HOW MUCH?! START SAVING FOR NEXT SEASON III

 Outer Limits- Killington  photo- Amy Klein and Lil Mo

VERMONT

Mt Snow

 deals before 10/9/12

Nor'Easter pass $1,099- saving $150 ($1,249 after 10/9/12). That's about 14 days before you break even. Also have midweek passes and Sunday only passes with the best deals purchased before 10/9/12.

http://mountsnow.com/seasonpass/

Killington

deals before 10/8/12

Season pass $1,199- then I assume the price goes up- the website does not say. There are also midweek passes, college passes, and an express card deal.

http://www.killington.com/winter/plan/tickets_and_cards/comparison_chart/index.html

deals before 10/11/12

discount tickets for $58

http://www.killington.com/winter/plan/tickets_and_cards/k58/index.html

Jay Peak

deals before 10/15/12

Season pass for Jay and Burke $799- saving $250 ($1,049 after 10/15/12). That's about 11 times before you break even. There are also Jay only season passes for $50 less. There are also family passes, college passes, and specialty passes with the best deals purchased before 10/15/12.

http://www.jaypeakresort.com/skiing-riding/tickets-passes/season-passes 

UTAH

Canyons

deals before 9/15/12

Season Pass $849- saving $300 ($1,149 after 9/15/12). That's about 9 days before you break even.

Also have discounted passes for kids, college students, teachers, firefighters, and coupon packs with the best deals purchased before 9/15/12.

http://www.canyonsresort.com/season_passes.html?summer=yes

Solitude

save 35% off lodging all season if you book before 9/30/12

http://skisolitude.com/lodging/reservations.php

NEW HAMPSHIRE

Wildcat/ Attitash

deals for all of September

mid- week nonholiday tickets for $30

http://www.skiwildcat.com/wild-deals.html

 

MONTANTA

Bridger

deal before 10/9/12

Season pass for $580- saving $100 ($680 after 10/9/12). That's about 12 times before you break even. Wow- Bridger is so sweet.

https://store.bridgerbowl.com/passes/adult_season_pass/

CANADA

Whistler

deal before 10/8/12

Season pass for $1,489- saving $300 ($1,795 after 10/8/12). That's about 17 days before you break even. You can also purchase discount lift tickets before 10/8/12. 

http://www.whistlerblackcomb.com/tickets-and-passes/season-passes/index.aspx

LIFTOPIA

 

My go-to deal site- Liftopia has started with their deals for this season.

http://www.liftopia.com/

killington trees

EAST COAST STORIES- JAY PEAK

I have been seriously slacking on the snowboarding posts. Stupid forgetting brain. Here is the return of the snow stories.

Last January the Giant and I went to Jay Peak with Zims and Yuko. 

photo Zims78   http://stopdownphotography.com

It was a little cold, like it was never above -5. 

The East never really got any snow last year. Jay always gets the most snow in VT, because it's magic there. We got a little treat for our trip (16" was a big big deal last season).

We were there for four days.  

We stayed in the awesome houses of Shéady Acres (http://www.sheadyacres.com ).  

photo- Zims78 http://stopdownphotography.com

Zims and Yuko stayed in The Tea House.

photo- Zims78 http://stopdownphotography.com

The Giant and I stayed in The Adobe. These houses are fantastic- built and operated by a true riding family. See more here: http://elevatedlocals.blogspot.com/2011/03/elevated-locals-of-jay-peak-oshea.html

We rode the glades at Jay, staying away from the howling wind. Trees in the East can go fast, a little different from the West, where you pick your own line and float along. Here you bend your knees and take the crazy roller coaster bumps. 

Zims seems to manage just fine......

photo- Zims78 http://stopdownphotography.com

Yuko- the silent killa

It's crazy to look at older pic.s of the Giant riding. By the end of last season he was killin' it- hitting cornices straight on an everyting. I see photos of footage like this and remember that it's only his third season. Man did he have a good teacher.

Well Jay, missing you terribly. We learned a lot and became better people.

not really........

Zims down

CONTESTS SOMEONE ELSE WILL WIN IV

me at Jay- Photo @zims78

ski coupons
http://www.facebook.com/SkiCoupons?sk=app_121121694568521

Win a trip to Breck
http://www.startcolorado.com/musclemilk/

Win a pair of V-moda headphones
http://www.xlr8r.com/contests/2012/03/win-customizable-v-moda-headpone

BLK LNG at the Smith & Wesson factory

KILLINGTON WITH A SIDE OF SNOW

me getting ready for snow

The season pass that the Giant won at the TGR premiere has kept us riding blue (ice) pretty much all season.
Its been rad, but different- I seem to have developed a park problem.
Except for the four days in Targhee and Jay I have yet to feel the fluff.

me hiking above Ramshead

We hear tales of inches falling in VT.
Could this be so?
I mean snow is so last season- right?

We arrive Saturday morning to five inches- which is like two feet compared to what we've been getting.
The first drop into Killington trees of the season is made.

Its like a whole different mountain.
So many lines- the possibilities are endless.
Still lots of snow snakes and hidden jagger's 
We collect core shots

I began to morph out of my recently developed park rat self as it continues to snow. By Sunday I have no desire to hit the stash or the pipe.
All I can think about is trees.
It's good to be back..............

mmmmmmmm

SNOW? ARE YOU THERE.... ITS ME, RATFACE

my Sun Valley early/late pass

What have I been up to?
I'm sure you are all dying to know.
(No one cares)
Well, I better write it down; I seem to forget things as soon as they happen.








 
 
 

The Giant at Jay

I've got 14 days on the hill.....
should be more but there are a million stupid excesses, like:
(all these should be read in a super whinny voice)
I live in Brooklyn......
More people need to give me money.......
The thing that I put in my binding that is connected to my leg seems to be broken or something......
I have a job.....
I'm old and fat......
My ass hurts........

Mary and the snow-less bowls- Sun Valley

Anyway-
sorry about that
I've had some days in Sun Valley, Targhee, Killington, and Jay Peak.
The lack of snow at the places I have been privileged to frequent could be devastating to some
but I'm just beginning the season of my life.

Me & Andy- Sun Valley

Sun Valley- Idaho
My mecca. Spent eight days riding with my family
and friends.
Most of the hill was open and the trip was filled with sweet Sun Valley bluebird days.
I missed the bowls terribly. 
We discovered the horrors of doppelgapers.
and had some detonating fun.

Mary and the Grand Teton- Targhee

Targhee- Wyoming
Spent two days here with lil sis Mary and there was pow, cause it's Targhee.
but there was a lot of stuff hiding ready to bite
Yeah, I got eight core shots..... 
it was totally worth it-
Team Awesome was born

bare bunny hill- Killington

Killington- Vermont
Spent two days with the Giant
about half the massive resort was open, no stash or pipe, but they've got some new parks.
Was cool to see Killington doing well after hurricane Irene- they got hit pretty hard.
Day two the famous blue stuff came out- I believe it's called ice?
Just suck it up and go straight

Jay Peak- Vermont (they say it's VT but it's like, really Canada)
Spent four days here with The Giant, Zims, and Yuko.
I only rode two, due to my traitor of a foot.

Jay is where it is at in the east.
And the trees are where it's at, at Jay.
Thank goodness they had some snow.
It didn't get warmer than -5, and that was balmy.
Can't wait to return.

                                                 The west is getting pounded.....

                                                    in the east we wait for ours

AND NOW FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY GAPING- GAPER TIPS- JAY PEAK

Need some gaper tips to gape the best way you can?

HEADS UP IV

14th St- NYC

CRYSTAL MOUNTAIN- WA

A Gold Unlimited Season pass is $949 (you need to go 13 times with ganjula access to break even).  With this purchase you also get 10 days at any of these resorts: The Summit at Snoqualmie (WA), Big Sky (MT), Boyne Highlands (MI), Cypress (Canada), Brighton (UT-), Loon (NH- http://elevatedlocals.blogspot.com/2011/08/heads-up-for-next-season-part-ii.html), Sugarloaf (ME), and Sunday River (ME). There is also a Silver Midweek for $599 and a Bronze unlimited for $699, these passes do not include ganjula rides. Get these deals before 9/30/2011
http://www.crystalmountainresort.com/Tickets-and-Passes/Season-Passes


 JAY PEAK- VT   

book your Jay vacation before 9/23/2011 and save 25%

http://www.jaypeakresort.com/index.php/landing_pages/book_early_save

We love Shéady Acres, though- http://www.sheadyacres.com/ (http://elevatedlocals.blogspot.com/2011/03/elevated-locals-of-jay-peak-oshea.html)

KILLINGTON- VT

K57 ticket deal- If you live around the city you should do this. Killington doesn't really do tickets on Liftopia and you know you're going to go there. $57 tickets until Oct. 20th, 2011. There are some black out days (Dec. 26, 2011 - Jan. 1, 2012; Jan. 14 - 15 and Feb. 18 - 26, 2012) http://www.killington.com/winter/plan/tickets_and_cards/k57

Purchase the Express Card for $86 until Oct. 21st. The Express Card gives you 50% off of tickets midweek and 25% off of tickets on the weekend. http://www.killington.com/winter/plan/tickets_and_cards/express_card  


MT BATCHELOR- OR
I haven't been here in a while, but man did I have fun on this mountain!
 Batchelor's pass deals are good until 9/30/2011. The season pass is $829 (12 times to break even), if you buy this after 9/30 it's $1,039. They have a midweek for $549 (8 to break even). You should probably go ahead and be in between the ages of 19 and 23, then you get a season pass for $379. They also have a 12 day pass for $450 ($37.50 a ticket).
http://www.mtbachelor.com/winter/mountain/tickets/season_passes
Would you like to know more?
http://www.onthesnow.com/news/a/40080/mount-bachelor-runs-september-pass-sale?utm_source=20110915_Nltr&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=W11_OTS_Nltr&utm_content=Feat_story_2&XE_LNK=Newsletter
(thanks onthesnow.com)

  SUN VALLEY- ID
It's $79 for a room and a lift ticket Nov. 23rd- Dec. 20th. You need two people for the deal. Call 800-786-8259

Greek style

DISCOUNTS- HEADS UP FOR NEXT SEASON

me- Jay- Valentine's day last year   photo-The Giant

So most mountains sell discounted passes during the fall. Here are some deals and deadlines if you need to save for a bit;  I never have piles of money lying around.

Sun Valley:
So the season pass is a fortune $1,549 (you need to go 23 days to break even), but there are some sweet deals in here: http://www.sunvalley.com/tickets/passes/. I got the early/late last year, and it rocked. The best deals need to be purchased before 9/5/11.

Jackson:
Jackson's season is Nov. 26th- April 8th (135 days) so if you hit the hill 100 times it's like $12 a day with a $1,195 season pass- no working allowed (nineteen days to break even) But seriously, they have sweet college deals (Mary). http://www.jacksonhole.com/season-pass.html

Breck snow sculptures- two years age     photo- The Giant

Jay Peak:
My east coast fav. The Season Pass is $649 until Oct. 11th. Tickets are $69 so you need to go 10 times to break even. http://www.jaypeakresort.com/#/skiing_riding/rates_hours/season_passes/

Targhee:
It's $599 (9 days to break even) for a season pass before 9/11/2011. It's $249 for a college pass (Mary- four times to break even). http://www.grandtarghee.com/the-mountain/rates/season-passes.php

Killington:
Their midweek pass is $499 until 10/13/2011. Their lift tickets are $69 so you need to go 8 times during the week to break even. http://www.killington.com/winter/plan/tickets_and_cards/comparison_chart/index.html

Hunter:
A season pass is $849 before 10/15/2011 (http://www.huntermtn.com/huntermtn/tickets-passes/season-passes.aspx). That's 13 days to break even. But the midweek is $299, only five times to break even.

Pomerelle:
A season pass is $316.94 with tax. http://www.pomerelle-mtn.com/lift-rates/season-passes/index.htm
That's nine times to break even. This deal is good until Sept. 20th.

Breck, Vail, Beaver, Keystone, Heavenly, Northstar, and A-Basin:
The amazing epic pass is $649 and gives you unlimited access to all of these resorts. There isn't a deadline on the website, but I know you can't get this deal after the season starts. http://www.breckenridge.com/plan-a-trip/season-passes/season-passes-explorer.aspx?page=viewall Every time I see this deal I can't understand why I don't live there.

Ok, that's where I know I'm going next season- so that's all that matters- Ahahahahah
not really, I'll do more next Fri.

Targhee- Rach and me last March

DISCOUNTS- AND WHAT CAN STILL BE DONE

 LIFTS THAT ARE STILL ROCKING:


JAY PEAK, VT: Jay is still open! This weekend you can get a lift ticket and lunch for $39, or you can golf and ski for $59. Sweet. (http://www.jaypeakresort.com/)

BRUNDAGE, ID: Brundage is closing after this weekend. Tickets are $30. (http://www.brundage.com/9473/brundage-to-close-record-setting-season-this-sunday-may-15/)

SNOWBIRD, UT: Snowbird is reopening today and will be open all weekends (Fri., Sat., and Sun.) in May. Tickets are $64 (http://www.snowbird.com/index.html)

MT HOOD, OR: Hood's last weekend is this weekend (May 14th and May 15th) with $49 tickets. (http://www.skihood.com/Community-and-News/Meadows-Blog/Posts/2011/04/Meadows-Offers-Bonus-Days-In-May)

CRYSTAL,WA: Crystal is open until the snow is gone for the weekends. Tickets are $40 until the 22nd of May and after that they will be $35. (http://www.crystalmountainresort.com/Spring-Skiing/tickets) 

ARAPAHOE BASIN, CO: A-Basin is open until it's not and tickets are $59. (http://www.arapahoebasin.com/ABasin/tickets/default.aspx)

SQUAW, CA: Squaw is open until May 30th with $39 tickets. (http://www.squaw.com/spring-events-activities)

KIRKWOOD, CA: Kirkwood is reopening for Memorial Day weekend with $35 tickets. (http://www.kirkwood.com/site/events/memorial-day-weekend)


MAMMOTH, CA: Mammoth is open until July 4th with a $74 lift ticket (yeah, that's a lot)

plus- you can always go hike fatties!

DISCOUNTS AND RAISING MONEY FOR JAPAN

the giant- Sun Valley

Demo boards and skis are usually on sale now. Sometimes you can find ones that aren't too trashed

Jay Peak has $70 tickets for Sat. And Sun for this weekend. You need to go online and already have a j card. (https://ecommerce.jaypeakresort.com/reload/wtpload.aspx)

If you are a VT or NH resident then you can get a $29 ticket on Wed. April 13th at Okemo. (http://www.okemo.com/okemowinter/ratesandrentals/specialdeals/stealsanddeals.asp)

Sun Valley still has their amazing $79 deal. Stay in the fancy lodge and get a lift ticket for $79! (http://www.sunvalley.com/trip-planner/deals/)

Hunter mountain has $25 tickets until they close on April 10th. (http://www.huntermtn.com/huntermtn/tickets-passes/spring-specials.aspx)
tomorrow is Hunter's Hell Track, and event that is raising money for Japan (http://ridehunter.blogspot.com/2011/04/event-of-season-hunters-hell-track.html)

If you buy a copy of Snow Search Japan, World Snowboard Guide will donate money to Japan. (http://www.worldsnowboardguide.com/tsunamirelieffund.cfm)

CESSPOOL BROOKLYN TO JAY PEAK

CESSPOOL BROOKLYN TO JAY PEAK from elisabeth toft on Vimeo.

ELEVATED LOCALS OF JAY PEAK- THE O'SHEA FAMILY

Introducing the O'Sheas

A truly Elevated Family.
Quinn, their 21 month old little girl runs the show. And then we have Shawna and Eamon. Shawna was raised in CO and learned to ride in Breck. Eamon was raised at Jay Peak; raced as a skier and then began riding in '93. They met at Winter Park in the cafeteria. It's a true ski bum love story. They spent some time in Whitefish, MT and then two phenomenal years in Jackson.
In Jackson they ate off a ping pong table while games were played. They thoughtfully let off fireworks in the house as alarms for their roommates. The second year they spent at Jackson it snowed over 600".

In the summer they would go back to Montgomery, VT. They lived in a tree house on the land that is now Shéady Acres. While they lived in Vermont and Wyoming they built their house at Shéady Acres with the help of friends and family. The O'Sheas kept a stocked cooler of beer and an open tab at the local restaurant, The Belfry (they have banging scallops) to encourage their helpers.



Eamon is a builder who "got bored building vinyl shitbox houses, and wanted to build something creative, functional, and efficient."
Introducing Shéady Acres. Shéady Acres consists of five houses: The Sugar House (Vermont style), The Caribe (Caribbean bungalow), The Tea House (where we stayed! Japanese style), Irish Farm House (Irish without a thatched roof), and The Adobe ( Southwestern style). I heart the tea house.

Do not be deceived, Q is not bigger than the Tea House

 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2vw0yEi0_8)
Three of the units sleep two and two of the units sleep four. The least expensive time to stay is in Nov. And April. And the best deal works out if you stay 4-7 nights. Sometimes they will have home-brewed beer waiting for you (Eamon's best is his Obama brew) or sometimes they might give you cereal.
People are welcome to tune their equipment in the O'Shea's garage, but the O'Sheas' recommend First Trax- a local shop in Montgomery. That is if you need a tune in all that powder.

Obama Brew

The O'Sheas play hockey- it's like a law when you live so close to Canada. Shawna plays in the first women's hockey league to play at the Jay Peak Ice Haus.

Eamon also designed and built a disc golf course on their property and in the summer they have crazy tournaments. He writes the variety show in the spring that is a fundraiser for the town. I've heard this is an insane event that should not be missed. The people of Montgomery are really what make Jay Peak such a magical place.

On our last day at Jay I watched wistfully as Shawna and Eamon began the hike for some epic turns on Big Jay. One might say, this family gets it.

JAY PEAK- DISCOUNTS

Me- "Oh, I didn't see you there"

The Ride & Ski card (http://www.rideandskine.com/Home.html) comes with a book of coupons; four of those coupons were buy one get one free at Jay Peak.
The card itself gets you $10 off at Jay.

Shéady Acres (http://sheadyacres.com/index.html) has discounted tickets for their guests.

MR SQUEAKERS

 
  Liftopia (http://www.liftopia.com/) has 14%-32% off for the rest of the season.

 


We booked our package for Jay in November (http://www.jaypeakresort.com/). The best deals at most resorts are                  pre-season. Sometimes Jay also has powder deals or Mardi Gras deals.   When you stay with them they send you coupons for lessons, restaurants, and shops.

giant jazz hands

JAY PEAK- MOVING ON UP

Q, doing stuff

Jay Peak is located in the Green Mountains and Jay National Forest, 5 miles from Canada in Vermont. The elevation is 3,858'. It used to be higher, but they cut off the top to make stuff. It has a vert of 2,153'.

Jay is gangsta; it can have brutal temps and wind. I only saw the sun a few times in six days. The rest of our trip was Jay gray. The weather can keep the faint of heart away, which equals more snow for me. Jay has more powder than anywhere in the east. They have gotten 248" this year! In comparison, Killington got 189" this year and stupid Vail got 346" (whatever Vail- we all know you're great). There are six lifts and an old school tram. So no rest for you on the tram- you just stand there. The tram holds 60 people and takes 8 min. to get to the top of the resort. In the morning of a powder day it can be like the 6 train, everyone jammed in a box breathing each other's air, but instead of going to stupid work, you are going for freshies.

me

We got perfect conditions. It snowed four ft in the week that we were there. We shared this powder with like 100 people. Unbelievable. It was cold with temps of 5 and 10 with the windchill blowing below zero. 
But none of that matters in the trees. You go to Jay for the trees. More than half of the mountain is glades. My second run, Jesse (who i met on the lift) took me hiking out of bounds off of the Flyer (I am bad at remembering names of runs). I fell in love with Jay at that first turn. 


We originally booked a package with Jay Peak earlier on in the year, but it was snowing so much that we decided to leave the city early. Q found this amazing place, Shéady Acres and booked the Tea House (more on Shéady Acres and the O'Sheas in future posts). The tram had been closed our first day because of high winds, so the O'sheas had hiked up the peak and got the face. Eamon told me it would behove me to be on the first tram and follow their example. The next morning I choked on Face shots in the Face Chute. Soooo good. 

Face and Tuckerman chutes

It might have been best to have a guide, though; for these chutes. Three out of the four times that I did the Face or Tuckermans I ended up fighting my way out the trees right above the flyer, which is wrong. Later on Q heard some seven year olds on the tram talking about the face and tuckman chutes, "stupid people go there"- said one while pointing to my line.

On the fifth day, the sun came out and I decided to pay someone to take me to places I couldn't find on my own. I had also been spending a lot of time in the trees by myself, which isn't the smartest thing ever. I took a lesson, it was everything I dreamed of. Calla took me to many secrets. We giggled through the stashes of powder. 

happy land

I can't even explain how epic this trip was. I cried when we left.