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Wanting to do a ski season...Japan? America? Canada? Europe?

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Oli_jgb
Posts: 985 - Karma: 95
Where should I do it?!

I have been talking to a mate about Japan, but I don't know what it would be like for a whole season? Obviously they preach epic pow conditions there, and night skiing to your hearts content, but is it going to cover all the bases?
I have only ever been skiing in europe so I need your wealth of knowledge and advice NS!

Just so you know what I need:
A large amount of varied off (and on) piste
A park of some description (probably only spending 20-30% of the time there, especially if there is plenty of pow)
A reasonably varied and fun night life
Not too pricey!

Can you help?
Apr 28 2009 4:41AM
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CFD
Posts: 1009 - Karma: 197
Japan is amazing but I'm not sure about doing a season there.. There's not much variety. I found that after a month I was a bit tired of skiing low angle pow, and itching to ski a park and hit a cliff.
I'd say Aspen for nightlife and all round skiing, or maybe Utah for the best skiing around but shitty nightlife. Or Whistler... You'll never leave.
Apr 28 2009 5:01AM
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Alex_G
Posts: 11902 - Karma: 1,018
id go whistler if i were you but shits real pricey right now

if you want epic skiing wihtout a whole lot of nightlife try Salt lake city and get a pass to PC for park and Alta for pow, and the nightlife isnt that big of a deal as long as you have homies and you kick it with the skiers its a good time.

If you want okay nightlife and dope skiing all in one resort try Squaw Valley in Tahoe. The Season pass is real pricey but its well worth it considering it has epic mountain terrain and easily the best park in Tahoe.

I highly recommend Squaw out of those 3 youll never get bored there, their park crew is always on point, fixing lips and making features safe the entire day, they switch jibs around fairly often making the park fun every day not to mention their jumps are perfect every day. theres cliffs off virtually every lift that isnt green, and youll find a new hit youve never seen before or skied before every pow day you get.
Apr 28 2009 5:12AM
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Rosbif
Posts: 2543 - Karma: 930
You want to work or be a bum? Work is going to be pretty much impossible for Brits in the States atm, easier in Canada/Japan, and most easy in Europe.

I had a sweet season in Japan, pow was insane, park was enough to progress but nothing in comparison to CO, terrain was a bit lacking, but really, I didn't care that much, the snow was so good. Being a bum for a whole season might get a bit dull though, not much nightlife variety and you'd want to mix it up with some roadtrips.

I've done a few in CO as well, lived in Winter Park, but Crested Butte was my favourite for terrain, they had mental snow that year though, I hear it can be a bit dry there.


Apr 28 2009 7:50AM
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Oli_jgb
Posts: 985 - Karma: 95
Im thinking Whistler, kinda always have
Well it's been either Whistler or Aspen

Whether I bum it or get a job is dependent on how much dollar I can get over the summer.
Not sure how much I'll need/what I can get yet.

I'd quite like a job so that I can meet people easier.

Thanks for your advice though guys!
Apr 28 2009 1:50PM
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buckers
Posts: 448 - Karma: 12
I'd say work as hard as you can to do a season in the US. Doing one in europe will be ok, but if you really want to ski and get good, go to the states. If you try that in europe, its pretty hard to find a group of people who are willing to go out and hit the park/pipe/pow every day, as most people in europe doing a season are just there to hold off uni for a year and to drink insane amounts of alcohol.

I'm sure other people will know better, but if you wanna do a season in the US you should look into getting a VISA now! I know last year they introduced a new bill which pretty much screwed all non-americans trying to work there over winter, and in the current climate I can imagine your going to have a hard time finding a job.

Hope this is useful.
Apr 28 2009 2:29PM
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Oli_jgb
Posts: 985 - Karma: 95
Yeh I definitely agree with this. In europe you do get a few good skiers but they are often locals and I don't speak a lot of french/german/italian.
I think if I went to America I would be wowed by the standard of freestyle.
Apr 28 2009 4:11PM
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Rosbif
Posts: 2543 - Karma: 930
Visas for the states are tough atm, if you have just finished uni you might be able to get a J1 (student visa), H2Bs which are what most instructors/lifties etc had are fucked again I think.


Apr 29 2009 3:36AM
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RtC.
Posts: 1156 - Karma: 28
As a standard you're gonna need at least £5k wherever you do it (though this was when sterling was a king).

If you're going to season in Europe you need to account for 2000-2500euros each for an apartment split four ways inc. bills and water. Season passes are obviously pretty pricey, allow 1000euros. If you were going to do a season in Euroland I'd role out the recommendations of Avoriaz/la Clusaz, St. Anton and Val D'isere for what you seem to want. All have sick terrain, busy nightlife, good parks for europe.

If you're going to America I'd recommend Utah or Tahoe for you, head to Salt Lake City or Lake Tahoe. SLC has Park City and Alta as mentioned, also Brighton, sick. LT, stay on the Nevada side, You have Northstar for park, Heavenly for Pow, plus others.
Stay away from CO for what you're looking for, great for park but sucks balls for steep and deep. I was paying $450 a month for rent this year, but that was good, allow $700 a month for rent for your own room, it'll be less if you room share obviously. Look in to Season pass prices as they vary from $549 for the Vail Epic pass to $1200? for Park City. Obviously eating over there is cheap as Sainsbury's own, but better quality. Allow $200 a month for food, that's eating well. Free refills on soft drinks in bars and restaurants is ill.
Visas are almost impossible, as above; J1 if you're at uni right now, if not start applying for ski school jobs at the places you'd want to be and hope that your mountain ain't retarded. They generally are, you'd practically be as good as jesus if you managed to get a visa. If you get offered a Q1 visa, reject it all costs, it's a pile of wank, you are a cultural ambassador and it's not cool. serious.

Canada, I did Whistler; along with every other English seasonaire on Earth. Sick, but get there early in October, find work, you don't really need a visa, but best trying to get one through bunac.co.uk. Accommodation is redic, finding somewhere to live will be the hardest part of the season, so get there early, similar prices to the USA, look into working for a hotel, they can help you out. Best sort of job to get, dishwasher or something, low pressure, easy hours, reasonable pay, no worries on the visa front.
Snow is amazing if you get a good year, the terrain is the best, everything is there, make friends with someone who has a sled. I'd maybe want £7k for Whistler, things get rowdy.

Japan I can't help but have been told it's great for a month but gets lonely and a bit repetitive after then.

Any other questions, just PM me man, I'll happily help anyone out.
Apr 29 2009 5:32AM
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Oli_jgb
Posts: 985 - Karma: 95
Dude! ^ That is insanely helpful! Thanks + K an all that,
I may have some questions but none for now. I think my budget will be something like 5k depending on what job I manage to get over the summer. Thanks for the advice though.
And yeah, Whis is where every brit goes for their USA season!
Apr 29 2009 5:38AM
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Rosbif
Posts: 2543 - Karma: 930
Errr, Whis is in Canada dude! ;)

I am so glad I went for Japan instead of Whistler this year, had a better job in Whis, but went for Japan and Whistler had a shitty season and half of ski school got fired.
Apr 29 2009 8:50AM
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Legoman
Posts: 533 - Karma: 13
I pretty much have the same decision to make although I'll be instructing and have my CSIA Level 2.

Anyone have anymore information about Japan, I would love to ski that much pow but I can see why people say it might get boring after a month.

To be honest ill probably end up heading to Interior BC or back to Alberta. Europe is sick and ski in ski out is awesome but language is kinda a problem but wouldnt stop me and I dont need to get a Visa but we shall see.

Is the states really going to be that hard again this year? If so that sucks wouldnt mind going to Utah or Oregon. :(
Apr 29 2009 8:58AM
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dbstar
Posts: 2038 - Karma: 20
i would recommend two places, whistler and banff, you could try and go to the states but that it will be really really hard to work that out id imagine, i lived in  banff for almost 3 years and i can tell you this much: the nightlife is crazy there is tons of bars and it is a small town, it is probably one of the most scenic places in the world, there is TONS of skiing with sunshine and lake louise, and there is a park at norquay which is right in town, sunshine has a decent park and great terrain as does louise, its not as pricey as whistler and there are lots of people from abroad who spend the winters there... oh and there are lots and lots of girls (more so in summer... in fact summer in terms of partying is epic) I think whistler would be sick as well just harder in terms of price and you will probably end up living in a super ghetto staff accomadation (which probably isnt that bad, and is possible in banff as well) hopefully that helps
Apr 29 2009 11:20AM
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Matty_C
Posts: 2598 - Karma: 236

Sounds like Rtc knows his shit, so what he has said about north america sounds solid. I can't help anyway, never done a season over there. What I will add is that you should think pretty carefully about Val d'Isere/Tignes.

Now, I'm sure your first reaction is likely to be "fuck that, everyone who does seasons there are there for the wrong reasons"- and to a great extent you would be correct. However, this works both ways- sure, it isn't easy to find other people who are as obsessed by riding as we on here tend to be, but they still exist, trust me. On the plus side, the fact that so few people are there to ski means that on powder days (of which there have been a ludicrous number these past 2 seasons), there are laughably few people competing for fresh pow. Like seriously, it's absurd. What makes it doubly absurd is that the terrain on offer is simply staggering, hugely underrated in fact.

here's a few examples of the rad terrain there:

http://tetongravity.com/forums/showthread.php?t=156657

http://tetongravity.com/forums/showthread.php?t=120529

http://tetongravity.com/forums/showthread.php?t=118370

http://tetongravity.com/forums/showthread.php?t=111382

Recent development: the park. Since DC, coreUPT and various other sponsors have jumped on board, plus a shaping team that is really on the ball, the DC Valpark is now one of the best in the Alps. It really is dope. In fact I would say that there is no better big mtn terrain/terrain park combo in the alps right now- sure, Cham has the true gnar, Laax has the park, but for a comination, look no further.

Here's a vid of the park:

Give it some thought if I were you- extra bonus: language isn't an issue, jobs are easy to come by and nights are fun.

Apr 29 2009 11:35AM
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JMUIR
Posts: 133 - Karma: 58
ive just got accomodation in banff for 6 months for £2600!
will be sick
Apr 29 2009 12:16PM
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Drail
Posts: 14011 - Karma: 10,001
I'm just going to point out that if you are considering to do a ski season next winter and are still thinking Whistler... remember - the Olympics are going to be in town. Not sure what that means to you, but it could very well make or break your Whistler experience.

As a skier who actually likes to ski (I'm going to assume), I'll lean more to the break side.

In all reality, Whistler has the terrain, but it is very busy there. Sure, they may be the biggest ski hill in Canada, but on a pow day, it's a race, and the pow gets eaten pretty quick.

If you're willing to sacrifice the huge party scene that is Whistler for more of a cheaper laid back pow skiing SKI scene and are looking at Canada (and remember, this is Canada - so no matter where you end up - there will be partying going on) I really, really recommend checking out the smaller (but not shittier) places in British Columbia.


There IS more to Canada than one ski hill.
Apr 29 2009 1:51PM
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RtC.
Posts: 1156 - Karma: 28
Cheers fella. There's no doubt you know what you're talking about when it comes to EK either.

I used to resent Val d'Isere for the reasons you talk about, the nannies and kids on Daddy's credit card really do my head in. I hate that aspect of skiing, yeah us British people on here are more likely middle class but that attitude pisses me off so much.
Anyway, over the past year or so i have really come to appreciate the area. The terrain is absolutely incredible, so extensive and relatively easy to access compared to other places, and as you point out people just don't see a 10min hike for a dope clean pow run as rewarding. I appreciate that attitude. It gets dumped on compared to Les Arc, La PLagne and 3Vs.

If/When I do another season I think I'll head there, the pros really do outweigh the cons, out of everywhere I've skied in the world (North and Southern Hemispheres) only Las Lenas would top Val d'Isere and Tignes.

I don't really know why I'm rambling this, probably to say if you really appreciate good snow, fantastic terrain and relatively quiet powder days then I would go to EK. If you're used to Europe you'll get fed up with busing and driving to get to the lifts. Best area in Europe no doubt.
Ramble Ramble Ramble.
Peace
Apr 30 2009 9:59AM
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Nicko1981
Posts: 527 - Karma: 180
Yeah Oli; I agree with the above guy that Val D would be good as the park is now really good and there is a really big amount of terrain in the Espace Killy as well as Ste Foy halfway down the mountain, and access to Paradiski from Bourg as well as La Rosiere and La Thuile easy to get to; and 3V not too far either.

HOWEVER, everything I have heard this season from VD is that prices are ridiculous now; really ridiculous for food; beers etc. When I did my season there; I managed to scrape by only getting myself in a few thousand pounds of debt; with a full time job guiding half of the season and verious jobs before that.

It's a great place if you avoid the public school kids; nightlife is good but punters are very puntery.

I'm considering another season now; and seriously looking at Austrian resorts because event though the euro is bad; prices there are generally reasonable if you go to the right place; the locals are friendly etc etc.

Saying that; I've always wanted to go to Whistler; or maybe Telluride where my bro did 3 seasons and absolutely loved it.

Who knows; maybe after a season you'll learn to ski finally!
Apr 30 2009 11:00AM
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Matty_C
Posts: 2598 - Karma: 236

prices are the same as they've always been- its only now that the pound has become monopoly money against the euro that it's expensive- however, it's no biggie- all you have to do is work for a french company, preferably a bar, therefore get paid in euros, which makes the poor exchange rate irrelevant. a bar is by far the best place to work- not only do you get to meet loads of people this way, but also you get to drink for nearly free all over the town.

i don't even know why i'm saying this, i like the fact that VD is full of punters for the reasons i listed previously. but seriously, on the evidence of the last couple of seasons, you'd be nuts to go anywhere else.

May 6 2009 9:30AM
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