Snow Skiing Resort towns?
 

Hi. For the snow skiiers out there: What is your favorite ski resort town? Why do you like it so much? Do you keep going back to the same town year after year? I've only been skiing once in Mont Tremblant, Quebec, Canada and LOVED it so much I want to go again. I've heard great things about Deer Valley and Park City, Utah. I know Colorado is great too, but not too accessable from the Denver airport, where as the two Utah towns are not to far from Salt Lake airport. What about ski resorts in the northeast US?

I like Interlaken, Switzerland (hee hee) but of course I cannot go there every year. Maybe sometime when I am rich!
I've heard in the Northeast, try the Mt. Washington (Vermont). But here in Iowa, there is not many ski resort around (Go flat fields!), but we go up to Minnesota, there are some nice ski resort.
Man, wish there is snow already!

Re: Snow Skiing Resort towns?
 

Think you've gotten some bad information about Colorado Ski Areas/towns.

Arapahoe Basin, Keystone, Copper Mountain, Vail and Breckenridge are within 60-90 minutes west of Denver International Airport either right on or not far off Interstate 70.

In terms of "towns," I really like Breckenridge simply because it was a real town before it became a resort -- much like Park City -- except that, at least in my opinion, it hasn't mushroomed like Park City since the first time I visited there in the 1970's.

Keystone, Vail and Copper are more resorts than towns -- having been built around ski areas.

As I recall, Snowbird is pretty much a resort, while next door neighbor Alta is more of a town.

Skiing is great at all of them.

I learned to ski years ago at Killington in Vermont and have to say this. Skiing the East vs. the West is like two different worlds. Cold and Ice in the East and blue skies and powder in the West.

GREAT topic!

I think the best resort (total package) I've ever been to is Whistler/Blackcomb, but the snow is a little too wet for my tastes.

The best snow ANYWHERE I've been* is at the decidely un-glamorous, Wolf Creek in Colorado. Despite that fact, or perhaps because of it, Wolf Creek is my absolute favorite place to ski. I go there at least once a year -- I try to go skiing at least three times a year: Once early in the season, once in mid-season and once in the spring.

This year I am planning to go to Whistler/Blackcomb for a week and Summit County (Breckenridge, Keystone, Copper Mountain, Arapahoe Basin) for a long weekend.

DeltAlum: Have you been to A-Basin? I notice you are from Colorado.

And, Lisa, I concur with DeltAlum, there are many resorts convenient to Denver. In addition to Summit County, isn't Loveland right nearby, DeltAlum? I know someone who attended the Airforce Academy and he said it was one of his favorite places to ski in all of Colorado.

* I've been to:

* Breckenridge (Colorado)
* Copper Mountain (Colorado)
* Keystone (Colorado)
* Ski Apache (New Mexico)
* Ski Santa Fe (New Mexico)
* Taos (New Mexico)
* Whistler/Blackcomb, (British Colombia)
* Winter Park (Colorado)
* Wolf Creek (Colorado)

Heavenly in Lake Tahoe is awesome because of the incredible view of the lake and great snow. But I'd have to say my favorite place is Sunday River in Bethel, Maine. Much smaller, very laid back and homey small town atmosphere.

i always went to Loon and Waterville Valley in New Hampshire. I like both of them a lot.

I also went skiing at big bear mountain in california once. i thought that was great skiing, plus i loved how it was so warm there.

Re: Re: Snow Skiing Resort towns?
 

Love Breckenridge-the town is so picturesque & there are some nice greens that you can just take your time on....It was the first place I ever went skiing, so it'll always have a special place in my heart. We were there during some International Snow Sculpture festival, and it was pretty cool to see those huge blocks of ice up & down the streets waiting to be shaped.

My husband owns a ski apparel shop in Lubbock, so we are hoping for a very cold winter & a good ski season!

Aside from Breckenridge, I've only been to New Mexico (Angel Fire & Ruidoso).... Not crazy about the NM places so far, but Ruidoso is only 5 hours away from Lubbock so we go when we can.

Its time to take the kids for their first trip, but I'm wondering where to go...I heard Keystone was a good place for kids...is that true? I just worry about them getting plowed by snowboarders.

Andi,

I'd say Keystone or Winter Park for new skiiers. Winter Park is harder to get to because you have to either go over Berthoud Pass, which can be a pain in bad weather, or go way out of your way to the West. However, while the kids are in ski school at WP, you can go ski Mary Jane which is right next door.

TechAPhi,

You're right, I forgot about Loveland, which is the closest to Denver. Tends to be a little windy and icy. Just over the Divide is A-Basin.

The neat thing about Summit County (mentioned above) is that the lift tickets can be used at any of the resorts. (Or at least they used to be -- anyone tell me if that's still true?) Plus, there a lot of other neat apres-ski stuff to do.

Man, now I can't wait to go skiing.

I like Sugarbush in VT.

I hope to go out west this winter.

I LOVE winter park! It is absolutly beautiful there, and if you are willing to make the trip, it's worth every minute of the drive.

Chamonix, France :D

Don't forget Banff, Alberta!

Or, you can take the Ski Train or AMTRAK from Denver on the weekends.

vermont is kind of remote but great

Quote:

Originally posted by DeltAlum The neat thing about Summit County (mentioned above) is that the lift tickets can be used at any of the resorts. (Or at least they used to be -- anyone tell me if that's still true?)

DeltAlum: Last time I was in Summit County, that was true. I think your lift ticket was valid for Breckenridge, Keystone and A-Basin.

I have a separate lift ticket in my scrapbook for Copper Mountain.

I used my multi-resort ticket to day ski at Breck and night ski at Keystone -- what an experience!

UPDATE
 

The multi-day lift ticket allows you ski at Keystone, Breckenridge, Vail, Beaver Creek, and Arapahoe Basin. (All are resorts owned by Vail Resorts Management Company)

Last year I skied two days at Park City and one at Deer Valley. Loved the town of Park City and loved the skiing at Deer Valley.
This year was Copper Mtn. and from Denver going to Copper was about two hours. Not too bad. I enjoyed my skiing there and loved the town of Breckenridge. It was pretty because it looked like being inside of a snow globe with the snow and old houses from the 1800s. The shopping is really neat there with art galleries and unique botiques etc....
Next year, maybe Vail or Telluride are two resorts that I would like to get to next.

Breckenridge is over-rated. In that area Vail is the best but I don't understand how it took you 2 hours from Denver Airport to Copper. Did you take the shuttles as soon as you land? Telluride was harder to get to, but I think it's the best in Colorado. I've heard if you're a really good skiier, then New Mexico has one awesome mountain but you have to trek to the top since there are no lifts. I'm not into skiing as much so I'm not planning on "trekking" anywhere without a lift. My top fav places are Whistler, Telluride, Jackson hole, and Vail. I did Vermont in high school but the snow is kinda icy. Mammoth also isn't the best snow IMO. But I bet if you ski or do that weird tele skiing, you might like different slopes.

-Rudey

I have only ever skiied Whistler/Blackcomb which has consistently been rated number ski resort in North America - so I guess I started at the top.

I would like to do some Colorado and Alberta skiing one day though, just to compare.

It depends on whether you're talking about the ski area or the town.

There's great skiing at both, but Breck (like Park City) was a mining town before it became a ski destination, and has a charm that Vail doesn't have in my opinion. Aspen is another example of mining town turned vacation destination (in the extreme).

Vail was developed as a ski area, and the town was built with the intention of being a tourist area.

I like them both, but think Breckenridge has more "character."

It's certainly not a scientific survey, but of my Colorado friends/residents who have condos in the mountains, most gravitate to Breckenridge, Winter Park or Steamboat rather than the I-70 areas like Vail and Copper that started out as resorts.

That being said, I certainly wouldn't turn down a place at Keystone (or better yet, Dillon which is just a mile or so away).

I think Vail was built by a guy who came back from WWII or something like that. I can't remember the whole story but it was in one of my Bloomberg magazines. Isn't Breck considered an I-70 resort? I've done Winter Park but not Mary Jane but had a bad experience with it. I hear Mary Jane is tougher. I know some friends that go to Steamboat every year because they like the town and hate the snoot of Aspen.

-Rudey

Crested Butte is a great ski town. I also like Whistler, Jackson Hole, Beaver Creek, and Pagosa Springs (Wolf Creek Ski area). The best ski town by far is Sun Valley, Idaho. If you haven't been there you should go.

personally i greatly enjoyed my time in aspen and snowmass. but then again, this is coming from a girl that grew up around mediocre resorts in the washington, dc vicinity.

Stay in Fresno, Col. Is that right DeltAlum just off of Dillion Resivor?

Can Ski:

Brekenridge, Copper, Keystone, A-Basin, Vail and a litle Farther Beaver Creek, West of Vail or go back up thrhough the Hole in the Wall to Loveland!

Toas, NM, is out of the way but a Ski area on the way. Set Up like a Swiss Ski Area. Toas that is.

Crested Butte, Teleride and Aspin is Neat but a ways to travel also.

Winter Park and Steam Boat Springs are also out of the way and You are There.:(

Kitchbul is Nice and Inns Brook is close.

But the snow can suck!

Sunlite at Gleenwood Springs isnt bad.

A lot depends on Your skiing abillity! Apres Skiing is very important in the evening!:D

Taos is the one I couldn't remember. I've heard it's pretty difficult to ski on.

-Rudey

You mean Frisco? There is an AWESOME place to go for breakfast there.

It is a European Style Ski Area in New Mexico.

Ran the Race Course there and one of the worst I have seen!:(

Turns at Lift Pylons and Tree Line.:eek:

Oh Ran Grand Slolam!:)

Dont Eat The Yellow Snow!:D

Trees dont give!:D

Snow Conditions are different from the East Coast and Western Ski Areas also.:( Right Wax Helps a bunch!

I read about Taos. You don't have lifts so you gotta work your way up. When you sit down for dinner you get randomly placed at a table and they serve great food.

Lucky guy Tom! :)

-Rudey
--Wear a helmet if you go for those trees hah

Thanks, it is Frisco!!!!!!:)


Sorry Rudey, They do Have Lifts!:) Didnt stay on The Mt. Stayed in Toas and had great food. Also a LX Brother had an Art gallery there!

Only place I had to Hike up a friggen Mountain was in The Big Kitzbuhl! Hell, ended up 15 Miles from Town! Hell, 4 Lts of water before the first Bier! Damn, I was dry!:confused:

If anyone makes it to Kitzbuhl, go to the Teninbaum for French Onion Soup and A Nice Crisp Chard!:cool: Watch The Beautiful Folks with Sable Coats slumming there!

OK I went to look it up and it's called Taos Ski Valley. I guess there's a lift partially and after that it's a steep hike to the top and down the double black diamonds.

-Rudey
--I don't think that's for me at all :)

Re: Snow Skiing Resort towns?
 

I went to Mont Tremblant for the first time this Spring Break after living in Montreal for almost a year. It is AMAZING there. It is just beautiful and the skiing was great. I also like the Vermont ski areas. Northern Vermont is gorgeous, we go down there every couple of weeks just to shop.

Yep -- great steak place, too.

Frisco is nice, but I was originally talking about Dillon -- between Frisco and Keystone.

In the 60's my fraternity lived in an old lodge that was on top of a mountain. There was an operating tow rope in the back of the house and you could ski whenever there was snow.

D A was that the pick Your own Steak and Cook It?

That was in Frisco though!

Have not been there in Yarns and I know Has Grown like crazy along with Prices!:(

Place I stayed at was 10n Mile Condos near I-70 it was nice and a Sh*t load of Ski Areas close at hand!:cool:

That was before Vail Assoc. took control and gave the whoopie Mt. Passes!