X-mas and Lift Lines

Looks like family is fixed on skiing during x-mas vacation, the one time I
usually don't go because of the crowds. A buddy tells me Whistler has
little if any lines when he goes each year. Looks like we're heading for
Steamboat (the first choice), with Snowmass and
Breckenridge/Copper/Keystone as possibles. Would appreciate feedback on
what to expect for any of the Colorado hot spots, or even around Salt
Lake. Jackson Hole is outside possibility.. Thanks!!!

George

George Evans wrote:

Looks like family is fixed on skiing during x-mas vacation, the one time I
usually don't go because of the crowds. A buddy tells me Whistler has
little if any lines when he goes each year. Looks like we're heading for
Steamboat (the first choice), with Snowmass and
Breckenridge/Copper/Keystone as possibles. Would appreciate feedback on
what to expect for any of the Colorado hot spots, or even around Salt
Lake. Jackson Hole is outside possibility.. Thanks!!!

For Breckenridge/Copper/Keystone, expect the biggest crowds of the year
and highest skier density on the slopes. It is so crowded, nobody comes
here at Christmas anymore.

Mike...

--
See my ski photography at: http://PowderDay.us
Carpe powder-diem

Let Mikey Ski It! wrote:
George Evans wrote:

Looks like family is fixed on skiing during x-mas vacation, the one time I
usually don't go because of the crowds. A buddy tells me Whistler has
little if any lines when he goes each year. Looks like we're heading for
Steamboat (the first choice), with Snowmass and
Breckenridge/Copper/Keystone as possibles. Would appreciate feedback on
what to expect for any of the Colorado hot spots, or even around Salt
Lake. Jackson Hole is outside possibility.. Thanks!!!


For Breckenridge/Copper/Keystone, expect the biggest crowds of the year
and highest skier density on the slopes. It is so crowded, nobody comes
here at Christmas anymore.

Ahem.
Even though it was crowded at Breck when I visited (particularly on the
peak 8 t-bar) if you just get up early and get out there at lift-opening
you'll have a couple of good no-line hours before the tourist riff-raff
arrive (alliterate! alliterate!) It'll be even more important at Xmus.

Of course that's true whereever you go, whenever you go. Early - beat
the crowds; late - lines everywhere. For some reason, the tourist mob
sleeps in, has a leisurely breakfast, arrives at the lifts at 10:30 and
spends the rest of the year complaining about crowded conditions to
anyone who will listen.

BTW, if you have youngsters with you, there's a hell-of-alot more to do
for them around Salt Lake City than in Colorado ski towns; including a
pretty good dinosaur museum (apparently the Mormans don't buy this young
earth stuff.)

lal_truckee wrote:

Ahem.
Even though it was crowded at Breck when I visited (particularly on the
peak 8 t-bar) if you just get up XXXXX and get out there at lift-XXXXXXX
you'll have a couple of good XX-line hours XXXXX the tourist riff-raff
arrive ...

Ahem.
Visitors are encouraged to party hard and late at many of the fine
Breckenridge establishments while having many tasty adult beverages.

Mike...

--
See my ski photography at: http://PowderDay.us
Carpe powder-diem

"lal_truckee" wrote in message
...
Let Mikey Ski It! wrote:
George Evans wrote:

Looks like family is fixed on skiing during x-mas vacation, the one time
I
usually don't go because of the crowds. A buddy tells me Whistler has
little if any lines when he goes each year. Looks like we're heading
for
Steamboat (the first choice), with Snowmass and
Breckenridge/Copper/Keystone as possibles. Would appreciate feedback on
what to expect for any of the Colorado hot spots, or even around Salt
Lake. Jackson Hole is outside possibility.. Thanks!!!


For Breckenridge/Copper/Keystone, expect the biggest crowds of the year
and highest skier density on the slopes. It is so crowded, nobody comes
here at Christmas anymore.

Ahem.
Even though it was crowded at Breck when I visited (particularly on the
peak 8 t-bar) if you just get up early and get out there at lift-opening
you'll have a couple of good no-line hours before the tourist riff-raff
arrive (alliterate! alliterate!) It'll be even more important at Xmus.

Of course that's true whereever you go, whenever you go. Early - beat
the crowds; late - lines everywhere. For some reason, the tourist mob
sleeps in, has a leisurely breakfast, arrives at the lifts at 10:30 and
spends the rest of the year complaining about crowded conditions to
anyone who will listen.

BTW, if you have youngsters with you, there's a hell-of-alot more to do
for them around Salt Lake City than in Colorado ski towns; including a
pretty good dinosaur museum (apparently the Mormans don't buy this young
earth stuff.)

But the T-Bar doesn't open till 10 anyway and it's usually a lost cause by
then if there was any snow the night before. Plus, they try to get Peak 8
open by Christmas but it doesn't always happen. Snowmaking has been
improved over the last few years so usually the bottom of 8 is open but I
wouldn't count on the bowl being open.

The lifts that they have installed over the last couple of years (Peak 7 and
the interconnect) have helped quite a bit with holiday lift lines. Still,
on weekends I always get out when the lifts open and quit when I have to
start waiting in line. Usually that's sometime between 10 and 11.

snoig

Let Mikey Ski It! wrote:

It is so crowded, nobody comes
here at Christmas anymore.

A fine Yogi Berra line!

Fred

lal_truckee wrote:

For some reason, the tourist mob
sleeps in, has a leisurely breakfast, arrives at the lifts at 10:30 and
spends the rest of the year complaining about crowded conditions to
anyone who will listen.

You forgot the part about the tourist mob going into the lodge en masse
at precisely 12 noon, leaving the slopes and lifts relatively uncrowded
until 1pm, when they all crowd back onto the slopes. And, yes, they
complain to anyone who'll listen that the lodge was really crowded too.

--
//-Walt
//
// http://cagle.slate.msn.com/working/040514/matson.gif

George,

One way to get around the crowds in Keystone at least is to offset
your skiing hours. Keystone offers night skiing, so you can arrive at
the slopes in the afternoon when everyone is leaving and ski until
8:30pm. The lines are nothing at the gondola, and the runs are well
lit and sparse with people.

Good luck

--Peter

http://www.summitcove.com

"Peter" wrote in message
om...
George,

One way to get around the crowds in Keystone at least is to offset
your skiing hours. Keystone offers night skiing, so you can arrive at
the slopes in the afternoon when everyone is leaving and ski until
8:30pm. The lines are nothing at the gondola, and the runs are well
lit and sparse with people.

Good luck

--Peter

http://www.summitcove.com

Just double check with Keystone to make sure that night skiing is in
operation that time of the season. I'm sure they try to get it open by Xmas
but like always, it depends on the weather.

snoig

Some advice: if you're taking kids, and you want to get them into ski
school, BOOK NOW. No, I'm not kidding.