East or West?

[tirolerpeter]

East or West Skiing?

The issue is not even close for me. While I have experienced some wonderful days of skiing in the east over the years, the west is best! Sure, Heavenly at Lake Tahoe was no better than Mt. Snow for a couple of days two years ago. Then it DUMPED nearly 8' (that's FEET) over a two day period. And, while there are some powder days in the east, the actual character of the snow (moisture content of the crystals) rarely, if ever comes close to what they have out west on a regular basis. Tree skiing in the east is rare, and often dangerous due to the lack of cover over the deadfall. In the west, the deeper base makes gliding (not "scratching") through a snowy canopy absolutely delightful. Discussions of "favorite trails" are moot for most western areas. You are more likely to hear discussions of "inbounds" vs. "backcountry" out west. You can usually ski anywhere your heart desires, or skills permit. One of the first things a "Newbee" to the west notices, is not hearing their skis as they move downhill. It has to be experienced to be appreciated! I put my house here on LI on the market last week, and will be moving to the Salt Lake area as soon as it sells. AZ's planning on a trip to Utah next season should let me know, and I'll make every effort to hook up and show you around.

 

[zook]

Can't say I can compare the two. Not enough experience yet and not too many resorts that I've been too. However, there is just something about the snow in Utah - it feels like you're just gliding. I dream about that snow sometimes.... And the more I ski here the more Utah's snow seems unreal to me I guess this season did not help with all the snow/rain/melt/snow/etc.

Alta rocks! I hope to go again next season.

 

[tekweezle]

snow is snow. can you really have bad day at any resort that has decent snow coverage? I have had decent days at molehills like Mountain Creek.....or rather nights.

it;s just that out west, you are more likey to get good snow along with mild temps and sunny skies. here in the east, good snow tends to go hand in hand with windblown, harsh new england weather.

 

[SkiDog]

snow is snow. can you really have bad day at any resort that has decent snow coverage? I have had decent days at molehills like Mountain Creek.....or rather nights.

it;s just that out west, you are more likey to get good snow along with mild temps and sunny skies. here in the east, good snow tends to go hand in hand with windblown, harsh new england weather.

I was waiting for someone to point out that its really the weather in the west that RULES..

You can get a few feet of snow the night before and wake to the MOST BLUEBIRD skies you've ever seen....get a decent inversion and you're sitting at the mid mountain station in a t-shirt sunning yourself...you'll NEVER get that here in the east...well maybe in May at Kmart or something...but in the West its a basically regular occurance.

That and the fact that 15 degrees in the east feels like 80 degrees in the west..(slightly exagerrated)....the moisture content of the air in the Northeast is soo high and makes for VERY bitter cold...the west does not experience this that I have ever noticed...

M

 

[Marc]

Tree skiing in the east is rare, and often dangerous due to the lack of cover over the deadfall.

Say what?


We must have very different definitions of the word "rare."

 

[highpeaksdrifter]

Say what?


We must have very different definitions of the word "rare."

When you ski West it's routine for the glads to be open. That can't be said in the Northeast. If we don't get the natural snow cover they stay closed.

 

[Marc]

When you ski West it's routine for the glads to be open. That can't be said in the Northeast. If we don't get the natural snow cover they stay closed.

Mountain depending, of course, but mid winter, I would hardly called glades being open a "rare" thing, would you?


Even this year at Mount Snow, during a terrible snow year and at a mountain that gets very little natural snow their glades were open for a significant part of the winter.


This is not what I call rare. I was not arguing the sentiment, just the extremes with which it was described.

 

[loafer89]

The rare and elusive tree skier (my son) skiing at Belleayre this January:

Even Southeastern New York had tree skiing this year and if you wanted to find thin spots I am sure that a shovel would have uncovered them.

 

[highpeaksdrifter]

The rare and elusive tree skier (my son) skiing at Belleayre this January:

Even Southeastern New York had tree skiing this year and if you wanted to find thin spots I am sure that a shovel would have uncovered them.

Great picture :grin:

 

[ski_resort_observer]

Personally I think North beats them both hands down. :lol:

I'm with Marc...if ya replace "rare" with " as often as you ski them out west, depending on the snow" I could agree with ya.

 

[highpeaksdrifter]

This is not what I call rare. I was not arguing the sentiment, just the extremes with which it was described.

Alright Marc, you win, rare is a bad choice of word.

U2 defensive sometimes. You hearin me boy?;-)

 

[Marc]

Alright Marc, you win, rare is a bad choice of word.

U2 defensive sometimes. You hearin me boy?;-)

The dumb ones are often argumentative...

 

[Marc]

Actually obsessing over accuracy is a trait of a good engineer... which is fortunate for my career.

 

[tirolerpeter]

East or West Skiing?

OK Loafer, I don't want to get into a p-ssing contest over the word "rare." Yes, it looks like your son is having a great time, and that is wonderful. I fondly remember the many days I skied with my three kids in all kinds of conditions. They are now 22, 27, and 30. But, that picture clearly shows that, while there is lots of snow, it has been skied on by a whole lot of folks trying to get "into the trees." Take that little guy out to Brighton, Solitude, or Snow Basin, and you and he will be skiing beautiful untracked tree lines even days after a powder dump. I agree, there are times when there is sufficient snow to make tree skiing possible, and even enjoyable in the east. But, not as consistently, and certainly not on snow with the light, fluffy consistency that can be found out west. I know that life is complicated, and work, family, and other factors limit our choices and opportunities. If you haven't already, take that little "schusser" west, and make some fresh tracks, or just stop and listen to the quiet of those big beautiful woods. Even, moving through them, you won't hear your skiis.

 

[Marc]

Please, it wasn't merely over choice of words, nor was it turning into a "p-ssing contest," I took umbrage with how you characterized glade skiing in the east, which was simply inaccurate.

In a civilized debate amongst reasonable people, accuracy is critical to a clear and uninhibited exchange of ideas.

If I disagree with a point being made, you can either concede you were wrong or rebut my contention. Generally speaking, there isn't a third option.







Alright, it's probably time I stop drinking anyway.

 

[awf170]

paging meat and JD. How often are Jays/Stowes glades skiable/open, seems to me from mid-dec to mid-april from what I have seen. With Jan to the end of march using having excellent coverage. That doesn't seem rare to me.

 

[andyzee]

I was only out west for the first time in my life this past march, so I'm no expert, but here's my experience. I was in Solitude after they got 8" of snow and going through the trees we were skiing in waist deep snow, few day later they got 13" once agin waist deep, it was a trip. Went to Jay Peak on 3/18 which was 2-3 days after a 2' snowfall and most of the snow in the trees was skied off at this point. Yeah, was still able to find some decent stashes, but also had a lot of areas skied off to the point that rocks and tree roots were coming up throught the snow. So, for my limited experience, I have to say the west has it when it comes to trees, or at least the Cottonwood Canyon resorts in Utah anyway.

 

[meat]

paging meat and JD. How often are Jays/Stowes glades skiable/open, seems to me from mid-dec to mid-april from what I have seen. With Jan to the end of march using having excellent coverage. That doesn't seem rare to me.

pretty much right awf.
this year had a less than average snow pack and I was skiing the trees on the last day of the season (april 22nd), I was even in the trees a little during thanksgiving weekend. definatly safe to say that it is totally normal to have most of the trees open by mid december and some will have cover well after the lifts close in april. this year the snow went quick, usually you can still hike and ski a lot of stuff in mid may, only patches left now.

saying that tree skiing at jay is rare, is like saying skiing groomers at okemo is rare. just different style of trees between east and west, the east is more like skiing in the woods, where the west they are so widly spaced its hard to consider it tree skiing, both are great.

If I couldn't ski 40+ pow days at jay/year then I would have stayed out west, and to say that the snow is always heavy and wet and/or crusty underneath, then your kidding yourself. where do you think the term "Jay Dust" comes from?

 

[Plowboy]

I have been skiing the "woods" in the northeast for 27 years. When you do go out west the "woods" are yours to be had. Everybody traverses by looking for the wide open shot. I just say "See-ya. Go back, it looks too tight!!".

Yes, there are tight "woods" out west. You just have to find them.

Almost sounds like all the "woods" shots everybody here in the east looks for.

I find that most the "woods"(inbounds) shots here are skied up before some of the trails. As Dr John sang, " If I don't do it, somebody else will".

The best eastern "woods" skiing (inbounds) was before all the "glades trails" It was not allowed. We had to do a twig check before we went by the patroller's shack. LOL

Yours truely,
Old Fart aka Plowboy

 

[TwinTips21]

If the conditions are always so perfect as you are describing in the west how does that make one day better than another. Under these conditions there would be no good days just the same thing over again. The east is more challenging because it throws at you these wierd conditions. Having a day of pure ice makes the next powder day that much better!