schnauzer

We are thinking of a skiing holiday (coming from Oz) in our January school holidays which go until the end of January. We have an only child who will then be 16, he has skied a couple of times in New Zealand but lacks confidence. I am not a great skier either, my husband has more confidence. My question is where would a good resort be that would cater for different levels, have some teenage social events where my son could mix with others his age. It is very hard travelling with your parents at this age. He would like the Winter Wonderland feel to the resort, lots of atmosphere etc. I would like a hotel with ski in ski out facilities, I am not into trudging for miles with skis at the end of the day. I am a fair weather skier you see!!

Can anyone help? I have been to Breckenridge and Whistler, enjoyed both, but am very open to new suggestions. A lot of the treads appear quite old about skiing. Steamboat seems to appear a bit, any good for a not particularly good teenage skier? Somewhere with shops for me to look at would be good as well.

mooselywild

Eh- don't know how useful this will be to you. When I was a teenager, I had quite a few friends who really liked Leavenworth, Wa. (Stevens Pass? Maybe.) Leavenworth is a "Bavarian village". Very pretty. Lots to do- Major shopping! Big resort area too, very winter wonderland like. Major family destination, but I'm not sure if it's quite what you're looking for (social wise)(location) but everything else fits. Oh, well- here's the link

http://www.leavenworth.org

Check out the Denver, Colorado area too, maybe.

mooselywild

Hey- just found a great sight for you-
http://www.skiresorts.com/

schnauzer

thanks Mooselywild for the info. Leavenworth is a little bit too twee for me I'm afraid but thanks anyway. I have looked at the other site but discovered lots of foul language on the review section, which kind of put me off. I do appreciate your response though.

Someone else? any ideas? would love to hear from someone who has taken a teenager away with them who had a great experience.

mooselywild

Hmm...does twee mean "cutesy" or "overdone"? Just curious...if so, that's a refreshing opinion!

schnauzer

Yup moosely, it means overdone cutesy!!
I think it is an english expression. Didn't mean to offend anyone.

mooselywild

Not offended- definitely an "English" expression! I love studying languages: specifically origins and usage/definition. I just couldn't resist asking...and I probably should add that the "refreshing" remark was not meant as mocking/derogatory. It's just- most folks on vaca (and some in real life- ex: doggy cashmere sweaters) really seem to like "twee" things. <scratches head> Couldn't tell from your original post what you meant by "atmosphere". And sorry about the ski resorts link
-didn't look at the review section, just the "top resorts" part at the front- gave a nice overview of Whistler, Sugarloaf, etc. Anyway, good luck on find your dream holiday! Hope you have a terrific time!

Gretchen

The big major resorts will have terrain for all of you. You should all invest in a ski lesson also. It will make your visit much more enjoyable, see more of the mountain, vastly improve your skills and meet people. Coming from Oz you can choose from California areas or even go on to Colorado. But any of them will fulfill your skiing needs. I would choose Colorado--Vail, probably. The shuttle bus takes you to the slopes if you are not right on them.

Dreamer2

Hi Schnauzer,

Are you committed to the west? The atmosphere you are seeking could be found at either Sunday River, Maine or Smugglers Notch, Vermont. The latter might have more young children, however. Both are large resorts with great variety and ski in/out access. Lots of great long trails for cautious skiiers at Sunday River.

Most of the larger resorts have teen programs. Sign him up for a couple lessons at the beginning of the trip so he can meet some other kids his age and boost his confidence on the resort's terrain.

Weather in New England can be tempermental even in January, but these areas usually have plenty of natural snow, and have good snow-making facilities. New England skiing can be wetter, and occasionally icy, as compared to the west. But there are also more novice and intermediate trails, I believe. Not less challenging, as there are plenty of black trails, but more options for less confident skiiers. And, perhaps, generally less "twee."

Hmmm... but how do you get "Winter Wonderland" without "twee?"

By the way, for real Winter Wonderland, but no ski in/out access, check out The Mount Washington Resort in Bretton Woods, NH and the Trapp Family Lodge in Stowe, VT.

Dreamer2

Oh, sorry, Gretchen's post (while I was posting) reminded me of your origination. New England destination is probably just a bit too far. Best wishes for a great holiday.

schnauzer

thanks all for the posts. I am off to bed now!! late here in Oz. I thought Breckenridge had a wonderlandish feel without the twee!!!
Schnau

GoTravel

If it were me, I would go back to Whistler.

wliwl

Is Mont Tremblant too "twee?" My teenagers love it - and so do I. It's a blast. Lots of fun apres ski too.

crefloors

You might try Squaw Valley or North Star, both in the Lake Tahoe area. Both resorts have been upgraded extensively in the last several years and both offer runs of different difficulties. I don't ski anymore and never was great at it. I used to ski once a week on a regular basis and always took a half day ski lesson to improve my skills and it really helped me gain confidence and really added to my enjoyment of the sport. The Lake Tahoe area has many places to ski and is really a beautiful area, so you might want to check it out.

Gretchen

Having skiied in the East, South and West, stay west. Too icy in the east--crowded too. Snow quality is just so much better. And just a longer trip. There will be teenagers EVERYwhere, although maybe not as many at that particular time. Vail also offers the possibility of skiing 3 other major mountains within a half hour + A-Basin--all on one lift ticket (not A-Basin, I don't think, but Keystone, Breckenridge and Beaver Creek).

GoTravel

Agree, I would not travel all the way across the Pacific ocean to ski in the Eastern United States. Too icy and the mountains too small.

lvk

I agree about staying in the West. Some other family favorites:

Snowmass in Colorado
Park City, Utah

lisettemac

Park City. It's easy to get to (not a lengthy drive from the nearest airport), has 3 area resorts, lots of groomed trails, good ski schools (I can personally vouch for the one at Deer Valley), plenty of accommodations and a nice little town with stuff to do (restaurants, bars, galleries, shops, spa, etc). Not sure about teen events, but there will be other teens there. Note that Deer Valley does not allow snowboarders, but Park City and the Canyons (the other 2 area resorts) do.

Gretchen

But I will say that these Utah areas are smaller--and they can be steeper (Snowbird). Getting to them is easy--agreed. But you can also fly into Vail (Eagle)--or even Aspen. Ski a bunch of mountains at Aspen, although probably not Ajax (Aspen mtn--very advanced).

cheribob

Schnauzer,

There is a reason Steamboat appears so often in the threads. It is a very nice area with a lot of beginner/intermediate runs. It is where I learned to ski. I was just about your son's age when my parents took me there. It was my first Western ski trip!

For after skiing there is the resort area at the base of the Gondola called (The Mountain) and a few miles down Rt 40 is the town of Steamboat Springs. It is an old silver mining town.

I suggest that the whole family take a 3/4 day ski lesson package. It is the best way to improve quickly.

The Sheraton is located at the base of the mountain right near the Gondola. You can't get closer than that. Also the plaza area has a lot of shops & restaurants. There is also the Best Western Ptarmigan Inn located near the base.

I hope this helps.