# A month of good times!



## Rello

Hi Peeps,
Im Going to the USA for 1 month arriving 1st of Feb 2020 to SLC.
My question is, has anyone got any thoughts on places to visit to get as much pow/backcountry riding in as possible, i dont mind travelling around just not too much.( dont wanna miss too much mountain time!)
Im not super experienced but i know what im doing
Id like to go Mount Baker and Jackson Hole i know they are a way apart though so i gotta be realistic!
So the possibilities seem endless so any advice would be great!
Thanks a lot!


----------



## lab49232

Rello said:


> Hi Peeps,
> Im Going to the USA for 1 month arriving 1st of Feb 2020 to SLC.
> My question is, has anyone got any thoughts on places to visit to get as much pow/backcountry riding in as possible, i dont mind travelling around just not too much.( dont wanna miss too much mountain time!)
> Im not super experienced but i know what im doing
> Id like to go Mount Baker and Jackson Hole i know they are a way apart though so i gotta be realistic!
> So the possibilities seem endless so any advice would be great!
> Thanks a lot!


If you're only here for a month and trying to ride and your starting point is SLC then forget Baker, it's quite literally about the furthest away resort you could pick in the states from where you're landing (outside of the east coast, but nobody comes here to ride there). It's great but not worth sacrificing everything else for. As for the rest, is SLC just a staring point or are you going to have it as your home base? If you're traveling well then:

First off when you step off the plane you'll be 30 minutes away from TONS of ridiculously great riding and perfect snow. Just stay there and explore for a week easily never getting bored. 

Jackson Hole is then a quick drive and you can split your time between there and Targhee. If you do any backcountry exploring you're easily gonna fill a week or so there.

From there it's another quick drive to Bozeman. Ride Big Sky, it's massive and has anything and everything you could ever want. You also have Bridger Bowl close by, which if you're trying to find easily accessible backcountry type riding is probably one of the best places in the country. The entire top of the mountain is hike to backcountry type terrain but you will need a full avy kit to even go up the lift to start hiking. 

Do all that you've easily covered a month. Or conversely do the SLC then work your way to Colorado and you can fill a month just doing that easily with minimal travel as well.


----------



## wrathfuldeity

Yea, don't come to Baker in Feb...the circus is here on February 7, 8, & 9 • 2020


----------



## JoeyOranges

Nice! 

If it was me, I would buy an Ikon pass and do some combination of:

- SLC - Snowbird, Solitude, Brighton
- CO - Aspen (maybe Steamboat too)
- WY - Jackson
- MT - Big Sky
- NM - Taos

Even with a month you'd need to plan driving days, rest days and riding days to get the most out of your trip.

Or just play it completely by ear and go wherever it snows.


----------



## killclimbz

So are you backcountry riding or looking for resort riding with some backcountry options? Do you have partners?


----------



## Rello

Thanks for the replies,
Ok so Mt Baker is out of the equation, i thought it might be a bit far to travel, but yes SLC is my starting point and will definatley check out some of the spots you suggest!.
This is a solo trip, ive got myself a small RV to cruise around in gonna escape the ratrace for a while!
Im gonna try and combine rest days with driving days hopefully but will see how it pans out
So yep i need to find some backcountry outfits to team up with but yeh im aiming to mix it up with a bit of resort riding here and there too.


----------



## lab49232

Rello said:


> Thanks for the replies,
> Ok so Mt Baker is out of the equation, i thought it might be a bit far to travel, but yes SLC is my starting point and will definatley check out some of the spots you suggest!.
> This is a solo trip, ive got myself a small RV to cruise around in gonna escape the ratrace for a while!
> Im gonna try and combine rest days with driving days hopefully but will see how it pans out
> So yep i need to find some backcountry outfits to team up with but yeh im aiming to mix it up with a bit of resort riding here and there too.


Not that experienced, in a new country, and by yourself. You're gonna absolutely wanna ride resorts with great side country and in bounds terrain because outside of hiring guides or maybe finding a random group here and there willing to take on an inexperienced backcountry rider when their life will be in your hands is gonna be.... well tough. 

Good thing for you is riding mid week you'll be able to avoid crowds, RV will let ya chase snow some and you're going to be in the land of some of the best powder and in bounds terrain, so you will likely be able to get a lot of fullfillment from the resorts.

IKON Pass is the absolute must. Taos if you can hit on a powder day has some of the best and most technical steeps of anywhere. SLC and Jackson you'll have easy time finding backcountry groups/cat tours that if you have the money for will get you in the backcountry safely. And the resorts offer ridiculous snow totals and terrain. Big Sky, well that place is so big you wont need anything else there. And again if you add in Bridger Bowl. It's not the best idea to ride the top of that mountain alone but if you're by yourself its going to be the safest way to get to what is basically backcountry riding while still allowing for resort implemented safety features (aka avy control, patrol designated to rescuing you if you get hurt)


----------



## wrathfuldeity

Where you from? Presuming Europe, western us as far as travel distances is on a different scale. However if you are used to distance driving Big Sky to Baker can be done in 1 looong day. Since you are solo and have an RV, chase the snow by staying ahead and close attention to the forecast. SLC to Bend is 10 hours, Bend to Baker is doable in a day and etc. Anyway a Cascades route (Bend, Hood, Crystal, Stevens, Baker and Whistler) offers some steep, technical, sometimes deeeep and challenge. Another tip...is if you do Cascades...wait til later in you trip so that you have some conditioning/hardening before hitting.


----------



## Rello

Hey guys, yup I'm from the UK. So yea I've been thinking about the practical side of goin backcountry and probably would be useful to do an avalanche rescue course, I'd probs feel more comfortable doin it anyway, then I can maybe find some kind of outfit that runs people out and get into it that way.
I dont mind resort but I get bored silly doing groomed slopes and I'm not much into parks, I wanna be out in the wild making my own lines


----------



## lab49232

Rello said:


> Hey guys, yup I'm from the UK. So yea I've been thinking about the practical side of goin backcountry and probably would be useful to do an avalanche rescue course, I'd probs feel more comfortable doin it anyway, then I can maybe find some kind of outfit that runs people out and get into it that way.
> I dont mind resort but I get bored silly doing groomed slopes and I'm not much into parks, I wanna be out in the wild making my own lines


The resorts suggested, you wont be riding groom much at all. It's all about steeps and trees and bowls. If you get bored at resorts like Big Sky you're not riding it right. Groomers are just there to get you to different parts of the mountain.


----------



## yogibear18

Yeah, agree with what's posted here. If your idea of 'groomers' is based off of blue runs in France/Austria etc, you'll be in for a pleasant surprise at the likes of Snowbird/Jackson Hole/Big Sky. There are plenty of inbounds marked trails on those mountains that are extremely challenging.


----------



## rayt100

In Utah add Powder Mountain to your list


----------

