night skiing!!

[fet123]

It is very strange for me that all the resorts in near Denver close at 4, except for keystone. Growing up on the east side I grew up in night skiing and I enjoy it to the max, for me night skiing is just as fun or even more than day skiing. Well the question is this how come they all close so early is there a specific reason? I might guess the cold weather but not sure, since I done night skiing at very low temperatures and still managed to have fun. Any ideas of why they close so early?

[Andy H.]

Because after a full day of skiing the epic resorts we have out here, no one can still stand after 4 pm.

[COUNT]

Keystone started night skiing waaay back in the day (I think '78 was there first year with it). I think the main reason nowhere else has added it is the huge cost of getting it going, especially at large areas. Night skiing works great at small areas and Keystone is able to shut down everything but the frontside. But everywhere else, you've got to put a lot of money into lights, lift ops, ski patrol (imagine sweeping at Vail, let alone in the dark), etc., etc. Plus it makes the scheduling for grooming and snowmaking much more difficult. Also, there has to be the demand for it. SolVista used to have nightskiing but they weren't turning a profit with it so they stopped and just do it once a month now (as of last season). Keystone doesn't lose as much because they are already running the Gondola 21 hours a day for the world class restaurants on the mountain (Fondue der Chessel and The Stube).

COUNT

[couloircat]

I would imagine it's partly due to permitting issues. When Vail first opened "Adventure Ridge" they applied to have night skiing in the lionshead portion of the mtn but were denied a permit from the forest service since the light would negatively impact the local wildlife which is largely nocturnal. They were allowed to night ski at the very top of the gondola but as it's all very flat in the area they were allowed to night ski no one was into it. They even had a halfpipe available for the bro brahs but once again way to flat... but that's kinda how vail is Flat.

[fet123]

Originally Posted by couloircat

I would imagine it's partly due to permitting issues. When Vail first opened "Adventure Ridge" they applied to have night skiing in the lionshead portion of the mtn but were denied a permit from the forest service since the light would negatively impact the local wildlife which is largely nocturnal. They were allowed to night ski at the very top of the gondola but as it's all very flat in the area they were allowed to night ski no one was into it. They even had a halfpipe available for the bro brahs but once again way to flat... but that's kinda how vail is Flat.

Now that makes much more cense, because i would imagine some othe people would like to night ski, but the wild life reson seems quite respectable "i guess". Thanks guys

[liam dunn]

if u like park, echo mountain

[fet123]

Originally Posted by liam dunn

if u like park, echo mountain

Yeah I saw that one supposly its openning this year or something, but im not crazy about park, thanks anyway

[Geezer]

Eldora used to do it way before Keystone did. We used to go up there in the early '70s but - they did not get enough people up there to support the costs involved and they quit doing it. I guess not enough customer base from Boulder and Denver folks didn't want the 2 lane drive up the canyon at night.

[soylent green]

You can still see lights nailed to the trees up at the old Happy Jack ski area near Vedawoo. I musta sucked.