Jackson Hole, Mammoth or Tahoe?

[mikeskeet]

Hi

Some help needed if you dont mind.

Now this ski season is over (at least for me) thoughts are turning to next winter.

We've made trips over from England every year for the last 12 years and have skied all major Utah resorts, all major Colorado resorts (except Crested Butte, Steamboat and Telluride) and Whistler, Bannf and Lake Louise in Canada. Favourites that we've returned to often are Alta/Snowbird and the Aspen region - this last one partly due to lack of people on the mountain if the trip is timed right!

We'd like to try somewhere new this year and will be able to come up with an excuse for a business trip to LA sometime from late January to late February to which we'll tack on a weeks ski trip.

Looking at the big areas we've never been to I think I've narrowed it down to Jackson Hole, Mammoth or somewhere Tahoe way but can't decide between them - although JH is probably currently favourite.

Any help to try and decide or alternative suggestions gratefully received along with any lodging/restaurant suggestions etc.

Ability wise if it helps we skied pretty much every single and double black diamond pitch at Aspen/Highlands and Snowmass last year except Highland Bowl although that was due more to not wanting to do the hike without having been at that altitude level for long enough. So we'll pretty much ski anything as long as our skis stay mostly connected to snow - I'm too old to take up cliff jumping now.......

Thanks in advance.

Mike

 

[rfarren]

Depends when and what type of snow you prefer. Your odds getting powder is greater at Jackson, but if you go after march 1st the snow could be crappy, unless it snows of course.

 

[Tony Crocker]

The sun starts hitting Jackson's SE exposure with increasing intensity as February wears on. Definitely put that trip at the early end of your time frame if Jackson is your choice. Late January is probably the most reliable time for coverage/surfaces at Jackson though as at anyplace it can vary by season. If you can't do it until late February Mammoth or Tahoe would be safer.

Your odds getting powder is greater at Jackson

Jackson and Mammoth have similar average snowfall in your time frame and some of the places at Tahoe, like Kirkwood and Sugar Bowl, get more. Qualitatively, if you get powder at Jackson it's very impressive due to the lower water content, long fall lines and relatively low skier density. Jackson's lift system is not efficient and thus enforces that low density but you will have some lift lines on the big days, particularly if you insist upon riding the tram much.

Tahoe is a multiarea destination like Utah or I-70 Colorado. You can choose day-by-day where to ski based upon weather, expected crowds, etc. Terrain diversity among the Tahoe areas (particularly on the expert end) is as good as Utah and better than I-70 Colorado. Storm weather and terrain closures at Tahoe are much more severe than in Utah or Colorado, though a few places like Northstar are more sheltered.

Mammoth is my home area and I recommend it highly, but its relative advantage over other places is in March and later months. So I'm inclined to recommend Jackson for late January/early February and Tahoe for mid to late February.

 

[schubwa]

Mammoth is my home area and I recommend it highly, but its relative advantage over other places is in March and later months. So I'm inclined to recommend Jackson for late January/early February and Tahoe for mid to late February.

Mt Bachelor is my home area, and I don't recommend it. Too much wind and snow makes it a hit-or-miss proposition. I've been trying to get these guys here for years and have failed, so I'm giving up.
Having spent time at all three options mentioned, I have to agree once again with Tony, especially concerning the timing. My suggestion is although there is plenty of variety to keep you interested at Tahoe for a week, why not do both Mammoth and Tahoe? If you fly into Reno and rent a car, you can go straight to Mt Rose or Heavenly. Then stay in Gardnerville/Minden and ski those two areas and/or Kirkwood from the back door. From there on most days it's a couple hours south on US 395 to get to Mammoth. Go during the week and you're $$$. Mammoth used to be my home area and I think you should go for it, even though it's isolated, particularly if you get a stretch of sunny weather.

 

[socal]

Mt Bachelor is my home area, and I don't recommend it. Too much wind and snow makes it a hit-or-miss proposition. I've been trying to get these guys here for years and have failed, so I'm giving up.

I'd love to come up but it's just tough to make sense of for me. No direct flights from LA means weekend trips won't work (like Utah/Mammoth) and it's tough to do a longer trip there when I can get to Jackson direct (or Whistler, or....). Someday though.

Back on topic, go in January and go to Jackson. Amazing mountain with a cool town. Plus you can stay in a motel that's decent there for like $60 a night total, not per person. Also agree, if you go to Tahoe I think Mammoth would be worth a day or so but not worth spending the whole week.

 

[rfarren]

I understand that Mammoth's snow totals are about the same as Jackson, but doesn't the snow in Tahoe and Mammoth tend to come in monster storms with long periods of high pressure in between? I've not skied in California, and I've only had one week at Jackson, and that wasn't great, but I believe the quality of the powder far superior at Jackson. Furthermore, at Jackson you can always do a day trip to Targhee which has a very good reputation as far as snow is concerned.

 

[Tony Crocker]

I'd love to come up but it's just tough to make sense of for me. No direct flights from LA means weekend trips won't work

The last time we had a crappy Sierra snow year in 2007 I flew to Bachelor for a weekend (Burbank-Portland-Redmond). But it was April 14-15 to increase the odds of Summit being open. Well worth it: viewtopic.php?t=3147

but doesn't the snow in Tahoe and Mammoth tend to come in monster storms with long periods of high pressure in between?

There is a tendency that way vs. the Rockies. But that issue cuts both ways. If you get 6 inches of Rocky Mt. fluff you'll often be skiing the subsurface instead of the powder. And we know that subsurface in Jackson is often not pleasant, particularly by mid-February. Jackson is a powder dependent, "are you feeling lucky" mountain, just spectacular if you hit it right. Mammoth is a flawed mountain for powder due to chronic wind on its best terrain. But there are some good powder areas at Tahoe, Kirkwood in particular. And Sierra tree spacing is quite good on the ugly weather days.

If you have never skied in the Sierra, there's more than enough at Tahoe to keep you busy for a winter week. I'd want the trip extended to 10 days or so to add Mammoth. If it were March or later I'd cut back the Tahoe part to spend part of a week in the more likely winter conditions at Mammoth. Schubwa's suggested itinerary is an excellent one for March/April, particularly since Mt. Rose, Heavenly and Kirkwood are the 3 highest Tahoe areas. But you would be giving up Squaw/Alpine/Sugar Bowl, which most advanced skiers would not want to miss midwinter.

Perhaps mikeskeet should tell us more about the priorities of his group.

 

[Skrad]

Jackson end of January. Easy call.

 

[mikeskeet]

Thank you all very much. Have been reading things on this forum for a few years and posted a couple of years back re a trip to Utah and cant believe the amount of useful info you guys give out.

To answer Tony's question re priorities we tend to ski all day every day and that's the most important thing - above hotels restaurants etc., although having said that a comfy bed and a couple of nice meals out during the week can be a bonus! Ski wise we'd love to spend all day in powder but I know that's down to good or bad luck with the weather. We certainly like to stretch ourselves and do some challenging stuff during the day.

So having taken into account what's been said I think the decision is that if we can make the trip last week Jan/first week Feb it'll be Jackson - if it's much later than that it'll probably be Tahoe but we'll definitely be over before the end of Feb

Think we might save Mammoth for when we find ouselves on the west coast later in the season one year.

Thanks again

Mike

 

[Tony Crocker]

Since Jackson has a relatively narrow timeframe of expected good conditions, you should make Jackson top priority if your group can get there in that time frame.