 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi Everyone - was wondering if anyone could give me any info about skiing in the U.S. ?
I am trying to organise a surprise 50th birthday present for my husband who is a lifelong ski addict - google seems to say Jackson Hole/Breckenridge for really keen skiers ? it would be myself ( age 47 mid-intermediate late starter skier with 8 yrs experience! ) my huband ( advanced) and 2 little girls aged ( by then) 10 and 8yrs - (3* ESF level this year) so really I suppose I need to choose a wow factor resort that is family friendly and includes intermediate type slopes - I know all of them will prob fit that criteria but just wanted to know if anyone had any particular ideas?
Thanks a lot and all the best
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Easter falls late in 2014, depending on what the weather does, not sure about the Colorado or Utah resorts.
Mammoth, is the only one I can think of that is sure to be open, and hopefully decent. Otherwise I'd research Canada, like Banff.
If it's a good snow year, consider Alta/Snowbird, and by that time, they have super deals on passes, especially for kids. Reviews will tell you the Alta Lodge or the Cliff Club at Snowbird, complete with a full spa, rooftop pool, and private hot tubs on the balconies... (you said wow factor, right?). But I wouldn't book that until I saw what the snow is for next season...
If you were doing mid term, which you could safely book, you could go anywhere. Like Heavenly Valley~ Skiing off the top of the mountain, you feel like you're going to ski right into Lake Tahoe, just spectacular! Plenty of spa type hotels as well, and lots and lots of cruisers!
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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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tommygirl, As above - Easter is very late in 2014, April 20th. Many US ski resorts are on Forest Service land and as such are regulated as to when they are open/closed to the public and many will be closed by then - even if they reopen later in the year - Heavenly has seen skiing in May and June.
Worth really checking which resorts will in fact be open, but you wouldnt really be doing much skiing at that time of year.
I was in Utah at the beginnig of April last year and the snow was ok but it really was spring skiing. Jackson Hole(WY) at the end of March was just winding up to closing, festival on April 1st.
If you can, really go earlier, or leave it until the very last minute to check snow reports. There will be plenty of deals at that time both on accommodation and lift passes - but pack spring/ summer clothing as off the hill people will be in shorts and t Shirts.
Areas around Banff close too as its in a National Park - think Elk wandering all over the place 
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Oh God! didn't realise that at all  !!! many thanks BONES and HEIDI for helpful suggestions - think I will have to go back to the drawing board now! Ok in that case and on the same premise as my original question about best resort................ what would be the best time to go for conditions and again where to meet all our needs but still get my husband that special wow factor??
Thanks again for any replies
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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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tommygirl, It's a lovely idea, and I hesitate to pour cold water on it.... but if your husband is a really keen and knowledgeable skier who has already visited many resorts he might prefer to have a hand in the organisation himself. He will probably have some pretty firm ideas on the subject.
Are you stuck with the girls' school holidays or would you take them out of school?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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End of Feb or beginning of March, for snow. and a chance of moderate temperatures. Middle of February is President's Day week, and that is going to be the busiest week of the year at any U.S. Resort.
Tahoe does give a fab WOW factor, IMO... I'm just a big fan of the Lake Tahoe itself. I got married there, on the lake, in the summertime  But, with weather patterns, they can have an off year for snow, or they can have a fab year, while the Rocky Mountains suffer. Not all snow storms are fair in their distribution of snow. For cruising runs mixed with spa type hotels and scenery, Heavenly Valley is my top pick.
Of course, the usual suspects in Colorado, and it you can deal with changing planes, consider Telluride~
In Utah, favorite pics are still going to be in Little Cottonwood Canyon. Most people will agree that the Cliff Club can't be beat in terms of accommodation, but Snowbird/Alta is a bit shy on the cruising blue's... but the ones they have are a lot of fun to ski, way more steep blacks. I have timeshare at Cliff Club (Snowbird), normally I rent it out rather than use it, and everyone, without exception has said it was just the ultimate ski holiday. There's an onsite full spa. 
Other upscale places are Sundance (owned by Robert Redford, and January is the annual film festival) and Sun Valley in Ketchum Idaho.
I've skied a lot of West Coast resorts, lived in Utah and in Northern California, so I've seen and done a lot there, I have family with a place in Breckenridge, and they used to live in Steamboat, (I've skied both those as well) and now have a cousin living in Telluride for the last 10 years, so I know the lay of the land, as it were...
Now, I don't know about your husband, but for me, when I was a kid, I loved Snowbird, the ski in/out access and the outdoor rooftop pool; I just thought that was the absolute coolest thing ever... and we always met other kids to run around with too... very good memories there...
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If your husband is an expert, he'll want to go to Jackson Hole. Nothing else will do.
That's not because other resorts are inferior (they're not) but because Jackson has the big, bad reputation and some time in his life he's going to need to find out whether the hype is for real (it is). Go at half term and you'll be fine. President's weekend can be busy, but only two lifts seem to become bottlenecks - Thunder and the Tram - and the queues are only an issue on Sat-Mon.
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Jonny Jones, is right. Jackson Hole has the reputation...
Getting there is another story, it's a regional airport, so you'll be changing planes. That's my concern when traveling across the Atlantic, the number of plane changes has a direct impact on my jet lag, plus with every change of planes, you run the chance of luggage getting lost, planes getting delayed, missing a connection, all the sort of things that put me in a foul mood when all I want to do is 'get there'.
If you're clever, you should be able to get there with one change of planes, but most routes will be offering two, if you do it, and one change of planes isn't that much more money, pay the extra money, you won't be sorry.
The scenery in Jackson is spectacular, and Jackson Hole itself, while touristic, completely charming and smacking of the "Wild West". This is a place I've been, but not skied...just river rafted in the summer  . I can't attest to the kid friendliness of the resort, or the ski runs... sorry.
BTW, on your first remark, don't know about the wow factor in Breckenridge, I've skied there too, and I wasn't "wow-ed"....but family friendly for sure. By the way with 3 star ESF they would actually enjoy Snowbird and Alta, and it would definitely up their levels...
By the way, you may try posing this question on the ski diva forum, a lot of members there live and ski there...
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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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tommygirl, Decide when you want to go and for how long, please give an indication of what you are looking for in your Wow factor. Plenty of resorts can provide this in differing forms and it depends on what type of trip you want.
As to Alta/Snowbird fantastic sking if the snow is good but I wouldnt stay at either - for a third of the cost of staying there you can stay down in the valley at a decent hotel, eat at wheer they wont have you over a barrel and importantly hire a 4x4 that will allow you to follow the snow and ski other areas too. Most areas in Utah are around an hours drive at most fro downtown SLC.
I wouldnt describe Sundance as upscale, its a great little ski area offering fun for a day, thats deffinately quiet and laid back.
Presidents week can be busier but nothing like you would expect. Friday of Presidents week we parked within 50 feet of the lift bases and didnt see any significant lift lines all day - think a couple of minutes waiting. From experience Tahoe gets busier than Utah at Presidents week, only been early or late in Colorado.
Jackson isnt all gnarly stuff, 50% of their terrain is intermediate stuff - if it wasnt they wouldnt still be viable. A great place to visit and the town is too - its an easy enough drive too from SLC so able to combine the two if you have the time.
Nothing wrong with changing planes - never had a problem all the times travelling over the pond, and Idont understand why changing planes should affect jeg lag ? Its based on the time difference - agreed it may make you feel more tired but as good day on the slopes can cure that, with a soak afterwards
Plenty of time to plan and decide.
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Bones,
OP states children in the party.. that is a game changer in trans Atlantic travel. Just speaking from personal experience, having crossed the pond 16 or 17 times with children...they are now 10 and 11.
Every change of planes adds stress, and I'm a pretty relaxed and organized person...just my experience.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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HeidiAmsterdam, we have three boys, now teenagers, that we've been taking to North America since the youngest was four. For us, the resort choice comes first as the journey is soon over. Our kids have never had a problem with multiple flight changes.
Your experience might be different, of course.
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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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A few thoughts. February or early March is a good time to go, as snow coverage is good and temps are moderate. Mid- to late April will be very risky to book in advance.
Utah gets the most snow, 500 inches/yr, Jackson Hole gets 400, and Colorado is around 300.
I just got back from a guys weekend of hardcore skiing in Jackson Hole and Grand Targhee (and hour away from JH - well worth going, do the catski there). Jackson is interesting, big, always has snow, and very steep. If your hubby is into hiking into backcountry for reaching unskied runs, Jackson is the place to go. But the main tram is always busy (we waited 30 minutes each time, the two times we took it), and any fresh powder is skied off by noon, as its a busy, but not crowded, place. If you do go, plan on at least a day at neighboring Grand Targhee. They have a daily shuttle back and forth (an hour ride). Its a smaller, "family run" resort, that only has 4 chairlifts, but has huge, open and gladed terrain. They get on average 100 inches of snow more than Jackson (500/yr), and its empty. They also have a catski option for US$350 that is amazing. We caught a blue-bird day after some good snows, for our catski day, so we had nothing but untracked powder all day. So if you go to Jackson, plan on a day (or two) catskiing at Grand Targhee. They have lodging options at the base, but its 40 year old facilities that are very low-end. It works, and is relatively cheap, but is nothing like the lodging at Jackson.
Vail/Beaver Creek are two adjacent high-end resorts that I would also consider. Vail is the largest US resort, and has skiing on 3 different mtn faces. It has all kinds of skiing, and the base villages are very lively and happening. While it lacks the ruggedness of Whistler or Jackson Hole, it has everything else, and a higher-end, international feel to it as well. I skied Vail back in January, and was reminded how much I enjoy it. Its a great place, with massive amount of terrain. You could split a week between Vail and Beaver Creek (higher cost, higher-end, more exclusive, no crowds) quite nicely.
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cleshock, you were unlucky with the Jackson tram. I had 9 days there in mid Feb and queues were limited to the mornings and then only when there'd been an overnight dump. Most times we were able to catch the next car to arrive.
Although much of the powder does indeed get skied off very quickly, there are substantial hidden caches that retain great snow for much longer - toilet bowl, Saratoga bowl and parts of the central chute area, for example. But you're definitely right about Targhee - it's well worth a trip.
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You know it makes sense.
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Jackson Hole definitely has the reputation as being (one of?) the top EXPERT resort in the US, but April is not the time to visit it as the have lots of south facing slopes and tend to close relatively early (in part because of this) You said your husband is advanced, not expert so that opens up a lot of other top resorts including Vail (and Beaver Creek next door (as Cleshock) mentioned.
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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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We had a week at Breckenridge in Feb. My two sons (8 and 10) coped just fine with the journey and jet lag and we had a fantastic time. We stayed at Beaver Run which wasn't mega luxury but was located right on the slopes (we literally skied to the locker room door). Outdoor hot-tubs were a nice treat after coming off the slopes. Even though it was Presidents Day we didn't find the queing too bad (the lifties were ruthlessly well organised!)
Skiing-wise the bowls of the Imperial Express chair are suitably challenging for even the best skier but there is tonnes for all levels too.
Also Breckenridge is a "proper" town so dining options and bars are plentiful. We put the trip together ourselves and the drive from Denver was very easy and actually enjoyable.
Having skied with the kids in Tignes, Meribel, Zell am See and St Anton we definitely enjoyed Breckenridge the most.
As a side issue, I've been to Banff a couple of times too. It's great but the bus ride to either Sunshine or Lake Louise means you spend a fair bit of time "in transit"
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Poster: A snowHead
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I took my kids to Snowbird Presidents week this year and stayed at Cliff lodge. dining is very limited though. There were basically no lines. Great skiing ( got 20 inches while we we there). Jackson Hole is a great mtn. and if he still has the legs... Corbet's Couloir is a right of passage..
The Colorado resorts are nice, but I like JH or Snowbird/Alta..
Steamboat is an option as they also have a cat service there.
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