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Woodward is rolling out summer camp discounts this week. I'm not completely sure what the deal will be, but it's going to be somewhere in the neighbourhood of 10% discount and possibly a buy one get one free, which would put the price in that $600 dollar range a poster was talking about above.
Woodward at Copper has only been open for little more than one month during one of the worste economic conditions anyone at the age of this site has certainly seen in their lives. Sure Copper's park is awful, but as soon as Woodward starts to get some more people in the door and prove the business then Woodward will likely take over the Copper terrain parks and create something entirely different. Trust me, Woodward CEO Gary Reim will absolutely not allow Woodward at Copper to die. Considering the overwhelming, now global, success of the Woodward camp system I think we'll do just fine.
Additionally, each summer week will be sponsored by different ski and snowboard companies and will also include a couple of their athletes as guest coaches each week. Yah we aren't all current pro's, but if we were, would we really be coaching skiing? Clearly not. Having the coaching team that we have, with an awesome diversity of experience, is extremely strong in my opinion and to have the pro guest coaches all summer will be icing on the cake.
P.S. Sagstraps, sorry if you've felt like the environment was uptight. I certainly try not to be, and I know most of the team is pretty damn chill as well. Always a few exceptions to the rule, so don't judge the place based upon your interaction with a coach or two that in all likelyness wont be around much longer.
So much hate on Copper...ya its park isnt all that great but remember you are comparing it to Breck and Keystone and I cant think of too many parks that you can compare to those anyway. Who knows what will happen with woodward, time will tell. Copper has good all mountain skiing, and the park is a good place to learn new tricks because the vibe is way more mellow than Breck or Keystone.
April 13-17th is locals week, so come in and you'll get 25% off. Season passes are coming, but we never intended to have them in year one. We needed to see our numbers and then to make a financial model for a pass that works for both us and our customers. Since you mentioned you are a business owner, you should know that this is the prudent way to run a business. And yes, it is in the millions of investment for the Barn. The 4 millions to be exact.
No we will not release which companies and which pros until deals have been signed, again, prudent business practice. There will be pros for summer camp, I can tell you that.
The "uptightness" you are referring to is perhaps that we aren't letting you and your friends go to any trampolines without a coach and huck your meat onto your face so that you break your neck and sue us...if that's your definition of uptight, then yah we are for sure. If you just don't like structure and you don't want to be coached, then tell the coach you don't want any help they'll gladly leave you alone. The other 99% of the kids that come in want to learn and they have been pretty stoked to learn all of the new tricks they have learnt so far.
You clearly didn't talk to the right person regarding Barn sponsorship. Email Ben Brown, Morrison Hsieh. I doubt the front desk knows how that works.
There absolutely will be ski pros. And yes, without questions, this all should have been done sooner. This is the situation now, and we'll do our best to get everything dialed in ASAP. Clearly there will be a number of campers that wont be interested in choosing Woodward this summer, but there will certainly be a number that will.
I fully agree on the pass. Unfortunately not my area, but mistake acknowledged and we are working to remedy the situation and will certainly produce an economical pass.
Regarding the foam pit and skate use...you can use the skate drop in to the foam pit for the $10 fee, but you must have taken a OHW course at Woodward. That's just the way the insurance and the business works. Unfortunately there isn't any leniance on this topic.
I don't know who is being so Natzi about the rope thing when you are around, I know it's not me and I know of a few other coaches that it definitely wouldn't be either. Your friends can see you from a bunch of different spots, but unfortunately chilling at the drop in is just not going to be an option. If for no other reason than the fact that it gets crowded up there during drop in/OHW. But mainly, this is a Copper/Intrawest legal and risk issue that they aren't giving us much wiggle room on. Tell your friends to pony up and sesh it with you.
P.S. The beauty of the barn is that it's what you make it. Do the drop-ins and don't have to approach it like a training facility. I'm sure you've seen us setting up super high mat jumps into the pit and doing wall ride backflips and hand plants all over the tramps. I'd hardly call that "training". But you're right, it is a place for those who want to train and get better that way also. In my opinion, there's no right or wrong way to progress and athlete. Since most athletes are also human, everyone is different and everyone learns and progresses differently. That's the feel I truly want for Woodward and I promise that's what you'll see this summer.
P.S.S Woodward (myself included) will have a much bigger say in what gets put into our summer park than what goes into Copper's Catalyst currently. Today I requested a big step up for the summer. Hopefully we will make that happen.
I really don't think $70 is expensive at all. It's once forever...not everytime and not even every year. There have been multiple opourtunites, especially being a local, to have had the oppourtunity to have done that course for anywhere between 25%-50% off.
I don't work at night as much as some of the other coaches, I'm mainly doing the day camps, but I would certainly be cool with you hitting the skate drop in. After alI, that's what it's for. I will talk to Morrison about what is going on with this and why and see what we can do to change it...
And regarding having your friends on the drop in...like I said, it's not something we can control. Please write a letter to Intrawest/Copper legal and risk department requesting more availability for friends to hang out at the top of the jump line.
UPDATE: We had a meeting today and I brought up the foam pit drop in issue. We convinced the powers that be to let all skaters/bmx/rollerbladers that have taken a OHW to be allowed to hit the skate lite foam pit feature at the skate drop in rate.
Regarding season pass. What does everyone want to see? cheaper multiple drop in punch card, more expensive unlimited pass or in between priced mid week pass?
Here's an update for our summer operations.
Woodward at Copper will be helping to design the terrain park features for the summer. We are hoping to have a large step up, in addition to a medium "true table" and our airbag jump that we have finally dialed in after a long season of testing and a myriad of rails. There is potential to integrate a QP, but this will likely deteriorate quickly over the summer much like the rest of the camp QP's elsewhere in North America.
Lots of potential sponsor weeks with tons of gear and guest pros. We will release this information ASAP. We have completely revamped our website and will be starting to load and generate new content on our blog, which will include updates on things like this. Also, check out our Facebook page which will have a lot of info as well.
Right now we are offering $200 off any camp week. If anyone is on a team and would like to join us during session one for our adult/team/womens focused week June 14th - 20th for $799 without lodging/meals/activities and $1099 with all of those. With the $200 discount this makes us the most affordable summer camp option.
Mornings will be on-snow and afternoons will be in the Barn with extra Barn time in the evenings. Gokarting, bumper boats, mountain biking, mini golf, hiking, fishing, bungie tramps, skateboarding (with tours of skateparks throughout the state on days off), video editing etc etc...
In regards to drop-ins during the summer. We will be open on Saturdays and Sundays for OHW's and Drop-ins starting Saturday June 13th.
Saturdays - OHW, 4:00pm, 6:00pm Drop-ins, 4:00pm, 6:00pm, 8:00pm
Sundays - OHW, 12:00pm, 2:00pm; Drop-ins, 12:00pm, 2:00pm, 4:00pm
For this summer we will not be offering unlimited passes since we will only be open 2 days per week for drop-ins and would make it difficult for many pass holders to fully utilize that offering. However we will be returning the 5 punch card for $99 and a new 10 punch card for $179. The 10 punch card is our best option at a 28% discount over full price. However, do expect an unlimited pass for winter season 09/10. Let us know what type of offering you would like to see in that regard.
Just in! Summer punch cards will not expire this summer. You will be able to purchase your punch card and use any of the days that you haven't used up over the summer all through next winter.
10 punch card is a 28% discount of full reatil.
Mucho respect to Sags and pwn.mode. I know that the cost thing is frustrating. Keep in mind that WAC is pioneering the ramp to foam pit concept, at least for the GP. Any time you do something different like that, insurance is going to be brutal, but it will come down as long as they aren't manufacturing too many neck and back fractures.
I don't think Morrison and crew are doing this because they want to pull up to the lot in pimped out Bentleys. They are probably charging what they are charging right now because they have to. If Intrawest doesn't think that the facility is worth keeping open, they'll break down the ramps, cover the pits with a dance floor and some hay, and turn it into a country/western bar. That would suck for everyone.
Look at history. Skateboard parks were the happenin thing in the 70's and then they almost disappeared because of laibility concerns. They're back, and that's a great thing. I think we all need to give the WAC crew a chance. The way I see it, any $$ you spend there will be an investment in the sport. It will pay dividends because future parks and facilities will be easier to open because there will at least be an existing model.
WAC and H&S will hopefully be able to forge some kind of alliance down the road and the CO NSers will be the direct beneficiaries. Even if WAC and H&S don't have anything to do with each other, costs will go down as more facilities open and operate. As long as we can all demonstrate to insurance compaines that our facilities are able to operate safely, insurance rates will decrease.
Seriously guys, Woodward was not founded by a bunch of Wall Street investment bankers. It was created by people who love action sports and were driven to come up with ways that athletes could progress their sport in the best, safest way possible. The people who created Woodward should have their faces carved into Mount Rushmore. We should be so stoked that they picked CO for a facility. Yeah, it ain't perfect yet, but the original Woodward in PA is a Mecca. I am sure that they will eventually get WAC to the point where we all will want to create an NS tent city outside of the front door.
Thanks for the love and constructive criticism guys. We are fighting the fight every day to put the suggestions that you give us that are feasible into action. Rarely a day goes by around here that we aren't molding ourselves around our clients needs/wants.
Thanks for the love Huck, you are truly spot on.
Sag - Last years punch cards clearly had stated expiration dates on them and this was clearly explained if/when you purchased it. We found out you guys didn't want the new ones to expire...so we changed it. Your welcome.
Powair - Sorry you missed any of our 25-50% discounts throughout much of the season this year. Keep checking for more discounted rates as the summer and winter seasons move forward. We put nearly 1000 people through the OHW program this year from Feb 28th to April 19th and have received really great feedback on that. Again, keep your eyes peeled for summer locals discount rates on OHW's/Drop-ins. Also, if you have 9 other friends that want to get in on a discounted OHW or Drop-in at any time just pre-book that and you'll get a 20% discount. Email us at woodward@coppercolorado.com to set that up. But if you don't want to do the work, just wait and we'll discount the OHW for a week or so at one point.
Thanks again NSers! I look forward to seeing everybody out here and helping everyone learn some new tricks. We made it through winter season 1 with great success and we vow to continually work on new products that our clients want to see.
P.S. Level 1 is here at copper right now...OMG you have got to see this jump and what these guys are throwing down. I'm thinking I will head up to the jump this afternoon and snap a couple picys for you guys.
Dude, again much respect for the Smut County guys, but you need a lesson on Mt economics. When I heard that Woodward was opening in Copper, the first thing I thought was how in the hell can they afford the dirt, unless someone died and willed it to them.
I went to high school in Vail, but my folks weren't loaded. They invested in the Wendy's that was in West Vail that is now a parking lot. You don't pay a buck and a half more for a burger in the mountains just because they want to charge you more. It's because everything is more expensive, so they have to pay employees more than Denver, they have to provide housing sometimes, there are basically about a million and one things that make it really tough to do business in resort towns. Just take a look at all the businesses in Breck or Keystone that aren't there anymore. My folks never made a dime on the Wendy's in Vail. The Micky D's was a totally different story because the guy who owned that place bought the land like 35 years ago.
All my buddies that did the ski bum thing with me all had at least 2 jobs and we were pretty good at surviving on Top Ramen. This is not one of those "when I was your age, we had to walk to school barefoot, in the snow, uphill both ways" BS stories. You may not want to know or care, but I am sure that WAC is going to be lucky if it even gets close to breaking even this year. They are not trying to rip anyone off. You may not get the One Hit Wonder madatory training, but WAC has to make the insurance guys happy, otherwise no WAC. Insurance companies have a tough time understanding why anyone would want to jump into a foam pit or pool on skis. You have to come up with a policies and proceedures strategy that makes sense to them. It doesn't matter whether it makes sense to us. If they suggest that you incorporate an exercise into the training where participants have to stick their thumb up their butt and whistle the theme from Jeopardy; you'd have to try to figure out a way to include that exercise.
Those are the facts. I am pulling for WAC. Having that place fail would be a tragedy for the whole NS community.
