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January 05, 2008
Sorting Out The Snowboard Ban
I've organized my thoughts on this whole fascism, segregated, draconian snowboard ban thing, and I think it comes down to this: The skier-only areas operating on private land are in a far more credible position than those operating on public land (i.e. National Forest).
Mad River Glen happens to be one of the private ski areas, owned, uniquely enough, by a cooperative of skiers. Demanding snowboard access to its lifts is misguided and ultimately inconsequential. This is a business. Mad River Glen sells skiing. It’s under no obligation to diversify its product, and insisting so — as Burton is doing with its poaching campaign — is, frankly, un-American.
As a businessman, Jake Burton should know better. He should know not to include private ski areas as targets of his poaching campaign, trying to convince riders that somehow something is being taken away from them, some right denied.
It’s like a skier walking into his office and saying, "You know, Jake, you make such high-quality snowboards, I demand that you start making skis, too. No really, it's unfair, elitist, fascist and draconian that you only sell snowboards. And until you start popping out some skinny sticks, me and the rest of my skier friends are going to make every attempt to poach your manufacturing equipment."
There's just no leg to stand on.
BUT — and this is a very large but — snowboarders have every right to demand access to Taos Ski Valley in New Mexico and Alta in Utah. These ski areas operate with permits on National Forest land. In theory and in practice, we all support the National Forest Service and have ownership in that acreage - snowboarder, snowskater, snowbiker, skier and whatever else.
Taos came to its senses this year and lifted the snowboarding ban. Alta, which receives 500 inches of the finest snow in the world every winter, remains the lone public land holdout.
The distinction is cut and dried. Snowboarders should recognize it and focus all their civil disobedience on the skier-only areas that operate on public land. Now that Alta stands alone in that category, it should be easy to focus their resources on one spot.
When Alta’s Forest Service permit comes due for renewal, that’s when snowboarders should organize an all-out offensive.
In the meantime, Mad River Glen and Deer Valley (the only other private skier-only mountain in the country) should be given the respect they deserve for selling the product they want to sell.
January 5, 2008 at 03:40 PM | Permalink
Comments
I ski at MRG and support the ban on snowboards. It's a choice that has been made by the majority of shareholders and as you mention, is well within their rights.
I would go further though and support Alta's choice as well. They've made a conscious market effort that has paid off. Many people do ski there because there are no borders. Taos was not so fortunate. The so-so winters of the past few years combined with their location (Alta can tap 2 million folks in SLC within 30 minutes time, whereas Albuquerque is 3 hrs)made this a financial decision more than anything else. As you say, Taos and Alta operate on permits, indicating that businesses do not simply have free and total access to the public domain. They open and close on dates specified by the Bureau of Land Management for which they submit an application. Once closed, it doesn't matter whats on your feet, the chairs won't take you to the top, but your welcome to walk. While open, its allowed use is to skiers, not boarders, bikers, motorcycle enthusiasts, horseback riders etc., but its only Mr. Burton who seems to have a problem.
Its odd too that 99.9%(not an official #) of all ski areas already provide access to snowboarders. Mr. Burton will only be happy when he's had access to all of them? Whose the real fascist here and who's greed is a bit overdone?
His latest antics only reinforce the sensibility of the ban at MRG. The current mountain policy results in a unique experience, due in part to access only by skiers and part due to limiting the number of people on the slope at any given time. Its why the only quad you find at MRG is in the men's room!
Posted by: paul | Jan 14, 2008 3:41:29 PM
Of all the ski areas in the country, Mad River is in the best position to withstand any pressure from snowboarders. Alta may soon run into a very real debate about their forest service permit. Deer Valley may soon decide that it makes good business sense to drop the ban. But Mad River, with its cooperative ownership that's focused more on preserving the character of the mountain than raking in profits, could soon be the only holdout. No doubt they would relish the situation. And the fact that they're so close to Burton headquarters would make for a great ongoing stalemate.
Posted by: J Starr | Jan 15, 2008 1:22:47 PM
When is the Alta special operating permit due for renewal?
Posted by: Nate | Feb 4, 2008 5:56:34 PM
Bad news here — not until approximately 2040. It’s a 40-year permit that was renewed in 2003. The thing is, there was public comment during the renewal process and there continues to be occasional comments submitted to the Forest Service on the snowboard ban issue. But Forest Service headquarters in D.C. always responds with the same form letter that says something like, ‘We don’t make business decisions for our permitees,’ and directs people to make their case to Alta itself. So it’s basically a brick wall.
The only hope — short of a change of heart at Alta or from the head of the Forest Service, which a new presidential administration could bring about — is to comment during the Wasatch-Cache National Forest plan update. The forest plan update is when Forest Service officials determine what uses are allowed on which pieces of public land. It is updated every 15 years, most recently in 2003. Public comment is part of the process but expecting a change in policy may be wishful thinking.
Unfortunately, there is no direct avenue for change here unless snowboarders decide to challenge the policy in court, which I wouldn’t put past Mr. Jake Burton.
Check out http://www.fs.fed.us/r4/wcnf/ for more info on the Wasatch-Cache National Forest.
Posted by: J Starr | Feb 5, 2008 5:09:41 PM
There is a new tv channel called The Ski Channel. Be sure to check it out at www.theskichannel.com
Posted by: mike | Apr 19, 2008 4:07:46 PM
