jimk
Well-known member
Don't want this to be same old "we're better than you because" thread. Outgrowth from Season in Review thread, looking for input from people who ski both East and West a lot, especially those who lived and skied in one region and moved to the other. What are some of the most noticeable differences to you with respect to terrain, ski technique, slope layout, infrastructure, weather, snow, grooming, people, etc? In other words, what are some of the obvious and perhaps not-so-obvious qualities that define how skiing in the Eastern and Western US differ from each other?
A few quick thoughts from me and I'll try to post more later if there is interest in this topic.
Weather, I have more ski days out west (~70) in last two years, than previous 50 years altogether. I am still learning how to dress for western skiing. Light, light, light. Fewer underlayers, thinner outer shells. 40degs out west fells like 55 or 60 in the East.
Snow, a good day is a good day no matter where, but snow surfaces are generally better out West. Part of this is that in the West I'm in vacationer mode and able to enjoy when a powder day arises. In the East I'm usually stuck in suburbia when powder hits local mtns and don't ski them until it's gone or crowded on next weekend. Surprisingly, spring skiing is a bit more equal in fun factor between east and west. Really warm day out west turns recent snow to bubble gum. When spring temps hit firm eastern snow it stays fairly fast skiing.
People and technique: my son (lives in Utah) says good eastern skiers are highly technical, good western skiers are highly tactical. I need to explore that topic more with him, but what I see is easterners can get down the tightest lines, tightest glades, zipperline bumps, maybe run gates better. Good Western recreational skiers can do a lot of that too, but seem to be better at letting it rip over big lines, fewer turns and conserving energy on open terrain so they can do lots of verttical without stopping. They look at the big picture better. And no doubt experienced at some special terrain like chutes and cliffs and huge open bowls that we don't see in the East unless you ski Tucks for two months every spring.
Blah blah blah. What do some of you think?:wink:
A few quick thoughts from me and I'll try to post more later if there is interest in this topic.
Weather, I have more ski days out west (~70) in last two years, than previous 50 years altogether. I am still learning how to dress for western skiing. Light, light, light. Fewer underlayers, thinner outer shells. 40degs out west fells like 55 or 60 in the East.
Snow, a good day is a good day no matter where, but snow surfaces are generally better out West. Part of this is that in the West I'm in vacationer mode and able to enjoy when a powder day arises. In the East I'm usually stuck in suburbia when powder hits local mtns and don't ski them until it's gone or crowded on next weekend. Surprisingly, spring skiing is a bit more equal in fun factor between east and west. Really warm day out west turns recent snow to bubble gum. When spring temps hit firm eastern snow it stays fairly fast skiing.
People and technique: my son (lives in Utah) says good eastern skiers are highly technical, good western skiers are highly tactical. I need to explore that topic more with him, but what I see is easterners can get down the tightest lines, tightest glades, zipperline bumps, maybe run gates better. Good Western recreational skiers can do a lot of that too, but seem to be better at letting it rip over big lines, fewer turns and conserving energy on open terrain so they can do lots of verttical without stopping. They look at the big picture better. And no doubt experienced at some special terrain like chutes and cliffs and huge open bowls that we don't see in the East unless you ski Tucks for two months every spring.
Blah blah blah. What do some of you think?:wink: