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Ski Vacations, The Good, The Bad & The Ugly
from: Trevor PaetkauColorado, Vermont, Whistler? Ski publications have a grand ol'
time pumping the virtues of one ski destination over another.
Come fall, their pages are full of the glories of "this"
mountain, "that" village and the joys of dumping cash at either.
Of course, it's pretty much all meaningless.
As most skiers will attest, the ski experience is dependant on a
whole raft of factors, destination being only one of them. This
is something a wise vacationer will keep in mind before blithely
submitting a non-negotiable deposit for this year's ski
vacation. What are these factors?:
skier's ability skier's temperament skier's demographic skier's
pocket book
Skier's Ability
All else being equal, a novice skier will be happier at Mont
Tremblant, than Jay Peak. Likewise, SilverStar will treat the
novice better than Whistler and vice-versa. No matter what a
resort's brochure will tell you, every mountain has its own
character and suits a particular ability of skier.
Never rely on the ski press or marketing machines as your
primary source of information ... it's just not in their
interests to tell anybody to not go somewhere. This of course
means work ... there are legitimate online consumer review
sources that pretty much shoot the straight goods.
Skier's Temperament Skier, know thyself.
If you hate crowds stay away from any resort ranked #1 by any
ski-publication. Mont Tremblant during any holiday week is a
prime example ... you won't be able to move, much less turn.
If marketing excess turns you off, stay away from any resort
ranked #1 by any ski-publication. 'Nuff said.
If you're a fashion plate (or enjoy ogling fashion plates) any
resort with direct air connections to a major airport should
suffice. If the opposite applies, it needn't be said ... the
harder a hill is to get to, the fewer people will make the
attempt.
If you've got a tender tush stay away from the east in
mid-winter and stay away from the coastal resorts during the
early season. Horrible weather will apply in either case.
Conversely, spring is warm anywhere, but be aware, it arrives at
different times in different places.
Skier's Demographic This one is easy ... young people ski
at big mountains with busy bars; families ski at mountains with
great kids programs; and empty-nesters ski at mountains with
good restaurants and groomed runs. If you know yourself, you'll
know your mountain. Ignore this advice and you'll feel as
uncomfortable as a fish out of water.
Skier's Pocket Book
The best ski vacation is the one that where your expectations
and pocket book align. Don't go to Beaver Creek if you're on a
hamburger budget; you won't eat. And likewise, don't go to Jay
Peak if you're after anything more than pizza and a family
buffet; your cash will burn a hole in your precious Prada one
piece.
Once the package has been paid for, it's the cost of the extras
we all remember ... and remember, there is a hell of a
difference in the price of a beer between Aspen and Le Massif.
The truth is, a ski-vacation is a great way to spend a week, and
in my opinion wins out over a week on the beach anytime. I also
know, however, that of all the vacations I've had, the good ones
are the ones where everything has been in alignment. It's not
always easy or obvious but a bit of self-awareness, research and
ability to ignore the ski-industry's marketing magic should put
most vacationers in the right ball-bark (or ski-hill as the case
may be).
About the author:
In addition to his lifelong interest in the outdoors recreation
community, Trevor Paetkau is the proprietor of Moraine Adventure
Books, an independent source of
and Outdoor
Recreation books and resources.
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