Woo hoo! Got my Ikon pass today!

Also Abasin in Colorado.

Benny Profane wrote

Also Abasin in Colorado.

Good catch.  Thanks!  I knew that but obviously forgot to update my personal list.  Updated the post.

Abasin sent me over the edge and convinced me to buy, even though I have a Killington pass and Sugarbush Boomer pass. April can be awesome there, and Copper ain't too bad, either.

So many options. I have the luxury of waiting until February to make a decision. Play the conditions. A few years ago, SLC was awful, but Big Sky was awesome. Drove down to Jackson, and suddenly SLC gets a dump. If the east is good, stay here.

marznc wrote

Moglmike wrote

I have not been out west in long time, how is it taking skis on a plane, thanks for the info this is a cool place I stumbled into,

Skis are not considered oversized.  Need some sort of bag, soft or hard.  The catch if you don't fly Southwest is the baggage fees.  Also should figure out how to carry boots on the plane.  Start a new thread about packing if you want to learn more.

I bought this bag a year or so ago to use as an overnight or short weekend bag, and was pleasantly surprised at how well it adapted to being a boot bag for air travel. Fits the boots on the bottom and plenty of stuff on top. Great overhead size. Backpack straps free your hands to drag another bag through airports.

https://www.patagonia.com/product/black-hole-duffel-bag-55-liters/49342.html

Also, I like my Burton snowboard bag for skis. I pack my ski clothes and stuff in there to protect them. Just be sure it's long enough for your longest skis. Now, if they only could make a bag that is immune to baggage handling damage. I swear there are people back there with box cutters just waiting to slice my stuff.

This is great info, I guess I really don't fly much because of not being used to booking and logistics so I end up driving.
The Ikon is making me think of trying to do a couple weeks out west rent a car and cruise to where ever I can, is Denver best place to fly into to start from?  Thanks!

With the Ikon, SLC is a better in and out. Almost the same distance, lots of direct flights, and the ski hills are closer to the airport.

Or, you could fly into SLC, ski there, and drive to Denver, doing the Aspen mountains and Summit County along the way.

Benny Profane wrote

Also, I like my Burton snowboard bag for skis. I pack my ski clothes and stuff in there to protect them. Just be sure it's long enough for your longest skis. Now, if they only could make a bag that is immune to baggage handling damage. I swear there are people back there with box cutters just waiting to slice my stuff.

I have been using a sportube for years, great way to take your skis although packing them in there is a little funky. No worries about the bag getting ripped.

I also got a Sportube.  Went for the version the holds 2 pairs of skis, even though most of the time I only take one.  Leaves room for other bulky stuff or my daughter's skis if she flies with me.  Or a new pair of skis if I find a deal on demo skis. ;-)

Only downside to a hardcase is that it takes up more room in the car after arrival.  I also have a DB Slim Jim that's a single soft bag with wheels.  It rolls up for storage.  Had soft bags without wheels back in the 1990s and won't use those flying any more.

Moglmike wrote

This is great info, I guess I really don't fly much because of not being used to booking and logistics so I end up driving.
The Ikon is making me think of trying to do a couple weeks out west rent a car and cruise to where ever I can, is Denver best place to fly into to start from?  Thanks!

I agree that SLC is better for skiing unless someone has an Epic pass or really likes to ski in Colorado.  Plane tickets are cheaper to Denver but rental car rates are quite steep.  Need to look at all the transportation costs and time spent driving.  Then decide on your priorities.

From SLC, I've done trips that involved driving to Sun Valley, Grand Targhee on the way to Bozeman and Big Sky, or Jackson Hole.  This winter, my friends and I will drive to Steamboat after skiing in SLC for a few days.  Then I'll fly east from Denver, as will another friend who lives in the midwest.

Don't have to worry about the SLC airport shutting down due to snowstorms.  Doesn't happen that often in Denver but definitely can be delays due to winter storms.

Only problem with SLC is SLC. At least you leave Denver and hour behind in the rear view after landing there.

Benny Profane wrote

Only problem with SLC is SLC. At least you leave Denver and hour behind in the rear view after landing there.

That’s why you fly in on the night flight and get the shuttle to Alta and never touch SLC. When I do stay in town I have a few favorite restaurants that make it all worthwhile.

Well, I'm no baller, so beds in town are in my budget range, and, yeah, the Mexican food is so much better than around here.
Plus, staying near the base of the canyons allows for versatility and choices in the morning. If one canyon road is down due to to plowing or avalanche, go to the other, or up to Deer Valley. Last thing I want is to get interlodged for 48 hours up at Alta.

Benny Profane wrote

Well, I'm no baller, so beds in town are in my budget range, and, yeah, the Mexican food is so much better than around here.
Plus, staying near the base of the canyons allows for versatility and choices in the morning. If one canyon road is down due to to plowing or avalanche, go to the other, or up to Deer Valley. Last thing I want is to get interlodged for 48 hours up at Alta.

My mid-season trips to Utah involve sharing a house with friends in SLC.  With a little research, everyone gets their own bedroom (3-4 people) and it's cheaper than a motel room.  Favorite restaurant is Mom's Kitchen for Chinese/Taiwanese food.  No frills, just good food, especially if willing to get advice for ordering from the Chinese-only menu.

Must admit I'm totally spoiled with late season stays at Alta Lodge meeting up with friends, usually in April for the last couple weeks of the season.  Only full day I missed in the last 10 years was when the lifts never opened due to driving rain in the morning and threats of thunderstorms all day.  That was a trip with my daughter when she was a tween.  There plenty of other kids in the Lodge too.  They had so much fun together that it didn't matter at all.  Last April there was Interlodge 2-3 times.  Only from 6:30-8:30am because of powder storms.  I think the road opened at 9:00 or 9:30.  Needless to say, the skiing in the morning was fabulous. :-)

Milo Maltbie wrote

Seven weeks to Killington.

mm

Got an Ikon email with "projected opening" dates for the east.  Ironically, the only date missing is for Killington since that depends so much on the weather in the next few weeks.  K'ton open on 10/19 last year and 11/9 in 2017.

2019 Projected Opening Dates as of 10/10/19
Nov 9: Sunday River
Nov 16: Loon
Nov 22: Sugarloaf
Nov 22: Snowshoe
Nov 23: Stratton
Nov 23: Sugarbush

Boyne Resorts has been doing a lot of snowmaking infrastructure improvements since buying back Loon, Sunday River, and Sugarloaf from OZ.  For SR, they recently added four 500-horsepower pumps to pull more water from the river, especially during pre- season and early season for building the base.

Abasin/Summit County is so much better in April. A couple of my better pow days were early April weekdays at Loveland, not just because of the fresh, but, nobody was there. Denver people lose interest in skiing when it gets warm down there.

Benny Profane wrote

Well, I'm no baller, so beds in town are in my budget range, and, yeah, the Mexican food is so much better than around here.
Plus, staying near the base of the canyons allows for versatility and choices in the morning. If one canyon road is down due to to plowing or avalanche, go to the other, or up to Deer Valley. Last thing I want is to get interlodged for 48 hours up at Alta.

Stayed in the condos at the base of BCC in the Canyon Racquet club many times and at the Marriott RI in Sandy (with points to go real cheap) but I have gotten to the point I just say F'it, I'd rather fly in, take the Alta shuttle and stay at GMD. Been doing that for almost 20 years now, only missed one or two years along the way. Yea - it's expensive but it's great to be able to just roll out of bed and have all your meals taken care of. Only been interlodged once for 48 hours and  maybe two times of a few hours in the AM over the years I've gone there.   Not bad for that span of time. However in the 90's I was forced to leave mid afternoon due to afternoon canyon road closure (when I stay in the valley)  while those staying in the lodges skied on in the falling afternoon snow.

But with regards to Mex - and we have mentioned it here before, I do miss going to the red iguana. Last time I was there was about 14 years ago.

Looks like renting a car at SLC over $500 for 2 weeks, maybe better to shuttle to a mountain, are the mountains out west 5 days only on the $749 Ikon? or if they are for more days maybe I commit to one mountain and try and stay near the slopes,  I have only skied Pergatory (now Durango) Vail, Beaver Creek & Targhee, none in the past 15 plus years.
I am trying to figure on getting an Ikon even tho I got a mid week pass at Kiilington, The info I am getting as I said is awesome I appreciate such cool people 😎
Wondering timing  to go, maybe I try for more then one trip, plenty of airports to fly out of around here
Thanks!

PeeTex wrote

Benny Profane wrote

Well, I'm no baller, so beds in town are in my budget range, and, yeah, the Mexican food is so much better than around here.
Plus, staying near the base of the canyons allows for versatility and choices in the morning. If one canyon road is down due to to plowing or avalanche, go to the other, or up to Deer Valley. Last thing I want is to get interlodged for 48 hours up at Alta.

Stayed in the condos at the base of BCC in the Canyon Racquet club many times and at the Marriott RI in Sandy (with points to go real cheap) but I have gotten to the point I just say F'it, I'd rather fly in, take the Alta shuttle and stay at GMD. Been doing that for almost 20 years now, only missed one or two years along the way. Yea - it's expensive but it's great to be able to just roll out of bed and have all your meals taken care of. Only been interlodged once for 48 hours and  maybe two times of a few hours in the AM over the years I've gone there.   Not bad for that span of time. However in the 90's I was forced to leave mid afternoon due to afternoon canyon road closure (when I stay in the valley)  while those staying in the lodges skied on in the falling afternoon snow.

But with regards to Mex - and we have mentioned it here before, I do miss going to the red iguana. Last time I was there was about 14 years ago.

I can't afford it up there, especially since it could be a gamble on conditions, either bad or too good. Wouldn't want to be there on a Saturday or Sunday either. Ikon gives me a variety to choose from, and I like Deer Valley much more than PC or Canyons.
Air B&B has changed the market down in town a lot. I've never used one there, but, there's a lot, because, well, there's a lot of homes. The upside to being a big, nasty city. Air B&B saves you a lot in food if you have a kitchen. At least time and money for breakfast.

I agree, air BnB has changed things a lot. I have used them several times now and not been disappointed. Have not used them for a ski vacation yet.

I've used five different ones in Europe. It's an awesome value, but, best advice is watch reviews closely and don't get too cheap - you still get what you pay for sometimes.