ONE DOWN, THREE TO GO
Taos Resort in New Mexico has given in. The resort is pulling its snowboard ban, allowing sideways riders full access at last. Now the only resorts in the country still banning snowboarders are Alta and Deer Valley in Utah, and Vermont's Mad River Glen.
But that's not enough for Burton Snowboards. In the spirit of the sport, Jake Burton and his company are awarding $5,000 for a little civil disobedience. Poach any of the three, make a video of it, and send it to Burton. The best video wins the bucks. Bonus points are added for creativity and dirty looks, according to the company's poaching web site: http://www.burton.com/poachers/
The site explains the rules, such as: "Always respect Ski Patrol; even if they tackle you," and adds this little tip: "Splitboarding is your friend." You must purchase a ticket (if you don't own a splitboard, have a friend hike up with a regular board, hide in the woods to wait for you, then one of you rides, one of you skis, one of you videos). Burton's address to mail the video is on the site.
Meanwhile, Utah resorts have no plans whatsoever to open their slopes to boarders. But there is absolutely no animosity at Alta, according to marketing director Connie Marshall.
"We have great relationships with snowboarders. They actually come and use our mountain for weeks before we open, and often they are skiers, and they come back here to ski as well," she said.
Deer Valley's marketing director, Colleen Reardon, says, "Deer Valley won't change our business model at all. Over the years, we've just gotten more successful in our niche, which is an alpine only resort."
But skiers at the two resorts don't have to go without the features that make snowboarding so much fun. DV has a small terrain park, mostly rails and boxes. Alta has an incredible natural halfpipe that's a thrill to ride, dotted with trees and rocks. The wild gully cuts down half of the mountain off the main Germania run; catch the start right outside Watson's Shelter. On a powder day, it's heaven.