 Poster: A snowHead
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Trawling through the brochures & the www isn't answering my question.......
Where is good for a single skier in either USA or Canada 2010/11?
I am not wanting to hire a car to get about, or to spend time travelling by bus each day to get to some place to ski. I am not fussed about apres activity, I am just interested skiing (although a good breakfast and evening meal would be handy!). Being really passionate about being in the magical mountains particularly on skis (that are not so magical), means that I tend to keep on the go most of the day, therefore a decent size/quality ski area is a must.
Can anyone point me in the right direction? Or pass on their own experiences?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Arctic Fox, If I were going alone, and considering your requirements, Whistler would the obvious choice and I'm prepared to bet that most will second that. And you'll find apres should you suddenly get get the urge.
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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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Maybe consider the Canadian resorts that run the Ski-buddy system. Locals shows groups around the mountain, back country included in return for a pass for the day an another tio use with their mates. This is a great system and a good way learn the mountain along with some passion for skiing the best tracks around.
Lake Louise runs this scheme. 
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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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do not go to killington, vermont!!!
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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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alta, utah has some amazing snow conditions and is cheaper than colorado. its a skiers only mountain (no boarders allowed) and it gets dumped on frequently. if you get bored there, you can always head to snowbird, which is connected by gondola. if you stay on the mountain at some place like the peruvian lodge (dormitory style housing), it'll be easy to meet people. there isnt hardly any apres scene in the area.
you also can't go wrong with canada. i just prefer the sunny days that utah and colorado have.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Utah is one good option, as already suggested. Once you're there, you don't really need a car. However, without a car, you ARE going to have to deal with bus!!!
But wait, if you don't mind paying extra, you could get lift side lodging, at a premium that is. It may end up costing as much as the cost of a hired car though. Besides Whistler, Vail is another one such resort. Those are the two largest resort in N. America. You won't get bored with the skiing. But your bank account may... 
So, choose your options. Bus vs hired car vs expensive lodging. There're lots of resort of each kind. Once you made up your mind which is more important, it'll narrow it down a bit.
How many days are we talking about anyway?
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As I see it, the big problem with travelling alone in the US/Canada is room supplements. Most hotel room options seem to be for four people and often board terms are not included. I've yet to spot a single room in any TO brochure, so room supplements almost double the price of the holiday.
This and the fact that it feels too far to go for a single week puts crossing the pond completely out of my reach. Let me know if you find a solution.
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If you don't want to travel how about youth hostel ski-in, ski-out at Revelstoke or Red Mountain?
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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 think Canada works out cheaper for single travelers as they have many hostel type places, and these aren't like the expected noisy rowdy places.
A couple of years ago, I got a flight to Calgary, transfer can be booked easily through the internet.
I stayed here...
http://www.hihostels.ca/westerncanada/359/HI-Lake_Louise_Alpine_Centre.hostel
You can get a hostel membership card on arrival which saves more money if you stay a week or more.
Lake Lousie runs guided tours twice a day. Usually a couple of groups of differing ability. The guides were a real good laugh, usually mature ladies and gentlemen, but good skiers, and took you to where the snow is best. They would often stop and point you down certain routes which they were not allowed to take you down and meet you at the bottom, and even turned their jackets inside out on occasion to do it themselves 
There was also a SCGB guide at Lake Louise, and had a good day with them, met plenty of people along theway. There are people of all ages staying in the hostels and lodges.
Also, jumped on a bus to Kicking Horse (awesome place) and stayed here....
http://www.khrl.com/
It's a lovely place. Not sure if they give the IHA discount anymore. A freind and I hitched up to the hill everyday. Never had to wait more than 5 mins as the lodge is the last building on the road out of Golden towards the hill. The locals were great. There are buses available for a small fee too.
There are loads of other hostel/lodges in Canada, a bit of searching should bring them up. Places like Nelson, Revelstoke.
Years ago I did Salt Lake City independently. Stayed in Park City, but that made it a bit of a pfaff getting to places like Alta, I feel Canada is a better option and probably cheaper.
Good luck. 
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queen bodecia, DIY for NA you generally pay for the room not the amount of people you have (or don't have) in it.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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In response to gryfon, - I stayed at the hostel he mentioned - and this is NOT the european style of hostel on a 4 week package for around 700 quid if I remember rightly, that included lift-pass too...
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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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From my own experience Inghams is the only major tour operator that even does single room supplements to USA and Canada, they're not cheap but the selection is good! I'm using them for my holiday to Banff this coming season and its costing me just under £800 that includes insurance and £200 single supplement. A lot but I really wanted to go! 
DIY is something I'm considering for future trips to Canada, specifically Whistler, as there is no way I could afford it with Inghams!
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Canada also has a good base of bed and breakfast type places in the towns linked to resorts. Fernie/Golden/Whistler/Banff/Revelstoke. These can be a good option. The hostels are the cheapest IME.
Google bed and breakfast and your location, should find something suitable.
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You know it makes sense.
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| Arctic Fox wrote: |
| ... a decent size/quality ski area is a must. |
At the risk of stating the obvious, size and quality aren't the same thing. Most NA resorts don't offer extensive skiing, so if you want big you're quite restricted - Whistler (beware of the Olympics), Vail and Big Sky / Moonlight Basin are the largest.
Of the three, I've skied Vail and Big Sky and much preferred the latter due to the quality of the terrain and the emptiness of the trails. As a single, you could do a lot worst than to stay in the Huntley Lodge there - it's right on the slopes and, unless it's been hit by the credit crunch, serves the best breakfast that I've ever eaten in any hotel anywhere on the planet. The drawback with Big Sky for a single, though, is its isolation. If you have an accident on some of the more deserted sections of the mountain, you might not see another skier until its too late.
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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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All good stuff thanks, lots of salient points to consider. I have a couple of trips to the Alps arranged for this season and thought a trip further to USA / Canada would be the icing on the cake.
It does seem like most places are a few miles from the ski areas or even the nearest town and eating house, is getting about a massive problem?
Looking through Inghams website I note that prices are much lower in mid December, the ski areas seems to be fairly snow sure, is there any reason not to take advantage of this?
Best wishes
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Poster: A snowHead
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Getting about is easy if you hire a car. On-piste might be OK in Dec, but the real glory of NA skiing - the steeps and glades will be unreliable.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I went to Winter Park CO. on 17th Dec last year. (I am new to skiing so I can't comment too much on the size of the resort - it seemed big enough to me but in comparison it might be small to other areas)
We really enjoyed it, they have a free shuttle system linking fraser/winter park and the slopes so transport is very easy (and it is literally 5 mins if you stay in the town).
I think the Mary Jane side of the mountain is more suited to advanced skiers (we never made it over there obviously haha)
There appeared to be enough snow, but like I mentioned, this was to keep us beginners occupied!! All of the runs were open I believe?
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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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Jackson Hole?
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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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| Arctic Fox wrote: |
| It does seem like most places are a few miles from the ski areas or even the nearest town and eating house, is getting about a massive problem? |
Not if you can get over the "no bus" mentality.
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Looking through Inghams website I note that prices are much lower in mid December, the ski areas seems to be fairly snow sure, is there any reason not to take advantage of this?
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As others mentioned, "snow sure" is more of a European concept. Yes, there will be snow on piste. But in NA, easily 50% of skiing is done off-piste. Besides, off-piste is the whole point of crossing the pond in the first place! In mid-December, much of off-piste will not have enough snow cover to be skied safely (at least safe for the ski bottoms).
But who know, you may get lucky and there's a massive storm that make off-piste safe to ski! And there're exceptions to that norm also. For example, Steamboat Springs are well-known for good coverage in the trees even in mid-December. And if I recall correctly, Vail is also another good candidate for "early season". The terrain is relatively mild and void of big rocks and cliffs. So it doesn't take too much snow to make its glorious back bowls skiable.
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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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| rbills2 wrote: |
alta, utah has some amazing snow conditions and is cheaper than colorado. its a skiers only mountain (no boarders allowed) and it gets dumped on frequently. if you get bored there, you can always head to snowbird, which is connected by gondola. if you stay on the mountain at some place like the peruvian lodge (dormitory style housing), it'll be easy to meet people. there isnt hardly any apres scene in the area.
you also can't go wrong with canada. i just prefer the sunny days that utah and colorado have. |
I would strongly second the suggestion of Alta, Utah. Pick one of the slopeside lodges at Alta : http://www.alta.com/pages/lodging.php
They offer single "dorm" style accommodations with meals. You will dine in group setting. Very easy to pick up ski "buddies" for a day or a week. There will be other singles (mostly diehard male skiers). You will partake in one of the quintessential American ski experiences at an area renowned for some of the best snow conditions anywhere. Plenty of ski terrain for a long visit if you also include adjacent Snowbird ski area, both albeit, slanted more for the advanced skier. They are also within one hour drive time from major airport with shuttle service. Note, no snowboarding allowed at Alta.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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snow can vary mid-december based on where you're at. i was at whistler mid-december this past season and only half of the mtn was open and there was no off-piste skiing. we had to download to the bottom. be sure to check out the webcams and see who has a good base. you might get lucky....
note that buses in the US are slim to none when you get out of cities and away from the resorts. a car rental is a good idea if you plan on leaving the resort
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Fully agree with Rbills and lucky33. I stayed at Peruvian Lodge Alta for a weekend pegged on to a work trip and it was perfect for a single. Dorm bed was pretty reasonable and for dinner you eat at tables of 6 or 8 so aren't on your own. There is also a hot tub out back which was very sociable.
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Thanks for all that...it is now much clearer...I feel a lot more educated
I will stick to Europe this season, as I am already committed and consider Canada & USA next year.
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