Ski trip

[rob56789]

I am planning a ski trip in mid april out west and i was just wondering if anyone had any thoughts on which places would have the best conditions and if you know of any good deals.

 

[tirolerpeter]

West trip in April

I am planning a ski trip in mid april out west and i was just wondering if anyone had any thoughts on which places would have the best conditions and if you know of any good deals.

Don't book anything until you are about 14 - 21 days shy of your travel date. Then, check conditions in UT and CO. Go to the area that has the most snow. You won't have to worry about crowds. Most people are no longer thinking about skiing by then. If you choose UT I will be able to give you some tips on doing the trip cheaply at that time.

 

[snowconehead]

All I can tell you would be that Telluride often closes in April. You would do better to keep your target areas in the north. Utah, Jackson Hole or Sun Valley would be my recommendations. Snowbird can stay open through June. I've hiked through 2 feet or more of snow in early July in the Laramie Mtn.'s of Wyoming. By April you are also enjoying a lot of sunshine so the higher latitudes can be a good option. Banff or the other western Canadian areas should be considered.

 

[RISkier]

It's low season and I agree with waiting to book, you shouldn't have any trouble finding lodging at that time of year. Lots of places are closing in mid April, even if they still have a good snow pack. Snowbird in UT usually stays open late and could have very good snow. Alta is on Forest service land and, if I'm not mistaken, usually closes around mid-April. The Park City resorts are lower and not known for great late season snow. I'd also take a look at Summit County, CO. It's high and tends to have good late season snow; Arapahoe Basin usualy stays open quite late. I'd also take a look at places such as Banff, or Big Sky which are futher North; the problem is they are also lower so it might be a wash. I really have no idea of their late season snow record. But I think the advice of waiting to see what conditions look like is the best advice. It's not like trying to book a trip over President's Day weekend.

 

[ski_resort_observer]

You can take Jackson Hole off the list as it will be closed by the time your going. The suggestion to wait is a good one. I would go as far to suggest that you change your plans cause the conditions in mid-April can be very dicey. Business at resorts out west die off after the first of April for good reason and it's not because of lack of snow cover.

 

[rob56789]

Thanks alot guys i appreciate the advice I think i will wait a while to book the trip to see what the conditions are like and see whether it will be worth it or not. Also do you know if late december-early january would be a good time to go?

 

[koreshot]

Thanks alot guys i appreciate the advice I think i will wait a while to book the trip to see what the conditions are like and see whether it will be worth it or not. Also do you know if late december-early january would be a good time to go?

I think Dec/Jan is a much better time to go from the snow quality perspective. April is late season - temperatures are warmer, days are longer which means snow melts quicker. Most resorts will have spring corn conditions during the afternoon and possibly iced over conditions early morning and late in the day. You will be much more dependent on fresh snow fall if you want to spend time skiing natural runs. Dec/Jan are cold months and most resorts get more snow during that period than they do in April - better snow preservation. Of course the drawback to late Dec is the mad Christmas rush. Also, if the season is really slow to get started, some resorts may not have their steeper filled in enough to open it so you may be a little limited in options. I would generally chose skiing easier runs in good snow than skiing tougher runs in crap snow, but thats just up to personal pref. I think if you target some time in early to mid Jan and remain somewhat flexible on your destination, you stand a very good chance at getting some powder turns.

 

[ski_resort_observer]

Bottom line...no one can predict what the conditions will be like that far in advance especially considering the slow start this winter for many of the resorts out west. Having said that I think the best time is Jan/Feb, avoiding the holiday periods goes without saying.

 

[DrSkimeister]

Bottom line...no one can predict what the conditions will be like that far in advance especially considering the slow start this winter for many of the resorts out west. Having said that I think the best time is Jan/Feb, avoiding the holiday periods goes without saying.

Most resorts out west are starting BIG this year.Most in CO and UT have over 5' snowfall already. My experience is March is by far the best time in Colorado, Utah or Montana. Sun Valley, ID, is very likely to be iffy beyond mid-to-late March-they just don't get the snowfall that other Western resorts get.

 

[kingslug]

Utah!

 

[tirolerpeter]

West Trip?

UT in January (booked around any and all school vacation weeks is a great bet. Last year (05) we went out the sencond week of January and we caught a 49" dump. It was grand! But then, we went out the last week of January (06), and again the last week of February (06) this past year, it was fantastic also.

Look here for deals: http://www.bestwesterncottontreeinn.com/sandy/

 

[ski_resort_observer]

Most resorts out west are starting BIG this year.Most in CO and UT have over 5' snowfall already. My experience is March is by far the best time in Colorado, Utah or Montana. Sun Valley, ID, is very likely to be iffy beyond mid-to-late March-they just don't get the snowfall that other Western resorts get.

I don't think so....check here for Colordo http://www.snocountry.com/snowclien...mmand=statecond&satype=NA_Alpine&from=bodynav, look at the coverage numbers, most of the resorts around Lake Tahoe have not been able to open due to no snow and while Utah is doing better, they too have limited terrain depending on the resort.

Here is a real time web cam shot from 5 min ago at Boreal Mt in CA, one of only a handful of resorts open in CA, a state with around 50 ski hills. One trail, 6-9" base, not a pretty sight

Edit...looks like snow is headed for the west next week...lucky buggers!

 

[wintersyndrome]

That late in the season, id say...A-BASIN