Family Ski Trip 2017 - Help

[Mr Drysdale]

My wife and I are going to carry our family on a ski trip during the holidays this winter. We are currently looking at Big Sky for no particular reason. I would like for this to be a great trip for all of us but not break the bank. I have never been snow skiing. For those of you that go, please give me some suggestions or a reason not to go to a certain place.
Thanks in advance.

 

[Tim McCoy]

I'd ask local skiers where the best bunny slopes were... Get a half day or so lesson, then head up the mountain.

 

[kidoggy]

do you live in montana? or is it just closest state with good opportunity?


if your gonna be bunny hillers, trying to learn most of the day, I guess one place is as good as another.
I PROBABLY WOULD PICK ONE THAT HAS CHEAPER LIFT TICKETS FOR THE FIRST TIME OUT. chances are you won't get a lot of runs in till you get the hang of it a bit.

has anyone in your group ever been sking? I only ask , wondering if one of you may have ability to help show others how. if so ,I wouldn't get lessons unless you really want to. if you have no one in group to help you, I would recommend getting a lesson.

stick to the green runs, least till you learn to turn and stop without crashing. sometimes , for some, first time is not a lot of fun but stick with it,it's a blast once you get the hang of it.

 

[HuskyMusky]

Colorado does have some of the higher resorts... which if coming from low altitude can be a problem in many cases.

Utah, WY, MT, ID, etc... all would have great skiing options.

I love blue runs, less traffic, and not completely flat like greens! so less people and I actually think they're easier to ski than greens, less chance of getting stuck/flat spot.

If you can ski a green you can more than likely handle a blue no questions asked! so don't be scared to check out a blue...

I haven't skied MT but would love to.

 

[Finsandtines]

I took my family to Park city the first year my kids skied. They were 11 and nine at the time. A days worth of lessons and they were good to go for all the greens. They even ski blues on the fourth day. We only skied the canyons resort and at the time was fairly inexpensive compared to the others. There are three other places to ski with in 45 minutes of there. I think Alta, Snowbird, and one other one I can't remember the name. You could also head over to deer Valley and avoid the snowboarders. I've also been to Winter Park which is a lot of blues and Breckenridge and Keystone. Keystone seems to be a little more kid friendly. Hope that helps.

 

[missjordan]

Big sky hands down, it's a very accommodating resort that has runs for beginners all the way to the experts. Most of the runs are well groomed and it's easy to get around. I believe the way they label there runs is ultra conservative and so I wouldn't think you wouldn't have problem skiing green and maybe blue runs once you get the hang of it. They are a very expensive resort but i believe it's worth it since they are so big and have ample room to explore


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[kidoggy]

Colorado does have some of the higher resorts... which if coming from low altitude can be a problem in many cases.

Utah, WY, MT, ID, etc... all would have great skiing options.

I love blue runs, less traffic, and not completely flat like greens! so less people and I actually think they're easier to ski than greens, less chance of getting stuck/flat spot.

If you can ski a green you can more than likely handle a blue no questions asked! so don't be scared to check out a blue...

I haven't skied MT but would love to.

if you can do a blue with no problems ,you are ready for a black.

 

[WY ME]

Jackson Hole is my favorite and is the #1 rated ski resort but it's pretty steep and really expensive...not what I'd recommend for a beginner. I skied Breckenridge a long long time ago. For me it was a really boring hill but for a beginner or family I would give it 2 big thumbs up. Of the all the hills I've skied this is the one I would recommend for a family. I've never skied Big Sky.

 

[kidoggy]

pomerelle , just south of twinfalls IDAHO. is a great family resort no lodging right on sight but within 1/2 hour or so drive. short lift lines.easy slopes and generally, great snow conditions.

Pomerelle Mountain Resort
http://www.pomerelle.com/
With an annual snowfall of 500," Pomerelle is usually one of the first Idaho ski resorts to open. When the snow melts, Pomerelle's summer operation begins ...



Lift Rates - Pomerelle
http://www.pomerelle.com/lift-rates/
SNOW PHONE: 208.673.5555. Home; The Mountain ... 2016-2017 Rates. Full Day ... Please bring your child to the ticket office to obtain their pass. Children ... 24 Hr. ATM located at DL EVANS BANK, Albion (13 miles below Resort). Pomerelle ...

 

[Work2hunt]

Not sure if you are definitely set on something in the Rockies, but I used to live in Vermont and there are several very good ski areas in the Northern NY, Vermont, New Hampshire areas. Killington and Mount Snow are very nice and pretty good for beginners.

 

[NDHunter]

If you've never skied before, I don't know that I'd start at Big Sky. Not because it doesn't have bunny slopes but because it's damn expensive. If I were you, I'd go to a cheap resort first and learn how to ski. You'd save a lot of money by skiing elsewhere for 2 or 3 days and then go to Big Sky next time.

 

[Matthoek21]

I've done Big Sky, Bridger Bowl, Keystone, WinterPark, and Breckenridge. Liked Big Sky but was expensive and busy. Bridger Bowl was older but good for beginner types and not crowded at all. Did Breckenridge few years back and liked it OK if your going with friends and no kids. Keystone and WinterPark were good with kids. Out of those two I would pick Keystone. .

Also buddy just got back from Utah and said it was super convenient and great snow.

Hope this helps. Have fun!

 

[Fink]

I can't help you with your chosen location, as I've only skied in Colorado.. But, if I was to offer 1 piece of advice for someone learning how to ski, it would be to start on a bunny/green slope, and point your skis downhill and go.. Skiing is kinda like riding a bike, in that it's a hell of a lot easier if you're moving a little quicker. trying to balance a bicycle that's barely moving is hard, so is skiing slowly. Cutting into your stop is much easier with a little bit of speed. Learning how to 'snow plow' or 'pizza' is a waste of time.
I spent a few days trying to teach my wife to ski last year, and it just didn't work, she didn't want to go fast enough to make it easier.

I also might disagree with going somewhere cheaper to start.. The cost between say Vail and Breck isnt very much, and the slopes at a more expensive mountain will generally be less crowded, and you'll have a better experience, without being worried about hitting someone, or screwing them up, whatever..

 

[NVBird'n'Big]

Whatever you do stay away from Tahoe, the skiing is terrible and the views suck