East Coasters vs. West Coasters

A West coast skier in general would struggle if they tried to spend a season east, just my opinion. Where as East Coast skier go west and it is heaven. On the east we have to deal with ice and improperly built parks, not to mention there isn't a jump on the entire east coast where you can progress super fast comfortably. Out west you get perfect conditions, perfect lips, the most perfect jumps in the world and an atmosphere where world class athletes from around the world are training at a high level bringing your stoke level to a high. It is much easier to progress out west. Most of the people who are there training or living aren't originally from there. I remember the first time I went out west I tripled if not quadrupled the amount of jump tricks I could do and learned two different double within two months of being there. I think east coast kids who move west are the best skiers because they don't grow up spoiled with a beautiful park, mountain or conditions.

The amount of talent coming out of Midwest resorts is astounding. So many dedicated rail rats.

Slim_KimA West coast skier in general would struggle if they tried to spend a season east, just my opinion. Where as East Coast skier go west and it is heaven. On the east we have to deal with ice and improperly built parks, not to mention there isn't a jump on the entire east coast where you can progress super fast comfortably. Out west you get perfect conditions, perfect lips, the most perfect jumps in the world and an atmosphere where world class athletes from around the world are training at a high level bringing your stoke level to a high. It is much easier to progress out west. Most of the people who are there training or living aren't originally from there. I remember the first time I went out west I tripled if not quadrupled the amount of jump tricks I could do and learned two different double within two months of being there. I think east coast kids who move west are the best skiers because they don't grow up spoiled with a beautiful park, mountain or conditions.

Couldn't agree more. The west coast is basically just park city, keystone, and mammoth, no one really skis anywhere else and besides, little hills with sketchy neglected parks don't exist out west. The conditions are always perfect out here, literally every single day is fresh powder and sunshine, which cultivates a bunch of lazy, shitty skiers that can't even hold a candle to the prowess of east coasters. For example, look at three of the biggest up and coming names in skiing: mango, quan, and a hall. All three are definitely straight from the east coast and wouldn't be shaping the future of skiing right now if they weren't

Slim_KimLets be real folks, kids from Quebec and kids from Sweden rip harder than most others on this planet

Can confirm. Quebec kids fucking rip. Phil Doucet and Phil Langevin are two young guns from Quebec killing it rn.

Didn't we learn anything from Biggie and Tupac? It's not about the coast it's about the slide. You can't turn a hoe into a house wife...........

I pine for fresh razor sharp edges almost daily in the far East. I never missed edges over a whole season in the Rockies. East Coast vibes generally echo East coast hip hop: Weird, aggressive and a little scary. West Coast skiing likewise calls to mind West coast hip hop : More relaxed, smooth flow and generally involves a lot of driving.

K-Dot.Couldn't agree more. The west coast is basically just park city, keystone, and mammoth, no one really skis anywhere else and besides, little hills with sketchy neglected parks don't exist out west. The conditions are always perfect out here, literally every single day is fresh powder and sunshine, which cultivates a bunch of lazy, shitty skiers that can't even hold a candle to the prowess of east coasters. For example, look at three of the biggest up and coming names in skiing: mango, quan, and a hall. All three are definitely straight from the east coast and wouldn't be shaping the future of skiing right now if they weren't

Is my meter broken?

You guys can argue all you want over this, lets just keep the PNW out of it. Washington and Oregon skiing is a completely different beast from what most people think of as out west. Washington resort temps hover right around 32 degrees all winter, so we are in a constant thaw/refreeze cycle. Our "powder" can be as dense as peanut butter at times, and our high humidity means our visibility is about as good as pea soup. It's not unusual for the ice to be so bad after a rain storm resort employees can't get the sleds up. Nothing brightens up your day like gearing up to ski in the middle of winter and seeing the resort webpage say "Closed due to adverse weather conditions" in other words it's raining too much and we don't want to open. Every day is a dice roll; could be 3 feet of dense pow, could be legendary rainfall, or it could be both (my personal favorite). The only guarantee is you probably won't be seeing the sun, for the entire winter. The east coast does not have a monopoly on ice or general shitty conditions. (But in our favor we have Drew Tabke representing /claim.)

As a bonus, please enjoy this midwinter footage of skiing in Washington: https://gfycat.com/ImmaculateElegantHorse

I'd say there is really no right answer.

K-Dot.Couldn't agree more. The west coast is basically just park city, keystone, and mammoth, no one really skis anywhere else and besides, little hills with sketchy neglected parks don't exist out west. The conditions are always perfect out here, literally every single day is fresh powder and sunshine, which cultivates a bunch of lazy, shitty skiers that can't even hold a candle to the prowess of east coasters. For example, look at three of the biggest up and coming names in skiing: mango, quan, and a hall. All three are definitely straight from the east coast and wouldn't be shaping the future of skiing right now if they weren't

West coast is definitely blessed. Doesn't have little hills with sketchy parks or the icy snow conditions but it does have huge natural features that are so much gnarlier than a janky rail over ice. Every good skier is just a product of their environment. On the east coast/midwest you might get kids who spend their days on rails and in urban environments and maybe end up like a hall or the other guys you mentioned. And on the west you get kids sending cliffs and hitting natural features who might end up doing shit like sam schwartz (@skifreejh on insta) or ross tester (@bosssrosss) who are also 1st tier skiers in their own right. But lazy shitty skiers? Nahhhhh

duder227West coast is definitely blessed. Doesn't have little hills with sketchy parks or the icy snow conditions but it does have huge natural features that are so much gnarlier than a janky rail over ice. Every good skier is just a product of their environment. On the east coast/midwest you might get kids who spend their days on rails and in urban environments and maybe end up like a hall or the other guys you mentioned. And on the west you get kids sending cliffs and hitting natural features who might end up doing shit like sam schwartz (@skifreejh on insta) or ross tester (@bosssrosss) who are also 1st tier skiers in their own right. But lazy shitty skiers? Nahhhhh

didnt a hall learn to ski in switzerland?

I believe we are all forgetting where Wallisch is from

TheDoughAbidesdidnt a hall learn to ski in switzerland?

I have no idea k-dot just mentioned him as an east coast skier so I assumed

from 500' hill near ottawa that calls a 19 degree slope a double black
came to whistler first time
first time on a big mountain
dropped into exhiliration, doa, pearly gates, teetering, and had no problem with anything

i did grow up skiing in orford (between mtl and sherbrooke) which has some considerably gnarly terrain, but it has been a while

not putting down west coast skiers of course
but east coast shit conditions really prepares you for everything

Chubz.Is my meter broken?

;)

The East coast skier is more seasoned from ice and any other kind of condition you can think of. Rain is considered a foggy day and powder days are any day there is snow (although they get absolutely nuked with snow up at Jay). Even wind chills at -25 are considered moderately cool at some places and one might call 0 balmy at Wildcat in the dead of January.

Most west coast skiers cant hang with East coasters because they are not built to ski anything in the worst of conditions. Anyone form the east coast will tell you that skiers from the east are a different breed that can take anything that comes their way. A lot of the time people talk about ice calling it ice coast and what not which is not wrong. However there are many days we are still out there at Wildcat or Cannon with winds in the 40-60mph range and windchills approaching -40 degrees F. If you can ski on a day like that then a day at Mammoth is merely laughable. Lets not forget that the wind across from Wildcat on mount Washington has been clocked at 235mph and is home to what is considered the worst weather on earth. Overall east coast skiers are a low key cult that grew up skiing in variable conditions and live to ski in those conditions which makes them some of the most determined and well rounded skiers on the planet. Some of the worlds best skiers are from the New England states which are just as much a pro skier factory as the west.

For those of you that look down on the east you're making the biggest mistake especially when saying we get now powder. Yes we have a great deal of ice but in 2017 Jay Peak received 492in which is actually more then places like Whistler, Vail, mammoth, Kirkwood, Cooper, Jackson, Aspen, Big sky, PC, Breck and Telluride. Don't knock our snow until you've tried it. this does not just include Jay But many others including Stowe, Burke, Killington, Mad River Glen, Wildcat and Cannon all have comparable amounts of snow annually.

Another thing is that the birthplace of US skiing took place in the northeast and the first uphill lift was a rope tow in Woodstock VT. The oldest ski shop in America is Lahouts which is in lincoln NH near Loon and Cannon mtns. Skiing runs deep through the vains of New England and is the heart of its winter identity. Talking down the east coast is an very large and false assumption that has been made over the years when in fact it has some of the best skiing in North America.

most east coaters are gapers tho who just ski a few times a year. out west its way more dedication. best are those who start in the E. but i think tahoe conditions make a perfect all around too

EDIT: how can you dislike this though you clowns. It is totally true. Go to Hunter mountain, stow kilington anywhere, it's 95% gapers and 5% people who really know what they are doing... those 5% might have an edge on west coasters no pun intended if they can learn to ski real severe mountain terrain and powder that is only encountered in places like the rockies or sierras... supposedly the slides at whiteface are pretty sick when they actually open, but that is the kind of terrain you get every day at A basin, Kirkwood, Taos etc. Don't be haters east coast foos the west is the best hands down everyone knows. douchebag that he is even the CEO of Vail who could ski anywhere has never gone back to ski the E

**This post was edited on Dec 5th 2018 at 1:57:48am

REEL FUKING ORYGINAL PHAGGOT

K-Dot.Couldn't agree more. The west coast is basically just park city, keystone, and mammoth, no one really skis anywhere else and besides, little hills with sketchy neglected parks don't exist out west. The conditions are always perfect out here, literally every single day is fresh powder and sunshine, which cultivates a bunch of lazy, shitty skiers that can't even hold a candle to the prowess of east coasters. For example, look at three of the biggest up and coming names in skiing: mango, quan, and a hall. All three are definitely straight from the east coast and wouldn't be shaping the future of skiing right now if they weren't

You have absolutely no idea what the fuck you are talking about. And yes, I grew up in the east.

The east DOES produce lots of good skiers, but that is primarily due to access. There are more people who have access to skiing in the east. If one person grows up in Vermont and another grows up in Tahoe or Jackson the person who grows up in Tahoe or Jackson, all other things being equal, will be better at skiing the mountain. The east coaster might be better at rails and park, but I really don't care.

There is lots of ice out west. The worst ice I have ever skied was out west. This idea that west coasters get consistently perfect conditions is a joke. To say west coast skiers would not be able to handle east coast is beyond stupid.

The skiers out west are better where it counts. I became a much better skier when I moved west.

East coasters are more used to ice I'd say than west coasters, but with that, west coasters are better at big mountain/pow skiing.

dan4060You have absolutely no idea what the fuck you are talking about. And yes, I grew up in the east.

The east DOES produce lots of good skiers, but that is primarily due to access. There are more people who have access to skiing in the east.
.

true... the odds game is real. there are more resorts and probably a higher concentration of skiers so therefore more olympians. Also....there is a reason why the only east coast resort with the hardest terrain in NA top 5 list is Hunter mountain and just because you have to avoid jean wearing gapers. Dont listen to these haters. Those who never made it out west have issues if they are serious about skiing. its a natural progression for everyone

Europeans

CentAltotrue... the odds game is real. there are more resorts and probably a higher concentration of skiers so therefore more olympians. Also....there is a reason why the only east coast resort with the hardest terrain in NA top 5 list is Hunter mountain and just because you have to avoid jean wearing gapers. Dont listen to these haters. Those who never made it out west have issues if they are serious about skiing. its a natural progression for everyone

Hunter mountain isn't even close to being the most difficult mountain in the east lol. Where are you getting this information

IsitWinterYet17Hunter mountain isn't even close to being the most difficult mountain in the east lol. Where are you getting this information

its considered the hardest because of the gaper factor

CentAltomost east coaters are gapers tho who just ski a few times a year. out west its way more dedication. best are those who start in the E. but i think tahoe conditions make a perfect all around too

EDIT: how can you dislike this though you clowns. It is totally true. Go to Hunter mountain, stow kilington anywhere, it's 95% gapers and 5% people who really know what they are doing... those 5% might have an edge on west coasters no pun intended if they can learn to ski real severe mountain terrain and powder that is only encountered in places like the rockies or sierras... supposedly the slides at whiteface are pretty sick when they actually open, but that is the kind of terrain you get every day at A basin, Kirkwood, Taos etc. Don't be haters east coast foos the west is the best hands down everyone knows. douchebag that he is even the CEO of Vail who could ski anywhere has never gone back to ski the E

**This post was edited on Dec 5th 2018 at 1:57:48am

Kinda funny that ypu say there are more gapers out east than west. If you wanna work with ratios, i have never seen a larger union of gapers than at park city. The good skier/gaper ratio was probably legit 10/90. East coast gets a lot of gapers but its not the same.

Also hit up places like sugarbush and stowe, or cannon and wildcat if you want to see a high ratio of savage skiers tp gapers. On most days i would say they get more legit skiers than gapers aside from weekends. Plenty of mountains like those too

Park.Kinda funny that ypu say there are more gapers out east than west. If you wanna work with ratios, i have never seen a larger union of gapers than at park city. The good skier/gaper ratio was probably legit 10/90. East coast gets a lot of gapers but its not the same.

Also hit up places like sugarbush and stowe, or cannon and wildcat if you want to see a high ratio of savage skiers tp gapers. On most days i would say they get more legit skiers than gapers aside from weekends. Plenty of mountains like those too

we'll ill admit i haven't skied enough mountains in the E even tho I'm from upstate NY not far from Placid, VT, etc...but i'm kind of hooked on powder and I heard that is all but unknown there. Still I'd like to go ski some mountains in the E top of my list is the Whiteface slides, Mad river Glen, and that one in maine on the ocean, but even if i get to do that its probably not going to make me take back much. I'm sure those places do have great skiers too, and I know I'm a better skier because conditions in Tahoe are normally not ideal...but I think there comes a point where I would never want to ski ice regularly again and im there

I wouldn't say east coasters are better, just more prepared. The conditions here in the southeast are unpredictable, could get 3 feet of snow in 2 or 3 days, could rain for a straight week. Could have a sunny day in the mid 30's, could have high winds in the negatives. I'd also have to say as an east coaster we are more greatful when we do get a little bit of snow. I hear people complain about only a foot and it sickens me. If I got a decent 2 or 3 I would be hooping and hollering all the way down. Also when there's no ice (this rarely happens) I'm happy because I won't risk knocking my teeth out on a sketchy landing of a park jump that has a takeoff made of mud and pine branches. West coasters, you have it made.

CentAltowe'll ill admit i haven't skied enough mountains in the E even tho I'm from upstate NY not far from Placid, VT, etc...but i'm kind of hooked on powder and I heard that is all but unknown there.

I wouldn't say it's unknown. Just not as plentiful as some of the powder meccas out west. Places in VT get abundant amounts of snowfall. You're close so just make a day trip man, or wait for a storm