# Pacific NW vs Colorado



## PaulyMolitor (Oct 29, 2009)

Snowboarding/lifestyle wise how do they compare?


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## jeri534 (Feb 19, 2008)

comparing apples to oranges in terms of resorts

PNW (For the most part. Bend, Or and Mt. Bachelor would be an exception)

- Gets more snow annually, heavier snow that sticks to everything.
- Cheaper lift tickets, generally shorter lift lines and crowds.
- Ski resorts are just ski resorts, there are really no "ski towns", there are no ski in/out lodging at most of the mountains.
- Not much to do after riding in the resorts.


CO

- Snow is better quality, lighter.
- Ski towns, lots more stuff to do after riding arond towns, more lodging.
- Much bigger resorts, higher elevation, more terrain.


Im sure others will add on


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## wrathfuldeity (Oct 5, 2007)

rain gear verses puffy gear
flat light goggles verses bright light goggles


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## killclimbz (Aug 10, 2007)

Come on wrathful tons of flat light days in Colorado. Usually the best days to ride. 

But yeah, you're right on the rain gear vs puffy gear.

Colorado snow is way lighter, and rarely gets rain. The thing is the heavier wetter snow in the PNW will stick to much steeper slopes. In Colorado avy danger is at it's worst between 30 and 45 degrees because it's so light, it doesn't stick to stuff much steeper than 45 degrees. Sure there is some 50 degree slopes you can ride, but it's generally short lived. As the snow gets wetter the higher the angel you can ride. That is why the avy danger in Utah goes up to just over 50 degrees. In the PNW it's over 60 degrees in angle. It is also the reason that Alaska has such amazing big mountain riding. The wet snow just sticks to higher angle stuff.


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## BurtonAvenger (Aug 14, 2007)

Just move you'll fit in better up there.


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## HoboMaster (May 16, 2010)

The thing I love about my resort is the fact that when there is a powder day, I get fresh lines until the end of the day. When I lived in the SF Bay Area, even at Kirkwood almost the entire mountain was ruined 1 hour after they opened. Clusterfuck. The snow is certainly wetter, (with some exceptions) but you miss out on the crowds here without sacrificing terrain.


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## Grizz (Nov 10, 2008)

jeri534 said:


> - Much bigger resorts... more terrain.


If you're talking about average resort size I'd agree, but are any CO resorts larger than Whistler/Blackcomb?


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## jeri534 (Feb 19, 2008)

Ehh wasn't counting Whistler/BC, or any BC resorts for that matter sorry. BC is their own region IMO


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## HoboMaster (May 16, 2010)

PNW is basically Oregan/Washington/Idaho/ Western Montana


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## wrathfuldeity (Oct 5, 2007)

killclimbz said:


> Come on wrathful tons of flat light days in Colorado. Usually the best days to ride.
> 
> In the PNW it's over 60 degrees in angle. It is also the reason that Alaska has such amazing big mountain riding. The wet snow just sticks to higher angle stuff.


Ok, but we only get a handful of bluebirds that bring out the crowds...so its not worth having bright light goggles. And yes, we love flat light no vis pukage on 60 degrees slopes...and for that we gladly sacrifice the frickin ski town and night life. If we want that we could go to whistler. I have met a few CO folks on the hill but have only met 1-2 folks that actually go to CO to ride.

And Hobo, its not a cluster but the hill still gets mobbed in 1 hour 30 minutes unless you are lucky to eat puke all day.


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## killclimbz (Aug 10, 2007)

Eh, it's pretty amazing out here. Actually I'll stack it up against anywhere. I've had plenty of opportunity to go to other spots, but I'm happy here. Of course there is the hype machine, and the 11 million "other" people who come here to ride. So it has it's problems, I won't say it doesn't. The good stuff is that there are just so many killer places in the west. I'm happy to go along with the Colorado sucks attitude. I keep wishing Utah would nab 4-5 million of our skier visits actually...


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## legallyillegal (Oct 6, 2008)

HoboMaster said:


> PNW is basically Oregan/Washington/Idaho/ Western Montana


idaho? montana? get back, midwester!

whistler, mt washington, mt cain, cypress, grouse, seymour, hemlock, manning, baker, stevens pass, crystal, hurricane ridge, alpental, snoqualmie, white pass, mt hood, bachelor, williamette pass, etc, i cant remember all that shit, etc


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## Qball (Jun 22, 2010)

Exactly what I'm thinking. BC, Washington, Oregon = Pacific Northwest.


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## killclimbz (Aug 10, 2007)

Grizz said:


> If you're talking about average resort size I'd agree, but are any CO resorts larger than Whistler/Blackcomb?


Dude there are so many that are way bigger than the WB combo. We have a grand total of 0 resorts larger than WB. 

Vail is our largest which has 5k acres, I think WB is 7 or 8k acres. Whistler is definitely the premier resort in North America....


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## HoboMaster (May 16, 2010)

Qball said:


> Exactly what I'm thinking. BC, Washington, Oregon = Pacific Northwest.


Oh ok sorry, INLAND NORTHWEST. Seriously though, take a look at a topographic map. Everyone thinks Idaho and Montana are flat as a pancake, it's too bad that they have better skiing then Oregan and Washington. I guess it's a good thing no one knows about it :laugh:

http://www.montana-map.org/montana-map.jpg
http://www.wall-maps.com/state/images/Idaho_RAVEN.jpg

Tell me that's the midwest.....


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## killclimbz (Aug 10, 2007)

HoboMaster said:


> Oh ok sorry, INLAND NORTHWEST. Seriously though, take a look at a topographic map. Everyone thinks Idaho and Montana are flat as a pancake, it's too bad that they have better skiing then Oregan and Washington. I guess it's a good thing no one knows about it :laugh:
> 
> http://www.montana-map.org/montana-map.jpg
> http://www.wall-maps.com/state/images/Idaho_RAVEN.jpg
> ...


Ummm, I don't think anyone has said they are flat as a pancake. As far as one being better than the other, that's a matter of opinion.

Seems like a red headed step child post to me...


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## Qball (Jun 22, 2010)

HoboMaster said:


> Oh ok sorry, INLAND NORTHWEST. Seriously though, take a look at a topographic map. Everyone thinks Idaho and Montana are flat as a pancake, it's too bad that they have better skiing then Oregan and Washington. I guess it's a good thing no one knows about it :laugh:
> 
> http://www.montana-map.org/montana-map.jpg
> http://www.wall-maps.com/state/images/Idaho_RAVEN.jpg
> ...


I didn't say anything about the flatness of Idaho or Montana. I am also aware there are mountains in both of those states. IMO Idaho and Montana are not part of the Pacific Northwest, and that is all I said. So GTFO Idaho and Montana none of the other regions want to hang out with you. :cheeky4:


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## NWBoarder (Jan 10, 2010)

The biggest difference between the PNW and Colorado has already been stated. The snow. That is the biggest difference. If you think you can handle spending some days possibly riding in the rain on some super slushy/sticky snow, then come to the NW. If you can't then go to Colorado.


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## HoboMaster (May 16, 2010)

I merely get tired of telling people I live in Idaho, and they respond with, "Why do you live there, isn't it just a flat plain full of potatoes?"


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## killclimbz (Aug 10, 2007)

HoboMaster said:


> I merely get tired of telling people I live in Idaho, and they respond with, "Why do you live there, isn't it just a flat plain full of potatoes?"


Well it is.


But that's just one side of the story...


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## Qball (Jun 22, 2010)

haha, just like people think it rains every day in Oregon, or they think it is nothing but forest. I have had someone ask if I was a logger because I said I was from Oregon.


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## Grizz (Nov 10, 2008)

HoboMaster said:


> PNW is basically Oregan/Washington/Idaho/ Western Montana


IMO you have to have Pacific Coast line to be part of the PNW. If not, you're just part of "Back East"


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## killclimbz (Aug 10, 2007)

^^^That's pretty much how I see it.


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## HoboMaster (May 16, 2010)

killclimbz said:


> Well it is.
> 
> 
> But that's just one side of the story...


....

RAGEQUIT


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