Nobody is shocked that this sign appeared at the bottom of Alpine Meadows Road today. It’s another sad chapter in the history of Alpine Meadows. More than one Squaw Valley official has suggested that they intend to preserve the nature and character of Alpine Meadows. Here’s one posted by Friends of Alpine Meadows today:
“Alpine Meadows is a fabulous mountain with a great history, and we are completely aligned with maintaining its identity, character and culture.” -Cara Whitley, CMO, Squaw Valley | Alpine Meadows
As we move forward with consolidating our operations, we want you to know that what’s going to remain the same is as important as what’s going to change: We think the key to the success of the consolidation is our fervent commitment to maintain each resort’s distinctive character. People, terrain, activities, all come together to give a resort its individual character, and that’s what we’re committed to retaining.
– Andy Wirth, September 2011
It’s probably not the end of change either. How long will it be before we see:
• The new logo on the sign at the entrance to the Alpine Meadows parking lot?
• The new logo replacing that beautiful big silver AM on the front of the lodge?
• The lifts and towers at Alpine Meadows being painted in white, blue and black instead of green?
There’s certainly going to be some of your typical fanboys that make brilliant comments like “The logo doesn’t matter because the mountain will never change.” They’ve been saying it for a full two seasons now. But we know the truth. Although the mountain itself doesn’t change, the experience of skiing and riding at Alpine Meadows has been changing since our Squaw KSL overlords took over…we welcome your comments.
KSL’s latest slap in the face to the heritage and legacy of the Alpine Meadows.
Unless Alpine Meadows is bought by another company with different intentions and goals, the changes outlined in this post will slowly become a reality. Unfortunately, complaining about it is not going to help anyone, unless those who are complaining is KSL’s target market: destination tourists. As of now, I have not heard of any groups of destination tourists standing up to KSL.
Exactly, it’s out of our hands. I will forever miss the unique AM experience that ignited my endless desire to ride. That desire will forever live on within and I refuse to allow complaining and disgust of KSL’s chsnges steal that from me. Maybe we need to just keep going “Further” to find those secluded soul turns…the extra long hike will only make them that much sweeter.
#FreeAlpine
Never fear, soon there will be a gondola and chairlifts to make that hike a little easier for you!
It’s KSL overlords. A lot of us at Squaw hate them too so let’s use rhetoric that unites us in our cause rather than divides us against those pricks. It’s clear they are destroying the Alpine identity and character. They are doing their level best to destroy a lot of what was great at Squaw too.
I totally agree. Squaw went through a similar process shortly after KSL bought Squaw. The Squaw logo was replaced by the new blue shield logo, and the theme color of purple was removed from almost all official Squaw valley buildings. This same process will happen at Alpine Meadows.
But are the horses cared for? The focus on the bottom dollar makes me worry for any living creature wild or domestic in their path…
Thanks for the update…. Alpine is such a treasure. I am said to see one of the last undiscovered undeveloped area get hit with discovery from a capitalistic , privatized eye.
I wish it could all get donated to the public.
Dull….
Really you could point to JMA for taking down the beautiful old concrete sign. As a squaw skier I was jealous every time I drove by. I’ve always been pretty unenthusiastic about the silly cartoon sign. This however, is just dull. Classic corporate strategy, in an effort to look upscale always use a shield. It’s like kings and queens and knights and stuff.
Shields are so 2014.
No way, even Truckee has a brand new ugly shield logo!
Paintball!
I’m more concerned about the horseback riding than the logo. I don’t care for hiking on trails torn up by hooves and covered with road apples.
Are they taking bids on the old signage??
Damn sad!
#Freealpine
What kinda beer y’all drink over there at Alpine, Whineken?
Get used to it the only thing that is constant is change.