Guest has some good points.
1) I know in my case, I'm always looking for improvement. If there was something out there that I felt had an advantage over PMTS, I'd be all over it. But right now, for me anyway, I just don't see it.
Here's why I stick with PMTS.
A) When I feel something is off, all I have to do is go back and work on some of the drills. Once I go off to the side and do a few drills, then go back to my skiing, it's always way better. Tough to argue with that.
B) Service. I can take my skis by their shop and they show me how to tune them -- free.
C) Service. If I have a question, I can always either call them or stop by their shop. They're always eager to show me a few pointers, or help me with whatever my question is.
D) Service. Maybe I've just been lucky, but every pair of skis and boots they've recommended for me has worked out perfectly. I love my Dalbello boots and my Head skis.
Guest, it's like this. If I was to take a lesson at your area, then take a lesson at Vail, there's no guarantee that I'll get the same lesson twice. For me, that's a huge deterrent. People learn the best when following a syllabus, or a course. PMTS is a course. If I work with one PMTSian in New York, then work with another in California, I'm guaranteed to get the same lesson, the same lingo, everything. That works for me!
2) There's no snobbery here. First of all, we're not big enough to be snobs!
But let's really go back and re-examine the whole thing.
HH was highly critical of traditional ski instruction and that set off a huge keg of dynamite. I've talked about this with HH and company ad nauseum. Go back and read what he wrote. He never called anyone a name, never called anyone stupid. What he did do, is write about what he felt were huge holes in the traditonal ski instruction system. In reality, all Harald did, is put in print what lots of ski pros have felt for years.
But the ski instruction community couldn't take the harsh critcism and they still can't. And on that note, they get what they deserve, which is a huge slap on the fanny. Guest, the tradtional model is broke and it's been broke for years. I've been in this ski thang for going on my 4th season. I've seen the traditional model and as an entrepreneur, my opinion is that's way broke. Your problem guest, and others like you in the "gang", is that you refuse to grow or change. You won't admit to your mistakes and you fully believe that your model works.
You talk about snobbery. Yeah? I ski at Vail/BC all the time. I bet so far this year I've rode up the chair with at least 6 ski instructors there. Guess what? Not one of them has tried to talk to me, let alone sell me a facking lesson. If they worked for me, well, they wouldn't. I'd fire 'em all.
Look guest. There's out of control skiers everywhere. What is the gang doing about this? Where's the innovation? What are you doing, to make the slopes safer, by teaching skiers skills? Not a damn thing, that's what. So tell me. What is there to be proud of?
You can go on defending your gang, that's fine. But don't be calling us snobs. You guys, in your pretty uni's, are the snobs.
HH may be next to a truck stop, but there's lots of innovation going on there. If the facking ski industry would just take notice, we'd all be better off. But instead, lead by people like you, they just sit on their fat arse, doing nothing but bitching and moaning; "He's picking on us..."
HH called a spade a spade.
3) Yes, there's not very many PMTS instructors. You know why? I'll tell you why. The other day at the Beav I was chatting with the director of operations. He was prodding me to teach part-time, which was a nice compliment. But when asked about my cert. (he assumed I was a 3) I told him all I know is PMTS. He said, "We don't accept PMTS certification. You have to be PSIA something or other."
So even though I'm as good or better than anyone in their department, I couldn't teach there if I wanted to. So you want to know why there's not more PMTS instructors? The good ole boyz club in skiing won't accept PMTS cert -- that's why.
Here's how ignorant your gang is. HH used to be on the demo team, right? Right. The demo team is the gang's big thing, right? Right.
Well, here's HH, who used to be on the gangs demo team -- they were REAL proud of him. But once he went off on his own, now all the sudden they're not so proud of him. Matter of fact, they want nothing to do with him! How the fack does that make any sense?! It doesn't, just like everything else in the gang.
Can you say collusion?
4) You ask, "Is it possible PMTS is fading into obscurity..."
Well, if you look at HH's balance sheet, you'd think the opposite. Their business is growing faster than ever. All their camps sold out months in advance. Even me, wacko SCSA, I'm on the waiting list for the Montana camp.
5) I've said it before, I'll say it again. The ski business is run by the good 'ole boyz club. I blame them for the lack of safety on the slopes and the fact that there's now more snowboarders than skiers. The ski business -- your gang -- is doing nothing to get more skiers on the hill. Nothing! They are so facking clueless, they'd have to improve, just to be called stupid. I can't even believe they hold jobs.
6) HH is not a god. He's simply the head of the one company out there that gets it. HH and company are doing something to rejuvinate skiing. They're putting out books and videos that make skiing much simpler and much less expensive. They're making thangs that let skiers practice in the summer. They're risking their own cash and taking huge risks.
I've always said, "Do something, even if it's wrong."
7) Finally, your point is that the ultra snobbery must end or PMTS will fade away. First of all, you can bet that PMTS will never fade away -- it's customers will see to that. We may be the Mac's of skiing, but we're not fading away. If you're really concerned though, talk to your gang. They're the ones, not us, who are the ultra-snobs. Add-in knuckleheads too, while you're at it.
The future of the company is in good hands. HH is 55, Diana is like 20 ("she's hot, way hot!") When HH slows down, Diana will be right there. The future for PMTS is bright.