Valiens

 

Well Vail has spoken and the 9990 gate is closed for good.  They have thrown us an access bone to our public lands and left the Peak 5 gate open at all times for those who can navigate the obstructions and negotiate to the safe skiing.  We locals were not invited to the table for discussion but neither was the ski patrol, from what we have heard.  The stake holders were the corporate share holders, and maybe an accountant and a lawyer or two.  Its too bad since we might have agreed with them on this decision and then they would have had transparency as well as local and patrol buy-in and not our heightened disdain or dissent. 

We get It that it was a safety decision for the loss of life up there is unacceptable, but it was not a binary decision.  The 9990 gate cold have been equipped with a screening mechanism or the ski-patrol could have regulated it to prevent the uninformed or ill-equipped from using it during unsafe times.  Or the Peak 5 gate may be more dangerous.  Instead, the qualified and compliant are being punished for the actions of the unqualified and non-compliant. 

It won’t hurt Vail even if all 1800 signees of our Petition for Meaningful Discussion didn’t buy a pass this year but they are losing an important population of those who created that resort’s vibe. We did not invent this mountain town lifestyle, but we perfected it.   Park West, Pork Worst. Wolf Mountain, The Can or Park City, it does not matter what you call it, It’s about the people.  Vail needs us on that ridge line, they want us on that ridge line.  Every skier on that mountain would look up at those fine backcountry lines and think to them selves that they too could ski there, even if they never did.  Now they will look up at empty bowls with avalanche fences on them and wonder; what are they really for if not for ultimate powder skiing.  Isn’t that what it is all about. 

We don’t want our money back, we want our mountains back.  We want our town name as well as it’s reputation of low key, world class powder skiing.  Skiing at the Canyons has now become prosaic and pedantic instead of being world class like they advertise.  Weekend and holidays are off limits and Powder days are now a crowded joke where if you can get on the mountain by 1100 it is all skied out by those who have better credentials.  There is no public access to the local backcountry and public lands and we are forced to drive into the gridlock of the Wasatch Front or out to the Uintas for long approaches and alternative fall lines. 

Vail’s gifts to our community are greater density developments, crowded slopes and roads, and a ‘Je ne sais quoi’ attitude towards our local thoughts and opinions.  We made our Faustian deal with the devil for their cheap season ski passes and found that everyone in town has one, not to mention Salt Lake City, Colorado, LA, New York, Switzerland, and Australia.  Their hostile takeover of our resorts has resulted with us as the vanquished, relegated to the backseat with nothing to say.  It’s either that or pack our little boxes and get out.   Is that being a good neighbor?  Now as they parcel out their inholdings they are asking for bigger buildings, higher densities and less restrictions along with better busses, parking, roads and services.  Its like they own the place.  And maybe they do.

Vail is the biggest employer in town but they impose their will with impunity.  We are only a small handful of interested skiers that are easy to ignore but we believe our politicians and leaders should step up to this corporation on land access and other issues, in a public forum where it is not so easy to ignore the will and wishes of the people.  This is not a company town yet and only good conversations and communication will keep it that way.  Keep this in mind next November when we determine who will have these conversations.   It is time for our public officials to stand up to the bully corporate ski industry to give voice to their constituents to save our quality of life and the soul of our town.