Quote :

"I feel like it removes too much awareness. For safety's sake I'd prefer to hear everything and everyone around me. My $0.02."

I ski with my ipod now, but I keep the volume low enough that I can hear everything around me. However, I also ski mostly tree runs, bowls, and areas where I'm pretty much far away from people. Also a reason that I need a helmet. There are lots of trees and large rocks where I ski.

1/20/2010 10:00:31 AM

^if you're skiing a lot out west I can understand it more as its not as crowded and you can more do your own thing. I would definitely get a helmet with adjustable air vents. I usually close mine (if its pretty cold out) and open them up after most runs to expel some heat.

1/20/2010 3:48:27 PM

Leaving for Snowshoe tomorrow morning

1/21/2010 12:02:05 PM

Long shot but does anyone have any discounted lift tickets to wintergreen or winterplace and willing to sell?

1/21/2010 1:05:40 PM

I think Costco sells them at a discount.

1/21/2010 1:15:41 PM

this time next week i will be drinking high alcohol content microbrew beer in denver en route to vail and breckenridge for a 4 day weekend...

1/21/2010 3:48:50 PM

Agent, me and my gaggle are leaving American Airlines to Chicago at 6:30AM next Friday. Any chance you are on the same flight?

1/21/2010 4:17:15 PM

nah im thursday through monday. and out of Washington, DC. only skiing friday through sunday though

1/21/2010 4:28:42 PM

Quote :

"Long shot but does anyone have any discounted lift tickets to wintergreen or winterplace and willing to sell?"

Alpine Ski center in Raleigh sells discounted Wintergreen tickets (only wintergreen though) but I don't know how much of a discount it is.


Those of you that are going/have gone to Vail and such places, if you don't mind me asking, how much per person on average does it cost between airfare, lift tickets, lodging? I've never been out west but I'm dying to go so I'm curious if its even possible this season or plan ahead for next.

Also do you just book everything yourself or is there a 'orbitz' for skiing where you can get good vacation package deals.

[Edited on January 21, 2010 at 4:50 PM. Reason : .]

[Edited on January 21, 2010 at 4:50 PM. Reason : .]

1/21/2010 4:48:55 PM

We are flying to Jackson Hole for 7 days (5 skiable days) for around $800 per person. This includes lodging, airfare, rental car, and a 3 day prepaid lift ticket. Our lodging is nice, but not extravagent. If we wanted to be really cheap, we could have shaved another $150-200 off per person by using shuttles and staying in a cheaper place.

Lake Tahoe was about the same per day, even though we stayed for a shorter period and spent less.

Vail is on the expensive side or places you can go (I havent been there, just researched), but there are deals to be had there as well.

Going during the value season (right now, because it is cold as hell, but the snow is normally the best) gets you better rates on lift tickets and lodging. Jackson Hole Central Reservations was amazing. They saved me so much money it was crazy. Room ended up about $400 cheaper and they were able to not only book our airfare for $140 less than what I could find it online, they paid one of the airfare tickets for us.

Breakdown on this trip:
Airfare was about $275 per person after discount
Lodging was about $250 per person
prepaid lift ticket was $220 a person
share of rental car (15 person van) was $75 a person

Had I known I was going to end up with 11 people on the trip, I would have rented a cabin.

[Edited on January 21, 2010 at 4:59 PM. Reason : .]

1/21/2010 4:55:46 PM

ive got friends in denver to ride out with, and friends who work at the various mountains in the vail/breck/keystone area who get discounts on lift tickets etc, plus im going with like 8 other people so housing is super cheap (its cheap anyway this time of year)...ill probably spend $200 for the entire weekend, plus i think i paid about $300 for airfare out of DCA. but i also have all my own shit so i dont have to rent anything.

1/21/2010 5:01:33 PM

well damn...I went with a total of 3 couples to Snowshoe for New Years and we each paid $310 for lodging + 2 full day tickets each. We rented a 2 bedroom cabin. This didn't include the gas and maintenance on my car. $800 to go out west sounds like a great deal, it isn't as bad as I had imagined. so when does the value season end? End of February still apply?

1/21/2010 5:44:38 PM

if you buy 10 gallons of shell gas at specific stations in CO you can get buy one get one free lift tickets to copper and winterpark.

1/21/2010 6:04:17 PM

Quote :

"We are flying to Jackson Hole for 7 days (5 skiable days) for around $800 per person. This includes lodging, airfare, rental car, and a 3 day prepaid lift ticket. Our lodging is nice, but not extravagent. If we wanted to be really cheap, we could have shaved another $150-200 off per person by using shuttles and staying in a cheaper place."

Yeah man...CarZin hooked it up with both trips. He's a good source of info for this stuff.

1/21/2010 6:19:31 PM

i just got back from out west with dubcaps. we went to winter park, copper, and steamboat. steamboat really was a cut above the rest imo. it had the most powder left over, seeing as the area has been lacking this season.

i think i'm going to go back in the next 3-5 weeks though. can't really decide where to go. it's between jackson hole, tahoe (heavenly maybe), park city, or back to steamboat. i will probably watch the snow reports for the next 3 weeks and then go from there.

1/22/2010 7:22:58 AM

Colorado has been really lacking this year. If I were picking a place to go in the U.S. in the next couple of weeks, pretty much any resort around Lake Tahoe would be it. They have been DUMPED on. Kirkwood has received nearly 6 feet of snow in the last 3 days.

Wyoming seems to be the second best place.

1/22/2010 9:23:02 AM

Quote :

"well damn...I went with a total of 3 couples to Snowshoe for New Years and we each paid $310 for lodging + 2 full day tickets each. We rented a 2 bedroom cabin. This didn't include the gas and maintenance on my car. $800 to go out west sounds like a great deal, it isn't as bad as I had imagined. so when does the value season end? End of February still apply?"

I'm headed to Snowshoe next weekend, staying in Allegany Springs in the village. We booked an 8 person condo on the first floor for 3 nights at $1100. We're skiing two days and I was lucky enough to find someone on TWW that sold me 2 passes for $90. So without gas, food, or booze that's $227.50 which is a great deal.

Last weekend of February/First week of March I'm going to Park City, UT. I think there's 10 of us going, and we're renting a house that sleeps 12 for 5 nights at a cost of $330 per person. My flight to Salt Lake is $315. Add lift tickets, food, and booze and you're looking at $1000. We're going to be located by the public transportation so no need for a rental car.

In years past my CO and Lake Tahoe trips have run around $1000-1200. For the most part lift ticket fees are the same as the east coast. Depending on where you stay so are lodging rates. The big price differences are airline flights (obviously) and vehicle rental. Otherwise its mainly the same. Looking for deals is key. When I was out in CO a local tipped me off about getting a coupon booket at the grocery store. It cost $10 but inside had 4 buy one get one free lift tickets for Copper. Each of one of those saved us $40.

[Edited on January 22, 2010 at 10:19 AM. Reason : 5]

1/22/2010 10:18:31 AM

Often times you can find lift tickets for places out west on ebay. Last year I got 8 lift tickets for Copper for $200, which would have been $92/day if we bought at the mountain.

1/22/2010 11:11:07 AM

^ You can get them discounted through Cisco's Corporate Perks site too.

1/22/2010 11:18:41 AM

^^$92? WTF?! Two years ago they were $80. If they jumped up $12 in one year...well what a bunch of pricks.

1/22/2010 12:01:59 PM

^steamboat was $95 iirc

1/22/2010 1:28:11 PM

Geez I can't believe how expensive lift tickets are in the States now

1/23/2010 12:43:17 AM

we're doing snowshoe next weekend

15 people @ 107 for the house + $61/day for lift tickets = $227 for the weekend, plus booze and food.

and i'll probably spend $50 or so on gas since i'm driving by myself (everyone else is coming from raleigh).

1/23/2010 9:25:07 AM

Nice. We'll be up there next weekend too. We ended up paying a bit more. $253 per person for 8 people in the village (we're staying 3 nights). I am getting the lift tix from Costco this weekend for $116 each for 2 days of skiing.

10 day shows it cooling down significantly by next weekend.

1/23/2010 10:05:12 AM

driving up to Snowshoe this afternoon and gonna board sunday and monday. The weekend crowds up there suck balls

1/23/2010 10:18:17 AM

Anyone want to buy my old board? It's an Evol. 160cm long and it's the wide version. Not sure the model. Sized for 6'0ish person (give or take a few inches) with big feet.

Pics probably tomorrow. I completely stripped it, filled the notable scratches with P-tex, sanded the base, and re-waxed with Toko wax today (the good stuff). Also sharpened the edges with an edge tool. It is ready to ride and should be super fast with the fresh wax job. Top is in great shape with no major scratches and the edges are not beat up at all. Looking for $120ish.

1/23/2010 11:30:21 PM

Board sizing has jack shit to do with height. It's all about weight. Your board will fit someone around 200 lbs, give or take 10 depending on what they want to use it for.

1/24/2010 11:07:35 AM

You definitely need to take height into the equation. I wouldn't recommend a 160 to someone who weighed 200 lbs but was only 5'6", yet I would recommend it to a freerider who was 6'0" and only 180 lbs. The short guy would have a pretty tough time trying to turn that thing without being able to set up a normal stance width. Weight does weigh (pun) more heavily into the mix, though.

[Edited on January 24, 2010 at 11:37 AM. Reason : .]

1/24/2010 11:36:46 AM

i've always subscribed to the theory that the board can't tell how tall you are when you're standing on top of it. all it really knows is how much weight you are distributing over it. if someone is 5'-5" and weighs 210 lbs, therefore not having a stance width to accommodate the board, then they should take up running first, then come back to snowboarding at a later more agile time O.o

1/24/2010 11:43:47 AM

Total fucking noob coming ITT here, but over the past couple years, I've found myself wanting to go skiing or snowboarding (I've been told SB is easier, but I don't know), just because I've never done it. I was thinking about grabbing a couple friends and going somewhere in the area for an overnight trip or something, hopefully during the week to lessen the crowds. Was hoping maybe some of you guys could answer some questions and offer some advice.

- Where should I look into going? If it's a place in NC, it would be easier.
- Do I need to be careful to look for certain conditions when we go, and avoid going if certain conditions exist (lack of powder, icy, etc)?
- What should I expect from rental equipment. I'm 6'5'', approx 260 lbs, size 14 shoe. I don't know if thats normal enough that they would have fitting equipment. I'd probably prefer to snowboard.
- What should I plan on paying for rental equipment/lift ticket/and lodging for a night? Are there ways to get deals for something?
- Finally, what's my time frame for going. If I wanted to go this season, what would be the latest I could feasibly plan on going?

Thanks for the advice. I don't know when I could pull something like this together, but obviously some advice from folks who are familiar with this stuff would help me plan a better trip.

1/24/2010 12:17:23 PM

Feeling even better about jackson hole... 4 feet of snow since Monday (3 in the last 48 hours).

1/24/2010 12:24:14 PM

Height comes into play for stance and leverage. How much you weigh plays in how well the board rides on top of the snow, but if all that weight is down low you're going to have a hard time slinging a long board around.

And yes, you're probably right about the weight range of the board although I'd probably say give or take 20 lbs at least and also consider the primary use. If you're trying to ride the park and hit obstacles then this board is probably a little long unless you're really big. If you want to freeride on powder out west then a 6' tall and rather lean guy might want a board like this. There are so many variables that you really need to find a board that fits your own personal size, capabilities, and style.

[Edited on January 24, 2010 at 1:26 PM. Reason : l]

1/24/2010 1:26:02 PM

dear skack,

i truly would love nothing more than to continue disagreeing with you in word, whilst for the most part agreeing with you in principle, however, i must cease and desist. it seems that we stand on opposite sides of a divide, albeit a small and inconsequential one. after review of the points which you have laid before me, i simply must submit that you are indeed an intelligent life form on this otherwise stark planet (read:message board). may you thoroughly enjoy the rest of your sunday. good day to you sir!

most graciously, bigt716

1/24/2010 1:37:12 PM

So, mapquest is giving me a new route from Raleigh to Snowshoe for some reason. Different than past years. Is US-220 having construction or something?

It tells me to take NC-86 exit in Hillsborough to US-29. What gives?

1/24/2010 2:54:47 PM

^ google maps seemed to have changed up the route, too. US-220 is open, just drove up here to Snowshoe yesterday. Here's the directions from snowshoe's website that we followed, and all of the roads were fine:

"Raleigh-Durham, Greensboro Area: North on US-220 to Roanoke and on to Clifton Forge, VA, then I-64 West to White Sulphur Springs, then 92 North to WV-39 West to Marlinton, WV; and 26 miles North on US-219 to Snowshoe. (Highway 92 is a very drivable route from I-64 to WV39)."

1/24/2010 5:13:49 PM

^^ It's a trap!

1/24/2010 7:27:01 PM

Mapquest totally fucked me on the way to Snowshoe. Ended up buying a map at a gas station. Do not recommend.

1/24/2010 8:19:53 PM

^^^Yeah that's the way we usually go.

1/24/2010 9:14:47 PM

^6 I agree fully.

Now buy my stuff. It is perfect for skinny tall or chunky short people who ride anywhere in the USA except Pullen Park. Never ride this board in Pullen Park.

1/24/2010 11:17:50 PM

So there is some discussion with the NWS that Friday and into Saturday AM could be a BIG ONE up there. Heavy snow and very cold... I'm hoping the heaviest holds off until after 7 or 8 on Friday!

1/25/2010 6:00:37 PM

Anyone wanna help me set up my new snowboard? I'm a complete n00b and bought some new (cheap)stuff online. I'm sure there's more to just bolting the bindings to the board. Not sure how to adjust the angle, etc.

157cm Lamar Diablo board
Flow Flite 3 Bindings
Burton Invader boots

1/25/2010 6:11:04 PM

^^ yeah it's looking like it could be an adventurous drive up from asheville. guess i'll hit the road even earlier, i was trying to get up there by noon.

1/25/2010 6:43:30 PM

anyone in need of women's snowboard/ski pants? i bought these for my gf but they were too long. they are orage chicas in jade, size L. $40 and i'll even ship them for free if you are out of town/lazy.

1/25/2010 6:45:07 PM

Anyone care to answer my b00b ass post from above? It'll take 3 seconds to give your recommendation.

1/26/2010 12:25:04 AM

Quote :

"I've been told SB is easier"

Who told you that? Just curious, because in my own personal experience, and everyone I've ever discussed it with for that matter, has come to the exact opposite conclusion. At least when starting out, I believe skiing to be more natural and "easier". However, once you get the basics down, I don't think that one can really be considered easier than the other, since progression is technically an infinite process.

Quote :

" - Where should I look into going? If it's a place in NC, it would be easier. - Do I need to be careful to look for certain conditions when we go, and avoid going if certain conditions exist (lack of powder, icy, etc)? - What should I expect from rental equipment. I'm 6'5'', approx 260 lbs, size 14 shoe. I don't know if thats normal enough that they would have fitting equipment. I'd probably prefer to snowboard. - What should I plan on paying for rental equipment/lift ticket/and lodging for a night? Are there ways to get deals for something? - Finally, what's my time frame for going. If I wanted to go this season, what would be the latest I could feasibly plan on going? Thanks for the advice. I don't know when I could pull something like this together, but obviously some advice from folks who are familiar with this stuff would help me plan a better trip."

- Within about 3.5 hours from Raleigh are Wintergreen, Sugar, Beech, and App in order of size. All except Wintergreen are in NC. All of those except App are in the same class, App being much smaller. Snowshoe in West Virginia is probably the first choice of most in the Southesast due to having much more acreage as well as a classier resort. I couldn't comment on who has the best lessons.
- If you're looking to go in NC I would look to make sure they have a certain condition that I like to call "snow". Basically, that's my way of saying any day with snow in the mountains of NC is a good day. Obviously 100% open is ideal, but I've seen completely bare this time of the year in the past from a few weeks of above average temps. Mainly I like to avoid ice, which you get when the highs are above freezing and the lows below freezing. Happily, this happens to be the weather trend in the Southeast so, w00t! Skiing/riding on slush is generally more pleasant than ice as long as you're waterproofed.
- Ouch, Sasquatch. You need a long, WIDE, board. Wide is the keyword here, because with a 14 boot you'll get way too much overhang if it's not a wide. I'd make sure wherever you rent from has a board ~ 165-168cm with a waist of at least 265mm. Again I couldn't comment on the best place to rent from.
- There are so many variables here I'm not even going to try to spit out a number. Depends on where you go, what day of the week you go, what time of the season you go, how many people you are going with, etc. There's been a lot of discussion about this in this thread. Lodging is probably the most flexible as far as getting a deal and packages will often save some money, however, there are a few other ways to save some cash. For example, I know that Alpine Ski Center has reduced price lift tickets for Wintergreen and that Beech Mountain does half price lift tickets on Tuesdays.
- Like I noted before, there's no telling in North Carolina. They could have a cold spell and last all of March or go the complete opposite direction. The best way to get a good trip is be flexible and follow the weather. If you plan anything more than a week out you're always rolling the dice a little. Places like Snowshoe are an advantage in planning a trip since they average much colder weather.

1/26/2010 2:16:41 AM

Quote :

"Anyone wanna help me set up my new snowboard? I'm a complete n00b and bought some new (cheap)stuff online. I'm sure there's more to just bolting the bindings to the board. Not sure how to adjust the angle, etc."

It's not worth it to you or me to write out instructions, since there's so many out there on the web. Look up "mounting snowboard bindings" on Google and let us know if you have any specific questions or run into any problems.

Some n00b pointers:

Start with a mild stance angle. Something like +15/0, +18/6. You don't need some crazy +15/-15 pipe rider duck stance because you saw that some pro was using it. You and your knees will thank me.

Stay away from Lamar. Oh shit, too late. However, it's probably a lot better that you got one of their boards and not their bindings. I had a pair of those fuckers years ago and literally snapped the base plate from the binding on my first run. Tried sending them an email about their defective bullshit product, since it was the only way to contact them at the time, and all I got was a return from the mailer-daemon saying their mailbox was full. I knew I was getting cheap, but I didn't know I was getting pure shit that could have easily caused me bodily harm.

Other than that, Flows are great, especially when you're starting out, because it gives you that much more time on the hill. I still miss the convenience, but I find that I get more response out of conventional bindings.

1/26/2010 2:38:51 AM

and i just got the email indicating my first class upgrade for my flight. shit is perfect. do not lie.

1/26/2010 8:15:47 AM

^ Congrats.

The flows will have some adjustments that you need to make before you put them on the board. Usually they are as follows:

- Forward/backward adjustment of the toe hold; done by moving the two front and two rear straps forward or backward. This will affect how easily the back of the binding slips over the heel of your boot. You want it to be set up so that when the boot is stuffed in the toe plate you can have just enough room to flip the back of the binding up without it hanging up on the heel of the boot. If there is a ton of room you might want to move the toe hold back a little. If it is binding you want to move it forward.

- Angle of the heel plate. Some bindings have a rough adjustment that is done by moving the cable on the bottom of the baseplate into a different slot. There is probably also a more precise adjustment that is some sort of dial on the heel plate. Just give it a moderate amount of lean, 5-7 degrees when the binding is sitting flat, and ride with it. Once you get used to it you might want to dial it a little more forward.

- Look to see if the little ramp under the balls of your feet/toes can move in and out. Adjust it so that it kinda fits the location of your toes in the boots.

Then bolt them onto the board. There will probably be four front to rear (stance width) selections that the holes line up on each binding. If, for example, you set the board up symmetrically you would be choosing position 1, 2, 3, or 4 counting from inside to outside. Position 1 has the bindings very close together, position 4 has the widest stance. Go with position 3 at first. The "semi-wide" stance will make it stable and help you turn in quicker.

You also have to choose where the binding sits on the board width wise. I just go by foot size. If you have huge feet with toes that like to hang over the edge of the board move them back. Middle sized feet go with the middle, and I guess if you have tiny feet you might want to put them at the toe edge of the board. Basically, you want your foot centered in the board pretty well so that neither your toes nor your heels are hanging off.

I'd duck them slightly. I'm used to a really ducked out stance from wakeboarding, so I go +15 in the front and -15 in the rear (or vice versa; can't remember +/- for sure). You might want +15 in the front and -5 in the rear or maybe even 0 in the rear. Either way, you want your front foot turned out a good bit and your rear neutral or barely turned out.

[Edited on January 26, 2010 at 10:20 AM. Reason : s]

[Edited on January 26, 2010 at 10:20 AM. Reason : l]

1/26/2010 10:17:55 AM

should be a big snow event at snowshoe this weekend!!

1/26/2010 10:40:35 AM

Anyone going to snowshoe want to let me tag along?! I could break up your pricing!! At this point it looks like I'm going by myself...

1/26/2010 11:53:31 AM