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Where should I ski in 2020?

Which mountain do you think?

  • Steamboat or Snowmass

    Votes: 5 14.3%
  • Big Sky or Jackson Hole

    Votes: 4 11.4%
  • Telluride

    Votes: 9 25.7%
  • Squaw or Mammoth

    Votes: 2 5.7%
  • Solitude/Brighton

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Alta/Snowbird

    Votes: 3 8.6%
  • Deer Valley

    Votes: 1 2.9%
  • Whistler

    Votes: 2 5.7%
  • Other

    Votes: 9 25.7%

  • Total voters
    35

TonyPlush

Getting off the lift
Skier
Joined
Jan 4, 2018
Posts
492
Location
Minnesota
Forgive this rambling thread. I just got back from my annual guys trip, and I'm already daydreaming about the next one.

Our group consists of 7-8 guys. We love renting an affordable (less than $500 per night) ski in/out place, and we ski for 3-4 consecutive days.

We're trying to decide which mountain to target next year, and the first-world problem we're having is that we've already checked so many off our bucket list.

Likes:
-Long, fast groomers
-Mellow trees
-Steep groomed terrain or wind buffed bowls (35-40 degree pitch seems steep for our ability)
-Venturing off trail on blue and black terrain.
-The feeling of exploring a bigger mountain
-Scenic views
-Affordable ski in/ski out, or at least a convenient shuttle to the mountain
-Mangy Moose at Jackson Hole (for its down-to-earth vibe and cheap craft beer)
-Easy, cheap places for dinner. Burritos, pasta, or pizza is always a hit.

Dislikes:
-Lift lines longer than a couple chairs
-Cliffs and chutes
-Long hikes to terrain
-Double fall lines (Looking at you, Canyons...)
-Flat runouts back to the lift (Looking at you, Winter Park...)
-Fine dining or expensive dinners

Indifferent:
-We're not powder hounds. Soft snow conditions are obviously preferred, but crazy deep powder isn't a must. On the recent trip, a soft bluebird day was raved about more than the 6 inches of continuous snow the day before.

Favorite Mountains, in no particular order:
  • Steamboat - The mellow tree skiing is amazing. Mixed with fantastic long groomers. Crowds have never been too bad.
  • Big Sky - great variety with no crowds. Liberty bowl was a highlight.
  • Snowmass - Loved the long groomers, with enough advanced terrain to keep it interesting. Zero chair liftlines was a huge bonus too.
  • Jackson Hole - Loved the steeps, the feeling of exploration (especially the Hobacks), constant amazing views, and down to earth town of Jackson.
Least Favorite Mountains we've visited: (no offense to any fans)
  • Winter Park - Just never had that "this is amazing" moment. Felt like a series of mediocre mountains pasted together. Parsenn bowl had long runouts or double fall lines. Vasquez ridge had the most ridiculous runout I've ever seen. Bus-sized moguls on Mary Jane were a little above my ability. Exploring Eagle Wind was fun, but the trees were too dense for me. Enjoyed the Zephyr lift and Sleeper run.
  • Canyons - Seemed like every run was plagued with double fall lines and eventually funneled into a crowded people mover.
  • Aspen AJAX - Crowded runs. The town of Aspen wasn't my scene. Looked for a laid back meal and could only find fur coat shops, Louis Vuitton stores, and $$$$ restaurants.
Mountains we wish we could love:
  • Whistler: Best mountain I've ever experienced, but the crowds were unbearable.
  • Vail: Terrain fits our preferences perfectly, but I've spent one too many Tuesdays in 25 minute lift lines to ever go back.
Possible Contenders for Next Year's Trip:
  1. Return to Steamboat or Snowmass. Would be guaranteed to have a good time, but it's fun to mix things up.
  2. Return to Big Sky or Jackson Hole. Went to both of these this year, so this is the least "exciting."
  3. Telluride - one of the last major resorts we've never visited. I do wonder if the major allure here, which seems to be the great beginner terrain and awesome hike-to chutes of Palmyra, aren’t the best fit for our preferences.
  4. Squaw or Mammoth have always been on the bucket list, but I've heard they carry Vail-like crowds.
  5. Solitude and Brighton always look interesting, but I’m never sure what to do about lodging for our big group.
  6. Same with Alta/Snowbird, but add some concerns about the crowds.
  7. Deer Valley? Had a blast there four years ago. Only had 1 day and stuck to the groomers, so it would be fun to explore more off trail.
  8. Give Whistler another shot? Maybe we just got unlucky with 45 minute lift lines on Saturday? Maybe a Monday to Wednesday trip would be better?
  9. Other??
So many possibilities...

Again, pardon the novel. Can you tell I love thinking about ski vacations?
 
Last edited:
Thread Starter
TS
TonyPlush

TonyPlush

Getting off the lift
Skier
Joined
Jan 4, 2018
Posts
492
Location
Minnesota
Cliff notes:

Group of advanced skiers is debating whether to try somewhere new or just go back to the old favorites.

Old favorites include Steamboat, Snowmass, Big Sky, and Jackson Hole. New contenders include Telluride, Squaw, Mammoth, and the SLC area destinations. Whistler is an option, but we had a terrible crowd experience there three years ago.
 

Andy Mink

Everyone loves spring skiing but not in January
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Mammoth is not bad crowd-wise during the week. No way I'd go there on weekends as SoCal drains north. I've skied Squaw a few times this season and just am not blown away. Bay Area drains to Squaw/Alpine/Tahoe on the weekends, weekdays aren't bad. You also have Kirkwood, Heavenly, Northstar, and several smaller but fun areas within and hour or so of Truckee. I absolutely loved Big Sky during the gathering this year, moreso than Alta/Snowbird/Snowbasin last year. I've been to some of the others but didn't get enough time to give relevant feedback.
 

New2

Out on the slopes
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Spokane
Telluride's got great lift-served intermediate and advanced terrain, too. And amazing scenery and a really fun town that still includes some affordable pizza.
If you can do a midweek trip, Mammoth is probably perfect.
It'd be a real change of pace, but your group might enjoy Red Mountain a lot--tons of steep terrain to explore, tendency to get sun and wind-buffing, affordable slopeside lodging and a couple very fun but laid-back towns a few miles down the road, and fantastic views. But definitely lower-infrastructure than what you've been describing... old lifts, and not many of them... and lots of laid-back Canadians who sound just like Minnesotans to my ear, at least ogsmile
 

djetok

Low Lander
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Joined
Oct 1, 2017
Posts
526
Location
Edmond, OK
Crested butte
Crowds have not been a issue this year at all. Skied there new years, and mlk weekend this year. The other trip was during the week and no crowds at all. We will be there all next week with the kids.

Tons of variety of skiing at cb. Not a lot of flat runout there unless you ski home owners trail to a house. It has tree skiing but nothing like the boat.

Cheaper food in gunnison, crested butte is not horrible, and on mountain we just use the app for 9380 prime for some food ready when we ski down to the base. (Elk chilli yum).
Great all around mountain
.
With the town minutes from the base tons of options
Fly into Gunnison, shuttle 30 minutes to the base or town.

When it's just my wife and I we stay at Elevation, ski in/ski out and ski valet for less than 200 per night including parking. Next week we will be in a 3200 Sq foot townhome 4 bed / 5 bath for the week 3500 during spring break and it's right across from elevation and newish.
 

Andy Mink

Everyone loves spring skiing but not in January
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river-z

searching for seasons
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Posts
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Riverside, CA
The crowds at Mammoth aren't that bad unless the weather is bad and they have to put most of the place on wind-hold. Especially mid-week you're not gonna wait much. The views are really good and interesting in that you look one way to the Sierras and other way to the desert and Mono Lake. The town lacks the kind of interesting main street that many mountain town have and which are pretty cool, but it's got some restaurants and breweries a group of guys would like.
 

Rowdy Bonkers

In the parking lot (formerly "At the base lodge")
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Are you only looking at those options and/or do you get a pass like Ikon or Epic?
 

Bruuuce

My advice is worth what you paid for it.
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610
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Steamboat Springs
^^^ curiousity got me too, had to google that one

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Detroit-style_pizza

Where I grew up we called that "Sicilian".

What you describe in your likes is pretty much Steamboat, but if you've been here a bunch of times my votes would be for Telluride and Crested Butte. Everyone should visit Telluride once and the views/skiing are spectacular. I lived in CB and still consider that the place I learned to really ski. A great mountain to challenge yourself a little.

Have fun! If you come to Steamboat PM @Ron or me to share a few runs.
 

Bad Bob

I golf worse than I ski.
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Dec 2, 2015
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5,843
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West of CDA South of Canada
Sun Valley.
They might have the longest steep groomers in the country.
Next to no crowds.
A lot of good eat and drink spots that won't break the bank and probably within staggering range of lodging.
A number of places with $5 pints of micro.
Very good free bus system.
Perhaps the finest grooming and snowmaking in the country.
They often live up to their name.
A whole new section of the mountain opening up next year.

Bonus points there is a $200/day cat skiing operation about 50 miles away at Soldier Mountain.
The bathrooms at Snowbasin were modeled on Sun Valley.
 

scott43

So much better than a pro
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Nov 12, 2015
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13,552
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Great White North
Sun Valley.
They might have the longest steep groomers in the country.
Next to no crowds.
A lot of good eat and drink spots that won't break the bank and probably within staggering range of lodging.
A number of places with $5 pints of micro.
Very good free bus system.
Perhaps the finest grooming and snowmaking in the country.
They often live up to their name.
A whole new section of the mountain opening up next year.

Bonus points there is a $200/day cat skiing operation about 50 miles away at Soldier Mountain.
The bathrooms at Snowbasin were modeled on Sun Valley.
I'd like to try Sun Valley one day.. Maybe in 10 years! :roflmao:
 

Talisman

Out on the slopes
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Joined
Jan 9, 2018
Posts
906
Location
Gallatin County
The crowds at Mammoth aren't that bad unless the weather is bad and they have to put most of the place on wind-hold. Especially mid-week you're not gonna wait much. The views are really good and interesting in that you look one way to the Sierras and other way to the desert and Mono Lake.
Mammoth, weekends can be crazy but there are chairs to avoid the crowds and midweek it is all yours. In bad weather head to June Mtn up the road at June Lake which is an "upside down" mountain with the steeps at the bottom. When Mammoth has all the upper lifts closed, June is running the lower lifts for some steep ski tree skiing. June is good for empty weekend skiing. Tiger Bar for après in June Lake.
 

Snowflake2420

I70 is Life
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Dec 25, 2016
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464
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Denver
I voted Telluride, if you want to get away this is the place. Town, scenery, skiing, not crowded. Keep your fingers crossed next year is a good snow year.
 
Thread Starter
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TonyPlush

TonyPlush

Getting off the lift
Skier
Joined
Jan 4, 2018
Posts
492
Location
Minnesota
Sun Valley.
They might have the longest steep groomers in the country.
Next to no crowds.
A lot of good eat and drink spots that won't break the bank and probably within staggering range of lodging.
A number of places with $5 pints of micro.
Very good free bus system.
Perhaps the finest grooming and snowmaking in the country.
They often live up to their name.
A whole new section of the mountain opening up next year.

Bonus points there is a $200/day cat skiing operation about 50 miles away at Soldier Mountain.
The bathrooms at Snowbasin were modeled on Sun Valley.
Great recommendation and definitely a mountain I've overlooked. Sun Valley has been on the list for a while; I think I got scared away recently due to the low total snow figures. I suppose their terrain, with the emphasis on groomers, still does okay without tons of fresh?

The website says the expansion is for the 2020-21 season. We'd be taking the trip in Jan-March 2020, I'm assuming it won't be ready yet?
 

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