# driving from SLC to jackson? to big sky?



## KustyTheKlown (Nov 27, 2017)

I'm going to Utah 12/15-23. even if this storm next week delivers, they still won't have very much terrain open. I have a rental car with unlimited mileage, and a 4-6 hour drive is nothing considering I do Vermont every weekend. my only concern is the driving conditions in a relatively shabby rental car. guaranteed 4wd is just prohibitively expensive.

both routes look like they are predominantly flat, but each with some mountain passes towards the end of the drive. 

Jackson is closer, but not on my pass, and cheap lift tix are not available
Big sky is an hour+ further,  but is on my pass. 

I have cheap refundable accomodations in both locations

what do we know about the roads involved here? anyone ever do these drives? @thetrailboss?


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## Jully (Nov 27, 2017)

Wow, who knew Big Sky was under 6 hours from SLC airport... I sure didn't. I always assume everything out west is 40 hours away from everything else.


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## cdskier (Nov 27, 2017)

Jully said:


> Wow, who knew Big Sky was under 6 hours from SLC airport... I sure didn't. I always assume everything out west is 40 hours away from everything else.



Hah! I thought the exact same thing!


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## Smellytele (Nov 27, 2017)

I drove SLC to Jackson in the summer. We went through Logan on 89. I don't think I would want to go that way in the winter as it was very deserted and probably wouldn't be kept up well in the winter. On the way back we went over Teton Pass which might be dicey in the winter as well.


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## crank (Nov 27, 2017)

I think you will be fine unless there is a big storm.  Might want to check on open terrain at Big Sky before driving up there though.


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## KustyTheKlown (Nov 27, 2017)

crank said:


> I think you will be fine unless there is a big storm.  Might want to check on open terrain at Big Sky before driving up there though.



I agree that the driving should be fine unless its snowing hard when I'm actually going thru the passes. I'm more interested in intel on slc>big sky cause that's where I'm more likely to end up

re: terrain - jackson and big sky are both not even close to fully open, but they've both received lots (>100") of upper mountain snow. then they got rained on for 4 days straight. now they both have another 2 feet coming in the 10 day forecasts. relative to Utah right now, Jackson and big sky are powder paradises. Utah has no base to work with. i'll end up in SLC anyway for the second half of the trip. I don't need to commit to plans until about 12/13 when I would need to cancel some reservations.


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## crystalmountainskier (Nov 27, 2017)

Shortest mileage route to Jackson is I-80 past Park City then through Evanston and Star Valley.  There's only one smallish mountain pass called Salt Pass.  Most of the mail/package/food deliveries for Jackson go that way daily year-round.


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## jimk (Nov 27, 2017)

Sorry, I've never driven specifically from SLC to Big Sky or Jackson, but have driven numerous other routes in UT, WY, NV, CA, OR, CO and NM in recent years.  There is a 75% chance you will be fine in regular car without 4wd, but you can always buy chains for $50 and keep them for emergency.  I did that once in the Tahoe area and used the chains on a powder day, then threw them away the night before returning car at airport.  Saved me $800 on a two week rental.  If bought at store with numerous locations you may be able to return for refund at end of trip if unused.  A lot of the ski areas in WY and UT are approached from flatlands without many mtn passes between interstates and the ski area base lodge/parking lot.  Approach to Jackson from the south is pretty friendly.  Even road up BCC to Brighton is not too bad most of the time.  Haven't heard a lot of stories about hairy drives into Big Sky.  I got delayed for a day one time in early January near central WY when police closed I80, but it was caused by blowing snow and low vis, rather than steep, snowy inclines. 
There is a good chance I will make the drive from SLC to Jackson (then on to Banff and back to Sun Valley) on a cross-country drive this March.  I'll be using my own Outback with only all season tires.  We can compare notes after the fact

PS:  I usually rent cheap economy cars when I fly to the West for ski trips.  However, there are a couple places where I've arranged for a 4wd SUV or bought chains;  1) Tahoe during a snowy stretch when they are likely to impose (and enforce) chain laws in the mountains and 2) if staying in SLC in the heart of winter and planning to commute up to Alta/Bird a bunch of days.  If I traveled more with other people and splitting costs with them, I'd be much more likely to rent a pricey SUV on western ski trips for ease of use.


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## KustyTheKlown (Nov 27, 2017)

thanks for the information. much appreciated.


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## x10003q (Nov 27, 2017)

Sun Valley is about 300 miles from SLC. They have a ton of snowmaking. I have not done the drive from SLC, but the skiing is big fun.


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## KustyTheKlown (Nov 27, 2017)

not on max pass. big sky is the inexpensive choice. Jackson is the easiest to get to choice


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## kingslug (Nov 27, 2017)

KustyTheKlown said:


> I'm going to Utah 12/15-23. even if this storm next week delivers, they still won't have very much terrain open. I have a rental car with unlimited mileage, and a 4-6 hour drive is nothing considering I do Vermont every weekend. my only concern is the driving conditions in a relatively shabby rental car. guaranteed 4wd is just prohibitively expensive.
> 
> both routes look like they are predominantly flat, but each with some mountain passes towards the end of the drive.
> 
> ...



looks like we have the same dilemma at the same time. Try to get a jeep with 4wd. Mountain passes are no fun. But the chain idea is good. Can't believe we even have to think about this. I've never missed in the last 5 years going at this time.


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## BenedictGomez (Nov 27, 2017)

It really is absurdly expensive renting 4x4 out there.  You may as well buy a crappy 4x4 beater on Craigslist for a few thousand if you're out there on a 10 day vacation.


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## KustyTheKlown (Nov 27, 2017)

for real. I should buy an old jeep for $5k and sell it for $4800 on my last day.


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## Oncefast (Nov 27, 2017)

We skied Brighton/Solitude/JH/BS last Feb/Mar. Jackson is the best ski town, but unless you have a MC pass, very expensive. I would not do Teton Pass without a 4x4 or chains if any snow is on the road. But only need to do that if you are going from JH to BS. I doubt the good stuff at BS will be open mid-Dec and a lot of its terrain is pretty tame. Don't know if putting all the hours in to get there and back really makes sense. I might opt for staying put and just enjoying Solitude and Brighton, especially if Honeycomb Canyon is open. With the money you'd save on gas, you could also do Powder, which is supposed to be a lot of fun. Also, many more dining choices in SLC vs BS.


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## KustyTheKlown (Nov 28, 2017)

look at the year to date snowfall and the weather. the skiing (which is the only important thing) will be awful in utah in mid-late december unless there are drastic changes immediately. approximately 0% chance honeycomb is open


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## thetrailboss (Nov 28, 2017)

KustyTheKlown said:


> I'm going to Utah 12/15-23. even if this storm next week delivers, they still won't have very much terrain open. I have a rental car with unlimited mileage, and a 4-6 hour drive is nothing considering I do Vermont every weekend. my only concern is the driving conditions in a relatively shabby rental car. guaranteed 4wd is just prohibitively expensive.
> 
> both routes look like they are predominantly flat, but each with some mountain passes towards the end of the drive.
> 
> ...



So I have not been to Big Sky...yet.  The drive from SLC to Jackson Hole is pretty easy.  Only concern would be weather.  I suggest taking I-80 east to Green River, Wyoming then heading north.  Be forewarned that there is NOTHING once you leave Green River until at least Cokeville.  The route goes in and out of Utah and Wyoming before heading north and east outside of Bear Lake.  You drive 89 north to Cokeville.  That is a logical stop--gas, truck stop.  From there it is a relatively easy drive up Star Valley (Smoot, Afton, Alpine) before you turn off and head up the Snake River Canyon to Hoback Junction.  Just watch the weather.  I have done it in about 4.5 hours.

And if Jackson is too much (it is VERY expensive), go to Grand Targhee.  Cheaper, laid back, easy to get to.  Drive north on I-15 to Idaho Falls then head east to Driggs.  Currently Grand Targhee is killing it--lots of snow.


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## thetrailboss (Nov 28, 2017)

x10003q said:


> Sun Valley is about 300 miles from SLC. They have a ton of snowmaking. I have not done the drive from SLC, but the skiing is big fun.



Sun Valley is also another good option.  Relatively easy drive, except for possibly bad weather at the Idaho border.


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## abc (Nov 28, 2017)

KustyTheKlown said:


> not on max pass. big sky is the inexpensive choice. Jackson is the easiest to get to choice


No, Jackson isn't "easiest" to get to. As trailboss mentioned, Targhee is easier to get to, less expensive too. 

If you're going for Jackson's reputation of gnarly terrain, those needs a lot of snow to open. Same for Big Sky too.


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## KustyTheKlown (Nov 28, 2017)

I have been to all three. Targhee is too expensive to stay at, but their lift tickets are reasonable. I can stay in town of Jackson for $50 a night, but their lift tickets are wildly unreasonable. I can stay outside Big Sky for about $70 a night, and ski for free. I haven't looked closely at Sun Valley yet, but I know they don't have discount lift tix (no Mountain Collective resorts do). Sun Valley seems like the safest and easiest drive. 

As for the gnarly terrain - yes, I know, they need a lot of snow to open super steep and exposed stuff. Of course. But this is all relative. Jackson and Big Sky and Targhee all have an impressive early season base, even if they got rained on recently. Utah has quite literally NOTHING right now. absent a multiple foot blockbuster storm, the skiing in Utah will be substantially more boring than anything on offer further north.

I don't mind driving in terms of time, at all. I log two 4-6 hour drives every single weekend to get to New England. My only concern is running into some gnarly driving conditions in a cheap ass rental car. I will beg for 4WD upgrade at the counter.


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## abc (Nov 28, 2017)

I bite the bullet and are now renting exclusively 4x4's, except in late spring when I don't expect ANY storms (or they melt off the road instantly).

Yes, it cost an arm and a leg. But missing my flight home would cost me the whole week's difference in price and some.


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## thetrailboss (Nov 28, 2017)

KustyTheKlown said:


> I have been to all three. Targhee is too expensive to stay at, but their lift tickets are reasonable. I can stay in town of Jackson for $50 a night, but their lift tickets are wildly unreasonable. I can stay outside Big Sky for about $70 a night, and ski for free. I haven't looked closely at Sun Valley yet, but I know they don't have discount lift tix (no Mountain Collective resorts do). Sun Valley seems like the safest and easiest drive.
> 
> As for the gnarly terrain - yes, I know, they need a lot of snow to open super steep and exposed stuff. Of course. But this is all relative. Jackson and Big Sky and Targhee all have an impressive early season base, even if they got rained on recently. Utah has quite literally NOTHING right now. absent a multiple foot blockbuster storm, the skiing in Utah will be substantially more boring than anything on offer further north.
> 
> I don't mind driving in terms of time, at all. I log two 4-6 hour drives every single weekend to get to New England. My only concern is running into some gnarly driving conditions in a cheap ass rental car. I will beg for 4WD upgrade at the counter.



Have to agree to avoid Utah right now.  We are struggling at best.


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## thetrailboss (Nov 28, 2017)

KustyTheKlown said:


> not on max pass. big sky is the inexpensive choice. Jackson is the easiest to get to choice



OK.  So your "pass" is the Max Pass?

If so, the drive from SLC to Crested Butte is not THAT bad, but it is longer.  6-7 hours.  It's another option.  I have not driven to Steamboat yet, but I have driven to Aspen/Snowmass and Telluride.  Both were longer drives, but not that bad.  Aspen/Snowmass was pretty easy drive.   Telluride required some "interesting" remote mountain pass/canyons between Moab and Norwood, Colorado.


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## KustyTheKlown (Nov 28, 2017)

yea, but Colorado is pretty much just as bad as Utah right now. North is the move I think. and I'm doing a full week at crested butte in feb/march


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## Jcb890 (Nov 28, 2017)

When you guys are saying "4x4", do you mean a dedicated 4x4 off-road type of vehicle?  Otherwise, you can get an AWD SUV for a pretty reasonable weekly price at any of the major hub airports.  It costs more than an economy FWD car, but not a ton more and will handle a lot worse in terms of driving conditions.


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## KustyTheKlown (Nov 28, 2017)

Jcb890 said:


> When you guys are saying "4x4", do you mean a dedicated 4x4 off-road type of vehicle?  Otherwise, you can get an AWD SUV for a pretty reasonable weekly price at any of the major hub airports.  It costs more than an economy FWD car, but not a ton more and will handle a lot worse in terms of driving conditions.



everyone is referring to a four wheel drive or all wheel drive car. not some sort of off road vehicle. 

it is ~3x more expensive to rent an SUV, and even then they do not guarantee that it is a 4WD SUV

I rented a "supplier's choice" for $225-ish, renting an SUV would have been about $700. I'm solo on this trip and am not spending $700 on a rental car.


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## Jcb890 (Nov 28, 2017)

KustyTheKlown said:


> everyone is referring to a four wheel drive or all wheel drive car. not some sort of off road vehicle.
> 
> it is ~3x more expensive to rent an SUV, and even then they do not guarantee that it is a 4WD SUV
> 
> I rented a "supplier's choice" for $225-ish, renting an SUV would have been about $700. I'm solo on this trip and am not spending $700 on a rental car.


That is what I figured, but then I am confused with you guys talking about the astronomical prices of the AWD SUVs and it seems like I have had a different experience than you.

Last year we flew into Denver (Jan) and Bozeman (Feb) and rented an AWD SUV at both airports.  An economy car would have cost around $200-$250 for the week.  The AWD SUV was maybe $300 or $350-ish, certainly under $400 though and less than double the cost.  The ones I rented, it guarantees it is an AWD SUV - it says "_Toyota Rav-4 *AWD *or *similar*_" - something along those lines.  So, I would that they owe me an AWD SUV as long as it says AWD or 4WD in the description of what I paid for.  While it may not necessarily be a Toyota Rav-4, it will/should be an AWD SUV of some kind, which is fine.

Either way, we had no issues.  We wound up not really needing the AWD, but I'd rather have an AWD SUV on vacation and not need it than be stuck in a little Nissan Sentra.


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## jimk (Nov 28, 2017)

Jcb890, some markets such as SLC charge a big premium for 4wd, like Kusty suggests.  I'm no expert in car rental stuff, but it seems like it runs on a crazy business model.  For decades they allowed you to reserve anything you wanted with no commitment.  On the surface that was good for consumers because you could keep making reservations for months in advance of a trip and just go with the one that you finally found to have the lowest rate and blow off all the rest.  How can a business be cost effective when they have no clue if a reservation is really going to be claimed?  Under this model they sometimes did not have the model you reserved.  If you were lucky they gave you something better to placate you.  They have to make an educated guess on how many cars to have on the lot.  I have reserved what I thought was going to be a 4wd SUV only to be offered something like a Ford Escape that was FWD.  

Lately, to get the best rates it seems like you have to pay in advance, for example with Priceline.  I guess some folks get low rates by becoming expert at playing the preferred/loyal customer game, which is something I don't know much about.  You did well with your SUV rentals out of Denver and Bz, but you'll see the big mark-up in some other places.


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## Jcb890 (Nov 28, 2017)

jimk said:


> Jcb890, some markets such as SLC charge a big premium for 4wd, like Kusty suggests.  I'm no expert in car rental stuff, but it seems like it runs on a crazy business model.  For decades they allowed you to reserve anything you wanted with no commitment.  On the surface that was good for consumers because you could keep making reservations for months in advance of a trip and just go with the one that you finally found to have the lowest rate and blow off all the rest.  How can a business be cost effective when they have no clue if a reservation is really going to be claimed?  Under this model they sometimes did not have the model you reserved.  If you were lucky they gave you something better to placate you.  They have to make an educated guess on how many cars to have on the lot.  I have reserved what I thought was going to be a 4wd SUV only to be offered something like a Ford Escape that was FWD.
> 
> Lately, to get the best rates it seems like you have to pay in advance, for example with Priceline.  I guess some folks get low rates by becoming expert at playing the preferred/loyal customer game, which is something I don't know much about.  You did well with your SUV rentals out of Denver and Bz, but you'll see the big mark-up in some other places.


I know, we had looked at doing SLC also and I don't recall rental prices being crazy compared to Denver or Bozeman.  They certainly weren't double if I recall correctly.  Oh well.


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## cdskier (Nov 28, 2017)

KustyTheKlown said:


> everyone is referring to a four wheel drive or all wheel drive car. not some sort of off road vehicle.
> 
> it is ~3x more expensive to rent an SUV, and even then they do not guarantee that it is a 4WD SUV
> 
> I rented a "supplier's choice" for $225-ish, renting an SUV would have been about $700. I'm solo on this trip and am not spending $700 on a rental car.





Jcb890 said:


> I know, we had looked at doing SLC also and I don't recall rental prices being crazy compared to Denver or Bozeman.  They certainly weren't double if I recall correctly.  Oh well.



For fun I just went to Enterprise's website. An "Intermediate" SUV for the time-frame mentioned out of SLC would be $500 vs ~$320 for their cheapest car option. Prices are a bit weird though as the "Intermediate" SUV (Rogue or similar) was cheaper than the Economy SUV (Santa Fe or similar) by $200! Meanwhile a Premium SUV (Suburban) is only $30 more than the Intermediate. However a "Full-Size" SUV (Tahoe) is more than double the Suburban! This pricing strategy makes 0 sense to me. I can get a Suburban for cheaper than a Santa Fe?

I've never had to deal with renting a car...do prices fluctuate a lot? (i.e. if I look a week from now for that same time-frame, will prices change drastically from what I see today?)


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## BenedictGomez (Nov 29, 2017)

When they say SUV or RAV4, people think that means 4WD, but it doesn't; I think they're tricking people with that marketing.  In fact, one rental company told me none of the RAV4 in inventory are 4WD, so unless the rental car explicitly stated it's 4WD, I would not bank on receiving that if my life depended on it.  

In the last two trips I had out west (DEN & SLC), my experience was similar to Kusty's, in that the price difference between a normal car and a guaranteed 4WD (key here) vehicle was large.   And the extortional part is it can get even worse on the fly!  When I landed at SLC, snow was expected, and the rental car counters jacked up the rate even worse.  LOL     And IIRC, the pricing at SLC was significantly worse than the pricing at DEN.

EDIT:  Just checked my spreadsheets for the trips

*2016 SLC* (4 door sedan for 8 days, wound up being a Nissan Sentra) =$222.25   I wanted 4WD, but it was insanely more money, I think like 3x what I paid in the $600 to almost $700 area.  So I risked it and figured I'd ride the bus up LCC/BCC at worst.  Wound up getting lucky and didnt need 4WD at all.

*2017 DEN *(mid-size SUV 4WD for 8 days, wound up being a Dodge Durango)  = $316.59


So my memory was right about SLC, but incorrect about DEN.  And that Dodge Durango was the worst P.O.S. you can imagine.  Friends dont let friends drive Dodge, but it was the only 4WD DEN had left so beggers couldn't be choosers.


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## mikestaple (Nov 29, 2017)

I’ve driven from W Yellowstone to Big Sky in a six inch snowstorm.  Just like driving the last 10 miles to Jay.  Did it in a suburban.  My advice is drive during day light.   At Big Sky the Challenger lift is open.  That is all you need.  Sun Valley.  Make sure Warm Springs is open.  Ketchum is a better eating and drinking town than Big Sky. 


Sent from my iPhone using AlpineZone


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## kingslug (Nov 29, 2017)

I'm officially depressed about all this ...


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## KustyTheKlown (Nov 29, 2017)

Yep, BG's post is my exact recent experience


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## cdskier (Nov 29, 2017)

cdskier said:


> I've never had to deal with renting a car...do prices fluctuate a lot? (i.e. if I look a week from now for that same time-frame, will prices change drastically from what I see today?)



I'll answer my own question. Holy crap do prices fluctuate a lot. The Suburban that was $530 last night when I looked today is over $1500. The car that was $320 yesterday is $450 (but another car is now $350). Also, the Tahoe details say it is 2WD, none of the other SUVs say one way or the other. So I guess reserving online you have absolutely no idea what you're getting (at least from this one place)? That's one awesome business model.


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## KustyTheKlown (Nov 29, 2017)

clear your cookies and use private browsing, they know you're thirsty


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## cdskier (Nov 29, 2017)

KustyTheKlown said:


> clear your cookies and use private browsing, they know you're thirsty



No change even with Incognito browsing. Also just tried from my work computer and see the same results I saw on my own computer this morning.


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## Smellytele (Nov 29, 2017)

cdskier said:


> No change even with Incognito browsing. Also just tried from my work computer and see the same results I saw on my own computer this morning.



Tuesdays are the best days to book travel


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## abc (Nov 29, 2017)

> the price difference between a normal car and a guaranteed 4WD (key here) vehicle was large.


How does one guarantee a 4wd? 

All I see are classes like SUV of different sozes, with notes of say “Toyota RAV or similar”


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## Jcb890 (Nov 29, 2017)

BenedictGomez said:


> When they say SUV or RAV4, people think that means 4WD, but it doesn't; I think they're tricking people with that marketing.  In fact, one rental company told me none of the RAV4 in inventory are 4WD, so unless the rental car explicitly stated it's 4WD, I would not bank on receiving that if my life depended on it.
> 
> In the last two trips I had out west (DEN & SLC), my experience was similar to Kusty's, in that the price difference between a normal car and a guaranteed 4WD (key here) vehicle was large.   And the extortional part is it can get even worse on the fly!  When I landed at SLC, snow was expected, and the rental car counters jacked up the rate even worse.  LOL     And IIRC, the pricing at SLC was significantly worse than the pricing at DEN.
> 
> ...


I think timing matters as well.  When we looked into trip pricing SLC and DEN were similar for car rentals.  SLC was a bit more, but not crazy.

Like I said in my previous post, I look for the "4WD" or "AWD", exact model doesn't so much matter, I'd rather have something AWD/4WD.  If that is what I sign up for, that is what they owe me.



Smellytele said:


> Tuesdays are the best days to book travel


Normally correct.



abc said:


> How does one guarantee a 4wd?
> 
> All I see are classes like SUV of different sozes, with notes of say “Toyota RAV or similar”


You may have to find the right model.  I didn't have many issues when I used Kayak and was able to find if it was AWD/4WD or not.  I am now having a tough time finding that information though.  I thought when I looked last year they had a little graphic showing the drive wheels.


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## BenedictGomez (Nov 29, 2017)

abc said:


> *How does one guarantee a 4wd? *
> 
> All I see are classes like SUV of different sizes, with notes of say “Toyota RAV or similar”



That's sort of one of the points I was trying to make.  There are some (though seemingly few) that explicitly say 4WD, and I'd want to confirm that were I booking. 

*I had a BAD experience last year* (and this is how I know about the RAV4 thing) where I had to get refunded and FIGHT Priceline.com through my credit card company, because I booked a_ "RAV4 or similar"_, leading me to believe that meant 4WD.  

My assumption wasnt crazy or irresponsible, because RAV4 literally stands for "_Recreational Activity Vehicle: 4-wheel drive"_  <--- the underlined is straight from Toyota.  BUT it turns out none of the RAV4 cars in the rental fleet are actually 4WD!   When I politely asked Priceline.com to please cancel based on what I thought was either a very poorly worded product description at best, or a deceptive marketing practice at worst, they told me to pound sand and that they'd fight my credit card company to force me to pay!   And they did!  And there were rude to the point of "ha, ha, ha, you're screwed!" arrogance about it.

Luckily I was savvy enough to screenshot their marketing info through each step of the purchasing process, as well as the online customer service chat with the Priceline underling, as well as the Priceline supervisor, but they actually took my credit card company to disputes!   In the end, the credit card company sided with me based on my substantial evidence and I got my money back, but it took a few months and much frustration.  Had I not the foresight to save all that stuff Priceline probably would have won and screwed me over as their "buy now and you get what you get" contract is pretty iron-clad.

Moral of the story, I will never use Priceline.com again.


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## Jcb890 (Nov 29, 2017)

BenedictGomez said:


> That's sort of one of the points I was trying to make.  There are some (though seemingly few) that explicitly say 4WD, and I'd want to confirm that were I booking.
> 
> *I had a BAD experience last year* (and this is how I know about the RAV4 thing) where I had to get refunded and FIGHT Priceline.com through my credit card company, because I booked a_ "RAV4 or similar"_, leading me to believe that meant 4WD.
> 
> ...


Wow, that's some shitty customer service.  Sorry to hear about that experience, it sounds miserable.


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## cdskier (Nov 29, 2017)

BenedictGomez said:


> That's sort of one of the points I was trying to make.  There are some (though seemingly few) that explicitly say 4WD, and I'd want to confirm that were I booking.
> 
> *I had a BAD experience last year* (and this is how I know about the RAV4 thing) where I had to get refunded and FIGHT Priceline.com through my credit card company, because I booked a_ "RAV4 or similar"_, leading me to believe that meant 4WD.
> 
> My assumption wasnt crazy or irresponsible, because RAV4 literally stands for "_Recreational Activity Vehicle: 4-wheel drive"_  <--- the underlined is straight from Toyota.  BUT it turns out none of the RAV4 cars in the rental fleet are actually 4WD!



I'd agree that your assumption wasn't crazy. I always wondered who bought the non-4WD/AWD versions of these SUVs other than perhaps people that live down south. Now I know...rental agencies even in snowy areas.

I also don't think the fault with the crappy/deceptive marketing is all priceline's fault as they're really just a middle-man. The rental agencies themselves seem to go out of the way to conveniently leave out that info. Hertz did list a couple SUV models specifically as 4WD/AWD so I would assume that means the others are 2WD based on experiences being shared here. Enterprise doesn't list any of their options as specifically having 4WD/AWD so who knows...you'd now have to assume they might be 2WD. No excuse for not having complete info online in today's digital world unless you specifically don't want people to know.


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## BenedictGomez (Nov 29, 2017)

Jcb890 said:


> Wow, *that's some shitty customer service.  Sorry to hear about that experience, it sounds miserable.*



Horrible.   And I was pretty shocked, because I generally feel most companies over the last 20 years have really found Jesus when it comes to customer service.  The case studies are endless demonstrating how important it is.  And this wasn't just poor, it felt more like, "we _GOT_-cha!"



cdskier said:


> No excuse for not having complete info online in today's digital world *unless you specifically don't want people to know.*



That's my belief as well.  Let the customer assume.


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## KustyTheKlown (Nov 29, 2017)

truckin up to Montana in a Nissan versa. holla atcha boy


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## Jcb890 (Nov 29, 2017)

KustyTheKlown said:


> truckin up to Montana in a Nissan versa. holla atcha boy


Haha oh boy!  Best of luck!
We didn't drive around much of Montana, but around Bozeman and Big Sky isn't really too bad as far as driving goes.  It is relatively flat.  Hopefully the road up to Big Sky isn't too snowy though, that could certainly cause issues in a FWD car.


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## Smellytele (Nov 29, 2017)

On another note some rental car companies don't allow you to go over some state lines.


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## abc (Nov 29, 2017)

Smellytele said:


> On another note some rental car companies don't allow you to go over some state lines.


example ?


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## thetrailboss (Nov 29, 2017)

BenedictGomez said:


> That's sort of one of the points I was trying to make.  There are some (though seemingly few) that explicitly say 4WD, and I'd want to confirm that were I booking.
> 
> *I had a BAD experience last year* (and this is how I know about the RAV4 thing) where I had to get refunded and FIGHT Priceline.com through my credit card company, because I booked a_ "RAV4 or similar"_, leading me to believe that meant 4WD.
> 
> ...



Wow.  Good to know.  I recently had an odd experience renting through Priceline where the rental agency wanted to charge me some ridiculous amount of money because I picked up my car a few minutes after I told Priceline I would.  I was like, "WTF?"


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## Smellytele (Nov 29, 2017)

abc said:


> example ?



I rented in Utah and they told me I could not go to Nevada. Can't remember which rental company but I had it happen other places also.


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## Jully (Nov 29, 2017)

Smellytele said:


> I rented in Utah and they told me I could not go to Nevada. Can't remember which rental company but I had it happen other places also.



Just to Nevada or anywhere out of Utah? Makes some sense if you limit people from going to other states as a rental car company. I think they don't want you using the rental car THAT much (even if you get unlimited miles) and limiting you to in-state as a general rule (obviously Utah itself is still huge) would reduce usage and risk of things happening to the car.


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## Jcb890 (Nov 29, 2017)

thetrailboss said:


> Wow.  Good to know.  I recently had an odd experience renting through Priceline where the rental agency wanted to charge me some ridiculous amount of money because I picked up my car a few minutes after I told Priceline I would.  I was like, "WTF?"


Actually, now that I think of it, we did have some issues in DEN picking up our car.  I think I screwed up on the time I selected for when we'd pick up the car and we missed that pick-up time.  They gave away the original car we were supposed to get (RAV4 AWD), but we got an Infiniti AWD SUV instead, so that was fine.


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## Jcb890 (Nov 29, 2017)

Smellytele said:


> I rented in Utah and they told me I could not go to Nevada. Can't remember which rental company but I had it happen other places also.


I don't think the airport rental companies in Denver or Bozeman said where we could or could not go.  Though in Bozeman they did ask if we planned to do any off-road driving and mentioned it was not permitted.


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## Smellytele (Nov 29, 2017)

They sometimes don't tell you it is just in the contract. Here is a thread where some peopl had an issue in CO.
http://www.city-data.com/forum/automotive/2255033-taking-rental-vehicles-across-state-lines.html


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## Smellytele (Nov 29, 2017)

Here is an article on it as well...
http://www.elliott.org/thats-ridiculous-2/cross-the-state-line-pay-extra-for-your-rental-car/


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## cdskier (Nov 29, 2017)

Interesting...the one time I had a rental car from Enterprise the plates on the car they gave me weren't even from the state where I picked up the car. Would be interesting if they say you can't leave the state when the car itself isn't even from that state. Plus in NJ I can be in 6 or so other states within about a 3 hour drive.

Reading that other thread makes it sound like it varies a lot even within a particular rental agency. If it says you get unlimited miles, I would have never even thought about seeing if there were state restrictions.


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## jimk (Nov 29, 2017)

Last winter I rented a 4wd, 4dr Nissan Frontier truck at Seattle airport for a good deal.  IIRC they asked where I was going and I said Whistler, Canada and they said no problem.  I've rented vehicle from SFO and drove to OR, NV and CA with no problems.


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## drjeff (Nov 30, 2017)

Jcb890 said:


> I don't think the airport rental companies in Denver or Bozeman said where we could or could not go.  Though in Bozeman they did ask if we planned to do any off-road driving and mentioned it was not permitted.



Bozeman I'm guessing they expect that many rental cars will leave the state, as a decent percentage of people flying into Bozeman often go to Yellowstone, the majority of which is in WY, not MT

I know when I rented in Bozeman in the summer of 2016, that Avis didn't even tell me that I couldn't take the car out of state, and the majority of the 1500 miles I drove that week were in WY and not MT


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## KustyTheKlown (Dec 1, 2017)

things are looking a little better today. a foot this weekend for the cottonwoods, and now they are saying the ridge will only dominate for 7-10 days before breaking down. fingers crossed. ideally i get to ski powder next weekend in new england, powder in Montana 12/16-19, powder in Utah 12/20-23. wishful thinking. hope's the root of fantasy.


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## kingslug (Dec 1, 2017)

Not to burst bubbles but they need feet of snow to cover the rocks. But who knows. I go every year at this time and surprise storms have dumped feet instead of the inches forecast. A mountain forecast is good for maybe 4 hours before. I've been there when 3 inches was forecast that morning an 18 fell. Last year at this time thunder snow stuck us in the restaurant for a while. Either way they are going to open so anyone with prepaid tix, like our group will not be able to cancel. Let the grooming begin ;(


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## KustyTheKlown (Dec 1, 2017)

i am fully aware that they need a lot of snow to open anything. I'm mainly happy to see them predicting the ridge breaking down by 12/10. mid month could be salvaged. I'm still driving to Montana for the first half of the trip. I'm hoping by 12/10 it starts snowing again. big sky is well positioned to open more terrain. they have a good base down. Utah will need a lot more help. so hopefully they are in business by the 20th. a couple good storms between 12/10 and 12/20 can make a world of difference.


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## kingslug (Dec 1, 2017)

I'll be leaving the place the 17th..hope something happens before then. This would be my first skunk out...ever.


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## BenedictGomez (Dec 1, 2017)

If the December climatology prediction is correct, the west might have a lackluster month in terms of snow.  Keep in mind this is just a below/normal/above % metric, so that certainly doesnt mean it's not going to snow (or even snow a lot), it just means that the predicted temps are slated as less than optimal for big snows.

EDIT:  Apologies for the massive picture.


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## Smellytele (Dec 1, 2017)

that is temp do you have the precip one?


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## kingslug (Dec 1, 2017)

I'll be spending a lot of time in VT..looks like the NE will do well this season.


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## thetrailboss (Dec 1, 2017)

BenedictGomez said:


> If the December climatology prediction is correct, the west might have a lackluster month in terms of snow.  Keep in mind this is just a below/normal/above % metric, so that certainly doesnt mean it's not going to snow (or even snow a lot), it just means that the predicted temps are slated as less than optimal for big snows.
> 
> EDIT:  Apologies for the massive picture.





Don't remind me.


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## abc (Dec 2, 2017)

BenedictGomez said:


> *I had a BAD experience last year*
> ...
> When I politely asked Priceline.com to please cancel based on what I thought was either a very poorly worded product description at best, or a deceptive marketing practice at worst, they told me to pound sand and that they'd fight my credit card company to force me to pay!   And they did!  And there were rude to the point of "ha, ha, ha, you're screwed!" arrogance about it.
> ....
> ...


I always wonder about prepaid car rental. What if the flight was cancelled due to weather? 

I've had to eat hotel reservation when flights were cancelled. But often times, there's no choice but to take the risk. Not so with rental car reservation. Most of the time, the prepaid rental car saving I found were not big enough to worth losing the flexibility.


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## jimk (Dec 2, 2017)

BenedictGomez said:


> That's sort of one of the points I was trying to make.  There are some (though seemingly few) that explicitly say 4WD, and I'd want to confirm that were I booking.
> 
> *I had a BAD experience last year* (and this is how I know about the RAV4 thing) where I had to get refunded and FIGHT Priceline.com through my credit card company, because I booked a_ "RAV4 or similar"_, leading me to believe that meant 4WD.
> 
> ...



I've used priceline for advance payment car rentals a couple times in recent years and it's been good and cheap, but I kept it real simple and only rented an economy car and didn't try to change dates or times.

Sorry kind of longish post, One of my better car rental stories:  In late Dec 2012 I flew into SFX airport to begin a two week ski trip.  I had reserved a small suv specifically identified as a 4wd jeep, sorry can't remember the company.  I planned to travel from San Fran to Mt. Bachelor for three days, then to ski some mtns in North Lake Tahoe with my son, then back to San Fran to pick up wife and daughter and take a weekend break with cousins in the city, then drive over to Kirkwood for four days, and then back to SFX, 2000 miles of driving total.  I got what I thought was a pretty good deal on the 4wd Jeep out of SFX during the Holidays, IIRC for about $750 total for two weeks.  When I went to pick up the jeep they did not have it or any small 4wd vehicles, they wanted to rent me a larger suv that was 2wd for an upcharge.  I checked another car company nearby in the airport and they wanted $1500 for a 4wd suv for two weeks.  I went back to original company and fussed with them and they offered an extended bed chrysler minivan for my original rate of $750 for two weeks.  It had been a snowy dec in tahoe and bachelor and told them I was going skiing and one of the agents actually suggested I take the minivan and put chains on it if I got stuck in a storm.  I thought about this and since I was eventually going to have four in my party I took the minivan.  It worked out great and I did pick up some chains for about $50 and used them one day going to Sierra at Tahoe for a great powder day during a stormy day when chain laws were in effect in the Tahoe area.  Then we drove back to SFX the night before our flight back home and I threw the chains in a trash can at the motel.  They didn't fit any vehicles I had at home and I didn't want to take them on an airplane.
Worth every penny of those tire chains:


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## Harvey (Dec 3, 2017)

BenedictGomez said:


> Keep in mind this is just a below/normal/above % metric, so that certainly doesnt mean it's not going to snow (or even snow a lot), it just means that the predicted temps are slated as less than optimal for big snows.



You know weather better than I do BG. That map (if it verifies) means a trough in the east and high pressure out west.  While it doesn't ensure snow in the east, it does mean a snow drought in the west is likely.


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## kingslug (Dec 4, 2017)

Well they opened. 4 inches so far and another 10 to 15 on the way. Its something.


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## abc (Dec 4, 2017)

Who are they?


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## kingslug (Dec 4, 2017)

They being Alta Snowbird


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## kingslug (Dec 4, 2017)

Snow
Powder

Open trails
5/116

Open lifts
2/10
​
Base

25"



9°FSnow depth



NW 3 mph

Summit

25"



9°FSnow depth



NW 3 mp

Alta​


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## snoseek (Dec 5, 2017)

If you're into rock climbing or mountain biking I imagine Moab would be a hell of alot more fun than lcc in the next couple weeks. 

Mammoth is supposed to be skiing real good. We are skiing all of the front side at Kirkwood but the skiing is about to deteriorate for the next few weeks.


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## kingslug (Dec 6, 2017)

Chance to bail and only lose a few hundred..might take it.


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## KustyTheKlown (Dec 6, 2017)

i could bail and lose about $300. since big sky is on my pass and will have decent skiing, i dont think it is worth it to cancel. it is use it or lose it vacation days for me in 2017. sitting around nyc for the entire two weeks would be so boring. skiing the east for the two weeks would just eat up my max pass days and kill me on lodging and gas and mileage. i know i'm spending on hotels out there, but its real cheap ($40/night SLC, $70/night west yellowstone).


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## abc (Dec 6, 2017)

KustyTheKlown said:


> ($40/night SLC, $70/night west yellowstone).


West Yellowstone is a long way from Big Sky


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## Jcb890 (Dec 6, 2017)

abc said:


> West Yellowstone is a long way from Big Sky


Yeah, no way I'd make that trek daily to get to the mountain.  Staying in the town/village was far enough away for us, but not too bad.


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## KustyTheKlown (Dec 6, 2017)

abc said:


> West Yellowstone is a long way from Big Sky



I know. it's an hour. but I'm alone and staying in big sky is prohibitively expensive, and staying in Bozeman is basically as far as west Yellowstone while being 2 hours further from my starting point in SLC. it's not ideal but I'm trying to make lemonade with this trip. if the weather forecasts are to be believed, I will have clear driving the entire trip :-(


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## Jcb890 (Dec 6, 2017)

KustyTheKlown said:


> I know. it's an hour. but I'm alone and staying in big sky is prohibitively expensive, and staying in Bozeman is basically as far as west Yellowstone while being 2 hours further from my starting point in SLC. it's not ideal but I'm trying to make lemonade with this trip. if the weather forecasts are to be believed, I will have clear driving the entire trip :-(


I think you'll wind up traveling 191, which was mostly flat from what I saw.  Pretty dark, but flat.  If no snow, it travels fast too.

If you don't eat dinner at both Buck's T-4 Restaurant and Gallatin Riverhouse Grill, then you're fuckin' up.  They're both on 191 also.  Just posting about it makes me want to get a nice steak at Buck's.


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## thetrailboss (Dec 6, 2017)

KustyTheKlown said:


> I know. it's an hour. but I'm alone and staying in big sky is prohibitively expensive, and staying in Bozeman is basically as far as west Yellowstone while being 2 hours further from my starting point in SLC. it's not ideal but I'm trying to make lemonade with this trip. if the weather forecasts are to be believed, I will have clear driving the entire trip :-(



That's not too bad.  I also got 56 minutes when I just mapped it.


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## KustyTheKlown (Dec 6, 2017)

Jcb890 said:


> I think you'll wind up traveling 191, which was mostly flat from what I saw.  Pretty dark, but flat.  If no snow, it travels fast too.
> 
> If you don't eat dinner at both Buck's T-4 Restaurant and Gallatin Riverhouse Grill, then you're fuckin' up.  They're both on 191 also.  Just posting about it makes me want to get a nice steak at Buck's.



thanks, noted. I'm alone, so I doubt there will be very much restaurant dining. but maybe i'll treat myself one night and sit with a book. 

looking forward to more social airplane ski trips in January (Washington, visiting a buddy and travelling with another), and march (crested butte/copper/winter park with the big crew)


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## KustyTheKlown (Dec 6, 2017)

dang - a little bummed to just discover that the west yellowstone entrance to the park is closed to regular vehicles in the winter. only open to snowmobile and snowcoach. i wanted to get off the hill around lunchtime one day and take a drive thru the park and see some sights and wildlife. the only entrance that is open to cars in winter is south of Bozeman, which would be like 2+ hours from big sky, and then 3+ back to west yellowstone


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## Jcb890 (Dec 6, 2017)

KustyTheKlown said:


> thanks, noted. I'm alone, so I doubt there will be very much restaurant dining. but maybe i'll treat myself one night and sit with a book.
> 
> looking forward to more social airplane ski trips in January (Washington, visiting a buddy and travelling with another), and march (crested butte/copper/winter park with the big crew)


If you want to eat good, you can go alone.  Buck's T-4 is much nicer, sit-down type of restaurant.  Awesome steak though and would be nice to go and sit with a book.

Gallatin Riverhouse Grill is kind of a typical BBQ place, nothing fine-dining or anything too crazy.  Go and grab a rack of ribs and some beer.


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## thetrailboss (Dec 6, 2017)

KustyTheKlown said:


> dang - a little bummed to just discover that the west yellowstone entrance to the park is closed to regular vehicles in the winter. only open to snowmobile and snowcoach. i wanted to get off the hill around lunchtime one day and take a drive thru the park and see some sights and wildlife. the only entrance that is open to cars in winter is south of Bozeman, which would be like 2+ hours from big sky, and then 3+ back to west yellowstone



Right.  Most of Yellowstone is closed in the winter.


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## Jully (Dec 6, 2017)

thetrailboss said:


> That's not too bad.  I also got 56 minutes when I just mapped it.



56 minutes is not bad at all! I guess if you're going out west on a vacation you'd like to be right on the mountain, but when I'm staying somewhere overnight back east I consider it a win if I'm under an hour. For example I usually stay in Conway or Berlin NH to ski the River (if I'm not day tripping) and both those are about 60 minutes.


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## KustyTheKlown (Dec 6, 2017)

yup. i dont treat this so much as a vacation. its the same cracked out shit i do every weekend, complete with an overnight 6 hour drive. it just happens to be on bigger mountains.


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## KustyTheKlown (Dec 7, 2017)

confirmation from big sky social media that Madison side opens 12/15. that effectively will double terrain the day I show up, and that stuff is all untouched snow pretty much as it hasn't opened yet for the season. not for lack of snow. for lack of people. great news.


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## drjeff (Dec 7, 2017)

KustyTheKlown said:


> dang - a little bummed to just discover that the west yellowstone entrance to the park is closed to regular vehicles in the winter. only open to snowmobile and snowcoach. i wanted to get off the hill around lunchtime one day and take a drive thru the park and see some sights and wildlife. the only entrance that is open to cars in winter is south of Bozeman, which would be like 2+ hours from big sky, and then 3+ back to west yellowstone



Yup, did the drive from Gardiner, MT (the North entrance of Yellowstone) on over to Big Sky in August of 2016, while we were out there. it's a solid 2 hrs.

And if you did the driving portion of Yellowstone that is open in the winter, the ride out from Mammoth Hot Springs towards the East Entrance through the Lamar Valley while incredibly scenic and often filled with literally 1000's of bison in the Lamar Valley would add just in driving time in the park, about 3 hrs for the out and back loop, and that's not even taking into account the likely many, many times you'd just want to stop and stare at the scenery.  It would be a full, LONG day trip from Big Sky to hit up that part of Yellowstone for sure....


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## kingslug (Dec 7, 2017)

Well, this is turning out way better than SLC for sure...


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## Jcb890 (Dec 7, 2017)

KustyTheKlown said:


> confirmation from big sky social media that Madison side opens 12/15. that effectively will double terrain the day I show up, and that stuff is all untouched snow pretty much as it hasn't opened yet for the season. not for lack of snow. for lack of people. great news.


Hell yeah!  I'm happy for you, but at the same time very jealous.  We loved Big Sky last year and not sure if a trip is in the cards this season.


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## KustyTheKlown (Dec 7, 2017)

I went from despondent to stoked really fast. finally excited about this trip!


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## kingslug (Dec 7, 2017)

I'll be ..replacing a sink...


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## KustyTheKlown (Dec 15, 2017)

getting off work in 20 minutes and flying out to SLC tonight, getting the crappy car, and driving to big ski. 5.5 hours, 360 miles. there is SNOW IN THE FORECAST, and tomorrow could be a 5-10" powder day, and big sky will be opening up the Madison side for the first time. not gonna lie, i'm terrified of this drive, in the dark, in the snow, without 4wd. if i have to pull over and nap a bit in the car i will, but i'm really really hoping that isn't necessary

my supreme goggles came in the mail yesterday. they are not high end by any means, and they are OTG so theyre a little awkwardly large, but hot damn these are hypey as hell. will be fun to use for spring skiing. i could be an extra in a rap video.


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## Jcb890 (Dec 15, 2017)

KustyTheKlown said:


> getting off work in 20 minutes and flying out to SLC tonight, getting the crappy car, and driving to big ski. 5.5 hours, 360 miles. there is SNOW IN THE FORECAST, and tomorrow could be a 5-10" powder day, and big sky will be opening up the Madison side for the first time. not gonna lie, i'm terrified of this drive, in the dark, in the snow, without 4wd. if i have to pull over and nap a bit in the car i will, but i'm really really hoping that isn't necessary
> 
> my supreme goggles came in the mail yesterday. they are not high end by any means, and they are OTG so theyre a little awkwardly large, but hot damn these are hypey as hell. will be fun to use for spring skiing. i could be an extra in a rap video.
> 
> View attachment 22923


That drive would worry me too in the dark without 4WD.  Drive safe KTK and make us all jealous with lots of great photos.

The Madison area/side was fun.  They have a nice 6-person chair over there and a good mix of all types of terrain.  We also liked the parking at the Madison lodge area, you can park really close to the trail and lodge, no wasted time with a shuttle or a long walk with bags to the lodge.  The Headwaters Double services some fun and pretty gnarly terrain in that bowl.


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## KustyTheKlown (Dec 15, 2017)

yup, i went to big sky with a big group of friends last march and we stayed in a sweet condo steps away from moonlight lodge. i am familiar with the terrain. the hike to stuff at headwaters is awesome. excited about the opening of madison side simply because it hasnt been open yet and fresh tracks should be ample. otherwise i prefer the headwaters, ramcharger, and tram terrain. stoked. but will pull over and wait it out if anything i'm doing seems too dangerous.


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## mikestaple (Dec 15, 2017)

I think the blowing and drifting around 4 corners would be worse than the steady climb up the mountain.  (Then again - SLOT MACHINES at 4 corners!  Woooo.)   Just watch that last climb up the mountain from 191.  It is steep in a few places.

Big Sky is a fantastic place.  Challenger Lift.  Go for it!!!


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## abc (Dec 16, 2017)

Miss the last update yesterday. Hope he made it in one piece and not too exhausted to get up to enjoy the powder.


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## KustyTheKlown (Dec 16, 2017)

that was nightmare travel folks
made it to west yellowstone at 12:45, jusssst a touch too late to go ski
sat in 2 hours of traffic to go 10 miles to JFK
flight gets delayed from 9 to 11 10 min before scheduled boarding
had to cancel 1 am car rental
called Expedia, who sorted me with some garbage rental agency at 5 am. I did not know it was off airport. 
get there at 5 via $15 taxi and no one is working
they arrive at 620, asks me where I'm heading, he tells me his fleet can't go to mt
back to airport, budget rental, sweet new subaru with 1000 miles, $430 for the week, not terrible
the drive was awesome and beautiful and would have been deadly in a shit car

lessons learned - 1) don't be a cheap ass about rental car. 2) don't reserve in advance, haggle at counter for upgrade for free


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## Edd (Dec 16, 2017)

Jesus, what a shitshow. Cool getting the Subie, though. 


Sent from my iPad using AlpineZone


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## abc (Dec 17, 2017)

Glad it worked out for you regarding the rental car. 

I've had similar problem before, when my flights were late. Quite a mess also. 

Still don't really have a good solution, except perhaps made multiple reservations at different time...


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## KustyTheKlown (Dec 17, 2017)

today totally rules. tons of leftover powder and some stuff that was closed yesterday (like the top of cold spring from the headwaters high traverse). parked at madison, skied six shooter, headwaters, lone tree, challenger, and iron horse. didnt even make it over to the main base side of the mountain. that's for tomorrow. 30k vertical. huge day. felt great skiing steeps and trees and powder. my new DPS wailer 105s feel amazing. big sky is rocky, got a nasty core shot, skis in the shop overnight. its time for a swim and a steam and a pizza.


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## Harvey (Dec 17, 2017)

KustyTheKlown said:


> today totally rules. tons of leftover powder and some stuff that was closed yesterday (like the top of cold spring from the headwaters high traverse). parked at madison, skied six shooter, headwaters, lone tree, challenger, and iron horse. didnt even make it over to the main base side of the mountain. that's for tomorrow. 30k vertical. huge day. felt great skiing steeps and trees and powder. my new DPS wailer 105s feel amazing. big sky is rocky, got a nasty core shot, skis in the shop overnight. its time for a swim and a steam and a pizza.


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## Jcb890 (Dec 18, 2017)

KustyTheKlown said:


> today totally rules. tons of leftover powder and some stuff that was closed yesterday (like the top of cold spring from the headwaters high traverse). parked at madison, skied six shooter, headwaters, lone tree, challenger, and iron horse. didnt even make it over to the main base side of the mountain. that's for tomorrow. 30k vertical. huge day. felt great skiing steeps and trees and powder. my new DPS wailer 105s feel amazing. big sky is rocky, got a nasty core shot, skis in the shop overnight. its time for a swim and a steam and a pizza.


Hell yeah!


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## KustyTheKlown (Dec 18, 2017)

killin it out here folks. handful of photos on my instagram if you care to look - sjs.ski.nyc

liberty bowl>rockville bowl from the tram today was big time stuff


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## jimk (Dec 19, 2017)

You might get 6-12" on Wed-Thursday.


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## volvovod (Dec 19, 2017)

abc said:


> Glad it worked out for you regarding the rental car.
> 
> I've had similar problem before, when my flights were late. Quite a mess also.
> 
> Still don't really have a good solution, except perhaps made multiple reservations at different time...



It may be too late (or too early - depending how you look at it) but in a few weeks Silvercar opens an office at SLC.  The rent AWD Audis at the rates that are lower  than they competitors charge for econoboxes.  Also, first time customers get a discount that I hope to use in February.


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## KustyTheKlown (Dec 19, 2017)

jimk said:


> You might get 6-12" on Wed-Thursday.



yup, and it snowed all day today. they reported 1-2", but that was by challenger. over by shedhorn, dakota, thunder wolf, it was dumping, and i'd say it was more like 3-4". just a little bit to refresh things goes such a long way. tomorrow should be super fun storm skiing and thursday should be cold and sunny leftovers. the tram on thursday will be whats up.


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## crank (Dec 20, 2017)

Jealous I am.  Been to Big Sky twice and lucked out with storms both times.


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## mikestaple (Dec 20, 2017)

Dakota is open?!  They must have a lot of snow.  Outstanding. 


Sent from my iPhone using AlpineZone


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## KustyTheKlown (Dec 20, 2017)

shit is lit out here

storm skiing today with 5" throughout the day and more coming. spent the morning doing six shooter>headwaters>lone tree laps, then worked every run off of ramcharger and thunderwolf for the afternoon. got back to the car with a 3 pm headwaters lap. 

super lit.

tomorrow will be sunny but very cold and the tram and bowl and challenger will be more appealing. was whiteout today. staying low and around the trees was the move today. 

epic powder storm skiing.


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## kingslug (Dec 21, 2017)

You...lucked out&#55357;&#56833;


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## KustyTheKlown (Dec 22, 2017)

wow it is grim in Utah 

went to solitude at 9 am, skied some scratchy groomers and sad chopped powder and bumps with tall grass sticking thru

quit at 11 and sold my day pass for $50

went to Brighton to drop off skis for overnight tune, redeemed a max pass and sold that for $50

so I am up $100 and it's supposed to snow tonight. brigton could be fun tomorrow but I fear crowds (storm + Saturday + holiday + snow starved locals)

I am doing laundry and will go explore downtown, maybe drive to park city, maybe see a flick


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