Poster: A snowHead
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My girlfriend loves travelling. The further the better.
As a result (and nudged by Dave of the Marmottes, who will be there) we got ourselves Epic passes to ski at Vail over Christmas / New Year. Staying in Eagle as Vail prices are ridiculous.
Now I'm fully embracing the sunk cost fallacy and I want to use that Epic pass again.
She's keen on Whistler for Easter (it rhymes, too). Of course, getting there is more expensive and takes more time.
Staying with the Easter idea (I like skiing for 7 days with 4 days of holiday), we could also do 5 days in Verbier on the same pass. Or 2 each in 3 Vallees and Espace Killy (although the logistics of splitting the week for accommodation would be tricky and probably not worth it to save €90 / person in 2 days' lift pass cost).
WWSHD?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I've skied Whistler twice at Easter and both times were fantastic. Quite a few people on the hill but not over crowded. Good weather - no rain either time. Great snow (winter snow - no slush) conditions from mid mountain up. Somewhat slushy at the end of the day on the bottom half of the hill.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Hmmmm, I love whistler, and was there a couple of years ago on the dates Easter is this year. I would definitely do that again if I had the chance. But if I could get more skiing days in (Verbier) because of less flying time elsewhere, that'd be a hard choice to make... Verbier is also really fun.
Nah, I'd go to Whistler. You only live once!
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Sssh the first rule of Xmas ski club is never brag about where you are going in advance less the gods of sucky conditions (the AntiUllr) hear you!!
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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7 days to get to and ski whistler doesn't seem enough. 1 day to get there, and likely 2 coming back with the time difference.would give you 4 days skiing? Its a huge area and 2 days on each mountain would be barely scratching the surface. Plus its a lot of traveling and money. You will have to get another epic pass next season and do a longer trip there to really do it justice
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Dave of the Marmottes wrote: |
Sssh the first rule of Xmas ski club is never brag about where you are going in advance less the gods of sucky conditions (the AntiUllr) hear you!! |
Damn, that's what I was doing wrong all these years
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boarder2020 wrote: |
7 days to get to and ski whistler doesn't seem enough. 1 day to get there, and likely 2 coming back with the time difference.would give you 4 days skiing? Its a huge area and 2 days on each mountain would be barely scratching the surface. Plus its a lot of traveling and money. You will have to get another epic pass next season and do a longer trip there to really do it justice |
Haha! Well I was planning to ski 7 days (leave Friday, ski Sat to Friday, return Sat=>Sun). But now flights are somewhat cheaper if I leave one day earlier. Hmmm...
(on the other hand this whole thing might mean that I can't do the SH offpiste bash)
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boarder2020,
when Mrs B was a teacher (ie until recently) we did about a dozen Transatlantic trips for a week and managed to get at least 6 days skiing in on each, with 7 days on some trips. I'm therefore unsure why you mention only 4 days skiing in a week's holiday...
We always flew out on a Saturday and it was inevitably 3 flights from the north east ie change at Amsterdam, again at Minneapolis and then on to Denver, Jackson, Calgary or Reno. On one occasion we changed again at Denver for a flight to Gunnison (for Crested Butte). The good thing about the trip out though, is that you gain 7 hours or so - so land in time to get to bed on Saturday night and get up to ski on Sunday.
We would then ski 6 full days (or a 7th day, until early afternoon, on our trips to Winter Park, Breckenridge, Banff, when we skied Nakiska on day 7, and Revelstoke, when we skied Crystal Mountain on our 7th day. We then drove straight from the slopes to the airport for the Saturday evening Transatlantic flight, arriving home on Sunday.
So....5 days off work and 7 ski days in the USA or Canada. Easy peasy!
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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boarder2020 wrote: |
7 days to get to and ski whistler doesn't seem enough. 1 day to get there, and likely 2 coming back with the time difference.would give you 4 days skiing? Its a huge area and 2 days on each mountain would be barely scratching the surface. Plus its a lot of traveling and money. You will have to get another epic pass next season and do a longer trip there to really do it justice |
Nah you can ski until 3:00, shower, airport transfer, back Midday the next day!
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I would only ski Whistler if I could book at the last minute after seeing a good forecast. Whistler is just too close to the warm Pacific ocean and I HATE skiing in the rain. Yes I know it is snowing at the top but I HATE skiing in white out conditions even more than rain.
If the pineapple express ia running I would go elsewhere.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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In 30 seasons in Whistler I've never ridden in the rain. It's very rare to have it rain top to bottom. That trashes the off-piste until the next storm, so you may need to ride piste for a day or two. White outs? No more there than anywhere else, but most people ride the trees then. Vancouver is significantly lower/ warmer and has multiple ski hills. Last season Cypress was in excellent condition early season at least.
On the OP - I don't think it's particularly helpful to compare two places as different as Verbier and Whistler; it's an apples/ oranges question. Both places are brilliant in good snow. Do them both.
If all other things are equal, then I'd wait and see who has the best snow at that time and then go there.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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We did Whistler at Easter and it was epic. It rained one day lower down but the vertical is huge and there's loads of skiing high up.
We also did 4 days in Vancouver which is a great city.
You can also get cheaper flights as the summer operators have started. Are Canadian Affair still going?
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I live in whistler, going on for season 13 now.
Easter can be everything weatherwise, from massive powder dumps to sunshine to fog. It is incredibly unlikely that the alpine will be bad if the lower mtn is weather challenged. There is always good snow somewhere!
message away with any questions
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You know it makes sense.
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I am aware that the Pineapple Express is real, but how often does it happen. We have been most years at easter over the last 15 and never hit it.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Easter is probably too late for a real Pineapple Express. It's the ones hitting in Jan and Feb that are soul destroying - all that nice snowpack FUBARed and refrozen over until the next decent storms.
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