Scoping out the Minnesota Ski and Snowboard Show

One way to get ready for the new winter season is to visit a ski and snowboard show. In mid-November I attended Minnesota Ski & Snowboard Expo, held at the Minneapolis Convention Center.

When I walked through the door, I had my doubts. After all, the ballroom looked about the size of a Target, without a grocery store. That’s actually a generous space, but for some reason I was expecting more.

A Bungee Device?
The first thing I noticed after entering was the “Euro-bungie,” a ride available for $7. I was only mildly interested, and not enough to part with the cash, so I watched briefly, took some photos, and walked on. I’ve seen such a device at the base of Buttermilk, but I’ve always thought of it as more of a kid’s toy than anything else.

A Sliding Experience for the Kids
If you’re going to have an indoor show, you really can’t re-create the alpine environment. But one ski area did give kids the chance to experience some sliding.

First, you’d put on some ski boots. These weren’t typical ski boots, though. The bottom of the boots were covered by a rectangular, smooth piece of plastic that allowed the boots to slide with minimal friction. In place of a snow-covered hill was a wooden ramp covered with a plastic rug. The rug (or mat or something approximating the two) had bristles, like a driving mat at a golf course. The difference (aside from the color) was that the bristles were spaced further apart from each other.

The “customers” (there was no fee but you did have to sign a waiver) would walk up the steps to the ramp and then “ski” down. Obviously there was no turning involved, and there was no option for “snowboarding.” Still, it’s a way to get some kids introduced to something that is essential to alpine sports–sliding down a hill.

Trampoline Shows
There was also an area for trampoline shows, sponsored by yet another ski area in the state. It had the kind of fake alpine backdrop that you’d expect to see on a low-budget carnival ride. It did set the mood, though only barely, and the show could have been fine without it. (There was no similar backdrop for the “ski hill” I just described.)

There were two trampolines, side by side. Some athletes performed flips, splits and other tricks. Interesting, but what does all that have to do with snowboarding or skiing?

Freestyle skiers and riders train on trampolines to perfect the aerial arts, so the jumping gymnasts dismounted, put skis and snowboards on their feet, and went back up on the trampolines. They did various grabs and other maneuvers, but my camera wasn’t equipped to get any non-blurry photos, so sorry, no photos.

The Fake Terrain Park
Yet another ski area hosted a mini-terrain park, and invited their performance team to give a demonstration.

A series of rollers–think of the things that boxes go on as they move along an assembly line–served as both the slope and the snow, and lead to rails of various sorts. I’m not terribly knowledgeable about freestyle so I’m not going to try to name the kinds of rails the people used. I think there were supposed to be regular “shows,” but I never waited for one to take place. Instead, I watched for a few riders and skiers to make laps on their own. Compared with the view from the top of a terrain park, this non-exhibition exhibition.

The Exhibits
The real attraction for me was the chance to talk with representatives from ski areas, equipment companies and the like. In this regard the show did not disappoint.

Some of the exhibitors had little to do with skiing or snowboarding, such as a local newspaper or radio show. Others, such as a group of people who offered a teeth-whitening session for a “ski show special price,” reinforced the stereotype of alpine enthusiasts as being wealthy people focused on appearances.

There was some sort of car on display, though I forget the name. I don’t think it an obvious alpine vehicle such as a Subaru or a Range Rover, and it probably wasn’t even a car that could get your heart racing during the summer, such as a Porsche or even a Chrysler convertible.

Of course, most of the exhibits were, thankfully, more directly related to skiing and snowboarding. I spent quite a while talking with a fellow from the Cable, Wisconsin, area. It’s a haven for cross-country activity, including the American Birkebeiner, an annual race. I don’t write much about cross-country skiing. But I can see getting more involved in the nordic scene if I were living in the right setting. At the show I got a lesson in how cross-country trails are groomed.

There were also exhibits about ski racing, which is a big deal in Minnesota, especially among high school students.

Hoigaards, a big presence in the local retail market, set up a mini store that had a soup-to-nuts inventory. I thought briefly of buying a Rossignol Jeremy Jones board (last year’s model) for $300, a good markdown from $500 from a year ago. But it’s not different enough the board I already own to merit a purchase. The store was overly crowded, and I left it to return to the rest of the show. That was too bad, as there was plenty of room in the ballroom behind the store to spread out the goods.

Ski areas represented
A number of ski areas in Minnesota were represented, as you might expect. Many were within the Twin Cities metro region and thus, depending on where you live, with an hour’s drive. They included Afton Alps, Buck Hill Elm Creek, Hyland Hills, Trollhaugen, Welch Village, and Wild Mountain.

Andes Tower Hills–like the ski areas listed above–is yet another vertically challenged location in Minnesota. Unlike the others, it’s a 150-mile drive from Minneapolis. Why they showed, I’m not sure, as I doubt that many people will make the trip. Lutsen, the best ski area in the state and one of the two best in the Midwest in terms of terrain, was represented as well.

And of course there were exhibits for destination resorts from the Rockies. I picked up a trail map and nice four-mountain poster from Aspen, where I’ve been blessed to spend
a lot of time over the years. Steamboat sent someone, and I said “Say ‘Hello’ to Shannon for me,” though I’m not sure that registered. (Perhaps I came across as a stalker.)

Silver Mountain had a great gimmick: Sign up for a free season pass. There was a catch, of course. You have to stay in one of the resort’s properties. The representative from Taos Ski Valley was less than enthusiastic. Maybe he saw my “Grays on Trays” t-shirt and was anti-snowboarder, or maybe he was just bored. The person representing three areas in Michigan’s Upper Peninsular (vertical feet: 600; driving distance from the Twin Cities: 5 hours) wasn’t terribly friendly, either. Given the proximity of booths from many other ski areas, you’d think that friendliness would be a higher priority.

Minnesotans seem to like Montana resorts. Perhaps they’re more willing than other people to put up with the temperatures there, which are colder than those in Colorado or Utah. Whitefish, Montana sent someone, as did Moonlight Basin and Big Sky.

From my experience, ski areas in Utah don’t do much to market themselves here, and I saw only one place–Park City–send a rep, and he was a Minnesota resident.

One thing I like about going to shows like this is learning about ski areas I didn’t know about, or learning a particular feature of one I already know. For example, Big White touts itself as the second-largest ski area in British Columbia, though I’ve read other things that made me question that claim. I also enjoyed learning about Banff and the Lake Louise region, with three great ski areas For various reasons I’ve said for several years now that my next move will be to Calgary. Despite whatever negatives that move would bring, it would put me within a 90 minute to 2-hour drive from some good terrain. (For my 2 hour drive, by contrast, I get all of 700 vertical feet!)

As for gear, I didn’t spend a lot of time looking around, even though a number of snowboard companies were present. I did chat with a representative from Head, who couldn’t tell me much (he was a skier), but he did send me a catalog a few days later, which has made for some good reading.

Freebies
At the Breckenridge both I surrendered some marketing information in exchange for a chance to win a 4-day stay-and-ski package. Come to think of it, I surrendered various pieces of information at several booths in hopes of getting freebies. Those hopes have gone unfulfilled, since no one has called me since the show. Wandering through the tables prompted the question of when I should fill out a contest entry. There were four questions in play.

“How much effort is required?” Usually the contests asked for the same thing: Name, address, phone number and e-mail address. You could sometimes omit the phone number of e-mail address, but you better leave some contact information. After all, if they can’t find you, they can’t give you the prize.

“What’s the value if I win?” To use a silly example, an all-expense paid week-long trip would be more valuable than a pair of gloves.

“What’s the cost of claiming the prize if I win?” This question is less obvious but important. One ski area was giving away a pair of free lift tickets. Depending on when and how you purchase the tickets, the prize could save you close to $200. That’s great. But you still need to pay for transportation to the place, plus get lodging and food. On the other hand, the prize from Breckenridge was an all-inclusive trip, which made it enticing.

A final question concerns the most likely outcome of entering any contest: You’ll be put on a mailing list. So you have to ask “Is that a good thing or a bad thing?” For all the furor sometimes directed at “junk mail,” mail is not junk if it is informative, entertaining, or educational. Even if your chances of actually visiting Mount Snowmore in the next five years are minimal due to finances, jobs or family commitments, you might enjoy getting stuff in the mail.

If you can go, do it
If you’re able to attend a ski and snowboard expo, give it a go. Sure, you may have to pay an entrance fee as well as a fee for parking. On the other hand, it’s a good way to get your mind ready for the snowboarding season, especially if you live far from some good-sized mountains. Pick up a few trail maps for bedside reading and sweet dreams of powder days, carving slopes and the joy of riding. Learn about the latest in gear, and share your enthusiasm with other alpine enthusiasts.