Best mountain for experts

[kcyanks1]

My west list:
1. Jackson Hole
2. Aspen Highlands
3. Whistler/Blackcomb
4. Aspen Mountain
5. Snowmass

Placement of Whistler is tough, because I went at a time when they hadn't gotten a lot of snow, so not a ton was open. It's possible that it could go lower down based on what I actually got to ski there. #s 4 and 5 are a toss up. Ajax has more expert stuff %-wise, but Snowmass still has a couple good expert areas. Other places that I've skied out west that did not make the cut: Targee, Steamboat.

 

[frozencorn]

The K-12 looks pretty tough.

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

Still, I got 59 days in last winter skiing mostly weekends and company holidays.

Steezy considering you don't have any local night skiing..

 

[Geoff]

The K-12 looks pretty tough.

...and the street value must be enormous.

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

...and the street value must be enormous.

He was much better as Booger in Revenge of the Nerds..

Apparently Better Off Dead was filmed at Snowbird..

 

[SirShredsaLot]

The sublime metamorphosis of the Lane Meyer.

 

[Geoff]

The only part about Better Off Dead that I hate is when they put in a stunt double for the French chick exchange student on the one ski scene she's in. It's a guy in a 1 piece suit. I always roll my eyes since there are tons of shapely women who could have filled out that suit properly and ripped a nice line.

 

[Vince]

1) Mad River Glen

2) Stowe

3) Jay

4) Sugarloaf

5) Killington

 

[KevinF]

.....you put Ajax and Highlands above A-Basin? .....interesting

I've spent more time at Ajax and Highlands then I have at A-Basin. A-Basin's East Wall wasn't open the time I was there, so really, the worst thing I remember at A-Basin was Palli's. Definitely got my attention, but it didn't strike me as being as legendarily steep as the hype has made it out to be.

I had some friends showing me around Ajax and Highlands, finding lines through the trees that I could never find again and bump runs that just did not end. I'm sure if somebody gave me a similair tour of A-Basin that I'd have a different impression of the place.

 

[deadheadskier]

I've spent more time at Ajax and Highlands then I have at A-Basin. A-Basin's East Wall wasn't open the time I was there, so really, the worst thing I remember at A-Basin was Palli's. Definitely got my attention, but it didn't strike me as being as legendarily steep as the hype has made it out to be.

I had some friends showing me around Ajax and Highlands, finding lines through the trees that I could never find again and bump runs that just did not end. I'm sure if somebody gave me a similair tour of A-Basin that I'd have a different impression of the place.

Fair enough....I guess I could see Highlands being rated higher as there is some very tough terrain all over that mountain. I scared myself more at Snowmass than I did on Ajax though. Ajax is an expert mountain for sure and has a very high percentage of difficult terrain, I just thought some of the shots off the Cirque and Hanging Valley Wall were of the you screw up your dead variety and I didn't ski such terrain at Ajax.

 

[Geoff]

Fair enough....I guess I could see Highlands being rated higher as there is some very tough terrain all over that mountain. I scared myself more at Snowmass than I did on Ajax though. Ajax is an expert mountain for sure and has a very high percentage of difficult terrain, I just thought some of the shots off the Cirque and Hanging Valley Wall were of the you screw up your dead variety and I didn't ski such terrain at Ajax.

I did a rag-doll fall down the Hanging Valley Wall back around 1990 when my mom lived at Snowmass. I dropped in to what I thought was powder but what turned out to be windblown. Click-click. I'm double released over the handlebars. I probably only bounced 3 or 4 times as I tumbled down. I ended up at the bottom with two ski pole grips in my hands. The shafts were somewhere up the hill. My shell pants were down around my ankles and I'd ripped the side zipper out for the top foot of the pants from where I'd snagged my pants in an evergreen tree on the way down. I had a bloody lip but was otherwise uninjured.

I did pretty much the same thing jumping the cornice into what was then called the Sudan Couloir at Blackcomb. That's now called the Couloir Extreme. There was enough deep powder that I was able to self-arrest before I piled into the rocks. That one scared the hell outta me. That would have been in the late 1980's.

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

Fair enough....I guess I could see Highlands being rated higher as there is some very tough terrain all over that mountain. I scared myself more at Snowmass than I did on Ajax though. Ajax is an expert mountain for sure and has a very high percentage of difficult terrain, I just thought some of the shots off the Cirque and Hanging Valley Wall were of the you screw up your dead variety and I didn't ski such terrain at Ajax.

Are those scary shots at Snowmass lift served or hike-to?

 

[kcyanks1]

Are those scary shots at Snowmass lift served or hike-to?

Headwall is still hike to, I believe. The Cirque has a surface lift I believe that goes at least part of the way up what was formerly a hike.

 

[deadheadskier]

Are those scary shots at Snowmass lift served or hike-to?

They're both pretty much lift serviced. If I remember correctly is was about a five minute traverse/hike/skate out to HVW and the traverse around to the opposite side of the lift of the Cirque required some skating. Lloyd could probably verify this information better. It was 7 years ago and I only spent two days there and one of which the Cirque lift was closed. What I do remember very well was it was a pain in the ass to get back up to both areas, requiring a long run following 'the goods' down to the first of two lifts for both. Seems like it could be set up better. There were a number of large drops in both areas that weren't doable due to lack of snow when I was there, nor would I have done them if conditions allowed.

Snowmass definitely has some pretty sick stuff, but Highlands is where it's at for overall challenge in the Aspen area. I LOVED Highlands

 

[ski220]

Since I haven't seen it mentioned, obviously no one on this thread has skied TAOS.

 

[deadheadskier]

Since I haven't seen it mentioned, obviously no one on this thread has skied TAOS.

Haven't been....but have heard.....

 

[hardline]

Since I haven't seen it mentioned, obviously no one on this thread has skied TAOS.

i wouldn't have mentioned it because the its hit or miss with snow. i have a friend that lives i the area and really wants me to come down this season so i ride at his home mountain. he ski's i ride so this is the first real year we could go together.

 

[ski220]

East:
1)Stowe
2)MRG
3)Jay
4)da Bush
5)Mt. Washington

West: Sorry, can't limit myself to just 5.
1)Jackson Hole
2)Big Sky
3)C.B.
4)Taos
5)Heavenlly
6)Alta/Snowbird
7)Any other mtn. out west

And then there's Canadia. and, oh yea Europe.

 

[ski220]

i will give revey a full session this seasion. and see. there just something soooo cool about a brand new area. i just wish i was going with a crew of people that are a little nutty like me. plus there are very few people it trust to be in slack/side country with, so i may have to keep it pretty tame.

I'm going to try and do an interior B.C. trip again this year. Would love to bag a new mtn.. When are you planning on going?

 

[hardline]

I'm going to try and do an interior B.C. trip again this year. Would love to bag a new mtn.. When are you planning on going?

from what i can tell the snowpack is solid from mid jan on. if pushed for an answer today i would say the first two weeks of feb. i would also like to a day or two in rogers or some sled/skin routes. to be honest how long i stay for really depends on what projects i am working on at the time. if i can do some freelance design work i might go for 2 weeks. winter seems to be the slow season entertainment venue construction. i also have buddy tht works for microsoft. so it might be cool to fly in there and drive. i haven't seen him in a few years and his jobs take him to resorts for comps and i go when there is snow so its pretty rare we cross paths.