Utah December 11-19

[Ken_R]

You’ll have a great time. After all, skiing isn’t all about skiing.
It’s mostly about friends.

True, except on a powder day, there are NO friends on a powder day!

 

[4ster]

Deer Valley is known for quality, they would not be open if they could not provide a quality experience to their guests. They are also known for providing a consistent snow surface, there will at least be a fresh dressing every morning. The weather is forecast to be beautiful and the crowds will not have arrived yet. You'll have a great time!
Enjoy.

 

[Fuller]

I like your attitude Jay, you've really committed to the whole sliding on snow thing... I find that having an intense desire to learn a new sport or to rapidly improve in a familiar one makes for interesting times. The locals might be pulling their hair out for lack of pow but you can always work on your drills and feel satisfied that you've moved another step forward.

And while you're scouting for home sites make sure the lot is big enough for a PugSki guest wing!

 

[BobMc]

If you get feeling strong you can always come over to the Snowbird WROD, it's fairly benign. Come over on a Saturday or Sunday and you'll find me with a box of Cabernet in my trunk, .

 

[TonyC]

Not trying to crap over expensive vacation, just making sure OP knows what he is getting into and that there are options for better skiing.

Precisely. There is no question this equation is different for a beginner than most of us. And yes I remember being a beginner all too well because I started at 23 and my natural coordination is poor.

Honestly I might have taken my first destination ski trip too early. Right after the bunny hill I booked a trip to Colorado

My attitude was different. I had ~15 days at the SoCal locals before I went to Mammoth in 1978. I didn't think I had any business leaving California to ski until I could demonstrate that I could ski 90+% of Mammoth (1980).

Started at 53 has a barrier to skiing that might have prevented me from even trying the sport. More power to him taking up the sport at at all as an adult based in Florida. Since he can't progress through the beginner level at some cheap local place like most of us did, he has to shell out for a more expensive destination. So for that objective this trip may be worthwhile.

My comments here are based upon 40 years of personal experience and 15+ years of reading/commenting upon trip scheduling in Ski Forums. Few people have infinite time and $$ for destination ski trips. The bottom line is that December is less desirable than Jan/Feb/Mar/Apr for skiing if you must commit far in advance. This is the year we see why. Hopefully this will inform future decisions by Started at 53 and many other people.

The vast majority of people scheduling these early season trips have fewer resources than Started at 53, are not beginners, and are often taking only one big destination trip per season. So after 15 years of this, I am often quite strident in my comments on this recurring topic. A key part of helping people here is responding the specific circumstances of the inquirer. So at the end of the day I hope Started at 53 will understand the context of my comments, which will be more applicable when he is a more experienced skier.

 

[Started at 53]

Come over on a Saturday or Sunday and you'll find me with a box of Cabernet in my trunk, .

Box????

LOL, I am no where near being capable of Alta/Bird yet. And IF we take a day off skiing it would likely be on a weekend day when more people are on the slopes. Hmmm, I might have to try the box stuff, not sure if it is good, but might reaffirm that the stuff I drink is Kidding aside, I drink very little, matter of fact I have had a total of one glass of wine in that past 9 weeks. Maybe I need to make up for lots time

Started at 53 has a barrier to skiing that might have prevented me from even trying the sport. More power to him taking up the sport at at all as an adult based in Florida. Since he can't progress through the beginner level at some cheap local place like most of us did, he has to shell out for a more expensive destination. So for that objective this trip may be worthwhile.

My comments here are based upon 40 years of personal experience and 15+ years of reading/commenting upon trip scheduling in Ski Forums. Few people have infinite time and $$ for destination ski trips. The bottom line is that December is less desirable than Jan/Feb/Mar/Apr for skiing if you must commit far in advance. This is the year we see why. Hopefully this will inform future decisions by Started at 53 and many other people.

The vast majority of people scheduling these early season trips have fewer resources than Started at 53, are not beginners, and are often taking only one big destination trip per season. So after 15 years of this, I am often quite strident in my comments on this recurring topic. A key part of helping people here is responding the specific circumstances of the inquirer. So at the end of the day I hope Started at 53 will understand the context of my comments, which will be more applicable when he is a more experienced skier.

@TonyC

Thanks for the comments/clarifications. Yes, my “work” (just for @Monique) schedule give me more time than most working people and the benefits of lots of air miles helps a lot too. The combination of not taking “vacation time” from work and the free air travel makes it a lot less painful. We are not the typical PugSki skiers, just happy to be out there and skiing groomers. Someday a powder day might be fun, who knows.

I do read all of your snow comments and appreciate the insight. Especially when I am looking (I am ALWAYS looking) for the next or future destination.

Is it Monday yet???? I am ready to go

 

[KingGrump]

Box????

That's the good stuff.
Like most good things in life. Best shared among good company.

The bird and DV are my two favorite areas around SLC.
Definitely take Bob up on his offer.

April 2014.

Skiing with the crew - mid winter conditions one day.



Blue bird spring day the next. You'll never know.


The good stuff. Best shared among friends after some great skiing.


Can't get much better than this.




A toast to the host.

 

[Started at 53]

2 Days and 21 hours.... But whose counting?

That’s right am

 

[Lorenzzo]

Daybreak at Silver Lake. They’ve now covered the plaza up here with a healthy base of white. Additional trails are beginning to open. The snow surface remains excellent.

 

[Started at 53]

Tomorrow is a travel day, I’ll be bombing the bunny slopes Tuesday

 

[at_nyc]

My comments here are based upon 40 years of personal experience and 15+ years of reading/commenting upon trip scheduling in Ski Forums. Few people have infinite time and $$ for destination ski trips. The bottom line is that December is less desirable than Jan/Feb/Mar/Apr for skiing if you must commit far in advance. This is the year we see why. Hopefully this will inform future decisions by Started at 53 and many other people.

The vast majority of people scheduling these early season trips have fewer resources than Started at 53, are not beginners, and are often taking only one big destination trip per season. So after 15 years of this, I am often quite strident in my comments on this recurring topic. A key part of helping people here is responding the specific circumstances of the inquirer. So at the end of the day I hope Started at 53 will understand the context of my comments, which will be more applicable when he is a more experienced skier.

Tony, I'm sure I speak for many others when I say we greatly appreciate your well of knowledge when it comes to ski related weather.

But I felt you sometimes miss the "circumstances of the inquirer". This may one of such.

I'm several decades removed from my beginner years. So some of those memories fade far into the back of my mind and became almost inaccessible. I usually don't join in discussions related to beginners for my poor record of recommending the wrong thing due to those inaccessible memory.

But on a group trip a few years back, I was reminded by a bunch of beginners at what beginners like and dislike. It was a bit of an eye opener. I'm a big fan of spring skiing. March and April are my favorites for making trips away from home. But many beginner hate spring snow!

Lacking experience, beginners often slide uncontrollably on the refrozen coral reef in the morning, stop to rest their legs during the only favorable window of the day, re-emerge to tackle the "bump field" of slush piles in the afternoon etc.

In that light, early season man-made snow is really not a disadvantage for beginners. Also, for lesson taking and drill practice, firm man-made snow is actually more suitable than the inconsistency of power.

 

[jmills115]

Box????

LOL, I am no where near being capable of Alta/Bird yet. And IF we take a day off skiing it would likely be on a weekend day when more people are on the slopes. Hmmm, I might have to try the box stuff, not sure if it is good, but might reaffirm that the stuff I drink is Kidding aside, I drink very little, matter of fact I have had a total of one glass of wine in that past 9 weeks. Maybe I need to make up for lots time



@TonyC

Thanks for the comments/clarifications. Yes, my “work” (just for @Monique) schedule give me more time than most working people and the benefits of lots of air miles helps a lot too. The combination of not taking “vacation time” from work and the free air travel makes it a lot less painful. We are not the typical PugSki skiers, just happy to be out there and skiing groomers. Someday a powder day might be fun, who knows.

I do read all of your snow comments and appreciate the insight. Especially when I am looking (I am ALWAYS looking) for the next or future destination.

Is it Monday yet???? I am ready to go

We just got back to Salt Lake from a long weekend skiing Jackson Hole. My wife was on skis for the first time last season and got 10 days or so at Alta.
Lack of snow at JH without much beginner terrain didn’t stop us from having a great time as I’m sure you will in Utah.

 

[Tricia]

View attachment 34934 View attachment 34935

We just got back to Salt Lake from a long weekend skiing Jackson Hole. My wife was on skis for the first time last season and got 10 days or so at Alta.
Lack of snow at JH without much beginner terrain didn’t stop us from having a great time as I’m sure you will in Utah.

 

[dbostedo]

Box????

My mind immediately pictured a box of 12 bottles of cabernet.... perhaps I was thinking of that wrong....

 

[Started at 53]

My mind immediately pictured a box of 12 bottles of cabernet.... perhaps I was thinking of that wrong....

I am a pretty down to earth guy, and like to think I blend in everywhere.... But I/we have a bit of wine snobbery. I am fine with a twist off cap as stated above, but the whole box thingy I am very unsure about

But I would be willing to give it a try if need be.

 

[Started at 53]

Play was suspended yesterday in Johannesburg due to bad weather, so I am still “working” tonight

So... It is going to be a sleepless night... Because I am in the studio right now after driving for over two hours to get back up here, 2 1/2 hours on the air, then drive back home and to the airport for a 7:15 am flight.

Not a perfect way to start a ski vacation, but “work” beckoned.

I guess I’ll just sleep on the plane

 

[dbostedo]

Play was suspended yesterday in Johannesburg due to bad weather, so I am still “working” tonight

So... It is going to be a sleepless night... Because I am in the studio right now after driving for over two hours to get back up here, 2 1/2 hours on the air, then drive back home and to the airport for a 7:15 am flight.

Not a perfect way to start a ski vacation, but “work” beckoned.

I guess I’ll just sleep on the plane

Hey Jay - what sport?

 

[Jim McDonald]

Golf

 

[AmyPJ]

There's a weather system forecast to arrive Friday. As is typical of forecasts here, there's a lot of uncertainty about it's strength. But still, it's SOMETHING. Looks like it might scrub out the bad air (it's BAD!) and push the blocking ridge out to allow more storms to come in behind it.
We can only hope.
Safe travels, @Started at 53!

 

[Started at 53]

Hey Jay - what sport?

Yep

Golf

Was doing the Jo’Burg Open for Golf Channel