# Just Joined HCC / Please Help me Order my Ski Property Choices



## LastTrueFamilyMan (Mar 4, 2008)

I wanted to let everyone know I just joined HCC today.  :whoopie:  

I froze my dues for this first year, and will not take my first trip until after 3/1/09.  That works well for us as I already had a trip to Snowmass planned for two weeks from now.  And our second child is due this July.  So, March 09 should hit us just right as far as getting back into traveling mode.

I'm in the system now, and plan to make my first reservation for the week of March 14, 2009.  So I'll be doing that 11:00 CST a week from this Thursday.   Any help the group could give me on ranking and ordering my ski property choices would be great.

We will have our then almost 5 year old daughter with us.  If we are able to get a 3 or 4 bedroom property, we will have another couple along with us that will have a 6 year old with them.   This will be the kids first time to ski.  

Obviously, the ski-in/out properties will be at the top of the list.  But ski-in/out in and of itself may not be as helpful if access to the  kids' ski school requires a shuttle (see SamH's post on Copper).  So that is a factor.  

Which of the ski properties have easy access to both the lifts and the kids' ski school?  I'm thinking Beaver Creek Village Hall and Snowmass may be the only ones.  Maybe this would only be a big deal the first day or two because hopefully by day 3 the little ones will be able to ride a chair and ski down a green to the ski school (like at Copper, Arrowhead, Telluride, etc.).  Do y'all think that is a reasonable expectation?

I'm also worried about the front range resorts because of crowding.  How bad do y'all think Copper and Keystone will be as far as lift lines and congestion on the slopes that week?  Can you do the superbee ticket at Copper staying in the HCC property (the Copper website says it is available for Copper lodging guests only)?

Any help on picking my top 3 or 4 choices will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Cliff 
(my screen name is a reference to National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation in case anyone, perhaps our Canadian friends , doesn't get it)


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## vivalour (Mar 4, 2008)

LastTrueFamilyMan said:


> I wanted to let everyone know I just joined HCC today.  :whoopie:



Hey Cliff, congratulations and welcome to HCC!  Sounds like you'll be busy enough -- planning for a new arrival this summer and multiple trips in '09 . 

Can't be much help on the HCC ski locations, I'm afraid. We ski almost in our backyard and are excitedly packing for our escape from the snow -- to Punta Mita, next week. So if you want our take on this new BEACH location, we will be back home in the snowbelt again in mid-March.


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## vivalour (Mar 5, 2008)

LastTrueFamilyMan said:


> I'm in the system now, and plan to make my first reservation for the week of March 14, 2009.  So I'll be doing that 11:00 CST a week from this Thursday.   Any help the group could give me on ranking and ordering my ski property choices would be great.



If you don't get enough input here, I would try to get someone at HCC (Heath?) who has visted ALL the properties and can help you out. Then maybe you can combine any input from the forums with HCC's advice/information.


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## oldkey (Mar 5, 2008)

*We have stayed at Keystone Red Hawk....*

....and have stayed at different locations at Copper very close to the Mill Club location (staying at the Mill Club late March). As noted, my brother found ski school with his son a hassle at both locations. At Copper the ski school was at another area which required a short drive/shuttle. The same holds true for Keystone. At keystone Redhawk is a short walk to the gondola, but the ski school is at the Mountain House area. The other Keystone property (Settlers) is even worse - you can't walk to anything from that property. All three properties are beautiful - but none of them are convenient for a children's ski school. 

Sorry - but I can't speak to the other locations.


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## LastTrueFamilyMan (Mar 5, 2008)

vivalour said:


> If you don't get enough input here, I would try to get someone at HCC (Heath?) who has visted ALL the properties and can help you out. Then maybe you can combine any input from the forums with HCC's advice/information.


Thanks for the welcome vivalour!

I asked my members services rep, Kristy, to gather the actual distance to the lifts and the relative location of the kids ski schools for all their true and near ski-in/out properties. I'll post what I find out.

-LTFM


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## LastTrueFamilyMan (Mar 5, 2008)

oldkey said:


> ....and have stayed at different locations at Copper very close to the Mill Club location (staying at the Mill Club late March). As noted, my brother found ski school with his son a hassle at both locations. At Copper the ski school was at another area which required a short drive/shuttle. The same holds true for Keystone. At keystone Redhawk is a short walk to the gondola, but the ski school is at the Mountain House area. The other Keystone property (Settlers) is even worse - you can't walk to anything from that property. All three properties are beautiful - but none of them are convenient for a children's ski school.
> 
> Sorry - but I can't speak to the other locations.



Thanks, oldkey!  That's exactly the kind of information I'm looking for.  

Did your brother and his son get to the point as his son progressed that he could ski to ski school?  E.g., at Copper, you could walk over to American Flyer, ride up, and ski down one of the greens to Union Creek.  I realize this would be highly variable depending on the child, but if they have an easy green route it would seem mid-week that would be a possibility.

Thanks,
LTFM


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## Steamboat Bill (Mar 5, 2008)

One word....."www.DeerValley.com"

You will NOT be disapointed.


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## oldkey (Mar 5, 2008)

*With that question in mind.....*

....I would lean toward Redhawk at Keystone, personally. First, the buses are very simple. Second, the gondola is enclosed....great for a child that might get cold on the long lift up. Last, Schoolmarm is a great 3 mile green that ends at Mountain House where the ski school is located. Oh - the Keystone Redhawk property is much bigger than the Copper property (though the Copper property is closer to the lift).

My son trains at Copper (going this weekend) and but I frankly don't recall much about the greens. But I would say that most locals prefer riding Copper over Keystone because of the terrain. Most families prefer Keystone. Look at the two websites.....we find Keystone incedibly family friendly.

My brother never took his son off the bunny hills.  :zzz:


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## LastTrueFamilyMan (Mar 5, 2008)

Steamboat Bill said:


> One word....."www.DeerValley.com"
> 
> You will NOT be disapointed.



One concern I have about Deer Valley in mid-March is slushy spring conditions.  Tony Crocker, an epicski forum member and frequent contributor to various ski mags, ranked Deer Valley a 3 out of 5 for spring beak conditions.  His description of this rating is, "3. The transition from winter to spring conditions generally occurs in early March. Even early spring break skiers can expect predominantly spring conditions. However, all terrain is covered, and conditions are enjoyable where groomed or at the right time of day in natural terrain."  He also said, "The spring break guidelines are much more reliable year in and year out (than the Christmas guidelines). A poor spring rating means the surface can be ruined by a few warm days, no matter how deep the snow base."

Also, I just talked to a friend who said she and her family went to Deer Valley either last spring break or the year before that and it was very slushy.

So, Steamboat or others, how have you found the conditions to be at Deer Valley mid-March?

Thanks,
LTFM


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## WhiteSand (Mar 6, 2008)

We have found Deer Valley to be slushy in March. We love it in Jan and Feb but its variable in March.  Last year was a terrible snow year and we were in Utah in  mid March and had bad ski conditions from sun induced slush made worse by low snow fall.


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## LastTrueFamilyMan (Mar 6, 2008)

WhiteSand said:


> We have found Deer Valley to be slushy in March. We love it in Jan and Feb but its variable in March.  Last year was a terrible snow year and we were in Utah in  mid March and had bad ski conditions from sun induced slush made worse by low snow fall.



Thanks, WhiteSand, that pretty much does it for me.  DV is out for March trips in my mind.  

What about DV at Christmas/New Year's?  

Tony Crocker also ranks it a 3 out of 5 for that time of year:  "3. It’s roughly even odds on most advanced terrain being open for Christmas. If your family is primarily intermediate, these areas can still be good, especially if there is a lot of snowmaking for backup."  

Since my family will be beginner/intermediate for a few years, maybe DV would be a good Christmas option?  How is their snowmaking capacity?

Thanks,
LTFM


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## LastTrueFamilyMan (Mar 14, 2008)

Well, I timed my click right tonight - just reserved Beaver Creek Village Hall for next year's Spring Break. 

I'm excited - should be a great place for my little one to learn to ski.  I'm off to Snowmass in four and half hours - early get up to catch the plane  

Take care,
LTFM


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## Steamboat Bill (Mar 14, 2008)

LastTrueFamilyMan said:


> Well, I timed my click right tonight - just reserved Beaver Creek Village Hall for next year's Spring Break.
> 
> I'm excited - should be a great place for my little one to learn to ski.  I'm off to Snowmass in four and half hours - early get up to catch the plane
> 
> ...



Looks like you are making good use of your HCC membership!!!


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## saluki (Mar 14, 2008)

LastTrueFamilyMan said:


> Well, I timed my click right tonight - just reserved Beaver Creek Village Hall for next year's Spring Break.
> 
> I'm excited - should be a great place for my little one to learn to ski.  I'm off to Snowmass in four and half hours - early get up to catch the plane
> 
> ...



Nice score. I am headed out to the Beaver Creek Arrowhead property now!


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