National Geographic lists out Top 25 Ski Towns

[skiNEwhere]

As to "ski cities", I'd nominate SLC. Love living out here...lots going on, awesome access, good career options, and incredible vistas.

If we are going that route, then I nominate Denver. Everything you said, plus tons of ski shops and ski related businesses. When you go to the bar you hear people talking about their epic pass for the next season, how skiing was that weekend, etc.

Ski resorts aren't as close to Denver as they are to SLC, but still within day tripping range.

 

[MadMadWorld]

I'm not really sure I would consider some of these "ski towns". Bend, OR as a ski town is like calling Kingston a ski town for Hunter.... or Rutland a ski town for Pico and Killington. Just doesn't make sense to me.

I don't know about Kingston but Rutland sees a crap load more traffic in the winter and a lot of skiers stay, dine, and shop there.

 

[BenedictGomez]

I don't know about Kingston but Rutland sees a crap load more traffic in the winter and a lot of skiers stay, dine, and shop there.

True, but Rutland isnt making a top-100 ski towns list.

 

[thetrailboss]

I don't know about Kingston but Rutland sees a crap load more traffic in the winter and a lot of skiers stay, dine, and shop there.

Yeah but Rutland doesn't really feel like a ski town.


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[thetrailboss]

If we are going that route, then I nominate Denver. Everything you said, plus tons of ski shops and ski related businesses. When you go to the bar you hear people talking about their epic pass for the next season, how skiing was that weekend, etc.

Ski resorts aren't as close to Denver as they are to SLC, but still within day tripping range.

Everyone says that about Denver but that was not our experience.


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[Cornhead]

Ellicottville, NY, awesome ski town, emphasis on "town". I met a lot of people from Ohio at Holiday Valley, it's their ski Mecca, sucks to be them. Actually, Holiday Valley is not terrible, they do get lots of Lake Effect off Erie. There are some cool lean-tos along some trails with a picnic table within, fire rings in front with supplied wood to burn, cool spots to take a break and enjoy "Nature". Never skied Hollimont, it's semi private, open to the public only on weekdays.

The only reason I have been there is because I have a bud who lives halfway there. I could be at Whiteface, or southern VT, for the same drive time. Lake Placid is very cool, hard to imagine two Winter Olympics being held there, it's pretty small. I think of the "Miracle on Ice" every time I drive past the Arena, I bet LP was hopping that night.

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[skiNEwhere]

Everyone says that about Denver but that was not our experience.

What aspects? Please elaborate.

 

[AdironRider]

If we are going that route, then I nominate Denver. Everything you said, plus tons of ski shops and ski related businesses. When you go to the bar you hear people talking about their epic pass for the next season, how skiing was that weekend, etc.

Ski resorts aren't as close to Denver as they are to SLC, but still within day tripping range.

Not on a powder day with 5-7 hour drives each way. You know this is true.

 

[Domeskier]

Hartford?

 

[skiNEwhere]

Not on a powder day with 5-7 hour drives each way. You know this is true.

I don't live in Denver so I don't know this to be true, I live in the mountains so I got a 45 minute jump on everyone. I can vouch for the atmosphere though.

Maybe I haven't lived here long enough but I've yet to see a 5-7 hour delay for traffic. Maybe it's a really big storm and their are multiple accidents. Depends where you are going too. I consider Loveland the beginning of the Denver ski region and Beaver Creek the end. Maybe if they were going to Beaver Creek, with a really big storm, that affected Vail pass I could see it.

Regardless, what does traffic have to do with whether or not it's a "Ski City"?

 

[thetrailboss]

Denver is surprisingly further from the mountains than we thought. Sure it's an hour or so to Loveland, but an hour here gets you to 8-9 major resorts easily. Other than that it felt more like Kansas than Colorado being so relatively flat. I pictured it to be like SLC with the mountains right nearby but that's just not the case. Sure it's where folks fly into and where they start from but it's not a good base for skiing.


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[skiNEwhere]

Denver is surprisingly further from the mountains than we thought. Sure it's an hour or so to Loveland, but an hour here gets you to 8-9 major resorts easily. Other than that it felt more like Kansas than Colorado being so relatively flat. I pictured it to be like SLC with the mountains right nearby but that's just not the case. Sure it's where folks fly into and where they start from but it's not a good base for skiing.


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How often are you affected by road closures though? I'm sure it's great to be at Alta when you are interlodged, but sucks if you are not there. Not sure of how much snow it takes for interlodging to take effect, maybe we don't have that "problem" due to less snow. How many ski areas does interlodging normally effect? Just trying to figure out if a lot of snow means you can't ski anywhere in the state until roads clear.

 

[AdironRider]

Dude you have blinders on if you haven't seen the I70 traffic issues or are one of the causes of the problems there.

Denver isn't really a ski city, considering at best the closest areas are almost an hour away and 50+ miles. Boston is more of a ski city than Denver in that sense.

 

[skiNEwhere]

I've seen the I-70 traffic issues, not to the level you describe, you make it sound as if it's like that every weekend. Plus they've been expanding the twin tunnels in Idaho Springs to 3 lanes, that should help the some of the issues.

 

[ScottySkis]

How often are you affected by road closures though? I'm sure it's great to be at Alta when you are interlodged, but sucks if you are not there. Not sure of how much snow it takes for interlodging to take effect, maybe we don't have that "problem" due to less snow. How many ski areas does interlodging normally effect? Just trying to figure out if a lot of snow means you can't ski anywhere in the state until roads clear.

The interlodge happens a few times at only Alta and snowbird in a snowy season.
The other 2 places that get SLC magic snow dont really have road closed to often. Even just being on the mountain when it puking snow and the road closes for few hours is pretty awesome powder powder and more powdeer.

 

[thetrailboss]

The interlodge happens a few times at only Alta and snowbird in a snowy season.
The other 2 places that get SLC magic snow dont really have road closed to often. Even just being on the mountain when it puking snow and the road closes for few hours is pretty awesome powder powder and more powdeer.

Exactly. I80 rarely closes to PC.


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[skiersleft]

Ellicottville, NY, awesome ski town, emphasis on "town". I met a lot of people from Ohio at Holiday Valley, it's their ski Mecca, sucks to be them. Actually, Holiday Valley is not terrible, they do get lots of Lake Effect off Erie. There are some cool lean-tos along some trails with a picnic table within, fire rings in front with supplied wood to burn, cool spots to take a break and enjoy "Nature". Never skied Hollimont, it's semi private, open to the public only on weekdays.

The only reason I have been there is because I have a bud who lives halfway there. I could be at Whiteface, or southern VT, for the same drive time. Lake Placid is very cool, hard to imagine two Winter Olympics being held there, it's pretty small. I think of the "Miracle on Ice" every time I drive past the Arena, I bet LP was hopping that night.

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Agree with this. Eville is one of the nicest ski towns in the East. I would list the top ski towns in the East as follows:

(1) Lake Placid
(2) Stowe
(3) Ellicottville
(4) North Conway
(5) Mont Trembant

I really like Mont Tremblant, but it doesn't feel authentic to me. Feels more Disney-esque. That's why I rated it fifth on the list. To clarify, I'm only rating the town itself, not the skiing. As cool as Holiday Valley is for what it is, it's not in the same ballpark as WF, Stowe, NH resorts close to Conway and Tremblant. But as a town, Eville is right up there with the other quintessential eastern ski towns.

 

[snoseek]

If you're a weekend skier that I-70 traffic is REAL. I was based out of golden and skied weekdays so Summit was an even hour. If you are just about the skiing the front range is an ok choice I guess, but its more about the big picture (work, other activities, social scene) that makes Denver shine. Much rather live on the Western Slope personally, but that just me.


I drive past ellicotville twice a year and am told the MTB scene there is pretty good. May have to give it a try this fall....beautiful area for sure

 

[Cornhead]

Funny, when I skied A-basin in May my Son and I stayed overnight at a motel across the road from Keystone, it snowed a little Sunday night, Monday morning we had the local news on the TV, they were showing footage of bumper to bumper traffic on I70 commenting on how bad the road was. When we got to A-basin I realized the traffic wasn't due to bad road conditions, it was due to everyone in Denver playing hooky to grab the last powder day of the year. Sunday was Mother's Day, so that probably kept a lot of people from hitting the slopes. I heard they were actually parking in the Keystone lots as A-basin's lots were full.

Another advantage of late season skiing, Keystone had been closed for a while, I stayed for $59 per night, Temperpedic bed, flat screen TV, hot tub, sauna, continental breakfast. I asked the owner what their peak rates were, $255 per night Christmas week. I bought a season's pass to A-basin for $24 more than that.

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[steamboat1]

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