When choosing a ski resort to go, what are your focus or concerns?

Question

1. The number of runs and trails

2. The views.

3. Lift ticket prices.

4. Lodges

5. Ski areas and the terrains.

6. The general snow condition

7. Easy access to the ski resort.

8. Food and the restaurants.

9. Night life around the ski resort

10. Whether it's crowded or not.

11. Other

Answer 1

When choosing to go to a place I've never been to before I take several things into consideration.

I look for terrain and the number of runs first. I want a good trip with lots of variation.

Distance is the second thing I look at. I'd love to go to Tremblant tomorrow, but It's a heck of a drive and I don't feel like flying to Quebec.

Crowds suck. I avoid most big resorts on weekends...I avoid my own resort on weekends...and it's small. Mid-week is the time to go, but you might have to put up with closed lifts and trails.

I really don't take much else into consideration. I rarely stay on resort property, so I know I have to drive to get to the resort from my hotel. As long as I can reasonably walk to the lodge or get a shuttle...I'm cool with that. I don't really care about the nightlife. If I stumble upon a good parrty, great...if not I'm quite content to turn in early. Same thing for food. As long as I can get some food I'm happy. I generally bring a lot of my own food if I am driving to the resort anyway. I try to find a place to stay that has breakfast at the hotel. I eat a light lunch...sometimes just a ClifBar and some trail mix, and then look for good eats after I'm done. Unless I'm flying and getting an airport shuttle straight to the resort...then I have to take my food options more seriously. I'm not picky about hotels either...as long as they have a hot tub. But I've also slept in my truck in the parking lot of Jay Peak and pitched a tent a mile or so outside of Steamboat Springs.

Cost is always the monkeywrench in my planning. I'll ski at a crappy little hill if I have a comp and it's not going to cost me a boat load to stay overnight or travel a long distance.

Case in point: I'm going to VT next week for 3 days. I have two comps for Smuggler's Notch and an almost free day at Mad River Glen. I could go to Windham NY (also free) and skip getting hotels...but the skiing is better at Smuggs and Mad River. I also have comps for two places in western NY state. I doubt I'll go because the drive there isn't worth it for the tiny hill, yet I'll pay $25 to ski at a hill of slightly larger size but only 1 hour away from my home. So while the tix are cheaper at one place, it'll cost me twice as much just to get there. I think I would only pay Top Dollar for something like "A Day with Glen Plake" or "Drink and Ski with Bode Miller."

There are a few other things I look for as well, but they're sort of a tack-on..nothing I base my trip on.

Lessons: I'm always up for learning new stuff, so what kind of free or cheap clinics are going on? How much do they charge for advanced lessons?

Demo Center: I love riding other planks. Does the resort have a demo center? If so, how much to go play on different skis? (This is a must if I'm flying. I hate checking my skis. For $30 a day, I'll use demos rather than put my planks on the plane....If you race, this isn't an option...you'll want your skis.)

Answer 2

# 7 and # 4 in that order.

Answer 3

Money is my first object as I have 4 kids ,,,, I try to plan a trip that is within driving distance ,,, avoiding airfare, car rentals etc etc

and we also own our equipment and traveling with it is very difficult on airlines

I tend to find private rentals of condos as we want 2 bedrooms and full kitchens, good resources are Ebay, rentalo.com or VRBO.com

you will get much more spacious accomadations and pay much less than just booking a resort ,,,, on Ebay look at timeshare rentals

All ski areas are great but it is really hard  to beat Summit County in Colorado where you have Vail ( Back bowls are breathtaking), Beaver Creek ( my opinion the best in the world ) Breckenridge ( great family mountain ) Keystone, ABasin, Copper all within a 20 mile circle

Always great snow,great skiing , restaurants, night life whatever you want

As far as lift tickets its all expensive, but you can buy tickets and rent equipment in Dakota Springs between Denver and ski areas for less than half on equipment and save a lot on lift tickets

Money is no object fly directly to Vail and stay at Beaver Creek Bachelor Gulch Ritz and you will be very happy guaranteed