Trying to figure out where to go to use our Ikon Base Passes over my kids' Spring Break, which is March 26-April 2. We live near Chapel Hill NC. The options are fly to Colorado or drive to New England. Where would I likely see better conditions and which would be less of a crowded CF? If we go to NE I will break up the drive by stopping at my sister's place near Philly. My family mostly sticks to blues, with the occasional foray onto blacks. (For a local comparison, we can all ski any run at Snowshoe.) I hate flying, so New England is appealing, but I imagine the conditions will be better in Colorado (but maybe not - I don't really know). What say you, hive mind? Cheers
Edits: Been to Utah already - just want something different.
Didn't realize Taos is on Ikon - would consider it too.
Keith_Moon wrote:
Trying to figure out where to go to use our Ikon Base Passes over my kids' Spring Break, which is March 26-April 2. We live near Chapel Hill NC. The options are fly to Colorado or drive to New England. Where would I likely see better conditions and which would be less of a crowded CF? If we go to NE I will break up the drive by stopping at my sister's place near Philly. My family mostly sticks to blues, with the occasional foray onto blacks. (For a local comparison, we can all ski any run at Snowshoe.) I hate flying, so New England is appealing, but I imagine the conditions will be better in Colorado (but maybe not - I don't really know). What say you, hive mind? Cheers
You haven't mentioned your budget. If money was no object I'd suggest some Ikon places in the west known for good spring conditions, such as Alta-Bird, Copper Mtn-Arapahoe Basin, Mammoth Mtn, etc. However with multiple air fares potentially adding up to a lot of dough, driving to New England could be significantly cheaper depending on the size of your family. If you drive to New England I'd suggest the further North the better, but Killington, Sugarbush and Sugarloaf would be good Ikon choices. I skied Sugarloaf once in mid-March and the temps were in the single digits in the morning, but generally by your dates pleasant spring conditions should be well underway. The late spring weather in New England can be much more volatile than the Rockies, so you could risk some rain or melt down conditions compared to the places I mentioned out west.
In any event, the crowds will be down at all ski areas East or West on your dates and you could decide where to go just a couple weeks out based on current conditions, unless you decide to go west and have to buy air fares sooner than that to get the best prices?? PS: I'm the guy that once drove a family of six in a minivan from VA to CO for Christmas week skiing to save air fares :-o
JRunPatterson74 wrote:
From my experience living in CO for 4 years, skiing at A-Basin is just getting started in March - it's prime condition season - and the spring breakers are likely to go to other mountains.
The OP is mostly skiing blues in the SE/MidA, with the blacks at Snowshoe at times. Not sure I would recommend A-Basin as the best option in Colorado for a late March trip. My sense of the blues there is that they are more like MidA blacks.
Loveland would also be open then, right?
How late can you make the choice? Wait as long as possible to make the choice, and look at both areas of the country. Also take into account long range forecasts to get your best chance of good skiing areas of the country. New England can lose their base very quickly. In good years of snow most of the mountain terrain are open in poor snow years only runs open are the ones with heavy man made snow. Skied Smugglers Notch in late April one season and it was great. Not perfect, it even snowed on the drive up. The mountain was great on the upper reaches, the lower mountain had some thin spots, but not bad at all. Be prepared for freeze and thaw cycles. Morning skiing can be a huge difference from the afternoon. I never skied out west late in the season. I assume in a good snow year their conditions will potentially be much better. The cost go way up too, transportation etc…I believe their are late season deals for many NewEngland resorts. Have fun!
