What ski areas have accepted unicycling?

Snowplanet (a small indoor field) in Auckland wouldn’t let us ride there when we asked recently.

My mountain (deer mountain, nothing you’ll ever care about) holds a dh mtb race, and a bunch of unis entered last year.

Crested Butte, CO Last Summer

Tony - Did you specifically ask snowplanet about unicycles? (even as a one off? :slight_smile: )

Snowshoe, WV in Winter - one time deal

At snowshoe, WV last weekend, I asked several staff around the mountain if I could ride my unicycle on the slopes. Answers were mostly “uhhhh, maybe in Summer, but probably not on the snow.” I quickly corrected my query and started asking if I could ride my “Snow Unicycle” down the slopes. Now the answers changed to “I don’t see why not, but they might not let you on the lift.”

Next I began asking lift attendants. Most shrugged, looked around to see if they were on camera for some sort of prank. One Lifty said “sure man” rolled his eyes and laughed. Bingo. Back at the top, I darted to the condo, grabbed my mUni and headed out.

At the bottom, that lift attendant was just getting off. He spotted me, cracked a huge grin and ran back in the booth. A couple other guys came out with big smiles to see if he was pulling their leg about a muni guy in line.

Just before my turn I got a tap on the shoulder by the pit boss. He grilled me for a minute and said he’d let me on the lift just this once but that every other lift on the mountain had been notified to not let me on again. The only rule I was attempting to violate was " no foot traffic allowed on the lift".

Cool. I was pretty beat anyway from the decent. Too bad though.

When I finally sat down on the lift, one of the attendants leaned in and said “That guy over there is my boss. He’s a {expletive}. I’d have totally let you on.”

If I go back next year I plan on making some calls and seeing if I can get permission in advance.

2013-02-01

That’s a great story. Maybe you can lighten up that pit boss next time with some tricks, or have him or his employees try to ride your uni. Show him the advantages of having you on the slopes – more fun for them and other users of the mountain.

I’ve thought they would make u use a leash for your uni like they do for snowboards (which is rediculus w/ non-releasable bindings).

I’ve thought of making one w/a coiled chord after my uni fell down ravines multiple times.

I got one made out of climbing rope and it works ok not great, it does it job but not something i would use for every ride

How was riding on the slopes? I always wanted to try that.

I doubt a leash would be necessary. The uni would act as its own brake if you fell off, unlike a snowboard which will fly down the slope and possibly hit someone. I ditched my leash though. It was annoying and I don’t take the board off unless I am finished.

Yeah IMO not for most, the resort might think differently.

I can imagine someone like Turtle or KH UPDing on a steep slope or near the edge of something and the uni tumbling hundreds of feet if on hardpack.

Riding down groomed green or blue slopes was a lot of fun. Anytime I rode along the sides of beaten or groomed path I tended to sink the wheel and find myself jogging down the hill. I’m sure I could have been a better ambassador with the lift boss but A) I’ve just figured out how to hop around a bit so no cool tricks to really show off yet and B) was really taken off guard how hard and persistently the guy threw down the authority card. I am 34 years old and wasn’t expecting to suddenly feel like a kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar. Perhaps a leash would do the trick, even if it were just for the lift. I suspect it was mostly an issue of “this isn’t in our rule book but surely we can’t let it stand.” I can say it was a dream come true though. Learning to ride at all has been such a blast over the last 2 months and I’m hooked.

My brother videoed some of the ride. It’s a little shaky but you can get the general idea.
http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=tTaNobgZZ-0

@jesse: When i rode with one guy (26) we would get treated like we were 10 when we rode at certin spots.

I loved the faces of the first two skiers passing by you. That looks so fun. Now, turn around and ride back up the mountain!

I asked questions here today. I’m not allowed on the lift. Riding down the slopes in summer is fine but I have to hike up. I need more clarification on ski season.

BTW… The man I talked to said they had a unicycle group do the downhill race. I’m the only unicycle resident so it had to be some that traveled.

The resort I live in is Massanutten located in Western VA near Harrisonburg. Were any of you guys here?

In France, there is a 2-days event every year end of August at “Val d’Allos - Le Seignus” with lifts up the mountain.

My guess would be that they are okay with muni at least during the no-snow season :smiley:

SAINT PIERRE DE CHARTREUSE / LE PLANOLET French alps allows unicyclists on summer (several bikes tracks).

I’m pretty sure you can unicycle at the whistler downhill bike park. That would be sweet!!!

Yes Whistler officially accepts unicycles. For insurance reasons - outside their control - you must have a brake on your unicycle to ride at Whistler (e.g. not just feet braking).

Do they allow it during winter snow or just summer trails? I always wanted to try riding down a snowy groomed trail.

Crystal Mountain on Mt. Rainier (Seattle) offers Mountain Biking in the summer. I just sent them an email asking about Muni.