is ne1 considdering coming up to big bear lake, ca and ski or board at summit? if so conditions are good?
87460
I dunno but we've been getting some pretty cold weather up here in OR and the ski resorts have lots of snow here.  Why not check yahoo weather to find out?
828453
Just went to Copper Mountain last weekend for their opening and they have some great skiing there. It is more of a resort type ski area though and targets a lot of tourists.  Breckenridge and Vail are better options for someone not looking for the big resort type of ski area.
640799
I know it is possible to ski down: Davo Karnicar, some Slovenian maniac did it... but good luck getting up there and carrying the board with you... i hope you are in peak condition!\n\n... oh, and, when you do it, be sure to tape, I want to see how many times you make a face plant!
904577
Loveland, colorado. They are at such a high elevation, they open early, and close late in the season. I've skied there. It is a pretty big place, with hard runs. It is very cheep too. Less than $40 a lift ticket. If you are not used to being at a high elevation, you might have trouble getting used to it.
530153
My first few rides (season) were great, but I fell alot. I never rode one of those bud boards. Snowboard bindings are important. The bindings should clamp your feet/boots onto the board, like pedals on a bike. There's always time to snowboard. Use your front foot to steer. Wear gloves and a helmet.
1023713
Look at on line sites like www.trimbleoutdoors.com. Once signed in you can see all kinds of trips with topo maps for that region. Also dress in layers as it's cold at night (altitude) and hot during the day. Make your own dry foods if you have a dehydrator or buy at places like Big Lots for dry prepared foods rather than paying those ridiculous prices at REI, etc...One of the nice things about that area is it's pretty bug free and will not run into bad weather and rain but be prepared for it!\n\nPersonally, I'd forget Yosemite and do the MT. Whitney trip from the Whitney Portals. You don't have the crowds and you don't need to make it to the top (just under 15,000ft). BTW the PCTrail is there too.  Also bring a telescopic fishing pole, small #6 trebble hooks and power bait for catching great tasting, little brook trout for the lake just a few miles above the trail head from the Portals campground. Good luck!
50533
Breckenridge and Vail are great choices if you are staying at the resort. If staying in Denver, I recommend trying Winter Park. It is closer to Denver, gets more snow than Summit or Vail counties and you will save some money on the lift ticket. THE SKIING IS AWESOME!
782043
for southern california just going up to big bear or lake arrowhead for a day would be awesome :] they have tons of patches of fresh snow that you could build snowmen with or sled down some nice bunny hills, theres also an ice rink and a lake that has snow around it so you can throw rocks in the water or something :) have fun!
8990
The best place would be "near where you are".\nThe reason being: you'd want to take several sessions over a period of time (a season, or once a week for 6 or 8 or 10 weeks), therefore having "easy access" to a hill would be my first criteria.\n\nSecond consideration: what level are you at now, and therefore, which determines what level of instruction you need.\n\nE.g. most hills/resorts offer begginer skier training, and do a reasonable job at it.  When it comes to expert level skiing, one would be more scrupulous in selecting coaches.\n\nMost ski resorts also offer packages (rent+learn) that are reasonably priced, that also gives one a chance to try out different equipment.\n\nBottom line:\nfor complete beginner, start at the nearest place, possibly with the "best package deal" available, and get comfortable with the basics of skiing. Then you're ready to explore the pleasures of skiing further afield.  That's when you'd really want to start driving/flying to other really neat skiing places!
766214
OMG, I love the snow!!!!  It snowed 6 inches the other day, and I am so excited, I can hardly stand it!  The best part of snow is skiing, who else likes to ski?!  My local resort opens the 24th, I can't wait!
15572
If you're hiking, get the GPS locater thingy. Snow can come on fast and change a landscape completely. Always have something dry you can change into, hypothermia isn't your friend. Don't keep going in a storm ever ever ever, get shelter and wait or you're most likely to get lost. Know the terrain ahead of time and stay out of avalanche country especially as a novice. Layers are your friend, sweat isn't take it easy. Don't drink alcohol, you can't feel the cold and you get hypothermia faster. Take in everything, snow camping is beautiful and sparkly and fresh. It takes what you know and makes it alien, so have a camera or no one will believe you!
829219
Heavenly or Squaw, I am leaving in about an hour to go skiing at Sugar Mtn, NC..\n\n3 days on the snow this weekend.
93929
you might want to go during the summer to a ski shop. they will have boards that they demoed last year in good condition and good quality for cheap prices. also you might want to get last years modle. i got $1100 skis for $400 and they were really nice. you would also want to get last years modle for boots. that doesn't mean there bad the ski shop just wants to get rid of them. you might want to go to a ski swap because that stuff is usually good. if you need to you might want to use ebay but im not sure the security of that. good luck finding the gear!
14384
Due to the fact that skiing is a little easier to pickup I would say start there, to not only pick up skiing but the rule on the mountains, that way if you still want to learn snowboarding you just have to worry about not landing on your backside.
50196
About 6 years ago, I took lessons at Alpine Meadows, then boarded at Boreal.  They seemed quite adequate.\n\nMy family now skis at Northstar.  My son is too young to board yet but the ski school at Northstar seems to have a great program for kids through adults.  And Northstar is extremely popular for boarders (seems like it is 50-50 skiers boarders).\n\nWe have friends whose kids learned at Sugarbowl.\n\nHonestly, I think you'd not go wrong with any of these resorts.  Any place with decent beginner and intermediate runs would probably be a good place to start.\n\nI'm waiting until the kids are independent enough on skis or boards before I try to take up boarding again.
978740
I honestly have no idea where you could live. I'm very jealous of you!!! Park City is so cool. I've skied there once, and It was the coolest thing I've done in my life. Congratulations!!!!!!!!!
426
i found myself picking up snowboarding faster than skiing. by picking up, i mean i felt ready to take on the more intermmediate/advanced runs after a day or two of the bunny slopes. one board and 2 turns (backside and frontside) was a lot less to deal with than 2 poles and 2 skis and limbs flailing around in different directions. moguls are harder on a snowboard and more fun on skis. flatter runs are more frustrating on a snowboard. getting off the ski lift seems easier on skis