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Hello. We only go skiing once a year (and we skipped 2020 - 2024). Looking to go more than once (maybe 2 - 4 times) this season with our 7 and 12 year old girls. What are the best packages given the outrageous day use prices? We don't have equipment.

We live in So Cal and eyeing Brian Head, Mammoth and maybe Big Bear. Open to smaller ones too...thx!

Hi - Looking to maximize my days on the mountain this year and need some help with any ideas or suggestions for my situation.

In my mid 20’s living in MD year round. Fortunately, in a good financial position and also have a very flexible freelance work schedule where I’ll only need to be on site 3-4 weekends a month in the winter. I want to dedicate a lot of my free time to getting better at skiing but I’ve realized this won’t happen where I’m located. My local hills are just over 2 hours away and they are so small that I found myself getting bored by lunch time last year, especially being solo since I go during the week. No challenging terrain and the same short runs.

I have the Epic pass for this season since it’s best for the Mid Atlantic area but I’m really interested in basing myself out west / near the Rockies / Canada. I just don’t have any idea how to go about it. Especially since I’m solo I’d like to keep costs as low as possible. Do not plan on staying at resort lodging. Do I sub lease an apartment for a month in a ski town? Rent a van for the winter and mountain hop / can you even overnight park like that these days? Stay in Maryland and do multiple trips? The expenses would add up for that. Not many hostel options in the US either.

Progressing this season is important for me because I’d like to get into backcountry skiing soon but I don’t think I’m at that level quite yet (switched from snowboarding to skiing not too long ago). Also just don’t have any buddies interested in tagging along. Want to go on sick overseas ski trips as well.

Open to any ideas / suggestions / help that can be provided. Thank you!

Pretty much what the title is - has anyone skied the Kastle Transcend 104 or know of someone who has? How did you/them find it? What did you like and what did you not like? What ski/s would you compare it to?

I'm on the market for a mid 100mm ski and this is one of the options I'm most interested in!

Thank you

I’ve come back to skiing after almost a 20 year break. Bought a pair of Head Real Joys 153 last season to ease me back in. Honestly they have been amazing and have really helped to build my confidence. I bloody love them. BUT they are shorter than I should be using and a little too narrow (75) for any thing other than groomed pistes. I bought these skis so that I could feel comfortable starting again and they have been absolutely cracking! But I want to demo some skis that will help me feel confident in a range of conditions. I realise that I also need better skills for some conditions but I want the ski to give me confidence also. I hope that makes sense.

Me: 53, F, 5’6, 15-16 stone (yes, I’m a wee chonker 😂). Skiing blues and reds (cautiously!). I am located in Scotland and our runs aren’t exactly the wide open pistes of Europe. I’m used to crappy conditions.

Last year I tried Line Pandoras but I didn’t love them. I’m not sure why but I definitely felt I could turn as easily. However - that was only after a couple of days back at it. I’ve now got enough turns under my belt that I’m ready to trial something wider underfoot. Can you guys please recommend so different skis for me to try? 🫶🏼

Hi, just hoping for some real world input with experience to lay eyes on my plan - I have a week in January and unfortunately no skiing buddies to go with, which I thought was a great way to go somewhere nice without spending too much cash given I'm completely fine with staying in a hostel.

I did Cottonwood Canyon last winter with friends and loved it, but it was overall a very expensive venture, given the flights and accommodations. I'm a long time intermediate snowboarder and I've been doing so since I was like 5 and have fair share of experience the Alps and Dolomites, where I used to ski prior to moving to the US.

I would fly in to Denver, get on one of those private shuttles to Vail/Breckenridge area, ski/snowboard for 6 days and stay in a place like Vail Bunkhouse. There's an epic pass option that includes one of my local mountains and also gives me up to 10 days in places like Vail/Breckenridge. They're having a sale up until September 6th.

Anything I'm missing here? Or is there an option that would make more sense?

Keep in mind I'm not in the position to travel outside of continental US this winter.

I am a busy dad trying to get some powder days on my snowboard in this winter and am looking at Copper 4 pack vs Winter Park midweek 4 pack. I have been skiing ikon for a while and am pretty familiar with Winter Park but not as much Copper. The Copper 4 pack is a much better deal as there are no blackout dates, you get a bonus day and buddy passes and you can go on the weekends. All I really look for, though, is powder in the trees and that seems to be best suited at Winter Park. I can, also, get off I70 sooner going to Winter Park. I, lastly, end up going during the week more than weekends. My observation from the past several years is that Winter Park gets more snow than Copper, though last year seemed to break that trend. Where do you think I will have a better time this winter seeking out powder in the trees?

I’m ski instructor with 9 years of experience with clients from 2 years old in both private and group lessons including school courses. I have also 6 years of experience in snowboard teaching. I laso do minimizing and free taking. For this winter I’m looking to work in Alps, Scandinavia or Japan (or Canada). I have EU passport and speak 6 languages including English, Italian and Russian.
I’m available for whole season.
If you have any tip, please leave them bellow.
Its my life long dream to spend whole winter in “big” mountains.

Edit: I tried to do ISIA stamp but failed due to injury and I don’t have money to re-do it and also I speak Czech, Slovak and Polish.

I can only go February or March one of my brothers isn't available for January so that's not an option

I'm looking to buy a pair of new skis and I like the Faction Prodigy 2. I like to freeride or ski on groomed pistes. I don't do park, but I like to jump and stuff outside of park, no grinds though. I've read a lot about people complaining about the durability of these skis, but I've also read that this was a problem before. Do they still have this durability problem, or do people just like complaining?

Edit: I'm between Bent 100 or Faction Prodigy 2

Planning a trip next March to Europe from the US with some friends. We’ve skied Chamonix, Zermatt, and the Dolomites together. I’ve also separately been to 3 Valleys (Meribel) and Val d’Isere, and they’ve been to St Anton. I want to go to St Anton/Arlberg and they want to go to 3 Valleys so we’re at an impasse lol.

We’re currently thinking about Verbier/4V and also starting cursory research on Porte du Soleil (Avoriaz?) and Les Arcs.

We are all expert skiers but generally prefer fast groomers (reds) and like to cover a lot of terrain. Probably want to stay at a 4* hotel. We’d want good dining options more than apres ski options.

Suggestions or pros/cons on the above? I could be open to Meribel again.

I'd like to hear what the most interesting/extreme/unique lifts you've ridden. I'm planning on going to Chile next summer so the Portillo slingshot lifts will hopefully be added to my list next year! Here's my current most unique/interesting lifts, in order of pictures:

Telebenne de la Chaup in La Foux-d'Allos, France. This one speaks for itself, an extremely unique chariot style lift, I believe the only one of its kind left in the world.

The old Little Cloud double at Snowbird. Only double I've ever ridden that had a bar and footrests! Also a pretty fast fixed grip at 600 ft/min.

The old Snow Ghost double at Schweitzer. Definitely the longest (distance and time wise) Riblet double I've ever ridden, with some crazy height above the slopes in some parts. Coupled with the fog and jacket-piercing humidity, not for the faint of heart.

Lac I/Lac II at Pra Loup in France. Two parallel teleski, known as Poma or platter lifts here in the US. About a mile long, with a pretty extreme turn in the middle! I believe this is the longest surface lift I've ridden. 1200ft. of elevation gain, slopes that reach 30 degrees in some parts, and at a speed of 700 ft/min! You can see the second half of the lift if you open the second picture of it.

Supreme (old alignment) at Alta, UT. I have to include this insanely ambitious, chair-breaking turning lift. It has already been realigned since the monstrosity of a turn was causing major chair damage after only 7 or 8 years.

Honorable mentions:

Chile Express at Angel Fire, NM. Second longest (by 20ft) high speed quad, over 2 miles long.

Honeycomb Return at Solitude, UT and Kachina Peak at Taos, NM. I believe they are the #1 and #2 steepest chairlifts (total length, not just one section) in North America, respectively.

Lift 7A at Taos, NM. Only lift I know of that has been completely relocated twice within the same resort, serving 3 different areas of TSV since it was first installed in 1961.

We’re looking for 2 certified ski instructors to join our small retreat team in Myoko this winter! Strong/expert skiers welcome too!

📍 Myoko, Niigata, Japan
📅 January – February 2027
accommodation available
Season pass provided
Daily breakfast included
Some dinners included
¥3000 per hour

We run small ski & snowboard retreats in Myoko with groups of max 8-10 guests, and we’re looking for two people who are great on the mountain but also happy to be part of the overall experience.

The role is a mix of skiing with our guests on mountain days and helping with some of the day-to-day retreat operation — morning breakfast setup/cleanup, getting gear ready, rotating help with dinners, and our weekly house changeover.

We’d love to find two friends or a couple who want to spend the winter together, but individual applicants are absolutely welcome too.

Ideally you’d be a certified ski instructor, confident on all off-piste terrain, comfortable working with guests, speak conversational English, and the ability to have legal authorization to work in Japan for the season ie-working holiday visa.

Would be a plus if you know the Myoko area and if you like to cook or have some experience.

If this sounds like your kind of winter, send me a DM with a little about yourself, your ski certification/experience, and your Japan visa/work status! ❄️

My twins are in a German immersion kindergarten in the US with very strict attendance policy. Can not miss days unless they’re approved— which, if we travel somewhere that speaks German, it counts as a “learning” opportunity.

I’ve never skied outside of North America and would love some advice:

Where should I look that is logistically easy to access (like, easy flights from the States), has amazing kid hotels and kid ski programs, and has fun things to go do and see to keep kids entertained?

Bonus if hotels have child care so mom and dad can go shred. Any suggestions?

Switzerland, Austria, Germany are all on the table.

Start terraforming Mars immediately.