I did threads like this my first seasons in Portland and Salt Lake back on EpicSki, so I figure I'll continue the tradition. My first year living in Spokane, I skipped purchasing a season pass anywhere, and instead I plan to explore all the local hills. One nice thing immediately apparent about the local resorts is that even day tickets are relatively affordable, so when I picture a new home mountain, it's not that I intend to do 100% of my skiing there necessarily, but I'd like one specific mountain to really focus on getting to know it, And so that I can enjoy the perks of being a passholder, most notably skiing for a few hours if that's what I want or need without guilt for paying for a pricy day ticket.
A bit about me as a skier, for anyone curious or trying to figure out whether my impressions might match theirs. At this point, I think I'm a lifelong intermediate/groomer-zoomer. I have survived multiple encounters with powder and bumps, but I find myself less and less inclined to deal with them (though an inch or two of powder atop something smooth is very nice indeed). I'm not in shape, which contributes to my dislike of poling/uphill stretches, and it means that I'm not going bell-to-bell, at least not in the early season. Love to stop, enjoy the view and the sun, then go shooting off down the hill. I dislike feeling cold, and have an unfortunate tendency to run cold. My helmet (a top suggestion from one of the earlier threads for staying warm) helps. And much as I loved Snowbasin's/Park City's options for staying warm on the lift, wherever I land in the inland northwest isn't going to have such amenities, so I need to make the most of it. Also, I'm not a fan of lines or crowds. I generally enjoy most any groomed run unless it's flat (or uphill). I like plenty of green-marked runs. Also lots of blues and blacks. I enjoy variety, but if something's hitting just right, I'll happily lap it. My previous "home mountains" have been Arizona Snowbowl, Mountain High, Snowbasin, and Mt. Hood Skibowl. I've done significant skiing and really enjoyed Telluride, Brighton, Snowbird, and Mt. Hood Meadows. And I'd like to thank the participants in the 2018/2019 Inland PNW thread for their tips and offers of tours.
A bit about me as a skier, for anyone curious or trying to figure out whether my impressions might match theirs. At this point, I think I'm a lifelong intermediate/groomer-zoomer. I have survived multiple encounters with powder and bumps, but I find myself less and less inclined to deal with them (though an inch or two of powder atop something smooth is very nice indeed). I'm not in shape, which contributes to my dislike of poling/uphill stretches, and it means that I'm not going bell-to-bell, at least not in the early season. Love to stop, enjoy the view and the sun, then go shooting off down the hill. I dislike feeling cold, and have an unfortunate tendency to run cold. My helmet (a top suggestion from one of the earlier threads for staying warm) helps. And much as I loved Snowbasin's/Park City's options for staying warm on the lift, wherever I land in the inland northwest isn't going to have such amenities, so I need to make the most of it. Also, I'm not a fan of lines or crowds. I generally enjoy most any groomed run unless it's flat (or uphill). I like plenty of green-marked runs. Also lots of blues and blacks. I enjoy variety, but if something's hitting just right, I'll happily lap it. My previous "home mountains" have been Arizona Snowbowl, Mountain High, Snowbasin, and Mt. Hood Skibowl. I've done significant skiing and really enjoyed Telluride, Brighton, Snowbird, and Mt. Hood Meadows. And I'd like to thank the participants in the 2018/2019 Inland PNW thread for their tips and offers of tours.