OT: How does anyone afford skiing nowadays?

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Karen

Trad climber

So Cal Hell

Topic Author's Reply - Dec 28, 2008 - 12:59pm PT

You're right on Brian regarding tele skiing!!!

Batrock

Trad climber

Burbank

Dec 28, 2008 - 01:03pm PT

My favorite day trip is driving to the end of the road on Hwy 2. Either ski up the road toward Throop Peak or hike the ridge on Mt Islip. Once on the top of Islip you can ski the chutes down to old Hwy 39 or ski East toward Throop Peak and a ski any of the great glades or bowls along the way. Another option is to skin or hike to the top of Mt. Williamson and ski some of the West facing bowls. Either way there is lots to ski on Hwy 2.

Also Mt. Waterman is open again with reasonable prices.

Oh, another great and obscure trip is Telescope Peak in Death Valley. I have hit some great powder on Telescope in the past and Spring skiing can be fantastic. This Winter is shaping up for a good season on Telescope.

jamesellis

climber

Bremerton, Washington

Dec 28, 2008 - 02:01pm PT

You listed some of the most expensive resorts in the country. Go find a smaller, cheaper resort to ski at. They're usually better and less crowded anyway.

james Colborn

Trad climber

Truckee, Ca

Dec 28, 2008 - 05:58pm PT

Good on all you nordies out there. I'll be skiing into my seventies thank you.

Andanother, I really don't think I said anything about being gnarly, it was about getting to work and still getting some fun squeezed in there. My point was that skiing at a resort has utilitarian value regardless of your binding situation. Jaunts into the BC are not condusive to returning to work for more than a 1/2 day.

I still stand by the neanderthal equipment comment. The evolution of the gear has not progressed much.

dave goodwin

climber

carson city, nv

Dec 28, 2008 - 08:59pm PT

I own a ski shop, so I get to ski for free. Whick is good with the salary I pay myself I could not afford to ski otherwise.

lately I have been more excited about back country than skiing at a resort. More about exploring than skiing chair 10 at kirkwood for the millionth time.

take care
dave

p.s. ski fast, crash fast!

Jaybro

Social climber

wuz real!

Dec 28, 2008 - 09:11pm PT

Tele is the way to go, though other downhill forms can, arguably, be called skiing, except snowbrooding...

They used to have some cheap deals at June mtn. Is that, history?

BCD

Trad climber

Mammoth Lakes, CA

Dec 28, 2008 - 10:08pm PT

"You guys who know the Eastside well, what are some more decent moderate areas? I don't ski anything steep in the bc, and anymore am not too keen on skiing anything steeper than the cornice on Mammoth mtn."

The Mammoth Crest has lots of moderate options.
Mt Wood and Koip Peak are two big ones in the June area that don't exceed 35 degrees.
Rock Creek, as has already been mentioned, is filled with fun terrain though that's best done in the spring when the road is clear.
The Wheeler Crest has enough options to keep you busy for a decade or so, and Red Mountain, which is right next door. Mt Tom has a lot as well, though sections of the upper part are a bit steeper.

And here's some shameless self promotion:
There's a new Eastside guidebook coming out next week (hopefully). It's chock full of information. And it's cheaper than a lift ticket, which should hopefully solve your problem.

Todd Eastman

climber

Bellingham, WA

Dec 28, 2008 - 10:40pm PT

The real estate creeps stole the SPORT of alpine skiing and made it an expensive cousin of golf. Learn how to cross country ski well and become a a solid BC skier. Many great adventures await!

TGT

Social climber

So Cal

Dec 28, 2008 - 10:44pm PT

I'll be skiing into my seventies thank you.

The rocket scientist is 75 and regularly out skis the rest of us on a BC NNN light weight setup. (no denying he's a bit of a freakish winner in the genetic lottery though)

not condusive to returning to work for more than a 1/2 day.

the end of the above mentioned Hwy 39 is a half hour from the shop, (and only 15 bucks a year for an "Adventure Pass") if I chose that option.

Batrock

Trad climber

Burbank

Dec 28, 2008 - 11:11pm PT

TGT,

I loathe the adventure pass program but thats another topic all itself. Mt. Islip has some pretty gnarly chutes ending on the 39 that are a blast. Throop Peak's North chutes used to be easily accessible by parking at Dawson Saddle and hiking the mile or so to the peak. The walk back to the car is just a 10 minute walk back to Dawson Saddle. This was Spring habit for years when the 2 hwy was open to Wrightwood. Saddly it looks like Hwy 2 between Islip Saddle and Wrightwood may end up like Hwy 39. I still get up there every Spring but now my shuttle vehicle is a mountain bike taken from Islip to Dawson Saddle.

Batrock

TGT

Social climber

So Cal

Dec 28, 2008 - 11:34pm PT

Loathe the pass too.

Most of my skiing in past years has been limited to weekends and 39 can be a CF on the weekends. And, I had Baldy wired.

I'm going to have to rethink exploring that end of the range now.

rich sims

Trad climber

Dec 28, 2008 - 11:41pm PT

Colorado
Season passes from 200+ to 450
This is my second season with out a pass. Use to get in 60+ days mostly powder days if you can work around it. The weather has mostly been fair for select (warm) climbing
I was invited to jump in a lake or go climbing new years day . Cya climbing
Not counting back country and Loveland pass I have ten resorts with in two hours. I would say only SLC has better mix. I would rather live in Denver area.
I had passes for the last 17 of 19 years.
Lots of pass and ticket deals in CO. even at supermarkets.
I worked for Vail 80 hours a year for season passes for the family Unlimited Riding. I did it till my daughters were no longer eligible.

east side underground

Trad climber

crowley ca

Dec 29, 2008 - 12:50am PT

skipt,I've skiied up Pine crk quite a few times, love the place!shit load of vertical if your wiiling to walk a while, can be a lot of bushwacking down low in the willows and aspen depends on the year. Karen, a cool moderate spot is "chicken wing" a easy ski from 395 at the hartley springs turnout. Near the top of Deadman's summit. Mono craters (north side) can be fun too. Take 120 east till the road ends(usually blocked with snow berm), lots of fun little hits with no people. Here in Hilton crk (formley Crowley lake)Mc Gee MT, can be lots of fun. (east face has 3,000 vert!) not quite in condition yet (lots of snow up high,a bit of sage down low) good luck

Karen

Trad climber

So Cal Hell

Topic Author's Reply - Dec 29, 2008 - 12:59am PT

I've not skied Chicken wing but have skied White wing and it was a blast. I'll try Chicken wing this year. What looks like fun is to ski off the backside of June mt. up White wing and out to 395, but going to need to shuttle this.

Thanks everyone for your comments and suggestions!

Karen

Ben Rumsen

Social climber

No Name City ( and it sure ain't pretty )

Dec 29, 2008 - 11:30am PT

Karen, move to Northern Califoria and take up skate skiing - it's a blast! And very inexpensive!!

http://gorp.away.com/gorp/publishers/foghorn/ski_taho.htm