One thing that we’re pretty big on at UnofficialAlpine.com is being a supporter of local businesses around North Lake Tahoe. Squaw Valley talks big about their support for the community, but we have seen, time and time again, that they will do whatever they want.
One local business we’re proud of is Slant Skis and the Tahoe Snow Lab, located just down the road from Alpine Meadows on Highway 89. Owner Josh Bennett started the business in his garage in 2007. As the business grew, he moved to the Highway 89 location in 2010. We’re proud of their efforts to bring quality local skis and ski tuning services to the community.
We’re sad to report that Squaw Valley is not quite as supportive. One of their white trucks, with that stupid blue shield logo on the doors, showed up today in Josh’s parking lot, towing one of those portable message signs. We can’t say that we approve of the placement of the sign, which completely blocks the Slant Skis and Tahoe Snow Lab sign to motorists traveling north on Highway 89.
The sign is being placed to alert SquAlpine visitors to road and parking conditions at Alpine Meadows and Squaw Valley. We’re confused by the need for such a sign. I am most certain that I read the same Environmental Impact Report as everyone else – you remember, that one that indicated that traffic and parking are not an issue? We’re not surprised by Squaw Valley’s lack of concern for local businesses. We’ve seen it before, over and over.
Fortunately, Bennett’s landlord will be working with him to develop some new signage that helps new customers find the shop more easily. It can’t happen soon enough. Thanks to Josh and crew at Slant and the Tahoe Snow Lab – your support for the Alpine Meadows ski community has been awesome!
I understand the issues with Squaw and their proposed development. Given the number of people that are against it strikes a question. If the community and certain groups are opposed to the project why do you continue to buy passes to these areas? The best way to protest is to not buy or support them. Certain “high profile athletes/ industry” folks have openly spoke out about the project yet you see them skiing the resort, buying season passes and appearing in the Squaw magazine. It’s a total contradiction to the fight. And this is happening with hundreds of non supporters. Go ski another resort! People are laughing at this as it’s a total contradiction. If you don’t like them, then stop buying fuc**ng passes and going to the shitty Chamois. Squaw is so overrated. But your all pros so we get it. Kooks….
Because locals not buying passes isn’t going to bankrupt KSL or prove anything to county board members. We are so passionate about havin a say in what happens here because this where we love to live and ski
Those sort of boycotts make sense when it comes to gas stations, auto brands and grocery brands. In those situations, the alternative choices that are available make a complete boycott possible. But in the choosing of ski areas, there’s limited choices out there – Squaw and Alpine offer some of the best terrain in Tahoe, and used to offer an alternative experience. Now that they are one, the best alternative, looking only at size and variety of terrain, is Sugar Bowl – and if that’s not your cup of tea, you’re somewhat screwed. It’s not like someone can just build a new ski area along the Sierra Crest to compete with SquAlpine.
Ok so a pass that I buy at an early day is definitely overcome by 3 day tickets. You don’t get it because you haven’t lived it! Let’s just relate this to the Dakota Pipe Line??? So you are taking what is sacred to us yet we peacefully protest a development that will change your homeland forever. I really didn’t have to take it to water rights but… if you have a second let us take it there. So… you have this giant company that gives two fucks about environmental and practical development for the gain of a so called community and economy.
Ok so what if they are as good they say? You would think that they could figure out where to, or where to not drill(sewer line). Ok now let’s try and get as many people on our side to drop our jaws and let corporate insert themselves into them. As we are fucked time and time again by a dollar sign instead of compassion and love for the land who has been our babysitter, best friend, mentor, and also the keeper of us all. Who has humbled us all, taken some of the best of us, yet provides the best chain of friends you could have never asked for.
Again if you aren’t as connected to this mountain I call home and will protect as long as I live then great go ski somewhere else. Go pack the lines at other resorts. But definitely don’t tell me how to live my life and where to ski because you are probably don’t get it. And that I am sorry for…
Best regards
I understand how it can appear to be a contradiction, it’s not an easy situation we’ve been put in, but as one of those you speak of I’ll explain my position.
You are correct in your statement that I don’t like them (KSL), but therein lies the problem, I love the mountain, I live here, and it is my home. Bottom line, I was here first, and I plan on being here a lot longer than these guys ever will. The question becomes, do I allow them to push me out?
I once lived far away but knew that I needed to move “out west” if I wanted to reach the level of skiing I desired. I for many different and specific reasons chose Squaw Valley, (full disclosure to all here, I spent my first season at Alpine and have had a pass there as well the whole time, thank you very much to all of you who dedicatedly yell at me to “go back to Squaw” in the lift line). It was a major risk and not without cost that I packed up my belongings and left my family and friends to pursue my lifelong dream. Over the years I’ve become a part of the community, it has welcomed me with open arms and in time has finally become the place that I call home. Make no mistake, I’ll always be from New York, but this is where I live now, and plan to remain for the future. Sure, if I was a weekender, your argument would hold water, I should just go somewhere else, but for myself and many others Squaw is a very specific place that we ski for very specific reasons. Just going to Northstar, or Sugar Bowl just isn’t an option. My roots have stretched deep and the alternative being moving to a place such as Jackson, or SLC, or another location just isn’t in the cards anymore. Perhaps if I was 10 or even 5 years younger, but it just isn’t practical to start over anew somewhere else.
So here I am, faced with the decision, do I allow this private equity firm from out of town to take everything I’ve built, or do I take a stand against it. No I don’t want to give them my money, but in the end, I’d rather make that sacrifice than allow them to take what I hold so dear away from me. To hand them exactly what they want, to rid themselves of the dedicated local culture to be replaced with their own corporate vision. In the end I’m at peace with my decision. I feel it my obligation to ensure that this true ski culture carries on, that the legacy of Squaw lives on, and this can be best achieved with dedicated skiers such as myself being there to carry the torch.
Is Squaw overrated? Perhaps. Is the Chamois shitty? I guess. Am I a pro? No, but I’m way better than you and that’s what makes Squaw so great and I’m not going anywhere.
Before anyone can expect their comments and ideas to be taken seriously, I believe that it is very important that they first learn to spell correctly, and to use proper grammar… Otherwise, all of us will know that it is simply the rant of an uneducated and unworldly person, and although we may not completely ignore what is said by the aforementioned person, we will most certainly not be swayed by their ranting…
Love & Hugs from a passholder…
Spoken by the guy with 70+ words in one sentence 🙂 None of us are perfect, especially me!
Ummmmm… it’s none of us IS perfect, I believe. ::runs away::
It was nice riding the chair with you the other day, and learning about DIN settings on tele bindings! 🙂
Typical bully tactics. Tahoe Trump strikes again…..
I apreciate that there’s a big light up sign welcoming me home from work every day (at the bottom of Alpine Meadows road), but it’s tacky and ugly. Let’s come up with a sign that can convey the information needed that isn’t a blight to my commute. Thanks.
Josh is fantastic! Makes great skis, turns around tuning jobs in the shortest possible time, even hosted an evening for a bunch of my buddies to learn how to tune skis ourselves. Now my teenage son works with josh occasionally to learn about business and what it takes to do a hard days work. I try to send all the weekend warriors to Josh if I can. Oh, he’s a really good guy too!
And I have a brand new set of skis that I bought from them, as I got in on the Pre-Season deal that they offered last year. I agree that they are really neat-o people!
Well, it seems the real culprit is either the property owner who gave KSL permission to so place the sign, presumably for a leasing fee, and/or the governmental agency — Placer County? — who undoubtedly has sign regulations. To play devil’s advocate I can see where the county, whom ,like KSL I’m not particularly fond of, could take the position, which has certain merit, that the sign serves an overriding public interest. But it would seem that the property owner does have an obligation to the ski manufacturing company that it be able to advertise its presence.
I guess as part of the traffic mitigation plans we can look forward to permanent information signs being installed to the north and south of squalpine on 89 a la cabin creek rd? …. hooray.
I couldn’t agree more with Imapro’s sentiments above. I stopped skiing Squaw years ago. Of course I miss the terrain, but I’ve certainly never missed the management, the lines or the tude. If there was truly a concerted effort for locals to boycott, even for just one year, that would be heard far more loudly than any amount of empty, hypocritical hyperbole. I don’t think locals understand the power of their revenue, or they hide behind “it wouldn’t matter” to accommodate the hypocrisy. The death grip affinity to the world’s doucheiest amusement park does keep it dreamy elsewhere though. Carry on…
I live in North Tahoe. Where else am I gonna get a pass, Homewood? I moved here years ago because I like to jump off stuff into deep snow and scare myself and push my limits. Even though KSL and Placer County are trying to ruin the everyday quality of life for locals, the skiing still remains the best inbounds in Tahoe, and arguably anywhere in the US. Yeah, it would be great if all the passholders boycotted, even for a year, but bay area people don’t care and locals make up a small percentage of pass sales. I’ll give KSL my $469, because it’s a hell of a deal for what I get in return, but I won’t spend a cent in their “village”, and encourage visitors to patronize local businesses.
And why is a sign needed, anyway. If you are sitting in bumper to bumper traffic, it’s safe to say parking is a junkshow. It ain’t gonna stop people from circling the lot to find that up close spot so they can save some energy for their relaxing ski day.
Well spoken,cheers!
The sign is either on private property or the Cal Trans Right of Way. Really nice of the Corporate Dweebs..
Honest question- who owns Le Chamois? I assumed KSL didn’t own it since the prices are relatively cheap for a beer 50 feet from the lift. Quick googling doesn’t seem to answer my question.
One word to describe their action “disgusting”!
JR owns the chammy. Ksl wishes they did..
Ha! Katja Dahl owns the chammy. 🙂