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Open Snoqualmie Pass

wheelchaser

Chimp
Apr 11, 2005
18
0
Renton, Wa
Here is your chance to try and make a difference at Snoq Pass. The more people that contact them the larger our user group seems. Send polite concise emails to the following booth creek execs:

Julie Maurer jmaurer@boothcreek.com
mkting, pr and sales

Susie Tjossem stjossem@boothcreek.com
Guest Exp,Prod Develop

Make it short and be proffessional, let them know we want to help them make money and grow their business.

Here is a copy of mine:

Congratulations on the Snoqualmie Pass expansion plans. This is a great step towards better serving customers and growing your revenue stream.

Along these lines have you considered broadening your revenue base by offering more summertime activities? The Seattle market has thousands of cyclists who are currently driving five hours to Whistler to ride their bikes. Though Snoqualmie Pass is not Whistler it is over four hours closer and has much to offer towards the over 2 million potential customers in the greater Seattle region.

Thank you for your time, I look forward to continued progress at your Snoqualmie Pass property.

Sincerely,

Brian Solem
 

fuzzycatnuts

Monkey
Dec 14, 2005
944
0
Just sent my email off. I know theres a huge insurance problem, thats why they closed the lifts to mountian biking(I think some dump ass hurt himself and the sued them for it). I also know that 2-3 people die every year skiing and only 1 person has died at whistler bike park since the opened, 5-7 years ago?

Seams just a matter of money, if theres enough people buying tickets to cover the insurance and the ocational lawsuits. Our sport has grown a great deal since there lifts ran for mnt bikers, maybe they will look at Whistler as an example and reilize theres money to be made. After last winter they might realize the mnt bike season is longer and not as dependent on the tempature and presiptation.
 

Fast&Smooth

Monkey
Jun 24, 2002
446
0
Bothell, WA
DBR X6 RIDER said:
If I didn't know better, I'd think you own some serious stock in the snow-bike industry.:think:

E-mails sent...fingers crossed...not holding breath.
Or just tryin to start the next revolution my man. And the sooner you all get with it, the better off you'll be. Picture yourself in a documentary on the sport in 20 years from now...how's that sound?!
 

Mut

Monkey
Dec 23, 2004
165
0
Renton, WA
Fast&Smooth said:
Or just tryin to start the next revolution my man. And the sooner you all get with it, the better off you'll be. Picture yourself in a documentary on the sport in 20 years from now...how's that sound?!
Lets focus at the task at hand.


Thanks for the contact info Brian. Does this mean your going to start dhing again?
 

DBR X6 RIDER

Turbo Monkey
Fast&Smooth said:
Picture yourself in a documentary on the sport in 20 years from now...how's that sound?!
I dunno. The early mtb & snowboarding videos are kind of scary if you ever take a look at them...can you say "bad fashion statements"? Then again, there's far less neon sportsware available these days so there's hope for the early snowbike vids to at least be visually appealing - as opposed to appalling.:blah:
 

carbuncle

Monkey
Dec 2, 2004
364
0
Edmonds, WA
Sent just now:

Hi there,

Congratulations on the expansion! I'd like to take a minute to ask you to consider adding lift-accessed mountain biking to you summer schedule. In the last three to four years there has been a huge proliferation of affordable long travel mountain bikes, and a sizeable increase in the number of riders who want to try this activity. Last summer Cypress Mountain (http://www.cypressmountain.com/bike.html) opend their lifts to a summer riding program and created a fun and affordable trail system convenient to Vancouver residents. Given the similarity in size, market and proximity to a major urban area known for outdoor activities perhaps now could be a time of reconsidering the viability of lift-accessed riding in the pass? I know that a program run at the pass didn't work out a few years ago, but the bike industry has changed significantly since then, and the market is flooded with affordable downhill and freeride bikes bought by folks who want to have legal trails to ride them, and can afford to pay for the priviledge who have been stoked up by the popularity of videos such as the Kranked and New World Disorder series and the Collective. Far from attracting a small core of downhilling dirtbags, the right trail-building and marketing program would attract kids and and adults of all ages and provide both summer employment for valuable employees and a pad against drought-related winter losses. Please consider this, and also that at least eleven smaller ski mountains in the northeast are profitting from the same type of plan: Jiminy Peak, Plattekill, West Mtn, Whiteface, Diablo, Mt Snow, Killington, Bolton Valley, attitash, Bromont and the new park opening at Magic Mountain. If it works there, with the right marketing and trail-building program it can work here too!

Sincerely,

T Simek
 
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ffonsok

Monkey
Dec 6, 2005
692
0
sent my message straight away-- i would love to have something like this going on since i live only 35 min from snoqualimie!
 

snide

Chimp
Mar 28, 2005
7
0
Seattle
Wheelchaser -
Thanks for stoking the fire. Months ago I wrote to Julie from Boothcreek and below is the reply I got:

Scott,

Your email to Julie Maurer regarding mountain biking was forwarded to me.

We have had a fair amount of interest expressed in favor of offering mountain biking again. Whistler has really stepped things up that past few seasons and seems to be getting a pretty good foothold going. As you may or may not be aware, we closed our mountain bike center due to very flat business levels over a 5 year period of time. Continuing to operate was hard to justify given the sharp increases we were seeing in our costs, particularly insurance. Whistler of course has the added advantage of multiple income streams that helps to make the operation viable.

I have spoken with a number of mountain biking proponents this spring and summer and have committed to at least consider re-opening the center. A lot of people have offered support in everything from marketing to trail building. Unfortunately, our biggest hurdle to get by right now are the overhead costs, particularly insurance and the added liability exposure coming with the operation. I wish I could say that is a small thing, but it is not.

Stay in touch and we'll see what we can do.

Dan Brewster
General Manager
The Summit at Snoqualmie

I've emailed boothcreek again and will continue to keep in touch. Let me know if I can help in your efforts to re-open the pass. I'm sick of driving to Whistler all the time!
 

Fast&Smooth

Monkey
Jun 24, 2002
446
0
Bothell, WA
Once upon a time adolesent boys would travel far from their surburban homes via their parents driving them to the place known as the summit at snoqualmie downhill biking at summit central. These children would rock FSR's, Mongoose Costco bikes, and Specialized hardrocks with elastomer 2-3" suspended Rock Shox Judy's. They would represent and slay the trails that make the rockiest lower part of a-line look like newly paved parking lot. They would however have to pay a price of usually 2-5 tubes per day at the service shop there due do the hardcore sharp rockness of the trails.

They vowed never to return again...

Or did they?
 

downhillracer

Turbo Monkey
Jan 28, 2005
1,230
0
Sammamish, WA
personally i would love to ride snoqualmie pass
i'd buy a season's pass
i'm gonna take some time and write a good letter
hope this works out we need a closer lift access mtn bike park, even if its just downhill
 

Five

Turbo Monkey
Mar 8, 2003
1,506
0
West Seattle, WA
I think the last time I rode Snocrummy I cracked a rear wheel, tore off a rear derailleur and bruised my tailbone - but if it opens up for biking, I'd show.
 

Skookum

bikey's is cool
Jul 26, 2002
10,184
0
in a bear cave
Fast&Smooth said:
Meh, you've got you agendas and I've got mine. Snoqualmie wasn't so fun to ride and I don't think much would be different.
Maybe there are tons of people that don't chase trends and would simply like options to ride.

This thing is in talk stages and already you got people baggin it, just ridiculous....
 

Snacks

Turbo Monkey
Feb 20, 2003
3,523
0
GO! SEAHAWKS!
Five said:
I think the last time I rode Snocrummy I cracked a rear wheel, tore off a rear derailleur and bruised my tailbone - but if it opens up for biking, I'd show.
:thumb: Now that sounds like a great day:p God, I miss riding up there. Rocks, Rocks, and more Rocks:love: I would ride up there almost every weekend if it was open, and they let Kevin cut some new trails:cool:
 

mazzino

Chimp
Apr 7, 2005
30
0
Seattle, WA
Fast&Smooth said:
It would only be worth it if they built stunts or somthing fun.


The last 3 years they had it open it was not very far away and I didn't have to drive 4+ hours and get a hotel room to ride lift-accessed trails.

fill in the blank
Sure it was one-dimensional, but I sure did like it. The lift makes all the difference....at least for me. I've written them before, and I'll do it again.

They (or someone for that matter) cut some new cool trails for the races right before the end of the last season. Too bad ... I really thought they were about to step it up to the next level, not shut it down.
 

DBR X6 RIDER

Turbo Monkey
I think that the few advances in technology over the last 5+ yrs would make it a little more ridable. OK, a LOT.

If/when they open the lifts, I wouldn't expect to see a single stunt from the get-go...or any time immediately afterwards. You'd be severely dissapointed if you thought that way.

IFO am just hoping to see a place close to home where I can get mad descending done in a single day with little-to-no pedaling in between...and having it be legal to boot. Then again, it's only illegal if you get caught.;)
 

trailhacker

Turbo Monkey
Jan 6, 2003
1,233
0
In the hills around Seattle
Fast&Smooth said:
It would only be worth it if they built stunts or somthing fun.


The last 3 years they had it open it was not very _____

fill in the blank
Wow dude? Sorry you had a crappy day and never went back or whatever you said a page or so ago.
If you are so keen on stunts then the shore is only 2 hours away. I wouldn't think they would be real open to building circus stunts and if they listened to me I would surely advise against it if only for liability reasons.
Maybe its just me but I'll take the more natural trails on Garbonzo (like Snoqualmie) to the groomed trails like A-line any day.

IMO the reason they didn't have more over-all success when they were open was they didn't INVEST in a trail network more catered to the entry level and mom&pop's out there. One of the things I remember most was seeing "regular" people on rental bikes having to walk their way down the service road only to have nowhere to go? Inevitably you would pass them on the lift - taking it back down the hill.
One of the biggest things to over come where they are located is the lack of a way to get from the top of the lift to the bottom without having to have a certain level of skill. There location doesn't lend itself to that. The true hardcore XC guys would never buy a lift ticket but the intermediate trail riders probably would if they didn't have to have expert skills just to get back down.
It will also take more than one guy getting paid what was essentially gas money to work on the trails 2-3 nights a week after their real job.
 

Fast&Smooth

Monkey
Jun 24, 2002
446
0
Bothell, WA
Skookum said:
Maybe there are tons of people that don't chase trends and would simply like options to ride.

This thing is in talk stages and already you got people baggin it, just ridiculous....
I wish it was a trend! There'd be more people doing it then. I guess you could say I am trying to make it a trend then.

But speaking of trends, how bout them lift accessed mountain bike trails?? Who doesn't <3 Whistler?

There have always been people "baggin" snoqualmie, especially back when it was open. Oviously it shut down the first time, so unless you few guys are geniouses and plan to step in, take charge, and make snoq. a place the people will enjoy this time, you are just waisting your breath...er...finger typing..ness
 

evilbob

Monkey
Mar 17, 2002
948
0
Everett, Wa
trailhacker said:
Wow dude? Sorry you had a crappy day and never went back or whatever you said a page or so ago.
If you are so keen on stunts then the shore is only 2 hours away. I wouldn't think they would be real open to building circus stunts and if they listened to me I would surely advise against it if only for liability reasons.
Maybe its just me but I'll take the more natural trails on Garbonzo (like Snoqualmie) to the groomed trails like A-line any day.

IMO the reason they didn't have more over-all success when they were open was they didn't INVEST in a trail network more catered to the entry level and mom&pop's out there. One of the things I remember most was seeing "regular" people on rental bikes having to walk their way down the service road only to have nowhere to go? Inevitably you would pass them on the lift - taking it back down the hill.
One of the biggest things to over come where they are located is the lack of a way to get from the top of the lift to the bottom without having to have a certain level of skill. There location doesn't lend itself to that. The true hardcore XC guys would never buy a lift ticket but the intermediate trail riders probably would if they didn't have to have expert skills just to get back down.
It will also take more than one guy getting paid what was essentially gas money to work on the trails 2-3 nights a week after their real job.
Exactly true and from one of the very few peeps who actually was there involved doing more than his part when the rest of us were only riding and crying about it. Snoqualmie is brutal on equipment and bodies even on a good run, not very friendly on the family recreational bike outing. Also not very good as a high speed jump park either. Don't get me wrong the few times I've been to Whistler I have had a blast, but when I here the local experts and pros (and the wanna be experts and pros) complaining because the local series (read WIM here) didn't have enough difficulty in the courses to keep them competitive at the national level the first thing I think is they need to ride Snoqualmie more. Seriously Trailhacker is right unless more entry level trails are made available the place will not attract enough new business to be worth the insurance risk impossed by they few of us who like that terrain but also duck out to go up to Whistler to be pamperd.
 

thesacrifice

Monkey
Aug 4, 2004
451
0
360
Downhill mountain biking is already a tiny select group of people, the more skill levels they can cater to, obviously the better.