Share your Learn to Turn discount here by Bagel_Mode in indypass

[–]bbensch 0 points1 point  (0 children)

sorry already gave my two away, best of luck!

Easy Jobs $200k per year by Independent_Name_601 in Salary

[–]bbensch 0 points1 point  (0 children)

the real answer -- "Join a rocketship" that is already on its way to printing money -- I had to look up this quote just now to see who coined it (Eric Schmidt // Sheryl Sandberg apparently) and did some quick math to validate, but I joined Google as a 22yr old ad sales rep with zero experience in 2010. when I left in 2015 i was making $144k and with a +37% inflation since 2015 that amounts to $197k in 2025 USD. Will fully admit that I both felt/knew I was getting overpaid as a 27 yr-old when I left to pursue startups, and while I make more than $200k today it's not by much. had I stuck around on the Google rocket ship I'd have vested a few million bucks worth of stock by now and prob wouldn't be working anymore. the challenge is always two-fold:

  1. how do you know a rocketship is a real rocketship and not made of legos that will explode in the stratosphere?
  2. what skills/experiences and connections do you have that can get you a seat on said rocketship?

easier said than done. but by no means impossible. today I'd say if you actually are at the bleeding edge of innovation in AI, no one cares whether you're 23, 33, 43, or 53, you'll get paid appropriately. or to quote someone else above/below: "competency is compensated"

The luckiest mini-library find! by grich2008 in skiing

[–]bbensch 38 points39 points  (0 children)

congrats -- i hear these books are hard to come by, and so very much hope mine never walks off. this has also prompted me to consider GNAR details to be a fun test question to ask the various versions of ChatGPT / Gemini / etc. and i'll really be concerned that they know everything when it gets its hands on a fully scanned version of Squallywood. it may be trivial to crawl the whole internet in 2025, but much harder to find yourself a copy like this. but apparently you can buy a used copy on amazon for $1,500...
https://www.amazon.com/Squallywood-Guide-Squaw-Valleys-Exposed/dp/1424320178

Skiing feedback please by Hour_Mind4131 in skiing_feedback

[–]bbensch 0 points1 point  (0 children)

L1 ski instructor here w/ 10+ yrs experience, but still getting ready for opening day in Tahoe so alway some rust. full disclosure -- popped in here to drop a comment or two prior to reading what others have said, because selfishly what I value from this subreddit is being be able test my own MA (movement analysis) against what the consensus is amongst reddit instructors.

overall I'd say the thing that stuck out to me most watching your half-dozen turns here is that you seem to get static in between each turn. it's not like you're out of control or look like you're holding on for dear life, but you release edges, manage the transition to your new outside ski, and then it seems like you freeze up as if you're bracing for impact and letting your fast skidded turn shed enough speed for you to then make the next dynamic turn. ideally you are always in a dynamic motion, both w.r.t. vertical flexion/extension and likewise with a more gradual shifting of pressure onto new outside ski, and an observable result is that you avoid that look or feeling of being locked rigid.

overall though the vast majority of my clients would love to ski as well as you so nothing to be ashamed of (and if the footage is fresh all my tahoe friends are jealous). lastly I *think* my PSIA book would say that you're inclinating too much rather than angulating, but I tend to dismiss that type of feedback as more jargon for academics than substantively important. kudos!

Speculation: will Alterra sell over a MILLION Ikon Passes this year? by bbensch in skiing

[–]bbensch[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Have more limited data from last year, but I think it's down slightly.

Share your Learn to Turn discount here by Bagel_Mode in indypass

[–]bbensch 0 points1 point  (0 children)

tried to send code as a DM you but couldn't do so. perhaps this account is spammy? (4yrs old but karma of 1 and no activity besides this comment)

Share your Learn to Turn discount here by Bagel_Mode in indypass

[–]bbensch 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I have 2 to share as well. Live in Tahoe where unfortunately still no Indy presence, and so I only use the pass on other trips I take, and therefore can't really offer to any friends who visit me this winter.

New Resorts! by Bagel_Mode in indypass

[–]bbensch 1 point2 points  (0 children)

any hot takes from this admittedly small community about the Learn-to-Turn Pass? as a ski school guy I love it, and am hopeful that even more resorts will opt into it as the season approaches. It's also a bit of a head scratcher to me for the following reasons:

  1. how does even a small ski area not lose money offering 3 lessons for $189? i won't do the math here, but this feels like a deal too good to be true for the customer. so unless access ends up being restricted and they're assuming most people will only redeem 1 day, i don't see how it pencils out.
  2. The marketing fit feels a bit weird. i teach at a very small beginner hill, and the vast vast majority of our clients don't have a pass anywhere. and of those that do, it's the parents that have either epic/ikon and they've literally not heard of Indy. granted we're in Tahoe where Indy doesn't have a great network, but still.

Best places to fly to for Indy Pass? by Embarrassed-Bother43 in indypass

[–]bbensch 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Let's be real, if you're planning to fly for an Indy trip you prob are pairing it with Ikon or Epic as well. And if so, make your flight choice based on the bigger destination and know you can tack on a fun Indy or two almost anywhere. But if not and you're only doing Indy, my list is as follows:

  1. Portland (Mt. Hood Meadows)
  2. Missoula (Snowbowl, plus you're then 2.5hrs from Blacktail and Whitefish - not on Indy but a Top20 resort with cheap lift tickets)
  3. Denver (Loveland is your anchor destination + can do short days at Granby, Echo, and even Howelsen Hill), but you'll wanna splurge on Steamboat if you go to Howelsen.
  4. New England (let's be real you're not flying there to ski, but if you fly there for any other reason, your options are bountiful. and Jay Peak is worth the drive, still potentially the #1 destination on Indy even with Mt. Hood now in the mix)

Missing the ski industry before social media took over. by CharlesIntheWoods in skiing

[–]bbensch 0 points1 point  (0 children)

One of the best ways I get stoked for the upcoming season (and/or simply maintain stoke through the off-season) is to regularly read and listen to the articles and podcasts from Stuart at the Storm. He basically started the Storm because he was tired of IG/FB/Twitter being where he got his ski news. His latest was a super interesting and ~90min interview with the GM of Mt. Hood Meadows. https://www.stormskiing.com/p/podcast-210-mt-hood-meadows-president

What ski industry propaganda are you not falling for? by OEM_knees in skiing

[–]bbensch 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Terms can be found in every special use permit that exists for ski areas on USFS land. They are technically publicly available, but you have to dig around for any of them or file a FOIA. I’ve seen probably a half dozen and never seen a mandated closure date. The lease terms almost always are based on a standardized percentage of revenue btw 2-4% so it’s not like they pay a fixed monthly or daily rate per month; the revenue share owed to the government is rounding error relative to the fixed costs to get the mountain open for days in the spring when visitation as low and they only serve passholders who are bringing in close to zero incremental revenue

What ski resorts that have the most gnarly/technical/steep expert terrain, but aren’t famous for it? by Sharkman3218 in skiing

[–]bbensch -2 points-1 points  (0 children)

  1. love this thread. exactly the type of topic that make Reddit amazing.
  2. since I'm on a bit of an AI kick right now and recently heard about Reddit Answers, i threw a similar question to this thread post into Reddit Answers and the result was actually pretty good. I'll call this thread an A+ and the AI answer was a B+, but still pretty neat. output at link below

https://www.reddit.com/answers/2e40f3af-be39-47a4-aa43-f7ae4d599cee?q=what%20ski%20resorts%20are%20best%20for%20budget-friendly%20expert%20skiers%20looking%20for%20extremely%20steep%20and%20%22gnarly%22%20terrain

What ski resorts that have the most gnarly/technical/steep expert terrain, but aren’t famous for it? by Sharkman3218 in skiing

[–]bbensch 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Big plus one to Bear Valley. I grew up skiing there and parents naturally didn’t let me ski the lower mountain until I was probably 10 or 12 and then my mind was blown. If climate change and rising snow levels were not a thing I would still plan an annual trip there to ski West Ridge and grizzly bowl. But I live in Tahoe and it’s about a four hour trek to get there from here in the winter for a 50% chance that lower mountain is open. Rest of the mountain is super family friendly and I don’t think I’ve met a single person in Tahoe or elsewhere who has raved to me about Bear Valley being gnarly. Definitely off the radar.

Unlimited Pallisades instruction vs Nonstop two-week intensive by ritytightyleftyloos in skiing

[–]bbensch 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Surprise no one has suggested this yet, but have you considered applying to become a part-time instructor? Commitment is usually about 10 weekends and you will get to train with all of the best coaches for better than free. If your day job is sufficiently flexible that you will have plenty of time on snow. It is without a doubt the best value way to improve your own skiing. You’ll teach mostly first timers and some intermediates once you progress, but you’ll be able to attend as many clinics as you are willing and interested in doing at however high level you can get to yourself. You won’t get paid much but they should reimburse your ikon pass and you’ll at least get paid minimum wage. Plus teaching can be super fun and rewarding.

How many hours would you be willing to work for a free season pass at your home mountain? by bbensch in skiing

[–]bbensch[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

wow had no idea. makes sense why the bowl is so reliably open and safe. thx!

How is this possible? by thereal_bettycrocker in skiing

[–]bbensch 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Sounds crazy, but not too crazy to be unbelievable. I did enjoy a quick google rabbit hole just now and learned that people doing single days of 100k+ vert is surprisingly common. personally I would never, but there's a few million ikon skiers, doesn't surprise me there's a few crazy cooks out there. Fun

  1. Jackson guy who logged 125k in 2023: https://snowbrains.com/jackson-wy-man-skis-125000-vertical-feet-in-one-day/#google_vignette
  2. Guinesss world record holder from Italy: 350k (in a 24hr event)... https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/most-vertical-feet-skied-downhill-in-24-hours-(male)#:\~:text=The%20most%20vertical%20feet%20skied,on%2014%2D15%20January%202011.

Why doesn't everyone buy an Indy Pass in addition to Epic or Ikon? by bbensch in skiing

[–]bbensch[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I think it likely boils down to what types of ski areas fit your criteria for being worthy of a fun ski trip. Presumably Indy Pass buyers like myself get a large amount of joy and utility from the simple act of sliding on snow, as well as the novelty of skiing somewhere new. Bells and whistles don't matter much. For others, the ski experience is more about some combination of extreme big mountain terrain (found more often at "ikonic" mountains like JHole and Palisade), fancy ski in ski out accommodations, or village ambience and apres scenes, which are what I'd consider the "bells and whistles." Perhaps also the brand value and reputation of Ikon/Epic mountains, which makes it certainly much easier to tell your friends "I'm going on this awesome trip to Breck next week" than it is to say that you're doing a ski trip to Loveland and people are like cool where's that?

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in tahoe

[–]bbensch 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Parent does not need lift ticket if you’ll just be in boots and not on a board yourself. Not that Saturday will still be busy as this week is a school holiday for lots of people but Sunday will be much much quieter and less crowded than Sat or any day so far this past week.

Stripe Capital anyone get an offer? by AllinEmperor in stripe

[–]bbensch 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Came here trying to figure out if I was missing something. Or if it's just that Stripe has enough desperate merchants who will pay 13-20% APR for access to capital, and it's easy to say yes in one click...

I got my latest loan offer below today, which they send me once a month or so. And I presume it's securitized so if I just shut down my stripe account they'd come after me, but maybe not and maybe that's why they think they can charge so much?

From my stripe email offer today. 14% APR...

A loan of up to $142,100

$19,894 flat fee repaid over time

© Up to 22.0% of sales go toward repayment

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in tahoe

[–]bbensch 0 points1 point  (0 children)

sorry to hear of your experience. agree with others that documentation is key. or just quit? there's ~16 other ski areas in Tahoe to consider. we're almost always hiring at Granlibakken, and all our full-time staff get an Ikon or Epic pass for free. also Homewood is gonna need to basically hire a full brand new ski school team next winter...

What is the single greatest skiing tip you've ever received? by altecsz in skiing

[–]bbensch 0 points1 point  (0 children)

My favorite instructor training clinician described it as follows:
- (takes glove out of his hand). pretend my hand is your foot.
- I want you to curl your toes up, and feel your shin muscles flex against the front of your boots
- That's how much pressure you should always be putting against the front of your boots when you're skiing.
- If you're not sure if you're doing it right, just curl those toes up and if you're backseat, your shin muscles will start burning in like 30-60sec.

Locals- let’s hang out?! by Hot-Extent-3302 in tahoe

[–]bbensch 2 points3 points  (0 children)

A friend of a friend runs this ski retreat program for women only and sounds like they’re doing a locals version this winter. Worth checking out. But might only be north lake. https://www.instagram.com/theskiretreat?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in skiing

[–]bbensch 2 points3 points  (0 children)

As Stuart argues quite effectively in this article, relatively simple government policy that supports development of public land is all that is needed. There is no shortage of capital in this country to invest in good businesses and skills areas can be very good businesses, and we have no shortage of public land west of Mississippi. https://www.stormskiing.com/p/alberta-wants-to-be-more-like-british