Who else lives for WIDE slopes?

[SWriverstone]

After several years of carving (and improving each year)...I have NOT noticed a change in my outlook that seems expected of every carver—specifically, a gradually increasing preference for steeper and narrower slopes.

In fact, my preference is for somewhat the opposite: moderately steep, extremely wide slopes are my favorite!

Obviously carving means something different to everyone. And as with most other outdoor sports (particularly gravity sports), the common rule is that as you get better, you require more extreme terrain to get the same degree of fun/adrenaline rush/satisfaction.

I seem completely exempt of this rule. :)

At my local resort (Whitetail in PA)...my favorite slope is actually a green. I love it because it's wider than a football field and has long, gentle rollers in the terrain.

Though I ride the steeper blues all the time, I always love this wide green slope the most. I love it because...

• I have all the time in the world between turns/edge changes—no worries at all about a treeline rushing at me...

• In the overall sequence of moves that make up a carving run, my favorite moments are actually between turns—not during them. I love just racing along on one edge across the slope and seek to maximize those moments...

• I love riding across the slope at high speeds (as opposed to down the slope at high speeds)...and I enjoy the challenge of carrying as much speed as possible through those long, cross-slope carves on one edge...

• I love the incredible choice I have on really wide slopes: I can create completely new lines on every run, just by virtue of the acres of sloped real estate to work with on wide runs...(you tend to follow the same paths on narrower slopes)

I've always been a contrary person, so maybe that's part of it too (I enjoy being the one guy who still loves the "wimpy slopes" while everyone else is jonesing for the steep narrow stuff.)

Anyone else feel the same?

Scott



•

[b0ardski]

Actually I prefer steep, narrow, powder filled slots through tight trees & rocks since the eighties.

[SWriverstone]

Clearly I'm in the minority. That's cool—it's fine with me. :)
Scott

[Buell]

I like groomers that are twisty, rolling, and fairly steep at uncrowded resorts. I really like banks on the sides. If it is more crowded, I like them more open so I can see the straight liners coming.

Warm Springs at Sun Valley is the best run I have seen. Three thousand vert and a little of everything!:biggthump

[zoltan]

I agree, and that green/blue at Whitetail is my favorite as well.

What do you ride? I'm usually up there every weekend.

[pokkis]

Something like this nice easy 30 degree slope :ices_ange
http://www.ojankaivajat.org/gallery/albums/userpics/10001/Vangslia1.JPG

[SWriverstone]

Heck yes pokkis! :biggthump That looks like total paradise. :1luvu:

Hi zoltan—I'm almost always at Whitetail on either Saturday or Sunday mornings (sometimes both). I always get there early (8am) and am usually gone by 10:30-11am or when lift lines appear (whichever happens first).

I'll look for you! I ride a yellow Donek Freecarve (and wear a yellow & black jacket). I'll probably be there this Friday morning (Xmas Eve).

Scott

[valsam]

If you ride long boards with huge scr's then moderately steep, extremely wide slopes are for you!!!!
If you ride steeper and narrower slopes then shorter boards with smaller scr's are the way!

[Mike T]

I heart steep and wide- something that my home mountain (Mt Bachelor) doesn't have much of. Just the middle part of T-Bird and Beverly Hills... but the latter needs a good 10 foot base to not kill your board.

[scrutton]

I like em too...love going fast across the mountain, using all of the slope width.

[KingCrimson]

Taking a break during your turns is a good way to get hit.

I think it's absolutely horrible slope etiquette to unnecessarily burn up the run in traverses. Even as a hardbooter, it's impossible to time your overtake safely when someone is playing that game.
:lurk:

[Bobby Buggs]

Pokkis, Damn thats the place I see in my dreams :1luvu:
The only bad part is riding those surface lifts

[Jeffrey Day]

Warm Springs at Sun Valley is the best run I have seen. Three thousand vert and a little of everything!:biggthump

Amen to that brother!! Warm Springs has some interesting light too!

[mellowjonny]

Warm Springs @ Sun Valley is 3240' of sweetness!:1luvu:

[bobdea]

Taking a break during your turns is a good way to get hit.

I think it's absolutely horrible slope etiquette to unnecessarily burn up the run in traverses. Even as a hardbooter, it's impossible to time your overtake safely when someone is playing that game.
:lurk:

yeah, I concur but at the same time I sometimes do it.

[sabestian]

I need as wide/narrow a slope as my scr allows. Plus maybe a few yards as a safety margin, no need for more. I like to ride in a carve exclusively, if I could eliminate the time needed for the edge change, I would.

I don't like people traversing at high speeds. But they have right to do that and if I run into them coming from behind - it's all my fault. For me it is a waste of potential energy. Each to their own, as far as it is safe.

[jp1]

I'm with you Scotty! But I have an excuse, I'm too old, fat and lazy :), and I want my $$ worth, so I want to use the whole trail !
But man them Bowls (what trails?) out there in Colorado :D Country are the SWEETEST !!

[pokkis]

Pokkis, Damn thats the place I see in my dreams :1luvu:
The only bad part is riding those surface lifts
Surface lifts rule :ices_ange
- even with bad weather they can be run
- some people dont like them so there is more room on slope

[sabestian]

Surface lifts rule :ices_ange
- even with bad weather they can be run
- some people dont like them so there is more room on slope

It is so true :lol: I remember well the fun I had on a relatively small slope with surface lift. Plus it was raining! All of the mountain for me and my friend exclusively! They were starting the lift only for us to get up the slope, then turning it off again... Of course that we were soaking wet after a few hours. So? :1luvu:

[SWriverstone]

Taking a break during your turns is a good way to get hit.

I think it's absolutely horrible slope etiquette to unnecessarily burn up the run in traverses. Even as a hardbooter, it's impossible to time your overtake safely when someone is playing that game.
:lurk:

I dunno...them's fightin' words! :AR15firin :)

Like Sabestian said...there's no getting around the Cardinal Rule of the Slopes: if you're uphill, it's your responsibility to avoid. Period. End of discussion.

I know this is a whole 'nother thread that's happened here on BOL before...but I'm continuously amazed at what feckin' morons people are about this. I mean, I'm below them, in plain view, going...

back...and forth...back...and forth...
back...and forth...back...and forth...
back...and forth...back...and forth...
back...and forth...back...and forth...

across the width of the slope. And then when they catch up to me, they all suddenly disconnect their brains and expect me to suddenly go...

backandforth
backandforth
backandforth
backandforth
backandforth
backandforth

It's a level of idiocy I can't comprehend. :smashfrea

Scott

[zoltan]

Hi zoltan—I'm almost always at Whitetail on either Saturday or Sunday mornings (sometimes both). I always get there early (8am) and am usually gone by 10:30-11am or when lift lines appear (whichever happens first).

I'll look for you! I ride a yellow Donek Freecarve (and wear a yellow & black jacket). I'll probably be there this Friday morning (Xmas Eve).
Yup, I do the same. There by opening, and gone by noon.

I'm planning on being there Friday morning as well. :biggthump

[b0ardski]

back...and forth...back...and forth...
back...and forth...back...and forth...
back...and forth...back...and forth...
back...and forth...back...and forth...

across the width of the slope. And then when they catch up to me, they all suddenly disconnect their brains and expect me to suddenly go...

backandforth
backandforth
backandforth
backandforth
backandforth
backandforth

It's a level of idiocy I can't comprehend. :smashfrea

Scott[/quote]

It is a bit like the description of insanity... ...expecting different results:smashfrea

[Dr D]

I am a wide run junkie too. some of the most fun is on the greens and blues with rollers and a wide variance in terrain. I love to ride those rollers like waves. sometimes you just gotta surf the planet:biggthump

[pokkis]

Here another of my favourites with lots of variety and wide
http://www.ojankaivajat.org/gallery/albums/userpics/10001/Stolen4.JPG