kragan Posted February 7, 2006 Report Share Posted February 7, 2006 Well I am finally heading out west! I have a buddy that is on the patrol at Keystone and has been there since the winter of 2003 - 2004. For some reason I have kept putting it off and I finally grew a pair and, well today I got my vacation request approved, I am heading out March 1st - 8th. I had a little scare though when I asked for the time off. My boss informed me that I am supposed to head out to Seattle for work sometime in March, but he did not know the exact date. I found the guy that I am going with, and it turns out that he planned on going March 9th - 12th. So I am paying for the flight from Philly to Eagle County (Vail) and then my company is paying for the flight to Seattle and then back to Philly . I plan on skiing 2 days, riding 3, and having 1 day just to take in the rockies. As a bonus my bday is in March and my girl is going to buy whatever lift tickets I need to pay for outside of the 2 or 3 vouchers I am getting from my buddy. I am so excited, I can't stop using this smiley --> For those of you that have been out there can you receommend any places that I absolutely have to see? Now I have to buy a digital camera for the trip .... this is going to be soooo sick .... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shadows Posted February 7, 2006 Report Share Posted February 7, 2006 i dont know how far it is from keystone, so ill just go based on vail cause thats all ive been to. the hotsprings are incredible, not sure where they are, but i went twice and they kicked it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kragan Posted February 8, 2006 Author Report Share Posted February 8, 2006 Awesome, especially that you get to ski on your birthday. Do you think you are going to snowmobile on your rest day??? We want/I want detailed reports. If your excited now, wait until the perma grin you have when you are out there. The best thing is that you planned your trip kind of last minute so you don't have as much anticipation... I won't be there exactly on my birthday ... but close enough. I don't know about snowmobiling, I think that I will just attempt to take in the sites and scenery. Unfortunately I will be in the middle of a class as well, so I am sure some of my day off will be spent doing work for that I will be sure to post updates, I have a lot to live up to after your trip Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skimom Posted February 8, 2006 Report Share Posted February 8, 2006 Kragan: For advice, are you going to Keystone or Vail? If Keystone, why fly to Vail? ANd would you stick with Keytone or go to nearby areas? Most flights to Vail have a stopover in Denver anyway. It sounds like an awesome trip. Glad you have a camera. Ummm, Summitt County Co, ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kragan Posted February 8, 2006 Author Report Share Posted February 8, 2006 Kragan: For advice, are you going to Keystone or Vail? If Keystone, why fly to Vail? ANd would you stick with Keytone or go to nearby areas? Most flights to Vail have a stopover in Denver anyway. It sounds like an awesome trip. Glad you have a camera. Ummm, Summitt County Co, ... I am going to ski 3 resorts: Vail, Keystone, and Breck. My buddy that lives out there is closer to Eagle county than he is Denver, so I paid the extra to fly to Eagle County so it would be more convenient for him. Its the least I could do since I am crashing on his couch for a whole week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterC0523 Posted February 8, 2006 Report Share Posted February 8, 2006 For those of you that have been out there can you receommend any places that I absolutely have to see? You have to ski Vail's Back Bowls, they are absolutely amazing! And try the Buffalo Stew at "Buffalo's", it's a restaurant at the top between the Front Side and the Back Bowls. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jurassic5 Posted February 9, 2006 Report Share Posted February 9, 2006 also check out Two Elk Lodge. very nice place to relax before you go kill yourself in the back bowls again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Papasteeze Posted February 9, 2006 Report Share Posted February 9, 2006 I plan on skiing 2 days, riding 3, and having 1 day just to take in the rockies. For those of you that have been out there can you receommend any places that I absolutely have to see? You didn't say where you are staying. If this is your first trip, then it is my opinion that first off all prepare yourself for the altitude with all the various remedies, diamox, lots a water no caffiene, no alcohol. etc etc A separate thread would be in order for that. First trip to summit county - you should do the safari thing!!! you said voucher. I believe that voucher is good for Keystone, Breck and Vail - then you have choices. I would take the pass to WinterPark on a Blue bird day (watch the weather) the drive and the scenery is incomprable and then you have Copper or A-Basin - I would choose Vail - take the first lift and drop through china bowl and head back up to Blue Sky as fast as you can and take the natural 1/2 pipe runs on skiers right for first tracks.. head back to the top of china bowl for lunch. cool down on the front side or take in the sites of the bowls adjacent to china bowl. Avoid the front side, that is where everyone else is. Breck - you have to go all the way to the top to experience the hieght of the altitude. I think the vert there is 3400 but I am not sure if you can do it all in one run, not sure you can any way Keystone. - Here again work your way as far back as possible as fast as possible - your friend will know the hiddengems Winter Park - it the locals mountain with mostly Denverites, wanna see some real bump runs, nothing compares to Mary Jane for the number of bump runs that I have ever seen anywhere. A-basin because this year there are areas open that aren't normally open due to epic amounts of snow (that could change by March) Copper - seems to me to get crowded - probably a least fave Beaver Creek - it is the Deer valley of colorado - nice place - top shelf grooming - been there done that.. save it for another year unless you are a celebrity and want to hob nob with the rich and famous. (Vail is a little snooty too) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kragan Posted February 9, 2006 Author Report Share Posted February 9, 2006 You didn't say where you are staying. If this is your first trip, then it is my opinion that first off all prepare yourself for the altitude with all the various remedies, diamox, lots a water no caffiene, no alcohol. etc etc A separate thread would be in order for that. First trip to summit county - you should do the safari thing!!! you said voucher. I believe that voucher is good for Keystone, Breck and Vail - then you have choices. I would take the pass to WinterPark on a Blue bird day (watch the weather) the drive and the scenery is incomprable and then you have Copper or A-Basin - I would choose Vail - take the first lift and drop through china bowl and head back up to Blue Sky as fast as you can and take the natural 1/2 pipe runs on skiers right for first tracks.. head back to the top of china bowl for lunch. cool down on the front side or take in the sites of the bowls adjacent to china bowl. Avoid the front side, that is where everyone else is. Breck - you have to go all the way to the top to experience the hieght of the altitude. I think the vert there is 3400 but I am not sure if you can do it all in one run, not sure you can any way Keystone. - Here again work your way as far back as possible as fast as possible - your friend will know the hiddengems Winter Park - it the locals mountain with mostly Denverites, wanna see some real bump runs, nothing compares to Mary Jane for the number of bump runs that I have ever seen anywhere. A-basin because this year there are areas open that aren't normally open due to epic amounts of snow (that could change by March) Copper - seems to me to get crowded - probably a least fave Beaver Creek - it is the Deer valley of colorado - nice place - top shelf grooming - been there done that.. save it for another year unless you are a celebrity and want to hob nob with the rich and famous. (Vail is a little snooty too) Thanks for the advice, Papa and welcome back I am staying in the town of Dillon which is super close to Keystone, pretty close to Breck, and then Vail is about 30 minutes. Those are the 3 that I will be hitting, I am pretty much at the mercy of my buddy as I won't have a rental vehicle. I am sure that those 3 mountains are going to be more than enough for my first (and very hopefully not my last) trip out there. Now I have to get on Ebay to find a decent digital camera Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterC0523 Posted February 10, 2006 Report Share Posted February 10, 2006 You didn't say where you are staying. If this is your first trip, then it is my opinion that first off all prepare yourself for the altitude with all the various remedies, diamox, lots a water no caffiene, no alcohol. etc etc A separate thread would be in order for that. Check out this thread for some more info on diamox and adjusting to altitude. http://www.paskiandride.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=2733 One of the general stores at Lionshead in Vail also sells this stuff called Altitude Adjustment. It's an herbal mix that will supposedly help you adjust quicker. I tried it the 2nd day I was there and I did feel less shortness of breath. It could have also been the additional day that my body had to adjust. But anyway, here's the link for more info on that stuff. http://www.altitude-adjustment.com/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Papasteeze Posted February 10, 2006 Report Share Posted February 10, 2006 6pm flight tonight!!! I doubt I will post detailed reports but I'll try and check in - I got finally got a new digital camera!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Papasteeze Posted February 10, 2006 Report Share Posted February 10, 2006 Have a mad steezy trip, maybe skifreaks sister will be flying the plane. You will have to fill me in on the joke. We do have friends on the same flight though. wiggle, woot, halo, angry, banghead???? damn, dude you are all over the place! Ok this is where I will admit, I peaked at your post Doug. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Papasteeze Posted February 10, 2006 Report Share Posted February 10, 2006 No joke SkiFreaks sister is a pilot...Is there any snow in the forecast for Colorado? hope not... there is stuff open that hasn't been open in 10 years - I hoping for bluebird days and untouched back country Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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