 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi all,
The OH and I are considering how best to blow our £4k ski budget for 2014, and have the following quandary;
1) Full on singing and dancing trip over the pond to somewhere like Big White (Canada) - which looks superb for terrain, proximity to slopes and quality of the snow, or one of many options in the US including Utah/California/Colorado. I reckon on spending £2k each all in for 10 days.
2) Two separate 1 week trips to Europe (thinking Dolomites and Austria), we would wait and see where the snow is...reckon at a push we can do a week in Jan and a week in March for £1k each per trip all in.
I'm reasonably experienced, and have skied in many resorts in Europe, but only once in the US - Vail, Breckenridge and Keystone. My impressions of these resorts was good - brilliant hotels, food, great service and lift systems etc., but honestly speaking the terrain was not as varied as many Alpine resorts.
The OH has a good solid four years behind her, and has lots of bottle, so will be well up for the legendary powder in Big White.
Guess my question is based on your experiences, would you say the additional cost to get to Canada/USA is worth it? Or would you rather have two trips to the Alps???
Cheers, Neil.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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neilkav, I would definitely recommend a visit to Canada. You'll have a very different experience; quieter, friendlier, snowier etc. What you won't get is the scale of the larger alpine resorts and the atmosphere is very different.
Big White is a really good place with skiing for all levels, nicely graduated right to left of the mountain as you look at it with things getting harder as you go left. Then there's the Cliff area for some steep stuff. You'll find generally in Canada that they leave a lot of pistes ungroomed, particularly the blacks. Generally there'll be just one or two blacks groomed. If you're thinking of blowing a big budget, I would consider a 2 centre break, combining Big White with say the stunning Lake Louise (my favourite Canadian resort, including Whistler) Sun Peaks or Marmot Basin. You will easily be able to ski pretty much all of Big White's area in 4 or 5 days.
If your OH is keen to get into some powder, you'll be pushed to find a better place to start and I would bet that after a couple of days you will be looking for it rather than studying the grooming plan on Big White TV each morning.
If you're canny I would think you could manage a Canadian 10 dayer with Canadian Affair and still have enough from your £4000 to get a cheaper European trip as well!
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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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On the worth it point I think it entirely depends on when you are going and what conditions you get. 10 days to the US or Canada at the end of a snow drought might be profoundly depressing, alternately it could puke every day and your main concern would be whether you know how to fit snow chains and how quickly roads get poughed. Europe you can rightly leave later to decide where outside peak periods but most people still don't have that much flexibility as to the when.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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If you go to Big White, make sure your stay is long enough so that a few non-skiing days don't hurt.
It's not without reason this resort is often called "Big White-out".
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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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I'd probbaly do 2x weeks in Europe
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I would do 10 days in Canada, I might not do big white for the full 10 days some days at big white some at silver star. Both within 1:30- 2:00 hrs of Kelowna airport.
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Well only you can decide.
Big White/ Silver Star are good when the snow's good. I've never been disturbed there by vomiting Brits, and you can get good food and wine too. Oh, and you can still ride powder on piste days after a storm.
Like all North American resorts they're not that huge, but it depends what you're after.
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I would do 2 Europe trips and try to turn that into 3 trips if annual leave is not a problem.
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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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Depends what you want to maximise. I would be inclined to consider that I could get 18 days skiing in Europe for something like the time off work required ti get 10 days in Canada.
If the conditions are great it will be fab, if they're rubbish it will be dreadful.
I'd do two European trips.
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It's simple really. If you're dabbling with a bit of off-piste, North America will be good and ultimately cheaper because you don't need to hire guides. Otherwise, given the average size of NA resorts, you'll feel limited by the number of pistes in one place for 10 days.
Others had like the snow quality in north America. But that's a gamble. Pick a random 10 days in a season, you may get brilliant condition, or not. Though the condition in western US are "usually" pretty good, given the amount of snow fall and the low moisture content.
All the other "advantage" of North America: empty piste, orderly lift queue (or lack of crowd at all) etc, you can find somewhere in the Alps, even in France outside of half term time.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Wow, thanks for all the replies everyone, I think I may be inclined to look at two separate European trips at the moment, even medium budget in the states/Canada is looking at £1200 basic holiday cost, plus up to £400 for 10 day pass, gulp that's a lot...
Clearly the powder attraction could be immense, but could also be a damp or very foggy squib.....gamble as many have said.
With our situation not being restricted on dates, I think we may well put off Canada for another few years lol, and follow the last minute pow in Europe TWICE lol, from the weather threads it looks like an awesome start to the season for some, long may that continue 
Thanks again to everybody for your advice, top community this....
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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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How about Japan? Thats what I'm considering.
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neilkav, 2 trips to Europe, one in Jan and one in March. Chase the snow and book late if you are flexible with airport and resort etc. Canada can be great, but if the snow is poor it is a long way to go and the lift prices there are now poor value with the current exchange rate. Maybe wait until the exchange rate gets back to 2 to 1?
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You know it makes sense.
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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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I had exactly the same decision this year, and have decided to do a 2-week trip to Canada at the end of January with skisafari. We've been doing the 2 separate weeks in Europe for a few years now and after amazing conditions last March wanted more chance of powder, so Canada here we come. Well, I guess you have to try these things once!
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Poster: A snowHead
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| chrisb wrote: |
| Maybe wait until the exchange rate gets back to 2 to 1? |
LOL!
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