 Poster: A snowHead
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As someone who has to date not skied in the US I was wondering about the impact of the strength of sterling against the US doller this winter in terms of good deals in the US. At the close of business today £1 would but you $1.88 which is approaching the psychological $2 mark.
I heard someone on the Ski show thread that the US have a big presence at the show this year. Any especially good deals on offer?. - I currently have no plans to go skiing stateside ( would miss the Alpine atmosphere too much; too far; too long to take off work and jet lag ).
Convince me!.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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If you don't go you'll never know. Day tickets at up to $80 for premium priced resorts can be a bit of a shocker OTOH you can get a season pass for $300 some places.
Don't think the US & Canucks were any more prevalent than before. Tahoe/Mammoth were part of the Warren Miller/Worldski stand and Colorado was massively scaled back from last year - just an empty stand last night, didn't even see Utah or New England. No JH either as far as I could tell.
Japanese promotion was a right pain in the ar$e with that drumming then a Aussie bloke shouting in the bar - pissing punters off is a good way to build business?
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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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fatbob, JH 10 day pass £28 a day from Ski Independence and the kids (1 per adult) ski for free... Cheaper food, Cheaper hotels. More expensive ski school and ski hire. There is less in it than there was a few years back.
hibernia, If you can go for 10 days or more, this is a really good time, and I will be skiing in both Europe and the US this winter... and then think of having really good snow below the treeline. But if you would miss French lift queues too much...
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hibernia, It's not a better or worse experience than the alps... it's just different; sometimes outrageously good (like Alta after a dump) and other times really mediocre (the champagne powder and blue sky all the time is a bit of a myth). Still, everyone should give it a go at least once and now is a good time for fiscal reasons. Personally, if it were my first trip over, I'd get to Denver, hire an SUV and head for the likes of Winter Park, Breckenridge, Vail. Take at least 10 days and do a bit of a road trip. The reason the US resorts exhibit at London and B'ham is mainly because their reps have to come over here anyway for tour operator training and to negotiate deals for the following winter... so the extra cost of a bit of exhibition space isn't really an issue.
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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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Planning ahead usually can save some $$. I would think that salt lake city would be a better basecamp if you were going to be road tripping. You have all the resorts around SLC plus Jackson, tahoe, and Colorado all within a days drive (in opposite directions).
Don't come for the skiing, come for the culture.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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| 3snowboards wrote: |
| Don't come for the skiing, come for the culture. |
That's one its probably better not to push . . . unless it's tongue into cheek 
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Better snow
Fewer people on the slopes (so you spend tiime skiing, not queuing)
Cheaper food/drink
No ESF
They speak almost the same langauge as us
They love foreign accents
Fewer Brits (or other Euros).
...these are all reasons why I'd prefer if most people stayed away! 
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I can understand that. Foxes are quite solitary creatures ...
... not necessarily including the ones who wear hats
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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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| Wear The Fox Hat wrote: |
Better snow
Fewer people on the slopes (so you spend tiime skiing, not queuing)
Cheaper food/drink
No ESF
They speak almost the same langauge as us
They love foreign accents
Fewer Brits (or other Euros).
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More Amercians!!! 
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3snowboards, would that be the kind of culture you find in a laboratory? 
SLC's fine but it's 2 flights if you're travelling from the UK and I find that extra 3-4 hours travelling makes a lot of difference. Denver is a direct flight for us.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| Bode Swiller wrote: |
| 3snowboards, would that be the kind of culture you find in a laboratory? |
... says Swiller, itching to get to Las Vegas!
What are you doing in Las Vegas, Swiller? Opera or poetry readings?
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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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David Goldsmith, That's different as it's culture shock. Anyway business is business.
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hibernia, give it a go. I'd recommend Canada rather than US, for cultural rather than skiing reasons. The alpine atmos is largely missing, although N.American resorts have their own atmos. As other have said here and elsewhere, there are lots of good things about N.America, especially if you have to ski at a busy time in Europe.
I can't think of any reason why a keen skier shouldn't try N.America a few times. Even if you decide it's not your ideal destination, you'll have a bloody good time.
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You know it makes sense.
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hibernia, No real reason you should go if you do not really fancy it.
Sh*t food.
Expensive lift tickets.
Smaller ski areas.
Not many lifts.
You can shut people up fairly quickly if you have actually been yourself. However, this is of less value now that so many have been anyway. Bragging rights are not what they were.
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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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Why have I not been?
Well We always have fantastic skiing holidays in Europe.
Its less hassle and quicker getting to Europe. I have recently travelled from home and skied in the afternoon
It is cheaper to ski for a week in Europe.
No jet lag.
No contest.
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Poster: A snowHead
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| Latchigo wrote: |
| hibernia Sh*t food. |
You've been eating in the wrong places.
Frosty the snowman, it's not a contest, it's just a slightly different experience, and one that's well worth having. It's not either/or.
We've had some brilliant hols in N.America, wouldn't have missed them for the world, and some brilliant hols in Europe, ditto.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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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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| Latchigo wrote: |
hibernia, No real reason you should go if you do not really fancy it.
Sh*t food.
Expensive lift tickets.
Smaller ski areas.
Not many lifts.
You can shut people up fairly quickly if you have actually been yourself. However, this is of less value now that so many have been anyway. Bragging rights are not what they were. |
As a counterpoint:
Grab & go food to maximise your skiing day. Great steaks plentiful in the evening, Vietnamese, Thai, Tex-mex just don't expect a good curry
Controlled & patrolled off-piste with free rescue service
Strong & friendly local's scene at a lot of hills
Organised & disciplined lift queues.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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I'm with Frosty on this one (except that I've given US skiing a good go). I've skied Vail, Breckenridge, Beaver Creek, Keystone, Stowe, Sugarbush, Killington, Snowbird, Alta, Crystal Mountain and Snoqualmie.
There are runs I've thoroughly enjoyed at each of those places, but a weak dollar would not win me back from the classic pitches of the Alps. The implication of burning 5/6 times the air fuel to get to North America and back has to be part of the 21st century equation.
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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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| richmond wrote: |
| Latchigo wrote: |
| hibernia Sh*t food. |
You've been eating in the wrong places.
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You do not get much choice on the mountain.
They sometimes have intrigueing names. Then you find out a kielbasa is just a fekkin sausage !
And you also know the fast food sh*t they have in the US today, we will get tomorrow in the UK. I find that depressing.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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hibernia,
Forgot to add two more reasons :-
1) You get fingerprinted.
2) You fly all that way and when you get there US immigration treat you like a c***.
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Latchigo, No one treats me like a carp 
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Had a great time at Heavenly last March. Snow and Pistes were fantastic, food (on mountain) was OK, people were very friendly, accom was superb. I'd definitely go back, and also try other resorts (fancy Vail) but cost and jet lag are issues. There's also a lot of places to ski in Europe that I haven't tried yet (like all the Austrian and Swiss resorts for starters). So many pistes, so little time 
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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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Well. as I said before, its something as a keen skier that I would like to try once, but there are so many fab resorts in europe like Zermatt, etc... that I really want to go back to again, and that may push the idea further into the future.
Flying direct to Denver and hiring an SUV as Bode Swiller, suggests and doing a road trip is indeed very appealing. You can drive around to different resorts and even take a few days off to explore. Hmm .....
Latchigo, probably can endure that. The food - may need to search for a better resort, but not a major issue as its the total experience that counts.
stoatsbrother, 10 days is what I have in mind. Ant it would have to be in March so the skiing conditions would have to measure up.
David Goldsmith, agree with you about the classic alpine views and ambience, but not on the enviromental thing!. After all you just said that you have done it many times!. If I may ask were these trips recently or many years back?.
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Latchigo, Yep, I forgot that "loss of your personal freedom and dignity in the name of defeating terrorists" stuff they enjoy doing to you at the arrival airport. And they do indeed treat you like a total crim. It kinda sours the welcome.
hibernia, there's not a heap to do on days off apart from factory stores at Silverthorn & Dillon and the scenery isn't exactly spectacular.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Bode Swiller, Latchigo, I know a few folks that this year have spoken highly of the immigration staff in the US
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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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I've never had an unpleasant experience entering the US, and the last couple of times the Immigration people have been friendly. The fingerprinting and photos take not much time; I get a few extra questions because of the type of visa I have, then my passport has been stamped and I'm through. On every occasion I've got through Immigration quicker than my luggage has arrived at the carousel. The whole process is just not an issue as far as I'm concerned.
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rob@rar, yes I knew of the hassle. As a law abiding citizen, I do not like the idea of being fingerprinted and was unaware of this procedure as pointed out by Latchigo,
I do not know, but it just seems to be an infringement of civil liberty. I know 9/11 has caused all this but it still does not feel right. 
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You know it makes sense.
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hibernia, have to say it doesn't bother me one iota, but if you're concerned by the principle or the practice there are plenty of other destinations in the world. Do you get bothered by the notion of handsfree ski lift passes (which contain some biometric info) tracking your progress around the ski domain?
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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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hibernia, just to confirm, the fingerprinting is an optical system, not the "put your fingers on this ink pad, then roll on this bit of paper" kind.
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Poster: A snowHead
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rob@rar, thanks, did'nt realise, had visions of what you just described .
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| hibernia wrote: |
| rob@rar, thanks, did'nt realise, had visions of what you just described . |
No it's very straightforward. Just press your forefinger on a little glass window, pause for a second or two then repeat with the other hand. Then smile into a standard domestic webcam for a photo - takes about 30 seconds all told.
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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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I know someone that did not declare a few months in the clink 20 yrs ago and was arrested, chained, locked up and deported within 12 hrs. His family had a great holiday though
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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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hibernia, to answer your query my first US skiing was Snowbird and Alta in about 1978 and my last US skiing was 1996 in Stowe, Sugarbush and Killington.
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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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Sounds like we've all had different experiences with "the welcome". I don't mind having my finger prints done (before the glass window thing it was done with ink though) but I get this irrational fear that my prints might somehow match up with some on-the-run murderer and I'll spend years trying to clear my name whilst cell-sharing with Mr Big. I know what you mean hibernia, it just doesn't feel right.
Aside from all that, it's worth doing at least once in your ski career.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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First time I skied in the US was 1985, havent missed a season to date. EVen done a couple of complete seasons over there. Things have changed ALOT over 22 years. Prices is the number one change. Its not cheap anymore even with the $ v €/£ exchange rate.
Best skiing in the US is to get out of the resorts and go Back Country.
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..
Last edited by Then you can post your own questions or snow reports... on Sun 22-10-06 14:57; edited 2 times in total
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No problems with immigration this morning coming back into the UK... there wasn't any!
I'm hoping to get out to either the US or Canada this season (probably Canada for drinking reasons!). North America has always struck me as a little 'bland' when you look at the perceived image of US resorts and compare to the likes of St Anton (and most other places). I could be entirely wrong, it just looks as though you have to work a little harder to party hard, whereas in Europe you've almost got no choice! (Please someone tell me that my perceived images are all horribly wrong...)
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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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I go there cause it's not full of a bunch of whiners that make comments like some of those listed above.
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As someone who leaves the US each winter to ski in Europe, and is willing to deal with an overnight flight, jet lag, bad exchange rates etc., I can tell you that (generally) I find the snow better in the Western US (and sometimes in the Eastern US) than the snow in Europe. It's more consistent and more dependable. I have always had more "powder" days on my Western US trips than on my European trips.
However, the atmosphere and ambiance in the Alps is far better than in the US. The on-piste bars are fantastic (especially the umbrella bars in Austria), the mountain huts are amazing places for lunch and if all you really care about is the skiing, you can go anywhere you want (for the most part) on the European mountains without anyone hassling you.
My friends and I try to obey all "rules" of the mountains but have had ski patrol threaten to clip our lift tickets for following at least two dozen other people down a slope at A-Basin that appeared to be open. Apparently, someone else had removed a "closed" rope hours before we skiied it. We have waited ages in the freezing cold and driving snow waiting for ski patrol to open a closed bowl, watching while they did multiple laps of the bowl and kept telling us they'd be opening it "soon." We have gotten yelled at for skiing the un-groomed sides of trails - being told that it's "out of bounds" even though there's no fence or poles or signs saying so....
At my local mountain in northeast of the US, we have to hide from the groomers if we want to sled or snowshoe or even walk on the pistes after hours.
Therefore, we go to Europe at least once each winter. Where we can play in the snow without anyone yelling at us....where we can enjoy a drink apres ski at the top of the mountain and then ski down in the dark without anyone caring about "liability." Where we actually pay to go sledding at night on the piste and they'll pull you up the mountain tied to the back of a tractor. I know that safety is alway a top priority but I like being able to evaluate the risks & use common sense & not have ski mountain employees tell me that having fun is forbidden by their insurance company.
Don't get me wrong - I also go out West as often as I can afford it - from a "purely snow" point of view, nothing can beat the champagne powder of Utah or the back bowls of Vail. As long as you're okay with overpriced burgers and chips while on the mountain, and having to seek out bars with atmosphere OFF the mountain, you'll have a good time! But for atmosphere, give me the Alps!
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FAQ
