PDA

View Full Version : Any skiers here?



AngelaS
10-16-2003, 05:53 AM
My dh is an awesome skier and a winter is not complete unless he gets to go skiing. Normally we go to Montana, see his folks and ski at Big Sky or Schweitzer, ID or somewhere. But...this year we don't necessarily want to go visit his folks (the memories of last year are a bit too fresh....)

So....anybody ski in Colorado or places that are closer to home for us (Iowa)? We've skied Crested Butte, but dh did that for a week last year and said it's not big enough.

He's an expert, I'm a wimpy intermediate and we need ski school for the almost 6 yo. Not overpriced or snooty would be good too. Any recommendations??

kfcboston
10-16-2003, 06:25 AM
I don't ski, but I have a lot of skiing in-laws in Colorado and Montana. Through them, I would highly recommend Purgatory near Durango, CO.

HTH!

newbelly2002
10-16-2003, 06:59 AM
Utah, Park City for the more expert, Deer Park nearby for the intermediate. Just a thought. DH and his family grew up on a slope in NH, picked colleges based on skiing potential, and all skiied competitevly. They all love Utah.

Paula
Mama to Dante, 8/1/02

mabuckles
10-16-2003, 07:32 AM
I love Breckenridge CO. It has a nice town. The skiing is good for all skill levels and it is not super expensive. You can also use your Breckenridge ski pass at Keystone. I don't know much about ski school though because my dd is still too little. I do know that daycare is about $100 a day which is why she stayed home with Grandma.

khakismom
10-16-2003, 12:37 PM
BIG skier here--my fam always went skiing 2-3x a year. In Colorado, my favorite place is Steamboat Springs. Excellent runs and fun apres-ski bars and such. Second is Winter Park (which is also adjacent to Mary Jane, which would have some tougher runs for the hubby). Next is Keystone--again, wonderful ski runs, and fun after-life and great ski school for the kids (I took a few lessons there myself when I was 6 :)). Also good are A-Basin and Breckinridge.

Boyne Mountain in Michigan has pretty good skiing for the midwest, but might be not enough of a challenge for your DH. I learned to ski at Kissing Bridge in Buffalo, NY and from what I remember it was not too bad.

There's good places in Vermont too, like SugarBush.

Good luck and have fun!! :) Totally jealous!

smilequeen
10-16-2003, 12:44 PM
I'm jealous! No skiing for us this year, definitely worth it but I miss skiing :(

Anyway, I've pretty much always done Colorado since I have had family/friends out there to visit at the same time. I've never been disappointed...been to Vail, Breckenridge, Keystone, A Basin, Winter Park, and Steamboat. No complaints about anything. We go to Breckenridge and Keystone most often, they seem to have a good variety of runs. I know they have ski schools too. Those kids ALWAYS make me look bad :) A Basin may not be too great if you are bringing the kids along...it seems to be more of a party atmosphere up there, but you can ski into the early summer up there...it's the highest elevation.

JulieL
10-16-2003, 12:57 PM
Um, I have to politely disagree. I have stayed in Vail several times off season. That area is extremely exspensive to visit during skiing season. If you are well off you could swing it, but don't expect it to be a bargen! The food market's are expensive if you decide to cook in, but a heck of a lot cheaper than eating at the pricey restraunts. I bet they increase the food prices during peak seasons as well. Vail and Breckenridge are only a bus ride away from each other. Although you may be able to buy a ski pass that would incorporate both resorts. Not sure if that's a possibility but would be worth looking into. Vail is my absolutely favorite place to go. I have never been in the winter, but my sister lived there for a while, not cheap!!! Both resorts are fab though!

JulieL
10-16-2003, 01:00 PM
I second the Steamboat Springs and Winter Park. I think both are cheaper than Vail/Breckenridge. We have a lot of youth groups that go there on trips with pretty decent group rates.

McQ
10-16-2003, 01:32 PM
We're big skiers too. DH grew up in New England and was a ski instructor and part of the ski patrol. He's phenomenal. I'll do the single blacks with him but prefer the hard blues. We usually go some place twice a year. For the states, we love Utah. Park City is our favorite. Good runs for all levels. And good restaurants (go to Grappa but not with the kids). We were there right before the Olympics and the Canyons was getting a lot of attention. Deer Valley is good (no snowboarders). Another plus about the Park City area is that it's so close to the airport.

Colorado: Breckenridge/Keystone are good too. I did NOT like Vail. Too pricey and the food was blah. A Basin was okay. Out of all of them I like Keystone the best. Crested Butte was last year (I was preggers so DH went with the guys) and didn't like it (skiing or the town).

Wyoming: DH loves Jackson Hole because it's so steep.

If you can go a little farther in North America then go to Whistler/Blackcomb. The BEST skiing we've ever done was there (and that includes all the places in Italy, France & Switzerland that we've skied). Whistler/Blackcomb has a glacier that's to die for. And the other runs are long & nice. The town is great too.

I'd love to ski Montana. Love to. So please tell us about the resorts there. Thanks!

Allison
~ mommy to Declan 3.24.03

NancyJ_redo
10-16-2003, 02:09 PM
Another vote for Utah - I love it there and the snow is so nice and light. Lots of options too - Deer Valley for the upscale skiing experience and Alta for the cheaper, powder-intense day, as well as many resorts that offer experiences somewhere in between. Different travel companies offer package deals where you can get hotel, airfare, lift tickets and shuttle rides or a rental car for really good prices.

I also love Blackcomb/Whistler, and depending upon what the exchange rate is now it might be a good deal in terms of $$$.

chrissyhowie
10-16-2003, 08:43 PM
DH and I are huge winter sports fans (he's a snowboarder and I'm a downhill skier). If you are willing to go a little further, I have to echo the above endorsements for Whistler/Blackcomb. Not only does the exchange rate get you so much more for your money, the skiing is the absolute greatest! Every level of skier will enjoy this mountain. The village has everything in it as well -- great restaurants, shopping, spas, bars, etc. It is a fantastic place for an entire family as well, with an excellent ski school for the kids. There is also no need for a car as Whister Village is entirely accessible by shuttle bus as well. We have gone back for four years in a row (only missed last year because DD was just born!) and are planning on going back again this year. While we've gone other places, our hands-down favorite is Whistler/Blackcomb. We always use a company called Skican (www.skican.com) which has fantastic package deals.

Otherwise, going to Park City, Utah would probably be my next choice as it is very family friendly with so many different ski areas nearby that no one could get bored. No long drives from the airport to the mountains either. It's a very down to earth place as well.

This post is making me pray for snow! I'm getting so excited to get back on my skis again :)!!

jeneli
10-17-2003, 12:37 AM
I'm not much of a skier, but my husband is BIG time. He absolute favorite that he's been going to almost every year since he was 13 is Alta (in Utah). Much more affordable and less snooty than Park City or Deer Valley, and it's skiers only (no snowboarding).

Now that we live in Seattle, DH has been itching to go up to Whistler, so we may be heading that way (first trip sans baby!) next Feb/March.

~jenny
SAHM to Elijah Spencer (9/23/02)

newbelly2002
10-17-2003, 03:58 AM
Can I piggyback this post and ask for any suggestions for European ski vacations?

I'm thinking of trying to put one together for DH for the holidays this year. He grew up on a mountain in NH, skiing from age 3 (oh those were the days!) on. He's done skl patrol, teaching skiing, the works. He hasn't been on snow since I was pregnant, 2 years ago, and is really going nuts. I'd like to put something together that won't be too expensive but will be family friendly (as I imagine that DS, then 16 mths old, will be coming with us).

We live in Berlin, Germany but can travel to Austria, Italy, France on many of the discount airlines. In season I know most of the "best" places such as Zermatt are unaffordable.

Any suggestions for those little hidden gems?

Eternally grateful!

Paula
Mama to Dante, 8/1/02

COElizabeth
10-17-2003, 08:41 AM
A friend likes Coeur Chavel (sp..?), but it may be too expensive. I know she stayed with an aunt who lives there, so it was a good deal for her!

Elizabeth, Mom to James, 9-20-02

McQ
10-17-2003, 08:45 AM
We've skied lots of places in Europe and DH thinks Bormio was the best for skiing. DH says the hidden gem is the Vallee Blanche on the back side of Chamonix. http://www.absolutemotions.com/Newsletter/Cham/vallee_blanche.htm You can only do guided tours but it starts with a hike, then into deep powder skiing, then to a glacier, through crevasses and passing ice walls then a long leisurely (but great) ski before getting back to the Chamonix side (note this in not me - this is DH). Sorry but I don't remember which was the better deal $$$ wise. For our Europe trips we go with a group of friends and this one guy is always able to arrange good deals because there are so many of us.

Do I hear that we should have a BB retreat at Whistler???

Allison
~ mommy to Declan 3.24.03

COElizabeth
10-17-2003, 08:48 AM
DH is a good skier (telemarks mostly and has a lot of backcountry experience), and his favorite Colorado resort is Copper Mountain. His preference is based on the terrain, though, rather than lodging or night life, since we live in Denver and he skis as a day skier. After tearing both my ACLs in two separate downhill skiing accidents, I have switched to cross-country skiing (which is wonderful - and you stay WARM!), but I do love the Keystone resort. If you go there, you must splurge on a meal at the Ski Tip Lodge. It's so quaint and romantic, and the food is superb. Our friend is the chef there, so I am biased, but I do think it's wonderful. Keystone also has a neat fondue restaurant you can go to at night via 2 gondolas. I haven't been there in winter, but we got married up there, and it's such a treat to ride the gondola down the mountain and look at the stars! I also love Steamboat but haven't been there since I learned to ski when I was 7! It's a good choice if you want to avoid most of the Denver-area folks like us, though, as it's farther away! Same with Telluride and Purgatory (now known as Durango Ski Area, I believe). Durango is a cute, very old west town, and southwestern Colorado is my favorite part of the state. Hmm, you can hardly go wrong - have fun!

Elizabeth, Mom to James, 9-20-02

McQ
10-17-2003, 09:25 AM
How fun Elizabeth! We have friends that got married on the top of Wolf Creek near Pagosa Springs in southern Colorado. It was gorgeous!! It was July so no snow though. We flew into Durango and I went to my first (and only) rodeo and I thought it was such a neat town. Although we've never skied it, our friends say Wolf Creek is great. Lots of powder and not many people.

Allison
~ mommy to Declan 3.24.03

nathansmom
10-17-2003, 07:22 PM
I don't ski but have lots of friends who love Park City. Snowbasin is also nice.

If anyone comes out here to Utah for skiing this winter I'd love to meet you. I believe I can still get discount tickets to several of the resorts around here.

StantonHyde
11-08-2003, 12:27 AM
As someone who moved to Utah for the outdoor sports, I am glad to see the positive reviews. Here's the local scoop: The best ski school is at Brighton and it has lots of good intermediate. Not so good for experts, though. Solitude is in the same canyon and has some interesting expert slopes=--my husband skis there alot. Alta is awesome. I think they have good beginner slopes and the ski school looks good to me. They have amazing expert runs and they get more powder than anybody! As an intermediate skiier you may be skiing the same runs alot--I do. But I really love Alta because there are no boarders. Alta is NOT glamorous and it is cheap, but it really has the best snow. Snowbird is a place to watch snowbunnies. Moving from the Cottonwood Canyons to behind the Wasatch Front. The Canyons has opened up some awesome terrain. Things are bit odd there with their financial management and the way they treat ski patrollers but I don't know that you would notice that. Park City is an awesome place for any level. I really enjoy skiing there and take out of town friends who aren't very good skiiers there. Expensive. Deer Valley is way overpriced. Yes, you do get AWESOME food there--and you pay for it. And yes, they do groom the slopes alot--so much that it gets really icy by the end of the day. The local perspective is that it is filled with snooty eastern/southerners who have no idea how to ski but figured if they spend this much they must look good. I hate skiing there on blue runs because they are filled with people who really should be on green runs! Skip it and go to Park City. Snowbasin is ok but it is in the middle of nowhere.

Frankly, I would suggest staying in SLC and either renting a car or taking a shuttle to any resort you want. NOthing is more than 30 minutes away. Heck, you can even take the bus! While Park City has a rep for restaurants and bars, SLC really has good places to eat and drink. Plus shopping. Plus you won't be surrounded by some odd nuveau riche types that frequent Park City and often make it impossible to get into a restaurant. The mountains are actually more gorgeous from the SLC side and if you get tired and need to give your muscles a break, you can go shopping etc. PC is filled with cool shops with really expensive stuff that you really don't need:-)

IF you decide to go the Utah route, email me at [email protected] and I can give you ideas on restaurants etc. AT one time, I actually ate in great restaurants. Now with DS being one year old, our idea of a restaurant is any place that accepts children banging on the table with a spoon!

elvisfan
11-08-2003, 12:30 AM
Being from NH, I highly recommend the area-an hour from Boston, three hours from Quebec and close to NYC, it's great for non-skiing as well....

phirey
11-09-2003, 08:06 PM
[edited for spelling :)]

My dad is from Colorado Springs, my parents met skiing (albeit in NC) and got engaged at Vail in the 60s, I grew up skiing in Minnesota and DH spent a winter as a ski patrol/paramedic in Aspen before we met... I totally agree with most of the Western places listed here, especially Whistler. The exchange rates make skiing in Canada so much more affordable.

Two years ago (just after 9/11) DH and I hadn't flown yet and I had the heebie-jeebies about East-West flying. So we planned an east coast ski trip and found quite a gem in Quebec. If you've never been to Tremblant it's worth a trip. No, I won't say the skiing was the best powder I've ever been in or anything like that. But the town was a true winter wonderland and some of our best memories came from that trip!

Tremblant is about an hour or two from Montreal, which makes for a neat combination ski trip/city tour.

http://tremblant.com/index.htm