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It will take you 10x's longer or more to progress your riding just touring if you don't ride resort every year. That's just a fact. I'm not debating anything. If you're ok with where your riding is then just tour if that's what makes you happy. I prefer to keep progressing which requires a high volume of vertical that you can't get just doing backcountry (not even if you're a bad ass). I'm not happy if my riding isn't progressing no matter my age or how little the improvements are. Ask any top level shredder or skier and they will tell you resort riding is mandatory to become great. CA's most achieved backcountry skier, Jim Morrison, can be seen at Squaw almost every powder day. You HAVE to ride resort to become a great rider. If someone is a great skier/rider that only does backcountry now then it's probably a certainty they developed those skills early in their career at the resort. You can accomplish a lot just doing backcountry but are you just getting down it or are you shredding the piss out of it. Style matters much more and feels more organic than just claiming so and so descent on the north face of Mt Gnar. I don't care what I/you ride but how I/you rode it. /

if i lived close to a resort I would
always tempting to get one but doesn't pan out when i'm trying to maximize bc days and not go to the same place all the time

i'm in the air way more in the resort, which I miss in the bc

i agree with BG - resort days keep the legs strong and the skills up, esp. if riding bumped out crap runs. good training for the variable days in the bc

I reicieve a pass to snowbird every season as the dependant of a snowbird employee and it is one of my favorite things in the world...I would say that I ride, 50/50 in bounds and out, to keep my skills fresh on all aspects of my riding...and most of my friends aren't the safest people ever...so I ski with them inbounds but not out...also I think sidecountry is super fun too...its all snowboarding and overall snowboarding is good

BGnight, I'm not trying to make the point that riding resorts doesn't matter. I completely agree that most riders would probably get nowhere towards riding their dream lines without a solid, multi-year foundation of resort riding. Each of the guys I listed in my previous post certainly spent years honing their skills by pounding lift laps. So did I, and I'm certainly looking forward to doing it again at some point, maybe this season.

But your comment that riding chairlifts is necessary for progression is a little too much of a blanket statement. Progress in a sport like backcountry snowboarding is a complex topic to define and more than likely the definition doesn't matter because it's unique to the individual. Which is one thing that makes this such an incredible pastime.

I definitely get what you're saying and agree with it to some extent, but for you to say it's a fact that riding a resort every season is necessary for shred progression belittles the accomplishments of people like Steve Romeo, Greg Collins, Brendan Oneill and countless other badasses who haven't ridden a lift in years.

I'd just like to agree that progression is possible (thankfully) in a million different directions.

I'm no purist and get a pass to Smuggler's Notch and Stowe, and probably ride 75% of the time lift serviced side country. Its a sweet spot we got, here.

I love skinning and all, but frankly I'm personally much more interested in the ride down!

For me, my freestyle progression is definitely dependent on resort (or at least lift-serviced) riding. (re)Building confidence every fall in the air on set up jumps and rails makes it that much easier to bring that to the cliffs, logs, hips, etc. out of bounds.

That said, my progression in terms of extended terrain interpretation (the kind of intimacy you can only get by walking up), skinning/ climbing efficiency, appreciation of each run happens much better when I turn my back on the lifts...

So yeah, two passes for me, and would really like one for Jay and Bolton, too while I'm at it!

I generally grab a pass to ride with my wife and friends who aren't into the whole backcountry thing. Wife is close, getting closer, but it's all about little steps. So yah, I'll be at Kirkwood again this year, more often than not. Ride a few chairs with the wife, then split out the side for a few turns before finishing the day with her. Works for me!

G

interesting topic.

Resort: I try and make it a point to have some progression every day I spend at the resort. Whether that means practicing a little butter on a groomer or busting my ass for the 100th time trying to hit a rail that is way out of my league (ugh i hate rails ). I have made the most progression in my tech riding these past 3 years at Bridger Bowl, where I feel safer getting into shit that I would never get into while in the backcountry, simply because of the avy control.

BackCountry: I make leaps and bounds every day that I am out in the BC on the split, too. I feel like, as Nick said, every day out you are learning something. Whether that is aspect/snowpack/weather observations, finding something out about your gear, splitting/booting technique, food/water rations, etc., there is always something I learn and will employ going forward (if only I could remember half of them).

Obviously, the skills and techniques I learn from backcountry riding apply more directly to splitting. Backcountry = backcountry, resort = resort.

I find both useful, but one more helpful to the direction I want to head in.

Are you going to get a Bridger pass this year Cody?

regretfully no. I had to have my knee worked on and am supposed to hold off on those types of activities until Feb.

not using my pass until February- sheesh, that would be like last year's donation to Bridger!

stevens pass weekday pass. 229$. 45 minutes away. Maybe average a dozen or so days the past couple seasons. mostly on super deep days, and with my girlfriend. Before that I rode lifts quite a bit for years and had more then my fair share of in bounds days. nothing wrong with riding lifts.

Do whatever makes you happy.

right now I want to splitboard when the powder is good and stable enough. that's my passion...

I suck at snowboarding cause I haven't ridden resorts enough. I have so much more fun in the bc.

This kind of reminds me of the classic "sport vs. trad" climbing debate to some extent...

Will probably wind up with a Bridger pass and Frequent Sky Card this season I imagine, plus numerous vouchers from patroller friends up there, to answer the OP's original question after my lengthy digression...

If I'm not splitting I'm snowkiting. No pass needed. Haven't wanted one since I discovered the ride up is just as much fun as the ride down.