Why would you not move out West?

Obviously, everybody here is a lover of the sport, the mountains, snow, and all good things related. And everybody recognizes how much conditions matter for skiing. And (almost) everybody recognizes that the West has much better conditions than the East?

No judgments -- I am just curious about different perspectives. Why would you not move to a place where things are a lot more conducive for your passion?

For me, it is work and family. Though, I am working on both and I think sweetheart is warming up to the idea. :smile:

I could list many things/reasons, but ultimately what it comes down to is New England is home.

My family is here...
I want my kids to know their family...
I'm pretty attached to my hometown...
I like to bake and baking at altitude sucks...

(Alright, the last one is a joke. I do like to bake, but that has no weight on where I live.)

Work, Family, etc...

If I didn't have those right now I would be gone.

Why

Better Red Sauce and Pasta, Better Bagels , much less pretension. Also Jersey is home. That being said, While there is no question that Western conditions are almost always reliable and often excellent, I have found that Eastern skiing conditions have vastly improved over the last twenty years. One reason the comparison is unfair is that much Eastern skiing is done on the weekends, crowds quickly wear the snow out, bump up places that weren't meant to be , and leave you cold in the lift lines. Go to almost any Eastern mountain during the week and you will have a fine experience, almost as good as a Western day.

Easy for me--Born and raised in Central New York---my golf club and local ski hill are minutes from my house---can hunt right from my house---it's cheap to live here---Western skiers are wussy's

Work and Family.

But if I hit the lottery, I'd be gone tomorrow.

I like it here. I am hare to make some money, as soon as my bills are square (9 months or less) I'm gone.

That's my favorite thing about it here, The $$$$ is so much better for me anyways. I get along with family but am also pretty independant.

JimmyPete said:

Better Red Sauce and Pasta, Better Bagels , much less pretension. Also Jersey is home. That being said, While there is no question that Western conditions are almost always reliable and often excellent, I have found that Eastern skiing conditions have vastly improved over the last twenty years. One reason the comparison is unfair is that much Eastern skiing is done on the weekends, crowds quickly wear the snow out, bump up places that weren't meant to be , and leave you cold in the lift lines. Go to almost any Eastern mountain during the week and you will have a fine experience, almost as good as a Western day.

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While eastern conditions have improved, so has the lift capacity, and the effects from that. Having lived in Colorado and skied Summit County extensively and skied over 100 days a year out there, I can confidently say that thinking eastern skiing is almost as good as western is a pipe dream we all tell ourselves if we live in the east. I live here, I ski here, I have fun here and I appreciate all that New England has to offer, but folks, the skiing pales to what's available out west. It just does. Get over it.

That said, when you live out there you realize what isn't out there.

Ocean.
Beaches.
Swimming.
Good local food - it's all (almost) chain stores. This goes way beyond bagels and red sauce.
No locally grown produce
No decent year round employment (In the mountains) That leaves SLC and DEN.
Diversity. You can drive for 8 hours out west and it's still the same. Here you drive for 45 minutes and you're in a different state, or a different ethnic neighborhood.
History. Time starts out there in the late 1800's and existing buildings start in the 1920's.
Bugs. Yep, no black fly season. Loved that part.
Air. I lived at 10,500 feet.
Moisture. Constant nosebleed issues.
Road salt. Don't have it, don't need it.
Suburbia. Outside of the big cities, there is this thing called unincorporated land. It goes on forever. Consequently, when you live in one of the mountain towns or plains towns, there is a strong sense of community there you don't get here. Here. we work in a different town 4 towns away from where we live, and don't see our co-workers in the grocery store. In western small towns, you are a very tightly knit group, and when the pass closes you are an island. If you are stuck in a ditch every (local) car stops to help. There is no adjoining town, just emptiness. The difference is evident every day.

I don't understand the less pretention out west comment either.

Work, the ocean, and family keep me here. But Colorado still is in my veins.

Why

You read me wrong, I meant there is an insufferable amount of pretension Out West. As the folk song I'm from Jersey said "Jersey folks don't expect too much' ultimately you don't get disappointed too much. I go once a year to Vail , everyone out there is so self satisfied that it gets me sick, may be jealousy but he if you got it don't flaunt it. I never meant the East was as good as the West for skiing just that if you go at the right time which for me is a weekday hooky , you get a much different and pretty good experience. Skiing is fun where ever.

Ugly Places

I agree with many of the statements above specifically the ocean and lack of water bodies in general. In many cases their is a greater divercity of ski areas closer by in New england. Remember unless you are in the denver, SLC, or to a lesser extent taho area the ski areas are not nearly as numerous as out here or as close.

I think Denver and many western cities are Ugly. They are all strip malls and track housing that stick out of the prairie like sore thumbs. Also short of the southwest taos, Sedona etc, the desert and high plains and prairie are also kind of ugly except when in bloom. Trees and foliage of new england are beautiful and do a great job of hiding ugly building or unsightly properties.

Very few western citeis really have the character of eastern cities. I am talking real cities not resort towns.

One last point I have skied and hiked out west over a dozen times in multiple states and boy do i get sick of seeing essentially the same types of pine trees. I think our ski areas and mountain have a grater variety of plants and trees. Even if you see them primarily on the drive up.

JimmyPete said:

You read me wrong, I meant there is an insufferable amount of pretension Out West. As the folk song I'm from Jersey said "Jersey folks don't expect too much' ultimately you don't get disappointed too much. I go once a year to Vail , everyone out there is so self satisfied that it gets me sick, may be jealousy but he if you got it don't flaunt it. I never meant the East was as good as the West for skiing just that if you go at the right time which for me is a weekday hooky , you get a much different and pretty good experience. Skiing is fun where ever.

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You're not saying the entire west is pretentious, are you? You're saying Vail is pretentious.

While that certainly can be true, Vail is not the only place to live and ski out west. Try someplace else... why do you keep going back?

I ask myself this question everyday...........

mister moose said:

While eastern conditions have improved, so has the lift capacity, and the effects from that. Having lived in Colorado and skied Summit County extensively and skied over 100 days a year out there, I can confidently say that thinking eastern skiing is almost as good as western is a pipe dream we all tell ourselves if we live in the east. .

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Didn't see where anyone said that....did you??

Work and family. There are many unpretentious places outwest. The thought of retiring to a second home out there is becoming more appealing....perhaps even more so than one here in the east.

Well..I for one have never thought that...can't compare 400 acre resorts...with 4000 acre ones!!!

Summer in the Rockies is way underrated. Don't just think about the skiing, the climbing, mtb, and yes even skiing are pretty cool. I miss the ocean but mostly for the food that comes from it. It takes a good long time to get used to the landscape but it happens and I actually prefer open spaces. The cities have plenty of culture (well Dtown anyways) and lots to do. The folks are very laid back and friendly, like minded to most people here. Go to a town like Golden and EVERYBODY skis, yet lives a normal life

campgottagopee said:

Didn't see where anyone said that....did you??

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Read much?

JimmyPete said:

Go to almost any Eastern mountain during the week and you will have a fine experience, almost as good as a Western day.

Click to expand...

mister moose said:

Read much?

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Guess not all the words----thanks for pointing that out

Didn't say it right

mister moose said:

You're not saying the entire west is pretentious, are you? You're saying Vail is pretentious.

While that certainly can be true, Vail is not the only place to live and ski out west. Try someplace else... why do you keep going back?

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Well actually not everybody at Vail is pretentious, many nice people, and I love skiing there, BUT on many trips outwest Utah, California etc. I found people who were just so self satisfied to lord it over the peasants from back East, I've had a few bad days in the West including a whole week of rain and ice at Park City with three little kids, Meanwhile this week I saw Al Pacino in Merchant of Venice on Sunday, ate a great meal with a view of the Statue of Liberty in Jersey City on Wed night, Was on the slopes at Hunter with good conditions on Thursday and may see Black 47 next week at Connally's in NYC tonight. to quote Mick Jagger "You can't always get what you want , but......."