Ski beginner...where to go at Christmas?
 

I used to ski, but it's been years and my wife has never been. She would like to go skiing around Christmas this year. I'm thinking CO or UT, but am open to CA or OR. I know most of the places in CA and OR, but nothing about CO or UT. Any ideas of which places would be best for beginner slopes will be welcome. I'll probably need a fly/ski package, though I'm not locked into that. We live in Gulf Shores, AL so it's probably a flight out of Pensacola or New Orleans.

Thanks!

Just an option og719 but western NC has some very nice slopes. 2002/2003 season was very good with excellent skiing. Highest elevations in eastern U.S. All offer great beginner slopes.

I know that you did not mention Vermont, but I had a great time as a first-time skier at Killington this past year. Their instructors were very good and they have a large learning area.

Around Christmas, you can't always be assured of a good base layer of snow in many areas, unless the resort has snowmaking capability. I was taken to Keystone/Breckenridge as a beginner, and that worked out well.

travellyn,

Snow base was a concern and that's why I was looking at CO and UT, vice east of the Mississippi. I'm not a New England lover and prefer the West, so hopefully I can get the info and make a semi-informed decision. Thanks!

I live in Colorado and have a small place at the base of Keystone. All my skiing has been in Colorado. At Christmas, Colorado typically has good snow. Any time before mid Dec. is very iffy. The resorts are lovely and the Christmas celebrations are fun. But the mountains will be very crowded. So I think it's hard to learn. Any of the major resorts (Breck, Vail, Keystone, Copper, WinterPark, Steamboat, Snowmass, Beaver Creek) will be good for a beginner. Avoid Aspen, Telluride, Crested Butte as they just have harder terrain. If you are flexable, come before Dec. 20th or after Jan. 4th. And think about what you might like besides skiing. The Colorado resorts vary in what other things they offer. I've also heard great things about Utah resorts - but I think many of my comments will still apply.

Julie, thanks a bunch! I had done a quick search and am leaning toward Beaver Creek. Haven't looked much at Keystone, but will research.

Beaver Creek is lovely - it's very, very upscale (outdoor esculator from the sidewalk to the ski lifts, people handing out hot cookies). And it's well off the beaten path yet quite accessable to a day at Vail. You probably will pay more there - for lodging and meals (my guess) but you will avoid some amount of holiday rush. If you decide on this go to the Vail resorts web site and look for very discounted passes (Vail includes Breckenridge, Vail, Beaver Creek, and Keystone). They generally blow out advance purchased passes, but only before the season starts.

Hello from Northwest Montana.
How about Big Mountain in Whitefish Montana? We normally have lots of snow by then and chair 6 is free which is the beginner's hill.For more info. try
www.bigmtn.com
Happy trails

I live in NC and have skiied the NC mountains. No comparison to the west, especially for a beginner--crowded and icy. You might shop for a package. I would venture that all of the Colorado areas have excellent ski schools and slopes. Buttermilk, near Snowmass and Aspen, is an all beginner/intermediate mountain. Snowmass is beautiful as well. Aspen/Ajax is an all intermediate to expert mountain so you can write that one off. The Colorado mountains will also probably have good snow at that time. It is also high season at Christmas so you need to be looking right now and expect to pay more.
We went to Vail a number of times and love it as well. You can ski Vail, Keystone,Copper and I think Arapahoe on one pass--they are about 20-30 miles apart in Summit County.

I'd cast my vote for Beaver Creek, as long as you're not too budget minded. Great beginner runs at the top of the Mountain and not the crowds like Breckenridge. You can go over to Vail for a day of skiing and/or for some night life too.

Just a clarification - you can ski Vail, Beaver Creek, A-basin (though really only for intermediate and above), Keystone, and Breck on one pass - but you generally pay more to add Vail and/or Beaver Creek.
Sometimes Copper partners with WinterPark on passes. . It's worth shopping for your passes in August/September on the internet - just read the small print around black out dates very carefully. Every year the resorts run different packages - yet it amazes me how many people come out and pay full price for lift tickets.

I am a beginner skier and I love Beaver Creek. It has some really nice easy, smooth flowing runs and unlike some ski areas, the runs are well marked which is important to those of us who are afraid to get on intermediate or more difficult ski slopes.