where are you CO bros skiing this year? thinking i'll try some of the smaller resorts this year that i've never been to like wolf creek and cooper. trying to talk the GF into a steamboat trip
Wolf is great I'm on Ikon Base and Keystone/ABasin passes this year. I loved Copper last year on a trial run 4-pack and since 5 days of Steamboat and Aspen are on the Ikon, I'm going to try and make a trip to both. Have two good friends who now live in Dillon so hitting Keystone and ABasin will be common since I now have a place to stay on the weekends
Got the skis tuned. Just waiting for snow. Will be up in Banff quite a bit this year due to GF having family there #skiblessed Might die on that terrain up there though
lol you're in good company then, I would rate myself at a 7, 7.5 on my best day when I'm in shape. Nobody is mistaking me for Candide Thovex by any stretch. These are a really good all-mountain ski, and they ski really short because of the early rise rocker. Mine are 188's and they ski much more like a 175, but the swing weight is noticeable and it's pretty wide underfoot for tight technical stuff like packed moguls. I come way down in my pace entering the moguls with the Soul 7, which is 106mm underfoot and has a 19 meter turning radius. It's not really at home there, for me personally I like something that's a little more at home on the frontside. I demo'd a set of the 180cm Experience 88's last year and was pretty impressed, they're 88mm underfoot which is going to be a lot crisper in the bumps but they still have the AirTip so super low swingweight and versatility and IMO they were really easy to ski. Frankly, I could have easily gone with the Experiences because 99% of the time I'm in the resort with my kid, but I am going to try and get out and do some heli and cat skiing this year and maybe make it to Japan, so I wanted something a little more capable of handling serious powder.
Have you skiied Steamboat before? I spent 4 days there last year. It’s different imo than a lot of the CO mountains. It’s not super big or steep (by my recollection) so not designed for big wide open downhills like some are. It’s a lot different than Breck. Tree skiing is awesome and despite it not being super big you can pretty easily get off on your own. Side note, I was driving across the country at the time, and left town for Denver as a storm moved in. You have to drive up to a 11k foot pass to get out and by the time I was about 7k feet up visibility was 10-15 feet and the roads were in bad shape. Kept going because in those conditions if you stop you are stuck and ultimately made it up and over but it was the most intense driving I’ve ever done. If you are leaving that day and a storm is rolling in give yourself two hours to get out. I had to take a 15 minute break on the other side to calm down. Changed jobs this year and going to London for 10 days in April so only hitting Copper for 3 days in late February. Skiied there last year at the beginning of the season and looking forward to going back with more snow. It’s hard to beat how easy it is to get in and out of Copper through Denver. Skiied Vail on my trip last year and can’t wait to go back, that was by far the best place I’ve been and I’ve skiied most places in CO and Utah. Would love to hear Banff stories, that’s the next big trip for my group.
yes i have skied steamboat before and the pass to get out of town to drop down south to I-70 is extremely dicey if its snowing.
You thought Vail was by far the best place you've skied including Utah? I am legitimately amazed by this.
I'm an okay skier at best that hasn't been in years, but just saw this thread and I'm going to Jackson Hole for first time day after Christmas. Super excite
Could have something to do with I skied it Monday-Thursday and basically had the place to myself. I also skiied 20 days last year and by the time I got to Vail was skiing the best I ever have and so was able to go some places that I might not have been able to access at like Crested Butte or the Canyons or Alta earlier in my skiing career. I am not an amazing skiier so maybe there are places more advanced people find better but I got in the back bowls of Vail and it was like I’d found heaven. Just huge spaces starting above the tree line and then winding down the bowl in the sunshine. I stopped and ate my lunch half way down a run and drank a liter of water with the sun on my face and could have died happy right there.
Team Ikon as Squaw/Alpine is my homebase. Need to run my skis through the wintersteiger at my shop to get a fresh new base ready to go. Really want to demo the new Mantra M5 this year, sounds like it may be up there with the Enforcer.
Vail is the fucking shit if you know where to go it is also one of the easiest mountains to ski imo. want your butthole to pucker up? ski taos
I’m curious if any of y’all would know the answer to this but I tried to buy the military Epic pass and it turns out I didn’t qualify so got my money back, however they still sent me the pass. Would the pass still work if I go to the slopes and they scanned it or is it just void?
Seems like it would be worth a shot, and would only lead to a walk back over to the pass sales office if it didnt work.
These new walk to ride boots are a lot better, but next season the kiddo and I are going to both learn how to snowboard. I'm looking forward to the snowboarding boots due to how fucked up my left foot ended up. It's ok once it is in there, but the putting in and taking out is punishing.
Hello yes is this still the thread for ski things? First and second time skiing coming up. Will be in Tahoe 12/27-1/2 and Keystone 1/31-2/4. First trip w gf. Second one is a large bachelor party. Would like to be good enough to enjoy myself on the 2nd trip since we’ve got 3 days worth of lift/rental equip. Will have a couple of days where I’m solo during the daytime in Tahoe. Should I get a lesson? I’ve skied on water before. One friend told me just to read up online / watch some YouTube and get out on the bunnies for a morning and I’ll be fine. GF has skied a lot before and I’d prefer to be able to at least attempt skiing with her on my second day out. Also any suggestions on what mountain or whatever to ski in Tahoe welcome I know zero about the area. Staying on the NW side of the lake
South side- Sierra is the best imo, way better snow that heavenly, prob tied with kirkwood but cheaper than kirkwood North side I would say northstar, yet it is expensive and crowded on the main runs, Sugarbowl is another great north shore resort yet the snow they get is hit or miss on the slushy/powder condition imo, sugarbowl is prob best north shore resort when snowing I board though so maybe my opinion on the snow might be different than skiers, but I go with friends that ski and they agree
Take a half day group lesson the first day to get the basics down I’ve beem to northstar and had a blast
Going to Jackson Hole day after Christmas, I've only skied once since I was a teenager. I'm prolly gonna die
Come into my brewery in Silverthorne when you're at Keystone and I'll buy ya a beer. Angry James Brewing
I’m a skier and I definitely agree with Sierra over Heavenly, typically a lot less crowded, too. Heavenly’s benefits are the accessibility and view from the top, but neither of those apply for a beginner driving in from the north side.
Anyone with much experience skiing in the Montreal area? Not sure we're going to make it out west this year, but considering a road trip to French Canada with the kids.
I may have to stop in sometime this season. Usually ski Keystone the most and have two good buddies who just moved to Dillon for jobs at Key and Breck. Plus I may be looking at some real estate in Silverthorne so you could be my go to spot down the road, friend
1. If you feel like you are going too fast and out of control, just fall over. Don’t hurt yourself or others trying to impress yourself or somebody else. 2. Like most other athletic activities, be on the balls of your feet. To control speed and turn at an intermediate level it’s going to feel like you are picking your heel and the back of the ski up off the ground. 3. Would not recommend it until you know you enjoy it, but buying your own boots is literally the #1 thing you can do to improve your daily experience on the mountain.
Get to this point ASAP as it's much easier than snowplowing down the mountain. Not even sure they would teach that in adult lessons. I'd try the Youtube/self-taught method first thing in the morning and if that doesn't work, try to find a 1/2 day afternoon lesson. Or better yet, if you have it available (not sure where you live), find a local, crappy mountain nearby and do a trial run there so you are at least familiar with being on skis. Wear a helmet.
DO NOT learn on the bunny hill. Find a long Green or Blue. You will maximize your run time and learn quicker since you’re on your skis longer. Bunny Hills are for people who don’t know how to use a ski lift to load and unload. For the beginner in North Lake: Stay away from Squaw until you can get down a blue. All the cock suckers from the Bay will plow you over and ski over your gear because they feel the need to show off since they are at Squaw. Alpine Meadows is the shit. If you’re a beginner, take the Subway chair into the mountain and the Hotwheels lift/run all day. Super mellow Green/Blue with a few steep parts to pucker your ass for a beginner. If you can get down the steep part by Scott’s Chair, you’re money for Summit Loft which will take you anywhere on the mountain. Sugar Bowl is dope. Not experienced with that resort as much. More of a “locals” feel without as much Bay Area drama. North Star is super flat and mellow. If you like missionary sex, North Star is for your. South Lake: Kirkwood on a powder day. Get there early and smoke a bowl and listen to them blow explosives for avalanches. Heavenly is where I’d go on a normal day. Cool to ski a run and be in Nevada and Cali. Heavenly has some cool bars to drink at, too. At work if anyone needs any more specifics.
Totally agree with the learning on a blue, bunnies are not ideal, I feel the more speed the more control you have. Bunnies are too flat for you to learn to turn and carve. Beer helps too
This is the key to learning to ski or snow board. Keeping speed makes it easier to stay on your edges.
Actually, while I don't think it's responsible to recommend this, a bit of alcohol can help with the confidence level on the hill. I took on my first black diamond and learned to ski moguls after a few pulls of peppermint schnapps on a lift. Not enough to impair my motor skills, just enough to give me a bit more confidence. MJ, on the other hand, at least while skiing, slows my reflexes and I begin feeling a bit paranoid and timid. I know some people enjoy it while skiing, I'm not a huge fan.
I’m always a little nervous my first run through the trees, but after a tall can of Sierra Torpedo, everything feels ok and I’m more loose and comfortable maneuvering through obstacles. I’m not saying get hammered, but a couple drinks do help with confidence,m
Was at Schweitzer in Northern Idaho on Friday. 10 Dollar ski tickets at a place like that is a must call in sick day. Might be going to Lake Louise over New Years (lookatme), so I needed a to break in those uncomfortable leg muscles you only use for skiing before going to Canada skiing. Thighs really burning still
My brother’s a lift mechanic at Vail and folks live in Granby. I’ll be out there in late January while I’m back in the States for a couple weeks. No need to buy, but would love to try your beer on the way passing through!
How often do you guys wax your boards? This will be year number four for me and I’ve never done it. Probably only get out 5-6 long wknds a year though too. I assume I should be due?