Dr D Posted April 15, 2006 Report Share Posted April 15, 2006 Never mind Shred somebody spilled it already:lol: I bomb bigmountain every thursday and most saturdays. I had to stand in line three saturdays this year. thursdays If you take to long stepping out of your bindings you'll get run over because there ain't no lines and the skiers don't even slow down going onto the chairs. We also have a smaller mountain in the valley that has incredible groom until the late hours. Its not steep but it has fantastic itermediate groom for learning the higher speed carving. Its also cheap. Big mountain season passes are 479$ until may 15 then they go up to 750 or so until october when the regular season price of 975 or so kicks in. If you buy them now they are dirt cheap. The rest of your stay is cheaper here than most places too. Big sky would be a good second choice. higher elevation and midweek only passes are dirt cheap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skatha Posted April 15, 2006 Report Share Posted April 15, 2006 Looks sweet...I'm looking for a nice place to take my kids, too....they are small....my husband is a rider-friendly skier...no jibbers here..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Gendzwill Posted April 16, 2006 Report Share Posted April 16, 2006 Neil, we will drive from Oregon, so we'll have a vehicle. Nightlife and shopping are of low importance to us (hey, its 8:30 Friday night), but a small town nearby with decent food would be helpful. I know Fernie has a pass with Kimberly, and Louise but as you mentioned, my impression is that the snow is a bit unpredictable. Sunshine looks like a great mountain and Kicking Horse sounds wonderful - though not for carving.The biggest problem with Sunshine right now is the parking on the weekends. They simply don't have enough. Once you get up on the hill, they have plenty of capacity for even very crowded days. Louise is a better carving hill but as others say, coverage can be an issue. Kicking Horse is about 3 hours from Banff and well worth an excursion. But you are right, it is definitely not a carving mountain and best suited for strong riders who like things steep. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tommy D Posted April 16, 2006 Report Share Posted April 16, 2006 I would never go back to big mountain.. Wait a minnute did i go there this year..oh yea..don't go! not enough people no night life.. too much groom and too much fog.. nope hate it... go too.uuuuhhhhhh Aspen.. Shred D'oh! ! ! I forgot about the fog and nightlife. Yep. Best to stay away. No nightlife and too much fog! Oh, don't mind the friendly locals! They'll show you their powder stash's before you know it, but you don't want that. Also, the restaurants in town are very good, but they are a short bus ride away, and that's no good either! Nevermind the beautiful views (IMHO, the best I've ever seen, compared to Whistler, Panorama, Colorado, et al...) but you don't want to go to Big. :lol: Actally, I thought Banff was really cool! I didn't get to hit any of the local resorts, but the town was definitely very nice(And beautiful with that postcard charm. And Calgary isn't far! A friend of mine did the drive from Seattle to Banff in about 13-14 hours, which beats flying, in my mind. If you've got all kinds of time, I suggest hitting up Big Sky/Bridger, then moving north to Big Mountain/Panorama/Banff. (Or reversing that, even!!!) But you'll be happy with anything in Montana/BC. (Glacier Natl. Park is GORGEOUS!!!) The first chance I get, I'm going back to Big Mountain. Yessiry! Big Mountain! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buell Posted April 16, 2006 Author Report Share Posted April 16, 2006 Ahhh, yes.... Big Sky Country. Montana is definitely high on the possibilities. I like its remoteness and its lack of development. We spent some weeks riding in Idaho this year. Brundage was a wonderful area, great little mountain, nicest people, great groom (I'll need to confirm that when we learn to carve this next season), empty midweek, but very few steeps. Schweitzer was a nice area, great mountain (wonderful bowls), foggy!, with small crowds. Dr. D, Thanks for the info on this secret mountain I keep hearing about. I was going to ask John his thoughts. I am impatiently awaiting a new Garage 173. :D After riding blind in the fog at Schweitzer this year, hey just give me a few trees for navigation and the courage to charge into the white! Tommy, I like your itinerary for us! Throw in Kicking Horse and we are set. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fleaman Posted April 16, 2006 Report Share Posted April 16, 2006 If you like the Kicking horse idea, Apex in Penticton will give you a run for your money. Steep and narrow for the top of the mountain then groomed blues to the lifts. I think I waited 5 minutes all year for the lift and during the week, they dont even set up the lift corrals. Penticton is an all service town and Big white + silver star+MT baldy are within 1-3 hours away. if you dont feel like skiing, in the valley, there is mountain biking and kite surfing to keep you busy, not to mention the great wineries of the okanagan valley to peruse and get drunk on tastings....dont drink and drive though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carvedog Posted April 16, 2006 Report Share Posted April 16, 2006 Neil, we will drive from Oregon, so we'll have a vehicle. Nightlife and shopping are of low importance to us (hey, its 8:30 Friday night), but a small town nearby with decent food would be helpful. I know Fernie has a pass with Kimberly, and Louise but as you mentioned, my impression is that the snow is a bit unpredictable. Sunshine looks like a great mountain and Kicking Horse sounds wonderful - though not for carving. With your priorities in mind. I will through out a few suggestions. Snowbasin. I don't know what the pass costs but this mountain impressed me enough to almost move there three years ago. Every time I have been there it was snowing or had just snowed with perfect groom. They have one face with nearly top to bottom quad John Paul chair, then another set of bowls with a gondola, then the Strawberry gondola for another set of bowls. There are steeps in many areas right next to beauty groom, with glades on the other side. Just 15 miles away is one of the best powder stashes anywhere at Powder Mountain. You are not so far from Ogden or SLC for dining entertainment options (at least a movie house). This is truly one of the finer mountains I have ridden lately. And midweek powder day we showed up at 10 am and there was only about 40 cars in the lot. At first we thought there was something wrong but no everyone was at the Bird or ???? Now don't get me wrong the Cottonwoods have some great terrain but the whole frenzy thing was a little overwhelming after Sun Valley. Snowbasin OTH feels like a world class resort dropped in a sleepy little valley. Just because I learned to carve (or started to learn to carve) in Crested Butte you should at least look at it. Death defying steeps, tons of trees and glades, some great groomed and high elevation. I had a blast there, but we also had 600 plus inches that year. Sorry Shred. Big Mountain is also awesome. Cheap too. Some fog. Some rain. Lower elevation. The top is 8K or 8.5k feet high. Dr D is right about the no crowds though. The first month I was there I dont think there was even a lift line once except maybe the weekends or Christmas. It never stopped snowing that first month, but I also never saw Glacier Park, just twenty miles away with huge peaks. They have fog balls in the middle of the groomers off the top for a reason. You also have the chance for some seriously cold weather with the Canada deep freeze thing. No offense to my northern brethren - just laying it out for these guys. Of course I live in Sun Valley, after spending time at all these other places, but it just an overgroomed old lady of a mountain. Riiiiggghhhhttttt. I wont say anymore except that the best place to carve in the world is Sun Valley. And no better time than midweek in January. But I have said enough. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr D Posted April 17, 2006 Report Share Posted April 17, 2006 Ahhh, yes.... Big Sky Country.Dr. D, Thanks for the info on this secret mountain I keep hearing about. I was going to ask John his thoughts. I am impatiently awaiting a new Garage 173. :D . gotta love the GARAGE 173. :D I rode mine with plates most of the season I now have the same angles installed on it with softies and a cant plate on the back foot for those powder and crud days. Its also great for dropping in to Hellroaring basin. you will love it. johns geometry is amazing. It out carves a lot of alpine boards I have ridden. I have yet to lose an edge in any condition. well worth the wait. mine has the extra layer of carbon so its extra stiff and works beautifully for me even at 265 pounds. the guy is a genius:biggthump Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tex1230 Posted April 17, 2006 Report Share Posted April 17, 2006 D-Sub... WHAT??? was that sarcasm or did you find someone who will put up with you? If so congrats! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marz Posted April 17, 2006 Report Share Posted April 17, 2006 Kirk & Tille: SSSSHHHH!! ixna about Owbasinsa & Owderpa Tnma. We had a great time end of March, again . Keep the lemmings at Park City & Snowbird . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nekdut Posted April 17, 2006 Report Share Posted April 17, 2006 June is great for carving, but I wouldn't recommend it for a 2 month vacation. Not enough variety, plus June is only suppose to operate 4 days a week next season. Good news, MMSA management made the final decision to stay open 7 days a week next season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D-Sub Posted April 17, 2006 Report Share Posted April 17, 2006 D-Sub...WHAT??? was that sarcasm or did you find someone who will put up with you? If so congrats! heh. nope, havent found anyone that can hold my attention AND put up with me ( btw to you) but...the pic was from the japanese site Gecko or someone linked to. just caught my attention. maybe she's warning you'll get crabs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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