 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi folks!
Just joined up yesterday, as I was reliably informed that this is the place to be for all the best winter sports information... 
Anyway, like many people, I'm trying to plan where to head next year - Initially it looked like there was going to be quite a few of us (8+), which would have made a private chalet somewhere in Europe a reasonably economical option.
However, as per usual, people have dropped out one by one, and it looks like there's only going to be two of us able to make any sort of financial commitment by the end of this month! 
So I've hit on the idea of heading further afield - USA / Canada - A lot less hassle to organise when there's only a couple of us.
I'm looking for recommendations - x1 snowboarder (me), and x1 skier - Both mid-thirties, so somewhere 'lively' without being Kavos on ice... 
Both intermediate-ish - Although the skier will attempt black runs, and I'm not all that keen!
Heading out around the 28th of January for 10 days.
So far the usual suspects (Crystal / Inghams) have come up with Jackson Hole, Breckenridge and Winter Park - All around the same price (£900 ish per head, plus £340 each in lift passes).
Also have the option of Jasper / Lake Louise / Banff for the same outlay.
Any opinions, pointers or advice most welcome! 
(Also looked at Japan, and I reckon you could possibly arrange 10 days over there for under £1500 each, including lift passes etc...?!)
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Fluoxetine, can't help on info, but welcome to  . whoever recommended the site was correct - someone will be along shortly to help you out with info.
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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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Fluoxetine, I too can't help much on North America (not been to any of the places you mention) and I'm not a boarder, but welcome to snowHeads. As sherlock235 says, someone will be along soon.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Fluoxetine, I've been to Breckenridge, so my word of warning here is that it's very high. When I went we did Aspen and Vail first, so acclimatised before doing Breckenridge. I've never had a problem with altitude, but I can imagine some may well do at such a high resort.
Welcome to Snowheads. 
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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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Fluoxetine,
Welcome to
Have only been to Jackson Hole of the resorts you have mentioned in Norht America. Personally I don't think it is very suitable by the sounds of things. The point of JH is its black runs and it has a relatively small area of intermendiate skiing. Great area but I would wait till you have done a bit more.
Japan covers a big area but the main tour operator bits are hte North Island. It is interesting culturally, from a sking point of view the main interest is the large quantities of powder which if you are not that experienced is a ibt of a mixed blessing and once again something to do with a bit more experience under your belt.
The Canadian resorts sound a bit more suitable but some of the more central Canadian ones do have a reputation of being very cold in January, other will provide better advice I have only been to Whistler. If this is a possibility it should be ideal for most levels and fairly lively. Long way to travel too and not inexpensive though.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Fluoxetine, welcome to . I've not been to North america either - nearly did one year, but ended up getting a cheap last minute to Courchevel and buying an apartment (not in Courchevel.....) instead. From all the reports I've read here and elsewhere, Europe seems to have much more to offer intermediate on-piste skiers (which is what I am.....) than most of the N American resorts. And the deal we nearly got (which was last minute and seemed cheap to start with.....) didn't include any food, which I thought would soon pile on the pounds.
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Jackson Hole - Haven't been but T Bar's correct - it's a hard core steep n deep resort. On our list but haven't been yet.
Breckenridge - Biggish, varied ski area; decent slopes; nice town for nights out; severe cold & Mrs MA quite ill with altitude sickness (medical centre visit, drugs required to slow ridiculous heart rate, minimal caffeine and alcohol for the whole stay....). Fine once acclimatised and we had an excellent week.
Winter Park - Only about 200m lower than Breckenridge but no altitude problems; small-ish ski area; tons and tons of steep bumps (mogul capital USA!), which we loved; excelllent groomed runs; no real resort to speak of - just a linear settlement of a few hotels, bars and restaurants; and ski area a short bus ride from the town. Usually very cheap for DIY trips. We loved it and had a great time.
Jasper - sorry, haven't been.
Lake Louise - very, very quiet 'town' - just a few hotels in a bit of a remote setting. Excellent ski area - very varied, from steep stuff to great groomers.
Banff - Small but excellent local area of Norquay (which they pronounce Nor-kway!) is close by (by ski bus); It's a bus ride to the skiing of Sunshine and Lake Louise. Not a big problem but makes for long-ish days. Sunshine's an excellent ski area - ditto earlier comments re Lake Louise. Banff's a very pleasant town - bustling apres ski and loads of bars and restaurants.
In summary, all the above places are quite different but all are worth a visit for the skiing. For a first visit to North America, if pushed I'd recommend Banff or Breckenridge for the mix of decent skiing and resort ambience.
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Fluoxetine, check out my trip report on Banff in 2008, bear in mind that you only get $1.60 to the £ compared to $2 when I was there.
http://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewpost.php?p=992625
Liftpasses are a huge expense in N American resorts, sometimes you can get a bit of discount pre-booking with the tour op.
You'll have a blast in Banff, as long as you don't hit a period of arctic temperatures.
It was a trip of a lifetime for me.
Lake Louise and Jasper are pretty lifeless, so stay in Banff and ski Sunshine, Norquay & Lake Louise, you can do daytrips out to Panorama and Kicking Horse too. Loads of other activities other than sliding too.
Been to Japan (not skiing, Tokyo), experienced culture shock, language problems, inscrutable etiquette, takes a bit of getting used to, but obviously if you are adventurous and like new experiences, go for it, the powder is legendary in resorts on the island of Hokkaido.
N. America is very familiar, laid back and friendly by comparison, after all you've seen it countless times in the movies!
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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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Lake Louise is the best skiing i've had anywhere - apart from boxing day at Cairngorm last year
There's plenty to keep all abilities interested and you can get the feeling of being in a very wild place all in bounds!
Have you had a look at Whistler?
Also, it may be worth looking at booking accommodation through alluradirect.com if you fancy an apartment in any of a few north american resorts. we used them for whistler a few years back.
give skiindependence www.ski-i.co.uk a look for decent options.
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Cheers folks - All very much appreciated, and some very good tips there!
I have heard some reports that Jackson Hole isn't really suitable, unless you're pretty handy on a board / set of skis.
It seems to feature as the cheapest resort the 'main' wintersport tour operators suggest - Although when you factor a £340 ten day lift pass, plus an 'under occupancy' supplement (x2 double beds in the same room, and they reckon four people would be happy to share?!), you reach £1300-1400 a head quite quickly!
Previously, I've boarded in Andorra, Avoriaz / Morzine (which I loved), and Levi in Lapland - So I'm quite well equipped for the cold, as Levi is within the arctic circle!
(I've also been to Whistler, Jasper and Banff...But in June / July, whilst on a road trip round Canada in 2002, so no experience of hitting the slopes!)
The Japan thing - Well, at a £1400 cost for North America, it's technically possible to book a return flight to Tokyo, bullet train to Nagano, accommodation in Hakuba, and a lift pass for the same price...Whether that would work in practice... 
(I stopped over at Osaka on the way to New Zealand a couple of years back...Very interesting cultural experience, indeed!)
I'll check out alluradirect and skiindependence - Thanks again for everyones help!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Hi there - we're a ski-mad Irish family just moved out recently to States and can give some advice on Colorado resorts. Just fyi any 10-day pass in Breck should also allow you to ski free of charge for 5 of those days in Vail or Beaver Creek further along the valley plus ski any day in Keystone and Arapahoe Basin in the other direction (shuttles were available to all resorts when we were there if you don't have a car)
But if you do decide on Breck and are not bothered about Vail, worth checking out the season Epic passes on offer from Vail Resort company which owns all the resorts. You can currently buy the Summit Annual Pass which gives you unlimited access to Breckenridge plus Keystone and AB for $419 (currently 265 GBP) so is cheaper than the full 10-day ticket. Price above is guaranteed I think through to Oct 18th but they usually carry on selling Pass until mid-November.
Full details on Epic passes on http://www.snow.com/epicpass/home.aspx
We skied Breck last year and loved it, also liked the option of popping over to Vail for variety if you are there for longer than a week and stopped in on Keystone. Also had a great weekend break in Winter Park which we thoroughly enjoyed (moguls are indeed something else) but think you might struggle for a longer stay. Breck village has a lot of character and good food options for evening. But still finding it hard to adapt to the on-mountain lunchtime experiences here in the US! And the cold is something else but the snow makes up for it.
Hope helps.
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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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USA or Japan are going to cost more than skiing in Europe but you have a much better chance of getting great snow. Don't forget to factor in food & beer as well as the lift pass.
Canada is cold & dark in January, Jasper ski area is small.
If you want apres stay in Europe.
Colorado is my favorite for snow & sunshine, you can ski several resorts on the Interstate I70 corridor Aspen,Beaver Creek,Vail,Copper,Breckenridge,Keystone,A-Basin,Loveland,Winter Park on one trip. I would especially recommend Aspen or Steamboat but you need to get a deal on a lift pass - the 2 for 1 deals for January may have expired but may still be some season pass offers and Tour Operators and property owners often have access to disounted passes. My buddy & I got the Winter park/Copper season pass for a snip and should receive 20 vouchers for discounted day passes if anyone needs them.
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You know it makes sense.
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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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Fluoxetine, we went to Breck a couple of years ago and found the one bedroom apartment at Tannahauser apartments didn't have an underoccupancy supplements in some of the ski brochures so it might be worth checking them out. They were basic, but comfortable, about 5 minutes walk to the lifts and close to town. We also got the Epic ski pass which was good value
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Poster: A snowHead
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What you may want to do is to use the brochures to identify where you want to go to and how you want to get there and then see if you can do it on a DIY basis for cheaper......or at least sufficiently cheaper to make DIY worth doing.
In the US and Canada you can usually find the accomodation in the brochures on the net quite easily via a Google search or via the resort website or the local tourist office. They will usually always let you book direct over the net and the charge, in my experience, is always on a cost per room basis (plus tax). The only occupancy issue they will have is a max occupancy ie no more than 4 in a 1 bed apartment etc.
Getting a flight and a transfer is also, usually, no problem and easily done on the net.
Where you might lose out is if there is another ash cloud. With a tour op they have to sort you out, going DIY you are on your own.
It works different ways for different resorts. Usually I can get to/ stay at Whistler cheaper by DIY than via a tour op but when I looked at Banff the tour op was the way to go.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Fluoxetine, If you are interested in Breckenridge and the nearby other summit county ski areas mentioned (ie Keystone, A(rapahoe) Basin etc.) then one possible cheaper option is to stay in the town of Frisco. It's obviously easy to get about if you have a car, but some of the Frisco accomodation also provides shuttle services to the ski areas, and there is also a free summit stage bus. More info here and here
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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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Fluoxetine, I have been to Winter Park and Panorama (B.C).
I preferred winter park, out of the two because I think it had a bigger ski area and more cruisers/groomers.
Panorama was quieter/steeper.
I'm off at the same time as you to Banff/Lake Louise this year. Heard good things so far so really looking forward to it.
BTW - I it worked out much cheaper for me to DIY to WP which might be something for you to bear in mind.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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As previous poster says, will be worth going DIY rather than via tour company. Also, if only two or three of you, then you can be more flexible and may be worth waiting until later in season and picking up late offers. Has been superb value around in last couple of years.
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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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Fluoxetine, if you decide to have a look at Banff price it through Canadian Affair who have not charged us under occupancy in the past.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Of the places mentioned I've only been to Breck. Jackson Hole is generally ranked as one of the most challenging mountains in NA and is probably better suited for folks looking for lots of challenge. The town is supposed to be very nice. Breck is, in my opinion, a terrific ski town. Main street is lined with Victorian era buildings, lots of shops, bars, restaurants, etc. Yet it's laid back. There's a lot of intermediate skiing (Peak 7 is all rolling blue cruisers, some nice blues on Peaks 8 and 9, some slightly more challenging blues on Peak 10. I'd probably try to find a place near the base of Peak 9 in terms of convenience. That said, public transportation is quite good. You could also easily take the buses over to Keystone. Breck is very high. Some folks are troubled and some not. I've gotten pretty severe headaches at times. Last time I asked my doc for a script for Diomox and had no altitude problems at all (I live almost at sea level). I've not been to Banff but it's one of the places to which I really really want to visit.
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Most of the CO resorts are high (8,000+ feet at base) except Steamboat (which might have a good snow year as it is a "La Nina"). One idea is to spend the first night in Denver. Prev posters are right that Breck is more suitable than Jackson Hole for intermediates. It is also a nice ski town with some nightlife. Frisco is a 20 minute free bus to Breck and 15 to Copper. Less Summit pass is one option, but the cheapest pass is A-Basin bonus which give unlimited A-Basin (5 miles from Keystone) and 5 days at Breck/Keyston (1 of which can be used at Vail/Beaver Creek. Loveland sells a 4 pack for $119 that is transferrable (meaning you could ski 2 days with 2 people)
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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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Good choice. I preferred skiing at Keystone & A-Basin to Breckenridge but Breck has places to go in the Evening. Get a car for convenience for commuting to Keystone and A-Basin. Petrol is a cheap in the US. Now you've got the season pass it would be a shame to only ski 11 days !
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Have you thought about the Lake Tahoe area, its not so high as the Colorado resorts about 5000ft I think so not such a problem with altitude. Visited there a few years ago and really enjoyed it and visited several of the resorts. Its also interesting being on the Nevada/California border with casinos on one side of the border and motels on the other, the food at the casinos is really good and very reasonable. As others have said the lift prices in the USA are expensive, that and the fact that the lifts didn't open until 9am and closed at 4pm but that could have changed.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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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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Fluoxetine, we did the other way around, staying in Keystone, and visiting Brek.
Then spent a 2nd week in Vail, visiting Beaver for the day.
We did it on the bus, it really is no problem, very easy travel options - clear and precise timings, no driving or parking hassles. If the car helps for evenings or you are nervous about public transport, then for sure, get one, but honestly? - there is no need.
Whichever, you are going to have a great time: enjoy (and welcome to )
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I hired a car when I went, I would recommend it for convenience, we has trips out to grand lake/rocky mountain national park/Denver. I reckon you don't strictly need one though.
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FAQ
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