Dave's Blog

Great news :) any other chair openings to report? 14? ;)

Dave's reply: Hi Erik, We'll be working on that.. Nice snow storm tonight is helping things.

Thanks for keeping us informed....Will Chair 8 be running on Wednesday also?  Can't wait.

Dave's reply: Hi John, We're not planning on opening Chair 8 until Saturday. Thanks for your question!

Can you explain some of the benefits for letting Chair 9 terrain 'sit' for a while?

Dave's reply: Hi Chris,  Time allows for the snow crystals to bond, providing more resistance to deterioration and wear. We know lots of happy locals, visitors, friends and family are arriving this week and we want the Chair 9 pod to be in exceptional condition - which it will be. All is good :)

I read your blog every day!  Arriving on Dec. 12 for five days.  What is the status of Chair 10 and its associated runs?  Thanks.....

Dave's reply: Hi Jim, we'd like to have Chair 10 open by at least the 15th. I need to take another tour now that we received some additional snow over the last 48 hours. The last time I skied down Double Cabins (last Tuesday) it was real thin from above Mountain Village Blvd. to the bottom of the lift. We need to move some snow machines from where they are currently working over there. Also, I'm looking at the new weather maps this morning and seeing the possibility for additional snow Monday night which would be great.

Hi Dave, thanks for the news!  Any news on Chair 10 or any other Chairs besides 8 and 9?  Thanks for the info!

Dave's reply: Hi K, We'll be looking at getting 7, 12, 14, and 10, hopefully by 12/15 or so. We'd like to have everything turning by then.

Hi Dave.

Can you give me an update for chait 10 and 12? I always liked to ski the double greens on that side of the mountain. I really like going to the top and skiing Galloping Goose all the way down.

Thanks

Dave's reply: Hi Raquel, See my reply to Jim and K above. We want to get everything going soon. Thanks!

wow thanks buddy!  i just cant wait to ski a freshly groomed chair 9. WTF riley? dont you know people want powder turns when its opened up? groom it later if you must, let people ski it. it sure looked like you enjoyed it ungroomed during your "preview of chair 9". or is grooming going to improve the snow crystals in this pod. get a clue!

Dave's reply: You should know that the lower flats is the area that we really need to make sure holds up - that is what has been holding us up. Also, winch grooming on the steeper terrain will prevent you and others from scraping the snow off down to the dirt and sticks when we put 1,800 people per hour on those runs. Compacting is the way to do that. It's Ski Area Management 101, pal.

IF "good things come to those who wait"  I guess good things won't be coming to you. Your locals aren't arriving here as you answered in one of your blogs, they live here.  Thanks for the hard work.  Godspeed catching your locals on 9 until wednesday.

Dave's reply: Hi Anthony, I think the locals will appreciate the long-term outcome of responsibly approaching the opening of Chair 9. Thanks.

i think you mean ski area micro-management 101, pal.

Dave's reply: touche.

Dave,

Appreciate the update on chair 9.  Rumors were flying yesterday (Sat 12/8), today's my day off, and I would have been bummed if I got up super early to stand in line and find 9 wasn't to open.  So thanks for letting me sleep in a little.

P.S. I'll be calling in sick Wed. :)

Dave's reply: Hi Mas, Thanks for blogging. Unfortunately, I have meetings all day Wednesday which will prevent me from being there also. Oh well..

Dear Dave, an un-enviable position you are in indeed!  Of course...Wednesday Dec. 12!  Brilliant!  Why didn't I think of that?  I look forward to watching this magic compaction take place.  But without a few hundred locals skiing it how will it be done?  Is one of your cats just going to ease its way up stairs and makem, I dont know if they're checked out on that Dave, or is advanced cat driving technique covered in the 101 course too?  It seems you might have missed half of the compaction class, the whole lesson is called "skier compaction".  As entertaining as it would be to watch you and your chronies do it all for us on your exciting new blog, I can think of 1200 paying customers that would really like to help you out.  Interesting start to your first season in Telluride, Dave, your missing a key component to the Ski love triangle.  You see there's the mountain, the tourists, and (here comes the surprise) the locals.  Without the love triangle in place Dave, your success is dubious.   I look forward to reading your blog next year too Dave, hopefully its on Powderhorns website, not ours.  

Dave's reply: Ben, after the potential of some snow on Monday night, the forecast for the next 14 days is pretty dry. I think we'd all like the Chair 9 pod to look better than the Chair 6 pod does right now for the upcoming holiday. On Sunday of this coming weekend compare the two areas and let me know what you think.

I understand the importance of the local, regional, national, and international markets. Thanks.

hey dave...

I'm sitting here drinking my coffee scratching my head...i don't know what to think...

Dave many days ago the people of Telluride were able to see the fantastic front page of The Daily Planet where you where cruising down lift 9 runs.  During that photo shoot you happened to forgot your helmet and gogges...whats up with that?  great example for not only the kids but the helmet advocates!

were you at 6 on saturday???  good snow...but a clusterf**K of people.  I am truelly amazed that you are going to cram every local back on 6 for a second weekend day in a row...are the crystals bonding well there...your the snow expert!! (bonding crystals was Dave's reply to the earlier blog at 9:10 on Sat.)  

listen you jean skiier...i've seen Horning skiing in jeans and i bet you are not far off!!  

get tactful,  say you are holding 9 for the tourists that are coming...or say you just dont want to spend the money to get it open...but dont give me the snow crystals bonding story...

very bummed at Chuck Hornings new hire... "The Hatchetman"

good luck in Telluride...remember  its a small town, and with any luck you will end up chillin' with Ray... thats Ray Jabobi...elsewhere!!!

Dave's reply: Hi RD. I appreciate your passion for the sport but there is no reason to attack people on a personal level. Thank you.

Hey Dave,

Wow.  The sharks are beginning to circle and gnash their teeth this morning...

Seems like the rude awakening of "business as un-usual" isn't sitting well with the loc's, especially those of us in the punch-clock crowd who will be hard-pressed to make the wednesday opening.  Anthony's right - we're here now.  Skier compaction guarantees that the pack won't sugar up before the alleged next storm - so share the wealth, man.  

I'm glad you didn't hang the "Do not open until Xmas" sign on 9, but I admit I'm a little bummed that I'll have to ski an overcrowded Chair 6 again today.  

I have a feeling that those of us who will be hiking up and skiing 9 in late april will see the greatest benefit of this management decision.  That's when the sticks really come out.

On another note, what's the deal with running chair 7 for staff only, and how does that fit in with the whole "sustainable slopes" credo?  

Chair 7 is a valuable access lift for town-side skiers of all skill levels (loc's and tourists alike), and there's 2 major parking areas down here.  Why not let folks ride up and justify the power use?  Man I felt bad for that kid guarding the base of Chair 7 yesterday.  He deserves a 6-pack on Telski.

Cheers,

NCSF

Dave's reply: 7 will open next Saturday. The Gondola is right there. Thanks.

RD I'm one of those tourists coming in Dec 19.  If they are trying to preserve snow conditions for me would that be so horrible?  I get one chance to ski this year, spend 2 grand and drive 12 hours.   You will have how many days to choose from a 100?

Dave's reply: Hi Darren, I'm not viewing this as a us vs. them thing - someone started that earlier but he' not correct. It's an effort to allow the snow to set up for a few days. It will make a positive difference for everyone. Thanks for choosing Telluride for your vacation!

Come on people, lighten up, will ya?  I don't pretend to know anything about snow 'curing' or running a ski resort, but give Dave a break.  This is a multi-million dollar business he's running, and he's got a lot of things to balance here.  Not every decision he's going to make is going to be popular with everyone.  And yes, I'm a local, so I'd like to see 9 open just as much as the rest of you.  And I think all of you would have to admit 6 is running a lit thin in spots now, so if holding off opening 9 for a few days means we aren't going to see the same thing happen there, well then it's probably worth it.  Is that what you were saying Dave?

Dave's reply: Hi Amy - Yes, that is correct! Thanks for your post.

Boy, this blog is getting pretty nasty.  I think I'll just read the updates in the future and skip the comments.  Thanks very much for keeping us informed, and for providing those great pictures!

Dave's reply: Hi Dan, It's just a few people who are really anxious to ski Chair 9. No worries - I'm willing to take a little heat in order to set the resort up for a great season. Thanks for checking in.

Hey Dave! I think you've been doing a great job. These nay-sayers have never been in your position and don't understand the preparation work involved in getting a ski resort properly opened so that the terrain can sustain use and remain open. Imagine how pissy these people would be if you ignored your years of experience on the topic and went ahead and opened 9 prematurely.... only to have to close it a few weeks later because it was scraped bare. This may not have been the way the last guy did it, but maybe that's why he's not around anymore. Keep up the great work! Looking forward to having everything opened PROPERLY when we get there in early January.

PS - It's tough remaining professional in the face of downright criticism and people being unnecessarily rude isn't it? All part of the territory, keep your head up!

Dave's reply: Hi Max. After working in this business for 23 years at 5 ski resorts I'm used to taking a little heat. Certainly, not everyone agrees with resort operational decisions and it is a balancing act. I'm real comfortable with this issue regarding Chair 9. It's going to be exceptionally good skiing and will sustain - that's what I'm focused on. Thanks for your post.

To Telluride 'Locals'

Dave has tried to explain to you that some runs are closed until they are ready - not just for the next few days but to create a good base for the season. It's not all about us - 'The Locals' - it's also about the tourist, who bring a lot of money into the town. Without the tourist myself and other Locals would not make as much money. If you really want to ski some steeps or powder then be a man about it and ski back-country.

If anyone is going off the beaten track I recommend the San Juan Outdoor School run avalanche training - saved my ass.

Keep it up Dave, I'm excited!

Dave's reply: Hi Matt, One thing I want to clarify for everyone - not all "locals" subscribe to the negative comments that were posted at the beginning of this string of comments. I've had several people agree with me today - as you do. We don't want to generalize that our locals are all of one mind. Thanks for your post :)

Hi Dave,

I had a thought, or two, and maybe this will help you understand the local's point of view.  The locals of Telluride are here, for the most part, just because they want to be here.  I've never really known anyone to relocate here for that wonderful job opportunity (with the exception of yourself, of course), or great affordable housing or low cost of living.  We live here because we love it.  We work hard for that season pass; we work at jobs that we don't like, just to be able to have a season pass.  We start counting down the mountain opening from 100 days out.  We hike the mountain before it opens for a few turns.  We bail out of work on a powder day; we ditch school on a powder day.  Some people even write songs and sing about a powder day.  We love the mountain -- it's ours!  Chair 9 is ours and we love it exactly as it is -- not a high speed quad.  We share our mountain, gladly, but it's ours!  And we make Telluride what it is.  Do you get it?  Do you understand?  That's why we want Chair 9 open!!  It's a local thing.

And now that we know what will be open when, I have a question (which is also important to alot of us) -- Halfpipe?  When will it be up?

Dave's reply: I do understand the passion - absolutely. And if a few days of properly preparing our ski slopes on Chair 9 will make for a better surface in the long run - I'd say we're respecting that passion as well as being a responsible ski area - IMHO.

Snowmaking is consumed at this point so the half pipe will have to wait. We're moving guns tonight to hit the bottom of Chair 10 so we can get that and 12 up. It's a sequential thing. Thanks for your post!

Dave, I think your doing a fantastic job. I'll keep you in my prayers and I know everything will turn out fantastic. Have a great day and rest of the year.

PS: Isn't it great how passionate people here are about skiing?

Dave's reply: Hi Sam, Thanks for your kind comments. Yes, it is great that people can't wait for Chair 9 to open! Life is good.

Hi Dave,

Will we have a halfpipe this year?  Yes?  No?  We didn't have one a couple years ago, and it sucked -- for tourists and locals.  Not having a pipe is a deterant for visitors that have kids.  

Thought that since Telski has done away with "Thrill Hill", we'd have more snow making capabilities.  The halfpipe is a popular draw for skiiers and boarders alike.  Halfpipe?

Thank you --

Dave's reply: Hi Freddie, Yes - we will have a super pipe for sure. Just need to get a few things done with the snowmaking equipment first. The fact that we won't have Thrill Hill will help our ability to build it earlier, as you have noted. Thanks.

Dave,

My buddies and i are coming up from phoenix to escape the heat on dec 15th!!LOL But we are wondering what percentage of the slopes will be open?

Dave's reply: Hi Erik, Percentage of slopes is hard for me to estimate but we're working hard to get all lifts operating by this Saturday. It should be great skiing for mid-December. Thanks for checking in!

Dave,

I guess you are starting to understand a little bit about the community that you now call home. Of course your responsibilities as CEO of a minor corporate entity are your main priority and the bottom line always has and always will be the priority of The Telluride Ski Resort. Please just be honest about it.

You may notice that more than a few of your predecessors(um..all of them) have taken an early leave from their position. Maybe the "business as usual" model just doesn't really work for Telluride. We all had more than a little hope that Dave Riley; "real skier" may invoke a sea change that would finally bring the Telluride Ski Area more in line the with the Telluride community. That community includes the locals who buy their passes in July, providing seed money for early expenses, and who provide the infrastructure that makes this destination a special place. That community also includes that many second homeowners and visitors that mean so much to this town. You seem to be continuing the pattern of treating local's as second-class citizens, when in reality, we are all business partneres here.

So Dave, if you really mean to keep the lines of communication open and you want to learn something, then start listening and reacting appropriately. Condescending replies to an educated audience will only deepen the divide. Many of us have skied this mountain for decades longer than you have, and we know how it works. Lift 9 is ready and safe and you are saving it for the ski groups that you made deals with. It is a monetary decision and we all know it, so please have the courtesy to tell the truth. After all, Dave, we are in it together...for now.

Good Luck,

Barb

Dave's reply: Hi Barb, Thanks for your input. Nobody is a second-class citizen. Sorry you don't agree  - have a great season!

Dear Locals,

With out us tourists telluride would be nothing more than a mountain to tube on and since we drive the economy you should just shut up and stop crying!! I've never seen so much whining??

Dave's reply: Whoa there partner!

I think the reason a few people are mad is that many work on weekends and they won't be able to ski Chair 9 on Wednesday when it opens. The weather was really nice this weekend and people were tired of doing laps on Chair 6. By next weekend, this will all pass.

The only thing I am surprised with was the personal attacks - that was just not necessary.

Let's not start a locals verses tourist thing here - we all love to ski and we all need each other for a sustainable resort community :)

SOME of you local ppl are reminding me of MOST of locals at my hometown mountain, Mammoth Mt. in cali. these self righteous people think that whatever they say should go, God forbid if it doesnt. please, we dont need more ppl like the Mammoth locals. they suck. its also funny to see the kids with all this expensive gear but cant ride with a damn, haaaa. well in closeing get off your high horse ppl. if lift 9 isnt ready to be open then it isnt. its only mid-dec.

Dave's reply: Hi Tom, I wouldn't generalize about the "locals" in Telluride or any other resort town in snow country. I've met some really great people here, including many who work right here at the ski company as well as friends in Town and the Village. It was just a few guys that got carried away this morning :)

    Dave,

    We all know that there is enough snow to open

    chair 9 and chair 12.

    It's all about $$$$$$$$$$$$$.

    Thank's for raising the merchant pass for local

    workers 25%.

    New snow packs down better before the moisture

    gets sucked out of it by the cold weather.

Dave's reply: Thanks for sharing your opinion David. Enjoy the ski season!

hi dave,

the same freaks writing about chair 9 are similar to the same people who did not want 91% of the valley floor for free, including school site/hospital and local's housing. they wanted to pay well over $50MM to get the other 9%.

my opinion: chair 9 is OK. gold hill, prospect steeps, ch. 6 and the new hike to terrain is much more than anything 9 will ever be.

these people are freaks.

Dave's reply: Hi Keven, Sorry for deleting the rest of your post, it's just too personal toward others, off topic, and inappropriate for this blog..  Thanks for understanding.

Dave, thanks for taking all of this BS. As you said, in a week it will all be history. Again, thanks and for all the hard work, most of the locals do appreciate what you're doing. See you on the hill and maybe one day we'll convert you to a snowboarder, it's just more fun!:)

Dave's reply: Hi Ronald, Thanks for your support - it's very much appreciated.

we all know your line about the bottom of 9 not being ready is a bunch of crap.  the bottom of 9 has never been in bad shape in all the 10 years i have been here.  next time you want to lie to your customers, at least tell us something we can believe.  don't insult our intelligence.  those of us who have lived here for years know this area. we can't be fooled by your lies.  i skied it last week and it was ready to open.  maybe you should give the decision making back to Jeff, or who ever was doing it before you got here. they were getting it right long before you came on the scene.  if the decision is based on marketing or money just say it.  it is pretty hard to respect a person who lies.

i also have to call your expertise on snow crystals and how they change over time into question.  compaction is the key to keeping the snow on the slopes.  the longer it sits the more it turns to sugar.  the more sugar the higher chance it will slide leaving you with nothing.  maybe you should think of taking an avalache class, like most of the locals have.  this is not Oregon, and the snow is not the same.  i looks like you have a large learning curve ahead of you.

remember one thing Dave.  keeping the locals happy makes for a happy resort and a happy tourist in that order.  we are the ones that they ride up the chair with. we are the bartenders, waiters, and even tel-ski workers.  it is in your best intrest to get it right.

best of luck with the rest of the season, we are counting on you to get it right.

John

Dave's reply: Those comments are way over the top. Please don't call me a liar - you don't even know me.

i understand. c u on the slopes.

Dave's reply: Hi Keven, It's going to be a great season. All is good. Enjoy!

Dave, we appreciate your hard work, good intentions and enthusiasm in taking the reins at Telski.

Thank you also for the blog, it's a great way to get things off our chests.

We don't condone the personal attacks and don't think you deserve them. We're sorry some have been so mean spirited in their posts. Not that it's an excuse but that's what POWDER does to some people. We don't kid when we say it's no joke. It brings out the darker side in some and it scares us too.

That being said, we (some of the people that ski every day, some call us "locals" some call us "freaks") are not buying your reasoning for letting chair 9 sit until wednesday. It's like paying full price for an all you can eat buffet and being told you can't touch the monster crab legs because if you did, they would be gone quicker. "So eat the flank steak, it's great and you can come back for the crab legs another day. By the way, it's going to be great"........well no ____.

Our minivan would be in great shape too if we didn't drive it for the first year.

Dave, we've all paid your price for a season pass, holding back on product now is cheating us. Your reasoning that the 9 pod will be in better shape later in the season is flawed. Live here and ski here for 10+ years and you'll see; when it gets skied down to rocks and sticks, you use rock skis and pay attention! Trying to preserve the snow so it'll last longer is BS, just admit that you're saving it for the tourists.

Now before anyone thinks we're bashing tourists, keep in mind that we live here so that WE can be there when the good stuff hits. WE are the ones who sacrifice a normal life so that we can be in the right place at the right time. WE have earned the right to whine and *** if you hold us back from what we've worked so hard for over the years to get. If tourists want the same benefit, then they need to put their time in just like anyone else. We love our tourist friends and look forward to making many more but we'll be the first ones to tell them that if they want what we have, they need to either live here and be in the powder line early, or they need blind weather luck, otherwise they'll get our leftovers. It's as simple as that.

Granted, tourists help enrich our lifestyles  here in many ways but keep in mind, we aren't slaves to them. If the tourists quit coming, sure the lifts might shut down. What would be left are the people that have the PASSION that you love to talk about. We wouldn't be moving, we'd be hiking and snowmobiling the same slopes. We'd eak out a living somehow because moving wouldn't be an option; we've made this place home and we love to ski our mountain. We didn't come here for a job. Do you see what we're saying?

Some of us are forty years old and tuning skis/waiting/bartending/etc. for a living. We don't do this because we're too stupid or unmotivated to do anything else. We've got college educations. My point is that some of us refuse to put skiing on the backburner EVER (family comes first, of course). We work night jobs to ski everyday. We are living our lives the way we want and we don't make concessions due to a "job" even if it pays really well. Doing so would be what we call "selling out." Please understand that we're not putting down people like yourself that work important day jobs. Everyone has choices to make and we're sure your position is fun, challenging, dynamic and rewarding (when you get to eat crab legs while everyone else is eating flank steak.) But that's your choice. We appreciate the "hard workers" that sacrifice the things they like to do in their free time to help keep the machine running. We however prefer skiing whenever the ____  we want.

You are correct that you have a fantastic staff, we hope that you would let the people that have worked at Telski for years do their jobs and take any advice they might have to offer. Your predecessor (we'll call him "Lobster Claw" to keep it from getting too personal) was really into micro-management. He'd come into our restaurant, look around and tell us how much experience he had in fine dining. It was a good act until we had to finally tell him that it's a faux pas to stick your fingers into used glasses to get them to the dishwasher. Thus "Lobster Claw."

Trust your Ski Patrol. Trust Proteau.

From reading your replies to many posts, we feel you are a good person with great intentions and we really want to see you succeed in your new job. We sincerely hope that your family is happy here and that you guys stay for a long time. We really hope you see our post as constructive criticism as opposed to a whiney rant.

Wednesday is coming up quick and all will be forgotten soon, all we ask is that next year, let Ski Patrol make the call on when to open things up.

We can't stress enough how bad you need locals on your side because we do not have the masses that many other resorts have. We define this town and as much as we need to respect you in your new job, you need to respect us as well.

Thanks again for making this forum available,

BDF

Dave's reply: Thanks for expressing your opinion in a professional manner. That certainly gets my attention much more successfully. I'd like to comment on a couple of things.

My style is to encourage input and listen in order to make better decisions. Why else would I host a blog forum in Telluride or operate a company with 800 employees hosting thousands of customers? I do trust (and genuinly like) the Ski Patrol Department and Jeff Proteau, and I listen carefully to them and others in the organization and outside the organization. That does not mean I transfer my responsibility as CEO to them though.

Sometimes I have to make decisions that don't please everyone perfectly. I'm balancing a lot of different needs and expectations from more stakeholders than many people can imagine. I have to make decisions which are in the best overall interest of all the stakeholders.

I do understand the importance of, and respect, the local community and my employees. The fact is that in the course of a season or a year, decisions will be made that are contrary to some peoples wishes. It has happened in the past and will happen in the future. It's just the nature of the beast. It doesn't matter who the CEO is of Telluride Ski and Golf, there will be decisions that are sometimes unpopular with particular stakeholder groups or individuals.

I've learned over the years that running a ski area almost has a "quasi-municipal" feel to it because so many people have a strong sense of ownership in their local resort, which is great. You expressed that in your own words above. But, the fact is that 99% of the ski areas out there are private companies. As a result, in many ski towns the "ski corporation" is the whipping post - much like many town councils or county commissions.

Think of it this way, if a local restaurant made a policy or product change that you didn't like, you'd just quit going there. When it comes to the your local ski area - that's not a choice - we have to ski - so some people just get nasty. That can accumulate over time to the point where things are no longer fun and some people are just plain grumpy. I saw this several years ago in Jackson Hole. You'd go into the Moose or the Calico after work and there sat a bunch of grumpy people whining away about nothing even though they had the world by the tail. I also saw this in Breckenridge when I lived there. Hopefully people are happy there these days.

We who live in Telluride have so much to be happy for - my question is this - why not relax and enjoy what we have more? Knowing there will be bumps in the road, decisions that are unpopular, why let the crud accumulate in the soul? We have the world by the tail in Telluride and it's an incredible resort and lifestyle! Honestly, some of the people who have posted on this blog seem so unhappy that I'm seriously concerned about their mental and physical health.

Ultimately, my objective is to listen to all the stakeholders and my team members, combine that input with my own experience, put it all into the context of our company goals, and make the best decisions I can. Additionally, I'm planning on having fun living with my family in Telluride - in spite of some who will try really hard to suck me into their unhappy world.

Thanks for your input - it does help! Have a great week and enjoy Chair 9 on Wednesday! :)

I asked this question in the wrong blog so Ill ask again here.

Will the Tride Trail be open from The Gondola to Lower Lookout for access to the bottom of Lift 9 or is the access point to the 9 pod going to be through the Lift 6? Thanks

Dave's reply: I posted the answer to the first. Click there.

Dave:

Great Blog. Great job. Great personel changes at Telski (hires and fires).

What's with the selfish, predatory with a 'holyier than thou' attitude of the vocal local minority. Maybe they should have bought Telski with the 50MM.

Economy 101: 1,000 locals scamming season passes at major discounts vs. 400,000 or so visitor skier days  paying retail numbers. Please, give me a break with the seed money. Are you kidding.

Economy 102: Keeping 9 closed for a little longer would actually help the ski area; the locals might actually show up for work to provide the much needed "infrastructure" mentioned above. ;-)

Dave, you are right to try to find a balance. We all love Telluride and the Mountain and I for one appreciate your long term view. Keep up the good work.

Dave's reply: Hi Lou, I have to say that I sure didn't expect the vituperation over the plan to build a great base in the Chair 9 pod. All is good though. I'm looking forward to exceptionally great conditions for the long-term as a result.

Welcome Dave to the highly emotionally charged town of Telluride. I'm sure that you already love it here and I'm equally sure you and your family will grow to love it more. That will always be your common ground with the vociferous locals. I'm on my 25th ski pass here this year and am good friends with many of your staff. I would just like to suggest ski packing the MAKM reef from the bottom up prior to opening it, or it will be exposed all winter. (It is always bony to varying degrees) I'm sure you could easily round up some of these locals (me included) to take a few powder turns on Mammoth which could be paid for in turn by then ski or boot (in the case of snow boarders)packing back up the reef. I couldn't exactly tell what part pulled out in the photo blog, but if it was the reef, this will be really important. Welcome to Telluride and have a great season.

Dave's reply: Hi Steve, I'm informed that Ski Patrol Ski packed the reef over the weekend. Thanks for the offer though.

Geeez people....enough! Just enjoy the slopes. You could be fighting in a war or something...it is just skiing....... Dave, I love your blog and the beautiful pictures...... Keep up the great job.

Dave's reply: Hi Sandy, It was awesome today. I'll post a new blog this afternoon with more pictures. Stay tuned!

Hey DAVE--I am a 51 y.o. doctor who has been on the Telluride mtn since 1985 & I am blunt.

   It was boneheaded & nonsensical to open lift 9 & NOT OPEN an egress from lift 9.We who were there this AM waited 45 minutes to get loaded & it was a zoo.I have never in all my years seen it so bad.The lift is old & "went down" multiple times thru out the day.If we could have "ESCAPED" down "cat's paw" or even walked up to "easy out" at the bottom of "Lookout" it would have been OK:folks who were unwilling to wait that long or had to return to work or their breastmilk hungry babies COULD have.

  As it WAS we were all STUCK.I advise you to heed the advice of the ski patrol.They are the experts on the mountain;you are not.My friends & I are going to start calling you Dave "RUMSFELD" Ryan if YOU DO NOT START TO HEED THE ADVICE OF YOUR GENERALS!!!!!!!!!

    PLEASE---NO MORE MORASSES ON THE MOUNTAIN BECAUSE YOU HAVE NOT PROPERLY THOUGHT OUT YOUR PLAN!!!!   respectfully,Dr.Peter

Dave's reply: Hi Peter. Thanks for sharing your thoughts and opinions. I did not unilaterally decide to keep the lower mountain closed - it was a recommendation based on the need to make snow on those slopes first. The equipment is mobilized and it won't take long with the nice cold temperatures.

No need to get nasty with personal attacks..