Ski Season 2020/2021

[Chewbacca 7767]

Crested Butte got 41” the past 48 hours.

Yep. Puking snow everywhere. It is badly needed.

[PRONG HORN 3141]

 

Best skier on the planet

 

 

 

[JCHIL 414]

On 12/25/2021 at 10:07 AM, DefinitelyNotHollywoodColt said:

Internet is telling me it’s not a good hill for little ones though…

Ski Portillo is definitely family friendly- think of a cruise ship on the snow ...I took my fam in August of 2014 ( kids were 11 and 14 at the time).  Flew into Santiago and shuttled 2 hours north to Portillo- The resort is a stunning yellow hotel on the shores of Inca lake surrounded by the Andes. -it doesn’t get anymore scenic than this setting. This resort is a destination resort meaning that they mostly book week long packages - I don’t think they allow any day skiers or very few people drove up there to ski for the day so only week guests are present - no crowds due to set amount of weekly bookings.    They have a very good ski school for kids and some nice blue runs and an abandoned train tunnel you can ski thru in the kiddie slopes.  The hotel reminded me of the 50’s style of European elegance that  was slightly worn but well kept with an historic feel . It has an amazing dining room overlooking Inca Lake.  The packages include all meals- breakfast , lunch, apres afternoon tea and snacks, and dinner.  You are assigned a table for the week and after a few days you get to know everyone around you-the kids easily met other kids to hang out with. The Chef prepared food was excellent and service is excellent -  I think there is one staff member for every guest....  There are guests from all over the world.... Aussies, Brazilians, Argentinians, and Americans seemed to be the majority.  The rooms are euro spartan with no TV’s and we enjoyed that.  It has ski weeks featuring Nightly  Chilean wine tastings (we did this one) and other weekly themes.  The hotel has bars, a full sized gym with climbing wall, pool tables, ping pong, and daily scheduled indoor activities for kids - even baking classes in the kitchen with the chef.   The coolest feature is the outdoor heated pool and hot tubs that overlook Lake Inca - stunning views while having a drink in hot tub.  There is some steep terrain and can satisfy the most advanced skier with probably  less for the beginner but the Overall experience is amazing.  Our family thoroughly enjoyed the trip - I will reveal that we are a passionate ski family with the kids getting many ski days yearly and they grew up skiing at our place in Taos since they were 3 yrs old so our kids are advanced skiers which makes for fun times when traveling to areas that have challenging terrain.  Also , the Poma    lifts at Portillo to the more challenging terrain were  insane!  Think water  skiing on skis going about 20 mph uphill at a 45 degree angle .  Highly recommend Portillo.

Edited December 26, 2021 by JCHIL

[Onboard 2.0 9083]

1 hour ago, JCHIL said:

Ski Portillo is definitely family friendly- think of a cruise ship on the snow ...I took my fam in August of 2014 ( kids were 11 and 14 at the time).  Flew into Santiago and shuttled 2 hours north to Portillo- The resort is a stunning yellow hotel on the shores of Inca lake surrounded by the Andes. -it doesn’t get anymore scenic than this setting. This resort is a destination resort meaning that they mostly book week long packages - I don’t think they allow any day skiers or very few people drove up there to ski for the day so only week guests are present - no crowds due to set amount of weekly bookings.    They have a very good ski school for kids and some nice blue runs and an abandoned train tunnel you can ski thru in the kiddie slopes.  The hotel reminded me of the 50’s style of European elegance that  was slightly worn but well kept with an historic feel . It has an amazing dining room overlooking Inca Lake.  The packages include all meals- breakfast , lunch, apres afternoon tea and snacks, and dinner.  You are assigned a table for the week and after a few days you get to know everyone around you-the kids easily met other kids to hang out with. The Chef prepared food was excellent and service is excellent -  I think there is one staff member for every guest....  There are guests from all over the world.... Aussies, Brazilians, Argentinians, and Americans seemed to be the majority.  The rooms are euro spartan with no TV’s and we enjoyed that.  It has ski weeks featuring Nightly  Chilean wine tastings (we did this one) and other weekly themes.  The hotel has bars, a full sized gym with climbing wall, pool tables, ping pong, and daily scheduled indoor activities for kids - even baking classes in the kitchen with the chef.   The coolest feature is the outdoor heated pool and hot tubs that overlook Lake Inca - stunning views while having a drink in hot tub.  There is some steep terrain and can satisfy the most advanced skier with probably  less for the beginner but the Overall experience is amazing.  Our family thoroughly enjoyed the trip - I will reveal that we are a passionate ski family with the kids getting many ski days yearly and they grew up skiing at our place in Taos since they were 3 yrs old so our kids are advanced skiers which makes for fun times when traveling to areas that have challenging terrain.  Also , the Poma    lifts at Portillo to the more challenging terrain were  insane!  Think water  skiing on skis going about 20 mph uphill at a 45 degree angle .  Highly recommend Portillo.

Great review

[Shaddie 1651]

Beaver Creek. Planning a guys long weekend in Feb and staying there. Anything to do if I don’t feel like skiing? In other words a good place to have some drinks while watching the slopes guessing what the bunnies look like under the layers. 
 

Thanks for help. 

[DefinitelyNotHollywoodColt 12301]

3 hours ago, JCHIL said:

Ski Portillo is definitely family friendly- think of a cruise ship on the snow ...I took my fam in August of 2014 ( kids were 11 and 14 at the time).  Flew into Santiago and shuttled 2 hours north to Portillo- The resort is a stunning yellow hotel on the shores of Inca lake surrounded by the Andes. -it doesn’t get anymore scenic than this setting. This resort is a destination resort meaning that they mostly book week long packages - I don’t think they allow any day skiers or very few people drove up there to ski for the day so only week guests are present - no crowds due to set amount of weekly bookings.    They have a very good ski school for kids and some nice blue runs and an abandoned train tunnel you can ski thru in the kiddie slopes.  The hotel reminded me of the 50’s style of European elegance that  was slightly worn but well kept with an historic feel . It has an amazing dining room overlooking Inca Lake.  The packages include all meals- breakfast , lunch, apres afternoon tea and snacks, and dinner.  You are assigned a table for the week and after a few days you get to know everyone around you-the kids easily met other kids to hang out with. The Chef prepared food was excellent and service is excellent -  I think there is one staff member for every guest....  There are guests from all over the world.... Aussies, Brazilians, Argentinians, and Americans seemed to be the majority.  The rooms are euro spartan with no TV’s and we enjoyed that.  It has ski weeks featuring Nightly  Chilean wine tastings (we did this one) and other weekly themes.  The hotel has bars, a full sized gym with climbing wall, pool tables, ping pong, and daily scheduled indoor activities for kids - even baking classes in the kitchen with the chef.   The coolest feature is the outdoor heated pool and hot tubs that overlook Lake Inca - stunning views while having a drink in hot tub.  There is some steep terrain and can satisfy the most advanced skier with probably  less for the beginner but the Overall experience is amazing.  Our family thoroughly enjoyed the trip - I will reveal that we are a passionate ski family with the kids getting many ski days yearly and they grew up skiing at our place in Taos since they were 3 yrs old so our kids are advanced skiers which makes for fun times when traveling to areas that have challenging terrain.  Also , the Poma    lifts at Portillo to the more challenging terrain were  insane!  Think water  skiing on skis going about 20 mph uphill at a 45 degree angle .  Highly recommend Portillo.

Well damn, I guess that settles that.

[CoachTex 2623]

Looking to take the family on their first ski trip. Probably to Angel Fire.  Anyone have recommendations on where to stay?  Looking for the most bang for the buck.

[CoachTex 2623]

Or other ski resorts that are driving distance (14 hours) from San Antonio. Looking for a mountain that is good for beginners as my kids and wife have never skied before. 

[Chewbacca 7767]

58 minutes ago, CoachTex said:

Or other ski resorts that are driving distance (14 hours) from San Antonio. Looking for a mountain that is good for beginners as my kids and wife have never skied before. 

CO resorts are probably only a couple hours farther.  Just about every mountain is going to be good for beginners.  Definitely do lessons.

[CoachTex 2623]

4 minutes ago, Chewbacca said:

CO resorts are probably only a couple hours farther.  Just about every mountain is going to be good for beginners.  Definitely do lessons.

Lessons are a must for them. Definitely looking at New Mexico or Southern Colorado. 

[CoachTex 2623]

Any one have info on Monarch?  Skied there 20 years ago and enjoyed it.

[Surly Bevo 24908]

When are you looking to go.  Keep in mind if this is a Spring Break trip the snow at somewhere like Angel Fire (which can always be a bit dicey) can get real damn dicey by March.  

[CoachTex 2623]

Looking at a spring break trip. Thinking snow in Southern Colorado would be better during that time. 

[JCHIL 414]

Taos and Northern NM looking stellar this week! 

 

[Horn of Gabriel 1614]

Checking in from Angel Fire this week! Good snow but not enough accumulation yet so it’s only about 1/3rs open. Lots of crowds. Still fun for this intermediate skier and my kids.

[texasdago 7568]

16 hours ago, CoachTex said:

Looking at a spring break trip. Thinking snow in Southern Colorado would be better during that time. 

We drove to Durango/Purgatory last year.  You're going to have better luck with snow there than in NM.  

[Onboard 2.0 9083]

8 minutes ago, texasdago said:

We drove to Durango/Purgatory last year.  You're going to have better luck with snow there than in NM.  

NM snow is always a big crap shoot.

[ousuxndallas 65]

For Spring Break skiing, altitude is your friend. Snow is better at the higher elevation resorts. Taos in NM, Telluride and A Basin in CO.

[Pato del Muerto 52487]

1 hour ago, ousuxndallas said:

For Spring Break skiing, altitude is your friend. Snow is better at the higher elevation resorts. Taos in NM, Telluride and A Basin in CO.

The mountain at ruidoso is 12k. Was looking there as it’s much further south than Taos.  Hoping for February. 
 

eta: never been so not sure of how it is. But the website for ski Apache says 15 ft of snowfall annually and you are apparently skiiing the top 2000’ of the mountain so 12k down to 10k.  I’m basing that on the only listed altitude, which is the gondola base at 11,500, and the total vertical of 1,900. 

Edited December 29, 2021 by Pato del Muerto

[Mittens 8258]

Just got back from a week in Breckenridge.  Drove up on 19/20 via Denver and there wasn't a flake on the ground until we actually pulled into Breck, and what was there was sparse.  First 2 days were bluebirds, but super limited on runs.  Got dumped on the 23rd(?) and was a pretty excellent powder day.  Open runs doubled.  Went from meh to Christmas Card/Chamber of Commerce overnight.  Leaving via Hoosier Pass before sunup on Monday had some puckering moments.

[JCHIL 414]

1 hour ago, ousuxndallas said:

For Spring Break skiing, altitude is your friend. Snow is better at the higher elevation resorts. Taos in NM, Telluride and A Basin in CO.

This is the best answer for the Southern Rockies...CO, NM whatever, doesn't matter.  Find a resort with elevation and you are going to always be better off...especially in Spring.  For example, Taos is one of the highest elevation ski resorts in the Lower 48 - the base area starts at 9200' asl and goes up from there -you are skiing at 11,500 at top of Chair 4 and over 12,400  at Kachina Peak and Taos' mostly north facing slopes are legendary for preserving powder for weeks at high elevation after a big dump and late in the season - most other lower elevation resorts (Angel Fire, Red River, etc) cannot preserve it that well...and you have to be an above average skier to ski most of the these resorts and their good stuff the later the season gets. That is why I am always baffled why a beginner or once a year skier that is at intermediate level worries about snow conditions - I mean really, nuancing the groomed bunny slopes and green/blues is kinda funny...My advice for beginners and once a year intermediates is to focus on the the ski area that has everything else you want...budget, fancy, restaurants, extra curricular activities, etc. because trying to pick a resort and what snow conditions will be there in March is a crap shoot and you just might get lucky and have it all...

[Axle Hongsnort 208]

This is the best answer for the Southern Rockies...CO, NM whatever, doesn't matter.  Find a resort with elevation and you are going to always be better off...especially in Spring.  For example, Taos is one of the highest elevation ski resorts in the Lower 48 - the base area starts at 9200' asl and goes up from there -you are skiing at 11,500 at top of Chair 4 and over 12,400  at Kachina Peak and Taos' mostly north facing slopes are legendary for preserving powder for weeks at high elevation after a big dump and late in the season - most other lower elevation resorts (Angel Fire, Red River, etc) cannot preserve it that well...and you have to be an above average skier to ski most of the these resorts and their good stuff the later the season gets. That is why I am always baffled why a beginner or once a year skier that is at intermediate level worries about snow conditions - I mean really, nuancing the groomed bunny slopes and green/blues is kinda funny...My advice for beginners and once a year intermediates is to focus on the the ski area that has everything else you want...budget, fancy, restaurants, extra curricular activities, etc. because trying to pick a resort and what snow conditions will be there in March is a crap shoot and you just might get lucky and have it all...

This is really good advice for a beginner family. Angel Fire with good snow is more than enough terrain for first timers, but the town is very sleepy and there isn’t much of a base/lodge. Depending on age of kids, budget, and interest you could drive an extra 3’ish hours to Breckenridge (or many others off I70) or Crested Butte and experience a ski town that pales in comparison.

[CoachTex 2623]

8 hours ago, JCHIL said:

This is the best answer for the Southern Rockies...CO, NM whatever, doesn't matter.  Find a resort with elevation and you are going to always be better off...especially in Spring.  For example, Taos is one of the highest elevation ski resorts in the Lower 48 - the base area starts at 9200' asl and goes up from there -you are skiing at 11,500 at top of Chair 4 and over 12,400  at Kachina Peak and Taos' mostly north facing slopes are legendary for preserving powder for weeks at high elevation after a big dump and late in the season - most other lower elevation resorts (Angel Fire, Red River, etc) cannot preserve it that well...and you have to be an above average skier to ski most of the these resorts and their good stuff the later the season gets. That is why I am always baffled why a beginner or once a year skier that is at intermediate level worries about snow conditions - I mean really, nuancing the groomed bunny slopes and green/blues is kinda funny...My advice for beginners and once a year intermediates is to focus on the the ski area that has everything else you want...budget, fancy, restaurants, extra curricular activities, etc. because trying to pick a resort and what snow conditions will be there in March is a crap shoot and you just might get lucky and have it all...

Thank you and everyone for all the input. How does Taos village compare to Keystone or Breckenridge?  We don't need fancy but do what the kids to have a great time. 

[JCHIL 414]

2 hours ago, CoachTex said:

Thank you and everyone for all the input. How does Taos village compare to Keystone or Breckenridge?  We don't need fancy but do what the kids to have a great time. 

It has been 10 years or so since I have been to Breck or Keystone so I really can’t give up to date info on them  but I have to believe they both Would be better choices for first timer kids and wife as far as variety of lodging choices,  restaurants, activities  etc.  I can speak for Taos Ski Valley as I spend 20-30 days a year there.  It is fairly quaint with only 4-5 restaurants and 5-10 hotels or condos to choose from  and a few shops but fairly spartan as far as kids go.  The only exception for  the kids in TSV would be the newly built The Blake Hotel which is a 4 star slopeside that has heated hot tubs  and outdoor pool, spa, outdoor ice skating rink and restaurant which would give kids something to do all in one location.  Staying in TSV is also generally more pricey with less options than staying in the town of Taos  The town of Taos is a 20 mile drive down/up the mountain.  The town of Taos is a rustic dusty high desert town and  has more options for shopping, several really good restaurants and some world class art galleries and museums.  Overall I think Breck or Keystone would be more accommodating for first timers than Taos.  

[Onboard 2.0 9083]

6 hours ago, JCHIL said:

It has been 10 years or so since I have been to Breck or Keystone so I really can’t give up to date info on them  but I have to believe they both Would be better choices for first timer kids and wife as far as variety of lodging choices,  restaurants, activities  etc.  I can speak for Taos Ski Valley as I spend 20-30 days a year there.  It is fairly quaint with only 4-5 restaurants and 5-10 hotels or condos to choose from  and a few shops but fairly spartan as far as kids go.  The only exception for  the kids in TSV would be the newly built The Blake Hotel which is a 4 star slopeside that has heated hot tubs  and outdoor pool, spa, outdoor ice skating rink and restaurant which would give kids something to do all in one location.  Staying in TSV is also generally more pricey with less options than staying in the town of Taos  The town of Taos is a 20 mile drive down/up the mountain.  The town of Taos is a rustic dusty high desert town and  has more options for shopping, several really good restaurants and some world class art galleries and museums.  Overall I think Breck or Keystone would be more accommodating for first timers than Taos.  

Yes

[Sbbruin 21829]

The boy is doing a Mammoth trip on Sunday with some buddies but it’s been 2 years since he’s been boarding (and just got a new board for Christmas).  So he and I are about to jump in the car and hit Mountain High for the day.  Been snowing the last few days so should be great.  I missed all of last season recovering from ankle surgery, so I’ll need to shake off the rust too.

[JCHIL 414]

Happy New Years from MT.  Skiing Big Sky today- 2” fresh pow overnight and a high of 6-gonna be a little chilly! 

[Horn of Gabriel 1614]

Happy New Years from MT.  Skiing Big Sky today- 2” fresh pow overnight and a high of 6-gonna be a little chilly! 

Happy skiiing from Angel Fire!

[Horn of Gabriel 1614]

One more…fun day today with more trails open.

[CoachTex 2623]

After much research, not that y'all care, we are going to crested butte.  Any suggestions on rentals for skis and dining would be appreciated as I have never been there. Thinking we will lay over in Trinidad Colorado on the drive up. Thank you filthy animals for all the advice thus far.  

[Horn of Gabriel 1614]

13 hours ago, CoachTex said:

After much research, not that y'all care, we are going to crested butte.  Any suggestions on rentals for skis and dining would be appreciated as I have never been there. Thinking we will lay over in Trinidad Colorado on the drive up. Thank you filthy animals for all the advice thus far.  

You'll have a great time.  I haven't been but everyone I've talked says that CB is great.  Enjoy!

[Horn of Gabriel 1614]

Quick early-season Angel Fire review: we skied 4 days Tues-Fri this week.  I was sweating this trip because up until a week ago they had basically no snow.  The 2 days around Christmas they got some snow and the mountain opened up, but it was really limited, only ~8/80 trails, and they were all greens.  It was pretty crowded on the lower mountain with the beginners, but the long run from the Chili Express lift down was about 3.5 miles and was fun.  By Friday they got enough snow to open more trails, including some fun Blue routes including a few with moguls, which I had never really done.  I did the moguls but I wouldn't really say I "did" them IYKWIM.  If I wasn't beat from 4 days I would have gone back today, they opened even more routes, including some Blacks.

My 13 y/o daughter did ski school and they did a great job.  She was a solid beginner by the end of the trip, making turns, getting on/off the lift successfully, and had a smile on her face.  My 11 y/o son we didn't put in ski school b/c on our last trip 2 years ago to Ski Apache he did it and was awesome and we figured he'd pick it back up.  Wrong decision...my wife pointed out that he's grown a lot since then, puberty etc and is now really lanky and uncoordinated, he had a rough time.  As a fallback, we wanted him to be able to do snow tubing...but apparently that requires a different ticket than our lift ticket (of course) and it was sold out (of course).  Lesson learned.

Other lessons learned, which are probably obvious to the more experienced skiers on this thread:

• You can pick up your rentals and lift tickets the night before.  DO THAT so you don't waste 2-3 hours the morning of your first day.
• If you're not staying at the lodge (we weren't), you should either:
  • Find a place at the base to securely store your gear overnight, or
  • Find a good drop off point near the base to drop off your kids/partner with all the gear from your car, then park and walk up in your walking boots.  Nothing sucks more than walking any distance in ski boots.
• Pack your lunch unless you're Surly 1%, the food at the base is crazy overpriced fried shit, and it's not good.  Save your money for beer.
• Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate.  Drink 2x the water you think you need.
• Use SPF and chapstick, a lot of it, you'll burn.
• Altitude affects people in different ways.  For me, not much, but I workout regularly.  For my wife it killed her appetite and she generally just felt like shit, turns out she was also dehydrated.  You'll also need more sleep than normal which won't be a problem if you're skiing because you'll be tired if you're doing it right.
• If you have time before you go: squats.  I lift a lot of weights and still felt it in my quads and thighs after a few days.  Also, cardio...in 2021 I added simple walking of about 2-4 miles/day to my routine and it helped a lot.
• Don't get frustrated!  You're going to fall, it's part of it.  I'm a solid intermediate and have no problem with blues and even occasionally blacks, but I really have to manage my speed and do a lot of cutbacks.  In 4 days I probably fell about 4 times, two of those were because it was really crowded and a beginner cut in front of me unexpectedly and I couldn't pull off the turn quick enough, the other 2 were because I didn't manage my speed well enough and got going too fast and wasn't confident enough in my turn and caught my edge and tumbled.  I did have a couple of nice "garage sale" wipeouts where I scattered skis, poles, etc in all directions  Fun!  Whenever I'm pulling myself together after a fall I try to do a quick retrospective and think about why I fell and how I can correct it next time...continuous improvement.

Speaking of improvement...anyone have any recommendations for good YouTubers to watch for an intermediate looking to improve on quicker turns, etc?

[NTVTXN 1432]

On 1/1/2022 at 1:11 AM, CoachTex said:

After much research, not that y'all care, we are going to crested butte.  Any suggestions on rentals for skis and dining would be appreciated as I have never been there. Thinking we will lay over in Trinidad Colorado on the drive up. Thank you filthy animals for all the advice thus far.  

Great choice. We just got back from CB. Our 9th consecutive trip. We love it.

Both our girls learned to ski at CB. It’s got lots of Greens for learners, plenty of Blues for those who want to challenge themselves or “grow” their skills and of course, Blacks & Double Blacks for the wild ones, if they’re so inclined…I am not. A man’s got to know his limitations.  As John Maxwell says, “We’re all one step from stupid”. 😅

Go here for all things, Rentals/Lift Tix/Lessons-> https://www.skicb.com/

Re: Lessons- Book early- They fill up fast. EVERY INSTRUCTOR with whom I’ve come into contact has been nothing short of awesome.  This, prior to and now post Vail’s takeover.

Eat?

our faves- 

On Mountain

Avalanche Bar & Grill

Uli’s Cabin- Sort of pricey- outstanding views / Very good food.

in town-

Secret Stash Pizza - my favorite pizza anywhere. Period. Get the Notorious FIG.

bonez- Mexican- fun place. Good food.

The Slogar - GREAT Fried chicken. Pricey though. We ALWAYS have enough to take home for lunch the next day.

The Last steep- Bugers and beer. Yum.

Ryce- Asian. Delicious.

Teocali Tamales- delicious. Fast. Affordable.

For ice cream- Third Bowl is a must. Outside of Amy’s, it’s my favorite on the planet. 

Slap Burger/ Brand new burger joint. Didn’t get to try it. But people raved about it. 

Feel free to DM me for more information. Happy to help where I can.🤘🏻

[Upgrayedd 5810]

On 12/31/2021 at 6:08 AM, Sbbruin said:

The boy is doing a Mammoth trip on Sunday with some buddies but it’s been 2 years since he’s been boarding (and just got a new board for Christmas).  So he and I are about to jump in the car and hit Mountain High for the day.  Been snowing the last few days so should be great.  I missed all of last season recovering from ankle surgery, so I’ll need to shake off the rust too.

Didn't hit Waterman? 

[Sbbruin 21829]

3 minutes ago, Upgrayedd said:

Didn't hit Waterman? 

Some dudes pooled their money maybe 10 years ago to buy Waterman, and I think between road closures and no snow, they've maybe had 10 days open in 10 years.  They haven't been able to open yet. 

Mt High was a clusterfuck and a half.  Took almost 4 hours to get there.  1 to get to the 138 offramp off of the 15, and 3 to get to the mountain, only to have all the lots full.  Finally weaseled a spot into the east resort lot, and no way to get to the west (main) resort except by shuttle that was taking an hour to get to.  So we just hit the east resort and it's one working lift over and over.  But glad we did it.  Boy headed to Mammoth yesterday with his buddies and was worried since he hadn't gone in a couple years that he would have lost it, but to the contrary, really has improve as he has gotten older and more physically mature.  He was stoked we did it.  

First time on a board since ankle surgery last year, and my ankle blew up like a grapefruit with all the torque you have to put on your back foot.  East resort is a lot steeper and less groomed so really had to work it on the turns.  Really need to figure that out for Park City.  May just need to wrap the shit out of it.  And probably just stick to groomers and go old man style.

[Upgrayedd 5810]

4 minutes ago, Sbbruin said:

Some dudes pooled their money maybe 10 years ago to buy Waterman, and I think between road closures and no snow, they've maybe had 10 days open in 10 years.  They haven't been able to open yet. 

Mt High was a clusterfuck and a half.  Took almost 4 hours to get there.  1 to get to the 138 offramp off of the 15, and 3 to get to the mountain, only to have all the lots full.  Finally weaseled a spot into the east resort lot, and no way to get to the west (main) resort except by shuttle that was taking an hour to get to.  So we just hit the east resort and it's one working lift over and over.  But glad we did it.  Boy headed to Mammoth yesterday with his buddies and was worried since he hadn't gone in a couple years that he would have lost it, but to the contrary, really has improve as he has gotten older and more physically mature.  He was stoked we did it.  

First time on a board since ankle surgery last year, and my ankle blew up like a grapefruit with all the torque you have to put on your back foot.  East resort is a lot steeper and less groomed so really had to work it on the turns.  Really need to figure that out for Park City.  May just need to wrap the shit out of it.  And probably just stick to groomers and go old man style.

Thought about hitting Snow Summit yesterday.  Decided to play golf instead of fighting the masses.  

Tahoe Squawalpine over MLK.  TBD Presidents.  Mammoth week of St. Patrick's.  Mammoth in April.  Gonna be a stretch to get to 20.  I figure 17 is where I end up.

[Pato del Muerto 52487]

On 12/31/2021 at 9:15 AM, JCHIL said:

Happy New Years from MT.  Skiing Big Sky today- 2” fresh pow overnight and a high of 6-gonna be a little chilly! 

Did you do the upper bowl and/or the lone peak tram lift?

Edited January 3, 2022 by Pato del Muerto

[Sbbruin 21829]

16 minutes ago, Upgrayedd said:

Thought about hitting Snow Summit yesterday.  Decided to play golf instead of fighting the masses.  

Tahoe Squawalpine over MLK.  TBD Presidents.  Mammoth week of St. Patrick's.  Mammoth in April.  Gonna be a stretch to get to 20.  I figure 17 is where I end up.

Trying to figure out a family Mammoth trip now.  Probably March.

[Upgrayedd 5810]

Just now, Sbbruin said:

Trying to figure out a family Mammoth trip now.  Probably March.

St. Paddy's at the Clocktower.  Do it.

[JCHIL 414]

1 hour ago, Pato del Muerto said:

Did you do the upper bowl and/or the lone peak tram lift?

Skied the upper bowls but I didn’t drop the $40 to ride the Lone Peak Tram.  No major pow dump when I was there so no need to go up there this time...good conditions overall, bitter cold last few days but snow is very soft.  

[Pato del Muerto 52487]

11 minutes ago, JCHIL said:

Skied the upper bowls but I didn’t drop the $40 to ride the Lone Peak Tram.  No major pow dump when I was there so no need to go up there this time...good conditions overall, bitter cold last few days but snow is very soft.  

In those temps I think I’d stay on ramcharger since it’s covered, heated, and quick. 

[JCHIL 414]

13 minutes ago, Pato del Muerto said:

In those temps I think I’d stay on ramcharger since it’s covered, heated, and quick. 

You are correct.  We spent a lot of time on RC Side of mtn 

[texasdago 7568]

On 1/1/2022 at 1:11 AM, CoachTex said:

After much research, not that y'all care, we are going to crested butte.  Any suggestions on rentals for skis and dining would be appreciated as I have never been there. Thinking we will lay over in Trinidad Colorado on the drive up. Thank you filthy animals for all the advice thus far.  

We are going to try it this year, too.  Base elevation is over 9,000' and the resort just got an absurd dumping... something like 7 feet over 10 days so the base now is excellent.  We're staying slopesideish at the Grand Lodge.

BTW, for future reference, another good Southern Rockies option is Purgatory.  Base is 8,700 and tends to get good snow.  Last year was not a particularly fantastic snow year but the mountain was fully open at spring break.

[CoachTex 2623]

29 minutes ago, texasdago said:

We are going to try it this year, too.  Base elevation is over 9,000' and the resort just got an absurd dumping... something like 7 feet over 10 days so the base now is excellent.  We're staying slopesideish at the Grand Lodge.

BTW, for future reference, another good Southern Rockies option is Purgatory.  Base is 8,700 and tends to get good snow.  Last year was not a particularly fantastic snow year but the mountain was fully open at spring break.

I have skied purgatory a few times. All booked for spring break. We will be staying at grand lodge hotel as well. @NTVTXN I appreciate all the resturant advice. Great stuff.

[texasdago 7568]

1 hour ago, CoachTex said:

I have skied purgatory a few times. All booked for spring break. We will be staying at grand lodge hotel as well. @NTVTXN I appreciate all the resturant advice. Great stuff.

When I booked the trip, we were debating between Purgatory and Crested Butte.  At the time you could still get a discount on the Epic Day Pass.  In the end, CB was cheaper than Purgatory.  I'm looking forward to it.  Love skiing mountains that are new to me.

[LonghornJones 837]

On 12/26/2021 at 3:31 PM, Shaddie said:

Beaver Creek. Planning a guys long weekend in Feb and staying there. Anything to do if I don’t feel like skiing? In other words a good place to have some drinks while watching the slopes guessing what the bunnies look like under the layers. 
 

Thanks for help. 

Make your way over to Bachelor Gulch either via skiing/boarding or hop on a bus. The Ritz has a great bar outside as well as some couches to sit on with fire pits if they aren't reserved. VERY good people watching.

[TexasEd 8066]

On 1/1/2022 at 2:57 PM, Horn of Gabriel said:

Quick early-season Angel Fire review: we skied 4 days Tues-Fri this week.  I was sweating this trip because up until a week ago they had basically no snow.  The 2 days around Christmas they got some snow and the mountain opened up, but it was really limited, only ~8/80 trails, and they were all greens.  It was pretty crowded on the lower mountain with the beginners, but the long run from the Chili Express lift down was about 3.5 miles and was fun.  By Friday they got enough snow to open more trails, including some fun Blue routes including a few with moguls, which I had never really done.  I did the moguls but I wouldn't really say I "did" them IYKWIM.  If I wasn't beat from 4 days I would have gone back today, they opened even more routes, including some Blacks.

My 13 y/o daughter did ski school and they did a great job.  She was a solid beginner by the end of the trip, making turns, getting on/off the lift successfully, and had a smile on her face.  My 11 y/o son we didn't put in ski school b/c on our last trip 2 years ago to Ski Apache he did it and was awesome and we figured he'd pick it back up.  Wrong decision...my wife pointed out that he's grown a lot since then, puberty etc and is now really lanky and uncoordinated, he had a rough time.  As a fallback, we wanted him to be able to do snow tubing...but apparently that requires a different ticket than our lift ticket (of course) and it was sold out (of course).  Lesson learned.

Other lessons learned, which are probably obvious to the more experienced skiers on this thread:

• You can pick up your rentals and lift tickets the night before.  DO THAT so you don't waste 2-3 hours the morning of your first day.
• If you're not staying at the lodge (we weren't), you should either:
  • Find a place at the base to securely store your gear overnight, or
  • Find a good drop off point near the base to drop off your kids/partner with all the gear from your car, then park and walk up in your walking boots.  Nothing sucks more than walking any distance in ski boots.
• Pack your lunch unless you're Surly 1%, the food at the base is crazy overpriced fried shit, and it's not good.  Save your money for beer.
• Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate.  Drink 2x the water you think you need.
• Use SPF and chapstick, a lot of it, you'll burn.
• Altitude affects people in different ways.  For me, not much, but I workout regularly.  For my wife it killed her appetite and she generally just felt like shit, turns out she was also dehydrated.  You'll also need more sleep than normal which won't be a problem if you're skiing because you'll be tired if you're doing it right.
• If you have time before you go: squats.  I lift a lot of weights and still felt it in my quads and thighs after a few days.  Also, cardio...in 2021 I added simple walking of about 2-4 miles/day to my routine and it helped a lot.
• Don't get frustrated!  You're going to fall, it's part of it.  I'm a solid intermediate and have no problem with blues and even occasionally blacks, but I really have to manage my speed and do a lot of cutbacks.  In 4 days I probably fell about 4 times, two of those were because it was really crowded and a beginner cut in front of me unexpectedly and I couldn't pull off the turn quick enough, the other 2 were because I didn't manage my speed well enough and got going too fast and wasn't confident enough in my turn and caught my edge and tumbled.  I did have a couple of nice "garage sale" wipeouts where I scattered skis, poles, etc in all directions  Fun!  Whenever I'm pulling myself together after a fall I try to do a quick retrospective and think about why I fell and how I can correct it next time...continuous improvement.

Speaking of improvement...anyone have any recommendations for good YouTubers to watch for an intermediate looking to improve on quicker turns, etc?

Nice write-up. We're going to Angle Fire in mid Feb, staying at a friend's vacation home.  This will be my second ski trip ever, last was in 2006 shortly after the rose bowl.  Taking kids 15, 12, 8.  None of them have skied before.

[Al_4_ISU 12452]

I wore my grease and diesel stained Carhartt bibs and a free (also grease and oil stained) Key jacket from the good folks at Ag Direct (with their logo emblazed on it) the last time I was at A-Basin.  I was definitely the fashion trend setter that day.

[Sbbruin 21829]

Anyone ever ski Snowbasin in UT?  I ask because this new airline, Avelo, based out of the Burbank Airport, flies to all of these secondary airports like Ogden.  SUPER cheap flights.  Thought maybe a family trip out of town may make sense if we fly in Ogden and hit Snowbasin.

R/t flight from Burbank to Ogden for 4 would be $313.  TOTAL.  For all 4 of us.  

Edited January 5, 2022 by Sbbruin

[NTVTXN 1432]

23 hours ago, JCHIL said:

Skied the upper bowls but I didn’t drop the $40 to ride the Lone Peak Tram.  No major pow dump when I was there so no need to go up there this time...good conditions overall, bitter cold last few days but snow is very soft.  

My Goodness. That is a beautiful image. I’m a sucker for snow capped mountains. Just glorious.