Best place on West coast to spend a season?

After taking last season off (New Zealand summer) I am ready to start applying for ski jobs for this winter and trying to figure out which places would be best for me. Never did much skiing on west coast (1 season at alta and 1 at Alyeska so far) but want to spend a season skiing/working out here ( I am in Santa Rosa, CA now). My criteria are:
1. I dont have a car now, from moving around so often, and would really like to live in a town where I don't need one.
2. Crowds - can't stand them
3. good snow
4. good backcountry access

Would like to stay in California if possible, but open to other suggestions, or should I just go back to Alaska?

Truckee or Mammoth?

depends on the winter, last winter mammoth was incredible, cool small town just work on the weekends and ride weekdays and you will have a great time. if its an El nino year you will have an even better time.

if its a la nina year shoot for somewhere in the PNW, whistler would be clutch if you can get a job / figure out the whole working in canada thing otherwise you could go the classic route and move to JH

I always pictured Mammoth as being packed with people, I guess weekdays are okay though?

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Originally Posted by chutes41

I always pictured resorts as being packed with people, I guess weekdays are okay though?

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Alpine Meadows? Looks cool and probably less crowded then Squaw. Baker? I don't know if they have employee housing but if it's a la nina year it will dump there. If I could afford not working for three or four months I would rent a place near Shames and ski the Hell out of the side country, is Shames still open? I remember looking at their site and being blown away with the bc. Zero crowds and BIG terrain.

Shames( Terrace ) is incredible.
Spent a month there one winter and cant wait to get back. Sidecountry is amazing and the locals were so friendly ( and had big skills).
You would not regret it.

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Originally Posted by Scotsman50

Shames( Terrace ) is incredible.
Spent a month there one winter and cant wait to get back. Sidecountry is amazing and the locals were so friendly ( and had big skills).
You would not regret it.

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Hows the weather and vis? Is it often fogged in and what would be the best month for bluebird powder days? I know it's kind of a retard question but I know nothing about the weather in that area, the bc looks like you would want good vis and some clear days to figure it out but it also looks coastal enough to get lots of milky days. Do you have any photos Scotsman50? I would love to see em.

Alpine Meadows is pretty awesome. It's a big mountain, great terrain, lots of slackcountry access, and a local feel to it, rather than the scene at squaw, which btw is only about 5 miles down the road. Sugar bowl is cool too, just not as good as alpine IMO.

That said, I've only skied Alpine once.

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Originally Posted by QuikR12

Alpine Meadows is pretty awesome. It's a big mountain, great terrain, lots of slackcountry access, and a local feel to it, rather than the scene at squaw, which btw is only about 5 miles down the road. Sugar bowl is cool too, just not as good as alpine IMO.

That said, I've only skied Alpine once.

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I only skied Alpine once as well but it looked really good, conditions that day weren't so good but I saw the potential. Have you checked out the Shames scene? Looks way more sick but I'm guessing you could probably throw the party/hot girl potential out the window.

Alpine is awesome. Really chill place, can't say the same for Squaw. The sidecountry @ Alpine kicks ass too. The TART bus is ok, but it stops early (about 6pm mid season).

Tahoe City is cool too, or you can also live right at the base of Alpine.

Thanks for the info, sounds like Alpine meadows will be my first choice