 Poster: A snowHead
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fatbob, on mountain fine dining in Whistler? I can think of one restaurant.
In Utah? I can think of one and one only (although it's pretty awesomely good).[/u]
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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under a new name,
Why would you want fine dining on the mountain? Surely the whole point of getting a whole load of expensive gear and going up a cold snowy mountain is so you can go skiing/boarding, not wasting your precious snow time sitting around in a nice restaurant? When you're done at the end of the day then surely that's a good time for the fine dining, if that's your thing.
(Incidentally there are two reasonable-ish restaurants on mountain at Whistler/Blackcomb - Steeps and Christines respectively. In town there are plenty.)
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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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under a new name, On mountain fine dining in N America is a beer and a brat on the sundeck or a bowl of chilli inside if it's a cold day. Deer Valley doesn't count. Best lodge food hands down I've sampled is the Asian fusion shizzle served up at Whitewater.
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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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I can't imagine anything worse than being stuck in a restaurant when there's powder outside. I'll keep the fine dining for tedious days back home.
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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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Mid-april, up early, ski until it gets slushy then sit on a sun deck with some nice food and a glass of rose. what's not to like about that? 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| stuarth wrote: |
under a new name,
Why would you want fine dining on the mountain? Surely the whole point of getting a whole load of expensive gear and going up a cold snowy mountain is so you can go skiing/boarding, not wasting your precious snow time sitting around in a nice restaurant? When you're done at the end of the day then surely that's a good time for the fine dining, if that's your thing.
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When the skiing is no good, you need some other diversion to pass the time.
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abc, If the skiing is no good, then why bother going so far 
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abc, In all the years i've been to North America, I think i've lost about half a morning to dodgy conditions - and that was because it was so cold they couldn't start the gennies to run the lifts at Lake Louise. Now thats not to say i've avoided bits or areas have been shut which were in dodgy condition OR because of weather, but i've never been completely closed out at any time.
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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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Cheers for all the comments 
I think I'm going to leave it for this year and ask for a week off work jan/feb then avidly follow the snow reports/forecasts and then book last minute to follow the snow in Europe!?
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stuarth, Ah, Ok, i am only familiar with Christine's.
Fb, deer valley does count. Some of the nicest bumps i've encountered in the world and a terrific late lunch.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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BTW just to back up my claim above - how many on ski hill canteens spawn their own cookbooks (Michelin rated chefs aside but then they're hardly catering to the masses with filling and tasty for $10 a head)
http://www.whitewatercooks.com/books.html
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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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| under a new name wrote: |
You can't predict what you're going to get. |
Well you can actually to a reasonable extent. One of the main reasons I started skiing in NA was that snow conditions early season i.e. pre-Christmas are generally much more consistent over there. I got a bit fed up of rock bashing in the Alps early season which in itself is quite predictable.
| under a new name wrote: |
Last year much of Europe was hard packed piste (not icy, just hard packed - can we read anything into the "icy" comment?)
Much of Italian pistes are groomed that way by design. It's easier to ski on if it's smooth and firm.
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I now consider hard pack to be a bad day. To put it into perspective my wife, who has done practically all of her skiing in NA, thinks hard pack and ice are one and the same thing.
| under a new name wrote: |
Going to the US or CA does not guarantee good conditions. You might get lucky, you might not.
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I guess I've been very lucky then. Perhaps I should start buying lottery tickets too.
| under a new name wrote: |
And going across to Central or Western NA necessitates a much longer flight.
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Rules out a weekend trip for sure, but not a big deal if you are going for several weeks.
| under a new name wrote: |
| Plus a serious lack of mountain atmosphere, fine dining, etc. |
Depends entirely on your idea of "mountain atmosphere". Personally I really like the Canadian tree lined runs and generally laid back atmosphere. Quite different from the French mega-resorts or quaint Austrian villages. All just personal preference. I'm not even going to comment on fine dining - I don't have any interest at home and certainly not when there are freshies out there.
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Not necesssarily a problem, just different. |
Certainly different and not a problem for me
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uktrailmonster, I'm not picking a fight, we have nearly 3 weeks booked in Canada this year.
Just pointing out the realities to those accustomed to europe.
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You know it makes sense.
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I suspect only a handful of Alpine resorts can offer "fine dining".
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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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On the dining front the contrast between - sitting on a balcony being served frites and meats compared to fighting through the crowd to get a quickly cooked and over salted burger is quite stark though. I almost never plan on eating food provided by a ski resort. One thing I do miss about skiing in Europe is the food; yes it isn't a priority but sometimes it is nice to take it easy for an hour; and when it's -25C cold sandwiches from the backpack and some half frozen water are just not that enticing...
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Poster: A snowHead
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| Richard_Sideways wrote: |
| abc, In all the years i've been to North America, I think i've lost about half a morning to dodgy conditions - and that was because it was so cold they couldn't start the gennies to run the lifts at Lake Louise. Now thats not to say i've avoided bits or areas have been shut which were in dodgy condition OR because of weather, but i've never been completely closed out at any time. |
Good explanation why N.A. resort has no good dinning and Europe has so many. 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| under a new name wrote: |
uktrailmonster, I'm not picking a fight, we have nearly 3 weeks booked in Canada this year.
Just pointing out the realities to those accustomed to europe. |
So was I. For me the realities have been a lot more snow and less crowds. But does depend on where and when you actually go.
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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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I'm pretty happy with North American mountain hut dining. A brat, chili in a bread bowl or a pancake washed down with a chilled lager might not be haute cuisine, but it's fast and tastes pretty good after a hard morning pounding the bowls. Better by far than overpriced cafeteria style spaghetti bolognese or slow, poncy fine dining.
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