid and free overnight parking/RVing. And FREE skiing to kids under 10!
There were rumors at Alpental, not sure if it's true about people getting liquored up and some fights breaking out in the RV area. Correct me on this if I'm mistaken, That is why they started patrolling the RV area for public safety.
But before your duct tape gets into a big wad, turn the binoculars around to the right viewer and see the big picture. Ski areas are businesses who lease public land. They have large overhead and pay wages. They are not run like Metro and have public subsidies for them to work. I don't see them rolling in the cash. Insurance companies should be your target. A requirement by every area that seems to never quit gouging.

I agree that ski areas maintain a future in business by getting as many involved to play and affording it is costly.
Before you toss the rag your crying into...
I was one of eleven children. My Dad's hardware store (which even rented skis in the basement) took a hit in the 70's Boeing bust. We were bankrupt (which had a different meaning 40 years ago) and I worked as a cleanup kid in a bakery to afford some money so I could buy chairlift tickets at Stevens for $4. No lessons, just a ride to the mountain, and learned to downhill ski by chasing my other friends who had lessons.
Today I feel sorry for the kids as skiing has a different tone of afford ability and access.
The high prices of skiing today, social parameters of letting your kids run around on their own is frowned upon, so that takes away that ability to do what I did. It is what it is and charging for RV is not going to break the bank now IMO.

I consider Alpental a small area.
I remember when Powder ran an article on Alpental in the Little Places That Rock section they had many moons ago. Really the only advancement is the high speed chair since that article that came out. The skiable terrain is still the same size no matter how many people that you put on it.

I consider Alpental a small area.
I remember when Powder ran an article on Alpental in the Little Places That Rock section they had many moons ago. Really the only advancement is the high speed chair since that article that came out. The skiable terrain is still the same size no matter how many people that you put on it.

I like to advertize Mission this way except it's "Little Places that have Rocks."

If you feel that strongly then I suggest standing on the edge of their permit area and handing out biodegradable leaflets that detail all the injustices of the ski operators to the skiers/boarders.

Here's one for a laugh

www.freealpental.org/

I grew up skiing Crystal Mountain. That's Crystal Mountain in Thompsonville, Michigan. 365 vertical. 3 chairlifts at the time, although "main street" was never opened. I used to work planting beach grass on the hillsides to earn a "free" night-only season pass.

I also really like the Loup. My in-laws live in the Methow Valley and we go to the Loup with the kids every year when we're there for Christmas.

If you feel that strongly then I suggest standing on the edge of their permit area and handing out biodegradable leaflets that detail all the injustices of the ski operators to the skiers/boarders.

  :
I hope this is NOT your idea of changing the injustices of the world although this type of approach to social awareness and change tells me quickly why things are so messed up!
Also again, Alpental is disqualified as a small ski area because of the CAMERA at the top o' 2. In my opinion.
Bill