Best place to go skiing in December (winter break)

[Anonymous]

Want to go skiing this year for winter break instead of the beach. I have two teens and an elementary child. Teens can ski well. Younger one can’t.

[Anonymous]

You want to fly, drive? Where are you coming from if driving? Any budget constraints (not that skiing is ever cheap…but some are cheaper than others)? Want/need a ski village or don’t care?

[Anonymous]

You probably need to fly somewhere. Not enough snow in December many places close to here.

[Anonymous]

If driving from DC then look at Mont Tremblant. Will have the most reliable snow and/or most reliable conditions to make snow.

The village is also great. Car-free once you arrive and your kids can wander around on their own because it is so self-contained.

[Anonymous]

If flying, Utah is more reliable for snowfall. Especially Snowbird and Alta. I've skied there at Thanksgiving in the past.

[Anonymous]

Cervinia Italy

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If flying, Utah is more reliable for snowfall. Especially Snowbird and Alta. I've skied there at Thanksgiving in the past.

Utah, Colorado, Sun Valley, Jackson, Big Sky, Kicking Horse, Colorado. Lots of choices. Avoid Park City - they had a strike last year over christmas break and only opened a few lifts that had lines of 2+ hours.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If flying, Utah is more reliable for snowfall. Especially Snowbird and Alta. I've skied there at Thanksgiving in the past.

+1. We spend 10 years going to Solitude in Big Cottonwood Canyon (Alta and Snowbird are in Little Cottonwood) over Christmas, and rarely had issues. Several years, you'd see ski instructors from Deer Valley there with their students, because of snow issues. If OP has one kid who is a beginner, Snowbird may not be the best choice - and if any of you snowboard, Alta is out.

[Anonymous]

^^^What PP said. We are avid skiers and Utah, specifically the Big and Little Cottonwood Canyons are the most reliable for snow that early. We've already booked our hotel at the base of Alta. We stayed there last year and had a great time. We've stayed at Solidtude too. We are more advanced skiers and the harder terrain at Solidtude isn't always open but all the ski schools are great. I agree that if you have beginners, Snowbird is not the best idea. Snowbird is my favorite because I love open bowl skiing. My son and husband love Alta because they love the trees.

We've also done Steamboat Springs in December. That one is also pretty reliable.

We have Ikon passes and use miles for the flights, which are really expensive to get to SLC at that time of year.

[Anonymous]

Tahoe is pretty reliable for snow too, as is Whistler.

It snowed last week in Tahoe.

[Anonymous]

If you want to stay East: Jay Peak and Killington in Vermont are beautiful

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:^^^What PP said. We are avid skiers and Utah, specifically the Big and Little Cottonwood Canyons are the most reliable for snow that early. We've already booked our hotel at the base of Alta. We stayed there last year and had a great time. We've stayed at Solidtude too. We are more advanced skiers and the harder terrain at Solidtude isn't always open but all the ski schools are great. I agree that if you have beginners, Snowbird is not the best idea. Snowbird is my favorite because I love open bowl skiing. My son and husband love Alta because they love the trees.

We've also done Steamboat Springs in December. That one is also pretty reliable.

We have Ikon passes and use miles for the flights, which are really expensive to get to SLC at that time of year.

What's the damage for a hotel during Xmas week in the canyons?

[Anonymous]

Austria

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you want to stay East: Jay Peak and Killington in Vermont are beautiful

There are a number of other options in VT. None are good for long range planning. Especially in December.

-New Englander

[Anonymous]

There are only a few places you can rely on for good coverage in late December.

I would lean toward Alta/Snowbird.

Tahoe is the worst idea. They had a few winters with barely any snow.

I think Big Sky/JH/tetons region is a gamble, even as far north as Whitefish isn’t a sure thing.

Whistler, even though it’s at low elevation, is surprisingly good - the lower half will probably not be open and the upper half will be wet snow, but it will be open.