My family and I just returned from our first true ski trip to Colorado. We had the opportunity to run the Nastar courses at Keystone, Breckenridge and Copper Mountain. Although all three courses were very different, it was enjoyable all the same. This is the first time we have run a Nastar course away from our home resort with the exception of my son running at Nationals last year in Steamboat.

My memory may not be 100% accurate but this is what I expereienced:

• Keystone - $6 for one run, $12 race all day. The course is open from 10:30 to 2:30 (as we learned, the closing time is not posted).
• Breckenridge - I can't remember how much per run but I believe I paid $10 for two runs for my son. The course is open from 10:00 AM to 3 PM.
• Copper Mtn - $6 for one run, $10 for two runs and $13 to race all day. The course is open from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM.

This experience left me with several questions:


Does the host resort benefit financialy from Nastar? If so,

• why is the Nastar information so difficult to find on the resort websites? We had a challenging time finding out the hours of operation, race fees, etc. on the resort web sites.
• why is Nastar a cash only proposition? By the time I paid for parking, cash was hard to find. Not to mention having enough cash in my pocket to pay for multiple racers (and maybe a $9 hot dog).
• why the limited hours? By the time you pay for a lift ticket (holiday rates were very high in my opinion - so much for a tough economy), and then add on the Nastar fee, this is a very expensive day. If you are not at the course pretty close to when it opens, a 2:30 closing time makes the all-day option less attractive in my opinion. Some courses close to lifts so multiple runs were completed more quickly than at resorts were the course was further from a lift.
• who sets the fee structure for multiple runs or all-day racing? The race fee clearly varies from one resort to another.

All in all we had a wonderful trip and really enjoyed the opportunity to experience different race courses. I appreciate any insight you can share. Thank you.

Chris D.

No the resort doesn't benefit from Nastar other than drawing customers to the resort.

It's cash because Nastar doesn't make enough money to warrant a credit card machine with all the fee that come along with it.

It has limited hours because the course breaks down and the hill get's destroyed. Also safety no one wants to see a bad crash from a rutted up race course. It takes a while to reset which isn't worth.

The fees are set by the Nastar coordinator using the guide lines from headquarters.

I was there two weeks ago and Breckenridge clearly had a sign up at their NASTAR starting hut saying that credit cards were accepted. I was surprised and pleased at that.

I am pretty sure that resorts do make a little money on NASTAR. Otherwise there would be no incentive for them to do it. Vail has stopped running it on Mondays and Tuesdays, and when I called their race department to ask why, they said they just weren't doing enough business on those days. Which tells me there must be a small profit margin to be had by the resort, and in my opinion, that's how it should be. They have to staff the courses, deal with registration, and upload results. I can't believe they would send 100% of the registration fees to HQ. Personally I would be happy to pay $20 for a full day of unlimited runs to help keep NASTAR financially viable for resorts to host.

I do agree that resorts in general do not publicize it well enough. To most people it's a mystery and they don't realize they can step right up and do it by paying a small fee. Also it is very difficult to find out in the mornings, who is and is not running NASTAR that day with certainty.

Today Taos Ski Valley had 12 people pay $5 for 2 runs. The 4 person race crew goes to work at 8 am, sets fencing, sets the course, runs the pacesetter and opens at 9:30. Close at 3 pm, take down course take down fencing. make openings for grooming equipment, send results ski to base, repair gates and not go on overtime. the resort considers NASTAR a service not a profit center. Hope this helps to understand limited hours.

I've got to say, the $5 for 2 runs and $10 for unlimited, imho, is great. Although my resort doesn't make money of off me directly from Nastar - I get my money's worth for the Nastar season pass, I drop over a $100 for my 2 and 4 yo girls for 1/2 day daycare and ski lessons each weekend (they only come up with me either Sat/Sun) . If Nastar wasn't there, I know I wouldn't frequent my local hill as much. I'd be a little wealthier in the wallet, but poorer from the lack of experience and camaraderie.

I am sorry I did not see the CC sign at Breckenridge, that would have been helpful. As I mentioned, I don't think $10 or $13 for all day is unreasonable for an individual, it hits my wallet a wee bit harder because I have multiple racers in my family. For me it ends up close to $40 additional per day on top of everything else I am spending at the resort and in the ski shops preparing for a day at the mountain. One other note, I don't believe the Breckenridge web site indicates that credit card payments are accepted at the race hut - again, another area of opportunity for the resort to spread that word!

Also, please don't mis-understand. I am not in anyway indicating the Race Crew isn't worthy or the courses are not a good value. We had a great time at each one of the courses. They were well prepared, in great condition and the staff was very friendly at all three locations. In terms of the opening and closing time, I love the thrill of the race and just wish there was more time in the day for additional runs.

The purpose of my post was to try and convey that there is enough discrepancy (start times / closing times, fees, etc.) at each resort that even though they all fall under the Nastar umbrella, the experience is different from one place to another. For a family that had the desire to race at as many unique Nastar courses as we could on this trip, these differences made planning the trip more difficult. Maybe this is information that could be gathered and shared through the Nastar site?

Thanks for listening and responding. I appreciate it.

Chris

I run the program at Whiteface. Our day starts with 5 crew punching in at 8am and heading up to the race arena and setting up fencing timing and a duel course. Then the pacesetter takes one run on each course assuming no problems with timing and pacesetting its 10:15 so we take a 15 min break (it's the only break we get ) and open to the public at 10:30. At 3:30 we undo all that work we did in the morning (so the groomers can do there magic over night) and post the results, do a report and hand it in and punch out at 4:30. We charge $5 for 1 $7 for 2 $10 for all day and Jr's. $3 for 1 $5 for 2 and $8 for all day. Whiteface does not make a profit on NASTAR and given that we do not and are owned by the state off NY. due to budget cuts NASTAR at Whiteface has been cut to weekends and holidays
NASTAR is a franchise there for there are certain thing the resort is required to do, but pricing and time for day among other things are at the resorts discretion.

Thank you for the excellent information. You have provided a couple of things I have not seen anywhere else. This is the first time I have heard about a junior rate. As I mentioned earlier in the post, I have only had the opportunity to visit 4 different Nastar resorts but so far I have not run into anyone else with a junior rate. I think this is a wonderful idea. Thank you.

Chris

Speaking of not having Nastar hours clearly posted on the website, my family is going to be at Keystone the last week of Jan and it looks like Keystone won't have Nastar running Tues/Wed 1/27 and 28. Does anyone know what days Breck runs Nastar? TIA
alan

As an expensive option, you can go to Copper or Breck and race there, both these areas are not far from Keystone.