Where to go

mmckechnie

mmckechnie

Active member
So I'm thinking about going on a trip out west either this coming season or the one after. 3 years ago I did a trip to Vail, Beaver Creek and Copper, which was pretty fun, but back then i wasn't into powder and natural terrain ie trees, open faces, cliffs, etc, and I've heard CO isn't the best that the west has to offer. I'm just trying to figure out what region, like tahoe, pnw, rockies, BC, AK, southwest, etc of the west would make for a fun trip. Specific states and even ski resorts are good too. Basically I'm looking for a change from skiing the east and to have a fun time. Mellow pow runs, pillow lines, trees, and small cliffs to drop sound fun. Reliable snow is a must cause i want to hit some pow. + Karma for anyone who helps.
 
Go To the Utah Area

Solitude= Quiet Good Backcrountry Runs and Pow

Brighton= Good Cliffs Good Jibs

Alta= Skiers Onl Good Cliffs and backcrountry runs

SnowBasin= Huge but Quiet You can do anything you want there. Plus you can take a run down the Olympic Mens Downhill run in

However

if you do go to Colorado GO TO A BASIN

It has cliffs and is mostly black runs
 
yah utah is awesome. brighton is a way sick bet. also if your into really sick powder, mt baker is a sick choice. they always have powder it seems, and they have some sick terrain too.
 
Ya this is probably your best option unless you went to like baker or something. Here in Utah you can hit a ton of resorts that have amazing terrain, and if you hit it like a year we had this year you will most likely have fresh snow. Also, if you do want to spend a day in an amazing park you can hit up park city.
 
if u got to CO hit up wolf creek for sure
have some of if not the most snow in the state every year, awesome terrain very few people, and cheap
always powder to find there
that would be my highest reccomendation
 
it looks like im planning a trip with my old man to mt baker and then to retallack. i showed him believe and he was amazed at the pow and hes a pow junkie so my plan worked swell. baker looked sick, sounds like its pow heaven?
 
Iv only been able to ski CO in the west but if ya head back there and u want trees cliffs and pow i dont think u'll find anything better than crested butte
 
go to utah theres so much variety in the terrain, park city if you wana do park, or the cottonwood canyons for pow and steeps
 
i can only vouch for one place out west because it's the only place ive been, mt. baker. the place is incredible, but if you're looking to ride more than 1 mountain it prolly isn't your best bet (utah is more suited for that)
 
i'll jump on the bandwagon and say utah...if you want to spend some time here you'll have a lot of variety because of the close proximity of 8 baller ass mountains (not including bambi basin)
 
ive only heard great things about baker. but utah does have the easy accesability. like slc is close to lots of areas and like i think the closest u can get to baker is like an hour away or something.
 
alright, so i guess you guys pretty much think mt baker or slc area for a sick trip, any other ideas? Also what time of year should I go in for best conditions? I can basically go from december 15th to january 15th or the 2nd week of march since i am in college. Finally, being from the east I don't have powder skis, all i have is 84 waisted scratch fs wrs. So are their places around baker, and slc where you can demo/rent fat twins like the sir francis bacon, scratch steeze, jjs, etc? + karma again for people who can help me out
 
Ya you can demo like Arg's Pontoons and JJ's at Snowbird and i think maybe hellbents but not sure. Kinda steep though.
 
if you go to CO try and go to the southwest, hit up Crested Butte on your way there then go to Telluride and try to make your way over to wolf creek
 
If you have the money Silverton will blow you away. Hands down best days of skiing ever for me and everyone there is super chill
 
steeper pow is easier to ski than not steep pow when were talking real dumpage, like at least a foot or more.

but anyways, man dont hit up the pnw, i love it cause i live here, but our snows not light enough.

id do ak myself
 
So I guess I'm staying in denver now, my friend and I can stay with relatives which saves a ton of money, and will be driving to the mountains, probably abasin and loveland as they are fairly close.

So for abasin and loveland what would be better for snow conditions, december 26th to december 10th or the second week of march?

Also does anyone know of some places out in the Denver area or around abasin/loveland that does demos or rentals of fat twins like scratch steeze, jjs, bacons, czars, livelifes, prophets, vct, gotama, etc?

+ Karma for anyone who helps
 
hm, if your trying to save money i wouldnt stay in denver, then you have to pay at least $25 in gas everyday to get to the mountains. you can demo skis up at the mountains most of the time, i would recomend riding breck for park and a-bay or beaver creak for pow... might be worth it to buy a season pass too, its like $350, so if your there for like 7 days you make your money back......if for some reason you change your mind you should go to Jackson Hole, by far the best in the US
 
anyone else?

When would be better to hit up abasin/loveland? December 26th through January 10th range or the second week of March? Like what would be best for powder days and having the most terrain open? (glades, open faces, hikeable only stuff, chutes, etc)

Also anybody know of places to demo/rent pow skis in the Denver area or abasin/loveland area? How available is it to rent something like Bacon, steeze, new JJ, czar, livelife, prophets, gotama, vct, etc?
 
Powder mountain is sick forsure but far away from Salt lake and ogden. Tahoe is great you can hit alpine meadows and squaw for big mountain and some pretty good park and north star and boreal for some epic park riding. Fly into reno and take advantage of the biggest little city in the world!
 
Yeah denver and the foothills have tons of places for that type of thing. I might even have a pair that would if you have a 300 sole length. Also hit up some reps if you are going to film they might let you borrow a pair.
 
when for arapahoe basin/loveland dec26th through jan10th range or 2nd week of march?

what would be better for pow, trees, etc?
 
A basin has some great lines so they get my vote. I have had some great days at loveland though be prepared to hike. Also look into renting a sled and hitting up Vail pass
 
definitely check out grand targhee/jackson hole. they get tons of snow (i think second behind alta) and targhee is fairly unknown, you probably could ski fresh pow for 3 or 4 days in a row there
 
+ karma for answers to: late december/early january or early march for pow, trees, open faces, pillow lines, more terrain open?
 
with every trip i've done in late december/early january, i've only had pow once, and that was at grand targhee. last xmas i went to summit county, with breck, keystone, a basin, etc. didnt have one powder day, the conditions weren't great then. I'd definitely take a trip late february or early march to find some good pow. i know big sky, alta/slc, and targhee/jackson all get great snow around then.
 
not so much with the pillow lines but everything else you said, pow, trees, big open lines, fun terrain, lots open, pretty much describes big sky, especially if next winter is like this last one, ie ridiculous. im always surprised how infrequently the sky comes up in these "where should i ski" threads. i guess its a good thing, though. but yeah. thats my .02
 
ya big sky has everything, they get a ton of snow, i've just never found a good pillow line except that kinda sketch one on snake pit....but they have tons of good steep pow runs
 
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