# Have any of you guys NEVER skied outside of the Northeast?



## Nick (Jan 21, 2015)

If so, why?


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## xwhaler (Jan 21, 2015)

Yes. Have been to Utah (Alta/Snowbird), Whistler, and Mt Hood Meadows
Really want to get back but it is tough now with a small family----I don't see the value in hauling my son out there and spending all the $ until we can ski everything together as a family. Realistically probably not for another 8-10 yrs
A guys only trip is on my wish list but hasn't happened yet.


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## Smellytele (Jan 21, 2015)

xwhaler said:


> Yes. Have been to Utah (Alta/Snowbird), Whistler, and Mt Hood Meadows
> Really want to get back but it is tough now with a small family----I don't see the value in hauling my son out there and spending all the $ until we can ski everything together as a family. Realistically probably not for another 8-10 yrs
> A guys only trip is on my wish list but hasn't happened yet.



The question was...
[h=2]*Have any of you guys NEVER skied outside of the Northeast? 				*[/h]


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## xwhaler (Jan 21, 2015)

Smellytele said:


> The question was...
> *Have any of you guys NEVER skied outside of the Northeast?                 *


Whoops! Oh well...perhaps my reasons/challenges for not having been out West recently (last trip was 2009) applies to some who have never been.


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## bdfreetuna (Jan 21, 2015)

I've only skied outside the NE on one vacation to Banff area.

tbh I wouldn't be upset if I never skied outside the Northeast again. I have a long way to go before I know all the backcountry around here, and there's plenty of areas (usually off the map) that test my limits. Tight trees are my thing, and scratchy surfaces in the woods just makes it more of an adventure.

I have no plans to go west to ski any time soon but I have plenty of plans to further explore more areas in the NE.

edit: Actually I want to go to some places in Quebec... that doesn't really count


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## dlague (Jan 21, 2015)

I have skied in Germany and Austria as well as in Southern California, going to Banff this March.


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## skiMEbike (Jan 21, 2015)

Smellytele said:


> The question was...
> [h=2]*Have any of you guys NEVER skied outside of the Northeast? 				*[/h]



Oh Oh...The double negative, however the poll question is worded differently than the subject.   I am confused I want to answer "I don't know"


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## Nick (Jan 21, 2015)

hahaha, sorry for the confusion. I was just curious to hear from people who have never made it out of the Northeast. 

I haven't skied outside of the NOrtheast now in almost a decade. It is long, long overdue.


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## dlague (Jan 21, 2015)

Nick said:


> hahaha, sorry for the confusion. I was just curious to hear from people who have never made it out of the Northeast.
> 
> I haven't skied outside of the Northeast now in almost a decade. It is long, long overdue.



It has been a long time for me as well.  Not like I frequent other ski areas outside of Northeast.  For us it is an issue of affordability when we had four kids, my wife and I and a dog to kennel.  Down to one kid at home so he is the lucky one going to Banff with us.


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## SkiFanE (Jan 21, 2015)

Went to Tahoe about 20 years ago (pre-kids).  Didn't have conditions any different than NE then haha.  So really not much different (but Heavenly was awesome).

No plans for a long time.  Having a ski house (and lake house) and passes for family takes up about our entire ski budget.  And our kids are not dying to go - our family vacations will not be at a western ski area, no matter how much I wish it.  I love skiing, in the NE...so I'm not moaning about the horror of my situation.  I feel very fortunate I get about 60 days/year with all I've got going on in my life - it's a miracle!


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## deadheadskier (Jan 21, 2015)

SkiFanE said:


> Went to Tahoe about 20 years ago (pre-kids).  Didn't have conditions any different than NE then haha.  So really not much different (but Heavenly was awesome).
> 
> No plans for a long time.  Having a ski house (and lake house) and passes for family takes up about our entire ski budget.  And our kids are not dying to go - our family vacations will not be at a western ski area, no matter how much I wish it.  I love skiing, in the NE...so I'm not moaning about the horror of my situation.  I feel very fortunate I get about 60 days/year with all I've got going on in my life - it's a miracle!



I would trade a ski house near a New England ski area I loved over a lifetime's worth of trips out west and I've skied plenty out west.


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## BenedictGomez (Jan 21, 2015)

bdfreetuna said:


> *I've only skied outside the NE on one vacation to Banff area.*



+1


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## SkiFanE (Jan 21, 2015)

deadheadskier said:


> I would trade a ski house near a New England ski area I loved over a lifetime's worth of trips out west and I've skied plenty out west.


Yup...choices.  We're happy.  Makes it easier when I really have no clue what I'm missing lol.  Powder is weird...not sure I'd enjoy it much.  Although I  insta-drool when I see MaryJane bump pics.


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## Cannonball (Jan 21, 2015)

deadheadskier said:


> I would trade a ski house near a New England ski area I loved over a lifetime's worth of trips out west and I've skied plenty out west.



I would too.  But I am SOOOOO glad I don't actually have to make that trade.


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## from_the_NEK (Jan 21, 2015)

This poll is confusing. 
I've skied the CO rockies and WA Cascades


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## dmw (Jan 21, 2015)

Never been out west. That will change 2 weeks from today!


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## fahz (Jan 21, 2015)

I haven't skied outside of the Northeast.  My kids ski but not my wife.  Taking a vacation out west to a cold destination would be fun but I just don't see it happening in the near future


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## steamboat1 (Jan 21, 2015)

Outside NE yes. Never been to Europe. That's where I'd like to go. My parents spent a month in Europe for 28 consecutive years. I've seen plenty of pictures (3-D stereo) & heard plenty of stories. Just can't see myself doing it solo since my wife doesn't ski. Plus I don't speak the language. At least my father spoke broken German.


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## SkiingInABlueDream (Jan 21, 2015)

I can't imagine never going back to Jackson, Snowbird, Taos or interior BC, or never getting out to Tahoe, just to name some of my favorites.  I guess if I lived Northern VT minutes away from 'Bush, Stowe or Jay and was able to ski any day I wanted, then I'd be less motivated to go west, but between the thaw-freeze cycles we have here plus 2-3 hour road trips required to day trip from S. NE, I find a week+ "out west" is usually more rewarding overall.
I give props to anyone who's able to pull the trigger whenever storms hit and know where to go to get the best of it.


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## ironhippy (Jan 21, 2015)

until this december I had never been outside of the Northeast (provided we're considering Quebec/New Brunswick the north east)

I only made it to Colorado because my work sent me to Austin Texas for a week, so I stopped in Denver on the way back.

Now that I've been, all I want to do is go back.

edit: the reason WHY I never made it out west is pretty simple, it's damn expensive to travel there for skiing. If money wasn't a concern, I would probably be in BC all winter long.


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## C-Rex (Jan 21, 2015)

Everyone who grew up skiing/snowboarding in the Northeast should definitely go out west.  Not only is it awesome, but it'll show you how good you really are.  If you can ride the icecoast, you can ride anywhere.


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## ironhippy (Jan 21, 2015)

C-Rex said:


> Everyone who grew up skiing/snowboarding in the Northeast should definitely go out west.  Not only is it awesome, but it'll show you how good you really are.  If you can ride the icecoast, you can ride anywhere.



this really, really surprised me. I was tearing up slopes that the locals were scared of and my thought was "this isn't even really that icy"
I was scared dropping into big bowls for the first few times though


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## Nick (Jan 21, 2015)

SkiFanE said:


> Powder is weird...not sure I'd enjoy it much.



...... ??????


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## Nick (Jan 21, 2015)

ironhippy said:


> this really, really surprised me. I was tearing up slopes that the locals were scared of and my thought was "this isn't even really that icy"
> I was scared dropping into big bowls for the first few times though



Typical New England attitude :lol:


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## ALLSKIING (Jan 21, 2015)

I've skied pretty much my entire life and have never skied out west.  A trip was in the works this summer but derailed it when we decided to buy a condo at Killington this fall. I have skied MI and minn but who counts that.


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## 57stevey (Jan 21, 2015)

Been to Santa Fe twice long ago but that's it. No desire to tease myself with s**t I can't have all the time.


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## CoolMike (Jan 21, 2015)

Went to Utah for the first time last year.  Snowbird was life changing.  PCMR was fun and affordable with a four pack deal.  I can't wait to go back and really attack the steeps.  First few times dropping into the steep bowls freaked me out as well.  Never found any ice.  We were fortunate to have a nice snow squall on day one and a huge powder dumping at the end of the trip.


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## SkiFanE (Jan 21, 2015)

Nick said:


> ...... ??????



45 years in skiis or so, probably 3 "real" powder days in that time. I mean like 2' of untracked. So yeah, it's weird haha. And my last big pow day, an hour of two of just cruising untracked, I wanted at the bumps. So ditched my midfats and got my SL skis for second half of day.  Having never experienced the real pow, I have no idea what I'm missing. But today in NE I'd take a bump run (of perfect soft bumps) over untracked.  Id school them out west lmao


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## Rowsdower (Jan 21, 2015)

Colorado once when I was about 14. Hardly counts, right?


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## Not Sure (Jan 21, 2015)

dlague said:


> I have skied in Germany and Austria as well as in Southern California, going to Banff this March.



Like BD I've only skied Banff out west, it as a long time ago and there were only three choices, Mt Noriquay, Lake Louise and Sunshune villlage. They had'nt had snow for a while in Banff , But Sunshine was the best 4" flurries every night. Lake Louse terrain was good but the snow conditions were'nt as good. Never skied Mt Noriquay (smallest) but looks like it would be great given some new snow. In the middle of the week we went heli skiing 1985 $ it was $150.00 for 10K vert. 
You'll have a great time


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## VTKilarney (Jan 21, 2015)

I've skied in Europe and out west.  But I've always been in those places for other reasons.  Is the skiing better out west?  Of course it is.  Is so much better that it is worth the expense?  Not to me.  

I feel the same way about people who take Caribbean vacations in the summer.  Sure, the beach in the Bahamas is better than on Cape Cod.  But it's not a couple of thousand dollars better.

There is also an opportunity cost that needs to be factored in.  For example, my wife and I are going to Italy this fall.  I can ski at home.  But I can't experience Italy at home.  If we spent our vacation dollars doing something we could do at home, we would forgo experiences that can only be had elsewhere.

There is no right or wrong answer, since it's entirely subjective, but I'm a fan of multiple experiences rather than degrees of the same experience.


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## POW (Jan 21, 2015)

1 month until my 3rd consecutive trip to Whistler- They say with addiction that admitting you HAVE an addiction is the first step to recovery...For me it's more of an obsession


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## Quietman (Jan 21, 2015)

4 days in Colorado then 3 years later did 5 days in Utah.   Going from Boston in the morning to skiing Keystone that night and having a few local beers in the gondola was interesting, definitely a little light headed. Then skied Copper, A-Basin and Keystone.  A-Basin was the highlight, nothing like the northeast.  In Utah skied Snowbird, Canyons, Deer Valley, Snowbasin, and Park City.  Snowbasin was amazing with 3 high speed lifts with over 2k vert each. And I was hesitant about Deer Valley's reputation, but we had a great day skiing deep powder in untracked glades 4 days after the last storm. Those rich people don't venture into the trees much.

I hate traveling and has lots of areas in NE that I haven't visited, but was really glad that I did those 2 trips.  And the fact that my Dad paid for myself and my brothers to go with him didn't hurt either.  Now I'm just praying for some snow in NH!!!


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## AmmergauerTele (Jan 21, 2015)

Grew up in New England and have hit many of the areas there in NH, ME, and VT.  Been out west - Utah, couple in Colorado, Tahoe, Mammoth.  Heading to CO in early April.  Was in NH for Xmas.  Skiing was great before Xmas eve.  Lived in Europe for a couple years.  Was able to ski quite a bit in Germany, Austria, and a little in the Dolomites in Italy and a couple in Switzerland.  The European experience is tough to beat.  Nothing really compares here.  Skiing in St. Anton.  Hitting different villages in the Dolomites.  Drinking wine from a carafe at lunch while eating spaghetti while enjoying some great skiing.  In Austria and Bavaria you can set a backpack down and you don't have to lock your skis - they don't really have theft.  Pretty impressive.  The culture is really cool.


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## skiNEwhere (Jan 21, 2015)

Didn't ski outside the US under I went to Big Bear in 2005, which is in SoCal and doesn't even really count. Mammoth in 2007 was the first real western place I've skied. Felt kind of weird skiing bowls at first....


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## SIKSKIER (Jan 22, 2015)

I don't get why this question is so hard for people to understand.


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## Cannonball (Jan 22, 2015)

skiNEwhere said:


> Didn't ski outside the US under I went to Big Bear in 2005, which is in SoCal and doesn't even really count.



SoCal can feel very foreign to New Englanders.  But I'm pretty sure it's still in the US!!  :razz:


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## Old Duderino (Jan 22, 2015)

I can see why there is confusion, the thread is titled "Have any of you guys NEVER skied outside the northeast?" while the poll is titled "Have you skied outside the northeast?"  I voted yes on the poll but since the thread has taken a life of it's own I'll post as if the title where "Did you never (or never again) think you would ski/ride the northeast?"

My first trips to the NE where when my older brother was going to school in upstate NY and I would visit him to go ski Killington, Bromley or Stratton.  They were always miserable trips, freezing rain followed by sub zero days, it was more surviving than skiing.  Years later I lived in Utah and then after getting married and skiing less frequently we started taking the once a year trips to Colorado.  Didn't have much time for skiing with a young family, although I did learn to snowboard at the local hills during those years, but I just assumed the few trips we took would always be western trips.

As my kids grew and became more avid snowboarders it occurred to me to reconsider a NE trip over a four day weekend when my wife and younger daughter were going to Florida.  I waited until about two weeks out to spring the idea on my daughter since I wanted to have some idea what the weather was going to be like.  It started out disastrously as the cheap commuter flight I booked from Washington DC to Albany was cancelled after multiple delays.  We took the cab home, loaded up our bags in the car and drove all night to get there since I had non-refundable Liftopia purchased tickets I had to get there to use.  I was calling on the way to try to cancel rental cars and hotel rooms and although I had to eat the rental car costs the hotel did the very cool thing of letting me cancel without any charges and still letting us check in early that morning to change into ski clothes and hit the breakfast buffet on the way to the mountain (Best Western on on Killington access road).

We ended up having a great time, it was single digits but bluebird and no wind the entire weekend at K and the last day at Pico it warmed up to the mid-20s and snowed all day.  We had such a good time that I brought my entire family back last year for the same long weekend and although the conditions weren't quite as good we all enjoyed ourselves.  Everyone who's been west knows what the NE lacks comparatively but the NE has a unique vibe of its own.  The smell of the waffle cabin, the unique character of NE glades, young collegiate types who look like they actually go to class once in a while.  The NE may not be a skiing/riding mecca but its so much better than what most of the country has.  I'll be heading to Colorado in early March but I'm kind of disappointed not to be making another NE trip also.  I'm thinking next year we may make a trip to Stowe and/or Sugarbush.


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## skiNEwhere (Jan 22, 2015)

Cannonball said:


> SoCal can feel very foreign to New Englanders.  But I'm pretty sure it's still in the US!!  :razz:



Lol whoops. Looks like my brain was off when I typed that one!


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## catskills (Jan 22, 2015)

Reasons:



Waist deep un-tracked powder for those that want to get out of bed early on a powder day 
On powder days everyone has this huge smile on their face like it just doesn't get any better than this 
Out west you don't hear the sounds of skis and boards scraping across Eastern hard pack that has a tint of the color blue. 
Boot top powder 
some powder 
good friends on vacation unless its a powder day and then you have no friends. 
did I mention powder that is the opposite of thick mash wet potatoes 
did I mention powder


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## Smellytele (Jan 23, 2015)

catskills said:


> Reasons:some powder
> 
> did I mention powder that is the opposite of thick mash wet potatoes



Matters how far west you are. Tahoe has some of the heaviest thickest mash potatoes on earth


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## Riverskier (Jan 23, 2015)

One day at Big Bear back in 1998, but that is it for skiing out West. Reasons: Time, money, and friends willing to go. I WILL ski out west some day but pretty happy with the skiing right here in the Maine.


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## SkiingInABlueDream (Jan 23, 2015)

I'll take mashed potatoes over rain & ice anyday.  I never understood how anyone can complain about any fresh snow being "too heavy".  I'll take 6 inches of "Sierra cement" or wind-compressed fresh over 6 inches of "blower" anyday.
Basically unless you've got at least 2-3 feet I think "blower" is overrated.


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## SkiFanE (Jan 23, 2015)

skifastr said:


> I'll take mashed potatoes over rain & ice anyday.  I never understood how anyone can complain about any fresh snow being "too heavy".  I'll take 6 inches of "Sierra cement" or wind-compressed fresh over 6 inches of "blower" anyday.
> Basically unless you've got at least 2-3 feet I think "blower" is overrated.



There is absolutely nothing better than a 50* April day, with bluebird skies and a bunch of mashed potato bumps.  Heaven.  Can't imagine being any happier that, even with 2' of blower pow.  (May 3, last year on SuperStar for example  )


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## Smellytele (Jan 23, 2015)

skifastr said:


> I'll take mashed potatoes over rain & ice anyday.  I never understood how anyone can complain about any fresh snow being "too heavy".  I'll take 6 inches of "Sierra cement" or wind-compressed fresh over 6 inches of "blower" anyday.
> Basically unless you've got at least 2-3 feet I think "blower" is overrated.



6" of sierra is doable 14" is not


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## SIKSKIER (Jan 23, 2015)

Old Duderino said:


> I can see why there is confusion, the thread is titled "Have any of you guys NEVER skied outside the northeast?" while the poll is titled "Have you skied outside the northeast?" .


I see the problem now.Didn't see the poll question.


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## SkiingInABlueDream (Jan 23, 2015)

Smellytele said:


> 6" of sierra is doable 14" is not



In my experience, if the snow is dense enough then you're only using the top 6-10", slasher turns for a camera notwithstanding. So 1, 2 or 10 feet of it skis the same. 
As for blower, 6" of the stuff atop ice bumps skis a lot like... ice bumps.


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## abc (Jan 23, 2015)

VTKilarney said:


> There is also an opportunity cost that needs to be factored in.  For example, my wife and I are going to Italy this fall.  I can ski at home.  But I can't experience Italy at home.  If we spent our vacation dollars doing something we could do at home, we would forgo experiences that can only be had elsewhere.


I don't understand your problem.

travelling for skiing isn't travelling? You get to "experience" the local culture while you are there.

Why can't you go to Italy in the winter and get both in 1 trip???


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## emmaurice2 (Jan 23, 2015)

I have been to Utah, Colorado, Washington, Oregon, Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming...in the off season.  For one reason or another winter trips out West have never materialized.  My trip to California in 1999 was supposed to include three days of skiing but a work crisis (that turned out to not be a crisis at all) cut my vacation short.  One day it will happen.  We're thinking of a westward move in the next few years, so maybe my future will have lots of non-NE skiing.


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## VTKilarney (Jan 24, 2015)

abc said:


> I don't understand your problem.


Read the last sentence again.  If I'm skiing I'm not looking at ancient ruins, touring sites of historical battles, etc.  

I've skied many times in Europe.   I've had a blast.  But now there are other things that I want to focus on when I am in Europe.  Things that I can't ever do at home.   

You left out the part where I said that it is purely subjective.  In light of that, I don't know how you get off saying I have a "problem".   Of the two of us, I'm the one who respected the reality that different people will have different goals and outlooks.   If my "problem" was being non-judgmental, consider me happy to have that "problem".


.


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## NotEasyBeingGreen (Jan 24, 2015)

Never skied outside New England. Happy to do so if the opportunity presents, but I like having all my own gear handy and don't like the idea of wasting two ski days on planes. Deadhead has it right in my opinion. 


Sent from my iPhone using AlpineZone


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## witch hobble (Jan 24, 2015)

I don't even ski.  I'm here for the politics, the anti-semitism and an occaisional PBR.


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## catsup948 (Jan 24, 2015)

I haven't skied outside the northeast since 2008.  I have two kids now and money is tight.  Maybe in a few years.


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## Wavewheeler (Jan 24, 2015)

*Plans are in the making..*

I skied once in Arizona (Flagstaff) back in 1986. It was a beautiful bluebird day and temps were warm..I was skiing without a jacket. Conditions were great. 

I haven't been out west since in the winter (went once to Colorado in August, 1992). Raising a family, running a business, lack of $$ and time have prevented my heading west to ski. But both my kids are graduating in 2016 and my plans are to MOVE there sometime next year. I might even work at a ski resort...imagine that! Can't wait. I will have to buy powder skis. Heh. 

Can't wait to move west for a lot of reasons. Colorado, Utah, Idaho are all on my list of places to move to.


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## abc (Jan 25, 2015)

VTKilarney said:


> Read the last sentence again.  If I'm skiing I'm not looking at ancient ruins, touring sites of historical battles, etc.
> 
> I've skied many times in Europe.   I've had a blast.  But now there are other things that I want to focus on when I am in Europe.  Things that I can't ever do at home.
> 
> ...


Touche? 

Moreover, you CAN look at historic battle sites while skiing. I did just that in the Dolomites a few years back.

but hey, if "opportunity cost " isn't a "problem" for you, that's fine.


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## jimk (Jan 25, 2015)

Everybody's right in this thread and skiing with friends makes any terrain and conditions fun.
I've skied in the mid-Atlantic for nearly 50 years and I know all about making the best out of what you've got, in a skiing sense.  For the first 20 of those years I skied beyond my local area only a handful of times and that was to the magnificent slopes of New England!  Then I began doing annual ski vacations farther out, but always continuing with the bulk of my ski days in the local area.  Since January 2008 I calculate that I have skied 50 different ski areas around North America.  I suppose I have a pretty bad case of the snow is always whiter syndrome, but yet I still relished skiing my local bump this January.  It's all good.  I always enjoy being around those who enjoy what they have, they exhibit an admirable form of grace.


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## nanjil (Jan 26, 2015)

Nick said:


> hahaha, sorry for the confusion. I was just curious to hear from people who have never made it out of the Northeast.
> 
> I haven't skied outside of the NOrtheast now in almost a decade. It is long, long overdue.



i have not skied northeast at all. for some reason it never works out. Even though I was going to silicon valley on a monthly basis , I never found time to ski tahoe


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## nanjil (Jan 26, 2015)

oops it was skied outside northeast


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