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Park Pass?

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CashForToast
Posts: 265 - Karma: 2,447
This weekend I went to Butternut MA for the TAFT. It was a 2 hour drive for me (from upstate NY) and me and my friend left at like 6 in the morning. When we got to the mountain we bought our passes and took the main lift up.

When we eventually made it to the park I was stopped by one of their crew, who told us that in order to ride the park we needed to go to the main office and purchase a "park pass". I was kind of wierded out by this and went down to the office to buy one.

When we got there we had to take a "test" about the "rules of the terrain park". After I finished the test (which was quite a joke), the person behind the counter handed me a waiver that had to be signed by my parent.... Who wasnt in Massachusetts, at this point I was on the verge of losing my cool over this "park pass" thing and the staff was not helping. They kept on saying "stop wasting our time" and "are you set yet?", but we werent being disruptive, just sitting on a bench in the corner (most of the time on the phone). It was terrible service...

I had to call my parents and have them drive to work in order to sign and fax the waiver... Long story short, I got mine but my friend just gave up with it all and skied past the guy when he asked for the pass.

I will take responsibility as Im sure its on their website that you need to buy a park pass, but this whole thing took an hour out of the day, and we were getting nagged at the whole time. And we met up with 2 or 3 other people who were having the same problem, as we were all 17.

My question to you guys is if, other than butternut, has anyone ever heard of a park pass?

I hope that this not only helps me but also other people to not get caught in this situation, so please say if you have heard of a mountain like this!
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Jan 12 2015 6:56PM
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robotdna
Posts: 1232 - Karma: 2,959
This is interesting. Sounds like an attempt to keep gapers out of the park. I've never heard of this though. Wouldn't it hurt the hill more than help it?
Jan 12 2015 7:00PM
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270on420out
Posts: 7494 - Karma: 50,831
You actually have your parents sign waivers? Next time just do what I use to do and say "yeah they're over by (insert location). I'll be back in a second". Then sign it.
Jan 12 2015 7:01PM
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CashForToast
Posts: 265 - Karma: 2,447
robotdnaThis is interesting. Sounds like an attempt to keep gapers out of the park. I've never heard of this though. Wouldn't it hurt the hill more than help it?


I would think it would hurt more than help, but everything aside... Their park was pretty sick.

BOGS.You actually have your parents sign waivers? Next time just do what I use to do and say "yeah they're over by (insert location). I'll be back in a second". Then sign it.


Yeah haha, thats what I heard alot of people do. But another idea that worked for someone I met there was to pay someone to act as your parent for a bit, then have them sign it.
Jan 12 2015 7:21PM
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DrZoidberg
Posts: 5675 - Karma: 4,268
robotdnaThis is interesting. Sounds like an attempt to keep gapers out of the park. I've never heard of this though.


My hill had them. It did nothing of this sort. All the gapers probably went in the park more because they felt special for having the pass. I don't think it stopped very many people from going in, or buying a lift ticket or anything. Ours was free. The quiz was a joke and all. I've seen ones where you had to pay, and the funds supposedly went towards park maintenance or something.

They've done away with it since it was handed out like candy, and people are calling for it back on social media convinced that it'll change something.
Jan 12 2015 7:29PM
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GayWolf420
Posts: 36697 - Karma: 110,712
I think its just going to create some more issues while not really getting rid of the whole issue that people just need to use common sense while skiing/snowboarding. People will get all pissed off at the ticket windows/pass offices because they don't want to sign more waivers and pay a measly fee because "I just paid X amount of dollars for a day ticket/pass, I shouldn't have to pay a cent more to access runs on the mtn". Not to mention you're wasting resources by having employees be club bouncers all day when they could be helping out their departments when they are understaffed or something.

People just need to use their brains. Education might help, but really using your noodle can work wonders.
Jan 12 2015 7:32PM
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Jake_La
Posts: 136 - Karma: 1,897
Okemo makes you get a "psp" pass, theyre park was like perfect though as to where the lips at my home mountain get destroyed within hours of a fresh park build but.
Jan 12 2015 7:46PM
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edai
Posts: 4983 - Karma: 4,632
Last time I was there I just told them I'm 18 and they didnt ask for an id or anything, if they had i guess i wouldve just said i dont have one lol and still signed it. fuck it
Jan 12 2015 7:52PM
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d.mcknight
Posts: 778 - Karma: 1,539
My local hill also has this, for the most part its a good thing and keeps gapers out of the park. However today I lost mine and I went to get a new one, and they told me since I had lost it I had to buy another one. I was pissed
Jan 12 2015 7:59PM
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cydwhit
Posts: 5065 - Karma: 42,823
Yeah, we have em, it's a real good idea actually
Jan 12 2015 8:03PM
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BWalmer
Posts: 9141 - Karma: 12,883
robotdnaThis is interesting. Sounds like an attempt to keep gapers out of the park. I've never heard of this though. Wouldn't it hurt the hill more than help it?


They don't keep anyone out of the park, they're really easy for anyone to get (unless you're a 17 year old park kid ironically) since most gaper kids are there with their parents. And they're an added liability because if someone gets hurt in the park who doesn't have a park pass the mountain is screwed (and as said in the story, it's usually very easy to get through without a pass - I've been to several mountains with a pass program, I've never gotten one).
Jan 12 2015 8:09PM
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Drail
Posts: 14011 - Karma: 10,001
Park pass's have been around for years. Blue Mountain, Ontario started doing the park pass thing in 2002 or something like that for the big park. Whistler has had it for just as long for their big park as well. Park Pass and helmets mandatory for the big park at Whistler.

They are great for everyone and while you had a shitty time for an hour the benefits of the park pass system are huge. Keeps randoms who don't know shit about park skiing out, keeps insurance costs down while allowing ski hills to build awesome, big parks, and if the hill was smart the money from the park pass goes towards maintenance and upgrades for the park.
Jan 12 2015 8:11PM
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Steezmiester007
Posts: 49 - Karma: 82
I ski butternut all the time. The park pass process is pretty much a joke. It's honestly pretty easy to just slip right into the park without one. Some staff are clueless or don't care at all lol.
Jan 12 2015 9:37PM
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gnarRat
Posts: 105 - Karma: 992
At Snoqualmie mtn in Washington you need a pass to go to the park. They have the whole park fenced off and a guy actually sands right by the small gateway entrance to check if you have your fucking park pass. To get a pass you need to go to the main office, take a test, sign a waiver, and watch a fuckin 10 minute video on park saftey. And after all that you need to pay like 10 or 15 bucks to get the actual pass. I agree, it is very stupid that you need a seperate pass to ride park.
Jan 12 2015 9:53PM
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B.Quincy
Posts: 1074 - Karma: 963
Steezmiester007I ski butternut all the time. The park pass process is pretty much a joke. It's honestly pretty easy to just slip right into the park without one. Some staff are clueless or don't care at all lol.


Yeah, i ski at bnut every weekend and the amount of gapers that have actually been stopped and forced to go back out is actually suprusing, so in a way it works and it does make the park a little more clear. Also i dont mind paying for it because ive actually talked to the rangers about it and the money does go right to them for maintence and new features, and let me tell you ever since they started it a few years ago the park has gotten so much better. But i see how you got frustrated with the parent thing they are total assholes about that when i bring friends who dont ski there my parents have had to fake be their parents haha.
Jan 12 2015 11:35PM
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Youngfeiler
Posts: 64 - Karma: 781
None of the mountains near me do that. That's super lame. Did the park pass cost extra? How much?
Jan 12 2015 11:46PM
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B.Quincy
Posts: 1074 - Karma: 963
YoungfeilerNone of the mountains near me do that. That's super lame. Did the park pass cost extra? How much?


5 for a day, 10 for a season its honestly worked fairley well imo
Jan 12 2015 11:53PM
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SnowMiser
Posts: 801 - Karma: 3,150
Yeah dude Jiminy does this. Or at least they did, I'm pretty sure. Kinda garbage for Jiminy though because their parks were no better than burnt sausage in August
Jan 12 2015 11:56PM
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notspoicey
Posts: 1167 - Karma: 1,706
we have park passes at app
Jan 12 2015 11:56PM
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CashForToast
Posts: 265 - Karma: 2,447
I guess I can understand for parks with huge hits. But small parks, I just don't get it.
Jan 13 2015 7:56AM
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S.M.G
Posts: 446 - Karma: 1,448
Yeah i've seen it at Jiminy Peak

It's a bullshit way of delegating people and scraping a few mangy dollars from the bottom of the bucket
Jan 13 2015 8:28AM
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AbusedBanana
Posts: 110 - Karma: 107
most parks in ontairo require a park pass :/
Jan 13 2015 9:02AM
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white.powder
Posts: 187 - Karma: 777
Ahahahaha....well...do not come to quebec to ski, because in every resort where there is a XL park, you need a park pass, whick is 20$ for the year and like 15$ for a day (logic?) and if your under 16 years old, you your parents to sign the whole thing. Actually I thought that every park in the world had park pass hahahaha. But, I found that there is NO gaper at all in the XL park, then I tried the smaller park (which is pretty sick btw) and where you do not need a pass and I was exhausted after 3 run because i kept getting cut off just before hitting features. Another fact is that if you don't have a helmet, you can't ride the park (which seems to me pretty logic anyway)
Jan 13 2015 10:32AM
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white.powder
Posts: 187 - Karma: 777
VINCE.Ahahahaha....well...do not come to quebec to ski, because in every resort where there is a XL park, you need a park pass, whick is 20$ for the year and like 15$ for a day (logic?) and if your under 16 years old, you your parents to sign the whole thing. Actually I thought that every park in the world had park pass hahahaha. But, I found that there is NO gaper at all in the XL park, then I tried the smaller park (which is pretty sick btw) and where you do not need a pass and I was exhausted after 3 run because i kept getting cut off just before hitting features. Another fact is that if you don't have a helmet, you can't ride the park (which seems to me pretty logic anyway)


btw, i think there is that park pass and helmet thing everywhere in canada...
Jan 13 2015 10:39AM
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flurry*
Posts: 287 - Karma: 1,192
We have them at App Ski Mtn in NC. $5 a year so I dont care. For the best probably
Jan 13 2015 10:56AM
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NinetyFour
Posts: 8650 - Karma: 13,409
VINCE.btw, i think there is that park pass and helmet thing everywhere in canada...


Not at my home resort. No park pass, helmets are only recommended. The trade off is no inverts, and ma and pa with their group of joeys snow ploughing the landing right down to ice.
Jan 13 2015 11:15AM
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OG.Kush.Budz
Posts: 133 - Karma: 98
jeez has no one been to Canada, specifically the east coast, most mountains have park passes nothing new, they are covering their ass so when kids show up and try dubs onto rails and die they cant get mom and dad to sue the mountain
Jan 13 2015 1:00PM
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CashForToast
Posts: 265 - Karma: 2,447
OG.Kush.Budzjeez has no one been to Canada, specifically the east coast, most mountains have park passes nothing new, they are covering their ass so when kids show up and try dubs onto rails and die they cant get mom and dad to sue the mountain


Is there usually some sort of legal deal for the park specifically when you buy your ticket? Because if the reason they have park passes is so they don't get sued than what do other mountains do?
Jan 13 2015 6:40PM
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freestyler540
Posts: 13046 - Karma: 18,293
just say your 18 and sign it yourself. Just grow a beard
Jan 13 2015 6:51PM
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B.Quincy
Posts: 1074 - Karma: 963
Steezy.jpegIs there usually some sort of legal deal for the park specifically when you buy your ticket? Because if the reason they have park passes is so they don't get sued than what do other mountains do?


Usually other mountains have it mentioned in therir lift tickets, this is a actually a great way to show an example of why they are needed, smaller mountains or single owned mountains such as butternut, okemo and jimmny, dont have the money for the lawyers or maybe even level of insurance that bigger chain mountains do such as killington or mount snow, (which both dont require park passes) so basically i think that at smaller or independent mountains passes are used to lessen the liability of the mountain because they have less room to fuck up or money to perfect a policy that works for many resorts. So therefore it honestly has nothing to do with keeping gapers out or maintain the park or even the level of the park but more so making it so the mountain can cover their ass.
Jan 13 2015 8:20PM
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Substitute
Posts: 1375 - Karma: 2,270
S.M.GYeah i've seen it at Jiminy Peak

It's a bullshit way of delegating people and scraping a few mangy dollars from the bottom of the bucket


If they have it then no one checked me. Didn't even know it was a thing.
Jan 13 2015 9:47PM
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