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  #31  
Old February 22nd 10, 06:28 PM posted to rec.skiing.resorts.europe
Ace[_3_]
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Posts: 177
Default Odd

On Mon, 22 Feb 2010 17:46:32 -0000, "MoonMan"
wrote:

Ace wrote:
On Mon, 22 Feb 2010 10:58:39 -0000, "MoonMan"
wrote:

Ace wrote:


Hemel Hempstead for me.

At least it's still there


No it's not. It was just a dry slope when I took a course there.

and Actually quite good snow too!


If you say so. At ukp23 per hour it'd bloody well have to be.


Milton keynes is a similar price, and the snow is crap


Went there a few times when it first opened, as I lived locally. And
yes, it was crap, but the best that was available at the time. I'm
glad to hear that the more modern ones are better, although not,
AFAICT, any cheaper.

--
Ace
Ski Club of Great Britain http://www.skiclub.co.uk/
All opinions expressed are those of the poster and in no way reflect those of the Ski Club or its members
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  #32  
Old February 22nd 10, 06:36 PM posted to rec.skiing.resorts.europe
Pip Luscher[_3_]
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Posts: 44
Default Odd

On Mon, 22 Feb 2010 09:14:33 -0000, "Paul S" PAULatSONIFEXdotCOdotUK
wrote:

Ahh, memories come flooding back of Skew Bridge dry ski slope in the
Northamptonshire mountains. Couldn't believe how slippy the real stuff was
when we went to Italy (Macugnaga?) the following winter.


Yes, that was my impression - incredibly slippery and my first run on
real snow was down a busy track from the top station of the Gornegrat
railway in Zermatt. My confidence took rather a tumble.

--
-Pip
  #33  
Old February 24th 10, 03:03 PM posted to rec.skiing.resorts.europe
Ollie Clark
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 15
Default Odd

Ace wrote:

Went there a few times when it first opened, as I lived locally. And
yes, it was crap, but the best that was available at the time. I'm
glad to hear that the more modern ones are better, although not,
AFAICT, any cheaper.


It depends if you pay standard prices or go for one of the (many)
offers. Castleford is AFAIK around 25 quid an hour but I've never
paid anywhere near that except for lessons. I paid 28 quid for three
hours on Sunday evening.

Cheers,

Ollie
  #34  
Old February 24th 10, 03:32 PM posted to rec.skiing.resorts.europe
Colin Irvine[_4_]
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Posts: 51
Default Odd

On 24 Feb 2010 15:03:12 GMT, Ollie Clark squeezed out the following:

Ace wrote:

Went there a few times when it first opened, as I lived locally. And
yes, it was crap, but the best that was available at the time. I'm
glad to hear that the more modern ones are better, although not,
AFAICT, any cheaper.


It depends if you pay standard prices or go for one of the (many)
offers. Castleford is AFAIK around 25 quid an hour but I've never
paid anywhere near that except for lessons. I paid 28 quid for three
hours on Sunday evening.


I think we pay around £20ish each for two hours and a lunch, at their
wrinklies' sessions.

--
Colin Irvine
  #35  
Old February 24th 10, 04:28 PM posted to rec.skiing.resorts.europe
Roger Moss[_5_]
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Posts: 3
Default Odd


"Ollie Clark" wrote in message
...
Ace wrote:

Went there a few times when it first opened, as I lived locally. And
yes, it was crap, but the best that was available at the time. I'm
glad to hear that the more modern ones are better, although not,
AFAICT, any cheaper.


It depends if you pay standard prices or go for one of the (many)
offers. Castleford is AFAIK around 25 quid an hour but I've never
paid anywhere near that except for lessons. I paid 28 quid for three
hours on Sunday evening.

Cheers,

Ollie


Which, of course, would buy you a whole day's ski-pass in most of the Alpine
areas...

Odd, indeed.

Roger
www.mountainpassions.com - an Online Magazine with Altitude

  #36  
Old February 24th 10, 04:52 PM posted to rec.skiing.resorts.europe
Colin Irvine[_4_]
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Posts: 51
Default Odd

On Wed, 24 Feb 2010 17:28:01 +0100, "Roger Moss"
squeezed out the following:


"Ollie Clark" wrote in message
...
Ace wrote:

Went there a few times when it first opened, as I lived locally. And
yes, it was crap, but the best that was available at the time. I'm
glad to hear that the more modern ones are better, although not,
AFAICT, any cheaper.


It depends if you pay standard prices or go for one of the (many)
offers. Castleford is AFAIK around 25 quid an hour but I've never
paid anywhere near that except for lessons. I paid 28 quid for three
hours on Sunday evening.

Cheers,

Ollie


Which, of course, would buy you a whole day's ski-pass in most of the Alpine
areas...


.... if you had the time and the money to get there.

--
Colin Irvine
  #37  
Old February 24th 10, 05:19 PM posted to rec.skiing.resorts.europe
Ollie Clark
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Posts: 15
Default Odd

Roger Moss wrote:

Which, of course, would buy you a whole day's ski-pass in most of the Alpine
areas...


Yes, which is great if you live 30 minutes away from an alpine area.

Odd, indeed.


Not really. Alpine areas get free snow (mostly) and the slopes were
built for free hundreds of thousands of years ago.

Indoor slopes have to make all their own snow, cool the building and
build the slope themselves.

I think what's odd is how alpine areas can justify charging so much!
  #38  
Old February 25th 10, 12:12 AM posted to rec.skiing.resorts.europe
Ace[_3_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 177
Default Odd

On 24 Feb 2010 17:19:15 GMT, Ollie Clark
wrote:

Roger Moss wrote:

Which, of course, would buy you a whole day's ski-pass in most of the Alpine
areas...


Yes, which is great if you live 30 minutes away from an alpine area.


30 minutes? Hah!

Odd, indeed.


Not really. Alpine areas get free snow (mostly) and the slopes were
built for free hundreds of thousands of years ago.

Indoor slopes have to make all their own snow, cool the building and
build the slope themselves.

I think what's odd is how alpine areas can justify charging so much!


You don't think that the lift systems and the staff to man them might
incur some significant costs as well then? Not to mention piste
preparation, avalanche control, shuttle buses, piste patrol...

--
Ace
Ski Club of Great Britain http://www.skiclub.co.uk/
All opinions expressed are those of the poster and in no way reflect those of the Ski Club or its members
  #39  
Old February 25th 10, 01:17 AM posted to rec.skiing.resorts.europe
Ollie Clark
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 15
Default Odd

Ace wrote:
On 24 Feb 2010 17:19:15 GMT, Ollie Clark
wrote:

Roger Moss wrote:

Which, of course, would buy you a whole day's ski-pass in most of the Alpine
areas...


Yes, which is great if you live 30 minutes away from an alpine area.


30 minutes? Hah!

Odd, indeed.


Not really. Alpine areas get free snow (mostly) and the slopes were
built for free hundreds of thousands of years ago.

Indoor slopes have to make all their own snow, cool the building and
build the slope themselves.

I think what's odd is how alpine areas can justify charging so much!


You don't think that the lift systems and the staff to man them might
incur some significant costs as well then? Not to mention piste
preparation, avalanche control, shuttle buses, piste patrol...


Well yes, but indoor slopes also have to run lifts, pay operators,
"piste patrol" as well; all admittedly on a smaller scale. But they also get
fewer visitors. I don't think any of them are making huge profits.

TBH alpine resorts and indoor slopes probably both charge as much
as they can get away with. Everyone would probably agree that skiing
in the alps would always be prefereable but it's not always practical
for everyone. :-)
  #40  
Old February 25th 10, 09:15 AM posted to rec.skiing.resorts.europe
Roger Moss[_5_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 3
Default Odd


"Ollie Clark" wrote in message
...
Ace wrote:
On 24 Feb 2010 17:19:15 GMT, Ollie Clark
wrote:

Roger Moss wrote:

Which, of course, would buy you a whole day's ski-pass in most of the
Alpine
areas...

Yes, which is great if you live 30 minutes away from an alpine area.


30 minutes? Hah!

Odd, indeed.

Not really. Alpine areas get free snow (mostly) and the slopes were
built for free hundreds of thousands of years ago.

Indoor slopes have to make all their own snow, cool the building and
build the slope themselves.

I think what's odd is how alpine areas can justify charging so much!


You don't think that the lift systems and the staff to man them might
incur some significant costs as well then? Not to mention piste
preparation, avalanche control, shuttle buses, piste patrol...


Well yes, but indoor slopes also have to run lifts, pay operators,
"piste patrol" as well; all admittedly on a smaller scale. But they also
get
fewer visitors. I don't think any of them are making huge profits.

TBH alpine resorts and indoor slopes probably both charge as much
as they can get away with. Everyone would probably agree that skiing
in the alps would always be prefereable but it's not always practical
for everyone. :-)


I can see a whole new thread unfolding here...

It's like Ace says, and a whole lot more, operating cost-wise:
Take snow-making, which isn't just there to compensate for poor cover - it's
vital to lay a decent base for when the snow arrives and thus ensure a good
start to the season. The water it consumes must often be pumped up the
mountain to purpose-built reservoirs, and the power required (although
system efficiency is improving) for snowmaking currently accounts for around
40% of the energy costs of many ski areas. More than lifts, in fact.
Check out the price of installing and maintaining lift systems - real,
mountain-sized ones, lots of them and spread over huge areas in hostile
conditions. Throw in safety tests and inspections, while you're at it. All
this stuff and more goes on in the background so you'll have a safe and
enjoyable skiing experience. And it costs. I've skied with the pisteurs,
emergency services, avalanche teams, etc., and seen first-hand just how big
an investment their work requires.
Final thought: the ski industry is hugely competitive, which tends to keep a
lid on prices (get your pricing wrong and skiers will simply head
elsewhere).
Which is why indoor centres, seen from a mountain perspective, look
over-priced for what they offer.

IMHO, of course...

Roger
www.mountainpassions.com - an Online Magazine with Altitude



 




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