What would you do if...

[Marc_C]

Responding to several items....

Passports: technically, they are only needed for reentry when coming in by air or boat. Realistically, having a passport has made reentry from Canada easier and more hassle-free ever since the mid-90's. If you have the misfortune of getting a customs agent with an attitude or having a bad day, it can be a royal PITA. I wouldn't think of not having one in the current climate. Would you really want to spend 5 hours at the border while your car and all your belongings are searched? Photocopy of a birth cert.? Ha! What color is the sky in your world? :wink:

Passport Renewal:
Regular service: $67; about 6 week turn-around
Expedited service:$60 additional plus two-way overnight delivery charges ("strongly suggested"); about 2 week turn-around

Plan B road trip: you won't get into B.C. in 10-12 hrs. from SLC - think 16-20 one-way. Plus you'll still have lodging/food costs - but maybe only for 7 days instead of 10...and don't forget gas costs.

Current Wasatch conditions: true, it's not powder, but as Marc said, it's hardly poor. I was guiding a group of Philly-area folks around Alta yesterday - they were tickled at all the soft snow I was able to show them - attested to by many comments of "better than anything in the East" and big SEG's.

 

[Sharon]

Plan B road trip: you won't get into B.C. in 10-12 hrs. from SLC - think 16-20 one-way. Plus you'll still have lodging/food costs - but maybe only for 7 days instead of 10...and don't forget gas costs.

I'm well aware of all that. I wouldn't drive straight to BC. Schweitzer is about 10 hrs..ski there and spend a night...then the drive 2-3 hrs.

But regardless, it isn't my first choice, though if I were to plan my vacation all over again it would my first choice to fly to Spokane and spend 5 days in BC. If money weren't an option, I'd spend 10 days there and cat ski every day. Hell, I'd go heli skiing too. why not!

But the fact remains that we chose SLC for the savings and the friends. The current lack of snow in the forecast may bode well for snowy days when once we arrive. We decided to make it a 10 day trip to maximize powder possibilities. If those possibilities do not arise, we'll more likely head south and east rather than north and west. I have a friend who lives near Taos...a stop on the way at Telluride nicely breaks up that drive. I've always wanted to go to Telluride and Taos, so a snow drought in the Wasatch may make for that opportunity. Only 6 hrs to Telluride, then 3 more from there to Taos...not too bad really.

BTW, Acid Christ may bail on his road trip if snow isn't imminent.

 

[Marc_C]

If those possibilities do not arise, we'll more likely head south and east rather than north and west. I have a friend who lives near Taos...a stop on the way at Telluride nicely breaks up that drive. I've always wanted to go to Telluride and Taos, so a snow drought in the Wasatch may make for that opportunity. Only 6 hrs to Telluride, then 3 more from there to Taos...not too bad really.

Just remember that currently, Taos has about the same base as Alta and Telluride about a foot less. This page from Tony Crocker's site might help formulating plan B: 06/07 progress report

 

[Tony Crocker]

Only 6 hrs to Telluride, then 3 more from there to Taos

366 miles SLC to Telluride, 273 miles Telluride to Taos, almost none of it Interstate. And then you're going to drive back to SLC and fly home? You'll chew up 4 days of your trip driving, and get pretty much the same conditions as at Alta.

Vacationing skiers need to get real about powder expectations. If you book more than 2 weeks ahead for a specific lift service destination, the best odds for powder you'll have in places like LCC and Targhee are only about 40%. At most destinations it's more like 20%. Advance planning priority should be mostly to avoid the negative scenarios of inadequate cover (current state of Sierra steeps) or unskiable surface conditions (Jackson in spring).

There are 3 ways to raise your percentage of powder skiing.
1) The best, as demonstrated by admin and Larry Schick, is to live near it.
2) Pay $$$ for it, as I'm doing ~1 week/season in my "Warren Miller years." Still not a guarantee (maybe 80-90% though), as demonstrated by my Tropical Punch snowcat experience 2 years ago.
3) Set up your destination trips for max flexibility. As she's using FF miles, the marginal cost of Sharon switching her trip to Spokane is not that terrible. If the $ are more important, stay in SLC. admin's reports show that the skiing is more than adequate. And he's extracting a few powder runs from these meager (by Wasatch standards) 6 inch storms.

Marc C. has summed it up well. There are really only 2 practical choices here: Stick with SLC or relocate the whole trip to Spokane. You do NOT have to have the passport to DRIVE to/from Canada until 2008.

 

[lookn4powder]

Jeez Louise, people! Bob Dangerous and I were sitting at the kitchen table tonight laughing at how everyone thinks it's so crappy here...No complaints from me. If y'all want to leave more for me, that's just fine.

I guess I look quite respectable now.

Nope. :wink:

Now... in the defense of the guilty.. I think that those of us coming to SLC that are bellyaching just want to try and maximize our chances for pow ...

Well, I guess that Admin sees through my pretensions. Dang!

Glad to hear that SLC is in good shape. When I see inversions in SLC I expect hardpan snow and even valley air so smoggy that one cannot see across intersections at night.

But per my name, I do look for the pow first...and then for good spring corn ...but its too early to think of the second.

Cheers,
Jeff

 

[Admin]

Yeah, we've got an inversion going, but it's not a bad one (yet). I'm looking out my living room window right now and can see lights clear across the valley, albeit dim ones.

Looking at the glass half full, at least the ski areas are comfortably warm and sunny during inversions. When you're mired in smog down here the air looks so crisp and clear once you get up there. After the freezing January we've had, it actually feels kind of nice to get out there in comfort for a change. I'll admit that I'm a half-full kinda guy, though.

For tomorrow I think that I'll take advantage of that warm sunshine before work and head up to PCMR for a few groomers to start the day. It's supposed to be -2°F in the town of Park City overnight but it'll be warmer at elevation thanks to the inversion, and I suspect that things will warm quickly in the morning sun.

 

[Marc_C]

When I see inversions in SLC I expect hardpan snow and even valley air so smoggy that one cannot see across intersections at night.

While the latter can be the case, if the inversion is that bad, expect good quasi-spring conditions, not hardpan. It won't be corn, but it will ski like good very packed powder. However, the key is aspect, aspect, aspect. Follow the sun. Don't even think of getting on anything west facing till after 2:00pm.

 

[Sharon]

Oh, and if we do head to CO...Silverton is about 7 hrs from SLC as well.

I drive 7 hrs to get to Jay Peak...so to drive 7 hrs to Silverton may be worthwhile.

We are arriving on weds...we'll ski thurs and fri in the Wasatch...if we determine conditions do not warrant skiing there on the weekend, saturday we'll drive to CO, spend a few days that direction and head back to Utah in time for the next storm.

Again, that is plan B...we of course would rather stay in Utah as save some $$ and ski with friends.

-Sh

 

[TelemarkTom]

Just got back from Fernie last night via car. Two of us have passports, two have birth certificates, no problem either way. Fernie was awesome, but you just have to read Craig's report to know that. Best of luck whatever plan you choose.

Tom

LINK

 

[Tony Crocker]

While I think it's insane to drive as far as Taos from SLC, Telluride/Silverton is probably doable. Keep in mind you're doing it for the new experience, not in expectation of better conditions than the Cottonwoods. Telluride is not a cheap place to stay, but if you've never been there you should see and ski it sometime.

As far as Silverton is concerned, keep in mind:
1) Only open Thursday-Sunday.
2) Have a reservation before you leave SLC. They tend to be heavily booked in February/March.
3) $129/day for the skiing is not too bad. If you have to rent the required gear from them (avy equipment, fat skis, pack) it can add up http://www.silvertonmountain.com/geninfo.php .
4) Expect to hike above the top lift at 12,200 feet. Try to time your day there for right before you head back to SLC to maximize altitude acclimitization time.
5) There are 2 snowcat operations in the Durango/Silverton area: http://www.sanjuanski.com/ and http://www.snowcat-powder.com/ratesreserve.html . Price is not that much more than Silverton, especially if you have to rent gear. There is also the splurge option: http://www.helitrax.net/packages_singleday.html .

If you're going to stretch the driving in search of powder, keep an eye on Wolf Creek, 2+ hours from Durango.

I'd still cast my vote for Spokane.

 

[Marc_C]

4) Expect to hike above the top lift at 12,200 feet. Try to time your day there for right before you head back to SLC to maximize altitude acclimitization time.

Personally, even if skiing daily between 8500' and 11K but sleeping in SLC (airport is at 4300'), I'd want to spend a few nights above 8000' before hiking/skiing above 12K. Alta (8500') and Telluride (8750') fill the bill nicely.