Things have calmed down

Been away from the NG for a while. Seems like things have calmed down
around here. None of the village idiots have posted for months it looks
like.

Anyway I'm getting a few free airline tickets to anywhere in the
continental US courtesy of Polident. No I don't use it but I didn't
have to buy that much of it to get the tickets. Anyway, I'm gonna use
them for a ski trip somewhere. Question is where. They need to be used
by the end of 2006. Where would you good folks suggest?

Chuck

Chuck wrote:

Anyway I'm getting a few free airline tickets to anywhere in the
continental US courtesy of Polident. No I don't use it but I didn't
have to buy that much of it to get the tickets. Anyway, I'm gonna use
them for a ski trip somewhere. Question is where. They need to be used
by the end of 2006. Where would you good folks suggest?

Ok. Airline tickets are free. How much do you want to spend on
lodging, ground transportation, etc? How much time do you have, i.e.
are you willing to waste a day or more at each end travelling?

If you're trying to keep the sundry expenses down and want to maximize
your time on the slopes, SLC is the obvious choice. Inexpensive lodging
in town, and the slopes are less than an hour's drive from the airport.
Delta flies non-stop PHL - SLC, meaning you can do a four day weekend
and get 3 1/2 days of skiing in.

If you have more money & time to burn, other options present themselves.

But, before you get wedded to some particular location, check the fine
print of your free tickets and see where you can really fly for free -
that may impact your choices.

//Walt

Chuck wrote:

Anyway I'm getting a few free airline tickets to anywhere in the
continental US courtesy of Polident. No I don't use it but I didn't
have to buy that much of it to get the tickets. Anyway, I'm gonna use
them for a ski trip somewhere. Question is where. They need to be used
by the end of 2006. Where would you good folks suggest?

Mammoth / Squaw Valley. Do something different for godsake.

Chuck wrote:
Been away from the NG for a while. Seems like things have calmed down
around here. None of the village idiots have posted for months it looks
like.

Anyway I'm getting a few free airline tickets to anywhere in the
continental US courtesy of Polident. No I don't use it but I didn't
have to buy that much of it to get the tickets. Anyway, I'm gonna use
them for a ski trip somewhere. Question is where. They need to be used
by the end of 2006. Where would you good folks suggest?

Problem is that "before end of 2006" BS. Means you need to go where
there's snow, but you can't really count 100% on there being snow
anywhere particular; and I bet they airline will make you set up
reservations way ahead in order to get your "free flight."

Look to the obvious early snow places and go as late as possible; avoid
the maritime resorts - they're a crapshoot: big snows or none.
Think California, Utah, Jackson for early snow.
Look to the costs. Looking for free tickets means you're a normal
everyday ski cheap skier, like me.
Think Utah, Jackson.

Aha! I note some overlap!

FWIW, Utah is cheap because you can stay in dirt cheap digs at the base
of the Cottonwood Canyons; avoid at all costs resort packages IN the
canyons or around on the bad skiing side AKA Park City (- use the saving
to buy several pairs of new skis.)
FWIW, Jackson is cheap because the place is overbuilt in cheap rooms to
support the family-Yellowstone summer trade - rooms are about given away
to winter visitors; again avoid packages - in contrast to what one would
believe, the existence of $29 rooms next door doesn't mean a packager
won't charge you $229 a night for neighboring accommodation.

I've repeatedly done both areas dirt-cheap, arriving without
reservations of any kind.
Good luck.

lal_truckee wrote:

FWIW, Utah is cheap because you can stay in dirt cheap digs at the base
of the Cottonwood Canyons; avoid at all costs resort packages IN the
canyons or around on the bad skiing side AKA Park City (- use the saving
to buy several pairs of new skis.)
FWIW, Jackson is cheap because the place is overbuilt in cheap rooms to
support the family-Yellowstone summer trade - rooms are about given away
to winter visitors; again avoid packages - in contrast to what one would
believe, the existence of $29 rooms next door doesn't mean a packager
won't charge you $229 a night for neighboring accommodation.

I've repeatedly done both areas dirt-cheap, arriving without
reservations of any kind.
Good luck.

California will always be the place with the most early snow. Period.
Fly into Reno. Do something different.

Yabahoobs wrote:

California will always be the place with the most early snow. Period.
Fly into Reno. Do something different.

Nobody goes to California anymore - it's too crowded.

lal_truckee wrote:
Yabahoobs wrote:

California will always be the place with the most early snow. Period.
Fly into Reno. Do something different.

Nobody goes to California anymore - it's too crowded.

Yes, true, everyone should go to Vail.

VtSkier wrote:

Yes, true, everyone should go to Vail.

AGreed.

lal_truckee wrote:
Yabahoobs wrote:

California will always be the place with the most early snow. Period.
Fly into Reno. Do something different.

Nobody goes to California anymore - it's too crowded.
Go to Vail, the women are prettier .... and richer ....

lal_truckee wrote:
Yabahoobs wrote:

California will always be the place with the most early snow. Period.
Fly into Reno. Do something different.

Nobody goes to California anymore - it's too crowded.

Actually, tonight I drove from San Diego to Irvine and there was no
traffic delay anywhere - on a Friday night in summer! Maybe the gas
prices have really sunk in. (Apt symbol - I stopped at a gas staqtion
up here ($3.23/gal instaed of $3.39 near home) and there was a
stre-e-e-etch Hummer limo just sitting on the lot unoccupied.

This is the prototype California motel - freeways east and west,
In-N-Out Burger south, Carl's Jr north.