So I ended up coming home with some skis yesterday. I think they're 2005 Atomic M2Tron M:10s. They were some pretty awesome skis when they were made, the second most advanced in the range, and with these Salomon demo bindings, they probably cost around $1000 new. I paid all of $85! They're in pretty decent shape, certainly not new-looking, but smooth on the bottom, only one past repair, and decent edges. Cost me $35 to have the bindings set up and the skis waxed, and the tech who worked on them was pretty impressed with the deal.
Skis I bought yesterday. by
MaxArcher, on Flickr
I couldn't wait to find out how they were, so I went to Boreal on the way back. Boreal isn't anywhere close to the biggest or the best resort in the Tahoe area, but they do generally hold the honor of being the first one to open every year. There were only two runs open and they were both pretty lame, but it was still awesome being out and on skis on October 27th, and the new skis were great.
Boreal Today. Only two lame runs open but at least it LOOKED like winter, lol. by
MaxArcher, on Flickr
Can't wait for the season to really get going!
I've been wondering for a long time and have been meaning to ask this or start a thread about it but never did so this thread is a perfect place to ask my questions:
Which are the best ski resorts in the US and Cananda?
* Not too expensive.
*Lot's off natural snow.
* High enough.
* Different slope steepnessess (<<<< don't know if this is a word).
* many beautiful single, available girls
* Friendly people.
Most of the really good resorts are in the west.
I'm near Lake Tahoe, which has quite a few resorts, most of which are decent, and several of which are world-class in terms of skiing. (Squaw Valley is the most famous.)
Colorado has a ton.
Utah is also a big destination.
Whistler in British Columbia is huge, gets great snow, and has recently been extensively redeveloped since it hosted the '10 Winter Olympics.
Montana also has some great stuff.
It really depends what you're looking for. Do you want a luxury hotel, fine dining experience? Family-friendly atmosphere? Do you want a young, party crowd? Do you want to grind rails and show off in the pipe? Are you a super hardcore skier who's looking for the narrowest chutes and the biggest untracked powder fields? There are "bests" in all kinds of categories. I tend to go to the hill, ski the most serious stuff I can handle, and go home, so I'm not a great one to ask about nightlife or anything.
That said - if you're in Europe, there's not a ton of reason to come ski in the US. Personally I'd go to Austria or something. Our lift tickets are expensive, our accommodations are either horrible or expensive, and our weather is unpredictable enough that it makes an international trip kind of an iffy proposition. Of course, if you've just really been wanting to come to America anyway, it's a different story.
. Snow hasn't yet hit Britannia, but apparently this year it's going to be the coldest winter for 100 years, so we're bound to get some soon!
