Suggestions/advice needed for a Dec 24-31st ski trip out west.

[MI-skier]

Help! I know you lovely ladies have a wealth of advice and I could use it. I'm trying to plan a ski week with our family (two older teen girls and us) and we're all solid blue skiers+. I would prefer to not have to rent a car and am looking at flying into ASE or SLC. I know that is a super popular week and therefore also premium prices but we're still limited on school vacations. I think for that long we'd prefer to rent a condo. I'm not dead set on those locations. I'd like a town to walk around in. We're not used to visiting multiple ski resorts but open to that and would like to spend a day or two in each place. If we did CO, we'd fly right to ASE, check into 1 condo for the week and visit Buttermilk/Snowmass/Aspen. I can't find lift ticket prices at this time but again I know we're paying prime. If we did SLC, I would be open to renting a car and driving if that is do-able. (I don't want to drive Denver-Aspen). I just don't know enough on how to do SLC. I would like to be ski in/out for the condo or at least walking distance. Any help would be greatly appreciated. If you end up telling me that lift lines are absolutely horrible and we'll have a miserable time waiting I may have to scrap this idea but I love skiing with my family.

 

[marzNC]

at flying into ASE or SLC

No contest, fly to ASE and have a great time on blue cruisers at all four mountains. Warm up at Buttermilk, go all over Snowmass, ride the gondola for a view of the town, and go to Highlands for a view of the Bowl from the ski patrol hut. The free bus system is really good for skiing and for going to town in the evenings.

As for SLC, even Deer Valley reaches the cap they have set for day tickets during the winter break holiday weeks. While the blue groomers are great in the mornings, they can be skied off by early afternoon when the slopes are crowded for whatever reason. If I were flying to SLC for Christmas week, I'd be driving to Grand Targhee. Skiing would be great but there is very little to do around GT and Driggs besides ski. Not the best destination for a family of intermediates.

 

[marzNC]

Another possibility would be to fly to Bozeman to ski Big Sky. My daughter had a very good time one Christmas when she went with another family (two teens her age) who we'd met at Alta Lodge several years before. No lift lines. Other fun stuff to do like snowmobiling. Great Natural History museum in Bozeman, which has a old-style downtown (10 blocks long, 2 blocks wide).

Lots of really nice VRBO condos a Big Sky. Much less expensive than Snowmass. Would want a car but the 1-hour drive from the airport is pretty much flat until the last 20 min to get up to the resort base. I prefer to spend less and get more by staying in Meadow Village. Had 3BR/2.5BA, 3 floors, 2-car heated garage, private outdoor hot tub for under $350/night last Feb.

https://www.theskidiva.com/forums/i...sky-mt-in-late-feb-2019-cold-and-snowy.23685/

Diva West was at Big Sky in 2012. The threads with trip reports and pics are in the Divas Only Meet On The Hill section.

Not from the Diva Week, but in March that season

 

[MI-skier]

Another possibility would be to fly to Bozeman to ski Big Sky. My daughter had a very good time one Christmas when she went with another family (two teens her age) who we'd met at Alta Lodge several years before. No lift lines. Other fun stuff to do like snowmobiling. Great Natural History museum in Bozeman, which has a old-style downtown (10 blocks long, 2 blocks wide).

Lots of really nice VRBO condos a Big Sky. Much less expensive than Snowmass. Would want a car but the 1-hour drive from the airport is pretty much flat until the last 20 min to get up to the resort base. I prefer to spend less and get more by staying in Meadow Village. Had 3BR/2.5BA, 3 floors, 2-car heated garage, private outdoor hot tub for under $350/night last Feb.

https://www.theskidiva.com/forums/i...sky-mt-in-late-feb-2019-cold-and-snowy.23685/

Diva West was at Big Sky in 2012. The threads with trip reports and pics are in the Divas Only Meet On The Hill section.

Not from the Diva Week, but in March that season

This could be another option. TY! I will look into it. I apologize if this is a naive question but would we get bored at all skiing Big Sky only?

 

[badger]

This could be another option. TY! I will look into it. I apologize if this is a naive question but would we get bored at all skiing Big Sky only?

Not a chance. Big Sky is not the place for boredom. Nor is it the place for truly annoying lift lines. It is a great option for your family.

 

[marzNC]

This could be another option. TY! I will look into it. I apologize if this is a naive question but would we get bored at all skiing Big Sky only?

No need to apologize . . . the marketing tag line is "Biggest Skiing in America" based on almost 6000 acres and 36 lifts in multiple areas. Of course, what's not that obvious is how many trails are nice long green or blue groomers. Meaning it can take 15-20 min to finish a run with a few stops to rest. The ratio of time on lifts vs time skiing makes for a lot of time on snow in a day. I consider Big Sky a "3-day" resort for a first timer. Meaning it's best to have three days to really explore to get to know how to get around the entire resort, including the lift-served advanced/expert terrain. Even for green/blue terrain, I'd want to 2 days to guide a first-timer.

Big Sky has very good mountain hosts. The free tour is well worthwhile. Each group has to choose whether to do South or North. Either way, the tour takes a full two hours on blue groomers. Boyne Resorts bought Big Sky from the original owner quite a while back. Development has been slow but deliberate to expand, as well as fix mistakes made in the early years. Boyne started spending big money in recent years. For instance, the new 8-seat heated base lift with a blue bubble. Very nice when a cold wind is blowing.

Big Sky is in my Top Five list for destination resorts out west. Alta and Taos are #1 and #2 at the moment. Big Sky may be #3 over Aspen but it's very close. Probably because I don't need shopping, apres ski bars, or non-skiing activities, and the fact that nice lodging is cheaper. I'd be perfectly happy to spend two weeks at Big Sky, although I would probably start with 4-5 days in Bozeman to ski Bridger.

 

[MI-skier]

No need to apologize . . . the marketing tag line is "Biggest Skiing in America" based on almost 6000 acres and 36 lifts in multiple areas. Of course, what's not that obvious is how many trails are nice long green or blue groomers. Meaning it can take 15-20 min to finish a run with a few stops to rest. The ratio of time on lifts vs time skiing makes for a lot of time on snow in a day. I consider Big Sky a "3-day" resort for a first timer. Meaning it's best to have three days to really explore to get to know how to get around the entire resort, including the lift-served advanced/expert terrain. Even for green/blue terrain, I'd want to 2 days to guide a first-timer.

Big Sky has very good mountain hosts. The free tour is well worthwhile. Each group has to choose whether to do South or North. Either way, the tour takes a full two hours on blue groomers. Boyne Resorts bought Big Sky from the original owner quite a while back. Development has been slow but deliberate to expand, as well as fix mistakes made in the early years. Boyne started spending big money in recent years. For instance, the new 8-seat heated base lift with a blue bubble. Very nice when a cold wind is blowing.

Big Sky is in my Top Five list for destination resorts out west. Alta and Taos are #1 and #2 at the moment. Big Sky may be #3 over Aspen but it's very close. Probably because I don't need shopping, apres ski bars, or non-skiing activities, and the fact that nice lodging is cheaper. I'd be perfectly happy to spend two weeks at Big Sky, although I would probably start with 4-5 days in Bozeman to ski Bridger.

Very good to know. Thank you for your advice! I am looking into it.

 

[Skier31]

Aspen/Snowmass is fantastic at Christmas. Aspen is a fun town to walk around in. There are lots of post skiing activities-tubing, ice skating etc. There are many condos near Snowmass. It is more crowded than usual but nowhere near the Vail, Beaver Creek or Breck crowds. You may be able to get some package deals if you book soon.

 

[MI-skier]

Aspen/Snowmass is fantastic at Christmas. Aspen is a fun town to walk around in. There are lots of post skiing activities-tubing, ice skating etc. There are many condos near Snowmass. It is more crowded than usual but nowhere near the Vail, Beaver Creek or Breck crowds. You may be able to get some package deals if you book soon.

Thank you! Where would I be able to find ski packages?

 

[Skier31]

I would try “stayaspensnowmass.com” or Destination resorts. I have also booked condos through VRBO who offer a discount for booking in the summer.

Christmas week is tough but good deals go quickly.

 

[santacruz skier]

I think Aspen/Snowmass would be super fun for a family at Christmas time. Yes, probably crowded but lots to do.