It’s that time of year again. We bought Indy Passes again, but got them for free this year by getting an Indy themed vanity plate on our cars. INDGRL and INDGUY at your service.
Same set of trips planned, a week in Maine for Feb break, a long weekend to Jay, some early season day trips from Boston (Cannon, WV, Tenney, Pats Peak). My wife is getting a new pair of Head carving skis to replace the ones she bought 10 years ago. but otherwise it’ll be pretty similar to last year.
Wow, that’s really neat! What’s the story behind that, @Telemark?
I’ve got an exciting season planned…mostly finalized back in May. (For whatever reason the ski clubs are booking trips earlier and earlier every passing year.)
My two fly-away trips will be to Crans-Montana (Switzerland) and Banff (Canada). I’ve also got a week-long drive-up trip planned to Sugarloaf (Maine) and long weekend at Jay Peak (Vermont).
Also Pats Peak (New Hampshire) for our annual Scout trip. I’ve been running this trip this ever year since 2015, and have continued it because it’s what got me started in skiing in the first place—last year I invited all three Scout troops in town with about 30 attendees.
Crans-Montana is on the Epic Pass (including my discounted veteran pass), but Banff and Sugarloaf are both Ikon mountains, so for the first time ever I got an Epic Pass and an Ikon Base Pass. Ouch.
So I’m hoping to also hit the local mountains on weekends and hopefully be able to take advantage of the Ikon pass. I’m looking forward to Stratton and Killington.
Good for night skiing, or if you’re staying in town and just want to get a few runs in without too much travel. But LL and SV are both world class ski hills.
First snow of the season Sunday! Got my Bridger Bowl card in the mail, and am contemplating doing the Wednesday “old farts” ski club–ski every Wed. with a group of similarly skilled guys and an instructor. I ski so defensively on the area anymore due to injuries. I’ll be doing my annual trip to Crescent Spur with the crew the first week of March. Might throw down for some new ski boots in the fruitless search for a boot I can remove when it’s cold without mangling the top of my feet. I like my Ranger 120s, but I end up driving home in them so they’ll warm up. Which is less than ideal.
Heading back to Beaver Creek over spring break with the family. Only ever seem to have time for one trip a year, sadly. We do take some Boy Scouts up to Iowa for a one-day session, but that hardly counts.
This will only be our second hear at Beaver Creek - last year we spent a lot of time just trying to figure the place out. Found some nice glades on Arrowhead on one of the last days that we really enjoyed. Any other areas a group of intermediate skiers should be sure to check out? Other trips and tricks specific to that resort?
I’m looking forward to my 22nd year teaching at my local mountain (if you consider 90 miles away ‘local’). It’s the only way I can afford to take my family skiing, since I get a full pass, my wife gets a full pass for $40 (both good at many more resorts than we would ever ski), and I get a handful of comps to give out to friends/family. I can usually plug those friends/family into group lessons at no cost, plus I get discounts on gear and food, too. I like to say that I get paid to ski, but the truth of it is that if I didn’t teach, I’d probably stop skiing because it’s so expensive.
I spent a week at Beaver Creek just last year. I skied four days at Beaver Creek itself, and took the free shuttle bus over to Vail for two days. I thought it was a nice mountain. I spent a lot of time over in Arrowhead as well, especially for my first real powder day.
About the only advice I can give is to not miss the amazing free chocolate chip cookies every afternoon! They come out promptly at 3:00 p.m. and are gone by 3:10 p.m. You have to be right at the base between the Centennial Lift and Haymeadow Gondola. The first day I got there at 3:20 p.m. and looking around at everyone with a cookie in their hand I felt like Milton in Office Space when the cake was being passed out.
My home hill has slowly been turning their lots to paid parking on weekends and holidays. First it was the closest lots, with lots that were a little further away still being free. Two years ago, the medium-distance lots were pay lots, and the former pay lots became pay lots by reservation, with only the most remote lots being free. I expect before too long there won’t be any free lots.
As an employee, I get to park for free, for now. I suspect one of these years, they’ll start categorizing it as an employee benefit and consider it part of my overall compensation.
