9 replies to this topic

[Caliboarder]

Please give suggestions of the best early season resorts.

[Warren733]

Cataloochee in NC is nice, but they also have limitations on terrain in early season.
Also, Arapahoe Basin and Loveland are usually the first in the US to open, and both are in Colorado within 5 miles of each other.
Those are the best in my opinion.

[JustJeepIt]

A-Basin, many a times, the first to open, always the last to close. well almost always

[k2skier]

For good natural coverage, anywhere in the Pacific Northwest.
From Mt Baker, WA to Mt Bachelor, OR.

[skier2]

A-Basin usually opens with only one or two runs, and the lifts cannot handle the capacity of people from Vail Resorts that come to ski there with their season passes. Better bet for snow and lines: Loveland, which actually opened BEFORE a-basin 14 of the last 15 years.

[poloxskier]

skier2, on Jul 17 2007, 08:45 PM, said:

A-Basin usually opens with only one or two runs, and the lifts cannot handle the capacity of people from Vail Resorts that come to ski there with their season passes. Better bet for snow and lines: Loveland, which actually opened BEFORE a-basin 14 of the last 15 years.

I would agree with Loveland as it is not as crowded on the weekends during early season. If you go monday-wednesday you really wont see many crowds at Loveland, A Basin or Keystone. This year Keystone is throwing their hat back in the ring to try to be open first just like the old days, In the past keystone would open a half an hour to an hour early just so that they could beat Loveland. The weekends at Keystone and Basin are nuts during early season though.

This post has been edited by poloxskier: 18 July 2007 - 05:35 AM

[JustJeepIt]

Sad to say, the weekends are nuts at any of the ski resorts in Colorado and Utah now a days. When I return to the slopes, this winter I hope, I'll only be going up the commute death trap aka I-70 from Denver during the weekday and NEVER on the weekend unless you want to spend 4+ hours sitting in traffic. (comming home)

[k2skier]

Caliboarder, I'm "assuming" you're from California. Then you need to head to Mammoth!

[Caliboarder]

i am indeed from California, but I have not been to Mammoth in the Winter. Mammoth is just a lot further away from where I live compared to where the Tahoe area is. I am looking to go on an early season trip outside of of California, but Mammoth is a place I want to go.

[liftmech]

k2skier, on Jul 17 2007, 12:32 PM, said:

For good natural coverage, anywhere in the Pacific Northwest.
From Mt Baker, WA to Mt Bachelor, OR.

I'll second that. Many years Baker will open with only the upper area, and by the next week has full coverage. One year we were all planning on just chairs 1, 2. and 3 and got the word just prior to opening that we also needed to prep 4 and 5. Talk about a scramble!