 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi,
I am looking for advice for skiing 1-15 April 2023.
I am looking to go to Canada or USA.
I will be with beginners so would need good snow conditions at lower levels.
Can anyone recommend a resort?
I like the look of Mont Tremblant, but worried about the snow at that time of year.
Any advice would be much appreciated.
Thanks!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@samski10, look at California, I've skied into June at Mammoth Mountain, Tahoe resorts are also well worth a visit so a 2 centre might be an idea...Vegas is close (relatively) for something different on the way in/home/....
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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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1. Don’t assume that the beginner terrain is at the bottom of the ski area
2. Many North American resorts close during the interval you’ve cited, so check their operating schedule.
3. Tahoe and Mammoth have some of the best and most reliable spring skiing conditions anywhere. (And at Palisades and Heavenly the easy terrain is on the upper mtn, with easy download.
4. Coming all this way and then skiing at Mount tremblant seems like a missed opportunity to me, but I’ve never been. No one would leave the western part of the continent to ski in the east for the skiing.
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Thats a 2nd for avoiding the east at that time of year as well, we had 4 out of 5 days rain at Stowe one year - a slush fest to say the least!
Palisades is great for mid mountain beginners areas and Mammoth has some great runs on the lower mountain to the various base station cafes - The Mill, Canyon Lodge and Main Lodge.
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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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Looking at the fx rate I would suggest US is likely way more expensive than normal. Probably true for Canada too, but the big headlines re the £ aren't just because it is weak, the USD is also very strong atm.
Also, Whistler is incredible!
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| Scooter in Seattle wrote: |
4. Coming all this way and then skiing at Mount tremblant seems like a missed opportunity to me, but I’ve never been. No one would leave the western part of the continent to ski in the east for the skiing. |
I've skied Mt Tremblant, as well as Banff, Revelstoke and Kicking Horse. Don't bother with the journey over for Mt Tremblant.
Sunshine Village in Banff opens well in to June/July most years, and there's essentially no skiing at the base, it's all up the mountain, beginners area included, so it might work as a decent option. I've never skied at that time of the year, but sure it would be fine.
You do have to contend with bus transfers/driving up to the resort daily though.
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Well, it depends rather where you're starting from. If you live in Quebec I suppose you'd already know about Tremblant. I've been there in summer, and it's all rather nice around there. However... I'd not go there specifically for snowboarding, myself, because if I'm in that part of the world, there are lots of places with more friendly conditions and better snow. You may well get the best food there, so there is that.
I have been to Canada in April most seasons. Whistler will likely be good still, although my preference would probably be the interior at that time of year. Banff and the Okanagan and points north are my usual targets at that end of the season. It's obviously weather dependent, but I've had everything from "mid winter" conditions (a good thing) through to more common spring skiing (also good).
I've also ridden Utah at that time of year and in dim and distant memory Colorado and New Mexico; it depends where the weather is. I hate Vegas with a vengeance, but Brian Head is accessible from there.
As someone suggested, altitude isn't really the thing to worry about for beginners or anything else.
Any resort which is open will have accessible beginner slopes: they understand the issue.
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I’m flying into Portland mid April and will be skiing at Mt Hood and Mt Bachelor. Hoping to score some of their famed corn snow.
I’ve skied at Banff, Whistler, Mammoth, Alta/Snowbird, Tahoe at that time of year. You couldn’t have anything but a great time at any of them.
Check out Breckenridge, Copper and Vail/Beaver Creek too.
Can’t go wrong.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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If price is a factor, I have spent lots of time over the years pricing up the US vs Canada and have generally found Canada to be less expensive when everything is factored in (I've tended to choose packages, as you often can't get close to the prices by DIY'ing - Crystal Ski and British Airways holidays).
Example, I'm currently stalking Crystal, deciding whether to book - there are January 10 night deals to Banff and Jasper for around the £1,000-£1,200 mark (flying with Air Canada which includes ski carriage, always a bonus). The Air Canada flights alone are around £600 per person and Canada hotels are not cheap (around £1700 for 10 nights in the hotel I'm looking at in Jan). So DIY flights and hotel for my party of 2 would be £2,900 plus transfers/hire car vs around £2,000-£2,400 package including transfers. Lift passes are expensive in both Canada and the US which will be worse with the weak £.
Your April dates are obviously more expensive than cheap Jan.
I suspect this will be compounded by the £ /US$ effect at the moment - I am questioning whether this is a ski season to avoid a skip across the pond...
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Well currently £1=US$1.08 approx and £1=CAD1.48. I don't think the £ has fallen recently as much against the CAD as it has against the US$, so relatively speaking I'd expect a Canadian ski trip to be not quite as expensive as a US one for visiting Brits.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I hadn't noticed the CAD fx rate.
Overall this fx crisis for gbp is really only versus the use (and its companion chf)
USD has been globally super strong.
10 years ago (roughly) cad even traded through usd for a short while...now much cheaper.
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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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@phil_w, yes...moved from about 1.15 to 1.1
Cable moved from about 1.35 to 1.08
Euro/USD was around 1.06 now 0.95
CAD/USD was around 1.27, now 1.38
As you can see...it's all about the USD.
I know there a lot of Brexit haters who just love to extend that to anything UK (and especially Tory Government)....and at the moment that is certainly an extra factor of woe....but fundamentally it is all about the super strong USD.
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You know it makes sense.
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@phil_w, yes...moved from about 1.15 to 1.1
Cable moved from about 1.35 to 1.08
Euro/USD was around 1.06 now 0.95
CAD/USD was around 1.27, now 1.38
As you can see...it's all about the USD.
I know there a lot of Brexit haters who just love to extend that to anything UK (and especially Tory Government)....and at the moment that is certainly an extra factor of woe....but fundamentally it is all about the super strong USD.
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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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Poster: A snowHead
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I’d take any April ‘ranking’ list that doesn’t have Mammoth, Squaw or Mt Bachelor on it with a grain of salt.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Tony Crocker is a skiing tragic and retired actuary. His website has wonderful info and data but the layout is…….dated.
http://bestsnow.net/fam_ski.htm
Check the Easter ratings. Look for 5s.
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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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@sbooker, I was more than a little surprised to not see Mammoth on the list, especially since there are years when you can ski until July. And I consider it my home resort. A bad snow year in California can wreck a family's ski holiday plans if they're coming all the way from the UK.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| sbooker wrote: |
I’d take any April ‘ranking’ list that doesn’t have Mammoth, Squaw or Mt Bachelor on it with a grain of salt. |
I’d toss it in the trash. Together, they are the spring skiing capital of North America if not the world.
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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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The Pacific had always got a short shift when it comes to visibility.
But you guys should be thankful for that. The never ending population explosion in the west coast had already brought huge crowds to the mountains. Can you imagine the madness if the rest of the country (or the world) “discover” your favorite mountain?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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| abc wrote: |
The Pacific had always got a short shift when it comes to visibility.
But you guys should be thankful for that. The never ending population explosion in the west coast had already brought huge crowds to the mountains. Can you imagine the madness if the rest of the country (or the world) “discover” your favorite mountain? |
Fair point I guess.
In my experience once Easter is done the general public switch off skiing. I’ve had powder days with little competition many times in April.
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After the first week in April the only people skiing in the Wesr, or really anywhere, are the avid. The word “crowds“ no longer applies. It’s the best.
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Notoriously speaking...... "West Coast", come April, is always THE safe bet condition wise, and that means for BOTH the former Canada and former USA.
The "prediction" for North America winter is not claiming same to be a banner year. Quebec Provence would not be as reliable as the aforementioned West........ Special emotional shout out to Montreal, its people and all that lousy food.
Compare facilities and their ensuite costs...... Compare a location(s) that allow you to simply fly into city, transfer to resort via shuttle ($$) and have no need for a car as opposed to the opposite. Some recommendations compel a rental car, etc.
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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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Powder highway in Canada is the best option for skiing. Powder highway ( https://www.freshadventures.com/skithepowderhighway ) is a large tract of land in Canada that stretches from coast to coast and is known for being extremely cold during the winter and the snow on the ground is of the best quality. A trip to British Columbia is the best option. As it is the most western part of Canada, it is closest to the Pacific Ocean. The sea always brings humidity to the air in this area, which is the reason why there is so much snow on the ground in this area. You can have a great time skiing down the slopes and feeling the fresh mountain air.
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@David_R, not in April. Many of the areas there close during the OP's interval. As for the PH stretching from "coast to coast", check the map!
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