It's getting lonely in here (the summer doldrums), so I figured I'd start a new topic. What trips are you planning for next season? Does anyone have a destination they're particularly excited about - either because it will be your first time there, or it's in an exotic location?
I'm hoping to make it to Colorado in December for a few days of skiing - probably hitting some combination of Vail, Beaver Creek, Keystone, and Breckenridge, depending on who has the best snow. (I'll probably have the Epic Pass so that will constrain my choices.) I'd also like to try out some of the Mid-Atlantic areas I haven't visited in years, venturing beyond my mainstays of Whitetail and Liberty.
Hope you're all enjoying the off-season.
The process of deciding which passes to get for 2025-26 took a while for me. Decided to go back to having Ikon and Mountain Collective for Taos in Feb and Alta in April since I ski there more than 7 days. Also have a season pass for Massanutten as well as the Indy Pass. Not exactly sure where I'll use Indy, but since it covers Bryce and Wintergreen, could do day trips from Mnut. Keep trying to figure out how to get to Wisp.
Will head to Wolf Creek to meet up with friends in South Fork again. Will be the fifth season in a row. Can't be beat for an early season trip. The last four years Wolf Creek has been 100% open by Dec. 11, even if the snow coverage was relatively low that early in December. Senior rates start at age 65, which applies to all my friends who join me to share a big house.
Unfortunately, we are low enough, 4k base elevation, that we do get some r--n during the season. Not all wine and roses every day. But lots of days, :)
Laurel Hill Crazie wrote:
JohnL, I feel so bad that you'll miss all the Ice (and rain) Coast skiing this coming season. LOL.
My plans for next season are to pretty much ski at HV, 7S, and Laurel. Tried to go beyond last season, at least to Whitetail (had a good last season I think) or Holiday Valley, but no logistical mojo. Next season I plan on doing one trip. It would be nice to go back to Whistler Blackcomb. Had a great time years back and I couldn't ski it all in the 4 days I was there... Maybe I can fill in all the blank trails, slopes and bowls that I missed.
My wife and I will do most of our skiing at Laurel (surprise), with a few days at 7S, and a few more at HV with our grandson. We'll stay with friends in Maine and ski with them, and day trip to Vail resorts in New Hampshire, mostly Sunapee and Wildcat, maybe try to get to Mt. Snow. We'll ski as many of the ten days we have at Stowe as the budget allows, perhaps two week-long trips. We have the Epic Northeast Pass. We also have passes at Timberline and plan to stay for a mini weekday vacation there with a few weekday day trips if I feel up to the long drive. No western trips planned.
natehurst wrote:
I have my usual Wintergreen pass (home mountain), so I'll be mostly up there. But I also got an Indy add-on for the first time. I have probably the least exciting plan for that -- I want to use the days at Mnut and Bryce for my mental health days form work, and then take a week-long trip down to the NC, TN, and WV resorts on the Indy, too. Might as well ski the hell out the southeast while it's still possible!
Most of the seasons I've had Indy, I only used it in VA and WV. Went to Bryce for the first time because of Indy. Having a season pass at Mnut and a place to stay there, there wasn't much reason for a day trip. Turns out I like spending a mid-week morning at Bryce and having a nice lunch there. Sometimes even ski a bit at Mnut in the late afternoon or evening.
Last season I used Indy for a day trip to Wintergreen from Mnut in early January. Wasn't a particularly good day from a snow conditions standpoint. Plus only one way down at Highlands. Hadn't skied W'green for quite a while. It's clear Mnut snowmaking has continued to improve while W'green hasn't changed much lately.
Cataloochee is good fun. They replaced the old double to the top with a quad. Could be more fun to stay in Asheville and do a day trip from there if you want to do something else besides ski. Walking around the Grove Park Inn is free. It's a unique stone structure.
For the past couple of years, we've gone to Alta/Snowbird, staying in Cottonwood Heights rather than slopeside.
I'm contemplating trying Deer Valley next winter. I've never been there. It looks like it's theoretically possible to stay in SLC and drive to Deer Valley - maybe 30-40 minutes drive - but is there a downside to doing that akin to the problem that the road up to Alta/Snowbird sometimes gets closed by weather and sometimes has horrible traffic? I assume that it's probably going to be more expensive to stay slopeside at Deer Valley than to stay in a hotel in SLC - but how much more expensive? (We are fine with "Mountain Lodge at Snowshoe" levels of accommodation, we don't need high-end.)
One of the reasons we stay in a hotel in Cottonwood Heights is that it's nearly impossible to get a room with a kitchen slopeside at Alta/Snowbird (or at least that has been true when I've booked lodging). I would hope that it's easier to get a room with a kitchen at Deer Valley.
What's the snow like at Deer Valley the week after Christmas?
Mongo wrote:
For the past couple of years, we've gone to Alta/Snowbird, staying in Cottonwood Heights rather than slopeside.
I'm contemplating trying Deer Valley next winter. I've never been there. It looks like it's theoretically possible to stay in SLC and drive to Deer Valley - maybe 30-40 minutes drive - but is there a downside to doing that akin to the problem that the road up to Alta/Snowbird sometimes gets closed by weather and sometimes has horrible traffic? I assume that it's probably going to be more expensive to stay slopeside at Deer Valley than to stay in a hotel in SLC - but how much more expensive? (We are fine with "Mountain Lodge at Snowshoe" levels of accommodation, we don't need high-end.)
One of the reasons we stay in a hotel in Cottonwood Heights is that it's nearly impossible to get a room with a kitchen slopeside at Alta/Snowbird (or at least that has been true when I've booked lodging). I would hope that it's easier to get a room with a kitchen at Deer Valley.
What's the snow like at Deer Valley the week after Christmas?
Driving to Park City from SLC in order to ski Deer Valley is not the same situation as dealing with the Cottonwood Canyon roads. Still good to have AWD when there is snow on the roads but most of the drive is on the Interstate highway. Last January I went to DV with a few friends. We were staying in Sandy since most of that trip was to ski Alta for a gathering of TheSkiDiva. Happened to be a Saturday during a snowstorm when we did the drive to Deer Valley. Per usual for me, we left very early in order to get good parking. We left Sandy at 7:15 and got one of the last spots in Lot 1 at 8:15. Traffic leaving Park City that afternoon required patience. We were on the road around 3:30 and didn't get to the house until 5:00, with the extra time spent in stop & go traffic in Park City plus slow driving on I-80 because of the snowstorm.
I've skied DV a few times using Ikon. It can be worth doing a free mountain tour to get an introduction. Learning how to get around the multiple peaks takes a little effort.
DV during Christmas would probably mostly mean skiing groomers covered with manmade snow. Parley's Canyon is 1000 ft lower than LCC so usually gets less snow. More importantly for early season, that means less hours for snowmaking.
There are condos near DV, but prices during a holiday week will be very high. Anyone staying in Park City is better off taking the free bus for skiing. People who live in Park City ride the bus in ski boots.
As an aside, check Iron Blosam when looking for a kitchen at Snowbird. It's a timeshare resort. A friend got a great deal for a unit for the gathering, which was the last week of January. I think she used VRBO or AirBnB.
Bought Ikon pass next season.
X'mas and new year week, I booked Steamboat slopeside lodging (found a good deal and has free cancellation). I am undecided if I will go or not.... it will be crowded and fly into HDN will be expensive.
First week of Jan will be Taos ski week and I may go to Red Mountain after. Have been wanting to check out Red many years now, I don't want to wait anymore. Nowhere Special Hostel in Red offers affordable accommodation but reservation is non-refundable. So I am still hesitant to pull the plug.
Nothing planned in Feb because it is the Chinese New Year and I plan to spend it w/ my family.
March will be Whitefish + Banff (skitalk gathering). @JohnL, hope I can finally meet you in person in Banff?
May (Memorial Day week) will be Mammoth, 3rd time visiting there.
Also bought 4 day Epic day tickets for PA skiing but I don't know when and where I will go, trying to avoid weekends and make the most out of them.
