Question: If money were no object, where would you ski?

[kit125]

I'm so excited to be going to Whistler next weekend, but I'm now trying to plan one more long weekend trip for the year in late Feb-early March to cash in some points / miles to somewhere I've never skied. I've been eying up Tahoe....but the question is where? Northstar? Heavenly? Or somewhere else?

Teach me, divas!

In all honesty, there are a lot of places I haven't skied. All suggestions welcome!

 

[Ellen]

Banff/Lake Louise has both great skiing at Lake Louise and Sunshine plus some of the world's absolutely most beautiful scenery.

Aspen has great skiing and the money no object part would help a lot with premier hotel and dining to make a memorable weekend.

For more practical reasons, Salt Lake City is great for a long weekend because there are so many great mountains so convenient to the airport you don't waste much travel time.

Beaver Creek has both the Birds of Prey runs and a Ritz slopeside for the money no object crowd.

 

[kit125]

For more practical reasons, Salt Lake City is great for a long weekend because there are so many great mountains so convenient to the airport you don't waste much travel time.

I didn't even think of SLC...excellent idea!

I just went to Beaver Creek for a long weekend over the holidays and it was lovely, but very icy! The nice young men that helped me with my boots each morning and apres made up for the conditions.

 

[abc]

Whereever! I don't quite see how money fit in...

Lift ticket in some out of way place in the southeast has as expensive lift ticket as some out of way powder haven in the Rockies. So great skiing isn't proportional to the amount one spends.

You didn't post where your home is. For some of us here, our home mountain is someone else's dream vacation! For others, they wouldn't go ski anywhere else even if they're paid to do so! (you have to pay me to ski Killington, which to others are consider "dream vacation" spot). On the opposite end, Tahoe to me is good but don't involve extra money because for some years I lived there and ski it often.

I think for most people, heli/cat skiing will be the "money no object" kind of skiing. You can do that in a lot of places.

 

[callmijane]

Well, if money was no object, Alaska. But I really want to go ski the SLC area places, and Jackson Hole. We'll get there soon- I'm saving up.

 

[kit125]

You didn't post where your home is. For some of us here, our home mountain is someone else's dream vacation!

Trust me....my home "mountain" is no one's idea of a dream....I live in Cleveland, OH. We ski hills, unless we hike it to PA or NY.

I travel a lot for work, so I have lots of hotel and AMEX points, as well as airline miles to burn. The money being no object part is that I've got points to burn, I can travel to any great ski locale!

 

[mahgnillig]

I suppose it depends on what you like... some places are going to be better for outdoorsy stuff, some will have nightlife etc. If you have a bunch of hotel points and want to check out Tahoe, the Ritz-Carlton at Northstar is ski in/ski out, which is pretty cool.

 

[abc]

I travel a lot for work, so I have lots of hotel and AMEX points, as well as airline miles to burn. The money being no object part is that I've got points to burn, I can travel to any great ski locale!

Then, you just need the best skiing. It's just not that proportional to cost.

But if you want the most value out of those miles, fly as far away as the miles can get you. How about Japan?

 

[marzNC]

Trust me....my home "mountain" is no one's idea of a dream....I live in Cleveland, OH. We ski hills, unless we hike it to PA or NY.

I travel a lot for work, so I have lots of hotel and AMEX points, as well as airline miles to burn. The money being no object part is that I've got points to burn, I can travel to any great ski locale!

If you haven't been to SLC, then that's an obvious place to go. Stay in the city, rent a 4WD, and go where the best conditions are that week. My favorite is Alta. Snowbasin is worth the drive. Want to check out Powder Mountain with powder some day. Brighton, Solitude are also fun for any level. Snowbird is fun for more advanced skiers.

If your miles can get you to Bozeman, MT then Bridger and Big Sky are a fun combination. Can get a hotel in Bozeman. Bridger is 20 min away, Big Sky an hour away if the road is clear.

While Tahoe has plenty of fun places to go, it's also has lots of people on weekends. Both day trippers and ski vacationers. If I had miles to burn, I'd go elsewhere for a long weekend trip.

Since you are in flatlands, I wouldn't put Colorado high on the list. The higher altitude can make a short trip less fun.

 

[Owl]

If I had some expendable cash, I'd do a heli-skiing trip in Canada! This guy had this beautiful album of photos from his trip. This company that has trip specifically for people with no heli-skiing or powder experience, so it seems obtainable if only I had the money.

 

[B-Tele]

x2 heli or cat ski trip.

I recommend Baldface outside of Nelson.

 

[mustski]

I'm so excited to be going to Whistler next weekend, but I'm now trying to plan one more long weekend trip for the year in late Feb-early March to cash in some points / miles to somewhere I've never skied. I've been eying up Tahoe....but the question is where? Northstar? Heavenly? Or somewhere else?

Teach me, divas!

In all honesty, there are a lot of places I haven't skied. All suggestions welcome!

If Tahoe is on your bucket list, go for it. You don't have to choose a mountain. Stay at one of the big casinos and they have shuttles to all the mountains. I personally love Heavenly, especially on a weekday. When I used to travel alone, it was my "go-to" place because I always met people to hang with during apres ski. I haven't been to Northstar in years, but it was a great mountain. Kirkwood is also really fun ... as long as it is not a windy day. It's above the tree line so on a windy day . Depending on how much time you have, you could also book a couple of days at Squaw. (oops edited because I just realized you said "weekend.) Just pick somewhere on your bucket list, check the current snow conditions for good coverage, and go have fun.

 

[RuthB]

If money was completely no object then I would want to ski on each of the seven continents

 

[segacs]

If money were no object, I'd love to try skiing in Japan. Looks like it would be awesome. I'd also finally do some sort of ski trip out to Western USA, maybe Colorado or Utah, since I'm told it's fantastic there. Plus, lots more skiing in Europe, with fewer budgetary considerations.

 

[gardenmary]

If money were no object? I'd buy a condo in Ogden Valley and ski every Utah resort. Then I'd drive up to Sun Valley, and start the Ultimate Ski Safari around the western US.

But in your situation, I'd also vote for SLC - if you don't have a ton of time, that's the place that will give you the most for those points & miles without wasting time.

 

[Monki]

Long weekend--$ no object...and your already going to Whistler...
How about Jackson hole? Stay in the Four Seasons :-)

 

[Monki]

Long weekend--$ no object...and your already going to Whistler...
How about Jackson hole? Stay in the Four Seasons :-)

 

[Monki]

If money were no object, I'd love to try skiing in Japan. Looks like it would be awesome.

Japanese food, hot springs soak after a cold day...ahhhha...I want to go!!!

 

[NZfarmgirl]

If money were no object, I would probably travel once to Europe and Once to North America each year.
I have so many places I want to see and ski, I just can't see how I'm going to get around them in my lifetime.

But for your practical enquiry, I would go to SLC. It was my first choice in the US. I haven't been there yet so can't speak from experience, but I found while planning our trip that everything is just SO convenient. Hotels and condos are plentiful and there's so much choice for skiing. Transport seems to be well organised etc.
Are you going on your own?
I suggest skiing the cottonwood canyons on a ski and stay package at a local hotel, Midavale/Cottonwood/Sandy, using the Salt lake super pass which includes free transport up the canyons. You will have a choice of 4 resorts.
My DH and I are going there for the first time in March from NZ.

 

[pinto]

All helicopters, all the time.