Best ski town with boring skiing.

[4xfiend]

I've skied all over the world and honestly, I had a great time at Big Bear CA last year. It's like a tiny bullshit mountain about the size of what you'd find in NY/VT but with similar terrain to Tahoe and a fun little town to walk around. Not to say the skiing is shit - far from it, and I really enjoyed it - just not a big mountain. Do not even think about going there on a weekend.

I stayed in a small cabin just on the edge of town that was neat enough to feel like you were away from stuff but could walk into town for dinner or drinks without too much hassle.

Heavenly/South Lake Tahoe would be my next vote but you're getting pretty expensive and commercial at that point. Might just say to get one of those passes for Utah on the Salt Lake side, kinda nice just being able to take the bus up & down from the canyons and hang out as much as you want.

Would absolutely recommend Chamonix in France (connecting to Courmayeur in Italy) if you're up for a bigger sorta trip, that's maybe my favorite ski town ever. Zermatt in Switzerland a close second. Skiing the Alps sounds like an expensive endeavor but the ski passes are way cheaper than the US and the lodging isn't bad either. Worth looking at anyway.

A good chunk of Big Bear area is on fire right now.

 

[Scooter]

Another vote for Steamboat or Grand Targhee. Both places are fully excellent.

 

[RunningProblem]

I've skied all over the world and honestly, I had a great time at Big Bear CA last year. It's like a tiny bullshit mountain about the size of what you'd find in NY/VT but with similar terrain to Tahoe and a fun little town to walk around. Not to say the skiing is shit - far from it, and I really enjoyed it - just not a big mountain. Do not even think about going there on a weekend.

I stayed in a small cabin just on the edge of town that was neat enough to feel like you were away from stuff but could walk into town for dinner or drinks without too much hassle.

Heavenly/South Lake Tahoe would be my next vote but you're getting pretty expensive and commercial at that point. Might just say to get one of those passes for Utah on the Salt Lake side, kinda nice just being able to take the bus up & down from the canyons and hang out as much as you want.

Would absolutely recommend Chamonix in France (connecting to Courmayeur in Italy) if you're up for a bigger sorta trip, that's maybe my favorite ski town ever. Zermatt in Switzerland a close second. Skiing the Alps sounds like an expensive endeavor but the ski passes are way cheaper than the US and the lodging isn't bad either. Worth looking at anyway.

Heavenly is $185 for a Wednesday in December if you buy discounted tickets online. It's $232 if you show up to buy a ticket. I'd avoid heavily for someone looking for boring skiing. I'd recommend it for ski snobs.

France...for skiing...for a guy who stays on the bunny slopes? Really? That's like building a KOH or Trophy Truck to drive fire roads.

 

[pinchegringo]

Red river nm is where we went when my kid was learning to ski. Green rated trails all over the place. Neat little town. Terrible for someone that loves to rip

 

[det107]

I heard about a ski resort in Utah where the chicks ski in bikinis.
Random Internet pic

Don't say no-

 

[Hippie666]

I’m not sure that’s it’s a great recommendation but here’s where’s I’d go for the reasons you listed. Crested Butte Colorado. It used to be that it’s far enough out of the way that it’s not the bustling mess that Breckenridge or Aspen or Telluride etc are. Winters are tough that deep in the Rockies at the dead end of a two lane road a long way from a major highway. I used to have a hookup for a bad ass condo in Crested and it was a great place to go hide in the dead of winter.

Things may have, maybe even PROBABLY have changed since the last time I went. I avoid the I70 corridor in the winter the ski/snowboard tards ruin everything.

Popped in to suggest CB too.

Yep CB. It is off the beaten path and is fantastic

 

[JR4X]

Yep CB. It is off the beaten path and is fantastic

Lift tickets are cheap and the slope isn’t as great as the Olympic level Aspen so the adrenaline junkies aren’t there running people over. Good boring skiing.

 

[61scout80]

I heard about a ski resort in Utah where the chicks ski in bikinis.
Random Internet pic

Don't say no-

Do they have good evac and medical services, because I'd need it!

 

[Sceep]

That's like building a KOH or Trophy Truck to drive fire roads.

I don't see the problem.

 

[Suggapig]

Lift tickets are cheap and the slope isn’t as great as the Olympic level Aspen so the adrenaline junkies aren’t there running people over. Good boring skiing.

We have had a place in Mt CB on the slope since the 80's and first went in the late 70's. The out of the way vibe remained for a very long time but that has changed a lot in the last few years, I'd say the town and attitude is not for the better. When the mountain sold to Vail Resorts 4 years ago (I think) they invested in the mountain so the skiing experience is even better and never crowded.
There is a lot of difficult skiing there, they are mostly in the back areas, I believe the run Rambo is steepest lift serviced run in the US, Teocalli Bowl is difficult. I quit skiing for the most part several years ago due to injuries, I'll stick to getting hurt on the mt bike now.
Remember, the base main lift is at about 9400'. Superman breathes hard in CB.

Pro tip : there is an old Tibetan man, Karma, who sells his wife's home cooking in the basement of the Secret Stash in the winter and on the street in the summers, legit.

 

[MigGunslinger]

It's full of Californians ruining this place. I wish I was kidding. North Star, Heavenly, Palisades (SQUAW valley) and Kirkwood would be too busy or not worth it.

While I agree about Californians ruining shit, all of the places you listed are IN California. We can't even ruin our own shit now?

I have not been skiing in years, it's one of those activities where I go to hang out with family and they are all super competitive about it and i'm just stoked when I get down the slope without falling.

 

[JR4X]

We have had a place in Mt CB on the slope since the 80's and first went in the late 70's. The out of the way vibe remained for a very long time but that has changed a lot in the last few years, I'd say the town and attitude is not for the better. When the mountain sold to Vail Resorts 4 years ago (I think) they invested in the mountain so the skiing experience is even better and never crowded.
There is a lot of difficult skiing there, they are mostly in the back areas, I believe the run Rambo is steepest lift serviced run in the US, Teocalli Bowl is difficult. I quit skiing for the most part several years ago due to injuries, I'll stick to getting hurt on the mt bike now.
Remember, the base main lift is at about 9400'. Superman breathes hard in CB.

Pro tip : there is an old Tibetan man, Karma, who sells his wife's home cooking in the basement of the Secret Stash in the winter and on the street in the summers, legit.

I love most of that! My friends father bought a condominium in 1970 for $10K dollars. Its tax valuation was nearing 2 million the last time I knew. I lost contact with my friend because of a couple divorces, his and mine so I haven’t been up there since before Covid.

As for the elevation thing, one just needs to spend more time at elevation to be acclimated to it. Labor Day weekend we went camping/wheeling above Silverton. One of the days I wanted to hike up to the trolley bucket transfer station for the Sunnyside mine. The hike starts above 12K feet. There was 7 of us, my 64 year old father (the oldest in the group) and I were the only ones not huffing and puffing and dying up there. We had to take one person in our group (10 years younger than dad) down to 10K feet to catch their breath. Dad, was perfectly fine the whole time.

 

[planefixer]

I haven't been skiing in ages but here's a couple more Colorado places:

Ski Cooper/Chicago Ridge just outside of Leadville.
Monarch Mountain west of Salida.

Both were my "go-to" ski areas and have easy access as well as very nice scenery.

 

[RMO]

Crested Butte or Steamboat. Nice thing about Steamboat you can rent/ride Snowmobiles and hit Strawberry Park Hot Springs.

 

[RusM]

I'd do Whistler.

 

[rockdog57]

Alta doesn’t allow snow boards. It’s probably the best place in Utah that’s close to a big city for hotels and good food choices. Brian Head as stated is going to be less crowded for sure.

 

[Animalmother]

Ober gatlinburgh

 

[BarfBag]

I’m not sure that’s it’s a great recommendation but here’s where’s I’d go for the reasons you listed. Crested Butte Colorado. It used to be that it’s far enough out of the way that it’s not the bustling mess that Breckenridge or Aspen or Telluride etc are. Winters are tough that deep in the Rockies at the dead end of a two lane road a long way from a major highway. I used to have a hookup for a bad ass condo in Crested and it was a great place to go hide in the dead of winter.

Things may have, maybe even PROBABLY have changed since the last time I went. I avoid the I70 corridor in the winter the ski/snowboard tards ruin everything.

CB has blown up in the past decade. It is still a friendlier place than the I70 corridor and Telluride though.

 

[budget76]

tagging this. Dad's getting up there and knees are going to shit, so this sounds like the ticket - a destination with a little bit of easy boarding versus boarding being the destination

 

[SKULLYOTA]

If you go to Bend/Bachelor, Hoodoo ski area is close by too and not a bad place to ski.

I grew up in Missoula MT, the local hill there is Snowbowl and it’s nothing to write home about. 2hr drive would get you to Discovery or Whitefish and those are much bigger and better.

I also ski’d a lot in Great Divide near Helena MT. Not bad for how small and cheap it is.

 

[JK13]

I heard about a ski resort in Utah where the chicks ski in bikinis.
Random Internet pic

Don't say no-

Umm, those are snowboards

Wonder if they teach lessons…

 

[RunningProblem]

I don't see the problem.

It's an excessive amount of money on something they don't need. The question is 'where is a fun place to go that also has a ski resort nearby'. He isn't looking for the greatest double black diamonds.

While I agree about Californians ruining shit, all of the places you listed are IN California. We can't even ruin our own shit now?

I have not been skiing in years, it's one of those activities where I go to hang out with family and they are all super competitive about it and i'm just stoked when I get down the slope without falling.

Bay Area trash have been ruining Tahoe for decades. Heavenly is some of the worst PLUS the ones who moved away to Colorado and have a ski pass that allows them to ski Tahoe. Diamond Peak would be better for green circles and blue squares than Heavenly if Tahoe is the only place to go.


Mammoth Mou rain is another ski resort in California. Massive. I don't think there is much to do in winter around Mammoth. Maybe visit Bishop.

 

[WTF?]

If you’re not looking for extreme terrain, and really want to mix things up, Switzerland is a blast. it’s ski- touring via intermediate cruiser runs; taking the forks downhill right or downhill left can get you to a town 10-15 miles from where you started-, and your lift ticket is also a bus/train pass pack to the lift base station.

 

[Captain Call]

If you’re not looking for extreme terrain, and really want to mix things up, Switzerland is a blast. it’s ski- touring via intermediate cruiser runs taking the forks downhill right or downhill left can get you to a town 10-15 miles from where you started-, and your lift ticket is also a bus/train pass pack to the lift base station.

That sounds bitchen.

 

[JD Miller]

I spent last winter in Boise & I went skiing for the first time in over 20 years. It was a fantastic time. Going again this year sounds great.
There's no way I'll be sharp enough to stray from the easier trails with just a couple of days to ski. That means the actual skiing doesn't need to be all that challenging, but not a place with typically bad conditions.

What are some bland ski resorts where the area around it is fantastic? I love the western US, especially Reno-Tahoe, but I've been there quite a bit in the last few years.

I think my fictional dream town would have great food and great scenery but very few crowds and easy parking. Somewhere with ski in and out accomodations would be awesome too.

Do any of you have any suggestions?

Yeah??? What is the Boise Sky Resort called? Do You men Bogus Basin ?

 

[KDXSR5]

If you’re not looking for extreme terrain, and really want to mix things up, Switzerland is a blast. it’s ski- touring via intermediate cruiser runs taking the forks downhill right or downhill left can get you to a town 10-15 miles from where you started-, and your lift ticket is also a bus/train pass pack to the lift base station.

That sounds like a lot of fun!

 

[WTF?]

That sounds bitchen.

That sounds like a lot of fun!

It was certainly a bucket list trip; 9 mountains in 11 days (Switzerland is the size of South Carolina, so never drove more than 3 hrs or so)-

one day, the trail cut right through the main drag of this village about midway to the base lift, and so that became a spot for lunch/ refreshments;

And this day, had amazing conditions, but a couple of us in the group just decided to soak in a bit of that relaxed european pace of life lounging slope side while the other guys relentlessly pounded the powder.

This place was the epitome of skiing town to town:

 

[75cruisin]

Northstar. Beautiful village to hang out in and fancy accommodations, very mellow mountain. Downside- is expensive.

Instead of that if you want cheaper, less crowded and pretty long beginner runs, Soda Springs resport in the Tahoe area is fantastic.

Both are gay and horrible

Homewood. Smallest resort in Tahoe. Very local oriented. And picturesque views on every lift at the join. Plus mid Mountain View’s like this

 

[61scout80]

tagging this. Dad's getting up there and knees are going to shit, so this sounds like the ticket - a destination with a little bit of easy boarding versus boarding being the destination

Pretty much what I'm thinking. I'm no kid anymore, I know it's not going to be a "ski trip". It's going to be a cool winter town that happens to have mediocre skiing nearby.

The question is 'where is a fun place to go that also has a ski resort nearby'. He isn't looking for the greatest double black diamonds.

Someday I'll learn to express my thoughts as well as other people can. This is pretty much it. A real bonus would be walking out of the hotel/VRBO/whatever and immediately putting on my skis.

If you’re not looking for extreme terrain, and really want to mix things up, Switzerland is a blast. it’s ski- touring via intermediate cruiser runs; taking the forks downhill right or downhill left can get you to a town 10-15 miles from where you started-, and your lift ticket is also a bus/train pass pack to the lift base station.

That is the most incredible ski trip I could imagine. I'd love to travel that far without needing to get back on a lift. I'd like at least a few more stateside trips before I try to sell my wife on a euro ski trip. She's more of a rental R8 on the autobahn kinda girl.

Yeah??? What is the Boise Sky Resort called? Do You men Bogus Basin ?

Yeah, bogus. Pretty sure I mentioned that in the thread somewhere between posts 15 and 17

 

[Clemson13]

Park city

Terain is decent and there is a lot of it. Town with food, hikes in the area, theres stuff to do other than shit wreck yoursellf skiing all day.

I never want to go back because if im in SLC i want to go ski steep ass things and trees at alta or snowbird


I second Switzerland if you're going overseas