 Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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*watching*
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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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From Vegas get on a short flight to Reno, and do Squaw/Alpine? Or stay in South Lake Tahoe and ski Heavenly. There's plenty of skiing in the Lake Tahoe area.
Vegas to Mammoth is about a 5 1/2 hour drive, so also an option.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Whoyton1, Jackson isn't that big in relation to other places but is still great, and that 10hrs can vary dependant on weather conditions  If last season is anything to go on you wont get small queues there either.
You could drive from LV to SLC and base yourself there, giving you different options to ski daily, queues aren't much of a problem especially during the week, but you will probably have to drive to the slopes. Alta and Snowbird are both about the same size as Jackson, giving plenty of terrain, Solitude and Brighton are both just under half the size and both offer plenty of fun. Along with the other Utah resorts you can sample too.
You don't say how long you will be staying, which can be something to factor in, and depends what you really want.
As skinanny, says Tahoe area is worth considering offering plenty of choice and varied mountains.
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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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Yeh sorry i will be staying from he 20th December to the 10th of January, so maybe visiting several places will be best
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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BC/Washington/Montana roadtrip
or from Vegas Brian Head, SLC, Ogden, Jackson/Targhee . You could always drive back via Tahoe and Mammoth.
Warning at that time of year at least one region is likely to be getting skunked for snow.
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Fly to Vancouver catch a bus to Whistler for a few days, then a bus to Sun Peaks stay a few days, bus to Silver Star or Big White bus to Kelowna airport fly back to Vancouver or calgary then home.
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Whoyton1, why can you only arrive in las Vegas or vancouver?
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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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Whoyton1, I have stayed in Breckenridge in December and found that it had no queues, and very few people there at all. The chalet was empty apart from the chalet girl and thee people. To get to Vail, Beaver Creek, and Keystone you needed to drive. It was not too difficult, and the roads are fairly well cleared and easy to drive on compared to the Alps (in most cases).
I flew to Denver, but it was still a 2-3 hour drive from there.
Lots of skiable area, plenty of variety. Nightlife was a bit limited due to the time of year I expect. Quiet I suppose is the word I would use.
On the chalet girls night off, we all came back had a few beers and went into the outside hot tub. The door to the outside deck locked itself, and we were stranded in the hot tub with nobody in the chalet. Picture this, we were almost naked in a hot tub, yelling at people walking past the chalet to come over and open the door! Luckily someone was tempted to come and see what we wanted.
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| Bigtipper wrote: |
Whoyton1, I have stayed in Breckenridge in December and found that it had no queues, and very few people there at all. The chalet was empty apart from the chalet girl and thee people. To get to Vail, Beaver Creek, and Keystone you needed to drive. It was not too difficult, and the roads are fairly well cleared and easy to drive on compared to the Alps (in most cases).
I flew to Denver, but it was still a 2-3 hour drive from there.
Lots of skiable area, plenty of variety. Nightlife was a bit limited due to the time of year I expect. Quiet I suppose is the word I would use.
On the chalet girls night off, we all came back had a few beers and went into the outside hot tub. The door to the outside deck locked itself, and we were stranded in the hot tub with nobody in the chalet. Picture this, we were almost naked in a hot tub, yelling at people walking past the chalet to come over and open the door! Luckily someone was tempted to come and see what we wanted.
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Wow that sounds great! Weary of the Hot tubs now aha!  
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| Bigtipper wrote: |
Whoyton1, I have stayed in Breckenridge in December and found that it had no queues, and very few people there at all. The chalet was empty apart from the chalet girl and thee people.
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depends on which exact dates in December, you could just as easily have a mad house scene in your hand.
I'd be shocked to find Breck "empty" past Dec 20 most years
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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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| abc wrote: |
depends on which exact dates in December, you could just as easily have a mad house scene in your hand.
I'd be shocked to find Breck "empty" past Dec 20 most years |
Very true. I skied Vail on New Year Saturday and the mob amassed at the 2 critical backside lifts surpassed any I've come across in Europe. Yet judicious use of the singles line combined with a collective mentality that all seats should be filled meant it cleared far quicker than a lesser Euro line.
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Big skiable area with no queues? Sounds like Big Sky to me, but you might not want to drive there from Vegas or Vancouver. Grab an internal flight and you'll be fine, though.
Big Sky doesn't have queues. Maybe a queue will appear for a couple of hours at the tram on bluebird powder days on a weekend. Otherwise, it's deserted and it has one of the largest acreages in North America. This is what it looked like at 3.00pm when we visites one February.
For a long trip, you could do a Big Sky / Jackson split. IIRC they're about 8 hours drive apart, but you could pause halfway at Yellowstone for a memorable couple of days to see a few scenes like this:
If you did a Jackson/Big Sky trip, you'd be mad not to take in a few days at Grand Targhee, too. This is a busy day in Targhee:
So, my advice for a month: fly to LA. Take an internal flight to Big Sky. Spend 1.5 weeks there. Go to Yellowstone. Spend two days there. Go to Targhee. Spend 3 days there. Go to Jackson. Spend the rest of your trip there. Fly back to LA. Go home, knackered but happy.
BTW, you want to avoid New Year at Jackson.
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You know it makes sense.
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If I remember right, it was the week before Xmas week. Also the other reason it was not as busy, is that the snow cover was not great at that point. (although there was plenty of pisted areas in all resorts, most pistes were open) I expect it would have been busier if there was fresh snow. As it was, there was a lot of artificial snow and blue skies every day!
One of the most unusual aspects of skiing in USA compared to the alps, were the guides who stand at piste maps and tell you where you should go. I was not sure about this, I thought it was some con artist trying to sell something.
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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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| Bigtipper wrote: |
| If I remember right, it was the week before Xmas week. Also the other reason it was not as busy, is that the snow cover was not great at that point. (although there was plenty of pisted areas in all resorts, most pistes were open) I expect it would have been busier if there was fresh snow. As it was, there was a lot of artificial snow and blue skies every day!. |
The OP's time frame is the busiest period in N America! So, what the queues are like the rest of winter has little to no bearing to what to expect DURING Christmas/NY.
That said, N America ski resort excel at managing crowds at the lift station compare to many Euro resorts. So queues will be orderly even if the wait could be long. That does make it feel like a much shorter queue since you didn't have to elbow your way onto the loading spot.
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| One of the most unusual aspects of skiing in USA compared to the alps, were the guides who stand at piste maps and tell you where you should go. I was not sure about this, I thought it was some con artist trying to sell something |
You missed the best part of N America resorts, the FREE mountain tour!
Almost all destination resorts offer this everyday. You just show up at the meeting spot, a couple of cheerful staff will appear and herd the group around the mountain (typically American-blue pistes), with information on which lift to take to get to another sector, which run gets groomed when or how often, or powder stashes. Plus some history or other idiosyncrocy of the mountain. Highly recommended to do on day 1 or 2 of the stay.
Jonny Jones, I love Big Sky for the time I was there. But I've been told it often doesn't fully open at Christmas time due to relatively low snow fall record. Especially the advance terrain which has lots of rocks that may not get sufficient coverage to ski safely.
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Poster: A snowHead
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abc, the advanced terrain is likely to be problematic anywhere that early in the season. The OP didn't expressly say that advanced terrain was an issue, so I based my suggestions on the presumption that double blacks weren't really a requirement. As you say, though, official and actual historic report opening dates need to be carefully checked. I have also heard anecdotally that the off-piste in Big Sky requires significant snowfall to open, so, if it's a big requirement, Big Sky isn't the right place at that time of the year.
As for the mountain tour, you're dead right: it's essential when you first arrive in a new resort. Although the guides will always be very conservative in their choice of route, a chairlift chat or two with them will provide a fantastic source of information about where to ski at different times of the day and under varying snow conditions. It's a definite Must Do.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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The week between Christmas and New Years is typically the busiest for most N. American resorts - people arrive on Dec 25th or 26th and generally leave on Jan 2nd or 3rd. Most areas will be pretty quiet mid-week at most other times. Skiing is a weekend hobby for most, not a week long vacation.
(Just realised I fly out Dec 25th and return Jan 2nd - yes I will have a busy week!)
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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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| Quote: |
For a long trip, you could do a Big Sky / Jackson split. IIRC they're about 8 hours drive apart
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Have heard they are only about 3-4 hours dependant on conditions  - from a friend who lives in Jackson. Still along way to drive from Vegas.
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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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| Jonny Jones wrote: |
abc, the advanced terrain is likely to be problematic anywhere that early in the season. The OP didn't expressly say that advanced terrain was an issue, so I based my suggestions on the presumption that double blacks weren't really a requirement. As you say, though, official and actual historic report opening dates need to be carefully checked. I have also heard anecdotally that the off-piste in Big Sky requires significant snowfall to open, so, if it's a big requirement, Big Sky isn't the right place at that time of the year.
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Good point, OP had not specified on terrain perference.
My favorite for Christmas: Steamboat Spring!
It's a bit oof the beaten path. Limited bed base means the mountain only gets busy, rather than madly busy.
It's also one of the best early season snow magnet. So good coverage probability is better than many other places.
Terrain in Steamboat is not super difficult so plenty of easy cruising to be had. And if, per normal, there's enough snow for the glades to be skiable, expert skier will get to play in the trees as well.
It also has snowcat operation for powder virgins to try some real, geniun Colorado powder!
Of the more expert oriented mountain, I've had good luck with Jackson Hole early season. But I don't know enough about its snowfall pattern to say if that can be counted on. I think much of the Rockies (Utah, Colorado) should be decent snow-wise. It's more of a matter of how to escape from the worst of the Christmas crowd.
I would stay away from Tahoe region. It's super-madly-busy during Christmas time. And the snowfall pattern favors late season instead.
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FAQ
