East or West?

[WICKEDBUMPER]

Try to find something as sick as the headwall, dutches, pipeline, or dodges inbounds out west, I don't think you will.

squaw, JH, and Alta have the goods. no hiking required.

 

[mattchuck2]

I don't know . . . I don't see how anyone can make the case that skiing in the east is consistently better than skiing in the west. There might be cool trails that you prefer, great powder shots on a perfect day, or the comraderie of hanging with your friends, but I feel as though you can match these experiences out west. If you went hunting out west, you could find steep tight trees, huge open faces, or even tight winding (new england style) trails.

The east has its share of great powder days, great trails and great trees, but the powder days are more sporadic, the trails aren't as numerous, and the trees are less accessible - more boundary rules in the east (besides Jay, etc.). Skiers in the east talk about which trail is great today, whereas skiers in the west talk about which mountain is great today.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not going anywhere. I live in the east, and I love skiing what the east has to offer . . . I just relish the opportunities that I get out west because I always seem to experience something that I've never experienced before.

Also, the only reason that Utah is overrated is because they limit the alcohol content of the beers. The terrain and snow conditions are consistently SICK.

 

[awf170]

squaw, JH, and Alta have the goods. no hiking required.

Squaw: not as long as the stuff like dutches, empire, pipeline, and dodges drop.

Alta: I couldn't find anything like that, though there may be a few things.

JH: agreed jackson hole has some sick stuff.

Your comment that Utah gets tracked up more is based on what? With all due respect, your sweeping generalizations are incorrect IMHO. Methinks you have fallen for the hype not the reality of it.

From going there and few other places out west. It should read snowbird/alta though because I never been to the other places and I assume they get tracked up less quickly. snowbird/alta just have so many good skiers who know where every stash is.

Well for the record, we're very different than TGR and we intend to keep it that way. And as far as those "boring" threads, nobody is forcing you to post in them. If you have some other more compelling topics you'd like to discuss, start a thread.

Oh crap, sorry. I just re-read what I wrote and didn't notice how much of jerk I came off as. I didn't mean it that way. I wasn't comparing us to TGR, I was just saying that having strong disagreements makes threads interesting and as long as it doesn't get to personal attacks then I don't think there is a problem with it.

 

[madskier6]

Clearly the West has better skiing but I prefer to live in the East. There's more to do here (other than just skiing) plus it's easier for me to make a living and support my family here. I know there are exceptions to this out West but I'm just saying that I prefer to live here. The East, especially New England, has so much more character as a place to live.

One thing that makes skiing in the East interesting IMHO is how close we are to so many different mountains. Once you cross the Vermont border from the south (or NH for that matter) there are so many different resorts that are all within a relatively short driving distance. You can check out different mountains easier in the East and I tend to like variety. I know that Coloarado, Utah and Tahoe also have a lot of resorts within a relatively close distance but from where I live, there are so many great mountains within striking distance. While I primairly ski in the MRV becasue I have a condo there, I love trying new places and skiing with friends who can show me around those mountains I don't go to very often.

Having said all that, I'd go out west for a weeklong trip in a heartbeat if I could swing it financially and with the family. If a doctor told me I only had 6 months to live, I would head out West to ski all the fantastic moutnains that I haven't hit yet and ski my brains out. Then I could die happy.

 

[WICKEDBUMPER]

Squaw: not as long as the stuff like dutches, empire, pipeline, and dodges drop.

Alta: I couldn't find anything like that, though there may be a few things.

JH: agreed jackson hole has some sick stuff.

thats funny, I found Squaw to be the sickest of the 3.

 

[awf170]

thats funny, I found Squaw to be the sickest of the 3.

Nvm then. I have never been to Squaw but my dad has but the impression I got was the palisides were sick but really short and kt-22 was awsome but it doesn't look that hard besides for a few really steep section.

 

[Plowboy]

Nvm then. I have never been to Squaw but my dad has but the impression I got was the palisides were sick but really short and kt-22 was awsome but it doesn't look that hard besides for a few really steep section.

I think you should take a few more trips out west before you make assumptions. There is A LOT more to it. Steep sick lines and powder are just the "icing on the cake".

We are talking inbounds and lift served lines. Tucks is bc, so lets compare it to western bc.

 

[WICKEDBUMPER]

Austin, check this place out...

http://www.silvertonmountain.com/geninfo.php

 

[shwilly]

If you can go out and enjoy a crappy weather day with questionable snow conditions in Vermont, then the motivation to move West is substantially reduced.

Oh hell yeah. Corollary: if you can enjoy a crappy weather / conditions day in the East, you will be in the top 5% of skiers on any given day at a resort in the West, and you will be able to rip everything on the mountain while the masses mosey down the groomers.

I've only been out West once, and it was like another planet from what I'm used to. Alpine terrain, glaciers, open powder bowls, runs of more than 3000' vert, 5 pow days in a week....it was incredible, one of the best vacations of my life. But
1) I only enjoyed it so much because I had already gotten my legs from 18 days in the East that season, and
2) it was a vacation; I have no desire to move there.
I'll do 95% of my days in the East and take a trip out West every year or two and be very happy with that.

One reason so many people go to Utah is not hype, but convenience. The big resorts are right around SLC less than an hour from the airport, so you can do a long weekend without much hassle.

In an unexpected turn of events, it suddenly looks possible that I will be living in northern VT next winter, in striking distance of the best pow in the East. I'll be less worried about a trip out West if I have Boltonsmuggstowebushjayburke to explore in my backyard.

 

[skiadikt]

I think you should take a few more trips out west before you make assumptions. There is A LOT more to it. Steep sick lines and powder are just the "icing on the cake".

We are talking inbounds and lift served lines. Tucks is bc, so lets compare it to western bc.

yeah he keeps comparing everything to tucks. as sick as the terrain is inbounds at many western ski areas, it's even sicker b/c. wickedbumper mentions silverton. never been there but xtreme lines, huge vert and deep pow. another place that gets overlooked is big sky. lots of xtreme stuff off the lone peak tram.

i love eastern skiing but a lot of the challenge comes from the conditions whereas out west i'm challenged by the terrain.

 

[jackstraw]

this is the funniest thread ive read in a long time. thanks!

 

[SkiDog]

this is the funniest thread ive read in a long time. thanks!

Agreed....laughing....

Like asking who makes the best pizza....

M

 

[awf170]

I think you should take a few more trips out west before you make assumptions. There is A LOT more to it. Steep sick lines and powder are just the "icing on the cake".

We are talking inbounds and lift served lines. Tucks is bc, so lets compare it to western bc.

I have been to Whistler, blackcomb, alta, snowbird, sunshine village, and lake louise. So I think I have fair assessment of the west coast, saying those are arguably some of the best places out west. And yes I know Mt. Wash is bc and that the west has bc. So I guess it is not far to compare it to western resort skiing. But I'm just trying to say that the east does have some awsome terrian. So if your comparing bc options the west is obviously way better but the east isn't as bad as everyone thinks. There are a ton of slides to ski in NY. A ton of nice gladed peaks in vermont. A lot of sick alpine stuff in the presi's and a bunch of slides on some of the peaks outside of the presi's in NH. Some crazy stuff on Katahdid and some awsome easier western-like alpine stuff on slide peak(i think thats what it is called). And then you have the chic chocs in the gaspe penisula which is pretty much like western skiing in every almost every aspect.

yeah he keeps comparing everything to tucks. as sick as the terrain is inbounds at many western ski areas, it's even sicker b/c. wickedbumper mentions silverton. never been there but xtreme lines, huge vert and deep pow. another place that gets overlooked is big sky. lots of xtreme stuff off the lone peak tram.

i love eastern skiing but a lot of the challenge comes from the conditions whereas out west i'm challenged by the terrain.

I really don't get how everyone talks about western ski areas vertical. Most ski areas out west have the same vertical as the ski areas in northern NE. Alta's is barely 2,000, but still considered the best ski area in the west by many. The only place out west right now I can think of that has more real vertical then the large eastern ski areas in jackson hole. I know whistler has a ton of vertical but the bottom is crap and there is no reason to ski it. Anyway, who cares about vertical anyway, you never ski more than 2,000 ft at a time, so IMO if a place has over 1,500 ft its fine.

i love eastern skiing but a lot of the challenge comes from the conditions whereas out west i'm challenged by the terrain.

Agreed. Though in my sick mind getting challenged by conditions is fun.





So whatever, whos losing here, the person who actually thinks the east is good or the person who always dreams about skiing out west.

 

[SkiDog]

I have been to Whistler, blackcomb, alta, snowbird, sunshine village, and lake louise. So I think I have fair assessment of the west coast, saying those are arguably some of the best places out west. And yes I know Mt. Wash is bc and that the west has bc. So I guess it is not far to compare it to western resort skiing. But I'm just trying to say that the east does have some awsome terrian. So if your comparing bc options the west is obviously way better but the east isn't as bad as everyone thinks. There are a ton of slides to ski in NY. A ton of nice gladed peaks in vermont. A lot of sick alpine stuff in the presi's and a bunch of slides on some of the peaks outside of the presi's in NH. Some crazy stuff on Katahdid and some awsome easier western-like alpine stuff on slide peak(i think thats what it is called). And then you have the chic chocs in the gaspe penisula which is pretty much like western skiing in every almost every aspect.


I really don't get how everyone talks about western ski areas vertical. Most ski areas out west have the same vertical as the ski areas in northern NE. Alta's is barely 2,000, but still considered the best ski area in the west by many. The only place out west right now I can think of that has more real vertical then the large eastern ski areas in jackson hole. I know whistler has a ton of vertical but the bottom is crap and there is no reason to ski it. Anyway, who cares about vertical anyway, you never ski more than 2,000 ft at a time, so IMO if a place has over 1,500 ft its fine.


Agreed. Though in my sick mind getting challenged by conditions is fun.





So whatever, whos losing here, the person who actually thinks the east is good or the person who always dreams about skiing out west.

At least you know Jackson Hole is the BOMB.....Nuff said....

M

 

[skibum]

I just moved back form over a decade in Colorado. Geesh, I could go on and on...but you all would hate me and some would not get it at all. When I talked about New England to Colorado people they did not get it and people here do not understand what CO was like. But yeah, skiing there is better, in all aspects, by leaps and bounds.

 

[pepperdawg]

I prefer.... BOTH.

.

West Rocks - Anyone that hasent been out west (more than I imagined on this board) - Go West as soon and as often as your situation permits. I've been fortunate enuff to log probably 90+ days combined in the 'usual suspects' (Tahoe, UT, CO<both Summit cty and 4-corners area>, BC, WY)...as Geoff says, the only reason I ski(ride) the east, is cuz its where I live/work.....

That being said - On the few and far between days here when the pow is 'just right' - man - theres something about the East-coast fluff that I wouldnt trade...its all that much sweeter.....I'v had plenty of days at Smuggs/Stowe/Bush and K-mart where I wouldnt trade that moment for any other....

end ramblings....good thread..

 

[pepperdawg]

Pac vs Biggie?

 

[kingslug]

Over at Epic I put a different spin on this topic. I asked if anyone ever comes from the west to ski in the east. Guess what 99% of them said. It all boiled down to a big "WHY".
I've been skiing out west for about 5 or 6 years at least twice a year. I always hit Utah because I feel it is the best. I've never had a bad time there no matter when i went. Colorado can be hit or miss as they do get ice. Jackson was a blast even though they hadn't gotten snow in over a week. Want to see bump runs? OMG! Miles long. Since I like bowl skiing so much I have to go out there. Hell I want to move out there but the wife won't budge. And yes it is a problem. And if anyone thinks Squaw isn't sick, well you haven't been there. It was the most intimidating place I have ever been to except maybe Chaminox. They don't mark runs, just lifts. So you never know what to expect, like cliffs which are very easy to stumble on to, and hopefully not fall off of. So yeah, I'de sell my house, quit my job, and run out there.

 

[awf170]

Pac vs Biggie?

Nah, more of Vanilla Ice vs. Pac.

straight up gansta, yo.

 

[meat]

I for one think that the east and west is hard to compare, they are so different from each other, both are great in their own respects, but when it comes down to the true elements of skiing the west wins. especially true if your at the right place.
I spent my first few years in college in Colorado and had passes at vail resorts, steamboat, and winter park. I do think that most of colorado skiing is a tad overrated, especially summit county, other parts of the west are better. Steamboat was my favorite in CO and whistler and alta are my western favorites

while living in denver their was only one way to the ski areas, I-70, it is like a traffic jam in downtown boston on a weekend. then when you get to say vail, you have to pay $10 to park your car then walk through a village for a 1/2" mile just to get to the lift, no character like new england. Its just annoying things like that make me appreciate the east, the longer I was out there the more I realized it, at first it was the best thing going. colorado doesn't even get that much snow, most of them get less than jay peak. skiing jay a lot I probably never hardly go more that a week and a half between powder days, yes a lot more rain than the west, but their is something about Jay's trees that I just never get bored and its in my backyard, easy choice for me.
I love northern new england and the culture and atmosphere it brings, its home to me and I'll probably never live anywhere else. every skier definatly needs to go out west, its a whole different world