Alta/Snowbird: 01/27/03 - Epicski Gathering

[jamesdeluxe]

A few pix from the Epicski Gathering at Alta and Snowbird in late January 2003.

We had our own demo setup the next day at Snowbird -- that night it rained all the way to the top of the mountain and froze, East Coast-style. That's Jackson Hole ambassador Bob Peters, second from the left. If memory serves, this was shortly after he relocated back to Jackson following a six-year tour of duty in SLC for a job.

Lunch at Snowbird's Mid-Gad Lodge

Drinks and dinner at The Porcupine at the bottom of BCC:

 

[tseeb]

That was way before I joined EpicSki. My first Gathering was Tahoe in 2012 when Tony Crocker and I shared free room I got at Grand Sierra Reno for 2 nights and attended Phil and Tricia's wedding during powder day on 2/29 in private lodge at top of Zephyr lift. Snow was very thin before the Gathering. My notes show 56" fell over 5 days including 19" reported the day group skied Mt Rose.

 

[jamesdeluxe]

That was way before I joined EpicSki.

2003 in the Cottonwoods was the first organized gathering but the first actual "event" was when a half dozen of us met last-minute in early April 2002 at Deer Valley for a day of spring skiing and a group lesson. This was before the forum was co-opted by PSIA instructors.

 

[Tony Crocker]

That was way before I joined EpicSki.

+1 I joined EpicSki in 2005 but did not attend a Gathering until 2011. That's not a coincidence, as that was my first year of retirement and while working my Canada and Iron Blosam trips had vacation priority. I averaged one Gathering per season (guiding at 3 of them) after that while EpicSki was still in existence.

This was before the forum was co-opted by PSIA instructors.

I've never understood why this was an issue for James. I never followed those threads, while there was much I could contribute to "Resorts, Conditions and Travel" and some "General Skiing" topics. While my TRs were always here, I was probably posting more there from 2014 until Vail pulled the plug May 2017.

 

[jamesdeluxe]

I've never understood why this was an issue for James. I never followed those threads

At first, it was fun to have ski pros providing feedback, tips, etc. To show that it originally wasn't an issue for me, I was part of the planning committee for the inaugural "Epicski Academy" at Stowe in mid-December 2003. With about 25 east coast skiers, it was like a gathering but augmented by a number of instructors who flew in from across the country to provide small-group lessons for two days. I was lucky enough to have well-regarded Stu Campbell as my instructor and he gave me some helpful tips. A few pix from that 10F mid-December weekend:

Juliet with Vail instructor Ric Reiter:

Branded breakfast buffet:

Unfortunately, by 2005 or so, the founder Augie sold the site and the instructor vibe became a bit suffocating, at which point many of the original members bailed, an entirely new group of people who enjoyed the atmosphere joined, and it became huge. Can't remember the exact date, but I started posting on FTO at some point thereafter.

 

[jimk]

Who is the guy in the red EpicSki vest? Who is the guy in later photo with grey EpicSki hat and blue sweater. They look familiar.

I lurked on EpicSki in early 2000s. Later got more involved and met many great people, some I still ski with at chat with on SkiTalk.

 

[Tony Crocker]

I don't recall a "instructor vibe" at in-person Gatherings either, but as mentioned before my first was in 2011. That Gathering included 3 hours with a Vail instructor on challenging terrain in variable conditions.

 

[jamesdeluxe]

Who is the guy in the red EpicSki vest?

That's then-Burlington-based Bennett Greene. In retirement, he was a Smugglers Notch instructor. His Epicski handle was "Oboe" and I still keep in touch with him.

Who is the guy in later photo with grey EpicSki hat and blue sweater.

I'm completely blanking on his name -- very nice guy, based in Park City. Skied with him at DV, Alta, and The Canyons, but lost touch after departing Epicski and haven't seen him in 20 years!

 

[ChrisC]

I do remember the antics of some instructor Harold Harb or something who was constantly giving carving advice.

Found it a bit odd and amusing.

 

[jamesdeluxe]

I do remember the antics of some instructor Harold Harb or something who was constantly giving carving advice.

That was the PSIA vs. PMTS (Harb) instruction war I brought up a few months ago.

 

[ChrisC]

That was the PSIA vs. PMTS (Harb) instruction war I brought up a few months ago.

Something I have no interest in.