I finally come to ski the USA after having been to Switzerland and Austria the last years. I will be coming for X-Mas, although exact travel dates are still unknown.

Also unknown at this stage is the resort I'm going to. What would you FT'ers recommend to me? My preferences are the following:

• It should be rather upscale with beautiful hotels and shops. Resort hotels are preferred, chain hotels welcome but not a must.
• The drive to the slopes should not be too long as I don't like sitting in buses all day.
• There sould be many skiable miles, with much snow, preferred are intermediate till open end difficulty level trails.
• I prefer large towns to 200 inhabitants towns but the trails should not been too crowded.
• Good restaurants (or at least good steakhouses) are a must.
• Sightseeing for the family members who do no skiing.
• Gadgets such as helicopter tours...

I thought about

• Vail
• Beaver Creek
• Aspen
• Breckenridge
• Park City
• Rest of Olympics Area

What is the best of these considering my preferences? Any other ideas where I might go? Any hotel recommendations?

Thanks in advance for your appreciated help!!!

Muerz

I haven't skied most of the places on your list but, while it's not in the US, have you considered Whistler? It seems to fit the criteria you're looking for. It's about a two-hour drive from Vancouver, beautiful ski in/out hotels (Chateau Whistler and the new Westin Whistler are both terrific), lots of activities for the rest of the family, great little town, plenty of restaurants (although can't help you on steak houses), lots of good terrain and nice snow. I think it's perfect.

I also really enjoy Sun Valley, which is not on your list and it also seems to fit your criteria.

The Tahoe resorts - Squaw Valley and Northstar - would be worth looking at too and there's certainly lots to do around the lake. Both areas can have extreme delays getting out of the parking lots though if you don't stay right in the villages.




[This message has been edited by letiole (edited 02-20-2002).]

BTW, if you end up at Lake Tahoe, let me know. I usually know places where you can get some savings on lift tickets.

Depending on what you mean by "large towns" I don't think any of the places you mentioned are particularly big places.
You might think about Taos -- great skiing and plenty of non-skiing stuff to do.
Telluride has some of the best skiing around, and, of course, a nice resort area.
Enjoy your trip!

Have you examined Killington Vermont. Only a few hours drive to Montreal/Boston and the double black diamonds are amazing perhaps some of the best in the coutnry.

Try these:

--St. Regis Aspen
--Ritz-Carlton Bachelor Gulch (Beaver Creek, opening later this year)
--Park Hyatt Beaver Creek

Deer Valley and Park City are getting rave reviews from Olympic visitors. The Stein Erickson Lodge seems to be the most opulent hotel.

I really enjoyed Vail and Aspen.

However, after watching the olympics I can't wait to visit the Utah resorts. They lok amazing

Phoebe

Hey Letiole,

Email me on how to save on Lake Tahoe ski
tickets!

Thanks

[email protected]

Of the places on your list, Vail and Aspen are my favorites. However, since you're coming from so far away, I suggest you look into Snowbird/Alta because they get lots of very dry snow even in bad years (not always the case with Park City). Snowbird's nightlife scene is pretty weak, but there are a number of nice slopeside hotels, inns, and restaurants.

The other place I would suggest is Jackson Hole, which offers some of the most challenging slopes in the country, good hike-ski options, and a really fun town.

We love Park City. Stein Erickson Lodge is wonderful and you can ski right out the back door. They'll take you down the hill to Park City proper in their van and pick you up whenever you want.

Sun Valley is also lovely. There are 3 main ski areas, all accessible by bus. I don't think the bus ride to any of them are over 20 minutes long. There's a wonderful lodge on top of Seattle Ridge where you can have a meal and something warm to drink. In the evening, they have a horse drawn sleigh to take you to a cabin in the woods. There you can have another lovely meal and libations. You can either go back by sleigh or in the hotel van. You get lots of blankets to cover up with in the sleigh, but it's still cold. The nice thing is the quiet ride in the moonlight.

Since this is your first time skiing in the US, I'd second the notions to go with either Aspen or Vail, you can't go wrong with either. Personally, Aspen is my all time favorite, I love the town and the weather has always been great. There's great skiing with several mountains to pick from at both of these resorts. In addition to the St. Regis Aspen and Hyatt Bever Creek, I'd also recommend the Little Nell Hotel in Aspen. Top notch.

Be aware though, I don't know when you're planning to come in December, but the week after Christmas is probably one of if not the most busy time for the western US ski resorts in addition to Presidents Day week in February and spring break in March.

Muerz,

1--I agree with all of the above postings. i skied each one of them.

2--Could I ask you for suggestions on Europe for late March of this year? We enjoy well groomed steep fast runs without moguls. Which resorts in Europe have the best grooming?

@Best

Well, this is difficult... Most major resorts in Europe prepare their slopes very well. Furthermore many of them feature fast runs. I'd recommend Wengen which is a beautiful town, and which has train and gondola acces to both M�nnlichen and Kleine Scheidegg ski areas. This resort features some of Europe's best-known runs. There is for instance the "Lauberhorn" on Kleine Scheidegg (a Ski World-Cup run) and the Pitz-Gloria (used a scenery in the James Bond movie with George Lazenby) in Muerren (can be reached by train and gondola in 30 minutes). Both of these runs are fast, really fast and there are more of them. I although have to say that most slopes in Wengen area are more like boulevards, very large. Wengen area is one of the largest ski resorts in Europe with some 200 kilometers of runs. Check it out on the web:
www.wengen-muerren.ch
www.wengen.com

If you are interrested in Wengen, let me know and I will help you on further questions.

Muerz

Muerz-thank you very much for your response.

1--may i ask what is your favorite in Austria?

2--We just came back from Mammoth and Heavenly. They are probably among the best snow conditions presently in the entire world. Heavenly may work for you--especially if gambling and related activities are of interest. On the other side of Lake Tahoe Squaw Valley has a top quality hotel, no gambling.