Where in the US first week of Jan?

[horizon]

I'm likely to spend Christmas / New Year with the brother in law in San Francisco, and thinking of staying on for an extra 8-9 days for a ski trip in the first week of Jan. I'd be joined (for the skiing) by my good friend - maggot Irbis.

Since we're coming from Europe, which has a few mountains of its own, the main aim would be to catch the best snow, and maybe the most non-Euro experience. We'd also really like to do a couple BC tours.

Is it feasible to leave the internal US flights and accommodation booking until late to see what the snow's like, or would that run expensive? If it's best to book early, what are the top contenders for likely good conditions?

Any mags who'd like to meet a couple Euros and show them around? (we have touring and of course avy equipment).

Of course we are both aggressive skiers ...actually, while I have been known to ski like a Soviet tank, irbis has a more Zen approach.

I've only skied once in North America, some 7 years ago if not more. Snowbird/ Alta plus three days in JH. Was great... but I could probably get a lot more out of it now. Irbis has managed to ski in Utah in the worst conditions for a decade, so he's keen on a rerun.

[PowerWhore7]

If you are going to be in SF anyway, you could just stay local and do the Mammoth/Tahoe thing. I hear they have a couple of mountains as well....

[I've seen black diamonds!]

^^^^^ This, unless there is a particular area that has much more snow, in which case you make last minute plans.

[The Duke of Hurl]

Maybe book a flight to Denver or SLC now as they are the major hubs then add a flight or rent a car last minute to stormchase.

Longterm climate predictions are for ENSO neutral so Northern v. Southern Rockies decision would be anybody's guess.

[Hicks]

Not sure why you even ask here, you know you want to hit up the 666 and do the Tahoe thing....

[Buster Highmen]

Booking early will save you some money but who knows where it will be good.
Basing out of UT (LCC/BCC/Ogden/JH/Targhee)or SF(Tahoe/Mammoth) or Seattle(W/BC/Baker/Puget Sound) will put you in the best probability for good snow in general.

For the Seattle area, hit me up and I can give you more detailed suggestions or show you around. The nice thing about Seattle is that it's the most underrated as a ski destination in North America. There's a lot of very non Euro skiing here.

[chatton18]

this is probably obvious to the Americans here but Look at Southwest airlines for flights now. They're usually priced well. Bags fly free which saves you $ and you can change your flight from slc to seattle for just the difference in ticket prices. If you don't use the tickets you can transfer the credit to a friend. You have to book directly through them since they don't work with priceline or any of the travel sites.

Sent from my GT-I9300 using TGR Forums

[hortence]

Wait. Watch the snow. Pull the trigger two weeks out. Then decide to ski Tahoe.

[Lindahl]

Avoid the Rockies/Intermountain. Coverage can suck in Jan. The PNW usually does really well in Jan. All their terrain is usually open by then. Japan does the best though

[The SnowShow]

What about Killington and the "hot Jersey Italian babes"?!

[horizon]

Thanks for all the info. Buster & Lindahl, I hadn't thought about PNW but had read a lot about it previously, and what you're saying sounds very interesting. (Buster, thanks for the info / show around offer). Chatton18, thx for the Southwest suggestion, it's indeed something that wasn't on my radar.

If it was just me I could just stay close to SF, but if my friend comes over from Amsterdam we might as well go for the best snow / terrain we can find.

That said, Hicks, I did PM skier666. Would be great to ski with him again, now that I'm marginally less of a gaper.

[Hugh Conway]

If you need to book ahead - Vancouver. It's not the US but gives you flexibility to head north (Whistler), south (PNW US) or east(inland BC, revy, rogers pass, kicking horse, fernie, etc); odds are there's something decent. If there's not... there may not be anywhere good. Things may change/have changed but the first full week of January is usually a pretty slack time for travelling so there may be deals of different kinds/things won't jack up to badly in price.

[userA]

Alpental ftw and a fine group of mags riding padded seats, Buster knows the drill.
bF

[grskier]

If you are flexible, be flexible and stage from San Fran. If PNW is doing well, take a drive. If tahoe is doing well.. well, you get the gist. If not, I think PNW can be a safer bet for that time of year.

[hutash]

Nearly all years Mammoth has a good base in December, and late dec/early Jan is often when they get hit by a big storm cycle (10' in a week is not unusual.) It is a big mountain with consistently good, but rarely great snow. It also has great touring options, and Tahoe is just up the road, but Tahoe is a little more unpredictable at that time. You would also be with in a days drive of Utah, or a long day to PNW.

[Lindahl]

Good suggestion. Mammoth is an awesome mountain. I miss skiing there.

[GoldMember]

For that time of year, I would look at the B.C. interior, too; Revelstoke, Kicking Horse, touring Rogers Pass, Red Mountain, Whitewater area. Generally more snow in those areas than most and really good skiing. Fly into Kelowna or Spokane, depending on exactly where you want to go or plan a loop. Revelstoke is about 6 hours from Spokane or 2.5 hours from Kelowna. Red is about 2.5 hours from Spokane and Whitewater (Nelson) is about 3.

[MontuckyFried]

Tahoe area. Definitely Tahoe. I'd suggest my own stomping grounds, but I don't wanna jinx anything.

Good luck, though. It's always tough to plan a ski trip out in advance. I've always just gone with where my best odds are according to the advanced weather predictions, although that has sometimes backfired on me, with the places that were supposed to get the most snow getting the least (and sometimes rain), and the places that were supposed to be the worse ended up being fantastic. You just never known until the season gets going. The predictions still worked out ok for me like 80% of the time, though. Early January's a tough call.

[flatNshallow]

Just here to mention that the great white north adds a border crossing which complicates things for non US / Canadian's and as such is probably not the best play for our euro friends...

[Buster Highmen]

Just here to mention that the great white north adds a border crossing which complicates things for non US / Canadian's and as such is probably not the best play for our euro friends...

????. Canada disbars nonAmericans? They'll have their passports...shouldn't be a problem.

[Hugh Conway]

Just here to mention that the great white north adds a border crossing which complicates things for non US / Canadian's and as such is probably not the best play for our euro friends...

well, he's already in the US, so he's dealt with the US DHS cunts before, canada isn't a problem. if someone else is flying to meet him they might not have to deal with the DHS cunts at all if they fly direct to YVR!

BC/PNW generally has the combo of terrain (in the good euro way) and lots of snow (in amounts you don't get) you want.

[PNWbrit]

Just here to mention that the great white north adds a border crossing which complicates things for non US / Canadian's and as such is probably not the best play for our euro friends...

Pretty much zero complication.

Any secondary questioning that they might encounter is easily overcome by producing their return tickets to Europe.

Obviously avoid any forbidden materials in case of search.

Plus their Euro passport isn't even subject to Canadian investigation of criminal record database that US passports are.

[Hicks]

I did PM skier666. Would be great to ski with him again, now that I'm marginally less of a gaper.

So you mean to say he won't kick your sorry ass this time around?

[Hicks]

????. Canada disbars nonAmericans? They'll have their passports...shouldn't be a problem.

Been there, done that, although it was quite some years ago. Frankly despite making it back and forth I would not want to do it again.

When going by car it's not as easy as many here think and can develop into a major hassle and pain train with uncertain outcome. Same when trying to reenter the US. It depends a lot on the border patrol how suspicious he deems you to be and whether you'll have a hard time or not. Anyway be ready for a major interview procedure.

All that said when going on a plane I never had these issues.

[PNWbrit]

When going by car it's not as easy as many here think

Yes it is.

Unless perhaps you don't have electric windows on your vehicle?