What would your fantasy ski area be like?

[Jilly]

We have a blue/green run at Tremblant that is left for bumps 101. The only problem is once you're in there, you can get out till the end of the run. So if you only wanted to do 1/3 to 1/2...you're SOL...But it's good training. And it's not really that long, but if you're not ready....it's long...lower 1/2 of the mountain...

 

[snow addict]

I've never seen a bump run that would be less steep than a black. The bottom third usually mellows to red (blue) but to get there black bit is unavoidable, and it's long. properly long, like 500 vertical meters long, until the easy part is reached. "Training" bumps are usually even steeper, but you can get out as they would be close to groomers.

 

[altagirl]

I've never seen a bump run that would be less steep than a black. The bottom third usually mellows to red (blue) but to get there black bit is unavoidable, and it's long. properly long, like 500 vertical meters long, until the easy part is reached. "Training" bumps are usually even steeper, but you can get out as they would be close to groomers.

There are usually several blue bump runs at Alta. How big the bumps are (our whether they are there at all) depends on the snow, but there are routes that aren't very steep and are rated blue.

 

[mustski]

It may be snowboarders, but my guess is that they're groomed out because most skiers don't like them or just can't ski well on them.

I meant that they groomed them out for the snowboarders. The bowl section of our local mountain used to be all bumped and the great thing about that was one of the runs which is quite a gentle "steep" was nice and short and great for learning how to ski moguls. Now they groom all the runs. You would think they could leave one run with bumps.

 

[litterbug]

There are usually several blue bump runs at Alta. How big the bumps are (our whether they are there at all) depends on the snow, but there are routes that aren't very steep and are rated blue.

Hmm, I seem to have missed them, aside from a few short high-traffic areas that get little bumps before they're groomed out. Or maybe I mentally blocked them all off the map after getting scared early on. I'll start looking in earnest in a few months...

 

[altagirl]

Hmm, I seem to have missed them, aside from a few short high-traffic areas that get little bumps before they're groomed out. Or maybe I mentally blocked them all off the map after getting scared early on. I'll start looking in earnest in a few months...

Ballroom, particularly the skiers right side is one. Sometimes it's small bumps, sometimes it gets wiped clean with a slide from above, but it doesn't get groomed, and that is solidly a blue.
Lower Rustler is another, though that does get groomed at times.

 

[santacruz skier]

Come to Europe. This is pretty much how it is over here, though parking can be busy...

You're right! Skied in Wengen in the Jungfrau and Chamonix last winter…..

 

[litterbug]

Ballroom, particularly the skiers right side is one. Sometimes it's small bumps, sometimes it gets wiped clean with a slide from above, but it doesn't get groomed, and that is solidly a blue.
Lower Rustler is another, though that does get groomed at times.

Ballroom is a perfect example of having written something off as too hard! Until late this season I hated the bottom of Collins, so I just avoided it. This season I discovered that I could lap the top from the angle station, but I think the first time I approached Ballroom it looked icy and ugly, and because it's an open slope it seems steeper than it is. So after that I would just glance at it and decide to zoom down another trail. And I don't even know if I've skied lower Rustler. Having started as a beginner at Alta, it's embarrassing how shy I've been of getting on something unfamiliar. Of course that gives me a lot to look forward to, right?

 

[Perty]

I am trying not to drift too much into the realms of fantasy...but here goes.
1500-2000m vertical-so a long season with a glacier at the top and tree skiing at the bottom. Minimum mid December to end of April.
Fast chair lifts. Bubble lifts only where necessary. No cable cars (trams as I think you call them in North America). No T bars!
A good nursery area at the bottom of the mountain and some good green/blue runs for beginners from the top down so they can enjoy the whole skiing experience.
Wide speedy ego boosting red runs for carving practice
Wide gentle off piste skiing both above and below the tree line-all in bounds and patrolled.
Some more challenging stuff-on an off piste above and below the tree line.
At least 200km pistes linking at least 2 villages/resorts without the need for a bus.
"Gladed" ski areas North American style (we don't get then deliberately created in the Alps-which is a shame).
A characterful old mountain village at the bottom with lots of cosy accommodation, great restaurants and good service-all ski in/ski out, or as near as makes no difference.
Great on mountain eateries- nearly all table service. I am thinking I need to get the Italians in. Also the occasional mountain hut serving the best hot chocolate/vin chaud in the world.
Great english speaking ski schools.
Something for non skiers to to-good hiking and cross country routes, some dog sledding.
Pedestrian access via the lifts to a god chunk of the hill so that the non skiers can meet me at lunchtime!
A ski demo hut with every brand of ski you could possibly want to try out.
A snow fall of minimum 11m per year.

Don't ask much do I!

 

[surfsnowgirl]

My main thing is varied terrain for everyone. A bonus would be a hand warmer on the chair lift so you can sit there and take your gloves/mittens off for few seconds to warm up. Lastly I agree that some sort of ability test before you get a lift ticket is brilliant. No matter for the bunny hill but if you are going anywhere else on the mountain you should have to take a test to make sure you know what you are doing. I snowboard now and again and have friends out west who board but honestly my main issue is with snowboarders. Twice last season I had snowboarders wipe out behind me and take me out. One time she literally wiped out RIGHT in back of me. I was on my backside with a ski flying out before I knew what hit me. I just think some sort of test before you get a lift ticket would be grand.

 

[abc]

Lastly I agree that some sort of ability test before you get a lift ticket is brilliant.

Just go to a mountain that's uncrowded. There's no worry about other wiping out, you won't even see them!

So, my fantacy mountain only sells llimited number of lift tickets so it'll be uncrowded.

 

[Needsalife]

Ugh. Ballroom and I are not friends. I ski much more difficult terrain (Extrovert is my fave) but everytime I've skied Ballroom something crazy has happened to ruin a good run (boot freezing up, tripping on wanky pole plant, etc). And then there's the goobers on the very narrow traverse to get there...

Fantasy sking? Clifflike steep 2000 foot slope, groomed, right out my backdoor with no one else on it...ever. I can be selfish in my fantasy, right?

 

[snow addict]

I happy where I am but since fantasy is free, I would like us to get more snow (11m is too much, but 6-7m guaranteed would be great), no foehn wind and be connected to Chamonix.