What makes you say that heavenly is better than AltaBird? I never skied Heavenly but everyone I know that has skied there doesn't think too much of it compared to other western areas.
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Best mountain for experts
- Thread starter ALLSKIING
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What makes you say that heavenly is better than AltaBird? I never skied Heavenly but everyone I know that has skied there doesn't think too much of it compared to other western areas.
Taos was the first western area I ever skied, I was about 11 at the time and had skied about 40 days in my life, all of which were at a hill 400 vert or smaller. The first day I was really excited so I skied al's and a bunch of other blacks in a lesson but I did this
uke: multiple times during the ride back to the hotel.I can't really say it's better then Alta/Snowbird. I would just group them all in as top mtns. I was wondering if anyone would ask why? And since you did, let me 'splane. Places like Alta/Snowbird are known for their powder skiing and attract that crowd. The competition is fierce on a powder day. One thing that Heavenly has is TREES. In fact, IMO, some of the best tree skiing in the U.S.. There is one run in particular that I would consider the premier tree run in the country. Towering, widely spaced Ponderosa Pine and facing the lake. Nothing else compares that I know of.
I get you. My cousin lived in utah for about 5 years. 2 years ago he moved to reno and he tells me that skiing wise the only thing that tahoe has over utah is the trees and the lake view.
hardline
New member
the first time i was out west and we where riding up the lift with a buddy. i couldn't belive the spacing on the trees compared to the hardwoods of the east. i felt like i was in a GS course in the trees.
What ski area was that? I haven't skied many places out west but taos has lots of tight trees while altabird has more widely spaced trees. I think JH has a mix of tight and open trees.
hardline
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steamboat. the trees in utah are spaced pretty wide as well but its also a function of altitude. i have also seen many pics and films of the trees in the lake tahoe and most i have seen consider open area with some trees but everyone's perception is different.
JD
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Haven't seen any votes for Baker. I know alot of real good boarders that say it is the shit.
dmc
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dmc
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I think Tahoe has more gnar... And safer snowpack for BC action...
And gambling... And beer higher then 3.2...
hardline
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baker is a freakin fun ass mountain but its not really an experts mountain. it is the location of my deepest day ever and actually was pretty scarry because it was so deep. you actually happy to come across a gromed area bacuse you could stop and rest without sinking.
I've never been to Tahoe so I could be wrong here but isn't the terrain out there uber gnar for a couple hundred feet followed by flats while the stuff in utah tends to be a little less gnar but a lot more sustained? Just based on the skiing do you prefer tahoe or utah?
Oh and gambling is the tax on the stupid
dmc
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I've never been to Tahoe so I could be wrong here but isn't the terrain out there uber gnar for a couple hundred feet followed by flats while the stuff in utah tends to be a little less gnar but a lot more sustained? Just based on the skiing do you prefer tahoe or utah?
Oh and gambling is the tax on the stupid
Well... I'm not stupid...
I prefer Tahoe.. I've been a few times... To both Utah and Tahoe..
Squaw.... Alpine... Sugarbowl.. Kirkwood...
Are some of my favorite places in the world...
Not blasting... But you should probably check it out before you make claims...
eastcoastpowderhound
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first time I skied there we got 4.5 feet in eight days...with wind holds on only the second day. It was insane...even on the day with wind holds...the upper lifts were closed but we were able to get high enough and then traverse half way across the mtn to some untouched trees...we were the only ones doing it, acres and acres of untracked trees with 2+ feet blown in. Our last day was a sat, first day of the canadian spring break supposedly 6cm of new...but that was on the lower mtn, at 4:30 pm we took a lap in trees with waist deep snow and the only tracks we crossed were our own. I'll spend the rest of my life trying to repeat that week.
:beer:
eastcoastpowderhound
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lived in tahoe donner for a year 90/91...pass at squaw, have skied utah dozens of trips since...prefer utah. sure, tahoe has all those things you mentioned, but its also got sierra cement...which coming from the east ain't too bad, but compared to blower utah pow and utah's consistently good snowfall...no contest for me.
dmc
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Right... But there's something about Tahoe... That keeps me coming back...
eastcoastpowderhound
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I know, I hear you...I'm itching to go back myself...the little voice in my head was louder then, I'm a much stronger skier now and I've got some unfinished business in the palisades. Work should bring me there this winter...with at least one day of "product testing" at squaw
Geoff
Well-known member
At Tahoe, Squaw is clearly the biggest and most diverse ski resort at Tahoe. It doesn't have huge vertical but it's loaded with challenging terrain.
I think Snowbird is a tougher mountain. The front face under the tram doesn't let up. Toss in Alta where you also have tons of challenge though you often have to traverse to get to it; and you probably the best Expert option in the US. Utah in general is much easier.... Most of Park City, Deer Valley, and The Canyons is intermediate or steep only in short spurts. That's where Utah's skier visits are concentrated since most people are intermediates. Empire at DV, Jupiter at PCMR, and 9900 at The Canyons can hold their own against anybody but that's small pockets, not whole ski areas.
I have a bunch of days at all these places. I think Whistler wins overall for terrain. Snowbird has a far better skiing surface and the terrain is almost as good so it's almost a dead tie. I've never been to Jackson Hole.
I think Snowbird is a tougher mountain. The front face under the tram doesn't let up. Toss in Alta where you also have tons of challenge though you often have to traverse to get to it; and you probably the best Expert option in the US. Utah in general is much easier.... Most of Park City, Deer Valley, and The Canyons is intermediate or steep only in short spurts. That's where Utah's skier visits are concentrated since most people are intermediates. Empire at DV, Jupiter at PCMR, and 9900 at The Canyons can hold their own against anybody but that's small pockets, not whole ski areas.
I have a bunch of days at all these places. I think Whistler wins overall for terrain. Snowbird has a far better skiing surface and the terrain is almost as good so it's almost a dead tie. I've never been to Jackson Hole.
eastcoastpowderhound
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of all the places I've been I'd say jackson has the best range of hucking opportunities...from 10' to 100'...all in the same continuous ridgeline from one end to another...with steep landings...and double hits all over the place. at most other resorts you don't get the gradually increasing cliff ranges like jackson and have to move around the mtn more for diff sized air. Huge vertical too, only whistler/blackcomb and revelstoke have more vert. jackson is in my top 5 for sure.
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