11-12 Trips, Who's got plans

EMSC

Well-known member
OK, everyone is giving Jason a piece of their mind on his stated western holiday trip. I want to hear who is willing to go on record with their 'big trip' plans for the coming season.


For me, I have a single objective for this season. La Grave for a week with a few days elsewhere in euro-land, probably pre-crazy steeps.
 
November 2-30: 4 days Buenos Aires, 1 day Ushuaia, 11 days Antarctic cruise with ski touring, 10 days Patagonia in Chalten, Calafate, Torres del Paine.
Jan. 16-31: 4 days Mustang snowcat, 4 days Baldface snowcat, 5 days NASJA West meeting Red and Whitewater.
Feb. 27 - Mar. 3: Epic Ski Gathering Lake Tahoe
Mar. 5-9: NASJA annual meeting South Tahoe
Mar. 10-17: Iron Blosam timeshare at Snowbird

So I'm not sure whether/when to add a Euro trip into this mix.
 
Mid-Feb will be at the height of Euroland school vacations, but that really should not have much of an effect the main areas where you want to ski. As far as I can tell, the base lifts will be crowded, but since you'll want a guide, you can cut lines and go far away from the average 1-week-a-year skier in search of better terrain and snow.

Considering your flexibility, though, it's probably better to wait to see if Europe gets decent snow, and then if they do, head somewhere high in late March.

As for me, I'm not going to be in France any more, for a myriad of reasons, but mainly for internship interviewing. That is sure to cut into my midweek ski days, but I suppose that's just part of growing up.

My plans are very much up in the air, besides skiing Mammoth and June most weekends. I'm hoping to stop through SLC on my way home for winter break, but that may be financially problematic. I'll likely go on a weeklong or so trip in early January with the family. My two suggestions thus far have been interior BC (Red and Whitewater, or Fernie and Castle) or Kirkwood. I've never been to any of those areas, so suggestions would be great. While I would love to road trip around Canada looking for the best snow, my family prefers a set location, so that will likely be the determining factor.

Then, I'm hoping to buy a car and drive across the country back to school, maybe stopping in a few places along the way to ski.
 
Tony Crocker":2xxdgyei said:
November 2-30 - Argentina
Jan. 16-31: BC
Feb. 27 - Mar. 9: Tahoe
Mar. 10-17: Utah

So I'm not sure whether/when to add a Euro trip into this mix.

Holy "living in a suitcase" Batman!!!

That's only 2.5 in 4.5 months at home (or available for a Eurotrip).

As for myself, nothing planed. Not sure if I'm getting a season pass at Edelweiss (all depends what my daughter's going (ie. returning on the ski team or not).

Maybe one trip out West, not much money left after that summer Eurotrip.
Spring break in NY State maybe?

The biggest factor is a potential new job/assignment in another division for 2 years. Not all bosses/jobs are as flexible as my current one.
 
Patrick":wkrtd7s1 said:
Holy "living in a suitcase" Batman!!!
Yes, that's why another big trip in February is not that appealing. If the Euro trip happens it will be Staley's suggestion of
head somewhere high in late March.
Anyone else interested in this idea, feel free to contact me offline. My first choices that time of year would be Val d'Isere/Tignes and Zermatt.

Patrick":wkrtd7s1 said:
Spring break in NY State maybe?
I have a much better suggestion considering the timing of Ontario spring break in 2012. :stir:

Staley":wkrtd7s1 said:
interior BC (Red and Whitewater, or Fernie and Castle)
Both excellent suggestions for January IMHO. Driving is not unduly burdensome, ~3 hours drive from gateway airport in Spokane or Calgary. In each case the ski areas are ~1.5 hours apart, your choice whether to commute or relocate the bed base. Nelson is possibly a nicer town than Rossland, so makes sense to relocate there. Castle is basic motel with 2 decent restaurants on-site, but you are walk-on-the-mountain. Most of you know how much I love Castle, but it has been below 0F on 2 of my 5 trips there, so you need to be prepared for that.
 
I'm going to whistler for xmas week (only trip for sure), then most likely a jan trip to utah with my father and a march weekend in colorado visiting my friend. Otherwise, I should be skiing way less this year as work has picked up to an insane level, i.e. 100+ hour weeks...
 
I may get out of Utah this year. Bobby Danger's been muttering something about Whitewater...
 
admin":33v3owfo said:
Bobby Danger's been muttering something about Whitewater...
Whitewater is probably the closest to LCC snow quantity/quality among lift served areas in Canada. But until last year a very small area unless you ventured AT or tele outside the boundaries. So a revisit to check out the expansion is high on my priority list. I probably would have structured my 2012 trip to BC similar to what I'm doing even if NASJA weren't going there. Timing was dictated by the NASJA meeting and when I could get snowcat slots adjacent to the meeting dates.

In the future I hope to push the BC trip more into February and possibly free up late January for a deal like james found in the Arlberg. Future January revisits to Niseko are not out of the question either.
 
ust bought our Colorado 5 Mtn passes,will be going on I-70 every weekend to our home in Keystone then a week in either Tahoe or Deer Valley. :snowball fight:
 
Tony Crocker":2ssi5eu1 said:
November 2-30: 4 days Buenos Aires, 1 day Ushuaia, 11 days Antarctic cruise with ski touring, 10 days Patagonia in Chalten, Calafate, Torres del Paine.
Jan. 16-31: 4 days Mustang snowcat, 4 days Baldface snowcat, 5 days NASJA West meeting Red and Whitewater.
Feb. 27 - Mar. 3: Epic Ski Gathering Lake Tahoe
Mar. 5-9: NASJA annual meeting South Tahoe
Mar. 10-17: Iron Blosam timeshare at Snowbird

So I'm not sure whether/when to add a Euro trip into this mix.

The irony here is that now that Tony is retired, he has more pre-locked in ski dates than anyone; instead of waiting to see where the snow falls....
 
soulskier":31aozjye said:
I've got a Squaw Pass and cordially invite any of you cats to meet up for a few turns.

Based on today's announcement I guess that would be a Squaw/Alpine combined pass! Nice free upgrade...
 
Staley":3jgjnw7e said:
Mid-Feb will be at the height of Euroland school vacations

I might just have to suffer through it. I'm looking at Feb 21-March3 roughly as on-hill days...
 
EMSC":3i0hlfbm said:
The irony here is that now that Tony is retired, he has more pre-locked in ski dates than anyone
2011-12 is probably an extreme for this, but 3+ weeks locked in this early is likely the norm
1) Iron Blosam always. I will even pass up a solar eclipse during that week in 2016.
2) BC cat skiing if you want a specific place, usually. In the future I'm likely to lock in Mustang, make the rest of the time in B.C. more flexible.
3) NASJA annuals I usually try to make. I've passed on 3 of them over the 13 years I've been a member if I think they have made a conspicuously bad choice in terms of likely ski conditions.
4) NASJA western regionals have been the opposite of the above. This will be my 4th and I go if it's someplace I have strong interest like Red/Whitewater. I've been lucky here; Tahoe 2005, Jackson 2006 and Whistler 2008 all had abundant powder.
5) The Epic Ski Gathering last year was on EMSC's home turf, and the banner season in that region was already evident when I decided to go. This year in Tahoe is the week before I have to be there anyway, so convenient. I did buy the Tahoe Six-Pack pass (multiple areas, dates completely flexible) for $310 which must be purchased before mid-October. Most of the time I can decide about Epic Gatherings once the season is under way like last year.
6) Future Euro trips will likely require some lead time. Those of you with more experience can opine on how much.
7) Retirement flexibility worked well for me at Mammoth, avoiding the big shutdown episodes. I had only one day of that (I was on an AT tour that day anyway) in winter 2010-11 out of 16 total. Plus all 16 of those days were midweek. I also drove to Utah a day earlier than planned in late February to catch an approaching storm.

Mid-Feb will be at the height of Euroland school vacations....I might just have to suffer through it.
Not particularly relevant in the case of La Grave. EMSC, who has similar ski background and ability as Patrick, should love La Grave.
 
Well, I am locked in and ready to rock with even by my standards a longer trip than normal and I think the longest ever by a day but I may be wrong.

Friday 16th March - Fly Aberdeen(6.20am) to Missoula(7.20pm) staying in Missoula that evening I'd imagine.
Saturday 17th March - Up to Philipsburg to collect skis and boots, quick hello and up to Discovery to collect my season pass
Sunday 18th til Sunday 25th March - Likely skiing Discovery with a day or two on the road possible while staying with my friends
Monday 26th March - Drive north to Rossland - Likely skiing at Silver Mountain or Lookout Pass on the way
Tuesday 27th and Wednesday 28th March - Skiing at Red Mountain with Stuart McWilliam staying two nights in the Flying Steamshovel
Thursday 29th and Friday 30th March - Skiing at Schweitzer/Turner/Big Mountain staying Wed/Thurs in the Days Inn in Sandpoint and back to Pburg Friday evening
Saturday 31st to Wednesday 4th April - Discovery and staying with friends thru Wednesday night
Thursday 5th April - Drive south to Salt Lake City staying in the Motel 6 in Downtown
Friday 6th to Saturday 14th April - Skiing Utah(Including I hope Eagle Point) and drinking and eating with the guys I've met over the years
Sunday 15th April - Drive north to Philipsburg and another night with friends
Monday 16th April - Final day with Bill, Kathy and Kenny before heading to Missoula early evening
Tuesday 17th April - 8.30am flight out arriving Wednesday 18th April at 10.15am in Aberdeen

As we say here, ye cannae beat it!
 
Instead of visiting my friend in Colorado in March I may either go to Taos with him or to Bozeman.
 
q":19t3ydvt said:
Well, I am locked in and ready to rock with even by my standards a longer trip than normal and I think the longest ever by a day but I may be wrong.

Friday 16th March - Fly Aberdeen(6.20am) to Missoula(7.20pm) staying in Missoula that evening I'd imagine.
Saturday 17th March - Up to Philipsburg to collect skis and boots, quick hello and up to Discovery to collect my season pass
Sunday 18th til Sunday 25th March - Likely skiing Discovery with a day or two on the road possible while staying with my friends
Monday 26th March - Drive north to Rossland - Likely skiing at Silver Mountain or Lookout Pass on the way
Tuesday 27th and Wednesday 28th March - Skiing at Red Mountain with Stuart McWilliam staying two nights in the Flying Steamshovel
Thursday 29th and Friday 30th March - Skiing at Schweitzer/Turner/Big Mountain staying Wed/Thurs in the Days Inn in Sandpoint and back to Pburg Friday evening
Saturday 31st to Wednesday 4th April - Discovery and staying with friends thru Wednesday night
Thursday 5th April - Drive south to Salt Lake City staying in the Motel 6 in Downtown
Friday 6th to Saturday 14th April - Skiing Utah(Including I hope Eagle Point) and drinking and eating with the guys I've met over the years
Sunday 15th April - Drive north to Philipsburg and another night with friends
Monday 16th April - Final day with Bill, Kathy and Kenny before heading to Missoula early evening
Tuesday 17th April - 8.30am flight out arriving Wednesday 18th April at 10.15am in Aberdeen

As we say here, ye cannae beat it!

I was just in Phillipsburg, what a cool little mining town, enjoy!
 
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