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The Secrets of Aspen Ski Instructors, from Sex to Spilled Champagne

fatbob

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No judgement here but a cultural question - why given the general drinking culture prevalent around skiing in the US is Cloud 9 such an embrassment? What are the liability issues that uniquely relate to the offering of a "Euro style" après experience compared to say any resort anywhere where Joe Touroun can start getting his shots on on the on mountain bar from 10.30 am (maybe after a Breakfast Bacon Mary or two)? The showering champagne is unnecessary I get that - but bottom line it's good business for ASCo to readily separate the wealthy from $000s in excahnge for a bit of mopping. Why given that ski law in the US protects resorts so much from negligence are there no real on hill après venues, particularly in spring? I get it that Europe's different , independent ownership of huts means they are each incentivised to bring their A game and they aren't the same as the lift company so while they will cooperate with patrol etc it's a mutual game. Indeed there are some places that have pretty boring skiing but such a reputation for après fun that people flock back year after year.
 

Seldomski

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'mericuh
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Ever see signage like this in Europe?

In US you can make a career out of defending people with no common sense. Europe attitude is that the results of being a moron are the responsibility of the moron in question. In US you can do anything (because freedom) and if there's a sign there that doesn't tell you to do something that you then do, it's a hazard that must be identified (else owner of the land where the thing happened is a bad guy).
 

Nancy Hummel

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It is my understanding that the person who wrote this piece was NOT ever an instructor at Aspen.
 

fatbob

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But you are quite happy to serve people booze for breakfast lunch and all afternoon in ordinary on hill bars. Beyond bartender cutoff practices how do you protect against that and how come resorts aren't sued everytime Jerry Margarita tweaks his knee or hits a kid?

I don't drink on the hill bar the odd après beer at a fun or social place but there is a huuuge drinking culture attached to skiing. It seems odd that resorts wouldn't want to monetise it in a fun way.
 

LiquidFeet

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My God, I had no idea of such depraved debauchery in the instruction industry. Well, it’s about time somebody instituted some parameters so our new young recruits do not end up in the wretched den of iniquity that is in, of all places, Aspen, where, apparently, the new Ski Instructor Hippocratic Oath has yet to be … emailed.

Ski Instructor Hippocratic Oath

I swear to fulfill, to the best of my ability and judgment, this covenant:

I will respect the hard-won technical and athletic gains of those instructors in whose steps I walk, and gladly share such knowledge as is mine with those who are to follow.

I will apply, for the benefit of the less coordinated, all measures that are required, avoiding those twin traps of over-instruction and developmental nihilism.

I will remember that there is an art to skiing as well as science, and that warmth, sympathy, and understanding may outweigh the teacher's knife or any technical subjugation.

I will not be ashamed to say "I know not," nor will I fail to call in my colleagues when the skills of another are needed for a student’s improvement.

I will respect the privacy of my students, whether famous, for their flawed movements are not disclosed to me that the world may know. Most especially must I tread with care in matters of fear, self judgement and the developmental plateau. If it is given me to save a skier, all thanks. But it may also be within my power to ruin a skier and cause plateau; this awesome responsibility must be faced with great humbleness and awareness of my own frailty. Above all, I must not play “God”.

I will remember that I do not treat backseatidis or a cancerous weight to the inside, but the whole skier, whose faulty movement patterns and weak fundamentals may affect a person's separation and quiet stability. My responsibility includes these related problems, if I am to care adequately for the underdeveloped.

I will prevent skill plateaus whenever I can, for prevention is preferable to cure.

I will remember that I remain a member of an instructional society, with special obligations to all my fellow skiers, those sound of mind and movement as well as the intellectually and technically destitute.

If I do not violate this oath, may I enjoy life and snow, respected while I live and remembered with affection thereafter. May I always act so as to preserve the finest traditions of my calling and may I long experience the joy of assisting all those who seek my help.

O. M. G.
But really. This rocks.
 

fatbob

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It is my understanding that the person who wrote this piece was NOT ever an instructor at Aspen.

So Kaplan said. But re-reading it looks like the author did a few ridealongs and then wrote it using journalistic licence as "when I was an instructor for the day". So doesn't feel like a lie per se unless you are unused to such journalistic magazine/froth piece convention. Someone at ASCo clearly knows who the guy was and what sort of access he had for Kaplan to be so dogmatic about staff being duped
 

Lauren

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But re-reading it looks like the author did a few ridealongs and then wrote it using journalistic licence as "when I was an instructor for the day". So doesn't feel like a lie per se unless you are unused to such journalistic magazine/froth piece convention.

Clicking on his name at the top of the article, along with a Private Ski Instructor at Aspen, he also:
- Was a Personal Shopper for Barneys
- Ran a High-Roller Suite in Las Vegas
- Became a Honeymoon Planner for Billionaires
- Ran the World's Largest Cruise Ship
- Worked as a Butler at the Plaza Hotel
- Was a Flight Attendant
 

Mike King

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Clicking on his name at the top of the article, along with a Private Ski Instructor at Aspen, he also:
- Was a Personal Shopper for Barneys
- Ran a High-Roller Suite in Las Vegas
- Became a Honeymoon Planner for Billionaires
- Ran the World's Largest Cruise Ship
- Worked as a Butler at the Plaza Hotel
- Was a Flight Attendant
All those are other hack job articles the author wrote for Bloomberg.
 

LKLA

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A terribly superficial and loathsome article by Bloomberg followed by a fine response by Mike......That article from Bloomberg was just horrible. Not seven sure that was journalism. Have been a Bloomberg client for 14 years and am disappointed to read the piece. Those cartoons were just over the top. I get it, but man where those silly.

However, I particularly love that Mike makes note of the behavior at Cloud 9. That place is somewhat of an embarrassment but also has to be a cash cow. I'm surprised that no legal issues or other more serious problems have developed there. Maybe there has been some legal issues but have if so they have been kept very quiet. Not making this indictment of Could 9 or Aspen, as a skier, I have really enjoyed what the mountain has to offer.

When the article first came out last Tuesday morning I can tell you that it was being read by A LOT of people on Wall Street - and everyone was having a laugh. Bloomberg knows its readership/audience well. Having said that, it was more than clear that it was nothing more than a fluff piece.
 

Lauren

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When the article first came out last Tuesday morning I can tell you that it was being read by A LOT of people on Wall Street - and everyone was having a laugh. Bloomberg knows its readership/audience well. Having said that, it was more than clear that it was nothing more than a fluff piece.

Interesting viewpoint for the article, I definitely read it as more of a dig (jokingly) on the Wall Street tycoons and celebrities than on the instructors.
 

LKLA

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Interesting viewpoint for the article, I definitely read it as more of a dig (jokingly) on the Wall Street tycoons and celebrities than on the instructors.

I was not necessarily speaking about Wall Street tycoons / masters of the universe / moguls / captains of industry / titans of finance... in my post as I don't think that I know anyone who could be described as such. But remember, it takes two to tango :)
 

James

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No ski town is more misunderstood that Aspen, sadly.
People really should just go to Vail. No need to clog Ajax.
The article lost all credibility for me when the author incorrectly refered to a Texas Suitcase as a Oklahoma Suitcase.:nono:
Well that's what I thought. Then I spoke with someone who "taught at Keystone for six years" and claimed "everyone in Colorado calls it an Oklahoma suitcase".

I've spent a fair amount of time with Colorado skiers - skiing in Colorado and other states. Never once have I heard it. Never here nor on epic. Maybe it's a Keystone thing?
One can't replace a two syllable word with a four syllable one. Just doesn't work. The original term is two words, two syllables each. Solid.

I swear the first time I was in Chamonix within 15 minutes walking down the street I'd seen two separate instances of people toting a Texas Suitcase. They were definitely not from Oklahoma, nor from Texas.
 

Alexzn

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I have been to Aspen a few times. Judging from simple observing the skiing scene, the journalist piece in question is crap. I have also been to Cloud Nine, I have seen the Champaign spraying on one occasion, but on another it was a regular sit-down restaurant (expensive, but good, especially for mid-mountain food). Aspen has great skiing, there is certainly a huge amount of wealth on display (the size of diamonds on some women in the gondola, and some ski outfits are truly impressive) and a lot of establishment cater to that wealth, but it is more than possible to have a great skiing experience. Even at Ajax. Most of the people seem to be out there to ski great snow and really nice terrain. There is definitely a freak show component, but it's really a sideshow.
 

fatbob

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(the size of diamonds on some women in the gondola are truly impressive) .

Euphemism?

FWIW I agree Aspen is probably the biggest surprise in world skiing in a good way. First time I went I had pretty low expectations that it would be like the worst of Vail or Courchevel pretentiousness and conspicuous consumption but turned up to 11. Yet you get there and there is core skiing population, lots of ski bums working mountain jobs into their 50s+ and lots of people who just love skiing and keep the wealth bit very down low. And really great terrain given the number of people skiing it. But that sort of write up ain't going to make it past a sub editor.
 
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HardDaysNight

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Why do people insist on referring to this as “journalism”? It’s not, it’s a somewhat silly colour piece intended to be amusing. Note to instructors up in arms at the trivialization of their profession: lighten up and become more agreeable company or you’ll never get $10,000 tips let alone a Land Rover from a Saudi prince.
 

raytseng

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I knew I don't fit into place like this (if we forget $820/day rate... something that get me skiing for few weeks over here :D:

Fun young guy to bro out with them? Seriously? What's wrong with fun girl, who knows how to ski? :D I know I know I'm weird and I don't have $820/day for instructor :D
The bro will feel ripped off, believing that assigned a female instructor is inferior in skill and cannot outski him to begin with. Power-dynamics at play.
 

Mike King

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Why do people insist on referring to this as “journalism”? It’s not, it’s a somewhat silly colour piece intended to be amusing. Note to instructors up in arms at the trivialization of their profession: lighten up and become more agreeable company or you’ll never get $10,000 tips let alone a Land Rover from a Saudi prince.
So, @HardDaysNight, what profession do you practice? And how might you feel if someone trivialized your profession in this manner?
 

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