National Geographic lists out Top 25 Ski Towns

[snoseek]

Alta. Funny. :lol: The author has never been there and has only looked at it online. I say that because Alta has less than 400 people living there year round. And the median home price is in the seven figures easily. A bedroom community for SLC? Really? Granted that some folks work up there and live in dorms, but to expect to live there is not realistic. A good example of knowing what you're talking about before posting an article.

I did three winters up there and besides the great skiing was always a little relieved when spring came. Someone should build a strip bar/brothel/check cashing place up in LCC. They'd own that town

 

[thetrailboss]

I did three winters up there and besides the great skiing was always a little relieved when spring came. Someone should build a strip bar/brothel/check cashing place up in LCC. They'd own that town

As you know, back in the mining times there were like 7 brothels up there! :lol:

Where did you work? Alta or Snowbird?

 

[skiNEwhere]

liftopia just put out their list of the top 3 most livable ski towns in the West

http://www.liftopia.com/blog/wests-...&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=20140825_blog

I had know idea there was a town at the base of Alta.

Most casual skiers will read this and take their word without challenging it whatsoever.

I bet this was a case of an editor assigning a story to a writer with a tight deadline, because this is asinine.


Sent from my iPod touch using AlpineZone

 

[BenedictGomez]

A good example of knowing what you're talking about before posting an article.

The internet has made it possible for anyone to be an author, journalist, writer, etc....

 

[mbedle]

I got to agree with you guys, no one would ever consider Alta a ski town (although it does have a post office!). Nothing like driving 25 minutes to fill up your tank or buy some food. And Durango, hell its 30 minutes to get to the resort from the town. When I think of ski towns, places like East Burke, Waitsfield, Stowe, and Ludlow all come into mind.

 

[WWF-VT]

At least Waitsfield is on National Geographics Top 10 Emerging Ski Towns list.

Deep in the Green Mountains of northern Vermont sits the Mad River Valley, a woodsy skier’s paradise that is establishing itself as the quietly humming soul of eastern skiing. No frills Mad River Glen is the nation’s only cooperatively owned ski area; ever-improving Sugarbush offers some of the finest under-the-radar expert runs in the East; and backwoods telemarkers here quietly rack up hundred-day seasons without chairlifts.

The steepled village of Waitsfield, population 1,719, is the valley’s focal point. In classic Vermont style, it has the 19th-century architecture, red barns, and covered bridges seemingly plucked from postcards, but this is no museum—the people here have dirt under their fingernails. This is a working town of artisans, bakeries, farmers, and local food. Think Stowe 30 years ago. With its country inns and relaxed taverns, you don’t come here to party, you come here to ski.

 

[skiNEwhere]

What is the acceptable male:female ratio of a ski town?

 

[thetrailboss]

At least Waitsfield is on National Geographics Top 10 Emerging Ski Towns list.

Deep in the Green Mountains of northern Vermont sits the Mad River Valley, a woodsy skier’s paradise that is establishing itself as the quietly humming soul of eastern skiing. No frills Mad River Glen is the nation’s only cooperatively owned ski area; ever-improving Sugarbush offers some of the finest under-the-radar expert runs in the East; and backwoods telemarkers here quietly rack up hundred-day seasons without chairlifts.

The steepled village of Waitsfield, population 1,719, is the valley’s focal point. In classic Vermont style, it has the 19th-century architecture, red barns, and covered bridges seemingly plucked from postcards, but this is no museum—the people here have dirt under their fingernails. This is a working town of artisans, bakeries, farmers, and local food. Think Stowe 30 years ago. With its country inns and relaxed taverns, you don’t come here to party, you come here to ski.

Emerging ski towns? :lol:

 

[BenedictGomez]

I got to agree with you guys, no one would ever consider Alta a ski town (although it does have a post office!).

Why does nobody live there. Too remote? All land owned by government?

Emerging ski towns? :lol:

Beat me to it.

 

[thetrailboss]

Why does nobody live there. Too remote? All land owned by government?

Both. Add to the fact that the amount of developable land due is very small due to avalanche.

 

[AdironRider]

What is the acceptable male:female ratio of a ski town?

A whole bunch of dudes and xvideos.com

 

[catskills]

Very very lame list. They left out St. Anton am Arlberg where skiing all started. Give me a break.

North Conway, NH and not Lake Placid, NY with a long long skiing history that hosted two Winter Olympics. Really!

If you like old trains North Conway, NH should be on the train list.

 

[dlague]

I was thinking about time I spent in Garmisch-Partenkirchen and thought that was a very cool town with several bars and guesthouses as well as plenty to do in the area! A hell of a lot better than North Conway.

 

[AdironRider]

Yeah North Conway is just a bunch of gapers. Heard that last time I was in IME....

Still don't really get Girdwood, but I wouldnt mind living there either.

 

[Old Duderino]

Of the towns I'm familiar with on that list I'd have to say Aspen is the most overrated. Don't get me wrong, it's a great ski town but the problem with it is the skiing itself is overrated, at least by western ski resort standards. I may be somewhat biased against it because it's the go to ski town I married into rather than the one I would have picked (father in law has condo there). The best actual skiing mountain there by far is Highlands. You'll find a lot to like at Snowmass, and I'm sure there's a ton there that I don't even know about, but it otherwise reminds me of a western version of Killington, and I mean that more as a knock on Snowmass since god gave them a lot more to work with. Ajax only has 750 acres and no bowls and one would probably enjoy a day at Stratton as much as they would Buttermilk.

I still think towns like Park City get underrated on lists like these just because you have to actually pour your own alcohol into your cocktail (haven't been in awhile so I don't know if they still make you do this). Back in the day Jackson Hole had a reputation for being hostile to locals so if you lived in Jackson you'd most likely drive around the canyon to Targhee than ski there. I don't know if this is still true but I'd want to know something like that before I declared Jackson my dream ski town to live in. Telluride, Crested Butte and Whitefish are two towns on my bucket list if I can ever break my family of it's Aspen addiction.

 

[Edd]

Of the towns I'm familiar with on that list I'd have to say Aspen is the most overrated. Don't get me wrong, it's a great ski town but the problem with it is the skiing itself is overrated, at least by western ski resort standards. I may be somewhat biased against it because it's the go to ski town I married into rather than the one I would have picked (father in law has condo there). The best actual skiing mountain there by far is Highlands. You'll find a lot to like at Snowmass, and I'm sure there's a ton there that I don't even know about, but it otherwise reminds me of a western version of Killington, and I mean that more as a knock on Snowmass since god gave them a lot more to work with. Ajax only has 750 acres and no bowls and one would probably enjoy a day at Stratton as much as they would Buttermilk.

I still think towns like Park City get underrated on lists like these just because you have to actually pour your own alcohol into your cocktail (haven't been in awhile so I don't know if they still make you do this). Back in the day Jackson Hole had a reputation for being hostile to locals so if you lived in Jackson you'd most likely drive around the canyon to Targhee than ski there. I don't know if this is still true but I'd want to know something like that before I declared Jackson my dream ski town to live in. Telluride, Crested Butte and Whitefish are two towns on my bucket list if I can ever break my family of it's Aspen addiction.

As problems go, needing to break in-laws of an Aspen addiction is a great problem to have. Settle into that problem, my friend. Sounds like a warm blanket to this guy.

 

[skiNEwhere]

Of the towns I'm familiar with on that list I'd have to say Aspen is the most overrated. Don't get me wrong, it's a great ski town but the problem with it is the skiing itself is overrated, at least by western ski resort standards. I may be somewhat biased against it because it's the go to ski town I married into rather than the one I would have picked (father in law has condo there). The best actual skiing mountain there by far is Highlands. You'll find a lot to like at Snowmass, and I'm sure there's a ton there that I don't even know about, but it otherwise reminds me of a western version of Killington, and I mean that more as a knock on Snowmass since god gave them a lot more to work with. Ajax only has 750 acres and no bowls and one would probably enjoy a day at Stratton as much as they would Buttermilk.

BLASPHEMY!!!!

 

[Old Duderino]

D'OH! Now this forum newb has gone and done it.

Edd, if you didn't give me such good advice on my ski re-gearing thread I'd swear you were really my wife in disguise. I certainly didn't mean that I'm unhappy with my skiing/riding/marriage fate, just suggesting that there may be better or at least different options out there. Not with my wife though, I married way out of my league on that front.

 

[Edd]

All good, man.

 

[LiquidFeet]

How do towns like Taos, NM, Bend Or, and Ketchum ID which (correct me if I'm wrong) are quite a distance from their respective ski areas, beat out Jackson, Telluride, and Steamboat which are right there? Salt Lake City could be on that list IMO. Aspen is the best ski town I've ever been to in large part because the slopes are right there.

Alex

Lake Hopatcong, NJ

Ketchum sits right at the base of Sun Valley Resort. Nice town. Expensive groceries.