 Poster: A snowHead
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Whats up guys, hoping to get some suggestions/advice for a trip that'll be my dads first time skiing out in Western U.S.
Some background - I'm 23 and he's 56. We've both been skiing our entire lives and average a trip or two a year. We're from North Carolina so usually we do some weekend skiing at Beech or Sugar Mountain in NC with the occasional trips up to West Virginia to ski Snowshoe and Winterplace. I've skiied over in Europe so I've seen what skiing a true mountain is like, but he's never experienced anything relatively close to European skiing or the Western U.S.
I'm going crazy cause I wanna make sure this trip is awesome for his first and maybe only time out west, so I'm having trouble picking where to go. He loves skiing bowls and it'd be great to let him ski some back country or true powder. Looking for the place with the best overall experience.
After doing some research, I'm leaning towards Jackson Hole. I've been there in the summer and heard nothing but awesome stuff. Some other places I've considered are Big Sky, Vail (Heard the back bowls are awesome,) Snowbird (Place looks like heaven.) Also Telluride and Breckenridge, but less so than the others.
We'd probably go late January to mid February for 2-3 days of skiing and we're both pretty experienced skiiers but I will say some of the runs at the tops of Jackson Hole and Big Sky seem intimidating.
Any suggestions???
Thanks guys!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Pick any one that you mentioned - you can’t go wrong.
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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: |
After doing some research, I'm leaning towards Jackson Hole. I've been there in the summer and heard nothing but awesome stuff. Some other places I've considered are Big Sky, Vail (Heard the back bowls are awesome,) Snowbird (Place looks like heaven.)
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You research pretty much nailed it!
Jackson Hole is good. You don't have to do the intimidating part if you don't like the look of it.
Big Sky is … BIG! In fact, too big for 2-3 days.
Vail is also... BIG, especially the back bowls.
Snowbird/Alta tend to have a lot of snow. That's their biggest appeal.
You can't go wrong with any of those.
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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 would suggest SLC area. I speak from experience, having taken my father out there when we were about the same ages a long time ago. Key is EASY transfers. Fly into SLC, rent a car and you're nearly there. There are 5-7 solid resorts within an hour or so, Alta, Snowbird, Brighton, Solitude, Park City etc., so you have a great choice. You're almost guaranteed snow and you can hit a different one each day, although Alta/Snowbird/PC can occupy anyone for a week. You might want to focus on Park City for 2/3 days, if you can afford to stay there.
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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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Big fan of Breckenridge, going back for our 4th week in February.
If you pick the right lodging you can be truly ski-in/ski-out. There's a load of choice on runs, with everything from challenging bowls to cruisy blues.
Might be worth looking at whether any of these options are in the same lift company as your local resorts. If yes, might be worth getting a season pass as it will pay for itself pretty quickly?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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For 2 or 3 days I would suggest Jackson Hole. Great mountain and town but not overwhelming in scope for a shorter period of time. The others might justify a longer time frame.
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Jackson Hole is a solid bet - it's the most distinctive ski experience in the US and all round. Snowbird/Alta are good but not a "special" place unless skiing is your only priority, Vail is just a motorway truck stop - the back bowls are great but you have to learn the nav and avoidance of crowds which is difficult in 2-3 days.
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| Dave of the Marmottes wrote: |
| ...you have to learn the nav and avoidance of crowds which is difficult in 2-3 days. |
Also true for Snowbird. Visitors won't get it.
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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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You could go to the Great White North to Canada? Good value for US visitors at present. Great skiing and superb scenery.
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| philwig wrote: |
| Dave of the Marmottes wrote: |
| ...you have to learn the nav and avoidance of crowds which is difficult in 2-3 days. |
Also true for Snowbird. Visitors won't get it. |
Very true,
To the Op JH would be good, likely to be busy these days, Big Sky would fit and less crowded due to its location.
If heading to Alta/ Snowbird best to stay up the canyon to save on the hassle driving up each day - grab the combined pass for 3 days of fun. agree with DOTM views
Vail tbh isn't anything special for what the OP wants - yeah the bowls are fun if conditions are good.
Breck, is a nice tourist town with some average skiing really, very mellow on the lower slopes with anything half decent just at the peak tops - due to the shape and nature of the peaks.
If wanting to head to CO - Aspen would be a better bet, ski 3 different mtns, and see some of the town as well.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Re-reading the OP, I'd wait as long as you can to see where the best snow is, then go there. Snowbird's not what you want if it's hardpack, and the same's pretty much true for anywhere else. I wouldn't worry about any "intimidation" factor, although Colorado has plenty of mellow terrain if that's a concern. Inside the US there's nowhere really particularly "European", but then that's not what you go there for.
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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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@CarsonPotter, commenting on the areas you mentioned, all are worth visiting but if you only get one shot, it shouldn't be Breck or Snowbird. Breck is easy to access but nothing special and the Bird is fantastic but only with new snow; its a lousy cruising area. It is also not representative of US ski areas in general, owing to its built-all-at-once concrete aesthetic (which I happen to like, but it is unique for sure). Jackson Hole is the best ski area in North America IMO. It has everything. A little harder for you to get to, but that prevents crowding. A day trip to Grand Targhee, a smaller area with a great vibe is also possible from Jackson. Telluride is great but can be a bug to get to. Vail is...Vail, enormous, maybe a bit commercial for some tastes. Big Sky also not a bad choice.
Hardly anybody ever mentions Sun Valley on this forum. That would also be a good choice. But I'd send you to Jackson.
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| Scooter in Seattle wrote: |
| Hardly anybody ever mentions Sun Valley on this forum. That would also be a good choice. But I'd send you to Jackson. |
Because it epitomize "nothing special".
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You know it makes sense.
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| TommyJ wrote: |
| You could go to the Great White North to Canada? Good value for US visitors at present. Great skiing and superb scenery. |
Sometimes.
The "problem" with American going to Canada is the flight cost. Flight from US to Canada tend to be a lot more expensive than flying within the US. There're "sales" that one need to catch which are quite reasonable.
Whilst flights to Denver, SLC or even Jackson Hole are fairly predictable and easy to come by.
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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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| abc wrote: |
| Scooter in Seattle wrote: |
| Hardly anybody ever mentions Sun Valley on this forum. That would also be a good choice. But I'd send you to Jackson. |
Because it epitomize "nothing special". |
Very true, one place we don't need to go back to - dosn't really hold the snow either.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Could fly to Spokane and drive to Red?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Sea-Tac and then driving up to Whistler is pretty common for US people too.
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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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Re-reading the OP, why not take your Dad straight to Europe where you are more familiar?
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