 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi all,
I've managed to pursuade my fiance that Feb is a really good time to get married so we can have a skiing honeymoon. We're used to going to france, mainly the espace Killy and the three valleys so weve been a bit spoilt. I understand that US resorts are quite different in that you often have to drive to the ski area from the nearest town. Are there any US resorts that anyone can recommend that are similar in setup to the likes of Val D'Isere in terms of being able to ski into the resort, and the resort having a good atmosphere to it?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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lower, I'd suggest:
Whistler (yes, I know it's in Canada, but it is most like a Euro resort in both the positives and the negatives)
Vail
Breckenridge
Aspen
Jackson Hole
Park City
I think your understanding of US resorts may be slightly out, but nevermind - there are plenty of resorts where you stay where you ski, but the ones listed above probably have better night life than the likes of Snowbird, Winter Park, Big Sky, etc
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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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lower, N.American skiing is different from Euro skiing, and it would be a mistake in my view to go there looking for a Euro experience. You'll have no difficulty in finding something which will be at least as enjoyable as, but different from, Espace K or the 3V. I don't think that you'll find ski areas as large as EK or 3V, but size doesn't matter (tip; remember that line for your honeymoon).
Wear The Fox Hat's list looks pretty good (I've no personal experience of Whistler, Park City or JH, more's the pity), except that I found the town of Vail utterly ghastly (but to each his own, and the skiing is great). Breckenridge town is very high, and quite a few people have altitude problems.
I'd add Banff, my favourite place. It's got great atmos, it's in a beautiful location, bags of character (for a ski resort). It's not ski to door (although there is a solitary hotel at the ski base, inaccesible outside lift hours, could be quite good for a few nights on honeymoon), but the journeys from the town to the 3 nearest hills are about 5/10 mins (Mt Norquay - small but varied and interesting), 15 mins (Sunshine) and 30/40 mins (Lake Louise) of pleasant driving. There other places within reach, including Kicking Horse. Tooling about to different spots can be a pleasant part of the hol. There are some very good hotels in Banff, including the ever popular Banff Springs which could be a good choice for a honeymoon, depending on taste.
Last edited by Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see? on Tue 13-02-07 19:20; edited 1 time in total
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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lower, Would highly recommend Whistler - went there on my honeymoon - couple of nights in Vancouver, 10 days in Whistler and quick week in the Caribbean to top it off .... nice 
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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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lower, I agree that Wear The Fox Hat's list is good, but one other place you may care to consider is Heavenly at South Lake Tahoe. It usually has plenty of snow, although since its lower than the Colorado resorts you won't any altitude problems. You used to have to take a short ski shuttle bus from the main town area to the foot of the slopes, but I believe recently a gondola link has been put in place between the town and the ski slopes. The skiing and scenery are great, and there are several other resorts around the lake you can visit for a day, such as Squaw Valley.
See also this thread
It's also just a few hours from San Francisco, a few days there are well worthwhile either at the start or end of your trip. 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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lower, I can only vouch for Whistler on WTFH's list and that's where we went our honeymoon along with a couple of nights in Vancouver. We stayed at the Chateau which was rather special - champagne and strawberries dipped in chocolate in our room when we arrived. However, it's not as convenient as say the Westin or the Pan Pacific which are both at the base of Whistler Mountain with easy access to Blackcomb as well. You can't get much closer to the lifts if you stay in either of these hotels.
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Thanks for all the comments above. I'm not expecting to find the Espace K or the 3 valleys in the US, but would like the similar conveniance of the ski back to the resort, and the resort atmosphere you get in these areas.
Isn't Whistler supposed to be seriously cold at that time of year? Altitude is a problem for me. I struggle to sleep at 1850+m and get nose bleeds when i'm staying in Tignes which is only a few hundred metres higher so i suspect i would suffer more in a high altitude US resort even more. I'll have to check the altitudes for all of these.
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lower, Whistler village is at about 675m so no altitude problems there and being in the coastal range it never usually gets as cold as the likes of Lake Louise or Banff.
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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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lower, the atmos in N.American resorts is (obviously) different from Europe, and if you want ski to door, be sure that you're not staying in what is essentially a dormitory for the slopes, such as Panorama in Canada, which has less atmos than Pluto. Wear The Fox Hat's list is good from that point of view.
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lower, if altitude is an issue then Whistler is really the only option from my original list. Everything else is well about 2,500m (from memory). As for cold, again, Whistler is possibly the warmest of the list, but you can expect that on a cold day it will be colder up top than many European resorts. You just dress appropriately.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Jackson Hole is around 18-1900m I think, lots of attractive honeymoon style scenery around as well.
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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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T Bar, good point, I forgot about it being low.
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| T Bar wrote: |
| honeymoon style scenery |
? The mind boggles a bit.
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You know it makes sense.
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Lower - I'd go with Richmond'a advice re Banff. Two great snowsure resorts in Sunshine and Lake Louise and the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel is perfect for a honeymoon.
Great skiing in America although Apres ski scene is (with some exceptions) more sedate than in Europe. Utah ski resorts are particularly tame, primarily due to alcohol laws.
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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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| Paul100 wrote: |
| Utah ski resorts are particularly tame, primarily due to alcohol laws. |
Yep, I tell that story too. Also, there's never any good snow there - it's always icy, and the lift lines are unbelievable...
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