# Planning trip to the north for next season, Whistler or Vail/Aspen or other???



## killclimbz (Aug 10, 2007)

All of those resorts get good powder. If they'll have it when you are there, who knows? Aspen and Vail generally get the super light blower pow, Whistler is going to be a heavier coastal snow. When it's knee deep I doubt you'll care where ever you go.

The mountains at Aspen and Whistler are much steeper than what is offered at Vail. Whistler having crazy steeps due to it being on the coast. Wetter snow sticks to steeper surfaces.

Cheap accommodations? Seriously? You picked probably the top 3 most expensive resorts in North America. They are going to get top dollar for where ever you stay. You will need to look at places at least a half an hour to an hour away to get a decent break at Vail and Aspen, not sure how the Whistler scene works.

As far as lift tickets go, if you go to Vail, you can buy the Epic Pass. It's around $600 US, in addition to a season pass at Vail, you get Beaver Creek, Breck, Keystone, Arapahoe Basin, plus Heavenly and North Star in Tahoe. The resorts listed before Heavenly are all with 30-40 minutes of each other by car.

You can find good parks at all those spots. Breckenridge is a world class park and is considered one of the best out there. Aspen hold the Xgames at Buttermilk. When those aren't happening the park is open for others to use. Obviously it's good. Whistler is Whistler. From what I understand their park is top notch also.


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## <<AnGeLu$>> (Jul 18, 2010)

Thank you for your replay... that epicpass is a real deal, I think I will go for it, Thanks


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## Argo (Feb 25, 2010)

Look on vrbo.com regularly or craigslist. Last year I booked a 1 bedroom condo here in vail in march for $90/night which is super cheap for the area. Mid december is a freakin mad house. I would personally do the first two weeks of jan rather than the last two of december, for sure miss christmas week.


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## Tarzanman (Dec 20, 2008)

I ran into one of your buddies at Jackson Hole back in February.

Why he was hanging out with 2 Aussies....? I have no idea.

http://riftwave.net/phpalbum/main.php?cmd=imageview&var1=jh2011/IMG_5506.jpg

http://riftwave.net/phpalbum/main.php?cmd=imageview&var1=jh2011/IMG_5507.jpg

http://riftwave.net/phpalbum/main.php?cmd=imageview&var1=jh2011/IMG_5505.jpg


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## schmitty34 (Dec 28, 2007)

It sounds like you might be going to Vail so I'll keep my Whistler comments short.

The snow can be awesome if you are there at the right time. If you are there for a few weeks in Jan/Feb, you are sure to get some really good powder days.

Cheap is hard to do at whistler. Most of the really cheap places like hostels (if they have them) or crazy small apartments are going to be stuffed with Kiwis and Aussies that are living there for the winter.

However, if you book a one bedroom condo just outside of the village from a private booking agency you can do whistler at a reasonable price...plus you'll have a small kitchen to keep meals cheap.

Nightlife is really good if you're in your late teens or twenties...especially on the weekends. 

I guess that wasn't that short....


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## <<AnGeLu$>> (Jul 18, 2010)

LOL Tarzanman, what the f***k they were thinking to wear a flag till your knees when riding :-S


schmitty34, Do you know if in Whistler used to give you discounts if you buy 4 the season or several days, (like the epicpass @vail) I'm definitely still consider wh as an option 
thnks


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## killclimbz (Aug 10, 2007)

I know you can get a deal for multi day tickets for Whistler. Same goes for Aspen for that matter. The thing is none of them are going to come close to the price of the Epic Pass for the amount of days you are there. Unless you only plan on riding 5 or 6 days. Last I saw Whistler passes were around $1200. Same thing for Aspen. Then again, if you get a solid two weeks of riding in, buying a season pass at the other places would probably be worth it too.


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## schmitty34 (Dec 28, 2007)

<<AnGeLu$>> said:


> LOL Tarzanman, what the f***k they were thinking to wear a flag till your knees when riding :-S
> 
> 
> schmitty34, Do you know if in Whistler used to give you discounts if you buy 4 the season or several days, (like the epicpass @vail) I'm definitely still consider wh as an option
> thnks


The only thing I've used for Whistler is the Edge Card which gives you pretty good discounts on multi day lift tickets....however, this card is only for Canada or Washington State residents, so I'm not sure about discounts for other people.


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## roremc (Oct 25, 2009)

People wearing flags riding is total wank. Wow you are from Australia. Big deal. Half the staff on the mountain probably are as well! 

If I had that much time I would be doing a road trip.

Whether you pick Colorado or BC you could get 5 or 6 mountains in at the same time. 

I would be hitting the US at the moment. The dollar is fucked so you will never get it cheaper!


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## killclimbz (Aug 10, 2007)

You know I used to prescribe to the "hit as many as you can" mantra. Now a days, when I go hit a spot, prefer to get to know it for the time I am there. Unless it's super small. There are always lots of secrets to figure out. Especially at a place like Whistler. That mountain is freakin' huge. With the Epic pass though he would have five areas to choose from. Vail is really on second in size to Whistler so it's also a big mountain. Not going to get bored there. Aspen has four mountains, 3 of which I find highly entertaining. Snowmass is also the second largest in the state, so it would be more than enough to entertain a person by itself. 

Regardless, I like sticking to a spot and doing the adventures within a reasonable distance from there. Always picking up and moving your base of operations is tiring. I'd rather be riding.


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