Police at Hunter's Mountain Jam

Police presence, tactics at rock festival brought under legislature’s scrutiny

By Jeff Alexander
Hudson-Catskill Newspapers

CATSKILL — Hunter officials have voiced their concerns to the Greene County Legislature over alleged overzealous police procedures during Mountain Jam in June.

“I’ve heard some compelling arguments over this issue,” said Legislator William Lawrence, R-Cairo.

Village Of Hunter Trustee Mike Tancredi pleaded his case as an official, taxpayer and citizen to offer varied voices to the issue of Mountain Jam security procedures.

“The road blocks and sniffer dogs were not restricted to visiting populations and can be seen as fairly egregious offenses. In Tannersville residents feared being harassed by police. There was some heavy-handedness,” Tancredi said.

http://www.thedailymail.net/articles/2011/08/18/news/doc4e4ca2e98e03b893756539.txt

Things are just outta whack everywhere anymore.

Case in point, flash mobs being organized to storm businesses with mass crowds and rob them or beat/shoot innocent people.

I remember this issue being brought up at the time the festival was taking place.  I was not at the festival so can not comment directly.  I do remember the police presence on my way to Hunter this past ski season.  Probably the only reason I didn't get a speeding ticket then was because of all the cars I saw pulled over.

You've got to be careful at Huntah in general.... even without Mountain Jam going on... They've got their own plainclothes hanging around as well....

Ugh.

Concerts are so lame now.  Roadblocks? Police Presence? Drug Sniffing Dogs?

If I had a ton of land and money, I'd hold concerts free of all that crap.  And free of Ticketmaster, too.

They've taken the word "fun" out of the dictionary...totally sucks.

[rant] Well, excuse the hyperbole, but ain't that just stupid fascist, and, I emphasize the stupid part. Like the Catskills are over run with summer tourists ever since the out migration of Jews starting in the 60s, and some dumb ass police captain decides to put all of his overpaid staff, dogs, and equipment to use to hassle some of the few who decide to spend their time and, ahem, MONEY in the local region. Real friggin' smart. Hey, if he wants to clamp down and grow his a little bigger, just do rotating DUI checks around the mountain and Tannersville all winter. Hell, it would be like shooting fish in a barrel. But, nooooooooo, alcohol isn't illegal, right? And the bars make so much money, therefore pay taxes, therefore pay his salary, right? Dumbasses. And you wonder why real estate in the Catskills is worth 20% of what other vacation areas are that are a days drive from the richest population center in the country. Inbred idiots. [/rant]

I took a race clinic at Huntah about 5 yrs ago.  This snowboarder sits down right in the middle of the gates and wouldn't move.  We were yelling at him and the local race coach in our group said you can't do that there as the customers there are likely packing heat and several times during a season someone brandishes a gun at Huntah.  Maybe they need more security rather than less.

Huntah is the bronx on a hillside.  Thankfully these folks don't drive past exit 21 on the thruway to the ADK's

ausable skier wrote

This snowboarder sits down right in the middle of the gates and wouldn't move.  

People a friggin bung holes anymore. Stuff like that ^^^ really gets under my skin. How unbelievably selfish and rude.

Glad you yelled at him AS.

I know several people who went into teaching, thinking it was " their calling ". In a few years they quit, abandoning their degree, saying...." the kids/parents are absolutely terrible ".

We went to Mountain Jam on Sunday (the last day) and saw only 1 police car that had already pulled someone over, on our way in. Security was VERY lax at the actual event and I even commented to the Mrs. that there was more weed out in the open than I'd ever seen (not that there's anything wrong with that). I was surprised (happily) at the LACK of Police & Security. There were some a-holes in the crowd, but overall most people were pretty cool.

Come ski season Hunter attracts a certain clientele that I have no desire to be around. I skied there once and wasn't a fan of the jeans, cell phones and cigarettes in lift lines, general lack of respect, etc. It's the only place I've been hit by another skier or snowboarder. The dumbass knocked me right off my feet (skis?).

CONTENTS DELETED

Every mountain gets grief for something. Gore, Whiteface, Belleayre, whatever.  To me disliking someone because they are from the city or the country doesn't make a lot of sense.  I hear a lot of hate for NJ and it bums me out. And really none of the biggest mountains in the state would thrive if they lost all their business from the 5 boroughs of New York.

I've skied Hunter maybe ten times.  I dig the place. Some great terrain, and management isn't the slightest bit shy about blasting the place with snow.  

My favorite Hunter story was from the beginning of last season. They waited out two major rain storms before starting snowmaking ops.  Some were wondering if ownership was being conservative, due to the expense of the new Kaatskill Flyer.  After that second storm passed, mountains that had blown snow had little to show for it except a big electric bill. Hunter went to work and I've never seen anything like it.  Within a week Hunter had the most open terrain in New York with 8 lifts and 38 trails.  DMC can probably correct my numbers but I think they are in the ballpark.

Hoping to get more Hunter TRs in the forum this winter from dmc, Xman, ml242, James, Jason, me, whoever else is inspired.

 Yep, when it comes to snow making it would be hard to beat Hunter, great terrain, and I have yet to see the rude NYers everyone describes. Thing of the past, great mountain.

dmc_hunter wrote

DARKSIDED wrote

Come ski season Hunter attracts a certain clientele that I have no desire to
be around. I skied there once and wasn't a fan of the jeans, cell phones and
cigarettes in lift lines, general lack of respect, etc. It's the only place
I've been hit by another skier or snowboarder. The dumbass knocked me right
off my feet (skis?).

Certain cliental?   Really???  
Many of these people are my friends and are awesome people and great skiers. So I find that insulting.
And no other place has people that smoke in a lift line or wears jeans?
I've seen the occasional jeans on a holiday weekend at Hunter but - why does it matter what a person wears?

I got hit by someone a Jay Peak and almost popped my shoulder but you don't see me dissing it...

And what's the matter with using a cell phone in the lift line?  I work from home and ski during the day and take calls while in the line... Why should it bother you?  It's not like I'm disturbing your outdoor experience... It's a lift queue...  haha...

Might I suggest you remind your friends not to wear jeans while skiing?

"why the hate for Hunter?"

Because it's practically pure ice 90% of the time. And, by mid day, it probably has the highest concentration of SUIs (skiing under the influence) than any other mountain in the country, although Killington gives it a run for the money on that one. And, the clientele seems to be from the lower end of the gene pool / bell curve of New Jersey residents who have enough credit card room to go skiing. And, EVERY time I have been there in the past eight years (which isn't much), I have been hit by a skier / rider. Last time, twice. Oh, and, Tannersville is really ugly.

I really though this place was going to be a chill place to do trip reports and not have to defend these negative statements about the mountain I live at...  

Harvey - enjoy your winter with these haters...

the less i get involved the less these gapers will spread their BS...

Peace!

Benny Profane wrote

"why the hate for Hunter?"

Because it's practically pure ice 90% of the time. And, by mid day, it probably has the highest concentration of SUIs (skiing under the influence) than any other mountain in the country, although Killington gives it a run for the money on that one. And, the clientele seems to be from the lower end of the gene pool / bell curve of New Jersey residents who have enough credit card room to go skiing. And, EVERY time I have been there in the past eight years (which isn't much), I have been hit by a skier / rider. Last time, twice. Oh, and, Tannersville is really ugly.

I think I see why you may be getting hit.

campgottagopee wrote

I think I see why you may be getting hit.

dmc_hunter wrote

I really though this place was going to be a chill place to do trip reports and not have to defend these negative statements about the mountain I live at...  

Harvey - enjoy your winter with these haters...

the less i get involved the less these gapers will spread their BS...

Peace!

A farewell to the troops after 12 posts?

The internet is a brutal place a lot of the time, especially when everyone exists under an alias. Thin skins can get hurt by the honesty.

Listen, I have always wanted to like the place. It is, after all, the closest "major" mountain to me and millions. The terrain is awesome. And, I really do appreciate those that ski/ride it well. I have seen amazing slalom skiing on blue ice on the backside. I once saw a young man on a carving board put lines down on Claires that inspired me to buy him a beer then and there, if I ever met him. But, I'm not into ice. Hockey is played on ice. Skiing is done on snow. Ice requires special equipment that needs constant attention. I can't afford a special pair of Huntah skis, which is a pro level slalom ski with diamond sharp edges. I don't care much for that, anyway. It's sorta like, learn to do it well, and it's the only place to do it well, know what I mean?

I'm a powder head. 97% of Huntah skiers can't ski powder. I've seen it on powder days. That's not good. But, then again, we're talking about a place that averages 80 inches of natural a year.