WHERE TO SKI VACATION
 

MY WIFE AND I WOULD LIKE TO GO OUT WEST FOR A SKI VACATION AND WAS WONDERING WHERE TO GO THAT WAS NOT OVER CROWDED,HAS NICE INTERMEDIATE SKIING AND SOMEWHAT OF A NIGHTLIFE. ANY SUGGESTIONS WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. THANK YOU

I don't know where you are traveling from and how long a trip you are planning, but if you have the time I would highly recommend Whistler/Blackcomb in British Columbia. The intermediate skiing is phenomenal, and there is plenty of nightlife. An added bonus is the strength of the US dollar in Canada. <BR>Whistler can sometimes get crowded on the weekends when the Vancouver day skiers arrive, but the mountains are big enough that you can always find room to move. It is quieter if you stay on the Blackomb side, but its still only a 5 minute walk to Whistler village for a tremendous choice of restaurants and nightlife. Whistler is about a 2 hour ride from the Vancouver airport, but there is bus service; you won't need a car once you are there. <BR>If you want to stay in the states, you might want to consider Deer Valley/Park City in Utah.

Banff/Lake Louise is a great place to ski and uncrowded. The town of Banff has some decent restaurants and night life. Big Sky in Montana is another relatively uncrowded spot.

Dear Bruce, <BR>I agree with the Whistler discription.It has it all gorgeous location, wonderful restaurants and a real international flavor. I love Park City but, have found the lift lines long on weekends. Snow Mass has some of the best groomed intermediate slopes I have found and I love the restaurants there and in nearby Aspen.

Big Sky , Montana is fantastic! Great skiing - no lift lines - fast big chair lifts- not crowded - beautiful - Yellowstone Park 40 min. away - fly into Bozeman. Not "touristy like Colorado.

Bruce: SSSTOP SHOUTING!

Big Sky is my fave-been three times-go to Yellowstone to snowmobile thru the park-hurry-they may be shutting it down next year.To see Buffalo up close and personal, to have a wolf come from under a bridge and pose for the camera- wow-mother nature at her best,plus low time in line at Big Sky, lots of snow- <BR>Just got back from N.Conway,NH yesterday-snow was fab and condo nice there too-ain't nature grand??

Banff and Jasper have intermediate slopes for those of us that started on these types of mountains. For someone who is not used to the Rockies, they can be intimidating, at best. For very good intermediate, I like Whitefish or Big Sky. Big Sky does not have as much night life but is not as crowded as Whitefish. For a different flavour, there is Fernie, BC, Kimberley, BC or Invermere, BC. Having never skiied Whistler I cannot comment but my son is 27 and has skiied since 3 and that is where he loves to snowboard. He finds it challenging in places.

The problem with Whistler is it can rain and the snow can be wet & heavy because it is so close to the coast. Dnorrie made some great suggestions above.