 Poster: A snowHead
|
Morning all.
Which is the cheapest place to goto. Canada or USA?
And is there any resort in particular would suit a beginner.
(We would be flying from manchester)
Cheers for any advice given.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
You will get a deal to Whistler as it is in so many brochures play them off against each other and see what you can get it down too. Ideally you need to do this before November prior to the trip as everything is discounted early on - but you could pick up a bargain. We have been with Ski Independence, Canadian Affair, Virgin & Crystal over they years as the actual thing you get is identical form any of them - hence they are all the same.
If you fly with BA they will add in free flights from Manchester too down to Heathrow - sometimes they will do it if you fly Air Canada too. Remember to book Skiing for your last day too as they do not pick up from Hotel until 2pm so you have a good chunk of Skiing available - hence 7 nights can mean 7 days skiing.
Very good quiet absolute beginner areas, good lessons and there is always a green route down from all of the chair lifts so you can go all over the mountain with no worry about getting down. Gondola download if you don't fancy the busier run down to the village which can be soft late on in the season.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
|
I think you would get a better deal booking independently. Either flights to the East Coast (Boston) and travel up to Stowe / Killington or Candian Affair into Vancouver and drive up to Whistler. Typically they have far cheaper apartments / lift pass deals if you book before mid November (have a look at Allura . com) .
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
Generally, how much are we talking for say 7 nights?
Flights, transfers/car hire, hotel, pass, food, 1 small beer 
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
| kiteman69 wrote: |
Generally, how much are we talking for say 7 nights?
Flights, transfers/car hire, hotel, pass, food, 1 small beer |
£2000 ish each
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
If you do it youself (from Gatwick) and are not dictated by peak season (ie you can go Jan or March) you should be able to go for about .....
Flights - £450 pp
Transfer - £80pp
1 bed / studio appartment £500 (book via Alluradirect to save money on lift pases)
Lift Pass (via Allura) = £300
So I think you should be able to get there , have somewhere to stay and a lift pass for just ove £1000 each
You would then need to add >
Food - There is a small supermarket in centre of town you could self cater if in an apartment. There are fast food places too which are really cheap and even basic sit down meals start at just over a tenner.
Beers - About £4 a pint (US pint though  )
You would need to add equipment hire (approx £140 each) and possibly lessons (Approx £65 per day)
Personally, I would 'save' Whistler until you are happy to ski all runs below black as you will get much more out of the resort.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Thanks for breaking down the prices for me. It is VERY much appreciated.
I feel I have to get Mrs K skiing better in Europe 1st before we venture further afield.
Perhaps if I bribe her with a trip across the pond she mght put the work in and becoming a tad bit better 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
Cheers @Masque,
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@kiteman69, with three teenage lads in tow, I like to think I've mastered the art of low cost skiing trips to North America - although I'll always take advice if I'm wrong.
I've typically found Jackson Hole to be the cheapest place. Accommodation in the town is amazingly good value as winter is low season. It's also possible to eat out for very little, and many hotels offer daily free transfers to the resort (although I prefer to hire a reassuringly cheap 4x4). The airport is close to the town so transfers are cheap, and you can get great deals on lift passes if you buy them in the UK. Transatlantic luggage allowances are better than on short haul flights, so take your own skis as local hire is very expensive, as is the ski school.
Check out sites like American Ski Classics or Ski Independence for good deals on accommodation or ski extras.
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
|
Except Jackson Hole is really not a beginner friendly place!
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
| abc wrote: |
| Except Jackson Hole is really not a beginner friendly place! |
Missed that bit  .
Actually JH is much more beginner friendly than it used to be now that it has the fast Casper lift. It's probably still not the first choice, though.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
I believe Steamboat is similar to Jackson Hole, with a much stronger tilt towards beginner & intermediates.
Cheap transfer, no need for hired car, lodging not too terribly expensive.
The all time inexpensive area to ski used to be Lake Tahoe region. But the drought of the last few years is really putting them on the spotlight.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
|
Cheers guys......... And yes, it sadly needs to very beginner orientated
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
|
I've not been there for years, but Mammoth was a pretty good place to learn. its a 6hr drive out of vegas or LA, maybe 7 out of SF for major airports and always good to do a few days in a city too. As they are major airports there's a decent selection of flights so that helps with cost. Traditionally Mammoth have a long season, often going all the way to July.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
|
Sun peaks, Big White, Silver Star, are good places to learn to ski. Easy access to slopes and ski in ski out apartments. 7 nights feels a bit to short a time to go that far, we did 7 nights on occasions 10 night are better 14 nights tiring.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
I live just down the road from Whistler, and by my calculations I can have a cheaper ski holiday by flying to France.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
Some of the smaller places like Ski Cooper and A' Basin still have a strong local feel and much less of the rictus grinning "have a great day" whilst we extract your wallet through your anus atmosphere . . .
