Ski Report

The Empire Center says New York could save money by privatizing its ski areas.

Not so fast, reformerators.

I enjoy being part owner of the state’s three ski resorts. I had the opportunity to spend some time at one of my properties last week, Gore Mountain, and as one of the principal holders of the complex I have a few suggestions that will make the experience better for everyone.

The first thing we must do is deal with the skiers from New Jersey.

Walk through the parking lot and two-thirds of the cars are from the so-called Garden State. This has the effect of making it feel like Jersey Shore except colder and with more clothing.

While it may not be possible to ban people from New Jersey, we should tie lift ticket prices to residency. Charge Jerseyites more and discount tickets to New Yorkers. This would have the dual effect of discouraging them from coming and offering an incentive for New York skiers to stay in New York. Simple economics.

Another good idea would be to eliminate cell phones. I listened to third party conversations on both the Northwoods Gondola and a chair lift last week. There’s nothing more horrendous than hearing someone yack on their cell phone —trapped on a ski lift it’s enough to turn you homicidal.

Also, if you have more than one lift ticket hanging from your jacket we should throw you out. I realize that back in 1987 it was cool to leave a dozen expired tickets hanging from that over-priced jacket you bought at some New Jersey store. Today it makes you look like a tool.

Finally, a word about snowboarders. Yes, it’s awesome to plop down on the middle of the trail during your shred and smoke a doobie or whatever you’re doing, but please do that on the side of the trail. Many of us are not very skilled and it would be a terrible shame if we skied over you one of these days.

13 thoughts on “Ski Report

  1. Ski at Hunter a few times and you will quickly appreciate the comparative lack of New Jersey skiers at Gore. I ski Hunter a lot more often because it is significantly closer. I love the mountain, but the people, not so much. Skiing at Gore is like a vacation.

  2. Good point —and thanks for the warning.

    I haven’t been to Hunter in years, and on that day it was midweek so I’m sure I didn’t get the full blast of Jersey scented air.

  3. Ah ha ha ha!! I was one of those kids with about 10 expired lift tickets hanging on the zipper.

    People have cell phones? While they’re skiing??

    I don’t ski anymore though because the last time I did I was going so fast that I couldn’t stop. I went all the way down on to the bunny hill and then into a truck in the parking lot. Fortunately only the ego was bruised.

  4. It’s the phone calls on the lift that are maddening. It sounds like this:

    “Yeah…it’s me. Where are you? I’m in the gondola. No, on the gondola. Yeah. Uh-huh. I don’t know. Yes. Meet me in the lodge near the stairs. No… make that down by the lockers. Actually meet my downstairs by the bathroom next to the lockers…”

  5. #1 sums it up best. I’d add in that Killington Stratton, Okemo and Mt. Snow are just as bad especially once you add Fairfield County, Connecticut into the equation.

    I would love to go to Windham more, but there is a reason I moved away from my home five miles over the New Jersey border.

  6. Rob
    Catamount isn’t bad when it comes to Jersey-its, but you do have to deal with a NYC egos and Conneticutt crowd.
    Not a bad mountain, though, if you are looking to get away from Jersey.

  7. I don’t know why we can’t ban Jerseyites from skiing in NY. It would help driving to/from Gore since these idiots can’t drive, either.

  8. Ha, Rob! I get it! Snowboarders are so wacky! They all smoke weed and do stupid stuff! Whoa! Skiers hate them! How original!

    Wait a minute…all of my friends are skiers. All of my friends smoke weed and do way more idiotic things than I do, such as skiing like complete morons. I wonder how much the mountains hate snowboarders considering their numbers have probably tripled since the late 90’s.

    On the other hand, I hate people from NJ just like you do so I guess all is forgiven.

  9. #9 Thanks, that’s great. I work very hard to make sure that every one of these blog posts is easy to understand, so it’s very gratifying to know that you “Get it.”

    This tells me that my stringent quality control procedures are working.

  10. Hi Rob,

    Great Post. Love Gore it is an hour closer than Stratton and Okemo my two favorite mountains. The only problem with your ideology is keeping us great New Jersey Citizens out like you suggest is the economics. Like you say 2/3 of the cars in the parking lot are from your neighbors from the south. If you alienate us from the mountain the mountain won’t have enough money to stay afloat and it will kill all the dreams of making North Creek a great ski village as planned. See we are the people staying in the hotel in town, renting the condos and hitting the 4 restaurants.

    It’s funny I had the same idea about the Jersey beaches we should charge people from Staten Island, Brooklyn and Queens more to get on the beach. That would be the only way I could think of to keep the cigarettes out of the sand.

    Oh by the way I’m also one of those snowboarders that stop in the middle of trail. I’m also teaching my 5 year old son who has been snowboarding since we was three to do the same. But we only do it in front of you. LOL

  11. Joe: Glad you have a sense of humor. The truth is that I love all people, even those from New Jersey. I guess I’m just opposed to idiots, no matter where they live.

    Maybe I’ll bump into you on the trail one of these days. Be sure to wear your melon protector.

  12. I was at Gore on Sunday and have to say not all of the New Jersey skiers are that bad. At the end of the day my wife and I were sitting next to a group from southern NJ at the bar. We started talking and eventually playing drinking games with them, even got a free round of drinks from them.

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