Well actually not everybody at Vail is pretentious, many nice people, and I love skiing there, BUT on many trips outwest Utah, California etc. I found people who were just so self satisfied to lord it over the peasants from back East, I've had a few bad days in the West including a whole week of rain and ice at Park City with three little kids, Meanwhile this week I saw Al Pacino in Merchant of Venice on Sunday, ate a great meal with a view of the Statue of Liberty in Jersey City on Wed night, Was on the slopes at Hunter with good conditions on Thursday and may see Black 47 next week at Connally's in NYC tonight. to quote Mick Jagger "You can't always get what you want , but......."
Most of those "pretensious" people you see on Vacation at Vail, Aspen, Park City are from the East or Socal. Go to Loveland, Brighton, or Monarch if you want to see West Coast people. Go to Vail and it's mostly people from other places......