East or West?

[Ski Diva]

The bottom line is no matter where you are -- east or west -- a day of skiing sure beats a day of doing most anything else!

And even though some of us would rather ski out west, the east is HOME!!!! And that's one of the reasons we love it. And why we're willing to put up with the lousy weather, icy condtions, shorter season, etc.

 

[highpeaksdrifter]

The bottom line is no matter where you are -- east or west -- a day of skiing sure beats a day of doing most anything else!

And even though some of us would rather ski out west, the east is HOME!!!! And that's one of the reasons we love it. And why we're willing to put up with the lousy weather, icy condtions, shorter season, etc.

And they all lived happily ever after. :wink:

 

[Ski Diva]

And they all lived happily ever after. :wink:

You mean they DON'T??!!!!!

 

[highpeaksdrifter]

You mean they DON'T??!!!!!

No, I clearly typed that they DID.

 

[Ski Diva]

No, I clearly typed that they DID.

Oh, good. Ya had me there for a moment!!!!

 

[jackstraw]

HPD = sarcastic?

i think so...hangin' w/ ghosty too long!

 

[tekweezle]

i live in the east. sometimes I love it. most of the time I tolerate it-smaller mountains, high density of people on the trails, iffy snow and weather conditions. But it does make me appreciate when things are better. And I do like it when the weather is cold like in the 20's. that;s normal to me. I am not yet a fan of "spring conditions".

i;d probably be spoiled living out west. i hear they don;t even get out of bed if it doesn;t snow more than 6 inches.

 

[SkiDog]

I find that East coast skiers are usually "better" skiers as we have to deal with far more variable conditions (I MEAN "ice"). Keeps us on our toes.

I also find that folks out west complain about the slightest hint of what we'd call hardpack and call it ICEY CONDITIONS. I personally have never experienced an "icey" day out west...

M

 

[jackstraw]

I find that East coast skiers are usually "better" skiers as we have to deal with far more variable conditions (I MEAN "ice"). Keeps us on our toes.

I also find that folks out west complain about the slightest hint of what we'd call hardpack and call it ICEY CONDITIONS. I personally have never experienced an "icey" day out west...

M

its icey only in the beginning of the yr where they have made snow on steep slopes...sometimes...honestly, hardly ever, but i have experienced it! this of course is before there has been much natural snowfall.

i think if you look back at why people ski or started skiing (for recreation) i would assume that it wasn't to ride on hard pack snow. not that it isn't fun, but i don't think that's why we started.

to quote jim morrison....'the west is the best'

 

[SkiDog]

its icey only in the beginning of the yr where they have made snow on steep slopes...sometimes...honestly, hardly ever, but i have experienced it! this of course is before there has been much natural snowfall.

i think if you look back at why people ski or started skiing (for recreation) i would assume that it wasn't to ride on hard pack snow. not that it isn't fun, but i don't think that's why we started.

to quote jim morrison....'the west is the best'

Oh I agree 100% that the west has better conditions and steeps, etc...I just think that learning on east coast BOILERPLATE will only make you better when you do eventually get out west....

M

 

[highpeaksdrifter]

HPD = sarcastic?

i think so...hangin' w/ ghosty too long!

When you put a wink at the end you're letting the person know you're not being sarcastic, you're kidding around with them.

You would know that if you where not a knucklehead. (No Wink)

 

[highpeaksdrifter]

I find that East coast skiers are usually "better" skiers as we have to deal with far more variable conditions (I MEAN "ice"). Keeps us on our toes.
M

I have heard this argument many times and I'm not sure if I buy it or not. On the one hand it makes sense that if you ski the conditions in the East you develop strong skills.

On the other, I've skied with and seen lots of great skiiers out West and I'm sure they wouldn't fall apart if they skied East.

II also find that folks out west complain about the slightest hint of what we'd call hardpack and call it ICEY CONDITIONS. I personally have never experienced an "icey" day out west...
M

That is for sure. They are spoiled rotten.

 

[SkiDog]

I have heard this argument many times and I'm not sure if I buy it or not. On the one hand it makes sense that if you ski the conditions in the East you develop strong skills.

On the other, I've skied with and seen lots of great skiiers out West and I'm sure they wouldn't fall apart if they skied East.



That is for sure. They are spoiled rotten.

I dont think they'd necessarily "fall apart" on east coast slopes, but I know they couldnt keep up if they were skiing with a "full time east coaster"....they also likely would complain the whole time...

I too have skied with many great skiers out west, however most originated in the east...

I guess unless you're a native american..we all pretty much orignated in the east though

M

 

[loafer89]

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.

My post was not meant to be insulting or to start a pissing contest, however the photo shows powder/packed powder in the trees fairly far south in a poor snow year. Sure the snow is packed down alot, but I honestly do not feel safe taking a six year old into glades with untracked powder.

I have skied fairly extensively out west:

Timberline Lodge
Mount Batchelor
Snowbird
Alta
Brighton
Snowmass
Aspen Highlands
Aspen
Buttermilk/Tiehack
Winter Park/Mary Jane
Arapahoe Basin
Loveland
Breckenridge
Copper Mountain
Ski Cooper
Steamboat
Keystone

People out west think we easterners ski on garbage in awfull weather conditions, I hate how they downplay our mountains and our skiing.

I have skied Colorado from November to Mid-June in all kinds of conditions, it nice but it does not have the home,comfy feeling that skiing in New England has. I would gladly take the rain/ice/sheet ice/snowmaking in my face, to a powder day out west.

Powder in the east is certainly less common than out west in a given year, but the rarity makes me fond of it even more when I get the chance to ski it.

Just my .02

 

[highpeaksdrifter]

I have skied fairly extensively out west:

Timberline Lodge
Mount Batchelor
Snowbird
Alta
Brighton
Snowmass
Aspen Highlands
Aspen
Buttermilk/Tiehack
Winter Park/Mary Jane
Arapahoe Basin
Loveland
Breckenridge
Copper Mountain
Ski Cooper
Steamboat
Keystone

I have skied Colorado from November to Mid-June in all kinds of conditions, it nice but it does not have the home,comfy feeling that skiing in New England has. I would gladly take the rain/ice/sheet ice/snowmaking in my face, to a powder day out west.

Just my .02

To each his own, but why then have you skied out West so much?

 

[loafer89]

Except for some summer skiing in 1999, I did most of this skiing with my brother between 1983-1994. My trip out west next month will be my first in 7 years, and it is happening more so because I will be in Las Vegas on a Business trip and skiing is not that far away.

I like the west, but I would still rather ski in the east.

 

[jackstraw]

When you put a wink at the end you're letting the person know you're not being sarcastic, you're kidding around with them.

You would know that if you where not a knucklehead. (No Wink)

i know that lowpeaker! it wasn't me that didn't get it, so tone it down a notch 'cause your insulting people that you probably wouldn't otherwise.

and, even if you throw the gay little wink in, it still will come across as 'sarcastic' kidding.
not that there's anything wrong with that.

 

[SnowRider]

hmmmmm...semms like ive made a heated debate. I don't want everyone fighting. It was a simple question to get some peoples opinions. I don't thnk it was neccasary to make comments on someone elses response unless it is possitive.

LET'S PUT IT THIS WAY, WE ALL LOVE TO SKI/RIDE...THAT'S WHY WERE HERE. EAST OR WEST SKIING IS SKIING. IF YOU REALLY LOVE THE SPORT IT DON'T MATTER

SnowRider

 

[nightingale]

Let's be real. The NorthEast is the minor leagues. The West is the major league. Really now, people.

 

[skibum]

I dont think they'd necessarily "fall apart" on east coast slopes, but I know they couldnt keep up if they were skiing with a "full time east coaster"....they also likely would complain the whole time...

Oh, they just wouldn't go. By my last year out west I did not go if there was flat light, wind, temp was below 20 degs, there had been a thaw then a freeze, etc. etc. You just knew a better day was coming soon enough. Shoot, I didn't go out before 11 am unless it was triple D bluebird. With typical New England pessimism, most people here assume it will only get worse, so get out now or never.