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KneeBinding: Thoughts and Suggestions
As an avid skier having undergone 2 ACL surgeries, the KneeBinding is of particular interest to me and it is likely that I will purchase a set for my next pair of skis.
There have been several reasons why I have yet to purchase a KneeBinding and several suggestions that would make me more likely to purchase in the future.
1. More Hard Data
The concept of the KneeBinding seems good, in that it provides an extra point of release (lateral heal to the inside) that may help to reduce ACL injuries by up to 70%, but there has not been enough data collected regarding current KneeBinding users or testers to substantiate these claims scientifically. This may just be a matter of time, but my first suggestion would be
A. Offer incentives/discounts to those willing to be a part of a study on the effectiveness of the Kneebinding.
This could include reporting back online each week how many days you skied, binding used and any injuries that occurred.
Alternatively, it could be done at the retail level where the retailer is able to offer a certain "Scientifice Study" discount as long as the customer agrees to report back/be contacted once or twice a year with the amount of time they skied, etc.
I realize that there are many consumers who would not want to be bothered with this, but those who are interested enough to spend the extra money to protect their knees might also be more likely to be willing to go the extra mile to see if there is a statistical advantage.
2. Mounting Plate option (or something similar as seen on the Railflex bindings) to:
A. Allow the binding to be properly adjusted for different size boots which would allow for it to be more easily tested as part of a demo or rental fleet.
B. Allow the binding to be easily rotated from "left" to "right" to avoid uneven wear on skis.
C. Allow 1 set of KneeBindings to be transferred to different skis in a quiver as long as they all had the plate installed. This saves space when travelling and cost for getting protection on multiple skis.
D. Allow the binding to be moved to different positions on the ski (like the Marker Schizo), something expert skiers like to be able to get dialed into the correct mounting position or to change position based on terrain and/or snow conditions.
KneeBindings are not 100% guaranteed to prevent ACL injuries, but adding an extra release point seems like it might be a step in the right direction to help reduce the number of ACL injuries that occur each year. Let's hope that companies like KneeBinding can work together with skiers and make as many safety improvements to the sport as possible.
Colorado Lift Ticket Deals
Whether you are skiing or snowboarding for a single day, week or an entire season, it pays to plan ahead when purchasing lift tickets or season passes. Those that show up empty handed at the lift ticket window will pay top dollar, while those that buy ahead of time will save money.
Here are some of the deals currently available for the Summit and Eagle county (aka I-70) resorts in Colorado.
4 days or less, options include:
Loveland transferable 4 pack for $129. TRANSFERABLE, so a group of 4 can all ski there the same day...one of the least crowded resorts you will find anywhere, lots of snow, good mix of terrain, easy parking, 20 minutes from Chalet Frisco to the lifts. Purchase online at http://www.skiloveland.com/ticketsandpasses/4pak.aspx (or in person and get a $10 discount)
Copper Mountain is currently selling a 4 pack in person (or renew online) http://coppercolorado.com/winter/plan_and_buy/season_passes/fourpack) for $139. Later they will likely sell their 4 pack online for about $220. They also have lots of 2 for 1 and other deals/coupons throughout the season.
A-Basin has less expensive daily tickets, a 4 pack (with Keystone) and other deals/coupons can usually be found.
Breckenridge/Keystone/Vail/Beaver Creek- savings for online purchases (single and multi-day), employee buddy passes for $45 and friends of pass holder tickets from $59 or $69
5+ day options include:
Mix and match above.
Copper Mountain Season Pass for $369 (throw in Winter Park for another $40 with the Rocky Mountain Super Pass or $90 for Winter Park plus 6 days at Steamboat with the Rocky Mountain Super Pass Plus)
Arapahoe Basin Bonus Pass for $369 (unlimited A-Basin plus 5 days at Breckenridge and Keystone, one of which that can be used at Vail or Beaver Creek). A great way to sample a variety of resorts at a very good price when skiing or riding 7 to 14 days.
Summit Value Pass for $409 (unlimited/unrestricted A-Basin & Keystone and unlimited Breck with a few blackout days) available now at http://www.snow.com/epic-pass/passes/summit-value-pass.aspx
Epic Local Pass for $499 (Unlimited skiing or riding at Breckenridge, Keystone and Arapahoe Basin with limited restrictions at Heavenly and Northstar. Also includes 10 restricted days at Vail or Beaver Creek) available now at http://www.snow.com/epic-pass/passes/epic-local-pass.aspx.
Works out to less than $25 a day for those skiing or riding 20+ days with access to 7 amazing resorts and you don't have to be a "local" to buy it.
So where is the most central place to stay to take advantage of all these amazing deals- Chalet Frisco of course!
Here are some of the deals currently available for the Summit and Eagle county (aka I-70) resorts in Colorado.
4 days or less, options include:
Loveland transferable 4 pack for $129. TRANSFERABLE, so a group of 4 can all ski there the same day...one of the least crowded resorts you will find anywhere, lots of snow, good mix of terrain, easy parking, 20 minutes from Chalet Frisco to the lifts. Purchase online at http://www.skiloveland.com/ticketsandpasses/4pak.aspx (or in person and get a $10 discount)
Copper Mountain is currently selling a 4 pack in person (or renew online) http://coppercolorado.com/winter/plan_and_buy/season_passes/fourpack) for $139. Later they will likely sell their 4 pack online for about $220. They also have lots of 2 for 1 and other deals/coupons throughout the season.
A-Basin has less expensive daily tickets, a 4 pack (with Keystone) and other deals/coupons can usually be found.
Breckenridge/Keystone/Vail/Beaver Creek- savings for online purchases (single and multi-day), employee buddy passes for $45 and friends of pass holder tickets from $59 or $69
5+ day options include:
Mix and match above.
Copper Mountain Season Pass for $369 (throw in Winter Park for another $40 with the Rocky Mountain Super Pass or $90 for Winter Park plus 6 days at Steamboat with the Rocky Mountain Super Pass Plus)
Arapahoe Basin Bonus Pass for $369 (unlimited A-Basin plus 5 days at Breckenridge and Keystone, one of which that can be used at Vail or Beaver Creek). A great way to sample a variety of resorts at a very good price when skiing or riding 7 to 14 days.
Summit Value Pass for $409 (unlimited/unrestricted A-Basin & Keystone and unlimited Breck with a few blackout days) available now at http://www.snow.com/epic-pass/passes/summit-value-pass.aspx
Epic Local Pass for $499 (Unlimited skiing or riding at Breckenridge, Keystone and Arapahoe Basin with limited restrictions at Heavenly and Northstar. Also includes 10 restricted days at Vail or Beaver Creek) available now at http://www.snow.com/epic-pass/passes/epic-local-pass.aspx.
Works out to less than $25 a day for those skiing or riding 20+ days with access to 7 amazing resorts and you don't have to be a "local" to buy it.
So where is the most central place to stay to take advantage of all these amazing deals- Chalet Frisco of course!
Chalet Frisco Offers B & B style accomodations
For the month of September only, Chalet Frisco is offering individually bookable Bed and Breakfast accommodations in the center of Summit County for only $75 per room.
Located on 5th Avenue, Chalet Frisco is in the heart of Colorado Rocky Mountains and walking distance to the shops and restaurants on Main Street.
Newer, cleaner and more comfortable than anything else you will find in Frisco. Built in 2008, it has 2900 square feet of luxurious living space with 4 bedrooms & 3.5 baths. 2 beautiful balconies and gorgeous mountain views.
4 levels and superior construction means privacy for everyone. Located next to the bike path with hiking on Mount Royal and Peak 1 out the back door. Check out Google maps and Street View (5th & Belford) to get a better idea of how central, yet tranquil our location is.
It is with good reason that Summit County is call "Colorado's Playground" as many of our neighbors live 1-1.5 hours away in the Denver area and use Frisco as their ski home in the winter and escape from the heat in summer (we average in the 70s while Denver is probably closer to 90 in the summer).
The Perfect Summit Colorado Mountain Getaway 5 Blocks from Main Street in Frisco, CO and the free Summit Stage Bus directly to multiple ski areas. Lake Dillon and the Frisco Marina is about a 10 minute walk. Surrounded by World Class Skiing including:
Copper Mountain (6 miles), Breckenridge & Keystone (10 miles), A-Basin & Loveland (17 miles), Vail (25 miles) and Beaver Creek (36 miles)
Golf, Hiking, Biking, Rafting, Kayaking and Sailing on Lake Dillon and other Summer Activities are still going full swing with daytime highs in the 70s.
Leave the summer heat behind and immerse yourself in unparalleled relaxation at our Frisco Townhouse.
Featured amenities include:
Non-smoking
Free Wireless Internet access
Coffee & expresso maker
Refrigerator & Freezer
Washer & Dryer
In floor radiant heat with a total of 7 zones
Airport shuttle service with Colorado Mountain Express
Book now at http://www.airbnb.com/rooms/210294
Vail Resorts Lowers Season Pass Prices Until May 8
Today, I got an email announcing a $20 price cut good until May 8,
2011. Check out snow.com/epicpass/home.aspx for details or
www.skilodgingrental.com/Summit_County_Info.php for Colorado lift
ticket and season pass deals.
Previously, Vail Resorts had announced Spring prices for their Epic and other season passes for the 2011-12 Ski season that were about $50 higher than the 2010-11 season. The Spring prices were to be available until May 30, 2011 and were guaranteed to be the low prices of the season. If you already paid the higher price in full, I would contact Vail at (800) 842-8062 to see about a refund.
Previously, Vail Resorts had announced Spring prices for their Epic and other season passes for the 2011-12 Ski season that were about $50 higher than the 2010-11 season. The Spring prices were to be available until May 30, 2011 and were guaranteed to be the low prices of the season. If you already paid the higher price in full, I would contact Vail at (800) 842-8062 to see about a refund.
Steamboat Discount Lift Tickets
Cheap skiing is available at Steamboat during April 2011 with their "Springalicious™ 4-Pack Pass" which offers 4 days of skiing and riding between April 1-10 (closing day) for $99. As an added beenfit, pass holders can ski Winter Park for $59/day between April 11-24.
For those looking to ride the entire 2011-12 season, the following passes are on sale with prices guaranteed through April 10, 2011
Rocky Mountain Super Pass Plus $409 adult/$319 teen/$219 child & senior- unlimited skiing and riding at Copper Mountain and Winter Park with 6 unrestricted days at Steamboat.
Copper Mountain and Winter Park only season passes are $369 each for adults
For those looking to ride the entire 2011-12 season, the following passes are on sale with prices guaranteed through April 10, 2011
Rocky Mountain Super Pass Plus $409 adult/$319 teen/$219 child & senior- unlimited skiing and riding at Copper Mountain and Winter Park with 6 unrestricted days at Steamboat.
Copper Mountain and Winter Park only season passes are $369 each for adults
Vail Resorts Epic Season Pass on sale through 5/30/11
Now available online with a down payment of $49 and the balance due September, 2011, Vail Resorts is offering the following 2011-2012 Season Passes:
Epic Pass $649 adult/$329 child- unlimited skiing and riding at A-Basin, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Heavenly, Keystone, Northstar-at-Tahoe and Vail.
Epic Local Pass (formerly called the Colorado Pass) $499 adult/$379 teen/$249 child- unlimited skiing and riding at A-Basin, Breckenridge & Keystone, restricted use at Heavenly, & Northstar-at-Tahoe and 10 restricted days Beaver Creek and Vail. There are a total of 11 blackout days applicable to Tahoe area and Eagle county resorts that include 2 at Thanksgiving, 6 Christmas/New Year's week, 1 MLK weekend, and 2 President's weekend.
From what I can tell, everyone is a "local" in that the Epic Local Pass looks to be available online, even for first time purchase, while the Colorado Pass previously had to be purchased in person the first time.
Summit Value Pass (seems like a hybrid between the Keystone/A-Basin pass and the former Summit Pass) $409 adult/$319 teen/$209 child- unlimited skiing and riding at A-Basin, & Keystone with restricted use at Breckenridge (all but 11 blackout days).
Tahoe Value Pass $379 adult/$299 teen & senior/$179 child-nearly unlimited use at Heavenly and 6 day a week use (no Saturdays) at Northstar. Both resorts blacked out 11 days that include 2 at Thanksgiving, 6 Christmas/New Year's week, 1 MLK weekend, and 2 President's weekend.
They are still offering the Epic 7 Day Pass at the same price (adult/child, no teen) as the Epic Local with no blackout days.
Spring purchase benefits include:
free Summer 2011 lift access (not bike haul)- all passes
2 free days April 2011 in Tahoe- all passes, except Summit Value
4 discounted buddy tickets ($69 Colorado resorts/$60 Tahoe resorts) for 2011-12 (in addition to the 6 ski with friend floating discount tickets all purchasers get)- all except Epic 7 day
Some spring purchases benefits not available with the down payment option. Go to snow.com for full detail.
Epic Pass $649 adult/$329 child- unlimited skiing and riding at A-Basin, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Heavenly, Keystone, Northstar-at-Tahoe and Vail.
Epic Local Pass (formerly called the Colorado Pass) $499 adult/$379 teen/$249 child- unlimited skiing and riding at A-Basin, Breckenridge & Keystone, restricted use at Heavenly, & Northstar-at-Tahoe and 10 restricted days Beaver Creek and Vail. There are a total of 11 blackout days applicable to Tahoe area and Eagle county resorts that include 2 at Thanksgiving, 6 Christmas/New Year's week, 1 MLK weekend, and 2 President's weekend.
From what I can tell, everyone is a "local" in that the Epic Local Pass looks to be available online, even for first time purchase, while the Colorado Pass previously had to be purchased in person the first time.
Summit Value Pass (seems like a hybrid between the Keystone/A-Basin pass and the former Summit Pass) $409 adult/$319 teen/$209 child- unlimited skiing and riding at A-Basin, & Keystone with restricted use at Breckenridge (all but 11 blackout days).
Tahoe Value Pass $379 adult/$299 teen & senior/$179 child-nearly unlimited use at Heavenly and 6 day a week use (no Saturdays) at Northstar. Both resorts blacked out 11 days that include 2 at Thanksgiving, 6 Christmas/New Year's week, 1 MLK weekend, and 2 President's weekend.
They are still offering the Epic 7 Day Pass at the same price (adult/child, no teen) as the Epic Local with no blackout days.
Spring purchase benefits include:
free Summer 2011 lift access (not bike haul)- all passes
2 free days April 2011 in Tahoe- all passes, except Summit Value
4 discounted buddy tickets ($69 Colorado resorts/$60 Tahoe resorts) for 2011-12 (in addition to the 6 ski with friend floating discount tickets all purchasers get)- all except Epic 7 day
Some spring purchases benefits not available with the down payment option. Go to snow.com for full detail.
Which Ski Resort is going to have the best snow for your Vacation?
Quite often I see people post questions like "Which ski area has the best snow in early December" or "Is the snow good at _______ in April?" or "Which ski area should I go to in April?"
The honest answer is that none of us can predict the weather or snow quality 3 weeks (or 3 months) in advance, but some areas TEND to do better than others at different points of the year.
Tony Crocker has combined his statistical skills with his passion for skiing to compile some meaningful data about the best time to ski various resorts at bestsnow.net/. His late season info is best summarized here gator1314.hostgator.com/~bestsnow/latesnow.htm while some early season recommendations can be found here gator1314.hostgator.com/~bestsnow/earlysno.htm and here www.letstalkweather.com/bskiwx/entry.php?w=bestsnow&e_id=1819
For late season, I would strongly recommend looking at the base depths at the areas you are considering before booking- just because an area usually is good late season, doesn't mean it is good late season this year. As I write this in March 2011, good late season areas like Mammoth, Tahoe, Oregon, Utah and Colorado are reporting good base depths which set up well for a nice spring season.
The honest answer is that none of us can predict the weather or snow quality 3 weeks (or 3 months) in advance, but some areas TEND to do better than others at different points of the year.
Tony Crocker has combined his statistical skills with his passion for skiing to compile some meaningful data about the best time to ski various resorts at bestsnow.net/. His late season info is best summarized here gator1314.hostgator.com/~bestsnow/latesnow.htm while some early season recommendations can be found here gator1314.hostgator.com/~bestsnow/earlysno.htm and here www.letstalkweather.com/bskiwx/entry.php?w=bestsnow&e_id=1819
For late season, I would strongly recommend looking at the base depths at the areas you are considering before booking- just because an area usually is good late season, doesn't mean it is good late season this year. As I write this in March 2011, good late season areas like Mammoth, Tahoe, Oregon, Utah and Colorado are reporting good base depths which set up well for a nice spring season.
Colorado Snow Totals- Season to Date
Been a great year to be in Northern Colorado. This week has been very good to the weekend warrior with good powder to be had both Saturday and Sunday. Here are snow readings as of this morning (Feb 6, 20011). More is predicted for Monday night.
All measurements are in inches.
| Base | 48 Hours | Season to Date | |
| Beaver Creek | 62 | 14 | 210 |
| Arapahoe Basin | 66 | 16 | |
| Breckenridge | 87 | 15 | 317 |
| Copper Mountain | 72-85 | 13 | 244 |
| Keystone | 58 | 15 | 207 |
| Loveland | 76 | 15 | 276 |
| Steamboat | 68-103 | 19 | 281 |
| Vail | 73-84 | 25 | 306 |
| Winter Park | 70-77 | 13.5 | 207.2 |
All measurements are in inches.
Epic Mix Review
Vail Resorts RF system that tracks the lifts skiers ride is up now. Some people like the idea of the system which can potentially facilitate on mountain meet ups (via the phone app which is not yet available) and let friends know when you have hit the slopes (via facebook, etc). Others are wary of the system which seems too much like Big Brother. Vail resorts has additional info on their website and The Summit Daily has had a number of articles, including some that discuss a product called the Pass Defender which prevents the radio frequency (RF) chip from being read.
I looked at my stats for the first time the other day and am guessing that some are correct and some not- the number of days could be right (13 at Breck, Keystone and Vail- doesn't include A-Basin), but they only showed me riding 1 lift at Keystone on a day that I took half a dozen and had what looks like 10 duplicate rides at Breck last week (same time or within 2 minutes). Another day at Breck seems to be missing a few lifts we took. Didn't check all the days, but some looked correct...who really remembers all the chairs they took??
While I like the idea of being able to see how much I have skied without the need to track the information myself, I wish the system was more accurate. As it stands now, it will be useful to see which days you skied, but can't be relied on to accurately track vertical feet or all the lifts you rode.
I looked at my stats for the first time the other day and am guessing that some are correct and some not- the number of days could be right (13 at Breck, Keystone and Vail- doesn't include A-Basin), but they only showed me riding 1 lift at Keystone on a day that I took half a dozen and had what looks like 10 duplicate rides at Breck last week (same time or within 2 minutes). Another day at Breck seems to be missing a few lifts we took. Didn't check all the days, but some looked correct...who really remembers all the chairs they took??
While I like the idea of being able to see how much I have skied without the need to track the information myself, I wish the system was more accurate. As it stands now, it will be useful to see which days you skied, but can't be relied on to accurately track vertical feet or all the lifts you rode.
Breckenridge Dec 16-18, 2010
Skiing was excellent the last two days at Breckenridge and I plan to head back up later today.
Thursday included blue bird skies and 7 inches of fresh, light powder which I enjoyed off the T-bar and Imperial lifts in the morning. The afternoon had me watching a bit of the Dew Tour competition being held at Peak 8 and riding the chair up with Louie Vito's dad.
Friday saw the opening of Peak 10, blue skies with 1 inch of snow overnight. Despite a late start, I was able find some fresh tracks on my own and with the help of a long time local who showed me a thing or two about skiing.
It is currently snowing in Frisco with a several inches or more that accumulated overnight. With the Pineapple Express moving through, skiing conditions should stay good over the holidays with opportunities to ski powder and packed powder at all the Colorado resorts.
Thursday included blue bird skies and 7 inches of fresh, light powder which I enjoyed off the T-bar and Imperial lifts in the morning. The afternoon had me watching a bit of the Dew Tour competition being held at Peak 8 and riding the chair up with Louie Vito's dad.
Friday saw the opening of Peak 10, blue skies with 1 inch of snow overnight. Despite a late start, I was able find some fresh tracks on my own and with the help of a long time local who showed me a thing or two about skiing.
It is currently snowing in Frisco with a several inches or more that accumulated overnight. With the Pineapple Express moving through, skiing conditions should stay good over the holidays with opportunities to ski powder and packed powder at all the Colorado resorts.
