Western Ski Areas with base lodges like the East

[jimk]

What western ski areas have base lodges that operate like the typical eastern US base lodge? Meaning they have some features like: user-friendly indoor boot-up zones, lockers and/or cubbies, allow brown bagging, free parking that is not too far from lifts, and bars or restaurants that encourage apres ski socializing, etc.

In another thread @Edd mentioned Lake Louise for this sort of set up and I agree. Besides being one of the largest and most scenic base lodges I've ever been to, Lake Louise was also one of the friendliest with regards to free storage cubbies and not outlawing brown bagging.

Grand Targhee WY, Arapahoe Basin CO, Aspen Highlands CO, Loveland CO, Brighton UT, Sundance UT, and Mt. Norquay AB are real nice throw-back ski areas with close parking and relatively friendly base lodge set ups. I guess of those, I'd say Arapahoe Basin is the most colorful old school lodge experience. The bar there is often quite lively.

I ski Snowbird UT a lot and believe it or not, there are lots of inside places where you can boot-up and leave your bag and lunch box without disturbance in a corner of a common space, both in the giant main lodge (second floor) and in the lower Creekside lodge (dining room). Both of those Snowbird base lodges also have a limited number of lockers you can pay for the day.

 

[Edd]

Many years ago, I seem to remember Alpine Meadows being fine to change in and leave your bag. Maybe Homewood too?

At Stevens Pass, WA I always changed in the lodge and stored my bag there.

 

[jaytrem]

Pretty much every place on Indy? There are still a lot more non-resorty type places than resorts. Even most resorty place have a public changing/lockers. I've rarely had to boot up at the car unless I wanted to. With young kids in tow, we often used the lodges.

 

[jimk]

Maybe another way to look at it is which places have a non-friendly base lodge set up or totally lack a base lodge? I've booted up on the sidewalk at Jackson Hole, Snowmass and Ajax and thrown my boot bag under an outdoor bench. Jackson now at least has a tent to boot up in.

 

[4aprice]

Solitude in Utah. They have an area on the bottom level of the Moonbeam lodge with some lockers and lunch tables. It was always a little small but we went in last year and they took away at least half of what small area was there.

Aspen Mountain is one that comes to mind when thinking where to park and where to boot up. Have always stayed in town so I'm not sure where you go there. I know of good places at the other 3 mountains to boot up and park. Got to think main Vail may be like that too

Bars in lodges are another question. Places like Jack's at Copper are a floor up from a boot up location, but its not really like a base lodge scenario. Utah is still subject to some obscure alcohol laws, so the bar at say Solitude is just beer and wine. I would say the best Utah ski area bar IMO is the one at Powder Mountain.

Of course as the season goes on (particularly out west) the apres (and pre game at many places) moves to the out door venues called the parking lots. My favorite is the Utah Junction lot at Mary Jane. Got to get there early to get a spot but it hops on a good spring day

 

[Edd]

The one day I skied Vail I parked in the garage and walked around assuming I'd find an obvious place to change but I ended up changing outside on a bench. I think I found a locker somewhere.

Lockers are fine and all, but it seems the real test of if they're encouraging changing in the base lodge is the presence of cubbies. much rarer than lockers out west.

 

[Zand]

GMD at Alta was fine. Lots of storage space for bags (which is good seeing as being stuck in wet gear for the inevitable 2 hour bus ride down after a snowy day sounds awful).

I don't have a lot of experience with the mega resorts out west. I figure a lot of the Vail owned resorts are like Copper where you have to take a bus from a satellite lot and then there's no real day lodges when you get to the base. At least at Winter Park you can park trailside at MJ. All the Utah resorts I've been to (Cottonwoods + DV) all had good enough day lodges. Jackson Hole is a pain in the ass in that regard.

 

[thetrailboss]

I remember the first time I skied in Tahoe. "Where's the lodge?" I was told that we booted up at the car. Since the Pandemic, that's pretty much what I do. It is nice because my stuff is in the car and safe.

But to the original question, most places out here are not like back east in this regard. Some that I consider to have "east coast" style lodges:

Deer Valley (Snow Park at least)
Cherry Peak, Utah
Ski Discovery, Montana
Alta (to some extent)
Howelsen Hill, CO
Lookout Pass
Brundage
Loveland

From what I've seen, places that are either (1) older, and/or (2) family oriented have lodge space for this purpose.

 

[kbroderick]

Bridger Bowl and Red Lodge (both in Montana) have relatively friendly setups for booting up in the lodge, including cubbies, unless that's changed since I moved back east. Both have reasonably close parking, assuming you show up early enough.

 

[Smellytele]

Sugar bowl in Tahoe.