Vail Resorts ends printed trail maps at all its locations

[LuliTheYounger]

The maps are going to be available, they're just planning on printing a smaller number and you have to ask for one at the ticket window. It seems like a perfectly fine update, honestly.

 

[Wendy]

I’d like to see tyvek maps sold.

We shared a condo with another family at Killington a few years ago, and one of the kids loved telling me I had to try "Bunny Buster" whenever I had the map out. I'd ask him to come over and show me. He loved it - the skiing, the map, and saying "Bunny Buster."

Tyvek maps would be cool! Or, that “Rite in the Rain” material used in notebooks of the same name (used for fieldwork). Then the resort could really justify a charge for them and a greater chance of them being used as souvenirs and being REUSED on return visits. Or maybe passed along to a friend.

I agree that maps are great for kids. They teach kids to learn the compass directions and orient themselves accordingly. It teaches them to envision a 3D world in 2 dimensions in a way that an image on a cell phone cannot. Also, having the ability to WRITE with a pen or pencil on a map is imperative for kids. This encourages conversations with others (adults) about how they’ve spent their day. The act of physically writing with a utensil helps plant images into memory. Too much digital stuff is detrimental to them. Take it from this retired teacher who’s seen a marked decrease in the above skills (Yes, I’ve taught map-reading) ever since cell phones became ubiquitous.

 

[Bill Miles]

We shared a condo with another family at Killington a few years ago, and one of the kids loved telling me I had to try "Bunny Buster" whenever I had the map out. I'd ask him to come over and show me. He loved it - the skiing, the map, and saying "Bunny Buster."

So ,is Bunny Buster a double black?

 

[crgildart]

They were fun to collect, especially for the kids. I think some places stopped giving them away for free but don't remember for sure.. I also miss paper ticket stubs. I also collected those since the late 80s. Ya you can still print them out at home but it's not the same..

 

[Ogg]

So ,is Bunny Buster a double black?

Nope. Solid blue with it's own Poma lift. It's a great place to set up a training course as they often do.

I have an affinity for maps and a better than average ability to read them because of my time working as a route planner for the AAA in the '90s(pre computer routing). I do enjoy looking at paper trail maps at my leisure but I can't remember the last time I pulled one out on the hill. As @Tricia and others have said it's a PITA to pull out my reading glasses and deal with a paper map in less than ideal conditions. The big posted maps at the lifts are far more useful but I usually just pretty much wing it once I have basic feel for the layout of where I'm skiing, for better or worse. I do enjoy keeping them as souvenirs although I rarely look at them after the fact. Digital maps are great on the big screen on my desktop but pretty annoying on the phone and both still require my gasses.

 

[James]

Nope. Solid blue with it's own Poma lift. It's a great place to set up a training course as they often do.

I have an affinity for maps and a better than average ability to read them because of my time working as a route planner for the AAA in the '90s(pre computer routing). I do enjoy looking at paper trail maps at my leisure but I can't remember the last time I pulled one out on the hill. As @Tricia and others have said it's a PITA to pull out my reading glasses and deal with a paper map in less than ideal conditions. The big posted maps at the lifts are far more useful but I usually just pretty much wing it once I have basic feel for the layout of where I'm skiing, for better or worse. I do enjoy keeping them as souvenirs although I rarely look at them after the fact. Digital maps are great on the big screen on my desktop but pretty annoying on the phone and both still require my gasses.

Years ago they use to sell a map in an eye viewer that you could say hang on your neck. You hold it up to the light and put your eye up to it to see the map. (Don’t think there was a diopter) It was pretty cool, and as there was no night skiing, it always worked.
Disadvantage was other people couldn’t look at it at the same time. But I’d love to see it come back. You could make a deluxe one that allowed changing maps.

 

[Ogg]

Years ago they use to sell a map in an eye viewer that you could say hang on your neck. You hold it up to the light and put your eye up to it to see the map. (Don’t think there was a diopter) It was pretty cool, and as there was no night skiing, it always worked.
Disadvantage was other people couldn’t look at it at the same time. But I’d love to see it come back. You could make a deluxe one that allowed changing maps.

That sounds far more old school than even I would want to venture. It reminds me of the antique stereopticon my mother had when I was a kid.

 

[dbostedo]

That sounds far more old school than even I would want to venture. It reminds me of the antique stereopticon my mother had when I was a kid.

I remember seeing lots of them in the late 80's at vacation places where you could get scenic views. They still make them to view film slides... and you can order custom ones. You'd just need a slide of a trail map, and you'd be set.

 

[newboots]

Nope. Solid blue with it's own Poma lift.

Wait - it's own Poma lift? I don't recall that! Tell me more.

 

[Wendy]

Wait - it's own Poma lift? I don't recall that! Tell me more.

Yeah, they’d use it for race training so the Poma lift was super convenient. It’s been a long time since I’ve skied on that part of the mountain, though.

 

[newboots]

Yeah, they’d use it for race training so the Poma lift was super convenient. It’s been a long time since I’ve skied on that part of the mountain, though.

I thought that was over on Ramshead. Alpine Training Venue?

 

[David Chaus]

Years ago they use to sell a map in an eye viewer that you could say hang on your neck. You hold it up to the light and put your eye up to it to see the map. (Don’t think there was a diopter) It was pretty cool, and as there was no night skiing, it always worked.
Disadvantage was other people couldn’t look at it at the same time. But I’d love to see it come back. You could make a deluxe one that allowed changing maps.

Why stop there? How about goggles with heads-up displays of the ski resort trail maps? FatMap goggles?

 

[mdf]

I thought that was over on Ramshead. Alpine Training Venue?

The Poma was definitely on Snowden along Bunny Buster. It was already there when I started skiing Killington in the 1980s.... they'd even allow the general public on it back then.

It's not on the current trailmap. They may have taken it out when they changed out the Snowden triple->6 pack, or maybe its still there but not for public use.


Still there in Google Maps... but so is the triple.

 

[dbostedo]

Why stop there? How about goggles with heads-up displays of the ski resort trail maps? FatMap goggles?

There were a bunch of goggles out with HUDs a few years ago... but they seem to have fallen out of favor. They were pretty basic, but I'd have to think that with the right smartphone and screen integration, they could be much better now. It would be really cool to be able to pull up a map, and I'm sure they could do things like cars do, and not allow it if you're moving.

 

[Ogg]

The Poma was definitely on Snowden along Bunny Buster. It was already there when I started skiing Killington in the 1980s.... they'd even allow the general public on it back then.

It's not on the current trailmap. They may have taken it out when they changed out the Snowden triple->6 pack, or maybe its still there but not for public use.


Still there in Google Maps... but so is the triple.
View attachment 148380

I'm pretty sure the Poma is gone now but other K-ton regulars would know better. I haven't ventured over to that area in a while.

 

[James]

That sounds far more old school than even I would want to venture. It reminds me of the antique stereopticon my mother had when I was a kid.

It’s great school. But directly related to slide viewers.
I still have some stereoptican cards and a viewer. Many years ago someone I worked with had a set of 500 stereo cards covering the aftermath of WW1 in Europe. Pretty cool.

Why stop there? How about goggles with heads-up displays of the ski resort trail maps? FatMap goggles?

Yeah, and a BitCoin generator while we’re at it. Maybe run it off the Tesla.
No, the beauty is it’s just a freakin’ picture. Doesn't move, can’t enlarge it, can’t tweet it, can’t do anything with it. You just look at it, and use the imagination.

It's not on the current trailmap. They may have taken it out when they changed out the Snowden triple->6 pack, or maybe its still there but not for public use.

Not sure when it was moved. Going to guess 2019. Current map:

 

[newboots]

I'm pretty sure the Poma is gone now but other K-ton regulars would know better. I haven't ventured over to that area in a while.

I regularly skied Killington from mybe 2017-20, and I never saw the Poma near Bunny Buster.

 

[mdf]

I regularly skied Killington from mybe 2017-20, and I never saw the Poma near Bunny Buster.

It was still there in 2010/11. That's the best I can do.

 

[Prosper]

Poll - Paper trail maps

Skied Keystone yesterday. Went to the ticket window to ask for a paper trail map since we have a decorative clip board of local trail maps at our Silverthorne rental property and wanted to get the 20/21 map. Was told that Keystone is not doing paper trail maps anymore and was directed to the...

www.skitalk.com

Last year I was hoping that paper trail maps wouldn’t go the way of the dodo. Sadly it looks like they might be moving in that direction.

 

[Tricia]

Overwhelming results.