Eagle/Summit County Colorado ski area choices, etc?

BenedictGomez said:

I think that's exactly what I'll do. Seems like the type of small homey place that I'll like.

I prefer the Smuggs, Plattekill, and MRGs of the world.

Click to expand...

Then you will like Loveland and A Basin. In fact, A Basin is our Cannon!

Go to Loveland. It's got good stuff there for you and your wife. You can stand on the continental divide and point at Breckenridge and laugh.

You can boot up at your car and walk to chair 1. Which as was mentioned earlier has some of my favorite expert runs in CO.

Sent from my SM-G930V using AlpineZone mobile app

Heading out to Colorado tomorrow. Snow Wednesday and Friday. Hopefully closing it out the right way

Alex

Lake Hopatcong, NJ

4aprice said:

Heading out to Colorado tomorrow. Snow Wednesday and Friday. Hopefully closing it out the right way

Alex

Lake Hopatcong, NJ

Click to expand...

And another system possibly next week! I will take it!

How late is abasin expecting to go? I'll be traveling through on my way to Tahoe next month....a few days after mothers day and would like to get some turns in but if its just groomers then ill just keep driving. I'm hoping for maybe some Pali laps.

snoseek said:

How late is abasin expecting to go? I'll be traveling through on my way to Tahoe next month....a few days after mothers day and would like to get some turns in but if its just groomers then ill just keep driving. I'm hoping for maybe some Pali laps.

Click to expand...

I have a couple of friends flying out there to ski for Mother's Day weekend. I think they are projecting to stay open at least until June 4 weather permitting. Believe Pali trail pod still open at this time, although ever since deadly inbounds Spring 2005 avi they can abruptly close Pali with plenty of snow if they think there is destabilizing melting underneath.

jimk said:

I have a couple of friends flying out there to ski for Mother's Day weekend. I think they are projecting to stay open at least until June 4 weather permitting. Believe Pali trail pod still open at this time, although ever since deadly inbounds Spring 2005 avi they can abruptly close Pali with plenty of snow if they think there is destabilizing melting underneath.

Click to expand...

Spot on! Last year they projected the same weekend but then extended until June 12th with top to bottom and a single run below Black Mountain Lodge.

Colorado needs snow desperately. Hasn't snowed a flake since April 9th. The lower trails at Vail are absolutely roached to dirt and green grass, and I dont think they'll make it to they're closing day of April 23rd unless they really get crafty with moving snow around. Today there were signs at Mid-Vail advising patrons to take the gondola down at the end of the day due to "conditions" on the lower mountain. Holy crap was it melting fast today! Top of the mountain is nice spring conditions though. Skied Copper 3 days ago and it's at a much higher elevation so it was holding snow better, but I'm in shorts and a tee-shirt right now in Vail Village where it's almost 70 degrees!

BenedictGomez said:

Colorado needs snow desperately. Hasn't snowed a flake since April 9th. The lower trails at Vail are absolutely roached to dirt and green grass, and I dont think they'll make it to they're closing day of April 23rd unless they really get crafty with moving snow around. Today there were signs at Mid-Vail advising patrons to take the gondola down at the end of the day due to "conditions" on the lower mountain. Holy crap was it melting fast today! Top of the mountain is nice spring conditions though. Skied Copper 3 days ago and it's at a much higher elevation so it was holding snow better, but I'm in shorts and a tee-shirt right now in Vail Village where it's almost 70 degrees!

Click to expand...

What did you think of Copper?

Hopefully you're having fun. Colorado sounds nice right now! What did you think of Vail?

How are conditions comparing at Winter Park, Loveland and A-basin these days. Will be out there to ski Sat and Sun.

Jcb890 said:

What did you think of Copper?

Click to expand...

It was cool. I'll have to try it again sometime when the bowls are open. I was surprised how large the village is and how not large the front side is. I guess I was expecting a bigger place, but it was small enough that you could really hit much of the terrain (sans bowls) in one day. I was there the 2nd to last day of the season and they were selling 5-packs for next season for $169, what a steal of a deal for terrain of that quality.

Ski2LiveLive2Ski said:

How are conditions comparing at Winter Park, Loveland and A-basin these days. Will be out there to ski Sat and Sun.

Click to expand...

I was at Loveland and A Basin on Saturday and Sunday and while firm in the early AM by 10 or 11 conditions were stellar. There is not shortage of snow at either this past weekend. I posted a trip report with pictures for both resorts. We will be at both or maybe just A Basin.

Vail's frontside was becoming toast weeks ago. One of the reasons we never went recently. For some reason that side of Vail Pass warms up a lot.

BenedictGomez said:

It was cool. I'll have to try it again sometime when the bowls are open. I was surprised how large the village is and how not large the front side is. I guess I was expecting a bigger place, but it was small enough that you could really hit much of the terrain (sans bowls) in one day. I was there the 2nd to last day of the season and they were selling 5-packs for next season for $169, what a steal of a deal for terrain of that quality.

Click to expand...

Did you make it to LL or AB?

dlague said:

I was at Loveland and A Basin on Saturday and Sunday and while firm in the early AM by 10 or 11 conditions were stellar. There is not shortage of snow at either this past weekend. I posted a trip report with pictures for both resorts. We will be at both or maybe just A Basin.

Vail's frontside was becoming toast weeks ago. One of the reasons we never went recently. For some reason that side of Vail Pass warms up a lot.

Click to expand...

Thanks. Never been to either. Loveland is closer and cheaper so I am thinking of going there (sleeping in Ft Collins). Any reason to not go with that option?

Jcb890 said:

Colorado sounds nice right now! What did you think of Vail?

Click to expand...

Vail's been fun. May as well do a mini impromptu trip report I guess. It's been bright and sunny for the entire 5 days I've been here, despite constant sunblock I'm still a bit red. Skied it Easter and today, and the snow loss in just the last 48 hours is staggering. In fact, I was shocked at the snow loss on one trail I skied today at 2pm and then at 3:30pm! To show you I'm not exaggerating, here's what most of the trails look like near the bottom.



But higher up, once you get to about 10,000 feet and higher the snow is great soft to slushy spring stuff. Here's a pic of MidVail today, where looking across the horizon you can see how the snow is very elevation dependent.



Here's a picture of China Bowl on Easter Sunday. It was its' last day of operation.



Actually, all the bowls were supposed to close Sunday, so it was a pleasant surprise today when I got to the top and had to do a double-take when I saw people heading to Sundown Bowl, so obviously we headed there.

This is toward the bottom of Widges in the Sundown Bowl. A great route that goes through this little gully at the end. You really feel like you're out in the middle of nowhere in those Back Bowls. Total nothingness, especially when you're almost the only people skiing for as far as the eye can see. Good fun.


Lastly, this was Forever, which starts in SunUp Bowl and quickly jumps over to SunDown Bowl. The little ant in the pic is the woman. I was proud of her as usually if she even sees a black diamond sign she heads for the first blue square she sees. She said this trail was "intimidating" with the sustained steepness, but she did fine. I learned the history of this trail and how it got it's name, which is a good story.

Ski2LiveLive2Ski said:

Thanks. Never been to either. Loveland is closer and cheaper so I am thinking of going there (sleeping in Ft Collins). Any reason to not go with that option?

Click to expand...

You can get A Basin tickets for $61 or if I am there I can get you 30% off or even 2 for 1 if we find another person. PM me.

dlague said:

Did you make it to LL or AB?

Click to expand...

Going to both towards the end of the trip. Was supposed to go there first, but when Vail announced they were shutting down the Back Bowls and Blue Sky Basin on Sunday, I rejiggered the entire schedule. Blue Sky Basin is unreal. I imagine on a powder day it would be some of the premier terrain in North America. The fact that it takes a while to get there, that there's absolutely zero facilities whatsoever, and that there's no beginner terrain, all help keep the masses away, which just makes it even better.

BenedictGomez said:

Going to both towards the end of the trip. Was supposed to go there first, but when Vail announced they were shutting down the Back Bowls and Blue Sky Basin on Sunday, I rejiggered the entire schedule. Blue Sky Basin is unreal. I imagine on a powder day it would be some of the premier terrain in North America. The fact that it takes a while to get there, that there's absolutely zero facilities whatsoever, and that there's no beginner terrain, all help keep the masses away, which just makes it even better.

Click to expand...

We only skied there once this year and never made it over there. Something to do next year I guess. I heard it is pretty nice! We skied Sun Up and Sun Down and covered much of the front side.

I love Blue Sky Basin. Worth the "trip" to get there, especially for a PA boy like me. You take 2 lifts to get there, then ski a wide open bowl, and another lift to the goods. The best part of Blue Sky Basin is there is solid intermediate terrain there as well as some great expert terrain.

jimmywilson69 said:

I love Blue Sky Basin. Worth the "trip" to get there, especially for a PA boy like me. You take 2 lifts to get there, then ski a wide open bowl, and another lift to the goods. The best part of Blue Sky Basin is there is solid intermediate terrain there as well as some great expert terrain.

Click to expand...

Something to look forward to next year! Onward to LL and AB for now!