Snow Out West

ARRRRRGGGGHHHHHH!!!! Thanks to the Weather Channel (they have this little interactive on their ski page that tells you where the most snow has fallen over the last 24 hours. This time it was Solitude- where my family and I skied last winter- clocking in at 27 inches), I went and checked Solitude's website today. So far, they've received 187 inches of snow and are skiing on 100% of their terrain at a 78 inch base mid-mountain.

I was taking our mild fall pretty well until about five minutes ago. Now I'm starting to cry...

Seeing that Solitude has 187" already makes me want to cry. Especially when you compare it to Snowshoe's whopping 2". It is weird to think that out West they have already got more snow than all of our resorts average a year. It just isn't fair.....I'm moving Anyone know of any good places out West for a ski bum to live???

If it were me, I'd be tempted to try Utah although I'm not sure of the Mormon (sub) culture.

Anyone see the Oakland/Denver game?? So much for trying to sit back and do something to keep your mind of skiing. I swear that this is torture for something that I did wrong this year.

Nope, I played golf and swam at the beach in Florida, watched a lot of college football and saw 10 min of the Ravens vs NE game in the airport. Skiing did not cross my mind. well maybe once.

bluebird day today. 35 inches fresh, not a cloud in the sky.

wasatch mountain webcams

... I'm just being factual, not mean ... yesterday (Sun 28) me and my G/F were at The Canyons .... it snowed like a foot overnight and just as I was riding up to the top of the Tombstone lift the ski patrol took the ropes down on and opening alllll te terrain under the chair, something that has been making me crazy for the last 4 days because it is all untouched ... I was the 6th guy in and holy crap it was two feet of untracked and a face shot every turn ... ohhhhh yeah! And don't worry about the LDS (= "the Momons" they go by LDS) if you live in Sugarhouse or Park City you'll be among non-LDS friends.

Crush -Sounds like a good way to go living in the "Non-LDS" sections of Utah. How is the cost of living in that area. Here in a few years when I am through college, I am looking to move out West for the entire ski season to be a ski bum for year. Would the Park City area be a good choice??

I was thinking of going LDS and taking a young bride. They have them in droves out there and seem nice & all and they look like Britney Spears but already with 5 kids by 20. I mean I wouldn't discount it...

I was waiting for Crush to chirp... our lifeline to good snow you are dude!

David- cost of living in Park City is the highest in Utah. But you can live in Kimball Junction much cheaper or Sandy, which sits at the foot of the Cottonwood Canyons has some of the cheapest living in the Salt Lake City area (and, did I mention, it's the gateway to the Cottonwoods). Also, Sandy has a very young crowd (did I mention it's the gateway to the Cottonwoods?)-- I hear mid-20s is the average age, I'm sure Crush can verify. Also it's the gateway to the Cottonwoods. Lastly since you're in the valley it doesn't snow in frickin' September like in Park City, plus you're at the gateway to the Cottonwoods.

Sandy would probably be a good place to start looking if you were serious in moving to UT. Sadly, I'm a country bumpkin so as much as there is tension between the Mormons and outsiders, I'd probably try to move to one of their towns eventually (there's some cool small towns out at the foot of the Uintas with a fair population of ex-hippies as well as LDSers). On the whole, though, if I could pick anywhere it'd probably be the Pacific Northwest-- Idaho or Montana, maybe the Cascades. Northern California is also a hidden gem. Not much skiing but forests that stretch for hundreds of miles with lots of backcountry (LOTS of backcountry). Not sure why more people don't know about it but it can stay that way as long as it wants. McCloud is one of the most charming villages I've been to stateside.

How far is the Alta/Snowbird area from Sandy?? How about any good places in Colorado? I am looking for a small ski town that is affordable and offers the best skiing. Also one that has other resorts somewhat close by.

Having taken the city bus each day it's a bit hard to say, but I'd guess 20 miles give or take. Even closer if you are right up on the edges of big/little cottonwood canyon... no doubt this costs more. Not sure what work there is besides the seasonal stuff and some computer jobs.

OK all here is the low-down ....
In Park City housing can be high ... or reasonable! You see, Park City straddles two counties, Summit County and Wasatch County. Summit County (rite-on RodgerZ!) includes Kimbal Junction (hey I lived in The Powerwood on Kilby Rd in Kimbal ... for 8 months) and The Canyons, Snyderville, Bear Hollow, Pinebrook, Sun Peak, etc ... and you can get a 900 sq. ft. 2br. condo for $750-$850/month. I got my Red Pines 2 1/2-br/2 bath 1050 sq ft condo in The Canyons for $165,000 with an HOA dues of $155 quarterly ( $52/ month) ... all pretty resonable. My total cost per month for housing is under $800/month.
..But...
Once you get to Park City Mountain Resort on hwy224 the cost goes waaay up. Like on Three Kings Drive an equivalent condo to my one has an HOA dues of $400 a month in contrast to my HOA that is $52 a month ... and I have a club house, 3 pools + hot tub!!!!!!! And I don't even want to talk about Old Town or Deer Valley !!!
Food is cheaper the old $25/bag does not apply here ... you shop at Smith's and you can save about %20 on your purchases. The fish/seafood here *sucks* and sometimes fruit is equal in price to DC, but you can live cheaper here.
Look I do some computer consulting and make my money during the summer .. I make 1/10 what I use to in DC but I am happier, stronger, and I sleep waaaay better at night and I ski every day (well, almost!) and it was hard to transition but now after three seasons I realize it is totally worth it!
And guys ... if any of you are skiing my way please!!! drop me a line here it is: emosel@core.com ... and I suck skiing so don't feel weird ... !!!!!!

Crush -- sounds cool, you are gonna make it! Myself and 2 others (possibly more?) have tentative plans to come out first week of march. i'll drop a line beforehand, if there's time/interest to ski with. 2 of 3 are actually good skiers, well 1 is at least... (not me!)

Good info for the entrepid explorer of life someplace else!

Mammoth has been completely awesome this winter. They had a big snow dump in October (82" total for the month and another 27" in November), and we went up there for Halloween weekend and two other times subsequently. The October skiing was particularly good because nobody knew it was open yet, so the place was practically deserted (it's never that crowded even at the worst of times), and the temperatures were warm, practically spring skiing.

We're really looking forward to a two week stay there in late December!

OCTOBER SKIING???? Man i've got to convince wifey (main breadwinner) how much more bread (snow) there is out west! Sound like Mammoth already has a mid-atlantic season's worth of snow.