Hard to imagine sitting in Texas in late August but Keystone is opening up in 60 days! Does anyone have anything lined up already? We're doing our annual Park City trip in January and then Beaver Creek trip for Spring Break but I think we may try and ski Tahoe for the first time. Any tips tricks or pointers for Heavenly or another mountain in Tahoe?

Anyone pick up any discounted gear over the summer?

Vail Resorts Opening Days

For now we're planning on doing Northstar this year for spring break.

I'm thinking maybe it's less crowded than the Colorado resorts during the Texas spring break?

Looks like most of the California and west coast schools spring break is late in March this year a couple of weeks after ours.

Anyone have any insight into the Tahoe area resorts during the typical Texas spring break weeks?

Mt. Rose has a much high base elevation and summit than Northstar and Heavenly and will consistently have better and more snow.

Still in the early stages for the coming year.

I did eyeball Chile, it's probably peak season right now.. Flights are super cheap but stays, while luxurious, are a little more pricey. Skiing looks pretty nice east of Santiago. Few trees but tons of space to ski in.

Probably another 2 trip year for me. Week in Purg and then maybe a long weekend chasing snow on the cheap somewhere. No new gear, but fine tuning my boots a bit more this fall and all my skis are ready to scrape and go. Might snag some green ski pants if I see some in an olive type color. Green is my thing for gear color I guess.

Started looking at flights to SLC today. Had a really good experience at Snowbasin and plan to head that way again. Last time we just did 2 days of skiing. The kids loved it so looking at doing at least 4 this time around.

Nice! I've learned to ski as much as the kids will tolerate. Makes the next season that much easier and more fun.

Just got home from Portillo Last Saturday. It was phenomenal. We have Vail, BC, Highlands/Snowmass, Steamboat, Telly and Jackson Hole on the calander. October We Will be Cleaning Out our storage units in Avon. If anyone Will be around and wants gear, We Will have trucks loads.

Steamboat springs for Christmas as usual.

Go Go Big White in Canada.

Got busy with work so didn't post on last seasons thread but I feel like the season just ended.

Mostly because I skied Mt Lassen on July 5th. Mt Shasta a couple of weeks prior, but the snow on Lassen was much better. Shasta was sun cupped and icy even in the afternoon. Lassen was corn snow.

More backcountry for me, this upcoming season!

Consecutively for 5 years, we've skied as a family of 4 Breckenridge, Copper 3x, and Winter Park. Interested to hear from others about Keystone, Park City (or any mountain in UT), Tahoe, etc.

If anyone in your group boards I'd definitely hit Keystone.

we don't board, just ski. any recommendations on where to stay in Keystone? We're usually staying at a ski in/out. I'm researching and seeing places that are a shuttle ride to the lifts.

I've never stayed in the town in the winter, just day trip it from Denver area, so can't really offer more insight then google maps could provide. They definitely have ski-in/out options thought.

We did Keystone 2 years ago. Got caught in a blizzard and -25F wind chill so didn't get to do much. We stayed at a condo close to the main lift. It had a heated garage that was nice. We thought we could walk to the resort town square but they were doing construction and had the path blocked so we had to drive around. The condo was in pretty poor condition too, dead bolt didn't work, drafty balcony door, smoke alarm low battery beep at 3am.

The snow forts for the kids looked fun but we never got a chance to try them. Got 1/2 day of skiing before we had to head back down the mountain.

dagsa03 said:

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Consecutively for 5 years, we've skied as a family of 4 Breckenridge, Copper 3x, and Winter Park. Interested to hear from others about Keystone, Park City (or any mountain in UT), Tahoe, etc.

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We've done Park City (Canyons) the past three years and once with just adults. It's probably my favorite place to ski. Only 30 minutes from the airport, snow is almost always great and there is never a shortage of runs between canyons and Park City villages.

Helps that my folks have a ski in and ski out time share. Hard to beat.

Why Keystone? It's the most crowded mountain in Colorado.

Of that list, hands down PC Canyons.

For UT

Look at Snowbasin, Alta, Deer Creek, Solitude

Telluride Into Montrose or Purgatory Into Durango are less crowded options.

Are trying to stay on the epic pass? Seems line its since Keystone PC and Heavenly/Northstar/Kirkwood are all Vail.

If true, go Whistler.

kids are 12 and 14. trying to show them as many mountains before they go to college (A&M or bust) and start skiing with their friends. We booked keystone last night, found a condo at the base near River Run gondola. Epic pass for 3 days.

I like Keystone but it is definitely crowded like he said. If not on weekend should be less bad. I'd suggest staying off the front face of the main peak (Dercum) as much as you can.

IMO, Keystone is a Day trip or a base to go and explore and Not a place to go spend an entire vacation. The mountain is small and there isn't much of anything in Keystone town wise. It's a great hill, but it's not really in Silverthorne, it's like 10/15 minutes away (if you aren't scared of driving loveland pass, its gorgeous at that time of year).

If I was you, I'd look at day passes for Keystone and then maybe look at a day on Ikon for A Basin / Copper Mountain. A Basin is SICK and right up the road from Keystone. The lines will be 1/3-1/2 of what they are at Keystone on a weekend. Local days at Key are Mon - Wednesday. Thursday - Sunday morning (especially Friday - Sunday afternoon) are an ant hill because it's the closest Epic mountain to Denver. If you're trying to ski as many hills as possible, and especially if you're skiing a weekend, A Basin and Copper will be FAR less crowded than Keystone and offer a new mountain perspective to your young skiers.

InfantryAg said:

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Got busy with work so didn't post on last seasons thread but I feel like the season just ended.

Mostly because I skied Mt Lassen on July 5th. Mt Shasta a couple of weeks prior, but the snow on Lassen was much better. Shasta was sun cupped and icy even in the afternoon. Lassen was corn snow.

More backcountry for me, this upcoming season!

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Season never ends. . From 8/17 on the Hood glaciers.

Planning Muir this weekend to nab September and keep the TAY streak going.

Been to Purgatory several years in a row. My wife likes the long, not too steep Blue/Green groomers. Would like to try somewhere new this year that is similar to Purg if anyone has any suggestions.

Wolf Creek will be the closest.

Heres a top blue/green run list for CO that's actually pretty solid.

https://www.denverpost.com/2024/01/17/best-green-blue-ski-resort-runs-colorado/?noamp=mobile

You might try the SRG ski channel on YouTube. That guy seems to have skied a lot of Colorado and he reviews the resorts runs and lifts and such, and his reviews will point out stuff like good blue pods.

Second wolf creek, in the same general area. Always has good snow base in the season. I hit wolf creek and Purg on the same trip back in April.

Just got my oldest his skis for the season from the epic store program. We're going on our annual vail trip late Jan.

I'd like to solicit ideas on getting my twins on skis this winter. They'll be turning 4 in Jan. I'm debating whether or not to put them in ski lessons or just work with them on my own. I'd hate to waste a bunch of money on lessons for them to not really pick it up. I'm thinking maybe making my wife get on skis to help me with the boys. Is a leash a good idea to get them started on the bunny hill?

Depending on what happens with my jobs there's a possibility I might be moving back home to TX for the first time in 19 years next summer so I fully intend to take advantage of one more season living in CO.

I've only skied squaw in Tahoe and absolutely loved it. Great mountain as long as they have snow.

dagsa03 said:

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we don't board, just ski. any recommendations on where to stay in Keystone? We're usually staying at a ski in/out. I'm researching and seeing places that are a shuttle ride to the lifts.

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One nice thing about keystone, if you're driving with kids and get there decently early, they have reserved parking up front for folks with kids. If you're not staying on the mountain.
As for the crowds, I'd suggest avoid weekends. I've gotten to the point I refuse to go up on the weekends and just take days off to go during the week.

Supposed to be a Modrate/STRONG La Niña year in CO.

That means "allegedly" heavier snow North (Steamboat), Avg along the 70 corridor and Aspen and drier/below average snowfall for the San Juans and Sangre De Cristos.

I can't attach an image but if you draw a line North to South right down the center of the state, the entire Eastern half is below average, then if you split the remaining western half in thirds like wagon spokes (pieces of pie) the lower western (Telly Durango) would be below normal, the middle western would be average (70 corridor) and the top portion of the western 1/3 (Steamboat) Would be above average.

Last season was a La Niña year. Overall snow pack was below Avg. SS was above. 70 corridor was +/- average and Southern was below average.

The previously correlated la nina years are 2017/18 which was Awful and 2008/2009 and 2005/2006 which were above average. Now inside 2008/2009 and 2005/2006 you have the same variabllity as 2024/25 with Steamboat and the northern portion of the state making up for a below average snow pack in the Southwestern and Eastern portions of the state.

Also, la niña years tend to be more backloaded w lower snowtotals through January and then above average Feb/March.

Just some thoughts for the Christmas skiers.

Close - it's not priority parking for people with kids. It's priority parking for groups of 4 or more. It's to cut down on the # of cars that end up along the side of the roads as they pay CDOT a big fine when they have to open the street and then a per car fine for every vehicle. Thus, a couple hundred fewer cars saves them thousands.

4 is the magic number.

Well then someone should probably tell their parking attendants that have let me park in the front with my son and to update their website which says the same.

From the website -

Looks under car pool incentive

https://www.keystoneresort.com/travel-guide/where-to-park-at-keystone.aspx

" Carpool Incentives: Keystone also encourages eco-friendly travel by offering dedicated parking spots in the River Run lot for carpools of four or more. This is part of the resort's sustainability efforts and a great way to reduce your carbon footprint. The front center of the River Run lot is sectioned off for carpooling guests."

https://www.keystoneresort.com/explore-the-resort/about-the-resort/getting-here.aspx?tc_1=3