Help me find a good first resort for a never-ever adult friend

[Mendieta]

Dear all

I hesitated between posting in "New to Skiing" or "Ski School", but I figured tagging @LiquidFeet and posting here would be a good start. I have a friend who has never skied, and wants to start this season! She's middle-age, very athletic, loves every sport on earth and does ice skating and rollerblading among other things. She works out, too, has great balance, I think she'll learn quickly.

I am hoping she'll get an ikon pass so she can take a skit trip or two, to learn the basics, and hopefully come to tahoe in the spring. She is Dallas. I can help her with equipment, etc - but I need your help with resort recommendations. She is in Dallas. What would be convenient Ikon resorts where she can fly into? She likes the idea of starting with a one week trip, and get lessons, but obviously, taking 5-7 privates would cost a leg and then some more. Any recommendations? Ideally, I place where she can go from never-ever to beginner in a week. She likes the idea of avoiding holidays and weekends. She's willing to spend but I think the focus would be:

1. Good, reasonably priced ski school (I think group lessons might turn into privates anyways during week days)
2. Ideally easy/short/inexpensive flight from Dallas
3. No ice, not too cold, so I think the West would be best
4. Good beginner terrain
5. Good ski shop on mountain so she can get sorted with a 1 week rental
6. Good paramedics: she loves speed (she motorcycles )

Of course, Tahoe would be a plus because I can take a day off or two and help her on her first days, I know how hard it is at first.

Thank you all!

 

[socalgal]

Taos! On the Ikon, has an amazing ski school program, called a ski week, and there are direct flights on Taos Air from Dallas. And if she flies on Taos Air, they include ski rentals.

 

[VickieH]

Sounds as if she doesn't have any kind of pass yet. In that case, I'd recommend Loveland. She could start with group lessons for her first trip. Then when she's ready for private lessons, she'll find they have the best prices for this area. Bruce Leiman at Loveland is an L3 and then some.

Loveland has a 3-class pass ... 3 half-day group lessons, including lift ticket and rental equipment. After completing those lessons, she can buy a season pass for $100. (The wording on their site is a little weird. Pre-purchasing the 3-class pass is $607. It sounds as if that includes the season pass. It also sounds as if she could do the 3 individual group lessons and then purchase the $100 season pass.)

If she doesn't have boots, she should also be able to get in to see a good bootfitter while she's here.

 

[Tricia]

Pallisades Tahoe has an incredible program called the Perfect Progression Program.

https://www.palisadestahoe.com/perfect-progression-program?

They sign you up for lessons, and after you complete the program you get a season pass.

 

[Mendieta]

Thanks so much, @socalgal , @VickieH and @Tricia ! I think Loveland and Palisades are probably better options for her at this point, the ski week seems to be aimed at people with some level of experience ... and yes, she doesn't have a season pass, and it's also true that at this point she doesn't need a multi-resort pass. She's actually better off sticking to a place and developing in gentle groomers.

Excited for her!

Any other recommendations to add to the list? Thanks all!

 

[mikel]

Copper has Ski and Ride University. It's a 3 day program for those that have never skied or boarded. No clue about the details for this season but in the previous years it included lessons, lunch, a parking pass for those 3 days, and a season pass for the rest of the season and a discount on the next season pass. It typically sells out really fast. I've had 4 family members do it and 3 completed it and loved it. 1 did not. They cover a lot of stuff. Those that did complete it were skiing the green runs comfortably at the end of the 3 days.

 

[LiquidFeet]

Dear all

I hesitated between posting in "New to Skiing" or "Ski School", but I figured tagging @LiquidFeet and posting here would be a good start.
....I need your help with resort recommendations. She is in Dallas. What would be convenient Ikon resorts where she can fly into?

Sorry,@Mendieta, the mountains whose beginner terrain I am familiar with are in New England. Learning on a mountain out west would be better than flying into New England to learn on our hard snow - in our bitter cold temps.

 

[Seldomski]

Dallas has many direct flights between DFW and love field. For first timer, I'd suggest lower elevation resorts for sleeping comfort. Other concerns would be general comfort with winter driving. If she is fine driving in snow, then there are many possibilities and a ski area (vs resort) would be less intimidating, less crowded, less $$.

If she doesn't want to drive to the ski area each day, then she'll need slopeside lodging or somewhere with good shuttles from village to mountain.

For someone doing a lot of beginner lessons, ski passes make less sense. Most areas have beginner/lift bundles that are better deals than a ski pass (assuming ~10 days or less on snow).

I would suggest Telluride, deer valley, and winter park as good places for first timer that are very easy to get to from Dallas, have low elevation sleeping, and good bus/transport to the mountain from lodging and from airport. They also have a lot of beginner runs and good ski schools.

 

[Mendieta]

Dallas has many direct flights between DFW and love field. For first timer, I'd suggest lower elevation resorts for sleeping comfort. Other concerns would be general comfort with winter driving. If she is fine driving in snow, then there are many possibilities and a ski area (vs resort) would be less intimidating, less crowded, less $$.

If she doesn't want to drive to the ski area each day, then she'll need slopeside lodging or somewhere with good shuttles from village to mountain.

For someone doing a lot of beginner lessons, ski passes make less sense. Most areas have beginner/lift bundles that are better deals than a ski pass (assuming ~10 days or less on snow).

I would suggest Telluride, deer valley, and winter park as good places for first timer that are very easy to get to from Dallas, have low elevation sleeping, and good bus/transport to the mountain from lodging and from airport. They also have a lot of beginner runs and good ski schools.

All great points, thanks for that. Yes, I thought of DV, we used to go there with the family when we started, staying at the Stein Eriksen. Fantastic experience, and probably the most newbie friendly, though pretty expensive. I'll ask her if she wants to budget that much, but I think it's hard to beat if you are willing to pay for it.

 

[Seldomski]

All great points, thanks for that. Yes, I thought of DV, we used to go there with the family when we started, staying at the Stein Eriksen. Fantastic experience, and probably the most newbie friendly, though pretty expensive. I'll ask her if she wants to budget that much, but I think it's hard to beat if you are willing to pay for it.

If the budget allows and she likes the finer things, this will sell her on skiing for many years to come. Though you may find it difficult to convince her to go anywhere else after this...

 

[pais alto]

…For first timer, I'd suggest lower elevation resorts for sleeping comfort. …

I would suggest Telluride, deer valley, and winter park as good places for first timer that are very easy to get to from Dallas, have low elevation sleeping, and good bus/transport to the mountain from lodging and from airport. They also have a lot of beginner runs and good ski schools.

Telluride has low elevation sleeping? Was that a typo?

 

[Bad Bob]

All great points, thanks for that. Yes, I thought of DV, we used to go there with the family when we started, staying at the Stein Eriksen. Fantastic experience, and probably the most newbie friendly, though pretty expensive. I'll ask her if she wants to budget that much, but I think it's hard to beat if you are willing to pay for it.

How bad do you want her to get hooked on skiing? The Stein Erikson should do it!

The 2nd trip might be a bit of a letdown though.

 

[Lorenzzo]

All great points, thanks for that. Yes, I thought of DV, we used to go there with the family when we started, staying at the Stein Eriksen. Fantastic experience, and probably the most newbie friendly, though pretty expensive. I'll ask her if she wants to budget that much, but I think it's hard to beat if you are willing to pay for it.

You've experienced DV so you have a sense but my concern with DV for a never ever is they'd pretty much be relegated to Wide West near the magic carpet. That's it until they're ready for Ontario but due to the scarcity of gentle terrain at DV, Ontario can be scary crowded and mixed with fast skiers using it as access. So if any kind of variety matters, DV just doesn't have that for beginners.

 

[Bill Miles]

I knew I guy once that sounds like your friend, very athletic and well coordinated.

He got some informal lessons/pointers from another guy on the trip then skied top to bottom at Aspen Highlands on his first day (blues, but still pretty impressive.)

He went on several trips, then got married and never skied again.

 

[Mendieta]

You've experienced DV so you have a sense but my concern with DV for a never ever is they'd pretty much be relegated to Wide West near the magic carpet. That's it until they're ready for Ontario but due to the scarcity of gentle terrain at DV, Ontario can be scary crowded and mixed with fast skiers using it as access. So if any kind of variety matters, DV just doesn't have that for beginners.

Funny that you mentioned that, @Lorenzzo ! I was thinking exactly about that! I was picturing my friend leaving, say, Stein Eriksen, and even getting to the magic carpet. It seems like a great place for an "advanced beginner" (which is what we were at the time) but not necessarily ideal for a never ever, budgets aside ... cheers!

And boy, the memories, skiing with you over there, lots of fun!

 

[Matt Merritt]

I skied Winter Park for the first time last spring. As I skied through their beginner area I thought I'd never seen better learning terrain.

 

[Mendieta]

I skied Winter Park for the first time last spring. As I skied through their beginner area I thought I'd never seen better learning terrain.

Something they do at Alpine Meadows and I love, is "terrain based learning" or whatever the name. If you take the Subway chair (great for parking) you can see never-evers slowly sliding down on a gentle slope that then goes back up a little, so they don't need to know how to "use the breaks" (which is what freaks you out on day one). The slope stops you!

 

[Seldomski]

Telluride has low elevation sleeping? Was that a typo?

Hmm I though mountain village was at 8.8K with the town lower, but that's wrong. Mountain village is at 9.5K and downtown is 8.8K. So nevermind on that one...

 

[DocGKR]

Of the ones I am familiar with, Deer Valley, Palisades, and Copper would be high on the list.

 

[Tricia]

Thanks so much, @socalgal , @VickieH and @Tricia ! I think Loveland and Palisades are probably better options for her at this point, the ski week seems to be aimed at people with some level of experience ... and yes, she doesn't have a season pass, and it's also true that at this point she doesn't need a multi-resort pass. She's actually better off sticking to a place and developing in gentle groomers.

Excited for her!

Any other recommendations to add to the list? Thanks all!

The beauty of the Perfect Progression Program at Palley Valley is that, she'll have a season pass when she completes the program, which (I believe) is 3 lessons. That is an incredible value

Edit:
This from the website:
The Perfect Progression Program is designed for first time skiers ages 13 and up. Participants receive a package including 3 Half Day Beginner Ski Lessons with lift tickets and rentals, 3 lunch vouchers, an accessories package of goggles, and a one-time retail discount to Estelle sports. This package is only valid at the Alpine Lodge location. Upon completion of 3 beginner lessons, participants are eligible for a complimentary Palisades Tahoe season pass, complimentary rentals, half price group lessons for the rest of the season or 30% the Alpine Unlimited lessons. Benefits are not transferable. Previous Pass holders or Pack purchasers are not eligible for this program.