Top 5 Ski Mountains

[swoopem]

I never thought in my life I would see Big Bear make anyone's list.  Its nice for us locals, but way overcrowded and usually the snow is man made.  Scenery can be nice (not just the lake and trees), but because of the mass of humanity...no thanks.  I took the family to Heavenly this year in April and I'm not joking when I say the longest lift line I had all day was probably 30 seconds and that might be stretching it. 

We had a blast at Big Bear. It was our sophomore year spring break and were visiting a buddies sister in LA. Woke up in Santa Monica and had breakfast on the beach, went snowboarding at Big Bear for the day, then drove to ASU for St. Paddy's day the next day. We then hustled back to Cali to catch our Warriors beat the sh!t out of Kentucky in the tourny that year (actually in your neck of the woods at the Honda center). Unfortunately we had to leave before the Stanford game, but overall fantastic trip.

[keefe]

Crested Butte
Copper Mountain
Sunday River
Vail
Parc du Mont Ste. Anne

Tom

Please. There is no skiing east of the Rockies...

Seriously, though, your mention of Parc du Mont Ste. Anne reminded me of another great Canadian mountain - Banff.

[ChicosBailBonds]

We had a blast at Big Bear. It was our sophomore year spring break and were visiting a buddies sister in LA. Woke up in Santa Monica and had breakfast on the beach, went snowboarding at Big Bear for the day, then drove to ASU for St. Paddy's day the next day. We then hustled back to Cali to catch our Warriors beat the sh!t out of Kentucky in the tourny that year (actually in your neck of the woods at the Honda center). Unfortunately we had to leave before the Stanford game, but overall fantastic trip.

Yes, the locale here does make it one of the few spots on the planet that you can surf in the morning and snow ski later in the same day.  Glad you had fun

I was at that game at the Honda Center.

[keefe]

Yes, the locale here does make it one of the few spots on the planet that you can surf in the morning and snow ski later in the same day. 

It's got nothing on Mt Baker and Bellingham...

[ChicosBailBonds]

It's got nothing on Mt Baker and Bellingham...

The surfing in Bellingham...no thanks.   Kiteboarding, that I'll give you.

[jsglow]

Deal. I will admit, however, that my runs through the back country are now more technical than hell raising and I don't catch nearly as much air which is odd for a pilot.

But Glow, other than the radiance of the lovely women who took pity on us and graced us with their presence, there is nothing more beautiful than Mineral Basin at 0900 in March.

Possibly my worst parenting job ever.  We skied the day in MB on a March bluebird day just like that.  Even had a picnic lunch in the snow at at the base of the lift.  Sure jsglow jr. had 50 sunscreen on.  But on his fair skin only full face protection would have helped.  Poor kid ended up with 2nd degree burns on both cheeks. (Thank God they healed well with treatment and he has no scaring.)  I think he was about 10 years old and could already shred pretty well.  Absolutely my fault.  Still maybe his favorite acreage in the world to ski.

[keefe]

The surfing in Bellingham...no thanks.   Kiteboarding, that I'll give you.

Yea, but here's the bottom line: a year in LA or a year in Bellingham? Not even close.

[keefe]

Still maybe his favorite acreage in the world to ski.

Good man. A Warrior!

[ChicosBailBonds]

Yea, but here's the bottom line: a year in LA or a year in Bellingham? Not even close.

Weather, I'll take LA.  Everything else, agree it is not close.

[jsglow]

My favorite places that I've been to are:

1) Steamboat, CO- a friend of mine from MU has a mid-mountain ski out so you can't really beat it.
2) Beaver Creek, CO- as Rocky said it's all about conditions and when I went to Beaver Creek they got hit with a bunch of snow the night before so the powder was super fresh.
3) Keystone, CO- huge mountain that's probably my dad's favorite
4) Big Bear, CA- went boarding there when I was on spring break in 2008 and it was beautiful. Going down to slopes looking at that lake was breathtaking. Slightly beats out Copper Mountain, CO
5) Nubs Knob, MI- I'm totally biased here because I grew up with the owners of the mountain so it was my go to for a long time, but IMO it's better than Boyne and therefor the best skiing/boarding in Michigan (minus the UP).

I also really like Blue Mountain in Ontario but it doesn't compare to out west. Eventually I'm going to make it to Utah, Idaho, and Montana which I'm sure will alter my list

Certainly a good Eisenhower Tunnel list.  We're all a product of the places we've been blessed to ski.  Steamboat really could have been in my top 5.  I like the mountain and town a great deal.  Trust you rubbed the statue's nose.  Can't remember the guy's name.  But you hit on it when you opened yourself up to the possibility of other states.  While I personally can't speak to the Durango area, much of the Colorado front range has the corporate feel to it for me with the notable exception of A-Basin.  More posers than skiers is what I'm saying I guess.  I suppose it is the ease with which one flies into Denver and then heads off to more than a dozen resorts a couple hours out of town.  SLC actually offers one much greater convenience but no doubt the Mormon culture and the limited social life limits the appeal.

To that end I guess I'm old school.  Sure I want a decent meal and a cold beer or two in the evening.  But then I want to go to bed.  I've got first chair to catch in the morning.  Because like keefe said, there is simply nothing better than cutting virgin tracks on a crisp bluebird day in shin high (used to be thigh high...I'm old) pow. No bar stool ever gave me that.

Hopefully you've gotten some good suggestions here.  I've been impressed with folks knowledge.   

[keefe]

We had a blast at Big Bear. It was our sophomore year spring break and were visiting a buddies sister in LA. Woke up in Santa Monica and had breakfast on the beach, went snowboarding at Big Bear for the day, then drove to ASU for St. Paddy's day the next day. We then hustled back to Cali to catch our Warriors beat the sh!t out of Kentucky in the tourny that year (actually in your neck of the woods at the Honda center). Unfortunately we had to leave before the Stanford game, but overall fantastic trip.

I have to agree with the Bail Bondsman. Big Bear is like Target or Walmart. Great for essentials but I wouldn't buy a suit there. Close and convenient smacks too much like the fat chick at closing time. No thank you.

[ATWizJr]

Tom

Please. There is no skiing east of the Rockies...

Seriously, though, your mention of Parc du Mont Ste. Anne reminded me of another great Canadian mountain - Banff.

Au contraire mon frère.  Anybody can ski out west in the perfect, dry conditions.  It takes a Warrior to schuss the bulletproof ice out east.  And skiing Quebec was a great cultural experience.  Could drive there in 8  hours, experience Franco culture, exchange rate WAS great.  Enjoy the olde city,and spend a night or two at the Chateau Frontenac. Wonderful.

[🏀]

Hard to top Wilmot Mountain.

[Benny B]

Hard to top Wilmot Mountain.

You know what I could really use... more scrapes and cuts on the base of my skis.

[ATWizJr]

Hard to top Wilmot Mountain.

Crystal Ridge dude.  Kowabunga!

[keefe]

Hard to top Wilmot Mountain.

Is that a road at the bottom of the run?

[keefe]

Au contraire mon frère.  Anybody can ski out west in the perfect, dry conditions.  It takes a Warrior to schuss the bulletproof ice out east.  And skiing Quebec was a great cultural experience.  Could drive there in 8  hours, experience Franco culture, exchange rate WAS great.  Enjoy the olde city,and spend a night or two at the Chateau Frontenac. Wonderful.

I do love QC. My wife and I would stay at the Frontenac and there are some great bistros in the old and lower city. Went there in the fall and it was superb. Went there in the winter and it was not so much.

Two of our kids studied in New England so we skied Stowe and Pico over the years. As I reflect on those outings it was much more about family and far less about the mountain which is perhaps as it should be.

[ATWizJr]

I do love QC. My wife and I would stay at the Frontenac and there are some great bistros in the old and lower city. Went there in the fall and it was superb. Went there in the winter and it was not so much.

Two of our kids studied in New England so we skied Stowe and Pico over the years. As I reflect on those outings it was much more about family and far less about the mountain which is perhaps as it should be.

Winter there was pretty crisp.  Especially if you were skiing versant nord on Beuaregard and Suprenant.  That wind would whip off the St. Lawrence and just chill your bones, but the views of the seaway and Ile Orleans were magnifique!  And back then you could ski for a week night and day for $120 US.  Exchange rate was very favorable and the French Canadians were always dressed to the nines in that season's newest Descente ski wear.  Really loved it and went 5-6 winters in a row.  Easy 8  hour drive from RI.  Also liked Pico very much.

[🏀]

Is that a road at the bottom of the run?

How else are you supposed to tailgate?

[keefe]

Winter there was pretty crisp.  Especially if you were skiing versant nord on Beuaregard and Suprenant.  That wind would whip off the St. Lawrence and just chill your bones, but the views of the seaway and Ile Orleans were magnifique!  And back then you could ski for a week night and day for $120 US.  Exchange rate was very favorable and the French Canadians were always dressed to the nines in that season's newest Descente ski wear.  Really loved it and went 5-6 winters in a row.  Easy 8  hour drive from RI.  Also liked Pico very much.

I have skied several of the hills in Europe and as much as it pains me to say it my favorite there is Chamonix in France. Despite there being way too many French in one spot, Chamonix offers the best steeps in the world with the added advantage that most are lift-accessible. A typical Chamonix couloir has a 45 degree angle of attack and you can get in three 8,000 verticals before lunch. That is one thing the French actually perfected, well, other than surrendering.

Chamonix is really five different hills and each offer something different. But Chamonix has Europe's most outstanding back country terrain with the added advantage of stunning visuals. What amazed me is that we always pack a tracker, shovel, skins, and a camel back for off piste while the French only keep vin, pan, and fromage in their rucks.  

The thing I hate about skiing in France is that the locals have no queue discipline. Americans, Brits, and Germans will line up properly for the lifts but the French think it's ok to cut the queue, literally walking over your skis to get ahead of you. Also, the French tend to look down on Americans spring skiing the front side in a college sweat shirt, bandana and gaiters instead of a neon pastel Louis Vuitton ski suit. I realize designer ski wear is expensive but why would any man want to wear white or pastel?

My wife preferred skiing Switzerland with her favorites being Murren, Zermatt, and Sass Fee. I think she found Swiss mountains offered a variety of experiences without the crowds and odd behavior of French and Russians. Perhaps the worst thing about the fall of communism is the unleashing of so many nouveau riche former commissars armed with too many dollars, boorish manners, and questionable fashion sense. For some reason the Ivans and their posses prefer French hills for their more pronounced apres ski options.  

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

I do love QC. My wife and I would stay at the Frontenac and there are some great bistros in the old and lower city. Went there in the fall and it was superb. Went there in the winter and it was not so much.

Two of our kids studied in New England so we skied Stowe and Pico over the years. As I reflect on those outings it was much more about family and far less about the mountain which is perhaps as it should be.

I love Québec also, but I'm very biased by being Canadien-Français on my father's side plus due to my last name I get treated like royalty in La Province when I visit.

[keefe]

I love Québec also, but I'm very biased by being Canadien-Français on my father's side plus due to my last name I get treated like royalty in La Province when I visit.

I know how you feel. As I travel in Scotland the locals extend me the utmost consideration as I present my name card:

Colonel Barry MacCochinhar, USAF

Special privileges are due to special people, quite frankly, and deservedly so.

[Spotcheck Billy]

do you also know Phi McCracken?

[ChicosBailBonds]

I love Québec also, but I'm very biased by being Canadien-Français on my father's side plus due to my last name I get treated like royalty in La Province when I visit.

You're a Canuck?  Are we allowed to say that, some people find it very offensive...of course there is a sports team named after the Canucks.   

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

I know how you feel. As I travel in Scotland the locals extend me the utmost consideration as I present my name card:

Colonel Barry MacCochinhar, USAF

Special privileges are due to special people, quite frankly, and deservedly so.

Here in New England you always know someone who have the special distinction of being Mayflower descendants.

My family is the French equivalent - the first boat of settlers from France to Québec.  

I'm always greeted with a "Welcome home." (Bienvenue maison.) and sometimes gotten hotel upgrades or something compted at dinner.  
Surprisingly, my Aunt & Uncle on a capitol tour in Ottawa were given a special bonus tour to include the Prime Minister's office as well as the usually non-tourist areas of the parliament building.  (Of course, this goes way back and may have even been early 80s when Trudeau was PM.)