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[IanG]

I've just had a great week skiing in Valmorel, France, so now it's time to start thinking about next year's trip.  Because we'll probably have to go late in the season I'm looking at USA or Canada, but I'd like to find a resort with the same sort of character as Valmorel:-

• Good intermediate level skiing
• Small and picturesque, with a friendly atmosphere
• Good variety of pistes

Any ideas?

And if I'm wrong in thinking the European ski season finishes earlier, please correct me!

Ian G.

[bebop]

Ian, Whistler/Blackcombe is a world class skiing destination and will be the site of the 2010 Winter Olympics skiing.   The Village is always active, the skiing fabulous (or so I'm told as I no longer ski due to bad kneees) and it's close to Vancouver and Victoria - well, one does have to take that ferry over here to Victoria, or fly, but it's worth it!!!  Have a great time planning your vacation

Heres a link:  http://www.whistlerblackcomb.com/index.htm

[GHammer]

I've just had a great week skiing in Valmorel, France, so now it's time to start thinking about next year's trip.

Any ideas?

I'd suggest Squaw Valley:

http://www.onthesnow.com/CN/419/
http://www.squaw.com/winter/rankings.html

I have had a nice time there in the past.

[IanG]

Thanks for the suggestions. I'm sure they're both great resorts,  but as soon as I saw them I knew I'd forgotten a requirement   If at all possible we'd like to be on the east coast to keep the journey time / jet lag to a minimum.

Ian G

[KingSparta]

Ski resort recommendations?

One With Snow

[GHammer]

Thanks for the suggestions. I'm sure they're both great resorts,  but as soon as I saw them I knew I'd forgotten a requirement   If at all possible we'd like to be on the east coast to keep the journey time / jet lag to a minimum.

Ian G

I'd bite the bullet and do the extra hours flying.
The east coast has places where diehard skiiers go, but nothing to compare to the West.

[Mastiff]

http://www.hafjell.no/en/default.asp

Norway was the land who invented skis, you know... Hafjell was the site of the slower diciplines of alpine skiing in the Winter Olympics 1994, and there are several places within one hour drive. Nearby Kvitfjell, where the downhill was held, is mostly for maniacs, I went down there, but my wife almost wore out her pants since she mostly rode on her butt there...

[modelmaker]

There's Lake Placiid, New York and there's a whole bunch of great plces accross the border in Vermont: http://search.msn.com/results.aspx?q=vermont%2C+skiing&FORM=QBRE, all on the east coast. and we've had an above average snowfall here - lots of powder. It should be similar next year as we have had very good snow conditions the past couple of years, (Global warming?).

[Sam]

I agree with GHammer... east coast skiing isn't as good - generally less snow and more ice.

That said, I really like  Mont Tremblant in Canada.  It's a 2 hour drive from Montreal, but it's worth it.  It's absolutely beautiful; the slopes are great.  They've got a nice shopping village with a lot of interesting places to eat.

I also often ski at Mount Snow in Vermont.  It's at the southern end of Vermont, so it's easier to get to for most.  You'll like the intermediate trails.  The staff there is unusually friendly; they recruit almost entirely from abroad.  It's not as tranquil as Mont Tremblant, and there's not as much of a resort community where you can hang out.

[Bartabedian]

Ah yes, the 'ol "east coast skiing isn't as good as the west" argument...

We usually go to either Jackson Hole or somewhere around Tahoe each year (wifes' folks live there), but this year we just got back from a week at Killington, VT, which I hadn't been to in 22 years. The skiing was fabulous all but one day (a bit warm and sluggish in the unusual warm afternoon). No icey patches, decent powder, any terrain, pitch, variable you can imagine across 6 inter-connected mountain peaks with a vertical drop over 3000 ft. Many many many fabulous intermediate trails, and some fun and fast easy trails, plus all the steeps, moguls, and tree-skiing the experts love so much. Rivals a few of my trips in conditions to Mt Rose or Squaw Valley.

Not small, or really even quaint, but great food, nightlife and bundles of other activities both inside and out. In my wifes' words, a skiiers heaven.

www.Killington.com

Don't believe the western hype! Good Luck!

[GHammer]

Here's a place I used to go to.
No crowds, not overbuilt. Friendly.

http://www.shredthemoose.com/

[modelmaker]

I couldn't have said it better than Bartabedian.
 
I used to live out west, but now live about an hour from Killington and go there every other weekend and love it! Costs are a bit  less as well.

If you do choose Vermont next year give me a shout and we can arrange a meet and I'll show you some of the places us "locals" go.

[IanG]

Thanks for all the suggestions!  As luck would have it , my nephew's just got back from 10 days in Killington, vowing never to ski in Europe again - it looks like we have a winner!

Ian G.

[Bartabedian]

Just thought I'd mention, we loved it so much the first time that we crunched schedules and frustrated a few co-workers and clients just to go back 2 weeks later. We just got back from our second stint at Killington and it only got better in March. Powdery, puffy snow covers 100% of the terrain and we stayed in a condo that was situated halfway down the mountain a few steps from the slopes, with a full sauna and a hot tub on the deck over-looking the woods, absolutely a skiiers paradise. During the week, we pretty much had the mountain to ourselves. Check this place out for a quality place to stay, we'll be going back next year for sure, maybe we'll see you there!

http://www.skionskioff.com