Dang, I shouldn't have opened this thread. Now I want to plan a ski trip.

Well you're always welcome to visit I can getcha free rentals

JustPanda said:

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Well you're always welcome to visit I can getcha free rentals

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Bruh? Um, what do I have to do in exchange? Smuggle contraband or something disgusting, like a timeshare seminar?

Just rent his place

Just lmk some dates that work well for your schedule. I'll be here all season

NoahAg said:

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Telluride is one of my favorite places on Earth. I grew up taking ski trips to Summit County - A Basin, Copper, Breck - but they do get crowded.

We were in Telluride a few years ago during Christmas and New Year's and it still wasn't crowded like Summit Co.

If you have the means, Telluride is awesome. Remember though, for your family's first ski trip they won't know what "bad" skiing is, so I would also consider some closer, cheaper New Mexico options like Red River and Taos.

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No offense, but I would not recommend Taos for a family's first ski outing. Start with a more beginner-friendly mountain.

milner79 said:

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NoahAg said:

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Telluride is one of my favorite places on Earth. I grew up taking ski trips to Summit County - A Basin, Copper, Breck - but they do get crowded.

We were in Telluride a few years ago during Christmas and New Year's and it still wasn't crowded like Summit Co.

If you have the means, Telluride is awesome. Remember though, for your family's first ski trip they won't know what "bad" skiing is, so I would also consider some closer, cheaper New Mexico options like Red River and Taos.

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No offense, but I would not recommend Taos for a family's first ski outing. Start with a more beginner-friendly mountain.

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Agree. Very little in the way of beginner friendly terrain. Mostly narrow crowded roads for beginner slopes.

Taos has all those black runs at the base. Remember well the first time I went there and said WTF.

txags92 said:

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milner79 said:

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NoahAg said:

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Telluride is one of my favorite places on Earth. I grew up taking ski trips to Summit County - A Basin, Copper, Breck - but they do get crowded.

We were in Telluride a few years ago during Christmas and New Year's and it still wasn't crowded like Summit Co.

If you have the means, Telluride is awesome. Remember though, for your family's first ski trip they won't know what "bad" skiing is, so I would also consider some closer, cheaper New Mexico options like Red River and Taos.

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No offense, but I would not recommend Taos for a family's first ski outing. Start with a more beginner-friendly mountain.

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Agree. Very little in the way of beginner friendly terrain. Mostly narrow crowded roads for beginner slopes.

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For sure. For young family or beginners in New Mexico Red River and Angel fire are where it's at. If, the snow is there.

Something that I have yet to see mentioned here is the speed of the lifts at the different resorts. If you are a beginner skier, this aspect doesn't really matter. If you are a mid level to advance skier then this can be a big deal in my opinion.

This past year I went on a 3 day trip to Taos. Taos at the time only had two express lifts and all of the others were conventional lifts. I was wearing my Garmin watch with the ski tracking app running on it the whole day I was skiing. I averaged 5:23hrs total time on the mountain not including lunch. My average vertical decent was 25,066ft and I skied an average of 25.6mi. Total average time skiing each day, 1:18... That means I spent a total of 4.5hrs on average a day riding lifts.

I would say I am an advanced skier, I usually go down double blacks and do back country stuff as well. This trip, there wasn't much snow so I was stuck to mainly blues and blacks so It's not like the 5:23 includes me doing any hiking or traversing. Lift lines were also non existent.

I much prefer to go to a resort where almost all of their lifts are express lifts like Steamboat, Winter Park, and Breckenridge. Taos is upgrading their lifts this year to express ones so that will be nice

Also, If anybody ever want's to get together and go Heliskiing in Silverton, hit me up because that's something I have always wanted to do but have a hard time finding people who want to do it.

Don't go here:

Frozen (2010 American film) - Wikipedia

We heli ski Silverton almost every year. Tetons as well. We plan on AK this year too.

I kinda have to laugh a bit at the Breck drop in your post.

Switch a 14 minute chair with a 7-8 high speed quad but move from a 1-2 minute lift line to 15-20-30+

It's been a few years since I have been to Breck but the last time I went, there were no lift lines unless you went to the bottom of the mountain mid day. Even then, it was only around 10min.

Go to Copper if you want good skiing and lower lift lines and high speed express chairs in Sumco. Avoid Keystone and Breck if your goal is to ski more than waiting base or on chair lifts. Vail has terrible lift lines depending on where you go and what time (gondola 1&19 and chair 4/2 depending on the time of day). The nice thing about Vail is there are multiple ways to get most places so as one backs up, you can slide a different way there without losing ski time, BC isn't nearly as bad. Snowmass never has a line. Breck and Keystone are both filled w diagonals of death.

Crested Butte very rarely has any lift lines and has several high speed chairs from the base area.

If you're flying from Texas, make it count. Vail and California have ruined affordability for Colorado skiing on the "once a year trip with a family of 5"

Affordability, plenty of lodging, and a mountain with lots of terrain, I always suggest Winter Park. Closest to Denver and has everything you're looking for. Telluride, Aspen, Vail, Beaver Creek, Breck and now CB are insane if you're wanting a nice ski in ski out, mountain town experience.

Family of 5 gonna run you $10k.

I suggest looking at some alternative locations if flights are reasonable. Seriously consider these:

Heavenly @ Lake Tahoe. Every skier in America should experience this place at least once.
Squaw Valley/North Star/Sugar Bowl on west side of Tahoe. Fly to Sacramento (cake) and rent a car. Or Reno. American and SWA have both.

This are of California is some of the best skiing I've ever had.

Park City, UT. Enough said. Easy flights into major airport. Tons of lodging. MULTIPLE mountains within easy driving distance.

I've saved the best for last. Once in a lifetime experience? Best exchange rate we've seen in a long, long time? Whistler, British Columbia Canada.

Flights will be more, yes, but lift tickets are currently $80/USD PER DAY. $80!!! You can't ski at some **** hill in New Mexico for that and Whistler/Blackcomb is the absolute best mountain I've ever skied (I've skied in 6 countries - humble brag).

The Olympic village at the base beats Vail (IMO) and the "international" feel is amazing. Tons of brits, aussies, kiwis, people from all over the world skiing there. Lower elevation (top is just over 7,000'). We flew into Vancouver and took an easy shuttle from there to Whistler. An amazingly beautiful drive (Sea to Sky Highway). Stayed at the Westin where our ski rack (valet) was 5 yards from the lift and run. Walked to the grocery store and all restaurants and bars. It will be a vacation you never, ever forget.

You realize Heavenly, Park City/Canyons, and Whistler BC are Vail Resorts right? Just think it's funny you mention how VR has ruined affordability and then offered a VR mountain as the alternative.

VR ruined Colorado. I'd rather not get into a skiing dispute argument with you.

Of course I realize that. Why pay $250/day to ski Vail or "Telly" when there are better options.

If you want the ski trip of a lifetime, go to Andorra or AK and helidrop. It's mind blowing and will make you never want to ski a front face again. We went to Andorra back before kids and I almost wish we'd waited another year or two to catch it again. We went to AK last April and plan on going back this March. It was beyond next level.


Japan also has some ridiculous POW too. Probs the best in the world if you're ever over that direction and have time for a couple laps.

Cool.

Anyone been to Big Sky, on my bucket list!

Never change Texags! Guy wants to take his family on his first ski trip, and here we are on page two discussing the merits of heli-skiing in Alaska and the snow quality in Japan.

Yeah. Difficult mountain. Can be cold as balls and windy.

Very pricy since lodging is limited/bougie near the mountain.

One person in particular… lol.

ChoppinDs40 said:

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One person in particular… lol.

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Oh I wasn't complaining or trying to single anybody out. It is just funny to me how inevitable it is when discussions like this come up on almost any topic that we will eventually get to this point.

ChoppinDs40 said:

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If you're flying from Texas, make it count. Vail and California have ruined affordability for Colorado skiing on the "once a year trip with a family of 5"

Affordability, plenty of lodging, and a mountain with lots of terrain, I always suggest Winter Park. Closest to Denver and has everything you're looking for. Telluride, Aspen, Vail, Beaver Creek, Breck and now CB are insane if you're wanting a nice ski in ski out, mountain town experience.

Family of 5 gonna run you $10k.

I suggest looking at some alternative locations if flights are reasonable. Seriously consider these:

Heavenly @ Lake Tahoe. Every skier in America should experience this place at least once.
Squaw Valley/North Star/Sugar Bowl on west side of Tahoe. Fly to Sacramento (cake) and rent a car. Or Reno. American and SWA have both.

This are of California is some of the best skiing I've ever had.

Park City, UT. Enough said. Easy flights into major airport. Tons of lodging. MULTIPLE mountains within easy driving distance.

I've saved the best for last. Once in a lifetime experience? Best exchange rate we've seen in a long, long time? Whistler, British Columbia Canada.

Flights will be more, yes, but lift tickets are currently $80/USD PER DAY. $80!!! You can't ski at some **** hill in New Mexico for that and Whistler/Blackcomb is the absolute best mountain I've ever skied (I've skied in 6 countries - humble brag).

The Olympic village at the base beats Vail (IMO) and the "international" feel is amazing. Tons of brits, aussies, kiwis, people from all over the world skiing there. Lower elevation (top is just over 7,000'). We flew into Vancouver and took an easy shuttle from there to Whistler. An amazingly beautiful drive (Sea to Sky Highway). Stayed at the Westin where our ski rack (valet) was 5 yards from the lift and run. Walked to the grocery store and all restaurants and bars. It will be a vacation you never, ever forget.

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Shhhhh…don't ruin Whistler/blackcomb for us enlightened

just trying to spread the good word - it's definitely a trek from Texas (5 hour flight and 2 hour shuttle ride) but the journey makes it more impressive when you stare up those spines from the base.

Peak to creek is probably my favorite run, ever.

Cloudcroft?

Where do you like to stay at Whistler? Thinking of going there for SB. 7 year olds and wife have skied once so I'm thinking to stay at the Blackcomb base to be close to lessons.

We stay down in Whistler village because apres ski is just as important as skiing to us. I park the car upon arrival, and don't start it up again until it's time to head back sea-tac. If you rent skis at the base, they'll store them after your done for the day, so there's no issue of having to carry your and kids skis through the village

Txhuntr said:

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We stay down in Whistler village because apres ski is just as important as skiing to us. I park the car upon arrival, and don't start it up again until it's time to head back sea-tac. If you rent skis at the base, they'll store them after your done for the day, so there's no issue of having to carry your and kids skis through the village

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echo this.

We stayed at the Westin right at the base of Whistler. Blackcomb is easy to get to from there.

We took a large shuttle (charter bus) from Vancouver that dropped us right at the resort hotel. You don't need a car when you're there.

The Delta hotel (if you're marriott) is nice because the rooms have kitchens for cooking - little bit longer walk but the lack of elevation is SO NICE. You're at Amarillo elevation at the bottom. Lots of nice restaurants but you'll need reservations for the better ones and at prime eating times. Bring a rain jacket... it can be raining in the village and snowing on the mountain.

What am I missing looking at lift tickets?

4 day pass on whistlers site for March is $912 CAD ($666)

But 4 day epic day pass is $400

Thats cheaper per day than my buddy ticket price of CAD 179

no idea. dates matter - I was looking first week of March (pre spring break usually).

sometimes the Epic pass has blackouts but those are usually only christmas/NY, presidents day and MLK.

ChoppinDs40 said:

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just trying to spread the good word - it's definitely a trek from Texas (5 hour flight and 2 hour shuttle ride) but the journey makes it more impressive when you stare up those spines from the base.

Peak to creek is probably my favorite run, ever.

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Sea to sky is to truly a surreal drive. And I always find it crazy that some of the best seafood I've ever had was while at the base of a mountain. But c'mon man, symphony is the best area on that mountain (when it's open).