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How to Choose the Right Ski Resort
No doubt about it, skiing and snowboarding can be expensive hobbies. For that reason, it's always tempting to choose a winter resort for your vacation based primarily on the price. We certainly don't recommend overspending on your holiday. But we do urge you to take more than just price into consideration when you pick your vacation spot. Some key questions to ask yourself include:
- What kind of snow do you like? Too often, skiers and boarders head out to the mountains that can boast the highest snowfall levels. But these numbers don't tell the whole story about an area. Three feet of powder sounds like fun--and it is, if you have enough experience on the slopes . But beginners or dyed-in-the-wool Easterners may find it disconcerting not to have tips in view at all times. If you're more comfortable on groomed or packed powder, you'll be happy just about anywhere in the East that hasn't been skied bare, and on many Western trails as well (they're not all covered in champagne powder!). If you're a powder freak, look to the West. Snowbird, in Utah, is generally considered to be the ultimate powder experience in North America, but many Western areas offer bowls and ungroomed runs where you'll find some deep stuff.
- What kind of a skier or boarder are you? Are you traveling with people who ski or board at different levels? If you're an expert, you probably won't be happy at just any resort. You'll need bowls, moguls, and acres of powder. On the East Coast, Vermont's Mad River Glen is a good bet--although you won't usually find deep powder, it's known for its challenging runs. Out West, Utah's Snowbird, Wyoming's Jackson Hole, and British Columbia's Whistler are all known for tough terrain. Keep in mind, though, that bowls and moguls might terrify the members of your party who just graduated from the bunny hill. If there's a novice in your party, Telluride, in Colorado, or Killington, in Vermont, might be a better bet. Both areas are known for good beginner and intermediate trails. If there's only one ringer in your group, Northstar-at-Tahoe (California) and Mount Snow (Vermont) are two places that boast plenty of cruising trails for the majority of your party, and a few black diamonds for the adventurous one.
- Do you want a place snowboarding is allowed? Don't take it for granted that you'll be allowed to snowboard freely at any resort. There are still a few holdouts that forbid the sport completely--Taos, New Mexico, and Utah's Alta are two examples. Some other resorts restrict snowboarders to certain areas of the mountain. If you're a purist, you may appreciate this segregation. But if you want to do some serious shredding, be sure to do your homework before showing up with your board.
- How important is nightlife and shopping? Some resorts are all about life on the mountain from sunrise to sunset, and get pretty quiet when the lift shuts down. Others are located in towns offering more city-like nightlife and shopping. If you're an early-to-bed, early-to-rise type, you'll appreciate the smaller, more remote areas without distracting (and expensive) alternate amusements. On the other hand, you should take city-slickers' needs seriously. Some people find the idea of a vacation with a 10pm curfew unthinkable. To keep all members of the party happy, you may want to pick your vacation spot from a list of more urbane resorts such as Vail, Aspen, or Killington.
- What is your tolerance for cold? If you're a lizard at heart, you might want to scratch most of the East Coast off your list. Out west, California and New Mexico are warmest; Montana, Wyoming, and the Canadian Rockies are generally coldest; and Colorado is right in the middle. If you can handle the truly cold-weather mountains, the payoff is sparse crowds, meaning shorter waits for the chairlift and fewer bare spots on the hill. Keep in mind that on the East Coast, spring skiing can be gloriously warm--Killington has about the longest season of any area East of the Mississippi. Out west, California's Mammoth, Squaw, and Alpine Meadows have been known to stay open into June--sometimes even until Independence Day.
- How do you feel about crowds? The downside to vacationing in an easily accessible area is that, well, many people can access it. Nobody likes half-hour lift lines, but sometimes that's the price that must be paid for an otherwise perfect location. If you really get claustrophobic thinking about the lift-line scrum at some popular resorts, you'll have to choose carefully. Out West, exclusive Beaver Creek (Colorado) is famous for short lines-and high-class clientele. Back East, Maine's Sugarloaf area wins raves for its serenity. Prepare for a long trip, though, if you want to escape the crowds.
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