 Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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USA doesn’t come out of that comparison very well. You’d think that with the extortionate cost of passes, they would at least offer modern and efficient lift infrastructure.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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The only reason to ski in the US is snow quality and inbound controlled terrain plus maybe a bit about liftline discipline/ mgt ( though that is less of an issue in Yurp these days outside school hols).
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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liftline discipline
many slopse which are served from one lift which is exactly the opposite from some resorts (mostly in Austria) here, where there is one slope / one lift and probably a 8er Detachable , leading to zero waiting but crowded slopes
not a problem to go off piste because they check the whole area from X to Y point
and the ski patrol, which usually takes the season cards from some XXX$%$&% who think they are body miller , skiing tooo fast and risky where they supposed not to do
plus snow quality
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Patrols and Speed Limits is the one thing I'd take from the 'other side'
I just don't get the French obsession with hooning down crowded Blue and Green runs!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Patrol and speed limits is a bit of a fallacy in the US. While there will be some snow safety staff posted behind slow signs in busy areas they don't really have much authority and will be likely "yellow jackets" i.e. volunteers or lower grade staff rather than full patrol so possibly not even able to chase down a determined speeder. Certainly doesn't stop the loonies and the side hitters on the WROD. OK Euro slopes can be an even denser mess of traffic. What I have seen in the US is designated "Rest Area" fencing designed to provide a protected area to stop (note I have also seen clowns ollying such signs).
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| PeakyB wrote: |
| USA doesn’t come out of that comparison very well. |
Yeah, it was interesting from that pov.
I've never been Stateside (not sure I ever will) so it's interesting.
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| Quote: |
I just don't get the French obsession with hooning down crowded Blue and Green runs!
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Is there any skiing country which doesn't have people "hooning down" crowded slopes?
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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A few years ago I was skiing in Les Arcs and there was posted a general message asking skiers to be careful and slow down (there was a fair bit of reckless skiing going on that week). The next day the police were out with a radar speed gun pulling some skiers over for straightlining Arandeliers. I suspect the miscreants got a stiff telling off.
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@Layne, I skied quite a few areas in the east, central and west of USA, though not for almost 20 years now. Exchange rate was much more favourable and flight costs lower back then.
My general conclusion was that, from a UK base, travelling there for snowsports alone was not worth it. An exception being if a very late season trip was wanted.
However, if mixed in with sightseeing, eg major cities, national parks, etc, then it was a much more attractive proposition.
I’ve not seen any recent data but imagine more N. American based people travel to Europe mainly for snowsports than t’other way round.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@Layne, I've skied in Canada a few times,in Chile and one day in Sante Fe, then I discovered Japan. For skiing, culture, site seeing and pure enjoyment I don't think it can be beaten. But it is expensive. If you can muster the holiday time and the money I highly reccomend it.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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| PeakyB wrote: |
I’ve not seen any recent data but imagine more N. American based people travel to Europe mainly for snowsports than t’other way round. |
It can be much cheaper from the US East Coast to fly to Europe for a week than to fly west if buying lift passes at window rates. OTOH lots of Merikins seem to have a language based fear of venturing from their own continent. Vail and Alterra are expanding their Euro portfolio/partnerships for a reason.
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| Quote: |
My general conclusion was that, from a UK base, travelling there for snowsports alone was not worth it. An exception being if a very late season trip was wanted.
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For some of us the controlled off piste is enough reason alone to favour N America over Europe. I can rock up solo at kicking horse and ski awesome terrain without the need for a guide, or needing to worry about avalanche danger.
There are pros and cons to both places, and the overall experience is a little different. I suspect most people enjoy both, but it's understandable many would prefer one or the other.
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However, if mixed in with sightseeing, eg major cities, national parks, etc, then it was a much more attractive proposition.
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I always find this a bit strange. Nobody would suggest visiting the dolomites is only worth it if you combine it with a trip to Venice. Same for Vienna if you are visiting Austria. Both are arguably at least as interesting as any n American city. When people talk about American national parks and skiing they usually mean Yellowstone from Jackson. I know plenty of people that had great trips to Jackson and grand targhee without visiting Yellowstone. Sure why not combine them, but why not combine euro ski trips with nearby attractions?
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You know it makes sense.
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| Quote: |
Nobody would suggest visiting the dolomites is only worth it if you combine it with a trip to Venice.
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They might if you were flying from west coast USA!
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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All my skiing in the US has been tacked on to business trips, not combined with sightseeing.
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Poster: A snowHead
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I've been doing a couple of dedicated solo trips per-season for the last 10+ seasons, where you're in a chalet of fellow solo/pair travellers, and have noticed a significant uptick in the number of American visitors over recent years. Probably had 1 in the first 5 years but now expect to have an American on at least one trip each year.
And as for "Nobody would suggest visiting the Dolomites is only worth it if you combine it with a trip to Venice." as @Origen says it very much depends how far/long you're travelling to get to the Dolomites. One of my solo weeks this season had a pair of Aussies on it. They hadn't come all the way from Australia just to ski in the PdS - but as they were in Europe during the winter leg of their 'world tour' weren't going to miss out on getting a week's Alpine skiing in either.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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When I've been riding in the US, which was a while ago now, we did always mix it with a city break, predominantly to counter the jetlag before driving to the mountain but also as having gone that far it makes some sense to also combine seeing the city you probably touched down in. Couple of days in Los Angeles, Las Vegas, San Francisco, Washington D.C., Chicago and Seattle - then off to whatever mountain. I'll caveat that by saying we always went for 2 weeks or more - so time wasn't too compressed either - if we'd been out for just a week then it'd been straight up the hill.
Trips to Banff were the exception to that - calgary being only 2h away and we always used a transfer so lag not so much an issue.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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| boarder2020 wrote: |
| Quote: |
My general conclusion was that, from a UK base, travelling there for snowsports alone was not worth it. An exception being if a very late season trip was wanted.
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For some of us the controlled off piste is enough reason alone to favour N America over Europe. I can rock up solo at kicking horse and ski awesome terrain without the need for a guide, or needing to worry about avalanche danger.
There are pros and cons to both places, and the overall experience is a little different. I suspect most people enjoy both, but it's understandable many would prefer one or the other. |
Actually, plenty of people only enjoy one or the other!
It’s clear @PeakyB has no use of inbound off-piste. Or perhaps off-piste at all?
I’ve heard similar complains from American skiers who’re “once and done” when it comes to skiing in Europe. Once they realize they aren’t suppose to stray off the side of the piste, they’re DONE with skiing in Europe.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| boarder2020 wrote: |
| I can rock up solo at kicking horse and ski awesome terrain without the need for a guide, or needing to worry about avalanche danger. |
I think there are lots of reasons why skiing solo can be a bad idea. I understand tree wells are an issue in the States.
I've done it myself in Europe (skied solo off piste) understanding the risks.
If you fall and get injured or ski off a small cliff it's not going to matter if you are inbounds in the States or off piste in Europe. You will still not have a companion to help you out.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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| abc wrote: |
I’ve heard similar complains from American skiers who’re “once and done” when it comes to skiing in Europe. Once they realize they aren’t suppose to stray off the side of the piste, they’re DONE with skiing in Europe. |
Isn't it more like they don't like taking responsibility or having and knowing how to use the kit?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@Layne, in NA those zones are patrolled so there’s a decent chance someone will find you at some point
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| Dave of the Marmottes wrote: |
| abc wrote: |
I’ve heard similar complains from American skiers who’re “once and done” when it comes to skiing in Europe. Once they realize they aren’t suppose to stray off the side of the piste, they’re DONE with skiing in Europe. |
Isn't it more like they don't like taking responsibility or having and knowing how to use the kit? |
What kit?
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QED
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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| PeakyB wrote: |
| USA doesn’t come out of that comparison very well. You’d think that with the extortionate cost of passes, they would at least offer modern and efficient lift infrastructure. |
Both articles were written by the same reporter. It may have been a “grass greener on the other side…” syndrome.
| PeakyB wrote: |
I’ve not seen any recent data but imagine more N. American based people travel to Europe mainly for snowsports than t’other way round. |
I doubt it. I think it most likely to be similar.
Due to jet lag and needing a passport, most Americans don’t want the bother of traveling to Europe just for skiing when they have plenty of skiing within North America. (I think the passport thing is pretty big, judging from how quiet Canadian resort is compare to US resorts south of the border)
A lot of Americans go over to visit Europe during the less expensive time. For skiers who are typically quite tolerant of chilly weather, there’s no drawback in visiting during winter. In fact, combining it with a bit of skiing is killing 2 birds with one stone.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@abc, back in the day I skied and boarded outside the marked pistes quite often. Mostly deliberately.
I must add that I’m glad I was fortunate enough to enjoy several snowsports trips to the US before deciding not to bother again.
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FAQ
