How to tell the difference between an east coast skier and a west coast skier

[ski diva]

Saw this on Snowbrains.com today about how to tell an east coast skier from a west coast skier, and was wondering if we could come up with any of our own :

When you’re riding up the lift…​

East Coast: “It doesn’t sound good down there *scratchy, granular ice sounds*.”

West Coast: “If the lift stopped here, I could totally jump off into this pow without getting hurt.”

When you’re talking forecasts…​

East Coast: “The snow feels like cement today.”

West Coast: “*gets 6 inches of snow the night before* It’s only dust on crust.”

When you’re buying new skis…​

East Coast: “What’s your best all-terrain ski?”

West Coast: “I need nothing less than a 100mm underfoot.”

When there’s ice…​

East Coast: “Heard it’s straight ice fields out there today *still attempts to stomp the double backy*.”

West Coast: “Avoid the packed pow dude, it’s looking rough out there.”

When planning a ski vacation…​

East Coast: “Let’s go to Colorado!”

West Coast: “I heard Alaska’s the new West.”

 

[ilovepugs]

20 degree forecast:

East coaster - sounds balmy, better wear my spring skiing jacket

West coaster - omggg I have 5 layers on and I’m freezing

 

[Soujan]

20 degree forecast:

East coaster - sounds balmy, better wear my spring skiing jacket

West coaster - omggg I have 5 layers on and I’m freezing

The one time I went out west to ski, we went to Heavenly. It was over 35 degrees and we were sweating. The woman sharing the lift with us was complaining to her companion that it was so cold it was making her eyes water and she wanted to get hotronics in her boots.

 

[ilovepugs]

The one time I went out west to ski, we went to Heavenly. It was over 35 degrees and we were sweating. The woman sharing the lift with us was complaining to her companion that it was so cold it was making her eyes water and she wanted to get hotronics in her boots.

Lol! Sounds like I should plan on a layered approach to packing for Diva West!

 

[marzNC]

East coaster: I've skied for a couple days, need to get my skis waxed. Maybe tuned too.

West coaster: Why do edges need to be sharpened more than once a season?

 

[lucy]

Regarding ice...
East coaster: Skis everything at Mach 2 with a mile-wide smile.
West coaster: Heads for the lodge to watch Ski Patrol bring in the wounded.

 

[Soujan]

Regarding ice...
East coaster: Skis everything at Mach 2 with a mile-wide smile.
West coaster: Heads for the lodge to watch Ski Patrol bring in the wounded.

On this same trip to Heavenly, I got yelled at from someone stopped on the side of the trail for going too fast. I can't ski deep powder for my life though.

 

[santacruz skier]

West Coast skier: What are those skis? Never seen them.

East Coast skier: Volkl RTM 84's

 

[marzNC]

West Coast skier: What are those skis? Never seen them.

East Coast skier: Volkl RTM 84's

Ha! I think that was what Bill had when I started skiing with him in 2008. That was before I got him to take a few lessons and he widened his stance a bit to put skis on edge more. His technique came from being on straight skis and growing up skiing in the northeast. He can ski in deep power on mid-80s skis with no problem.

 

[santacruz skier]

Ha! I think that was what Bill had when I started skiing with him in 2008. That was before I got him to take a few lessons and he widened his stance a bit to put skis on edge more. His technique came from being on straight skis and growing up skiing in the northeast. He can ski in deep power on mid-80s skis with no problem.

I need to follow him

 

[water.rat]

Never lived on the east coast, but growing up in Alberta no weather closed anything. Ever. (See middle column below).
Here in Portland, if there is even a possibility of a snowflake in town, school and businesses preemptively close. Gives me a good chuckle most every year.
I'm thinking the comparison would go something like this...
Easterners: 20 degrees and snowing: "Better warm up the car for a few minutes before driving to work."
Portlanders/Seattlites: 32 in town and forecast of a snowflake: Everything is closed.
Kids are ecstatically shouting "snow day!" while their parents tear their hair. Those willing to venture the drive up the mountain are ecstatically shouting "Mid week ski day!" while reveling in freshies.

Forgive me if y'all have seen this before. It's just so funny!

 

[MrsPlow]

East Coast - 85 under foot = super fat powder ski
West Coast - 100 under foot = skinny ski for when it's getting 'firm'; 110 under foot = modestly plump daily driver

 

[marzNC]

Forgive me if y'all have seen this before. It's just so funny!

Thanks for that!

Keep in mind that East means "northeast" in the table. The southeast is completely different.

I had culture shock moving from New York to North Carolina in the 1970s. Back then, any snow around Raleigh closed EVERYTHING. Schools, offices large and small, government agencies, shopping centers. Even now when there is more snow prep and clearing capability, a snow forecast means hundreds of businesses, schools, and daycares in my county close very quickly. The local TV News pre-empts daytime programming to talk about snow all day long if we get more than an inch.

 

[MagicForest]

As an East coaster I can ski ice, but I'm not good at powder because I don't encounter it too often. I remember going out to UT once. My first day at Alta I got off the chairlift and promptly fell down while trying to ski through a foot of powder. I was so surprised because I hadn't fallen while skiing in years. That's when I realized I had no powder skills and was out of my league. I stuck with groomed trails for most of that trip. Now I will ski a trail with up to 6 inches of powder, but I still encounter that rarely.

 

[water.rat]

I'm not good at powder either.
Just like

Keep in mind that East means "northeast" in the table.

I think in most folks minds, "west" means Rockies, Sierra Nevadas, etc. But the Cascade ranges tend to wetter, heavier snow. We get big dumps but true powder is more rare. The likelihood of an epic powder day falling on a day I can get away to ski lessens the opportunity to practice even more. If the stars line up, it's a perfect day for a lesson!

 

[Abbi]

I was at Northstar at Tahoe a zillion years ago. A woman behind me shrieked 'I HATE ice'! It was about a square yard of nothing .... I laughed (to myself)!

 

[Jenny]

Never lived on the east coast, but growing up in Alberta no weather closed anything. Ever. (See middle column below).
Here in Portland, if there is even a possibility of a snowflake in town, school and businesses preemptively close. Gives me a good chuckle most every year.
I'm thinking the comparison would go something like this...
Easterners: 20 degrees and snowing: "Better warm up the car for a few minutes before driving to work."
Portlanders/Seattlites: 32 in town and forecast of a snowflake: Everything is closed.
Kids are ecstatically shouting "snow day!" while their parents tear their hair. Those willing to venture the drive up the mountain are ecstatically shouting "Mid week ski day!" while reveling in freshies.

Forgive me if y'all have seen this before. It's just so funny!

View attachment 17084

As someone who was one of only two at work a few years ago, during a blizzard . . . yeah. Except I was totally outdone by the guy who rode the bus and then finished up on his bike.

I always like this one:

 

[tinymoose]

As an East coaster I can ski ice, but I'm not good at powder because I don't encounter it too often. I remember going out to UT once. My first day at Alta I got off the chairlift and promptly fell down while trying to ski through a foot of powder. I was so surprised because I hadn't fallen while skiing in years. That's when I realized I had no powder skills and was out of my league. I stuck with groomed trails for most of that trip. Now I will ski a trail with up to 6 inches of powder, but I still encounter that rarely.

Same. I'm complete rubbish in powder; I know what to do with ice. I don't get out west enough to get any significant amount of experience with it.

 

[Lmk92]

As an East coaster I can ski ice, but I'm not good at powder because I don't encounter it too often. I remember going out to UT once. My first day at Alta I got off the chairlift and promptly fell down while trying to ski through a foot of powder. I was so surprised because I hadn't fallen while skiing in years. That's when I realized I had no powder skills and was out of my league. I stuck with groomed trails for most of that trip. Now I will ski a trail with up to 6 inches of powder, but I still encounter that rarely.

This will definitely be me if/when I finally make it west.

 

[sorcamc]

Same. I'm complete rubbish in powder; I know what to do with ice. I don't get out west enough to get any significant amount of experience with it.

SAME!!!!! I am a total spaz in powder like, panic stricken, but on ice, I'm like WHEEEEEEEEEEEEE