Skiing Utah with a newb girlfriend: WWMD?

[Crock]

For my 21st birthday, got drunk had some friends over etc. Then it came to present opening time. My girlfriend brings out this massive box and kisses me on the cheek then says "dont get mad, just open it" Well this huge-ass box was really a series of progressively smaller boxes, untill I got down to an envelope containing 2 plane tickets to Salt Lake City for a 3 day weekend in January.

We leave Jan 18th and I'm pumped! Her brother works for Hilton Hotels, and is hooking us up with a sick discount in SLC. I'm not sure about a few things though since I've never been out west before, and I would like some advice. She is just a beginner, and could be challenged with 500' of vertical, so I don't think she'll fully appreciate just how awesome Utah is. She mentioned getting the "Utah pass" or whatever it's called that let's you ski the 3 resorts (Alta, Snowbird, Canyons?) But we're only going for 3 days, and she'll be on the bunnyhill for the most part, so I dont think that would be the most cost-effecient.

So if you were going to ski one resort in Utah for 3 days and had a beginner girlfriend tagging along, which one would you choose? Also wondering how far in advance I should purchase the 3-day passes. I'm a dirt-poor college student so I can't just throw around money I dont have. Any other what-to-do-in-SLC advice greatly appreciated.

*edit*
forgot to ask this. Skiing is my life, but my girl hasn't been since she was in highschool and doesn't really like the cold. Anyone ever been in a similiar situation? I'm worried about her not having a good time. I dont expect her to be out on the hill with me all day, so had planned on buying her a massage or whatever at the hotel, but also looking for other ideas. I'm going to get her really warm gear for xmas so she doesn't bitch about being cold.

[Rontele]

Crock,

We can be of great assistance, but first we are going to need to see naked pictures of your girlfriend. Also, PM phUnk. He'll entertain your girl while you ski, but don't expect her to return to her. The ladies find him irresistable!

[clarnitty]

there are no friends on powder days and hopefully it will be a powder day. explain this before the plane takes off. buy her a massage. bunny hill? does it matter what resort? get her stoked back on the sport by taking her to your favorite resort and then you'll be happy and hopefully, by osmosis...bunny hills are bunny hills, right? maybe instead of a massage you could buy her a lesson?

[El Kanone]

You may want to learn the phrase, "I'll meet you around 4:00."

[clarnitty]

Crock,

We can be of great assistance, but first we are going to need to see naked pictures of your girlfriend. Also, PM phUnk. He'll entertain your girl while you ski, but don't expect her to return to her. The ladies find him irresistable!

Uhh...yeah....that too....
dammit I always actually answer the post...

[wicked]

Dump her the second you guys hit the lifts....
Then call her when the 3 days are over and say "Hey Baby, I love you, come on, I love you..... Come on....."

[MrDirt]

Step 1: Get her out on the hill as many days as you can in December. Concentrate more on preparing her for Utah than yourself. I wouldn't worry too much about trying to go crazy sampling as much of the terrain as you can in three days, because you're guaranteed to get back out west sometime in the future. If she enjoys it enough, it could be the near future.

[wicked]

or that.

[Caucasian Asian]

Buy her morning lessons wherever you go. That way you can ski in the morning while she has a lesson, meet up for lunch and ski together in the afternoon. Then you both win.

And make sure she has a female instructor.

[BushwackerinPA]

If it were me....

go to alta ski sunnyside with her, ski tons with her. if she is comfortable with it leave for her a bit but check back on her, even if its redundant.

Alta albion basin is nice flat, wide and very non threating. Plus she gots tons of place to go, where as most other places she would be very limited. Plus its scenic, has nice people and a homey feel to it. Those qualities will make you return chance better.

BTW she's a keeper dude she taking you on a ski vacation.

[jrosendahl]

I learned how to snowboard when my GF learned to ski, (while lord knows now that she somewhat ripps I have no desire at all to ever ride on a snowboard again) it kept me entertained while she learned.

You might want to rent or borrow one - that way she can laugh at you falling down - it can help keep spirts up.

[JakeCast]

for you: Baldy Main...Bookends...Cirque...Get Serious Chutes
for her: Snowbird Spa

[Lone Star]

let her fend for herself and if she bitches about you not skiing with her, tell her you wanted to honor her and her gift by skiing as hard as you can the entire vacation. Remind her that you can spend the other 16 hours of the day devoted completely to her.

[hutash]

Do the mourning lessons for her. Search gear swap there is a link for discount tickets in BCC and LCC.

Alternative, get her so drunk that she can't ski for three days due to constant hang overs, then rip it up by yourself.

[Cliff Huckable]

Tech Talk, LeRoy Jenkem!

btw, how is the amount of vertical a challenge for anyone, unless they're in an iron lung or something?

[bklyn]

for you: <...>
for her: Snowbird Spa

You missed the poor college student part

Do the mourning lessons for her...

Get to the mountain really early, get a big breakfast.
AM group lesson for her, while you ski your ass off.
Meet up for a late leisurely lunch, conversation, etc.
Let her show you what she's learned in the afternoon.

Go to the same place each day so she can get into the routine. 2nd Alta suggestion or you could get a combined snowbird/alta ticket if you get bored.

Set expectations for the vacation well in advance of when you leave, otherwise you will be mourning the end of the relationship with the girl who got you a ski trip for a present.

[kokomas]

thats a cool gift. it took me a while to realize my gf is scared shitless of even easy stuff. i would try to ski with her but she was petrified and i got frustrated and it wasn't fun for anyone. not a great feeling trying to console your crying girlfriend as people whiz by on all sides at kmart. so as someone said previously, its huge if you can get a girl for her to ski with part of the time, maybe a couple you meet or something because that will help her learn some stuff. maybe there'll be a girl in her lesson or something. for her rentals, you are best off getting them for 3 days all at once, even if you plan on visiting different hills, its a real buzzkill standing in the rental line every day.

the cold is a major issue too. plenty of footwarmers for her, warm gloves, gloveliners, all that stuff.

Be patient and stick with it. After two winters of sacrifice, i finally started to see some results last winter when she could make it down a mogulled out black with me. the pow is going to be a whole nother battle.

solitude may be a call for at least a day as its reasonable in cost, has really good beginner/intermediate terrain, and some stuff that should keep your attention. i think it has a lower cost lesson package for beginners than altabird too. you might be able to get discount tickets to some of the mountains at ski shops in salt lake, i think we did that one time.

[powdork]

Whatever you do, NEVER attempt to teach her yourself.
Unless you see another girl you really like, then you can attempt to teach GF and after the breakup you can chase the other girl.

[Lynx]

there's your answer dude.

that bklyn, she's a smart lady

[Tri-Ungulate]

Get to the mountain really early, get a big breakfast.
AM group lesson for her, while you ski your ass off.
Meet up for a late leisurely lunch, conversation, etc.
Let her show you what she's learned in the afternoon.

Go to the same place each day so she can get into the routine. 2nd Alta suggestion or you could get a combined snowbird/alta ticket if you get bored.

Set expectations for the vacation well in advance of when you leave, otherwise you will be mourning the end of the relationship with the girl who got you a ski trip for a present.

^^^ The lady knows what she's talking about. Between your GF's AM lesson and the late lunch, if you ski hard you'll have more than enough skiing under your belt by the time you meet up, especially if you're coming from sea level. Get the multiday lesson package as it's cheaper and will provide better continuity for her learning. Alta has a great program for beginners that might go a long way to turning her on to your life sport.

[jbach]

Snowbird and Alta both have tickets for the easier slopes. Alta's covers the Albion, Sunnyside, and Cecret lifts for $25/day and Snowbird's is $19/day for just the Chickadee lift (just the bunny hill). I'm not sure about the BCC resorts but if she's not going to be venturing off those lifts anyway you can save some dough to treat her to a nice romantic dinner afterwards.

[Tri-Ungulate]

Oh yeah - one more thing: If she takes lessons at Alta, and you ski the 'Bird, you can meet up for said late lunch then spend the late afternoon skiing for free with her riding the easy lifts over at Alta.

[Doremite]

Explain to her what's up. She may not want to feel like she's holding you up and jeopardizing your ski experience and give you the green light to ski solo and spend apres/dinner together etc... She can't be that uptight if she hooked you up with this trip.

If she doesn't take the bait and still wants to ski together an holds you up, she may not be the right girl for you. Test 'er out by trying peer pressure if she's lagging behind. Sometimes a simple "yo, keep the eff up" in the lift line does wonders. If she fails to step it up just toast her and worry about it later. You're only 21. If she dumps you now, you could have just avoided a life plagued with ruined ski days. You need to nip this in the bud early and figure out what's up. Good luck.

[Bruno Groovey]

Good God, the question was What would Maggots Do, not what would faggots do. Wake up, get laid ditch her ass and rip some pow. Hit on hot chicks all day and meet back up with your girl in the afternoon if you get shot down by the lifty girls. Get drunk and try to get into a 3 some with a hot cougar. Fuck you girl again and pass out. Repeat the next day.

[Snowdeprived]

As mentioned by someone else, get her to ski as much as she can in the East before your trip. Do lessons. She will also figure out what to wear to stay warm. The best part about learning to ski in the East is it will really make her love skiing out West.