“Ski Widow” (also known as Jill Griff) loading equipment into her SUV. Sometimes it’s not easy being the lead dog. Photo: Martin Griff
Eskimos greet each other nose to nose. Dogs greet each other nose to . . . well you know.
Almost always when skiers are guided into parking spaces, the attendants wave the lead dog vehicle through a two space column and then direct the following vehicle into the space behind, hood to trunk, or in a dogs world: nose to . . . well you know.
While skiers in the lead dog vehicle struggle to get their equipment out of the trunk, their coordination and finesse is all that stands between the sharp edges of their skis and the shiny finish on the hood of the follow-up vehicle.
Parking vehicles hood-to-hood, or nose-to-nose in Eskimo speak, would make it much easier to take out and put equipment in the trunk while giving peace of mind to those wheel dogs who want to keep their vehicle’s finish scratch-free.
Some parking attendants leave adequate space between vehicles, but many weekend ski warriors do not have adequate skills to maneuver their equipment gracefully in that space.
A bonus to the Eskimo method is attendants could park vehicles with little space between the noses, leaving more room in the parking lot for more vehicles.
I’ve run my Eskimos vs. dog theory by several parking lot attendants and resort operation folks and they all say that they can park vehicles faster with the dog method.
I’m not buying it. Resort folks are pretty clever. The can build chairlifts on the steepest of mountainsides. They can create snow out of water and air and put it exactly where they want it on a trail. Figuring out a system to efficiently park vehicles nose to nose should take about 15 minutes of brain storming.
What do you say resort people? Let us be Eskimos.
At Grand Targhee, we were happy to see all Eskimo parking, all the time. While this photo was taken in the afternoon, the morning parking routine is impressive. Red ropes delineate the center of each row of parking. Attendants park everyone nose to nose on both sides of the rope.
Martin Griff is living out his ski bum dreams this winter, traveling around North America, both North and South of the US/Canadian border. A journalist by education and profession he shares his thoughts, impressions, experiences and those things that puzzle him Fridays.
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AGREED! Very well said!
It’s something I’ve never thought of and it makes so much sense! Hats off to Wyoming’s Grand Targhee for doing just this in their very organized parking lot!
Um I agree! I think most resorts need to head up to targhee and take a 1 day clinic on how to do it better!
It was rather impressive. I especially like that each row of cars had a sign with an animal, so if you pay attention you can’t misplace your car and your kids know where to go, too!