The Big Sky Gathering (2/24/19 - 3/2/19) ...and beyond.

[MarkP]

Jackson & Targhee are overran with gapers and posers. If you're going to drive 400 miles you'd be better off flying into Spokane then hitting Silver Mountain, Lookout Pass, Montana Snowbowl & Discovery. All 4 have good snow and great terrain plus a local vibe you won't find at most ski areas anymore.

I've always gotten a great vibe at Targhee. Only been there middle of the week, with no crowd, which always helps.

Will keep in mind your recommendations as I start planning a month long ski gypsy trip next season.

 

[James]

If you are cheap, like I am and my wallet tells me to be, you don't care if ABay is on the VR pass. You can get an Abay Spring pass (which generally pays for the spring trip) with a buy-up option for an Abay Season Pass the next year. If you are a MD regular, you only have to buy a pass every other year (with a Nov-Apr skiing gap every other year.) Hope they continue with that.

Yep.
Moving Mothers Day to April??
Just wrong. The whole point is it's May. April is still ski season.

 

[PisteOff]

What...All the PBR was gone????

He said "good" beer.....how the hell did you arrive at PBR??

 

[PisteOff]

I've always gotten a great vibe at Targhee. Only been there middle of the week, with no crowd, which always helps.

Will keep in mind your recommendations as I start planning a month long ski gypsy trip next season.

Absolutely love Targhee and the words "overrun" and "Targhee" don't belong in the same sentence. We were there on Christmas eve day and they told my son and I it was the busiest they'd ever seen it. We looked over at the lift line, looked at each other, and started laughing.

 

[Fuller]

I'm a big Grand Targhee fan but sometimes they have too much snow!

Silver, Discovery, Montana Snowbowl and Lookout Pass are still on my future agenda. I'll put up with a long drive and slow lifts in favor of terrain, snow and no lift lines.

 

[Tricia]

Yep.
Moving Mothers Day to April??
Just wrong. The whole point is it's May. April is still ski season.

A-Basin for Mothers day will be Mothers day this year like it has been in the past.
We may have a discussion during the event this year to talk about the future, based on how expensive A-Basin Beach spots have gotten and how to handle the Mothers day date when it falls a full two weeks into the month.
If you're there this year (I still need to get the thread up) then you can give your 2 cents.

 

[MarkP]

Rio said: ↑
Jackson & Targhee are overran with gapers and posers. If you're going to drive 400 miles you'd be better off flying into Spokane then hitting Silver Mountain, Lookout Pass, Montana Snowbowl & Discovery. All 4 have good snow and great terrain plus a local vibe you won't find at most ski areas anymore.

MarkP said: ↑
I've always gotten a great vibe at Targhee. Only been there middle of the week, with no crowd, which always helps.
Will keep in mind your recommendations as I start planning a month long ski gypsy trip next season.

Absolutely love Targhee and the words "overrun" and "Targhee" don't belong in the same sentence. We were there on Christmas eve day and they told my son and I it was the busiest they'd ever seen it. We looked over at the lift line, looked at each other, and started laughing.

I was in one of my rare non-escalating moods at that time

 

[Sibhusky]

"Over run" is based what you're used to. When I first moved here and actually skied Saturdays (the horror) and heard the locals bitching I laughed as well. After 15 years of empty trails I now consider that we're over run anytime there's someone ahead of me (or for that matter, behind me) on the slope. I can tell for sure that we're going to have another record breaking season here this year for skier visits. (And maybe snowfall as well.) Tuesdays just aren't what they used to be. I might even have to use the singles line MIDWEEK!

 

[Karen_skier2.0]

Mothers Day will happen again this year...Although with a change....which should be announced soon...so don't make reservations yet. Let's get through this year and see what happens with passes since A-Baisin is a free agent after this season.

Soon? Glad I caught this note.

 

[Kneale Brownson]

E-Tow cabin at Loveland?

 

[Sibhusky]

"Over run" is based what you're used to. When I first moved here and actually skied Saturdays (the horror) and heard the locals bitching I laughed as well. After 15 years of empty trails I now consider that we're over run anytime there's someone ahead of me (or for that matter, behind me) on the slope. I can tell for sure that we're going to have another record breaking season here this year for skier visits. (And maybe snowfall as well.) Tuesdays just aren't what they used to be. I might even have to use the singles line MIDWEEK!

Like I said: http://flatheadbeacon.com/2018/03/26/whitefish-mountain-resort-breaks-record-skier-visits/
The season isn't done yet and we set a record.

 

[Phelmut]

Paying for a lift ticket is the least of the expenses, at least for me. Airfare, car rentals and accommodations are likely to be a greater expense for me and I would view a daily lift ticket as a negligible expense, especially since whatever ski passes I would have for most of the season will have been long since paid for and not freshly deducted from my meager budget. Caveat: a daily lift ticket at A-Basin is likely to be far less than a daily lift ticket at Vail on a busy holiday or weekend.

I won't be out there regardless, but walkup rates for Abasin are $95/day, so even if you only ski 5 days that is $475. I've never paid more than that for airfare (even without FF miles) nor for a vehicle rental. Even lodging is close to $500/week on my trips. Either way lift tix are a significant piece of a ski trip budget and getting a good deal on a pass can lead to big savings.

 

[James]

I won't be out there regardless, but walkup rates for Abasin are $95/day, so even if you only ski 5 days that is $475. I've never paid more than that for airfare (even without FF miles) nor for a vehicle rental. Even lodging is close to $500/week on my trips. Either way lift tix are a significant piece of a ski trip budget and getting a good deal on a pass can lead to big savings.

Well you could pay $475 for those 5 days or just buy a Spring pass for $269 and ski as long as you want this season.
https://www.arapahoebasin.com/tickets-and-passes/season-passes/spring-pass/

 

[KingGrump]

Well you could pay $475 for those 5 days or just buy a Spring pass for $269 and ski as long as you want this season.
https://www.arapahoebasin.com/tickets-and-passes/season-passes/spring-pass/

Damn,that makes way too much sense.

 

[SBrown]

$169 for a three-day pass, too.

 

[neonorchid]

Jackson & Targhee are overran with gapers and posers. If you're going to drive 400 miles you'd be better off flying into Spokane then hitting Silver Mountain, Lookout Pass, Montana Snowbowl & Discovery. All 4 have good snow and great terrain plus a local vibe you won't find at most ski areas anymore.

Spent last week at Jackson cashing in on the Warren Miller film two-day lift ticket bonus, didn't seem so overrun by posers and gapers to me. Although I'll say the combination of 15" overnight Thursday - Fri., along with the aerial tram on wind hold made for some longish lift lines Friday morning thru early afternoon!

 

[James]

Spent last week at Jackson cashing in on the Warren Miller film two-day lift ticket bonus, didn't seem so overrun by posers and gapers to me. Although I'll say the combination of 15" overnight Thursday - Fri., along with the aerial tram on wind hold made for some longish lift lines Friday morning thru early afternoon!

What was the ticket bonus?

 

[neonorchid]

What was the ticket bonus?

Two full day lift tickets free of charge

 

[Phelmut]

Damn,that makes way too much sense.

 

[Jimski]

Has a date been set yet for Big Ski 2019? Thanks.