New Lodge at Ski Bowl

[Snowballs]

thanks for sharing those stories. any idea where the old HPC terminal was located? Bummer it still doesn't reach the summit. not only would more cloud and it's view be cool, but upper Steil would be within easy reach....rumor also. it's a curious thing. i'll ask JFTJ his take when the season resumes.

it's neat how an old slow double is one of the favorite lifts. not long ago, you could escape the masses on a busy day by hitting the HPC. now the word is out....it's depressing to arrive at the HPC and see a relatively long lift line. too bad....Betty loved that trail!

[x10003q]

The top of the HP chair used to be almost in front of the warming hut above Cloud. Before they put the quads in there were lines in every pod at Gore during crowded weekends. The trails were even less crowded than they are now. Mostly we rode the Ad Exp and the SB chair. The HP was more crowded than the SB because it was easier for novies/intermediates to use because there was no need to hike to Cloud or Upper Steilhang.

The fact that they refurbished SB as a double then changed it to a quad within a season or two shows some of the nonsense that goes on at ORDA. Maybe the original double had a fatal flaw and ORDA could not get a quad in time to start the season so they stuck a band aid on. Maybe they only had enough money to repair it during some fiscal cycle. The problems at ORDA means they run equipment well beyond its useful life. The original Gore gondola and the Ad Express Triple are recent examples of this issue.

Look at me defending ORDA.

[Snowballs]

thanks! so can i read between the lines and sumise the old gondi was lightly used?

3q has alot of Gore history info. some one oughta start a thread! "Weather" man does or not remains to be seen. i can Harvly wait.

any idea who in the heck Beatty was? as in.........Beatty loved this trail!

fujative knows who the snow Yeti is that yearly puts ski tracks around/thru the pole guy wire(as seen in cartoons!) atop HP lift line.

that Yeti has bean doing it for years.......with hardly a dip in production!

[Spongeworthy]

any idea who in the heck Beatty was? as in.........Beatty loved this trail!

It's BETTY, isn't it?

I'm guessing that she's no longer with us

[I:)skiing]

I also really enjoy the history lessons..... Maybe someone, somewhere could start a thread where cool stuff, one liners or links can be added by the common folk or marked for the editors to do.
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Back to the shed underconstruction. When I first saw it, I noticed what I thought was soot on the fireplace...I told my son that there was a fire, lets go see. As we got closer, I saw the new posts, beams and concrete pad, as well as what appears to be new cinderblocks on the rear of the fireplace...so I assumed it was a new fireplace. My second thought was...why would they have put a new building or lodge in that area....? its a bit out of the way from either the tubing and skiing. The response that they used the old footprint...answers that. Sad thing is that there is no where for parents to watch their kids or spouses while tubing....At my local mountian and several others where I have tubed...watching is 1/2 the fun. The parents, at some places, drink it up at $5.00 a beer while the kids slide down at $8.00 an hour. Win/win.

As for photos...I keep telling myself to carry a camera...just to catch the cool stuff my kids do when I am with them. But usually when I leave the home, its all about food, clothes, and a spare diaper packed into my back pocket for my daughter. That and the fact that I sat on my brand new 150 dollar camera the first day I got it.....cracked the LCD photo viewer on a swing..oops wrong pocket.

I too would think Gore and Orda would want to take down the old towers...they do not add "history" to the place, they only make it look junkie in my view. I would tend to agree that there would be some folks who would enjoy taking those things down...if Gore could only limit its liability to the yahoos who would likely get hurt doing it. Just watch America's Funniest Videos...I love the barn tear downs.

[Snowballs]

any idea who in the heck Beatty was? as in.........Beatty loved this trail!

It's BETTY, isn't it?

I'm guessing that she's no longer with us

i believe you are correct, on both counts. Still the mystery, who was she?

Gore could drop the old Gondi tower above Hawkeye fairly easy. it's already leaning. fell it like a tree. bzzzzzzzzz.....Timber! then slice and dice. i truly think those two trails, as far down as Hawkeye would be easy to set up and be extremely popular. there's already snow making pipes all around it. the better skiers would absolutely love them. they're steep, narrow, could be left perpetually bumped or one of each and all could watch from the chair. that's always very popular fun, esp. when skiers like Mattchuck2 would be rippin it. these Double Barrel trails would supplement the constant Hawkeye/Chati routine. a completed Double Barrel would be a wonderful low cost addition to the upper mtn.

i once saw a guy and his 4 yr old son ski it. that was amazing! i believe he said his name was Ben and his home schooled son skiied 100+ days per year. that kid would be 10ish now and i bet he rips! future Olympian?

the Bowl lodge location not being near the slopes seems to be keeping w/Gore's Grand Strategy. Flats, Flats, Flats and remote parking. i think i'm starting to to see their intent.......combining a Cardio and upper body workout with skiing saves us the expense of gym memberships! i get it's a shoestring budget for the lodge, but short term convience gives way to long term annoyance and as iskiing pointed out, loss of dollars. poor execution also leads to lack of use, as with the existing Village Chair.

iskiing is right about the watching aspect. at West mtn, many people who don't even ski go to their lodge to wine/dine and watch the skiers as there's an excellent view. that lodge is usually packed with patrons and their stuff is not exactly low dollar. cha-ching.

anybody figure out who the tracks laying Yeti is yet? there's a clue in that post.

[Harvey44]

[jimmer]

betty was an old time gore skier,her name was betty redfield,she grew up skiing old gore,raised her family there and new gore too,the hole family could ski,she remained skiing well after her kids gave it up.she wood poach that trail with us long before it was even a public trail,and this she did well into her 70s.she passed a few years back,she was a member of the backwoods ski club outta gore,hung with chubber,who also passed a few years ago,hell of a guy he was,he could tell ya some stories.theres some really interesting older folks that ski gore alot,hawkeye ed who just had hip surgery,doc,whos 80 something,pete who found out he had cancer last year,still skis when he can,and many more.these guys think its great too see our gang ski,but its us that admire them for there love of skiing,and the time they spend on the hill.truely amazing.

[Snowballs]

and truely well written Jimmer. thanks very much for sharing that. it meant alot to me and i'm sure the others will feel the same way.

she wood poach that trail with us long before it was even a public trail,and this she did well into her 70s

what do you say boys? you gotta love a Gal like that! after i see the Betty sign and then ride the chair up that trail, i often think she musta been a hellluva skier!

Here's to you, Betty Redfield! and to all the other hardy, dedicated skiers who made what we have today possible. we thank you!

This POW's for you.

Thanks again Jimmer.

[I:)skiing]

While I have not seen this phenom so much at Gore, I often see groups of elderly skiers at WF. To say they are having fun is quite the understatement. I have done many runs with the group who I am 1/2 their age. Many were instructors there for quite some time.

As I ride the chair.....I pray that I too will have the physical body to cruise the slopes after 70. I know my mind will still be there...