crabbie74

Here are my picks: Park City (I learned to ski there when I was a kid), Lake Tahoe, North Shore is better for families (North Star, or Alpine Meadows- Squaw Valley was boring to me. It was like skiing on an angled football field).

I would not go to the Northeast if I were you. I skiied at Killington, Vermont once and it was the worst skiiing experience of my life. Extremely cold and the slopes were completely icy. Plus, the elevations were not very high.

P.S.- I was a teenager when I went to Lake Tahoe and it was pretty fun for me. There is a lot to do and lots of other kids there. Park City is also nice and that's where they have the Sundance Film Festival. There's also lots to do there.

schnauzer

thanks everyone for all your advice, all taken on board and being processed!! Would you believe Europe has now entered the equation? I would prefer the states mainly because it is closer and we can also see Disneyland on the way up and maybe Hawaii on the way back hmm more choices oh no.
Schnauzer

jett

Just went to Steamboat last March and have skied at a few other ski areas out west including Whistler, Jackson Hole, Lake Louise, Sunshine Village, Mammoth and Squaw Valley. I would disagree with cheribob about Steamboat being a good area for beginners. The beginners area is very small and is located directly in front of the Sheraton, which tends to get very congested with all types of skier traffic, not just beginners. In fact, in my opinion, the whole mountain is poorly laid out. Other than the small beginner area at the base, the rest of the mountain is more for intermediate to advanced skiers. Fantastic snow however, probably the best snow I have ever skied. The mountain itself is quite decieving when viewed from the base and is quite large overall with very little beginner terrain, especially for someone who lacks confidence and does not ski much. Also, Steamboat really needs to invest some money into new lifts, which are becoming quite antiquated on some slopes. I would rethink Steamboat as a good choice for a true beginner skier.

Dreamer2

If you are a timid skiier, Europe is probably not for you. You have the icy skiing like New England, plus the steep elevations of the west. In particular, the Bavarian Tyrol area is not easy terrain. Plus, convenient comforts are not as readily available. Absolutely gorgeous, but longer hikes from lodge to lifts, disorderly "lines," not much snow making for that fresh surface, etc.

Although I agree that the NorthEast wouldn't suit you for this trip, I wouldn't judge an entire region based on anybody's one trip to one mountain.

In my original post I was thinking you were from UK ( "twee" ), and therefore coming from the opposite direction. My aplogies.

GoTravel

Dreamer, my experiences with the East Coast are multiple trips to Killington, Snowshoe, Wintergreen, Massenhutten, Beech Mountain and Sugar Mountain.

I would never overgeneralize one area with one trip to one mountain. I don't know lvk's experience but by reading Gretchen's posts, I doubt her east coast skiing experience is one trip to one mountain either.

padams421

I suggest Vail- tons of terrain at all levels. Pedestrian friendly village, where your teen might find other teens. You could ski a day or two at Beaver Creek (great for beginners and intermediates). Vail runs a teen ski school class (there's plenty of intruction but it's really just a way for teens to ski with their peers and not their parents). However, at the end of Jan., most US kids are in school so the teen population may be low except on weekends.

My 2nd choice for you would be Whistler. The only problems with Whistler are the incinsistent weather and snow conditions. Whistler also runs ski classes/groups for teens.

You might try doing some research on the message boards at www.epicski.com. The board attracts skiers, not travelers who ski (which you usually find here). The boards may be a little quiet since it's off-season here.

Also, for Europe, look at www.ski-europe.com

dfinley

We went to Park City Utah last year between Christmas and New Years with our 15 year old son. We flew into Salt Lake City and made the 40 minute easy drive to Park City. We really enjoyed it. His 2nd time skiing. He also went snowmobiling with my husband while I shopped at the outlet mall. (Idon't ski) Deer Valley was beautiful and the Stein Ericsson Lodge was great. We did not stay there but if we return would love too. We stayed in a 2 room condo at The Lodge at the Mountain Village. We had a kitchen and den with murphey bed in room and a full bedroom and bath in other room. It was a 2 bathroom. It was ski in ski out and overlooked the ice skating rink.

enzian

Hi Schnauzer,

When my boys were teens I took them all over the Western U.S. to ski. Their favorite places (and mine) were/are Whistler and Snowbird/Alta in Utah. They liked Whistler for the village and apres-ski activities, but think the snow is better (actually the best!) at Snowbird/Alta. You can get a condo at Snowbird or a hotel with full board at Alta---either would be a very short walk (5 min.) to the lifts. Or, Gold Miner's Daughter at Alta is ski in/out. Both resorts (which are connected and offer a combined lift ticket if you like) offer a variety of terrain. I am an intermediate skier but find that the great dry Utah snow gives me confidence and makes me a better skier.

Park City is not a good choice in January because the Sundance Film Festival totally fills up the town, and you can't get in to restaurants, etc. My son found it very frustrating last January. It will be January 18-28 in 2007.

The nice thing about January is that most resorts offer "low season" pricing. However, U.S. kids will not be on holiday then, so you may encounter few other teens until the weekend.

There are also some new places in British Columbia, in the interior not the coast like Whistler, that have become very popular with my friends (we live in Seattle, Washington). Sun Peaks and Big White are the two I hear mentioned a lot. They are lower-key than Whistler, but have that "village" atmosphere and I believe they have ski in/out accomodations.

Two more places I should mention are in Montana: Big Sky, near Yellowstone Park, and Big Mountain, at Whitefish. Of the two, Big Mountain probably has better terrain for you. You can get there by overnight train from Seattle. The resort has a shuttle that meets the train and takes you up to the mountain. Big Sky you would reach by plane to Bozeman, Montana, with a shuttle from there. I believe the resort offers snowcat trips into Yellowstone National Park to see wildlife.

padams421

Enzian makes a good point. You don't want to be in Park City or Deer Valley during the Sundance Film Festival. We went to DV during the festival and endured huge crowds and traffic. Don't go there during the festival.

enzian

And padams421 makes a good point about Vail, which I didn't mention 'cuz I've only been there in the summer (so our "skiing all over the West" didn't extend as far as Colorado).

Vail has a nice pedestrian village, similar to Whistler if you count only the original Whistler Village. What would be the ski in/out accomodations there? The Christiana? What else?

Gretchen

"Ski in" in Vail would be hotels at the base of the mountain. Don't even know if it is there any more but Manor Vail was our favorite--it is where the snowboard park is now.
Skiing in Europe might be fun but there is a whole host of stuff to put up with plus, they do not groom their slopes as much as we do in the US, making the terrain harder for those of us who aren't experts.

wliwl

When I recommended Tremblant, I didn't realize the OP was "crossing the Pacific Ocean" (what does coming from Oz mean?!).

So, in that case, yeah, I'd stay out west.

mooselywild

Oz is a fairly common nickname for Australia......first time I heard it, a friend said she though it was because Australia was so unique...(animals, etc.)

schnauzer

It is often referred to as Oz because a lot of aussies have very nasal accents and when they say Australia it sounds like Orzstraya - and aussies have to shorten everything, thus Oz. Sorry for the confusion.

We thought it might be nice to warm up after the skiing. I might do another post about other locations to tack onto the skiing bit. Again, when you fly these distances you have to make it worth your while!

Abby43

Here are my 2 cents...have skied all around the world but my favorite is Whistler. The town is awesome-heaps of shops, restaurants, families, and not too expensive either (well, I am from USA so my dollar was a bit better up there). Haven't been in a few years but while it is a challenging mountain there is enough for everyone. I used to see lots of kids his age around the village, which is very safe. There is also a recreation center with ice skating and just so much to do.

I second lisettemac and also vote for Park City and Deer Valley. DV is very chic but not that difficult a mountain to ski. Of course it is challening but it's just not like Vail or Jackson Hole that have some really steep terrain. Park City is great, more varied terrain, and a great town again with shops, restaurants, and other activities. It's also so close to SLC that you could rent a car (maybe there is a shuttle) and go to other areas like Alta to ski as well.

I love Vail. It's just fabulous but there is some terrain that is very difficult but you could also go to Beaver Creek which I found to be much easier and more for "intermediate" to beginning skiers. It is also very chic, and I saw more ppl sitting around drinking at lunch than I did on the slopes.

I also adore Breck. Great town, great long runs, nice people.

Can't go wrong unless you choose to go somewhere very small or to the East Coast-don't do it! The snow and weather is too unpredictable. Good luck and have a great time!

janisj

If you want to also see Disney and/or Hawaii, I think any of the northern CA/NV resorts make a better fit.

There are MANY good ski resorts all around Lake Tahoe (many already mentioned), or Bear Valley, or there is Badger Pass in Yosemite national Park (an AMAZING place where you can take the shuttle bus up to Badger and then in the afternoon go back "home to your room on the floor of the Valley w/ views of Yosemite Falls.

All of the above are convenient to SF for flights to HI, and you could also fly to either SF or Reno from Orange County or LAX.

Nora_S

Abby43---you must not have read through the whole thread. Someone pointed out that Park City is not an option in late January because of the Sundance Film Festival. It's a zoo---not a good time to go for skiing.

And the rest of you---keep in mind that they will be traveling from Australia, and need a place that is relatively easy to get to by public transport. To me, that suggests (given their interest and abilities) Alta/Snowbird (Canyon vans direct from SLC airport); or Vail. Possibly some others, but not Vermont, not Europe, not Badger Pass in Yosemite.

janisj

Gee - I've only driven to Badger Pass once - every other trip was by public transport . . . . . There are daily buses from San Francisco, or it is an easy drive from SF/Oakland/San Jose/Sacramento airports.

And the Tahoe resorts are convenient to RNO, SMF, and SFO airports by either buses/shuttles or rental cars.

An open jaw into LA and out of SFO through HI woulld be a very easy loop. Fly into LAX. Visit Disneyland. Fly to Reno or Sacramento. Ski Tahoe or Yosemite. Fly out of SFO to Hawaii and then on to Oz. Most of my Brit an Oz friends have visited Tahoe and they usually fly from Reno to SFO and catch their intercontinental flights from there.

lisettemac

I would NOT recommend Alta/Snowbird since the OP has indicated that their 16 yr old isn't an experienced skiier and they are looking for a place with lots of "winter wonderland" atmosphere. Alta/Snowbird is for experienced skiiers and there isn't much "town" or non-ski activities (shops, restaurants, galleries, clubs, etc).

enzian

Hmmmm. . . I guess we all import different meaning to the term "Winter Wonderland." But I don't see how South Lake Tahoe/Heavenly could fit in there under anyone's definition.

What about Northstar at North Lake Tahoe? I haven't skied there, but I do know it is supposed to be "family-friendly" and good for beginner to intermediate skiers.

What about focusing on places with the ski in/out hotels that Schnauzer specified, along with the Winter Wonderland feeling, and good beginner/intermediate runs. Does that leave only Vail, Whistler, and the new BC resorts (Sun Peaks, Big White)? Those are the places that families I know go (along with Snowbird/Alta, which seems to have been rejected) but there must be others. What about Solitude, Utah--they have easier terrain than Snowbird.

And Schnauzer, I know you have been to Whistler already and are considering something different, but I think for the best combination of what you want, it's hard to beat the on-mountain condos on Blackcomb Mountain.