OT: Sabrespace Ski and Snowboarders

[JoeSchmoe]

Sucks being a Sabres fan these days, but with all the snow, things are looking up for skiers and snowboarders.

Anyone here like to hit the slopes? Sadly, I don't get out as much as I'd like to with two kids playing travel hockey. Last year I think I logged about 6 days total, including 3 days in Banff.

This year, all I've got booked so far is Superbowl weekend at Bristol Mountain. Most years my friends and I go out west or at least to the Adirondacks or Quebec. Our favourite spot is the Salt Lake city area where we've got at least 5 or 6 times. It's tough to beat the 500 inches of snow per year and the quality of terrain there.

A big trip likely won't be in the cards, but we'll see how much time and budget is left towards the end of hockey season. Hopefully I'll get in a bunch of  Holiday Valley night skiing sessions. Cheers!

Edit: feel free to post your favourite ski destinations and why you like them!

Edited November 20, 2022 by JoeSchmoe

[ubkev]

1 hour ago, JoeSchmoe said:

Sucks being a Sabres fan these days, but with all the snow, things are looking up for skiers and snowboarders.

Anyone here like to hit the slopes? Sadly, I don't get out as much as I'd like to with two kids playing travel hockey. Last year I think I logged about 6 days total, including 3 days in Banff.

This year, all I've got booked so far is Superbowl weekend at Bristol Mountain. Most years my friends and I go out west or at least to the Adirondacks or Quebec. Our favourite spot is the Salt Lake city area where we've got at least 5 or 6 times. It's tough to beat the 500 inches of snow per year and the quality of terrain there.

A big trip likely won't be in the cards, but we'll see how much time and budget is left towards the end of hockey season. Hopefully I'll get in a bunch of  Holiday Valley night skiing sessions. Cheers!

Edit: feel free to post your favourite ski destinations and why you like them!

I won't get on snow until after Thanksgiving. We have had some nice snowmaking weather over the past 3 days though, so that's good. I'll hit my 3 local hills about 70 times this year. I'll get up to Gore at least twice. Might even go home and ski Woods Valley or Snow Ridge. I'll hit Whiteface if The Slides open this year. No plans to hit VT, NH or ME this year, but ya never know. Anything within a 7 hour drive is perfectly doable. 

Favorite Destinations: Gore, Killington, Wildcat, Sunday River, Whiteface (in good snow years, it's unbelievable)

[JoeSchmoe]

40 minutes ago, ubkev said:

I'll hit my 3 local hills about 70 times this year

Awesome!!!! What are your local hills?

[ubkev]

Montage, Camelback and Elk. I'm down in Pennsylvania.

[Wyldnwoody44]

I live across the street from Kissing Bridge so I have seasons. I've only been a skiier for a year or so. By the end of last season I hit the double blacks at Greek Peak. 

I like the long green run at Bristol. I'm hitting a medium sized mountain this year just outside of Quebec city and may fly to Breckenridge for a ski trip in February. 

Growing up playing hockey has helped a lot, but I have a ways to go to be even average, but I'm happy that I can stay vertical on some hills, it really helps with besting the winter blues. 

[JoeSchmoe]

48 minutes ago, Wyldnwoody44 said:

I live across the street from Kissing Bridge so I have seasons. I've only been a skiier for a year or so. By the end of last season I hit the double blacks at Greek Peak. 

I like the long green run at Bristol. I'm hitting a medium sized mountain this year just outside of Quebec city and may fly to Breckenridge for a ski trip in February. 

Growing up playing hockey has helped a lot, but I have a ways to go to be even average, but I'm happy that I can stay vertical on some hills, it really helps with besting the winter blues. 

Where are you going in Quebec city? I've been to Mont Ste Anne and Le massif several times. Both are really good!

[Jävə Keith]

1 hour ago, Wyldnwoody44 said:

I live across the street from Kissing Bridge so I have seasons. I've only been a skiier for a year or so. By the end of last season I hit the double blacks at Greek Peak. 

I like the long green run at Bristol. I'm hitting a medium sized mountain this year just outside of Quebec city and may fly to Breckenridge for a ski trip in February. 

Growing up playing hockey has helped a lot, but I have a ways to go to be even average, but I'm happy that I can stay vertical on some hills, it really helps with besting the winter blues. 

I grew up in Springville and a lot of my friends lived in Crane Ridge across from KB.  KB was always the best for socializing. After-school & weekends. My favorite skiing though was always Holiday Valley.

After being away for 30 years, I just moved back to WNY (Chautauqua Lake) and am dying to do some skiing again. I especially want to get my wife & 4 kids into skiing - but alas we have no gear yet, and the prospect of spending so much $ times 6 for the whole family has me paralyzed.  

 

Edited November 21, 2022 by Jävə Keith

[freester]

Deer Valley is my favorite although it’s quite expensive.  Also there are no snow boarders allowed.  It’s quick and easy from SLC airport. 

[MattPie]

3 hours ago, Jävə Keith said:

I grew up in Springville and a lot of my friends lived in Crane Ridge across from KB.  KB was always the best for socializing. After-school & weekends. My favorite skiing though was always Holiday Valley.

After being away for 30 years, I just moved back to WNY (Chautauqua Lake) and am dying to do some skiing again. I especially want to get my wife & 4 kids into skiing - but alas we have no gear yet, and the prospect of spending so much $ times 6 for the whole family has me paralyzed.  

 

Renting for a year to find out if it'll stick might be a good plan. 🙂

I plan to ski this year after a... 12 year hiatus? I'm not entirely sure it's a good idea, but I skied a ton in a past and am in better shape than I have been in years. I live 20 minutes from Greek Peak so it's easy to sneak over there on odd days, like a Wednesday night. The plan is to get the family on XC skis this year and RosePie on downhill in a couple. She's not a natural risk taker so a little older that she can be taught seems like the plan.

[JoeSchmoe]

4 hours ago, Jävə Keith said:

I grew up in Springville and a lot of my friends lived in Crane Ridge across from KB.  KB was always the best for socializing. After-school & weekends. My favorite skiing though was always Holiday Valley.

After being away for 30 years, I just moved back to WNY (Chautauqua Lake) and am dying to do some skiing again. I especially want to get my wife & 4 kids into skiing - but alas we have no gear yet, and the prospect of spending so much $ times 6 for the whole family has me paralyzed.  

 

For my kids, I usually buy used stuff, and when they outgrow it, I sell it for just slightly less than what I paid after they use it for 2 years.

For boots, I get season rentals and the ski shop fits them to the used skis for free.

If you can encourage any of your kids to snowboard, it takes the tuning factor out of the equation. Makes it really easy to get them set up.

[JoeSchmoe]

46 minutes ago, MattPie said:

The plan is to get the family on XC skis this year and RosePie on downhill in a couple.

When my wife and I were dating, I thought I could turn her into a skier. Unfortunately after an honest effort by her, she never took to the sport. The thrill of going fast never outdid the fear of getting hurt. 

[Wyldnwoody44]

5 hours ago, Jävə Keith said:

I grew up in Springville and a lot of my friends lived in Crane Ridge across from KB.  KB was always the best for socializing. After-school & weekends. My favorite skiing though was always Holiday Valley.

After being away for 30 years, I just moved back to WNY (Chautauqua Lake) and am dying to do some skiing again. I especially want to get my wife & 4 kids into skiing - but alas we have no gear yet, and the prospect of spending so much $ times 6 for the whole family has me paralyzed.  

 

I bought a house in Crane Ridge 5 years ago! I also went to springville high school, small world! 

Stop by for some skiing and we can hit the hot tub! 

[Wyldnwoody44]

5 hours ago, JoeSchmoe said:

Where are you going in Quebec city? I've been to Mont Ste Anne and Le massif several times. Both are really good!

I haven't nailed that down yet, I'm spending 8 days in Quebec, I always hit the ice skating forest trails in Troix Riviers, and Montmorency falls, spend a couple days just hanging in Le Petit Quartier. I know there are a few options that are within an hour of downtown, I may actually try and do 2 different mountains on this trip. 

[Sabres Fan in NS]

I have not been for years, but used to ski the Laurentiens norht of Montreal a lot.

One of my favourite things that I looked forward to each winter was a week skiing in Utah (far less crouded than Vail).  Snowbird and Alta were my favourites.  Stayed in Salt Lake City, which was nice and quiet (except one year they had March Madness there and it was crazy) and used to take the shuttle buses up to the ski resorts and back every day.

I still love it, but retired years ago.

[JoeSchmoe]

1 hour ago, Sabres Fan in NS said:

I have not been for years, but used to ski the Laurentiens norht of Montreal a lot.

One of my favourite things that I looked forward to each winter was a week skiing in Utah (far less crouded than Vail).  Snowbird and Alta were my favourites.  Stayed in Salt Lake City, which was nice and quiet (except one year they had March Madness there and it was crazy) and used to take the shuttle buses up to the ski resorts and back every day.

I still love it, but retired years ago.

Snowbird is my favourite mountain I've ever been to, and I've boarded most of the main Utah and Colorado resorts. I'm a boarder, so I've yet to go to Alta.

Not too many Canadians know of the SLC resorts, so most people are surprised when I say how good they are.

If you ever go back, be sure to give Brighton and Solitude a try. Brighton is probably my number 2 hill anywhere. Its a little smaller, so it's good when your legs are shot, but the terrain is just so much fun. If it was as big as Snowbird, it would probably be my overall #1.

[JoeSchmoe]

9 hours ago, Wyldnwoody44 said:

I haven't nailed that down yet, I'm spending 8 days in Quebec, I always hit the ice skating forest trails in Troix Riviers, and Montmorency falls, spend a couple days just hanging in Le Petit Quartier. I know there are a few options that are within an hour of downtown, I may actually try and do 2 different mountains on this trip. 

If you're only going to do one, I suggest making the drive out to Le Massif. It's been a while since I've been there mind you, but I find it is similar to a western mountain in terms of snow and vertical.

[MattPie]

10 hours ago, JoeSchmoe said:

When my wife and I were dating, I thought I could turn her into a skier. Unfortunately after an honest effort by her, she never took to the sport. The thrill of going fast never outdid the fear of getting hurt. 

MsPie has tried downhill a few times in the past and has hated it every time. It's not at all part of the plan, lol. To be honest, I'm not sure RosePie will take to it as she's pretty timid about speed too. We have a little toy snowboard that she does like, but just on the not-really-a-hill lump in the yard. It's possible she'll surprise me and like bigger hills. Better question is how much I want to, restarting skiing in my 40s will be tough.

Edited November 21, 2022 by MattPie

[MattPie]

On a related note, have there been huge safety upgrades for skis in the last, say, 20 years? 🙂 I'm going to take mine down to checked out and whatnot, but if there are huge benefits I'll probably buy another set if this sticks. Don't care about performance at this point, I'm sure new carbon fiber or whatever skis are amazing.

Edited November 21, 2022 by MattPie

[SwampD]

1 hour ago, MattPie said:

On a related note, have there been huge safety upgrades for skis in the last, say, 20 years? 🙂 I'm going to take mine down to checked out and whatnot, but if there are huge benefits I'll probably buy another set if this sticks. Don't care about performance at this point, I'm sure new carbon fiber or whatever skis are amazing.

The developments in snowboards have transferred over to skis. They are in a different universe now. Still trying to convince my wife of that. She is 4’11” and was wondering why she never felt in control when using her sister’s skis that were 204s from the 90s. I’m 6’4” and only used 190s. She’s a decent skier, too. She could probably get away with using 140s now. Maybe shorter.

Edited November 21, 2022 by SwampD

[Hawerchuk]

My top 3: Whistler BC, Jackson Hole WY and Arapaho Basin CO. 

I also enjoy Mammoth CA, Kirkwood (Tahoe) CA, Alta UT, Palisades Tahoe (formally Squaw Valley) and Deer Valley UT.

THE WEST IS THE BEST!

[MattPie]

1 hour ago, SwampD said:

The developments in snowboards have transferred over to skis. They are in a different universe now. Still trying to convince my wife of that. She is 4’11” and was wondering why she never felt in control when using her sister’s skis that were 204s from the 90s. I’m 6’4” and only used 190s. She’s a decent skier, too. She could probably get away with using 140s now. Maybe shorter.

Nice, my skis from like 2000-ish were just on the head of the trend where they were getting shorter (187s for my 6'2" self) and more hour-glass shaped. I went over to the Greek Peak ski swap this year hunting for said XC skis (few and far between there) and the skis are all round and stubby now. 🙂

[KC Scouts]

42 minutes ago, Hawerchuk said:

My top 3: Whistler BC, Jackson Hole WY and Arapaho Basin CO. 

I also enjoy Mammoth CA, Kirkwood (Tahoe) CA, Alta UT, Palisades Tahoe (formally Squaw Valley) and Deer Valley UT.

THE WEST IS THE BEST!

I've been to Jackson Hole WY. Great Skiing, Great Town.  West Coast Skiing is so different (as in... better) than East Coast 

[ubkev]

4 hours ago, MattPie said:

On a related note, have there been huge safety upgrades for skis in the last, say, 20 years? 🙂 I'm going to take mine down to checked out and whatnot, but if there are huge benefits I'll probably buy another set if this sticks. Don't care about performance at this point, I'm sure new carbon fiber or whatever skis are amazing.

Safety upgrades: eh, not really. You're still nailed to 2 planks of wood.

Tech upgrades: absolutely! Ski design from when I started skiing in the late 80s, through the mid 90s was pretty much the same as when my dad was skiing in the 60's. The bindings we're a bit better, but the skiis were all straight and long and heavy. From the mid 90s to the mid 00s they loved cheap, cap construction, but they really started to get the shape of the ski down to a science. 2010 to now, the gear is fantastic. 

So, do you need new skiis? Probably not. But buying new toys is the reason you have toys in the first place!

You're definitely going to need new boots though. I don't make the rules, but 20 year old boots are totally packed out and s***ty beyond belief. 

[MattPie]

4 minutes ago, ubkev said:

Safety upgrades: eh, not really. You're still nailed to 2 planks of wood.

Tech upgrades: absolutely! Ski design from when I started skiing in the late 80s, through the mid 90s was pretty much the same as when my dad was skiing in the 60's. The bindings we're a bit better, but the skiis were all straight and long and heavy. From the mid 90s to the mid 00s they loved cheap, cap construction, but they really started to get the shape of the ski down to a science. 2010 to now, the gear is fantastic. 

So, do you need new skiis? Probably not. But buying new toys is the reason you have toys in the first place!

You're definitely going to need new boots though. I don't make the rules, but 20 year old boots are totally packed out and s***ty beyond belief. 

That's fair, although I'll probably just go with the ones I have now unless I upgrade the whole thing. At the time, they weren't really fancy, but they are heat-formed to my really strangely shaped feet. Still uncomfortable and painful, but less than the awful rear-entry boots I had before that.

[Wyldnwoody44]

5 hours ago, JoeSchmoe said:

If you're only going to do one, I suggest making the drive out to Le Massif. It's been a while since I've been there mind you, but I find it is similar to a western mountain in terms of snow and vertical.

Is that an OK place for a newbie? I'm comfortable with the "blacks" around me, but let's be honest, they're not actual black diamonds. I think on a real mountain, I'm sticking to the greens and blues until I'm better.