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Best and Worst of Blue Mountain, 2008

• Posted on February 2, 2008 at 7:10 PM
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Dusk at Big Baby, the easiest run at Blue Mountain

OK, here's my picks for the best and worst of Blue Mountain this year. (Add your picks at the end.)

Worst:

1) The rental facility at the south base (near entrance 1 to Blue). Absolutely clueless staff. My snowboard boots had the inner boots mixed up, so they were super uncomfortable, but if I hadn't actually known the difference (i.e. if it was my very first time), I probably would have just thought that snowboard boots are as uncomfortable as ski boots, and I would have just hit the hills. And when Teri went to rent ski gear, they didn’t provide poles. So of course she asks for some, and they just point her to a bunch hanging on a wall and let her pick her own out. No offers of service, no checking to make sure she knows what length she needs. Which she didn’t, and she had to go hunt for someone to help her out.
And of course, the worst part: THIS IS WHERE THE SKI SCHOOL IS! So this is where the most clueless skiers/boarders will go, looking for guidance, and somehow it seems this is where the most clueless staff work.
The lesson -- always rent your gear at the main rental place right by the Village.

2) I've rented at Blue five times this season, and each time I ask the snowboard tech the same question: what angles are you setting up my bindings at, and why? And each time, the tech has set them up at a different angle, and each time the reason has been no more compelling than "it doesn't really matter" (really? then why be able to adjust it?) or "it's a personal preference" (whose preference? and why aren't you asking me what I want?) or "that's the way we do it here" (clearly not true, since each rental has had a different setup. I've had 15 / -15, 6 / 6, 15 / 9 and I don't remember what the others were. So far, I just go with what the tech does, figuring that maybe eventually I'll learn which one works for me. But come on, folks, there's got to be a better way.

3) the usual extortionate prices in the cafeterias at the bottom of the lifts. Much more worthwhile to walk the extra 300 feet to the village and eat there, if you're already at the main lift and can spare the time. Amazingly, the prices in the village aren't that bad.

4) if you leave Blue at the north end, and from Jozo Weider Blvd you turn right onto Blue Mountain Road/Grey Road 19, you're in a brutal speed trap. It's a 50 zone, but looks and feels like an 80. Within a few hundred meters you pass a fire station on the right-hand side (by Kandahar Lane) -- that's a popular place for the cops to hang out. Be careful.

Best

1) Heather and Gary's chalet. Super close by (walking distance to the hills, near entrance 3 -- north end where the black diamond runs are ), hot tub, sauna, sleeps 8 easy (10 or 12 if you squeeze), fireplace, LCD TV, delicious beer -- what more can I guy ask for? If anyone needs a rental, let me know and I'll pass your contact info on to them. (I've plotted their place on the map.)

2) Fire Hall Pizza in the "village" at Blue Mountain: casual restaurant, consistently good service. Come as you are, straight off the hills, ski boots and all. Good food, not extortionately priced. Good beers. Even a large martini list, so you can stay here instead of waiting in line at Twist or the other places. And frankly, I don't want to party with the 21-year-olds at Skool. I'm not an old man, but that place would make me feel it.
(The down side: my jacket smelled like pizza for two days after.)

3) Speaking of being old: I got ID'd at Twist. I'm 38. I can live with the hassle of pulling out a driver's licence for the bouncer whose head is covered with tattoos, if the payoff is being able to convince myself that I could still pass for someone who wants to party at Skool.

4) On Friday (Feb. 1):
- good service from Ryan at the main rental shop. He gave me yet another different setup for my bindings, but at least he gave me the confidence that he knew what he was doing.
- snowboard lesson from a kid named Les, half my age. Private lesson, 90 minutes, $99. Really worthwhile. It will take a few more outings to really internalize what he pointed out to me, but already, when I manage to execute properly, I can see the difference. (Teri had a good ski lesson from Shelly.)
- the lift operators are almost always really pleasant.

5) wearing my helmet. I had an awesome wipeout, went over backwards and smashed my head on the ground. If I hadn't been wearing my lid, they would have carried me out on a stretcher.

I'd love to know what other recommendations anyone has about Blue. Post below? Or do your own blog post and include the page link in the comments below.