Okay, it's a busy holiday weekend, and every idiot in the world is at the mountain. What trails do you avoid, knowing that they will be crowded, icy and deadly?

I hate to say it, but Excelsior is on my list. It used to be my favorite trail until they put the Gondi in. Now every moron, yahoo, gaper and newb just takes the gondola straight up to Little Whiteface and gets involved in a bumper car race 'til Lower Cloud.

Also Lower Valley becomes deadly on Saturday afternoons . . especially when there's new snow and bumps start to form next to the NASTAR starting house. The people that know how to ski can breeze right through, but the unenlightened seem to link their arms together in a series of traverses in an attempt to make all passage completely impossible.

What else?

You've got 'em: Excelsior, upper and lower valleys. Throw in broadway and lower northway and that's where 80% of the cluster can be found.

[quote="mattchuck2"]Okay, it's a busy holiday weekend, and every idiot in the world is at the mountain. What trails do you avoid, knowing that they will be crowded, icy and deadly?

I hate to say it, but Excelsior is on my list. It used to be my favorite trail until they put the Gondi in. Now every moron, yahoo, gaper and newb just takes the gondola straight up to Little Whiteface and gets involved in a bumper car race 'til Lower Cloud.

Also Lower Valley becomes deadly on Saturday afternoons . . especially when there's new snow and bumps start to form next to the NASTAR starting house. The people that know how to ski can breeze right through, but the unenlightened seem to link their arms together in a series of traverses in an attempt to make all passage completely impossible.

What else?[/quote]

Any trail you're on. Don't you think the wonderful paying ($63/day $67 holidays) customers who you call "moron, yahoo, gaper and newb" deserve to ride the Gondi and have a place to play too? Stop the hating.

Son of Drifter wrote:

This helps explain why you're suck a jerk. You're a hater

Son of Drifter wrote:

Any trail you're on. Don't you think the wonderful paying ($63/day $67 holidays) customers who you call "moron, yahoo, gaper and newb" deserve to ride the Gondi and have a place to play too? Stop the hating.

I didn't say they don't deserve a place to play . . . I just said I want to avoid them, and therefore it's good to know where they are.

Also, by hating on me hating on people, aren't you a hater yourself? Haven't you become that which you are against?

In fact, isn't this an indictment of our entire American society? Well, you can do whatever you want to me, but I'm not going to sit here and listen to you badmouth the United States of America.

mattchuck2 wrote:

Son of Drifter wrote: This helps explain why you're suck a jerk. You're a hater Son of Drifter wrote: Any trail you're on. Don't you think the wonderful paying ($63/day $67 holidays) customers who you call "moron, yahoo, gaper and newb" deserve to ride the Gondi and have a place to play too? Stop the hating. I didn't say they don't deserve a place to play . . . I just said I want to avoid them, and therefore it's good to know where they are. Also, by hating on me hating on people, aren't you a hater yourself? Haven't you become that which you are against? In fact, isn't this an indictment of our entire American society? Well, you can do whatever you want to me, but I'm not going to sit here and listen to you badmouth the United States of America.

And they thought I was crazy.

Indeed . .

If we weren't all crazy we would go insane.

Paron's can get busy and skied off from time to time. I have to say though that the times I skied it this season I thought it to be in better shape then in seasons past.

Toga Toga Toga!

Id agree on all counts so far. Any intermediate trail I pretty much avoid at all costs on the weekends, as the masses usually make it amateur hour by 930.

AdironRider wrote:

Toga Toga Toga! Id agree on all counts so far. Any intermediate trail I pretty much avoid at all costs on the weekends, as the masses usually make it amateur hour by 930.

Comon man, the masses by 9:30? We are taking about WF here. Take a ride to Kmart or Hunta if you want to see masses. You speak with fork tounge.

Avoid Upper Mackenzie past 10:30 - 11:00 on those type days also.

Ah, you guys are just spoiled . The most crowded holiday weekend at Whiteface is less crowded than most non holiday weekends at any other major resort.

We were at Okemo for President's day weekend.......talk about amateur hours. My 7 yo daughter got knocked down a couple of times, even with me running interference. Even accomplished skiers there seemed to have no knowledge of the Code .

That being said, Excelsior and Upper/Lower Valley are the trails to avoid when it gets "crowded". Of course I'm not sure who is to blame for that. The mountain is what the mountain is, so more trails aren't an option, and you can't really blame the gapers and noobs for being there. Intermediates, and beginners who should legitimately be challenging their skills on the easier intermediate trails, really don't have that many places to go. The only reason Parons isn't worse is because a lot of those intermediate/soon to be intermediate skiers don't want to brave the Summit Quad.

any one loaded w/ U yellow jacket types!

freeheelwilly wrote:

You've got 'em: Excelsior, upper and lower valleys. Throw in broadway and lower northway and that's where 80% of the cluster can be found.

Hey! That's not what I posted! Censorship! HPD, I gots to be me!

freeheelwilly wrote:

freeheelwilly wrote: You've got 'em: Excelsior, upper and lower valleys. Throw in broadway and lower northway and that's where 80% of the cluster can be found. Hey! That's not what I posted! Censorship! HPD, I gots to be me!

Another example of the man keeping you down.

I hear you guys, Excelsior, Boreen, and upper and lower valley can be a slowly moving obstacle course on fri/sat/sun... but isnt that half the fun?! Dont get me wrong I get sketched when the little ones are traversing back and fourth across the entire trail, but riding in traffic can be a great learning experience. Ive been racing boardercross for about 5 years now, and I contribute a lot of my racing skills to just surviving high speed groomers packed with people.
Tips for riding in crowds:
1. Keep your head up and on a swivel... Beginners tend to take up the whole trail with each turn, so be prepared to predict which way they are gonna go next in front of you.
2. Make your presence felt... If youre coming up on a newbie or a slower skiier, let em know youre there. I usually use the "ON YOUR RIGHT!" "ON YOUR LEFT!" If they know youre there they at least they are expecting you.
3. Give the little ones a WIDE birth... Most of the time the little guys have no concept of other skiiers/riders being on the hill with them. You never know where they're planning on going, so leave yourself some space for a quick pass out of danger.
4. Be extremely cautious on headwalls and blind drops... A lot of beginners will stop to rest under the crest of some sections... always assume that there is someone beyond that drop... Its a blast to catch some air off those drop-outs, but make sure you arent gonna plaster someone whose stopped underneath.
If anyone has any other crowd safety tips post em up! Im no expert on safety... just trying to pass on the knowledge ive aquired riding at Whiteface for the past 10 years.