The Bitter-Sweet Blues of Ski Day Gripes
Over on the Unofficial Networks Facebook page, we posed a simple (yet loaded) question to our community: “What are the biggest problems you have with a day of skiing?” The responses flooded in, a mix of hilarious rants, philosophical musings, and straight-up gratitude. With over numberous replies in just a few days, it’s clear skiers have feelings about this.
Leading the charge was our friend Mike Travers, who nailed it with brutal honesty:
“When the chairlift closes for the day.”
Oof. That moment when the lifts grind to a halt, and you’re left staring at the sunset, wishing for just one more run. Mike’s sentiment echoed through dozens of replies—turns out, the end of the day is the ultimate buzzkill for many of us.
To make sense of the chaos, we tallied the themes emerging from the thread.
Diving Deeper: The Gripes That Keep Us Coming Back
1. The Inevitable Goodbye (End of Day Woes)
Mike Travers isn’t alone. This category dominated, with skiers lamenting the cruel tick of the clock. Chad Bailles confessed, “When they tell me ‘last chair’,” while Judi Cuffney captured the exhaustion-tinged longing: “One more run at the end of the day! I’m so tired but don’t want the day to end!” It’s the ski equivalent of leaving a great party—everyone knows it’s time, but no one wants to go.
2. The Wallet Drain
Skiing in 2025? It’s not cheap. From $200+ day passes to overpriced après beers, the financial sting hits hard. Nick Sauvie summed it up in seven angry dollar signs: “$$ $$$$$.” And Jason Struble’s family outing horror story? A stark reminder that powder days come with a premium price tag. As one European skier noted (via Bob Mazarei), “I ski in Europe. There are no problems.” Envy levels: high.
3. Human (and Slope) Traffic Jams
Ah, the eternal battle for space. Eric Krantz praised smaller resorts for dodging the madness, but for big-mountain folks, it’s real: “Crowds and traffic.” Chandler Henderson’s epic rant on idiot drivers clogging mountain roads? Gold. “I usually leave the ski hill early to avoid most of the day pass non local goobers.” Pro tip: Carpool, or pray for a shuttle revolution.
4. Fellow Shredders: Love ‘Em or… Not
Skiers vs. snowboarders? It’s the oldest feud in the book. Kenny Stephen and Stephen Cross both fired off “Snowboarders,” while Paddy Smyth flipped it to “Skiers.” Then there’s the chaos: Kallin Dunsire’s beef with “Bluetooth speakers” (complete with motorcycle armor for takedowns) and Paul Gallaher’s gripe about “Dopers on the chairlift in front of me. Stinky!” Safety first, but courtesy? Optional, apparently.
5. Body Betrayals and Gear Gremlins
As we age, the mountain fights back. Rob Diehl blamed “My age!” and Brian E. Kelly quipped, “Young rarely used Brain, and a rode hard 66-year-old body.” Gear fails add insult: Ody Anderson’s “Busted a boot in half one day” and Dan Slattery’s daily torture, “Putting on the damn boots.” Invest in wool socks, folks—Bobby Consiglio swears by ’em, but even pros battle cold toes below 15°F.
The Silver Lining Squad
Amid the salt, a hearty chorus sang skiing’s praises. Brandy Watts: “I don’t understand the question. No problems whatsoever!” David Kreutzenstein: “Can’t think of a single one. Ever.” And Hunter Wagstaff’s zen take? “All the other days.” (Translation: The real problem is not skiing.) Les Barratt reminded us to zoom out: “Take a look around the world and realise how good your day is right now.”
Final Turns: Why We Keep Clicking In
Scrolling through these replies, one thing’s clear: Skiing’s “problems” are what make it human. They’re the stories we swap over beers, the excuses to hit the slopes again tomorrow. Sure, costs are climbing, crowds are thicker, and yes, that last chair always comes too soon. But as Unofficial Networks community member Kim Baldi Dorste put it, “The only problem I have is not enough days of skiing.”
What’s your biggest ski day gripe? Drop it in the comments below—or better yet, share how you hack around it. And if Mike Travers is reading: Next time, let’s lobby for 24-hour lifts. Who’s with me?