Manitoba Mountain, Spirit of the Kenai

[soulskier]

Mountain Rider's Alliance has launched the website for their minimalist ski area on the Kenai Peninsula of Alaska

http://www.skimanitobamountain.com/

[jamesdeluxe]

The website looks great.

[EMSC]

FYI, I am getting the following error: "Error establishing a database connection" when i try clicking on any other pages/links (FF 3.6.17)

[soulskier]

MANITOBA MOUNTAIN: SMALL FOOTPRINT, BIG POTENTIAL

http://www.saminfo.com/news/article.php?tid=5074

Ski Area Management, May 26, 2011

[Tony Crocker]

Soulskier continues to hype the 10,000 acres. How many acres are lift/gravity traverse/Alta-type ~5 minute hike accessible? How many acres will be avalanche controlled by patrol?

[q]

I like the website and I wish you success.

However, for once I actually agree with Tony. I think "With three surface lifts, the ski area will offer access to more then 10,000 acres of legendary Chugach terrain" is misleading as it does infer that those 10000 acres are either lift served or very easily accessed from the lifts as is the case at Powder Mountain, Utah,

I would say very few will be patrolled and I'm keen to learn what the policy will be out there.

[EMSC]

Read their website. 1,000 acres of in-bounds and the 10K acres number is "within a 2 hour hike". Looking at the pictures on the website (which now works for me obviously), I'd have to wild guess that maybe an additional 500 to 1,000 acres are available with a short (15 min or less) hike. Wild guess on my part though.

[Tony Crocker]

"within a 2 hour hike"

does not cut it for me as reasonable marketing. It's blatantly misleading IMHO. How many North American ski areas have more than 10,000 acres of ski terrain within a 2 hour hike from the lifts? A lot I would suspect.

[soulskier]

"within a 2 hour hike"

does not cut it for me as reasonable marketing. It's blatantly misleading IMHO. How many North American ski areas have more than 10,000 acres of ski terrain within a 2 hour hike from the lifts? A lot I would suspect.

Maybe a better question is how many ski areas have Heli-Skiing type terrain accessible directly from their lifts?

[Marc_C]

"within a 2 hour hike"

does not cut it for me as reasonable marketing. It's blatantly misleading IMHO. How many North American ski areas have more than 10,000 acres of ski terrain within a 2 hour hike from the lifts? A lot I would suspect.

Maybe a better question is how many ski areas have Heli-Skiing type terrain accessible directly from their lifts?

Oh, please get serious and quit bullshitting us. Using that criteria, all four Cottonwood Canyon resorts in UT....and without a two hour hike. That much of a hike would give you almost all of Wasatch Powder Birds permit area. A two hour hike is not lift accessible for any but the most deluded.

[soulskier]

Oh, please get serious and quit bullshitting us. Using that criteria, all four Cottonwood Canyon resorts in UT....and without a two hour hike. That much of a hike would give you almost all of Wasatch Powder Birds permit area. A two hour hike is not lift accessible for any but the most deluded.

When you come visit, I'll break trail.

[Tony Crocker]

Maybe a better question is how many ski areas have Heli-Skiing type terrain accessible directly from their lifts?

In addition to MarcC's examples, Jackson, Bridger, Squaw/Alpine/Sugar Bowl, Crystal come to mind. Within 2 hours hike above the lifts, you can see some amazing terrain at Telluride. For that matter I'll bet icelantic can get to that level of terrain in the Presidential Range of NH within 2 hours.

I am on record here of wishing for Manitoba Mountain to succeed. But I really, really despise over-the-top marketing hype and wish soulskier would cut it out.

[Geoff]

Maybe a better question is how many ski areas have Heli-Skiing type terrain accessible directly from their lifts?

In addition to MarcC's examples, Jackson, Bridger, Squaw/Alpine/Sugar Bowl, Crystal come to mind. Within 2 hours hike above the lifts, you can see some amazing terrain at Telluride. For that matter I'll bet icelantic can get to that level of terrain in the Presidential Range of NH within 2 hours.

I am on record here of wishing for Manitoba Mountain to succeed. But I really, really despise over-the-top marketing hype and wish soulskier would cut it out.

They're also hyping 3BL for a business that has never shown a penny of profit. Are all employees getting health insurance, dental, long term disability? Are all employees getting paid a living wage? Are the employees getting education benefits? Is the business truly green? Can I take public transportation to get there or do I have to spew emissions from my car to get there?

[soulskier]

Maybe a better question is how many ski areas have Heli-Skiing type terrain accessible directly from their lifts?

In addition to MarcC's examples, Jackson, Bridger, Squaw/Alpine/Sugar Bowl, Crystal come to mind. Within 2 hours hike above the lifts, you can see some amazing terrain at Telluride. For that matter I'll bet icelantic can get to that level of terrain in the Presidential Range of NH within 2 hours.

I am on record here of wishing for Manitoba Mountain to succeed. But I really, really despise over-the-top marketing hype and wish soulskier would cut it out.

The top lift puts you on the doorstep of some of the rowdiest, big mountain skiing on the planet, not to mention a reliable snowpack. As discussed earlier, there is a segment of the ski population that are currently not having their needs met. Furthermore, the up and coming kids are going to need bigger mountains to play in, as the talent level is quicky increasing in today's youth. With the exception of Silverton, no other ski area is really filling this niche.

Terrain like directly outside Manitoba's backcountry gate normally requires a helicopter or a big approach, often in deep powder (not easy). Also, the uniqueness of the zone is that all the terrain filters back to the base or to the Seward highway.

The out of bounds experience would be something comparable to Chamonix or La Grave, where you may only ski a few descents per day, but they are like mini-expeditions. The mind set is totally different than banging out laps at a typical ski resort. It's not for everyone, and likely not for many readers of this forum, which is perfectly OK.

The other ski resorts mentioned simply are not in the same league, with respect to big, sustained steep terrain. To suggest that there is comparable terrain in the Presidential Range (or anywhere in the lower 48) is inaccurate. In fact, the terrain in Alaska, from an expert level/big mountain skier's stand point is in a league of it's own.

Please note, I am not trying to be elistist. I am trying to explain that what we are proposing at Manitoba Mountain, from out of bounds skiing standpoint, will be a game changer in North America.

[jamesdeluxe]

Can't remember if I already asked this, but I'm curious how much Soul Skier has been in touch with Aaron/Jen Brill -- what he's learned from Silverton and how he's applying it to Manitoba.

I have no clue how much of the spaghetti that's being thrown at SS in this forum will turn out to be true, but it's fascinating to see how people here seem to be taking this ski area as a personal affront, as if he'd insulted their mothers. Even if some of his statements here are proved to be delusional or unrealistic, I salute the fact that he's putting his money/time/effort where his mouth is instead of just complaining about the status quo over and over.

For example, my brother owns a high-end stereo store in Greenwich Village. Talk about bad timing, it opened five days before 9/11. The problem with this kind of bricks-and-mortar setup is pretty obvious -- people can use his store as a listening room, pump him for information, and then order the components on the internet/Craig's List for significantly less. I have no idea how he's stayed alive, especially if you note that most stereo stores have gone the way of the dodo bird, but the business is approaching its tenth anniversary and doing well. Everyone, including me, told him he was nuts, but he had a vision and created an unlikely niche.