At 01:00 PM 10/19/2005, Wes wrote:

>Where to begin?


Serve and volley.


>o The whole Downdraft/Big Dipper/Canyon quad thing

Hey, start earlier than that.  Downdraft used to be gladed, too!

>o What happened to the top of Ram's Head? SWirl, Header, top of Vagabond

Actually I think the current configuration is smarter than the 
original build of those trails.  Top of Rams Head was too steep for 
the caliber of skier who are best served by the majority of the 
terrain on that peak.


>o No Gondola access to summit (K1 doesn't count). Must admit, the
>SkyeShip base lodge beats the old shack. But I liked the longer ride
>up, too: you could get a lot done before you hit the summit.

Well, if the intention is "getting stuff done," the longest leg on 
that lift was the first stage anyway.  I think ending at Skye was 
actually pretty smart.  Saved a buncha dough, reduced pressure on the 
summit ('til the K1 was built, anyway) and allowed the two remaining 
legs to actually serve their clientele.


>o There was a Super Star before Stupid Star

And oh, was it sweet.  I miss that trail (and I confess I was 
involved in the construction the summer that was done - although most 
of my chainsaw work was over on Ovation).


>o All those late model SKI LTD traverses

Well, to be fair, you needed 'em to get to places like Bear.

>o What happened to the last 100' of Valley Plunge? (Wait -- maybe I
>poached that last year)

Even in the old days that only held snow enough to make it skiable 
about 20 days a year.  It was probably a fair decision to close it.


>o Northeast Passage: First, building it. Then, closing it.

I'll go along with the 'First, building it" part.  I think it was 
smart to close it.  It was pretty much useless and never came close 
to attracting enough skiers to justify the expense of staffing, 
snowmaking and grooming the area.


>Thunderball and The Judge, albiet short, still provided some
>uncrowded fun,

See above.  Also, none of that stuff held snow very well.

I always thought the whole Juggernaut/J2 thing that came along with 
NEPtune was kinda numb.  Ten mile trail?  I clocked it on snowmo 
repeatedly and never logged more than 8.7.  But it skied like it was 
20.  I can't estimate how many times I rode that trail on trail 
checks and had people flag me down, basically begging for a tow to 
get off the damned thing... 

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