Maybe with $75 weekend and $80 holiday lift tickets, crowds will finally start to thin.

Let's see... to take my family of 4 for our traditional Presidents Day weekend with 2 days of skiing, considering that it is a "holiday weekend" and that my 12 year old is no longer a child according to 7S,that would be $602!!

It cost money to build and maintain all those parks, especially that competitions grade half pipe. One day a local will be an olympic medalist and you'll be glad you subsidized their training ground.

It cost money to build and maintain all those parks, especially that competitions grade half pipe. One day a local will be an olympic medalist and you'll be glad you subsidized their training ground.

So then, the superpipe is like PNC Park? Watch someone go from playing for the Buccos to getting a pennant with another^h^h^h^h^h^h MLB team? ;-)

FIFY, PNC is the nicest Triple A stadium in the country.

But they charge MLB prices for food and beverages.

did those prices come down a lot from last year?

It cost money to build and maintain all those parks, especially that competitions grade half pipe. One day a local will be an olympic medalist and you'll be glad you subsidized their training ground.

Hey Pittsburghers, did you know that Route 22 in now 4 lanes all the way to I-99 and no tolls. Blue Knob is now about 2 hour easy drive away. Cheap lift tickets on their cloud store and terrain that makes you a better skier.

I wonder what they'll charge for a lift ticket if they ever do open Laurel. Will you pay $60 for 2 top to bottom snowmaking runs?

don't be a douche about the superpipe. that thing attracts people from all over the mid-atlantic (if not further).

When BK gets a speed lift or, something from the 70's at least then I'll return. How about even some quality grooming or, ??

I like the name calling Finsout, real class, call me a sexist slur for expressing my opinion then imply sarcasm for those of us who have have been made to sacrifice the best glades and the sweetest natural snow catch on the mountain so all the park enthusiast can have their playground.

This is what I know. On MLK weekend this season Giant Steps was not open but enough snow was made on the Super Pipe to cover Giant Steps. The Super Pipe was not open either. Late January, the last sure holiday weekend and a major slope serviced by a high speed six and all that 'purist' traffic is sliding on the rest of the back side trails now iced over due to overuse. I find it difficult to believe that "that thing attracts people from all over the mid-atlantic (if not further)" actually attracts enough paying customers to pay for the build and the upkeep.

My son spends all day in the parks while at Seven Springs but 90% of that time is in The Alley. I have no problems with parks that most paying customers can use. I really have no issue with a competition grade pipe, it does represent the next level serious feeriders aspire toward but when major trails are ignored in favor of an expert level pipe, then I have issues. Even Blue Knob will not make snow on Extrovert until the terrain that most of its customers use is covered. Extrovert is to Blue Knob what The Spot is to Seven Springs. It is their signature expert trail, it is the one thing that no other Mid-A resort has yet because of the harsh economic facts of the ski industry and Blue Knob in particular, the majority paying customer is served first. I have nothing at all against all you 'freeriders'. I would just like you to pay your own way. How about a super pipe surcharge for its users?

Day rates have gone up at Seven Springs every year since The Spot was created yet I see no value added to the rest of the mountain in fact value is detracted. How can one not conclude that the increased cost of lift tickets goes to subsidise The Spot?

Sincraft, by your own admission you've not been to Blue Knob for a while yet you can comment on the grooming there? After the last big snowfall, sure BK didn't open until the next weekend (a decision driven by hard business facts not indifference of management) by but when they did open, the trails they groomed were in excellent shape. Mambo, Jack Rabbit, even Stem were groomed to name the major trails. The rest were left for us 'purist' to challenge our skills.

As for your wish for a speed lift, Blue Knob's lift capacity is underutilized now. There is no justification for a high speed lift and ownership simply can not afford the expenditure. So you can complain about Seven Springs then complain that Blue Knob is not up to your standards then go plunk your money down at Seven Spring's ticket window. Keep this in mind, if Blue Knob, Timberline, Hidden Valley go under and Seven Springs has a monopoly, what then?

Unlike some here, I have not been an indiscriminate basher of Seven Springs. Their hallmark has been customer service. I think that in this instance Seven Springs is doing a disservice to the general snowsport public. I think increased day rate tickets will harm the sport in the long run by discouraging first timers who do not take the time to search for better deals and when all the money is spent from cheap preseason season pass sales you will see less late season service.

Bob Nutting is a smart businessman and a keen opportunist and that is as business operates but most will agree that value has declined, service has declined, morale has declined but I wouldn't be surprised if the bottom line has improved.

I feel your frustration as I watched them make tons of snow for the pipe while leaving quality terrain untouched and , in need to be opened - however keep in mind the weather was so bad last year. 7Springs HAD to have the spot full open with extra snow handy for their big competition. A 'somewhat' televised competition. Their next step is up.

They didnt have enough generators operational to run the snow making equipment so, there was alot of failure there.

I wanted to go to BK this year but never had the chance. For BK or SS.

Charging additional fees for the superpipe would likely result in 10 people buying into that. Also I think it causes someone force themselves to ride even if they arent capable because they bought the pass - dangerous.

As for the day rates, I dont think they are high enough peak season and too high off peak. $100 from Mid Jan to Mid Feb and $30 for March riding would even out those crowds.

In Pitts right now. Some of the harder rain I've seen in a while. Lasted a good while too. Was about 80 degrees when it started, 60-65ish right now. If there's snow left this weekend then props to them!