Skiing Rag "Best Mtns in No. America"

I'm pretty grateful to live where I do. Easy access up 91 and 89. Adirondacks, NH, Maine, and Canada townships are all in play. And Berkshire East and Mt Snow real close by. A full spectrum of snow(ice) conditions that really make you appreciate the good days. I manage to make a lot of good days. Plenty of terrain to push my limits, true extreme skiing to be found either on- or just off-map at numerous resorts. Enough mountains that there's something for a variety of tastes. Tightest tree skiing found anywhere.

All other things equal I'd have a hard time moving anywhere else just for the skiing. Besides 1 hour north from where I am now. Where else in the world is there this much skiing for a weekend warrior?


edit: Uinta Detour Double IPA 9.5% ftw

I didn't find it funny either. It seemed like it was written by a 15 year old .


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bdfreetuna said:

I'm pretty grateful to live where I do. Easy access up 91 and 89. Adirondacks, NH, Maine, and Canada townships are all in play. And Berkshire East and Mt Snow real close by. A full spectrum of snow(ice) conditions that really make you appreciate the good days. I manage to make a lot of good days. Plenty of terrain to push my limits, true extreme skiing to be found either on- or just off-map at numerous resorts. Enough mountains that there's something for a variety of tastes. Tightest tree skiing found anywhere.

All other things equal I'd have a hard time moving anywhere else just for the skiing. Besides 1 hour north from where I am now. Where else in the world is there this much skiing for a weekend warrior?


edit: Uinta Detour Double IPA 9.5% ftw

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New England does have a lot of options. Used to live in NH with Pats Peak Gunstock and Ragged all within 45 minutes. With just over 2hrs we had like 40 ski areas to choose from. In Colorado there are something like 27 total but very spread out with a concentration around Summit County. The only difference 6 ski areas in and around Dillon make up more acreage than all of New England.

bdfreetuna said:

I'm pretty grateful to live where I do. Easy access up 91 and 89. Adirondacks, NH, Maine, and Canada townships are all in play. And Berkshire East and Mt Snow real close by. A full spectrum of snow(ice) conditions that really make you appreciate the good days. I manage to make a lot of good days. Plenty of terrain to push my limits, true extreme skiing to be found either on- or just off-map at numerous resorts. Enough mountains that there's something for a variety of tastes. Tightest tree skiing found anywhere.

All other things equal I'd have a hard time moving anywhere else just for the skiing. Besides 1 hour north from where I am now. Where else in the world is there this much skiing for a weekend warrior?


edit: Uinta Detour Double IPA 9.5% ftw

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Just for skiing?

Idk just about city like SLC, Reno or Denver would blow anywhere in Massachusetts out of the water for a weekend warrior lets be real here.

With that said im skiing nh the next couple years and will find enjoyment, lots of it....but don't think for a minute I wouldn't rather be skiing west.

Yeah just for skiing. I like narrow trails and mixed hardwood trees. Bowls and wide open stuff doesn't do much for me. Granted there are hugely impressive mountains out west... Bachelor, Big Sky, Jackson... and Colorado has definitely got it going on. Maybe if all Colorado were accessible like we have it here.

I'm going to Tahoe this season but it's partially to visit family so I figure might as well ski 5 days at different places. They look like nice mountains and some with good woods skiing too.

I'll let you know after the 2nd week in March. Squaw Valley terrain for example does't even appeal to me so it's probably not making the 5-mountain cut.

I was gonna go to SLC last season but I was hardly that stoked so decided to save it. I really do want to ski Bachelor though.

bdfreetuna said:

Squaw Valley terrain for example does't even appeal to me.

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To each their own, but this might be the first time these words have ever been said.

Not saying it's at the top of my list for Western mountains to try, but I'm sure I'd like it better than any area in the East.

bdfreetuna said:

I'll let you know after the 2nd week in March. Squaw Valley terrain for example does't even appeal to me.

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It's not the go-to area for trees and it's a bit crowded (Northstar and Heavenly feel more crowded) but I consider Squaw mandatory for a first visit to Lake Tahoe.

Tentative list is Heavenly(staying at the base).. Mt Rose(looks like nice chutes).. Sierra at Tahoe and Homewood(trees and trees) and Alpine Meadows (looks more fun and low key than Squaw to me).

Open to all suggestions but I've researched a lot.

If you like steep terrain rethink squaw.

You're into trees so I suggest sierra at tahoe and mott/killebrew and firebreak at heavenly. This is some of the best tree skiing I've ever had. Ill be missing tahoe this year big time....

BDFREETUNA, I love your attitude. Mountain loyalty is a beautiful thing and appreciating what you've got in life makes it all worthwhile. I've skied all over the country and it's trite, but IT'S ALL GOOD. (Maybe not if you happen to catch an all day soaker rain, or a windy day with -15 air temp??) Don't know where you are going, but Tahoe has some great mtns with a really interesting snow-meets-desert feel to them. I'm guessing you are going to North Lake Tahoe area?? Let me show you a few pics from there. Skier in many pics is my son.

Alpine Meadows - backside of mtn, everything in this pic is within ski area boundaries, but you'd have to do a long hike to get to far hillside:


Squaw Valley - Granite Chief is a trail pod with steeps, cliffs, bumps, trees, groomers - you could spend the rest of your life skiing this one lift:

more pics: http://www.epicski.com/a/squaw-valley-alpine-meadows-a-pictorial

Sugar Bowl - Silver Belt trail is the gulch in the upper middle of photo, super interesting advanced terrain all around this part of the mtn (famed Palisades chutes are 1/4 mile to lookers right of this pic):

more pics http://www.epicski.com/a/sugar-bowl-ca-a-pictorial

Homewood is a small Tahoe afterthought that those from my part of the country would kill to have near us. This is Quail Face area, THE best view of Lake Tahoe:

more pics http://www.epicski.com/a/homewood-ca-a-pictorial

It's kind of a pain to incorporate Mt. Bachelor in a ski trip to Tahoe because it's about eight hours drive north, but I did and it was an unforgettable scenic gem. this was taken on the amazing offpiste down the backside of Mt. B:

more pics http://www.epicski.com/a/mt-bachelor-a-pictorial

Oops, you posted while I was typing. I'll look for some shots from Heavenly, S-A-T, Mt. Rose. You should check out Kirkwood too if you're in SLT. Listen to Snoseek, he's far more knowledgeable on Tahoe than me. I just have some pics 8)

Nice pics Jim! Read your Bachelor page too. I think Bend is in the cards for 2017/2018.

Jim we are staying at the base of Heavenly, which is one reason Heavenly is on the list. I do like the looks of their terrain too, seems like a bit of everything. I'll be skiing mid-week so hopefully crowds won't be so bad.

There are a few mountains that almost made the cut... Kirkwood would probably be next. And it would then knock out either Sierra-at-Tahoe or Homewood. Out of those 2 which is better?

Snoseek... I like steeps, but I much prefer steeps with trees. I actually get vertigo sometimes if it's really steep and there's no trees around. Not my favorite feeling and really screws me up. The more trees around the less chance of that happening no matter how steep it gets. Some kind of visual thing, I guess.

The other factor is that I'll be skiing with my wife so what's challenging for me could be very challenging for her.

Got to ski Heavenly several days if you're staying right there. It's real pretty, but can be busy. Weekdays might help you with that. SAT is famous for the trees, see here for pics: http://www.epicski.com/t/116972/sierra-at-tahoe-1-10-13-powder-day
Kirkwood would be easier daytrip from SLT than Homewood. Kirkwood is better and bigger than Homewood, except no pretty views of the Lake.
You will have a blast. SLT is good for apres-ski for you and wife.

Re-think the now Squaw plan, especially if you are skiing with others of mixed abilities. My wife and I stayed right at the Embassy by the Heavenly Gondola so skied majority there but drove up and did 2 days at Squaw. When we go back we will stay at Squaw instead and skip Heavenly completely. Mott and Kilbrew are fun and some challenge (Kilbrew more than Mott due to a bit better vert) but you will see they are isolated from other terrain. When we split up, it was literally 45 minutes before we could meet back up. Squaw, on the other hand, we could ride the same lift, I could go on way toward crazy steeps, she could go another way to a groomer (some off KT-22 and Silverado are still very steep but buffed) and meet at the bottom and ride back up together. The only lift there not like that was Granite Chief. Overall, Squaw kicked Heavenly's butt in my opinion.

I think Mt Rose is the furthest from SLT and that's just about an hour. That's peanuts.

I think my wife could do Mott from what I've seen on YouTube. That and the chutes at Mt Rose. Maybe not the most difficult ways down, but one or another line in the general vicinity.

So, 5 days, here's how attached I am to each one..

Heavenly: 100%. Staying at the base plus I have the itch to ski it.
Sierra-at-Tahoe: 90%. I hear the trees are something special.
Alpine Meadows: 90%. I do want the "wide open bowl" experience and this looks as good as any.
Mt Rose: 70%. Looks really fun chutes to me but I could be swayed.
Homewood: 70%. Trees look good but I could be swayed.

So at the expense of Mt Rose / Homewood

I am hearing I should ski Squaw on of those days instead. I think Kirkwood would be the other obvious choice.

So, in theory:

Heavenly
Squaw
Kirkwood
Sierra-at-Tahoe
Alpine Meadows / Homewood (wild card day, depends on weather and what we feel like skiing)

Does that sound like a more proper Tahoe experience? I feel bad leaving out Mt Rose for some reason. There's always a chance due to convenience and the fact we're doing 5 days in a row that Heavenly will get 2 days and knock another one off the list.

How did this turn into a Tahoe thread?

Smellytele said:

How did this turn into a Tahoe thread?

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LOL.

My fault I think.

Quickly - Tuna, how many ski days and what airport? If 5 days and Reno, then since staying SLT maybe 2 or 3 at Heavenly, one each at SAT and Kirk, maybe one at Rose (coming or going to Reno)?? Save NLT ski areas for another time??

When I visited Bachelor, NLT and SLT I was on a 16 day trip and even then it was pretty hectic to pack them all in.

bdfreetuna said:

I'm going to Tahoe this season but it's partially to visit family so I figure might as well ski 5 days at different places. They look like nice mountains and some with good woods skiing too.

I'll let you know after the 2nd week in March. Squaw Valley terrain for example does't even appeal to me so it's probably not making the 5-mountain cut.

I was gonna go to SLC last season but I was hardly that stoked so decided to save it. I really do want to ski Bachelor though.

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Sounds like me a few years ago! Was anti western skiing and felt I had all I need in New England until we skied Banff. Then we thought about it and decided that I should find a job in a ski destination state and Colorado was it. Love it so far not just for skiing. We have gotten into hiking, biking, fly fishing, and much more all with no bugs. Oh and no humidity.

Edd said:

It's not the go-to area for trees and it's a bit crowded (Northstar and Heavenly feel more crowded) but I consider Squaw mandatory for a first visit to Lake Tahoe.

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Northstar and Heavenly are on our to do list due to out season pass. Hope it is not too bad.

dlague said:

Sounds like me a few years ago! Was anti western skiing and felt I had all I need in New England until we skied Banff.

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I've already skied Sunshine Village and Lake Louise

JimK... flying into Sacremento, I think. We have family moving there. So 2 days in Sacramento > 6-7 days in Tahoe (5 skiing) > 2 days back to Sacramento.

bdfreetuna said:

I've already skied Sunshine Village and Lake Louise

JimK... flying into Sacremento, I think. We have family moving there. So 2 days in Sacramento > 6-7 days in Tahoe (5 skiing) > 2 days back to Sacramento.

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I think you should hit squaw but you will have alot of fun at heavenly.


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