 Poster: A snowHead
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Anybody have any recommendations as to where to look for/websites, and where to go over the Pond. Looking to go at the end of march. Anybody have any experiences/places to avoid at that time of year?? Looking for a fully catered all in package, but willing to DIY it if its cost effective. Thanks in advance  s.
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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've done North America every year for some 8 years or so now, but always ended up getting a package via the usual tour operators with some mates rather than complete DIY. Usually works out well. I wouldn't bother with packages in Europe though. Easier to just get a flight and some cheap digs + transfer. US packages can get you deals on car hire and/or transfers that make it worth it. Generally just use it as a means to get there and get a good deal. Rarely bother with any of the rest of the package fluff, reps, etc. Just get to the resort and do my own thing.
When you mean fully catered, do you want all meals inclusive also? North America tends to be mostly room only or with breakfast. In general I'd forget about hotel catering, though depends on the hotel (can be expensive in the hotels though, or at least boring eating the same stuff every day). Eating out is such value for money (talking reasonable prices and vast quantities!), and quality/service is great. In fact quality/service is far superior to Europe in all aspects of skiing/boarding in my opinion. Even the snow is generally far better 
If you want equipment, tickets and stuff, the reps can get good deals, but there can be cheaper ways of getting them (frequently, prebooked from UK as foreigners get preferential rates on lift tickets). Plus the reps often charge you in pounds sterling and their company makes a profit on the exchange that way. Never bough tickets as part of the package, but think when I've looked before I can get them cheaper from various sites on the net specialising in deals.
Places to go. Personally I'd stick to the west for a start and if you are going for 2 weeks (daft to go for less for such a distance), you'll need plenty of area to ski unless you're a beginner and likely to stick to nursery slopes. In general in North America that means finding areas with multiple resorts and getting transport between them. It's not something Europeans tend to be used to, but it's well worth it over there. Whistler is perhaps an exception as it's huge, but even then I went this year and was getting bored of it after a week (didn't help with the poor weather. Whistler isn't a great place for reliable weather. Rains half the time!).
My favourites are Tahoe and anywhere in Utah around Salt Lake City area. Utah has the best snow, almost on the entire planet (I've yet to do Japan and that's supposed to be better), in my opinion . Loads of area to ski if you get a car and link the large number of resorts. Major pain though is no direct flights from the UK!  . Tahoe is all around the lake and lots of good resorts. Cheap accommodation if you stay in one of the casino hotels on the Nevada side!
Others I've done are Whistler, Banff, and Colorado areas (based in Breck, travel around the nearby resorts). Only one I've been disappointed with is Whistler. As a place and facilities, it's first class and it should really rank amongst the best and often does, but I've been unlucky with weather twice there and not been so impressed. Utah has been awesome both times I've been so far though. Tahoe comes close.
Usually go beginning of March and don't have problems with US holidays. Not sure about the end of March. In general Americans tend to ski at the weekend and don't do big week or 2 week holidays. Resorts can be surprisingly quiet during the week, except for Brit/Aussie popular places (e.g. Breck, Whistler).
Oh, and don't go charter flight. Not on a long haul. At least not if you value comfort!
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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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Aspensnowmass.com
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