Ski Trip

Hey B..
I agree with everything Jodi said and have been everywhere she suggested except canada. We usually go to Steamboat. It's nice because the airport is fairly close and they have EVERYTHING (even Walmart and TCBY) yet it's still quaint enough. Like Jodi said, it's expensive! You can eat meals in your condo if you're on a tight budget though.

My other recommendation is to get a condo on the mountain wherever you go. I would settle for a less nice place that is ski in/ski out. You get so tired when skiing (plus the altitude) and if you're not used to it even more so. Plus, if you want to eat meals in your condo it's easier to get back out quickly.

I learned to ski in NM. I learned at Angel Fire. It was easy for beginners and I think you can hop on SW to ALB and then it's about a 1.5-2.5 hr drive depending on the weather. I have also been to ruidoso in S NM. It is very easy-good for beginners. It's also VERY economical. It's about a 10-11 hr drive from here-not too bad. You can't stay on the mountain there. Avoid Taos, it's really hard.

So, in Colorado I recommend Steamboat and Crested Butte. I also recommend the place I skiied a lot as a child-- Purgatory/Durango. It's nice and very beginner friendly, maybe a boit cheaper too since so many charters go there. Personally, I did not like Keystone, and I wouldn't recommend it. Same with Brekenridge. Lots of college kids! Avoid Aspen, it's very steep and NOT economical (duh).

I have been to Park City UT and skiied at Deer Valley. DV was super expensive! Park City looked cute (we didn't do a lot there). I think it's about an hour from SLC. My BF lived in SLC in middle school, and as locals they loved park city, Snowbird, and Alta. I have never been to the latter two.

Good luck wherever you choose, and be sure to GET private lessons!!
R.

1 mom found this helpful

There are lots of mountainous locations where you can ski. I am from Colorado so I find that's where I always want to go back to. THey have several ranges that are in close proximity to one another (Breckenridge/Copper Mountain/Keystone) I believe. Look for one with lots of greens/blues. Go to www.vrbo.com and check out condo rentals if you can't find combination lift/hotel tickets. Once you zero in on a place ... Utah... Colorado... New Mexico, etc. then you can say ok.... here's the general AREA I want to go to.... and then start at that city's convention and visitor's bureau's website. Once you find a city, too, you can go on www.vrbo.com and find a rental property (vacation rental by owner). We use this almost exclusively for vacations b/c we prefer to stay places with a kitchen (2 kids)....

Good luck! :) Hope you get some good powder! I can't wait to go back to Colorado.... my favorite is Breckenridge followed by Vail... I love Snowmass but it is QUITE pricey (it's next to Aspen)...

All the Utah resorts are great (I lived there for awhile and vacation there every year with a group of 10+ for the past 10 years). It depends what you are looking for. I would say Alta, Snowbird, and Brighton are more for locals and don't have many of the resort type qualities you might want (like restraunts and such). Solitude has built a small village type area, but still isn't like a major resort. Park City and Dear Valley are both great and a bit more expensive, but have more dining and shopping options. Park West (I think now called Canyonlands, is near there too). I also go to Angel Fire, NM every year, and it is a great place for beginners....much more crowded though during the holidays and the snow is iffy (last year we didn't even ski bc there was hardly any snow). Park City would be the best bet I think for a beginner group that wants a nice vacation too. Winterpark, CO is also great for beginners. Make sure you sign up for lessons! Enjoy! Skiing is a wonderful thing. Also, Whistler in Canada is great and has an awesome village, but the airfare is sort of expensive.

Ruidoso, NM might be cheaper and it would be a great place being it's your first time.

Hello,

Angel Fire Resort in Angel Fire NM is a great resort for someone who has never skied before. My husband taught me to ski there and it was great. My daughter learned there to and her 2nd day she was going down the blues.

Well good luck and have fun on your trip! BE SAFE!

B.

Park City in Utah is awesome. Great food, shopping, lodging... Pretty much anywhere in Utah is though, like Deer Valley, Snowbird... If you want a budget trip, you can always go to Sandia Peak in New Mexico! I went and it's a lot cheaper and still fun.