20-21 Ski/Snowboard thread

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Bike N Gear said:
Just want to throw out that boots are the most important part of the equation. Used boots might get you started, but I can guarantee they won't be the right boots. If you asked this question on a ski forum heads would explode. No different than someone asking here "which is the best fork to put on my Huffy because I want to race DH at Mountain Creek this year?"
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extremedave said:
When I rented last year the boots fit sloppy but I was so impressed with the skis it made up for it. For some idiotic reason my old boots were tiny and I wore them for years. But yeah, wearing something made of rigid plastic all day that doesn't fit right won't be much fun.
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boots! so important, but you may be one of the lucky ones who don’t need custom fitting.
 
ebarker9 said:
Totally agree. Go to a good shop and get fitted for boots. Not sure how possible that is right now, but it makes such a huge difference. I started skiing a bit late in life, around age 30, and getting boots that fit properly made such a difference in my learning curve. At that time I went to Heino's, which is no longer in business, but the main guy there Greg was/is(?) at Ski Barn.

On a semi-related note, I was wondering if anyone had recommendations for ski instruction. At this point it would be next season. I really enjoy skiing but I'm kind of stuck at a low intermediate level, which is down to probably some limitations in the instruction that I've had (taught by a friend who grew up ski racing but isn't an instructor) and a lack of days on the snow. Ideally I want to do something like a week long camp type of thing focused more on kind of a modern GS type of style, although I get that there are fundamentals that run across different styles. I say that mainly because I had a lesson at Stratton where the instructor basically wanted me to ski with my ankles touching which just isn't what I'm looking for. Seems like it would be easy if I were, say 10 years old, but haven't found much out there for a 40 year old!
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I am a decent skier, I used to like the serious terrain, but I’ve definitely mellowed and just like soft snow. I took a 2 hr lesson several years ago at Alta, really to get an insight on the easiest way to get to some soft snow. It was excellent, I still use some of the tips the woman who ran the lesson showed me. At the time, I really didn’t think I had much to learn. If it’s in your budget, plan a week out in Utah and take the group lessons during the midweek, non holiday. Many times you will be the only person in the group. My old business partner took lessons at snowbird( he was about 30). He had skied once or twice, by the end of the week, other than scary expert terrain, he was able to ski the whole mountain. All that goes out the window if it’s icy!
I think anybody who has some balls and a give a try attitude can be a good skier with a week of lessons and skiing. Fitness helps a lot. I’m not sure how, but skiing for a full day of tough terrain is very tiring.
 
For those who love to ski bumps, where is your local go to spot? Belleayre use to have a few decent mogul runs, but within the past few seasons, the window to ski moguls has been very short. Seems like most local resorts in PA or NY cater to just flat/groomed terrain.
 
Rockbottom said:
For those who love to ski bumps, where is your local go to spot? Belleayre use to have a few decent mogul runs, but within the past few seasons, the window to ski moguls has been very short. Seems like most local resorts in PA or NY cater to just flat/groomed terrain.
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Plattekill for natural bumps as long as conditions are good.
 
ebarker9 said:
Totally agree. Go to a good shop and get fitted for boots. Not sure how possible that is right now, but it makes such a huge difference. I started skiing a bit late in life, around age 30, and getting boots that fit properly made such a difference in my learning curve. At that time I went to Heino's, which is no longer in business, but the main guy there Greg was/is(?) at Ski Barn.

On a semi-related note, I was wondering if anyone had recommendations for ski instruction. At this point it would be next season. I really enjoy skiing but I'm kind of stuck at a low intermediate level, which is down to probably some limitations in the instruction that I've had (taught by a friend who grew up ski racing but isn't an instructor) and a lack of days on the snow. Ideally I want to do something like a week long camp type of thing focused more on kind of a modern GS type of style, although I get that there are fundamentals that run across different styles. I say that mainly because I had a lesson at Stratton where the instructor basically wanted me to ski with my ankles touching which just isn't what I'm looking for. Seems like it would be easy if I were, say 10 years old, but haven't found much out there for a 40 year old!
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Pre-pandemic lots of mountains hosted multi day ski clinics. Cost can get up there. I know the one at Taos is raved about for the price. It's something like $300 for 5 days which is unheard of.
 
Norm said:
LOL, same here.
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ebarker9 said:
I can't. At all.
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Out west would be the best, just because its so awesome. But a 4-7 days in a row at any mountain in the east will probably make you a better skier than out west. I would look at the smaller places, so you don't have to break the bank. Royal Mountain upstate is good, Gore would be good, but probably not that cheap.

Because of airfare/rental car, out west is definitely more expensive, but the lodging is way cheaper. It's not even close. You can get a 2 bedroom condo in salt lake for 500-1000 for the week. I rented a 4 bedroom house near deer valley in Feb. https://www.vrbo.com/151385?adultsCount=4&noDates=true&unitId=151385 Take a look, this place would be 2k a night anywhere on the east, its about $4300.00 for the week that I am going.

Do yourselves a favor, go west young man!
 
Bike N Gear said:
Pre-pandemic lots of mountains hosted multi day ski clinics. Cost can get up there. I know the one at Taos is raved about for the price. It's something like $300 for 5 days which is unheard of.
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i've looked, i have never seen something that low, and Taos is amazing.
 
ebarker9 said:
I've only skied in the northeast. I can't imagine what it would be like to ski on...snow 😂
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I've had some of my best powder days on the east coast. It's all in storm timing.

On the flip side, the mtns out west don't know grooming ops as well as the northeast resorts. I brought my son out to Steamboat a coupe of years ago in the spring. Warm temps for the week prior and then it stayed colder the few days we were there. Maybe because of the end of the year but there was not much grooming going on and things were firm! Same with a trip to Telluride end of last February.
 
don said:
I've had some of my best powder days on the east coast. It's all in storm timing.

On the flip side, the mtns out west don't know grooming ops as well as the northeast resorts. I brought my son out to Steamboat a coupe of years ago in the spring. Warm temps for the week prior and then it stayed colder the few days we were there. Maybe because of the end of the year but there was not much grooming going on and things were firm! Same with a trip to Telluride end of last February.
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I have had plenty of powder days in Vermont and at gore, and they are awesome, shiiiit, I even skied down high mountain after the blizzard of 96, And a powder day in Vermont beats a cruiser day out west anywhere. But, for the most part, a week out west generally blows away a week at Stowe, killington, you pick the spot. But I’d rather be at the spot that has the fresh snow with a good base.
 
roc said:
I have had plenty of powder days in Vermont and at gore, and they are awesome, shiiiit, I even skied down high mountain after the blizzard of 96, And a powder day in Vermont beats a cruiser day out west anywhere. But, for the most part, a week out west generally blows away a week at Stowe, killington, you pick the spot. But I’d rather be at the spot that has the fresh snow with a good base.
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That last sentence is my answer when someone asks where my favorite place to snowboard is.

For me Stowe comes very close to the experience of a lot of western resorts I've been (when it has base and good snow). It's not as steep or vast as the CO/UT resorts but I know it and the town pretty well. I would like to get back to Telluride with some good snowfall. One thing I like better with Stowe is the "up down" rides. Not much side cutting or jumping lifts to get to a certain area. As a snowboard I hate catwalks and some of those big western resorts have a lot of that to get around.
 
don said:
That last sentence is my answer when someone asks where my favorite place to snowboard is.

For me Stowe comes very close to the experience of a lot of western resorts I've been (when it has base and good snow). It's not as steep or vast as the CO/UT resorts but I know it and the town pretty well. I would like to get back to Telluride with some good snowfall. One thing I like better with Stowe is the "up down" rides. Not much side cutting or jumping lifts to get to a certain area. As a snowboard I hate catwalks and some of those big western resorts have a lot of that to get around.
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love Stowe. 2000 vert of good pitch. And it’s a great town. It’s also awesome in the summer, I really wish I could afford a place up there, or it was just a little closer. I also like gore a lot when it has good conditions, but my snowboarder friends hate it, because of the catwalks.

and I agree with you about your favorite place to snowboard. Can’t stand ice!!
 
roc said:
I am a decent skier, I used to like the serious terrain, but I’ve definitely mellowed and just like soft snow. I took a 2 hr lesson several years ago at Alta, really to get an insight on the easiest way to get to some soft snow. It was excellent, I still use some of the tips the woman who ran the lesson showed me. At the time, I really didn’t think I had much to learn. If it’s in your budget, plan a week out in Utah and take the group lessons during the midweek, non holiday. Many times you will be the only person in the group. My old business partner took lessons at snowbird( he was about 30). He had skied once or twice, by the end of the week, other than scary expert terrain, he was able to ski the whole mountain. All that goes out the window if it’s icy!
I think anybody who has some balls and a give a try attitude can be a good skier with a week of lessons and skiing. Fitness helps a lot. I’m not sure how, but skiing for a full day of tough terrain is very tiring.
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i do the same with snowboarding - group lesson, end up being the only one that can actually ride.
skip the lines, hit the secret stuff, tighten up the skills with the little things that make a difference.
been a few years since i've been out west. damn.
 
Patrick said:
i do the same with snowboarding - group lesson, end up being the only one that can actually ride.
skip the lines, hit the secret stuff, tighten up the skills with the little things that make a difference.
been a few years since i've been out west. damn.
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Mtbnj sponsored trip to Utah. late spring, ski in the am, golf in the afternoon, throw in a day or 2 at Moab??? No politics allowed? I skied powder in the am, did a hike in the late afternoon at Arches and biked Moab the next day, I’d be very down for that!
 
Rockbottom said:
For those who love to ski bumps, where is your local go to spot? Belleayre use to have a few decent mogul runs, but within the past few seasons, the window to ski moguls has been very short. Seems like most local resorts in PA or NY cater to just flat/groomed terrain.
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My most favorite mogul run in the east is Bear Trap at Mount Snow. Just a short fun run serviced by it's own chairlift with tunes cranking from the lift towers and all moguls. :thumbsup:
 
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