ok, let me rephrase the whistler question

Hey Astro
First off, I want you to know I just love your pictures. They are
beautiful.

I would also like you to know I live in Phoenix and as you can imagine the
local snow sucks. And it shouldn't be a surprise that when I want to go
skiing I go somewhere else... like Salt Lake City. Or Tahoe, or Telluride,
or Steam Boat, or Sun Valley or Whistler.

On these trips, I typically spend $300 per person, per day. For me and my
wife, that's $600 per day. My average trip is 4 ski days, so a single ski
trip typically costs me $2400. I ski 14-16 days year and that costs around
$9000 per year to satisfy my skiing habit.

To answer your first question, I do not consider myself an expert in Utah
snow. However, I am an expert in what makes me happy. I can assure you, I
love to ski fresh snow... aka powder.

Last year, I skied SLC 11 days in 3 trips... I've had atleast 1 trip a year
to SLC since 1997. My favorite resorts are solitude, brighton, and Alta.
Snowbird is nice enough, but I don't care for the Canyons, Park City or Deer
Valley. Its a terrain thing.

Living and working in Phoenix requires me to plan my trips in advance. This
means booking airline tickets and lodging well in advance of a storm's
arrival at the ski resort I have chosen. This simply means my ski trip and
my happiness is at the mercy of the weather when I arrive. The randomness
of the weather when I am in salt lake city has made me not an expert in UTAH
powder, but rather an expert in Utah ICE. Which is unfortunate.

I am looking at your beautiful pictures from last year. I see this picture
from 1/4/04.
http://www.xmission.com/~hound/astro...-04-04_001.htm

And I see this picture from 1/31/04
http://www.xmission.com/~hound/astro...-31-04_002.htm

What happened to the other 26 days in January? You're in SLC with the
driest snow on the planet. I happened to be in SLC in the middle of that
stretch when you are NOT taking pictures. I can tell you exactly what the
weather was like. It was warm. Highs in the upper 40's and lower 50's
(Alta, mid mountain). It was warmer that most of my trips to telluride in
April. And snow... well once it was the driest snow on earth. But from
1/09/04 to late January, it was simply packed ice. Ice just like Tahoe or
the sidewalks of Boston. To put it bluntly, the skiing sucked!!!! This trip
with poor ski conditions is representative of most of my trips to SLC.

Using your pictures as a guide, I was at solitude, brighton and Alta 3 or 4
days after this storm.
http://www.xmission.com/~hound/astro...-08-03_001.htm

5 days after this storm(Solitude, Brighton)
http://www.xmission.com/~hound/astro...-04-04_001.htm

8 days after this storm(PC, Crayons, DV). Something like -10 when we skiied
Deer Valley. They said it was the coldest day in 8 years.
http://www.xmission.com/~hound/astro...-01-04_001.htm

I actually skied this storm
http://www.xmission.com/~hound/astro...-28-04_008.htm
But I was in telluride

Astro... Global warming(or atleast the western drought) is affecting
everybody. We don't even ski in Arizona anymore (not for the past 5 years).
SLC may have once been a reliable ski destination. But as a Non resident who
spends a pretty penny to ski SLC, I have found quality SLC skiing to be a
big gamble.
Since 1997, I have skied 4 days(each year) in Whistler and atleast 4
days(each year) in SLC. My trips to Whistler have had more fresh snow when
I'm there than my trips to SLC. To be sure, I've had some good times at
Brighton and Alta. But year over year, I have had better trips at Whistler.

The statement I made comparing Whistler and SLC snow was simply a statement
of the obvious. A powder day anywhere is better than a icy, hard pack day
anywhere. When there is fresh powder on the mountain, I am a happy skier.
I don't care what the water content of the snow is. If it is fresh, I'm
going to have a blast. Even if I am in Tahoe(or Whistler), which has the
wettest snow on the planet.






"AstroPax" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 1 Sep 2004 20:40:21 -0700, "Mike" wrote:

As for the snow. It really is not that different than salt lake. Snow
during the storm and the day after is great. 3 sunny days after the last
storm, Salt lake snow and Whistler snow are the same... hard pack and
Icy.

Mike,

You sound like an expert consultant on Utah snow.

Just out of curiosity, precisely how many times have you actually
skied anywhere in Utah at somewhere other than Park ****ty or The
Crayons on the 3rd sunny day after the last storm?

-Astro

---
maximum exposure f/2.8
http://www.xmission.com/~hound/astro/03-04/index.htm
---

In article jec%c.77531$yh.56053@fed1read05, says...
The statement I made comparing Whistler and SLC snow was simply a statement
of the obvious. A powder day anywhere is better than a icy, hard pack day
anywhere. When there is fresh powder on the mountain, I am a happy skier.
I don't care what the water content of the snow is. If it is fresh, I'm
going to have a blast. Even if I am in Tahoe(or Whistler), which has the
wettest snow on the planet.

Mike, as a veteran and enthusiastic booster of Whistler, I can tell you
that a day of freshies at Whistler is great, but it's not the same as a
day of fresh inland powder.

Rick

On Mon, 6 Sep 2004 23:08:08 -0700, "Mike" wrote:

Hey Astro
First off, I want you to know I just love your pictures. They are
beautiful.

Thanks. 2004-2005 pics should be even better.

I would also like you to know I live in Phoenix and as you can imagine the
local snow sucks. And it shouldn't be a surprise that when I want to go
skiing I go somewhere else... like Salt Lake City. Or Tahoe, or Telluride,
or Steam Boat, or Sun Valley or Whistler.

You ski Sun Valley, and have the gall to complain about the snow in
Utah ;) ?

On these trips, I typically spend $300 per person, per day. For me and my
wife, that's $600 per day. My average trip is 4 ski days, so a single ski
trip typically costs me $2400. I ski 14-16 days year and that costs around
$9000 per year to satisfy my skiing habit.

Wow! You're spending $600 per *day* for the two of you ???? I think
you are spending far too much time hanging out up there in Ketchum.

And here I thought I had it bad on an approximate $1000 per *year* ski
budget for 60+ days of lousy ice and hardpacked Utah skiing.

To answer your first question, I do not consider myself an expert in Utah
snow. However, I am an expert in what makes me happy. I can assure you, I
love to ski fresh snow... aka powder.

Me too.

Last year, I skied SLC 11 days in 3 trips... I've had atleast 1 trip a year
to SLC since 1997. My favorite resorts are solitude, brighton, and Alta.
Snowbird is nice enough, but I don't care for the Canyons, Park City or Deer
Valley. Its a terrain thing.

Notwithstanding Brighton, good choices. Personally, I ski mostly at
Alta, Snowbird, and Snowbasin, with a few side trips to JH.

Living and working in Phoenix requires me to plan my trips in advance. This
means booking airline tickets and lodging well in advance of a storm's
arrival at the ski resort I have chosen. This simply means my ski trip and
my happiness is at the mercy of the weather when I arrive. The randomness
of the weather when I am in salt lake city has made me not an expert in UTAH
powder, but rather an expert in Utah ICE. Which is unfortunate.

Timing is everything. Even if you live here. Then again, one can't
have a powder day everyday, especially if you are tied to the lifts.

I am looking at your beautiful pictures from last year. I see this picture
from 1/4/04.
http://www.xmission.com/~hound/astro...-04-04_001.htm

That was "Airborne" Aaron Compton, AKA "AC", on his way to a very hard
landing, and a sore shoulder.

And I see this picture from 1/31/04
http://www.xmission.com/~hound/astro...-31-04_002.htm

That was some really flat light.

What happened to the other 26 days in January? You're in SLC with the
driest snow on the planet. I happened to be in SLC in the middle of that
stretch when you are NOT taking pictures. I can tell you exactly what the
weather was like. It was warm. Highs in the upper 40's and lower 50's
(Alta, mid mountain). It was warmer that most of my trips to telluride in
April. And snow... well once it was the driest snow on earth. But from
1/09/04 to late January, it was simply packed ice. Ice just like Tahoe or
the sidewalks of Boston. To put it bluntly, the skiing sucked!!!! This trip
with poor ski conditions is representative of most of my trips to SLC.

That's too bad. Anyway, those dry stretches are exactly why I always
keep a good pair of fast and sharp-edged groomer skis in the quiver.

I like the groomers at Snowbasin.

BTW, seems like there is almost always some sort of January thaw. It
keeps everyone honest, so to speak.

Using your pictures as a guide, I was at solitude, brighton and Alta 3 or 4
days after this storm.
http://www.xmission.com/~hound/astro...-08-03_001.htm

I don't think you missed too much with that one.

5 days after this storm(Solitude, Brighton)
http://www.xmission.com/~hound/astro...-04-04_001.htm

8 days after this storm(PC, Crayons, DV). Something like -10 when we skiied
Deer Valley. They said it was the coldest day in 8 years.
http://www.xmission.com/~hound/astro...-01-04_001.htm

I actually skied this storm
http://www.xmission.com/~hound/astro...-28-04_008.htm
But I was in telluride

Astro... Global warming(or atleast the western drought) is affecting
everybody.

Alta ended last season with an above average 593 inches, Snowbird had
471, and Whistler Roundhouse ended last season with a below average
382 inches.

So, Alta gets 200" more than Whistler, and you still can't correctly
time a powder day (or two) in Utah? You need help.

We don't even ski in Arizona anymore (not for the past 5 years).
SLC may have once been a reliable ski destination. But as a Non resident who
spends a pretty penny to ski SLC, I have found quality SLC skiing to be a
big gamble.
Since 1997, I have skied 4 days(each year) in Whistler and atleast 4
days(each year) in SLC. My trips to Whistler have had more fresh snow when
I'm there than my trips to SLC. To be sure, I've had some good times at
Brighton and Alta. But year over year, I have had better trips at Whistler.

The statement I made comparing Whistler and SLC snow was simply a statement
of the obvious. A powder day anywhere is better than a icy, hard pack day
anywhere. When there is fresh powder on the mountain, I am a happy skier.
I don't care what the water content of the snow is. If it is fresh, I'm
going to have a blast. Even if I am in Tahoe(or Whistler), which has the
wettest snow on the planet.

Well, obviously, relative to Utah, your timing is all screwed up. As
you can see by my pics, there is plenty of good powder to be had.

I recommend you ski *less* here during January (like I said, seems
like there is almost always some sort of mid-January thaw), and ski
more often here in late February and early March.

Regardless, Alta (or anywhere in Utah, or the lower 48 for that
matter) definitely isn't a Whistler, so I don't know why anyone would
try and compare the two.

However, I still disagree with your statement:.

"3 sunny days after the last storm, Salt lake snow and Whistler snow
are the same... hard pack and Icy."

Because I can almost always find good snow on storm day +3.

Maybe you need to get off of the groomed runs more often and poke
around in the trees.

You also stated:

"If you spend a season in whistler and the storms are average in
frequency, you will have a blast."

Same for Utah. Spend a season here, move around a little, ski some
backcountry, and you'll get some great powder days...more than at
Whistler...at least 100+ inches more.

However, if the partying was a major factor in the ski area selection
decision process, than I would probably take Whistler over anywhere
else, especially Utah !

-Astro

---
maximum exposure f/2.8
http://www.xmission.com/~hound/astro/03-04/index.htm
---

In article ,
AstroPax wrote:

Wow! You're spending $600 per *day* for the two of you ???? I think
you are spending far too much time hanging out up there in Ketchum.

Hawks goes over there in the summer to ride dirt bikes. He says there must
be a great breast agumentation man somewhere in the neighborhood. Good views,
nice trail running. He never goes over there in the winter. Wonder why?
--
According to John Perry Barlow, "Jeff Davis is a truly gifted trouble-maker."

In article , uglymoney says...

On Thu, 2 Sep 2004 21:44:19 -0600, "pigo"
wrote:
My fondest memory of Utah skiing is as a fourteen year old. Guiding
my family on our first ootah vacation complete with mother induced
Tabernacle visits that about killed my athiest father and myself, we
took the wagon up the hill from Midvale to Park City. First we went
to Park City. I got out, examined the hill, the old slow gondola, and
expressed dismay at what was in front of me. Next off to Park West.
WHAT the hell is this place? Sorry, but I learned to ski at JH.
Finally over to Deer Valley where we pulled up and they grabbed all
the skis off of our wagons roof and waited for us to evacuate the '78
Mercury Zephyr Wagon. I jumped out (my dad stayed in staying close to
the cooler), examined the stiff holding my ski, examined the
mountain, declared it a mountain for stiffs, and promptlyl ordered my
dad to drive to Alta.

Damn I was a smart kid. Other than those flourescent Hexcels mounted
with Bessers I had it going on. Plus my dad trusted my powder sense
which gave me complete control over the families winter vacation.

Ah, the power of powder.


I call total bull**** on this.

Lets see now... assuming this 'story' was all in one day:

1) You say you drove from Midvale (SLC suburb) to PCSA (in the old days it was
Park City Ski Area), then to P-Dub, then DV. Not only is that a totally
illogical order to check them out, that would take 45 minutes to get to the PC
area, another 30 minutes farting around Summit County, and then another hour to
get to Alta (down Parley's, up LCC). So you would have arrived at Alta way late
in day. I seriously doubt that anyone would drive all the way to PC, troll
around three areas, then decide to take a long detour and ski somewhere else.

2) No dad is going to listen to a pimply faced brat that 'orders' him to go
somewhere else. If my kid did that, I'd get his sorry ass in the car and promply
drive him home, no skiing for him that day.

Typical bravado shown by pseudo wanabees claiming they are too good for some
type of ski area. Learned to ski in Jackson Hole, yeah right. With who, Pepi?

BoftheW

BoftheW wrote:
In article , uglymoney says...

On Thu, 2 Sep 2004 21:44:19 -0600, "pigo"
wrote:
My fondest memory of Utah skiing is as a fourteen year old. Guiding
my family on our first ootah vacation complete with mother induced
Tabernacle visits that about killed my athiest father and myself, we
took the wagon up the hill from Midvale to Park City. First we went
to Park City. I got out, examined the hill, the old slow gondola, and
expressed dismay at what was in front of me. Next off to Park West.
WHAT the hell is this place? Sorry, but I learned to ski at JH.
Finally over to Deer Valley where we pulled up and they grabbed all
the skis off of our wagons roof and waited for us to evacuate the '78
Mercury Zephyr Wagon. I jumped out (my dad stayed in staying close to
the cooler), examined the stiff holding my ski, examined the
mountain, declared it a mountain for stiffs, and promptlyl ordered my
dad to drive to Alta.

Damn I was a smart kid. Other than those flourescent Hexcels mounted
with Bessers I had it going on. Plus my dad trusted my powder sense
which gave me complete control over the families winter vacation.

Ah, the power of powder.



I call total bull**** on this.

Hey! Flourescent Hexcels mounted with Bessers!
How can you doubt Mr. Money? He had the real goods, once upon a time.

Are you attributing that story to me?

"BoftheW" wrote in message
...
In article , uglymoney says...

On Thu, 2 Sep 2004 21:44:19 -0600, "pigo"
wrote:
My fondest memory of Utah skiing is as a fourteen year old. Guiding
my family on our first ootah vacation complete with mother induced
Tabernacle visits that about killed my athiest father and myself, we
took the wagon up the hill from Midvale to Park City. First we went
to Park City. I got out, examined the hill, the old slow gondola, and
expressed dismay at what was in front of me. Next off to Park West.
WHAT the hell is this place? Sorry, but I learned to ski at JH.
Finally over to Deer Valley where we pulled up and they grabbed all
the skis off of our wagons roof and waited for us to evacuate the '78
Mercury Zephyr Wagon. I jumped out (my dad stayed in staying close to
the cooler), examined the stiff holding my ski, examined the
mountain, declared it a mountain for stiffs, and promptlyl ordered my
dad to drive to Alta.

Damn I was a smart kid. Other than those flourescent Hexcels mounted
with Bessers I had it going on. Plus my dad trusted my powder sense
which gave me complete control over the families winter vacation.

Ah, the power of powder.


I call total bull**** on this.

Lets see now... assuming this 'story' was all in one day:

1) You say you drove from Midvale (SLC suburb) to PCSA (in the old days it
was
Park City Ski Area), then to P-Dub, then DV. Not only is that a totally
illogical order to check them out, that would take 45 minutes to get to
the PC
area, another 30 minutes farting around Summit County, and then another
hour to
get to Alta (down Parley's, up LCC). So you would have arrived at Alta way
late
in day. I seriously doubt that anyone would drive all the way to PC, troll

around three areas, then decide to take a long detour and ski somewhere
else.

2) No dad is going to listen to a pimply faced brat that 'orders' him to
go
somewhere else. If my kid did that, I'd get his sorry ass in the car and
promply
drive him home, no skiing for him that day.

Typical bravado shown by pseudo wanabees claiming they are too good for
some
type of ski area. Learned to ski in Jackson Hole, yeah right. With who,
Pepi?

BoftheW

On Tue, 14 Sep 2004 16:15:58 -0700, lal_truckee
wrote:

BoftheW wrote:
In article , uglymoney says...

On Thu, 2 Sep 2004 21:44:19 -0600, "pigo"
wrote:
My fondest memory of Utah skiing is as a fourteen year old. Guiding
my family on our first ootah vacation complete with mother induced
Tabernacle visits that about killed my athiest father and myself, we
took the wagon up the hill from Midvale to Park City. First we went
to Park City. I got out, examined the hill, the old slow gondola, and
expressed dismay at what was in front of me. Next off to Park West.
WHAT the hell is this place? Sorry, but I learned to ski at JH.
Finally over to Deer Valley where we pulled up and they grabbed all
the skis off of our wagons roof and waited for us to evacuate the '78
Mercury Zephyr Wagon. I jumped out (my dad stayed in staying close to
the cooler), examined the stiff holding my ski, examined the
mountain, declared it a mountain for stiffs, and promptlyl ordered my
dad to drive to Alta.

Damn I was a smart kid. Other than those flourescent Hexcels mounted
with Bessers I had it going on. Plus my dad trusted my powder sense
which gave me complete control over the families winter vacation.

Ah, the power of powder.



I call total bull**** on this.

Lol. The year was 1985.


Hey! Flourescent Hexcels mounted with Bessers!
How can you doubt Mr. Money? He had the real goods, once upon a time.

Yes I did. In fact, I always had the real goods. My first skis were
14 cm Rossignol Smash Jr's purchased brand new when I think I was
five. Grew out of those and moved into my sisters hand me down K2
Stingers, which at one time had been split in half at A-Basin. My
sister had dropped the cornice and stuffed a tip, snapping them in
half.

So my dad dropped the 155 Stingers at the A-Basin ski shop for the
night. We picked them up the next day, and the skied perfectly for
the rest of their workable lives. I think we finally got rid of them
at a ski swap. Can they still repair skis like this today? It was
unbelievable.

Moved into the Hexcel's (185 bright orange and yellow on black), $50
for the pair, then bought a pair of 210 Dynastar Tele's from my
norwegian friend and on and on.

The Hexcels outlasted me, I sold them to my best friend (ski's, boots,
binding) for $50. He learned to ski on them, learned to love skiing
on them, and then sold them at a ski swap for $50 when he discovered
telemarking.

By the time he got rid of them, they were sooooooooooftt. Very, very
soft

nate

uglymoney wrote:

Grew out of those and moved into my sisters hand me down K2
Stingers, which at one time had been split in half at A-Basin. My
sister had dropped the cornice and stuffed a tip, snapping them in
half.

So my dad dropped the 155 Stingers at the A-Basin ski shop for the
night. We picked them up the next day, and the skied perfectly for
the rest of their workable lives. I think we finally got rid of them
at a ski swap. Can they still repair skis like this today? It was
unbelievable.

Any idea how he did it? Did they have biscuit cutters then?

Moved into the Hexcel's (185 bright orange and yellow on black), $50
for the pair, then bought a pair of 210 Dynastar Tele's from my
norwegian friend and on and on.

The Hexcels outlasted me, I sold them to my best friend (ski's, boots,
binding) for $50. He learned to ski on them, learned to love skiing
on them, and then sold them at a ski swap for $50 when he discovered
telemarking.

By the time he got rid of them, they were sooooooooooftt. Very, very
soft

I've still got mine, with Tyrolia 260s. My first skis, given to me by a
cow-orker who bought new stuff every year. No, I ain't too proud to
take charity and I just wish her feet hadn't been three inches shorter
than mine -- she had HEATED boots.

--
Cheers, Bev
=============================================
You need only two tools: WD-40 and duct tape.
If it doesn't move and it should, use WD-40.
If it moves and shouldn't, use the duct tape.

The Real Bev wrote:

I just wish her feet hadn't been three inches shorter
than mine -- she had HEATED boots.

Move the heaters to your boots. They are portable, you know. All models,
AFAIK.

I bet it's too late - liquid snow under the bridge and all that...