*** Official Snow Surfing Thread ***

92122

Michael Peterson status
Jul 29, 2015
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Southern CA. mountains expecting 2' of accumulation through Thanksgiving, and the Sierra Nevada 3'+. Thats a good start!



Point forecast links for many of the western US resorts are below and update twice daily.

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Snow Summit - CA.

Mammoth - CA.

Squaw Valley - CA.

Mt. Rose - NV.

Sierra @ Tahoe - CA.

Lee Canyon - NV.

Brianhead - UT.

Park City - UT.

Loveland - CO.

Mt. Hood Meadows - OR.




 
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$kully

Duke status
Feb 27, 2009
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I have Montana booked for after Christmas. Bridgwe Bowl and Big Sky. Maybe try an find an empty seat on a cat trip if the snow is good since I’ll be riding solo for a few of the days. First time up that way. Anyone been? Pointers for on and off the mountain?
 

HarryLopez

Phil Edwards status
Jan 17, 2007
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Neck deep
Woke up to 8" on the back deck and still snowing which means I am the ShovelBitch! Looks like opening day might have some dust on rocks!
 

Iceman

Phil Edwards status
Apr 1, 2002
6,254
1,017
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NorCenCal
I have Montana booked for after Christmas. Bridgwe Bowl and Big Sky. Maybe try an find an empty seat on a cat trip if the snow is good since I’ll be riding solo for a few of the days. First time up that way. Anyone been? Pointers for on and off the mountain?
Big Sky is awesome! Tons of terrain to explore. I was there last winter right after the new year and coverage was spotty in a lot of areas, but snow quality was great.

Some of the steep runs off the tram were awesome. Dictator Chutes and Levin had great snow. Liberty Bowl was a little wind scarped but had potential, and there were some fun chutes to drop into from there.

From the Headwaters2 chair, you have to traverse to get to some other chutes but the snow was great.

Swift Current is the main lift out of the lodge area and had some really fun groomers and also some fun powder lines under the lift.

The mountain is big so it takes a while to get from one side to the other and back, but spend a day checking everything out and then concentrate on the favorites after that.

Bozeman has plenty of places to eat and drink, as does the Big Sky resort and town below.
 

$kully

Duke status
Feb 27, 2009
59,999
16,707
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Big Sky is awesome! Tons of terrain to explore. I was there last winter right after the new year and coverage was spotty in a lot of areas, but snow quality was great.

Some of the steep runs off the tram were awesome. Dictator Chutes and Levin had great snow. Liberty Bowl was a little wind scarped but had potential, and there were some fun chutes to drop into from there.

From the Headwaters2 chair, you have to traverse to get to some other chutes but the snow was great.

Swift Current is the main lift out of the lodge area and had some really fun groomers and also some fun powder lines under the lift.

The mountain is big so it takes a while to get from one side to the other and back, but spend a day checking everything out and then concentrate on the favorites after that.

Bozeman has plenty of places to eat and drink, as does the Big Sky resort and town below.
Thx iceman! Any suggestions for lodging? We have a cabin with friends thru NYD and we still need to book a place for a few nights after that. How is the drive from Bozeman? Is it worth ponying up the coin to stay at the resort? Or is there anywhere in between worth looking into?
 

Leaverite

Rabbitt Bartholomew status
Dec 19, 2017
7,924
1,092
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Central Cal
Big Sky is awesome! Tons of terrain to explore. I was there last winter right after the new year and coverage was spotty in a lot of areas, but snow quality was great.

Some of the steep runs off the tram were awesome. Dictator Chutes and Levin had great snow. Liberty Bowl was a little wind scarped but had potential, and there were some fun chutes to drop into from there.

From the Headwaters2 chair, you have to traverse to get to some other chutes but the snow was great.

Swift Current is the main lift out of the lodge area and had some really fun groomers and also some fun powder lines under the lift.

The mountain is big so it takes a while to get from one side to the other and back, but spend a day checking everything out and then concentrate on the favorites after that.

Bozeman has plenty of places to eat and drink, as does the Big Sky resort and town below.
Dude, you should be Huge
 

Iceman

Phil Edwards status
Apr 1, 2002
6,254
1,017
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NorCenCal
Thx iceman! Any suggestions for lodging? We have a cabin with friends thru NYD and we still need to book a place for a few nights after that. How is the drive from Bozeman? Is it worth ponying up the coin to stay at the resort? Or is there anywhere in between worth looking into?
I was with a group of people so we booked a condo by the golf course about 15 minutes down the mountain. Everybody wanted to be close to the social atmosphere so staying by the mountain was better for that. The drive from Bozeman didn't seem terrible, and there isn't much of anything in between. If you wanted to spend the entire trip at Big Sky it may be nice to stay there. If you wanted to check out Bridger Bowl as well, it's a short drive from Bozeman.
 

$kully

Duke status
Feb 27, 2009
59,999
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I was with a group of people so we booked a condo by the golf course about 15 minutes down the mountain. Everybody wanted to be close to the social atmosphere so staying by the mountain was better for that. The drive from Bozeman didn't seem terrible, and there isn't much of anything in between. If you wanted to spend the entire trip at Big Sky it may be nice to stay there. If you wanted to check out Bridger Bowl as well, it's a short drive from Bozeman.

plan is to ride the first few days at Bridger while Ikon is Blacked out. Then 4 days after New Years at Big Sky. I hear Bridger is secretly awesome. Contemplating getting a beacon.
 

$kully

Duke status
Feb 27, 2009
59,999
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2’ at baldy. Opens tomorrow, might try to hit it. Anyone here interested in meeting out there?
 

dl4060

OTF status
Jun 4, 2009
190
19
18
plan is to ride the first few days at Bridger while Ikon is Blacked out. Then 4 days after New Years at Big Sky. I hear Bridger is secretly awesome. Contemplating getting a beacon.

While I have never skied Bridger, it is a legendary mountain. Very steep, and they get lots of snow. There is some serious hikeable terrain there, the ridge is supposed to be awesome, but you need a probe, shovel and beacon. Scott Gaffney's classic movie 1999 features a Bridger bowl segment and the terrain looks sick. Team 13 pictures had some great footage of Bridger Bowl back in the day. Even though I have not been there from what I have heard from people I know who have I would rather ski Bridger than most of the famous places. It is supposed to be one of the true gems out there. I want to do a Montana trip at some point, and I definitely want at least a day at Bridger.

You are stoked to get to that area. My winter is pretty booked, my wife hit Mammoth 2-3 times a month and that requires a ski lease, but I REALLY want to do a Montana trip one of these years.

I would not mention having an Ikon up there. Big Sky and Jackson are two places where the locals are very bitter about the Ikon. It has made their mountains more crowded, and because the Ikon only has 7 days the locals still have to buy a full season pass.
 

Leaverite

Rabbitt Bartholomew status
Dec 19, 2017
7,924
1,092
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Central Cal
2’ at baldy. Opens tomorrow, might try to hit it. Anyone here interested in meeting out there?
Way too early. That will not even pack down to base. When you start seeing a 6' base. You start making reservations. Unless you have a lot of old snowboards to blow up.
 

Iceman

Phil Edwards status
Apr 1, 2002
6,254
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I would not mention having an Ikon up there. Big Sky and Jackson are two places where the locals are very bitter about the Ikon. It has made their mountains more crowded, and because the Ikon only has 7 days the locals still have to buy a full season pass.
Jackson Hole for sure. Tension is palpable just sitting in the tram line. Read some articles about how the busiest 2 to 3 days of year would be overwhelming on the resort, and now it's the norm.
 

studog

Duke status
Jan 15, 2003
35,863
637
113
CA
I was with a group of people so we booked a condo by the golf course about 15 minutes down the mountain. Everybody wanted to be close to the social atmosphere so staying by the mountain was better for that. The drive from Bozeman didn't seem terrible, and there isn't much of anything in between. If you wanted to spend the entire trip at Big Sky it may be nice to stay there. If you wanted to check out Bridger Bowl as well, it's a short drive from Bozeman.
staying at this place early Feb with a big group of people. it's on a lift run somewhere at Big Sky. White Otter? Can't find that on the mountain map
https://www.vrbo.com/652697?arrival=2020-02-06&departure=2020-02-10
 

92122

Michael Peterson status
Jul 29, 2015
2,597
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2’ at baldy. Opens tomorrow, might try to hit it. Anyone here interested in meeting out there?
Did you go? It looks like their power is back on and they are opening later this week.

I'll go if / when they spin chair 4.
 

92122

Michael Peterson status
Jul 29, 2015
2,597
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Jackson Hole for sure. Tension is palpable just sitting in the tram line. Read some articles about how the busiest 2 to 3 days of year would be overwhelming on the resort, and now it's the norm.
Good advice, I'm sure.

Heard similar grumblings in Aspen last season.
 

92122

Michael Peterson status
Jul 29, 2015
2,597
1,023
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5'-6' the last six days at Squaw / Alpine. Will be there the week before Christmas.
 

92122

Michael Peterson status
Jul 29, 2015
2,597
1,023
113
Considering one of these for the occasional snow play / sledding days with the family so I’m not bored out of my skull. Doesn’t seem like it would work too well in groomed or firmer conditions though. Can’t find any solid reviews on it.