JasonWx wrote
Colo/AZ/NM/Tahoe had close to record snow falls last season.. Snowfall has become feast or famine..
I would wait til mid January before committing to any trips..
Well, while I love to be lucky enough to catch a powder storm, my approach to ski trips out west is quite different from powder chasers who travel solo. I've only been an advanced skier for 7-8 years.
Warning . . . the stories got long.
These days my trips out west always involve a few friends. Although I and my primary ski buddy, Bill from Albuquerque (another native New Yorker graduate of North Country School in Lake Placid), are retirees over 60, my other travel mates are still working. Most are over 55 and willing to pay for better lodging than a Days Inn motel room. They have to plan vacation time well in advance.
Best recent example of not caring about snow conditions was Feb 2018. A few friends and I planned a trip for a Taos Ski Week (6 consecutive morning lessons, same L3 instructor, about $300). We made lodging reservations in Sept at our favorite Inn near the TSV base (only 25 rooms). It was a low--REALLY low--snow year. Someone joining my crew for the first time kept asking if we were going to cancel. She lives within a few hours of Tahoe so more of a snow snob. Bottom line is that those of who had skied Taos before had no intention of cancelling. There was no black terrain open that week. But we had a ball and learned a lot on the long groomers, small bumps, even got a couple snowstorms. That trip included driving to Telluride afterwards. We wanted to check it out for the first time using the MCP. Obviously still low snow those 3 days. Caught a storm on Day 2 that dropped 9+ inches, with blue skies and fresh powder on Day 3.
The newbie to Taos understood by the second day of the Ski Week why we didn't cancel. She's joining me and the same friends again this Feb. (Skipped Taos last year because she skied Europe instead.)
My mid-season trip last winter was for about two weeks. I had most of it set up by Sept. Start and end dates were fixed, although I could extend at either end since I fly Southwest. The trip was based on driving with Bill from SLC to Bozeman for Bridger and Big Sky. We got rooms at a Bozeman motel and shared a gorgeous VRBO 3BR/2.5BA condo in Meadow Village for Big Sky. Had a couple others join us for Bozeman and Big Sky. Left the first two nights open. Decided a week before I flew out to head to Driggs to ski Targhee over Pres. Day weekend. Alternative plan was to ski around SLC before driving to MT.
Have never skied so much deep powder in my entire skiing life as during that trip. One of the best condos I've ever rented too. Can't get a place like that waiting until Jan to make travel plans. The good and relatively inexpensive places with lots of beds get snapped up early. It was the third time I shared a condo with friends at Big Sky.
Bottom line is that's how I plan for ski trips out west works for me and my friends regardless of snow conditions. A lot of variation exists for people's priorities and life realities when it comes to being an advanced ski nut.
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