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Utah and Colorado Skiing

Even though it takes longer to get to Aspen/Snowmass you don't get the weekend crowds there like you do on the front range. We fly out five weeks from Tuesday. So pumped.
 
Crested and Wolf are awesome spots that no one out of state touches.

Created Butte is awesome but it is a huge pain getting out there. We got caught in a snowstorm driving from Gunnison to Denver one time and it took 12 hours to get there. Add on to that Monarch pass was closed, it was horrifying driving in snow, in western Colorado and not seeing another car for hours.
 
This thread is giving me the bug. I haven't been skiing in 5 or 6 years and my fiancée has never been. I may need to plan a trip next year.

I've skied and snowboarded but I'm wondering if she and I could do a beginners clinic together. Out west I've only been to Steamboat.

Here's an idea (depending on how good you are at snowboarding) - the first day I put my son on skis, he was about 6 and very nervous. So I told him we would both take a private lesson, he would do skis, and I would do a snowboard (which I had never been on before). We were on the same bunny hill and he got to see me falling on my butt all day and then at the end of the day we floundered around together. I think it made him feel a lot better about the situation to understand that nobody is a master of snowsports their first day. That was the last time I've touched a snowboard but it was worth it that one day.
 
Created Butte is awesome but it is a huge pain getting out there. We got caught in a snowstorm driving from Gunnison to Denver one time and it took 12 hours to get there. Add on to that Monarch pass was closed, it was horrifying driving in snow, in western Colorado and not seeing another car for hours.

Yes it is gnarly through there. I have had similar experiences. Slept in my car overnight, dug out the next morning. 285 is a beautiful but dangerous stretch.
 
Has anyone ever skied Powder Mountain in Utah? My dad was talking to a friend of his today that is going out there next week. Sounded like it was a pretty affordable option for a western trip (certainly as as compared to Aspen/Snowmass. I'm going to pay through the nose for the trip I have coming up).
 
I've only ever skied Snowmass of the four mountains. Elk Camp has some of the best blue cruisers you'll find anywhere. I really like the Campground area if the snow is soft--pretty much all blacks there, so it is never crowded. Tons of area to explore over the whole mountain, so lift lines are typically short. You'll like it.
 
Beaver creek or Keystone for last week in March?

We bought the epic mix season pass and skied 8 days over Christmas - mostly at Breck since our place was there. I found some cheap airfare over the kid's spring break to Denver, so we are headed back out the last week in March and I cant decide on whether to stay at Keystone or Beaver Creek. Anybody have any thoughts on which one I should book? We are all good skiers / boarders and the kids like terrain parks. We would want to stay ski-in/out or walking distance to lift.
 
Beaver creek or Keystone for last week in March?

We bought the epic mix season pass and skied 8 days over Christmas - mostly at Breck since our place was there. I found some cheap airfare over the kid's spring break to Denver, so we are headed back out the last week in March and I cant decide on whether to stay at Keystone or Beaver Creek. Anybody have any thoughts on which one I should book? We are all good skiers / boarders and the kids like terrain parks. We would want to stay ski-in/out or walking distance to lift.

Keystone is closer, but smaller. Keystone will be more crowded on the weekends. I would recommend Beaver if you do not mind the drive. However, Beaver will be much more expensive in terms of lodging. Also, if you choose Keystone you may want to consider A-Basin, since they are on the same road and only a couple miles apart.
 
Just got back from a week at Alta. Just tremendous conditions. Had 4 sunny days, then a 23-inch dump for the last 2 days. I confess that I am an "Altaholic".

Deaclaw05: I have skied at Powder Mountain a couple of times. It is great, but it's not Alta. PM is big in acreage and pretty wide open. 4 or 5 lifts, if memory serves.
 
Keystone is closer, but smaller. Keystone will be more crowded on the weekends. I would recommend Beaver if you do not mind the drive. However, Beaver will be much more expensive in terms of lodging. Also, if you choose Keystone you may want to consider A-Basin, since they are on the same road and only a couple miles apart.

I would agree with this. I would add that 1/2 of Keystone faces South and gets baked in the afternoon (no pun intended), which can lead to some pretty bad conditions if they haven't had fresh snow in a while. That said, there used to be some really nice powder stashes in the glades on the back hills, although much of it isn't steep enough. Also, A basin is awesome, but last time I was there they didn't have a terrain park to speak of, and unless you are an expert, A basin can get boring quick.
 
Going on a boy's trip to Aspen/Snowmass in mid February. Been to most other CO resorts but never these. Anything we need to be sure to see/do, including any great runs? Can ski most anything, can snowboard greens and blues comfortably.

Hike the bowl at Aspen Highlands. Hit the dispensaries in downtown Aspen. Cache Cache is a great restaurant and bar scene in downtown Aspen. Cloud 9 is a good spot to eat lunch mid-mountain at Aspen Highlands, but you need reservations. Hit a show at Belly Up. Tix are expensive, but small venue is well worth it.
 
Just got back from a week at Alta. Just tremendous conditions. Had 4 sunny days, then a 23-inch dump for the last 2 days. I confess that I am an "Altaholic".

Deaclaw05: I have skied at Powder Mountain a couple of times. It is great, but it's not Alta. PM is big in acreage and pretty wide open. 4 or 5 lifts, if memory serves.

Powder Mtn keeps showing up on "Best Value" lists that I see. Staying in Eden, UT is apparently dirt cheap compared to some other places--the place my dad's friend was staying you could get a two bedroom condo for just about $800 for a week. plus you've got Snowbasin right there as well (with more traditional lift capacity).

Also, I love Alta, and I really like Brighton as well. There are definitely some affordable options in Utah.
 
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I miss Alta. Hit Wintergreen Monday and it was as good as Wintergreen gets but just not the same....
 
Wintergreen and Alta should never appear in the same post, paragraph, or sentence.

I realize I am simultaneously making and breaking my own rule.

I just got back from Deer Valley. Place is like Disneyworld for skiers. Huge variety of terrain, snowboarding prohibited, food is absolutely delicious, staff to guest ratio is Disneyesque (they usually have an employee standing by every giant trail map at the top of every lift, for example, and there's 21 lifts). Rossignol has a free demo tent where you can demo any Rossi ski you want for free for 2 hours, and you can do that all day long as long as you switch every couple hours. Accommodations are amazing too. It's no Alta but there was plenty of black diamond terrain to keep me happy. Would not recommend for hard core back country powderhounds, but unbeatable for a family ski vacation where everyone has different ability levels.

My only complaint is the expense; I got a pre-season discount deal that made it OK and similar to other resorts but paying full sticker would hurt bad. The rentals especially are overpriced. Had a 20% discount to rent the kid's skis and the sticker shock was still brutal. That said, for the most part you get a ton of value for what you pay.
 
my niece just won her age group in the ski thing where you do flips and jumps and shit out in park city. hoping she makes the olympics in a few years
 
Going to Alta next week. I have always rented demo skis from the shop at GMD. Has anyone tried the shop next to the lift for rentals? I hear it is cheaper but don't want to waste time since I will be arriving late night, renting first thing in the am, then taking daughter up to the ski school. Gracias if you have any experience to share, one way or the other.
 
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