I am stopping over in Canada and/or US in mid December enroute to Australia and would like to know a good resort with potentially good early snow in Mid December for 2 days of skiing.

Mid-December is iffy at most resorts, it is early in the season and some years have bad snow (leaving the resort closed). Best bet would be Whistler where there is a glacier at the top, so you are guaranteed to have some great runs open, no matter what the snow conditions are on the rest of the mountain (plus Whistler is world class by any measure, with the Olympics going there next so lots of hotels/restaurants opening up in anticipation). The Bear Foot Bistro in Whistler also happens to be the best restaurant in Canada (and would make a top 20 list in the US). Nothing like great skiing to build up an appetite for great food. Bon Appetite magazine rates Whistler as offering the best food of any ski resort in the world (fwiw).

Canada is a very big country. Could you be more specific about your location for December?

Ooops, you re right, I will be flying via YYZ going east to west on a *A RTW so I will prefer it to be on the west coast, be it either US or Canada.

Colorado (Loveland and Keystone, in perticular) often have decent early season snow. Both are about 1 1/2 to 2 hours from DEN.

We love Whistler....and we are not ski addicts. The previous poster is correct re the glaicer opportunity. What a wonderful drive (in my opinion) from Vancouver to Whistler. For gosh sakes, rent a car for a few days and see some of the best scenery in the world on the 'sea to sky" highway. You will never regret the time ...if you have a min. of 2 days to spare in the Vancouver area. ( We have taken the trip several times but try to be in Whistler for at least 3 days-2 nights )

Hope you have a great time wherever you spend your visit to Canada...

Yeah, mid-December is a very grey area for most ski resorts. If you're on *A you can take AC from YYZ and stop at YYC, drive 65 miles west and head up to Sunshine Village. IMO when I went there last December the conditions were OK. The resort and amenities are fabulous regardless.

I skied in Breckenridge a few years back in late November and can honestly say i've never been so cold in my life. Don't know what made it so bad - even the morning it was -40 in Calgary seemed more acceptable - but it was absolutely freezing.

As such, i'd be really tempted by Whistler as the elevation is that much lower so surely it can't be quite as cold...

I have skied in Whistler many times over the Christmas period and find it very inconsistent. I was there the year before last and the snow was very thin on the ground and in very poor condition, you also have the real threat of rain at lower elevations if it is 'warm.' There is nothing worse then skiing down the hill and finding it raining on the lower runs. I have also found Whistler to be quite icy. Having said that, the Sea to Sky highway is spectacular at any time of year and Canadian hospitality is great. (Although in Whistler it can be quite hard to find a Canadian!!) It would also depend on when you would be there, immediately before Christmas it seems quite quiet, but at Christmas and New year it is 'a bit of a zoo!'

Dependant on snow there are, in my opinion, some much more 'local' intimate resorts in the BC interior such as Sun Peaks, Big White and Silver Star which have a much more 'Canadian' flavour.

Last Christmas I skied Vail, Breckenridge, Keystone etc and found the snow absolutely superb, so much lighter and much more fun than the snow at Whistler! It was also not as busy as Whistler as people were more spread out over several resorts!

I skied several Tahoe resorts last February so I can't comment on December snow, but the snow was fantastic in February. However, even if the snow is good there is not a great deal of vertical and you spend a lot of time on lifts.

My view for what its worth,

1 - Whistler - Great location, Great vertical, Inconsistent early season, getting busier and busier.

2 - Colorado Resorts - Great snow, not as busy, lots of choice of resorts if you have a car, (Blue Sky Basin at Vail is fantastic). Can be very cold. Ski areas are not huge if you are staying in one resort for any length of time

3 - Tahoe - Good snow if there is enough of it, limited vertical.

4 - Interior BC Resorts - Good snow if there is enough of it, A more 'Canadian' experience, more difficult to get to.

I have not had the opportunity to ski Banff, Jasper etc so i can't comment. I also have not had the chance to ski in Utah or Mammoth.

Where ever you end up enjoy it!

When do you need to decide? Is your ticket flexible? Early season is pretty variable, and different resorts get the good early snow in different years. Utah, Central Colorado, Whistler - all possible, but none guaranteed. Can you check the snow reports a week before, and decide then? Hotel space is not likely to be a problem mid-December.

(In Colorado, Wolf Creek usually has one of the best early seasons, but it's a pain to get to, especially for a two day trip.)

going to Alaska and skiing Alyeska Resort outside of Anchorage. It is not at a very high elevation and has night skiing. You can often view the ocean while skiing. Most unusual experience for sure.

No ifs, ands or buts............................it would be Grand Targhee. Fly into Jackson Hole and it is only about fifty miles away. No lift lines, great snow and you will not regret it.

Depending on your routing, Salt Lake City is a great choice. The four resorts of Alta, Snowbird, Solitude, and Brighton all tend to get big dumps already in December. They are all just a 45 minute drive from the airport. You can get cheap hotel rooms in Salt Lake City. You can get cheap tickets from SFO or LAX if you have to buy the ski trip tickets on your own as part of a pause in a ticket purchased by your work. It's hard to beat the amount of snow and convenience these places offer for quick trips in the early season.

Wonderful tips from the great FT community...many identifying locations I have been unaware of so the OP is benefiting and so am I.

Thanks

Trust me -- Fly into Idaho Falls, and go ski at Grand Targhee, on the western slopes of the Teton range. It gets 500+ inches of snow a year, and typically opens for skiing by mid-late November. By mid-December, you'll be fine.

www.grandtarghee.com