How many hrs drive to ski will you still consider it a day trip?

[Philpug]

but I take a nap before I tackle it.

With a user name like @Couchmaster it all makes sense.

 

[Ivan]

When we lived in the Bay Area, I used to do day trips to various resorts around Tahoe (Sugar Bowl, Kirkwood, Northstar, etc.). The drive there was a breeze (I left around 4am, so there was no traffic and the drive took about 3.5-4 hours), the drive back was much worse. I was usually tired after a long day, and the traffic from Tahoe to Sacramento or the Bay Area sometimes was really bad. It sometimes took 4.5-5 hours to drive back home.

I didn't stay at Tahoe overnight because our son was really small back then. I didn't want to spend a night away from my wife and son, but it also didn't make any sense to take a little baby on a long trip to Tahoe.

Now we are in Upstate NY, and I'm pretty happy about it. The closest resort is just 45 minutes away, so it's easy to ski on weekends with our son, who is now 5, and also easy to do quick ski trips on weekday mornings when my schedule allows it. I definitely prefer to have a smaller resort 45 minutes away than several big ones 3-4 hours away.

 

[Goose]

It must be so nice to live close to a resort. I mean season tix become a no-brainer. The expense of that plus the trips is minimized, The ability and flexibility to just go whenever you have any kind of time. No concern of weather or making plans, etc..etc.. a number of things. What can ya do? some just got it like that

 

[johnnyvw]

I'm lucky in that I have 8 small ski area ranging from just under 30 minutes to a 1-1/2 hours from me here in the Poconos. The Catskills used to be within a reasonable drive, but now they are 3 hours which is just too long for a day drive. I was looking forward to being semi-retired this year and getting a senior pass at Camelback, but the whole COVID scenario has played out that I'm not going there this year (they have been much more crowded than normal weekdays) I've only been out once this year, might go tomorrow, but I'll be sticking to areas that are more seriously limiting the number of skiers and have parking that's closer to the slopes.
But to answer the original question, I would say about 2 hours each way. I might make an exception for an area I've never been to (I've never skied at most of the North-Central PA areas)

 

[4aprice]

Weekend warrior here. For me a "Day trip" is 45 minutes (I-80) west up to Camelback then home. I have nothing against places like Elk Mt and the Catskill areas but they are really off my radar now. If I head east (I-80) then north (I-287 I-87) I'm heading north of Albany to Vermont/New Hampshire for the weekend. But I have limits there too as its approx 5 1/2 hrs to Lincoln, NH, ( Loon Mt)and that is my max tolerance for driving for 2+ days. I only get to Loon 1 weekend a season, drives to Sugerbush, Killington and Stratton (closest) are less then that. More then that its 35 min to Newark AP and its out west

 

[DoryBreaux]

I've done more than one day trip to Mammoth from Truckee. Don't think that will be repeated.

 

[SShore]

We rolled our Big Sky passes over this year and are exploring other options. From Ennis, Maverick and Great Divide are around 2 hours, Showdown, Discovery and Grand Targhee 2 1/2, Lost Trail and Red Mountain a little over three and Whitefish almost 5. So far we have hit Grand Targhee, Maverick, Discovery and Lost Trail. We agreed that the extra 30 minutes or so between the first three and Lost Trail is huge. So for us, anything over 2 1/2 is an overnight trip.

 

[Jack skis]

Last Tuesday I drove 3 hours to ski Stevens Pass, and that's my limit on a day with good weather, We used to drive 3 hours from CB to Telluride for NASTAR runs, again on days with good weather. Skiing after a 3 hour drive is way different than living 25 minutes from the locker room, or right out the door as it was last year. And not in a good way.

 

[Shawn]

For me a "Day trip" is 45 minutes (I-80) west up to Camelback then home.

That's about how long I'll go, too. The most I'll drive for a day is 3 hours up to Windham, but the most I'll drive for a day on a regular basis is about an hour down the turnpike to Blue Mountain (PA). The parents live right off Montage Mountain Rd, so they're literally 3 minutes from the top of the North Face lift at Montage. But I prefer Blue most times because I can get so much more skiing in there with its high-speed lifts.

 

[Vcize]

30 minutes max.

#utahlife

 

[Edd]

I don’t do a one way 3 hr drive without staying overnight. My day trip drives never exceed 2.5 hrs. That gets me to a lot of places in ME, NH, and VT for a day.

 

[Goose]

. The parents live right off Montage Mountain Rd, so they're literally 3 minutes from the top of the North Face lift at Montage. But I prefer Blue most times because I can get so much more skiing in there with its high-speed lifts.

Can you really? And even on weekends? I havnt been to Maontage in some years but I recall the diamond botttom half almost always with no lines. Sure not high speed but still only half the hill and no lines so the ability to get very many cycles in.
I think Blue offers nice skiing (for the poconos) and they are never ever cheap as for blowing. if they can blow they blow and keep going. But it can be a nightmare crowd wise and lift waits regardless high speed or not.

 

[bbbradley]

I don’t do a one way 3 hr drive without staying overnight. My day trip drives never exceed 2.5 hrs. That gets me to a lot of places in ME, NH, and VT for a day.

That was my mantra until this year. Until MA travel restrictions loosen up, I am essentially stuck in MA for day trips.

 

[John Webb]

Longest daytrip would be to Elk The Northeast Extension of the PA Turnpike makes the Pocono daytrips pretty easy to drive.

Aren’t the tolls on the PA turnpike absurd? I kind of remember $40 or $50 to drive from east end to Ohio.

 

[Shawn]

Can you really? And even on weekends? I havnt been to Maontage in some years but I recall the diamond botttom half almost always with no lines. Sure not high speed but still only half the hill and no lines so the ability to get very many cycles in.
I think Blue offers nice skiing (for the poconos) and they are never ever cheap as for blowing. if they can blow they blow and keep going. But it can be a nightmare crowd wise and lift waits regardless high speed or not.

I've skied Blue on weekday mornings and Sunday nights when it's not typically crowded, so I can't speak for weekend mornings. And this applies for non-covid years. At any rate, here's the data of my last few trips. Apparently, Trace Snow stopped showing start and end times for my sessions, which would have been useful for a better comparison. But I think the data speaks for itself. When I ski Blue, I get much more skiing in. High-speed lifts really do help you get more skiing in. YMMV, but I doubt it. I don't think this is a controversial observation.

Blue: 31.9k/ 30 runs
Blue: 21.3k/ 20 runs
Montage: 4.2k/ 7 runs
Blue: 39.2k/ 38 runs
Blue: 19.5k/ 19 runs
Blue: 31.6k/ 30 runs
Montage: 10.3k 19 runs
Blue: 17.7k/ 17 runs
Blue: 19.5k/ 18 runs
Montage: 6.6k/ 13 runs
Montage: 17.2k/ 35 runs
Blue: 49.1k/ 47 runs
Blue: 35.5k/ 36 runs
Blue: 23k/ 22 runs
Montage: 11.6k/ 17 runs
Blue: 23.4k/ 23 runs
Montage: 11k/ 18 runs
Montage: 15.7k/ 28 runs
Montage: 13.7k/ 24 runs
Montage: 11.6k/ 20 runs
Montage: 9.7k/ 17 runs
Montage: 17k/ 27 runs
Montage: 15.1k/ 26 runs

 

[John Webb]

When in MD Blue Knob at 2.5 hrs was about the limit for a day trip. Did do 7-springs (3 hrs) once or twice. Rough but you got bonus time as a day ticket was good till 7pm.

Now lucky as Alpine & the unnamed area formerly called Squaw Valley are both 90 min or less Day trips. I used to be able to ski ALL the Tahoe areas using Tahoe 6 pack tickets until the price of that went thru the roof. Tahoe kind of sucks , especially for one week vacation crowd, as to ski all around you now need 4 or 5 passes. I dropped back to one due to virus uncertainty. Plan to do Mon-Thurs only. I wish the areas had some reciprocity. Say each pass would allow 1-2 days at each other Tahoe area. Sugar Bowl went the wrong direction and went single pass ( with very limited options at 2 or 3 out of state areas) They dropped Powder Alliance -big mistake.

 

[mdf]

Why push it? If I get tired, I pull over and sleep.

That used to be my strategy. I'd take a nap at a rest area. But sometimes, even though I'm struggling driving, I can't fall asleep when I try to nap. (Same thing happens at home -- fall asleep in front of the TV, go to bed and stare at the ceiling!)

When I had my nod-off near-accident that served as a wake up call (pun intended), I knew I was in trouble and was looking for a place to stop for a nap when it happened. (It was pure luck that there were no bad consequences.)

 

[John Webb]

That used to be my strategy. I'd take a nap at a rest area.

Did that once. Had the bright idea I could ski 1/2 day at Sugarloaf ME then drive home to DC. Stopped at a rest area and was out like a light. Woke up in time to call into work sick! Think I really was sick then . lol

 

[Goose]

I've skied Blue on weekday mornings and Sunday nights when it's not typically crowded, so I can't speak for weekend mornings. And this applies for non-covid years. At any rate, here's the data of my last few trips. Apparently, Trace Snow stopped showing start and end times for my sessions, which would have been useful for a better comparison. But I think the data speaks for itself. When I ski Blue, I get much more skiing in. High-speed lifts really do help you get more skiing in. YMMV, but I doubt it. I don't think this is a controversial observation.

Blue: 31.9k/ 30 runs
Blue: 21.3k/ 20 runs
Montage: 4.2k/ 7 runs
Blue: 39.2k/ 38 runs
Blue: 19.5k/ 19 runs
Blue: 31.6k/ 30 runs
Montage: 10.3k 19 runs
Blue: 17.7k/ 17 runs
Blue: 19.5k/ 18 runs
Montage: 6.6k/ 13 runs
Montage: 17.2k/ 35 runs
Blue: 49.1k/ 47 runs
Blue: 35.5k/ 36 runs
Blue: 23k/ 22 runs
Montage: 11.6k/ 17 runs
Blue: 23.4k/ 23 runs
Montage: 11k/ 18 runs
Montage: 15.7k/ 28 runs
Montage: 13.7k/ 24 runs
Montage: 11.6k/ 20 runs
Montage: 9.7k/ 17 runs
Montage: 17k/ 27 runs
Montage: 15.1k/ 26 runs

Controversial? Not sure why controversy is mentioned.
But anyway those are certainly big, very noticeable differences. Though I would be curious if you did ski weekend days. But thats only if Montage still has relative short waits (if any) on the bottom half like I recall it use to vs what can be long waits at Blue. Some rarer times even so long Ive left for home. That never happened at Montage. Thats what most my questioning was referencing.
Of course high speed gets us up much faster than slow speed.

 

[Goose]

That used to be my strategy. I'd take a nap at a rest area. But sometimes, even though I'm struggling driving, I can't fall asleep when I try to nap. (Same thing happens at home -- fall asleep in front of the TV, go to bed and stare at the ceiling!)

Yup , Im with ya on that one. Some similar things I mentioned earlier.

1) I cannot purposely go to bed early just because I know I'll be getting up early. It just doesnt work that way. I will not fall asleep till much later anyway.

2)Id be driving exhausted and heavy eyed but soon as i switch with another person (especially if my son) I am magically now awake.