Telluride vs. Steamboat and the monsoon rains (Aspen, Vail: ski resorts, sales)

[Colorado^]

Originally Posted by pikabike

My point was that 24 hrs isn't always enough for the mud to dry out. Maybe it does where you are, but not everywhere.

You're wrong about the anti-dirtbiking part. I support responsible use by all, motorized or not. Those are not just "your" areas; they are for other uses, too. Your first post made it sound like you are not one of the responsible riders. Anybody new to the state who interprets it as "go ride in the mud" is going to trigger the antis, as you should well know.

Good to hear you are not anti-motorized use.

As far as them being "our areas".... it's public land, but OHV stickers pay for the trails and their upkeep.
Non motorized users are allowed on the trails, obviously. The problem occurs when they start complaining about the noise/erosion/dust etc and try to get the area closed to motorized use, so they can have it to themselves. This is the game that gets played out over and over.

[NBUplander]

Originally Posted by CosmicWizard

Absolutely! Generally speaking, the higher the elevation, and/or the further south you are, the greater the chance of rain. Go north and stay low for a better chance of dry conditions. As with everything else, their are exceptions to this generalization.

This idea is what has peaked my interest in Steamboat. From everything I've heard and researched it's weather patterns are more appealing than Telluride. Oh but those mountains in Telluride are so amazing, and chair 9, does it get any better?

[Colorado^]

Originally Posted by NBUplander

I've spent some time the last couple days looking around Idaho via Zillow. As house shopping in most ski towns go it was pretty discouraging, except for McCall. The skiing in McCall isn't world class, but still decent. The winters have far more sun than I get in WA, but not as good as CO or Sun Valley. We were in McCall in March and they had cold drizzle for several days just like Seattle, which wasn't the best first impression.

In McCall ID $800k gets you a super nice house. In Ketchum or nearby Hailey/Bellevue it'll be a teardown or at least a very expensive remodel. I'm just shocked at what crappy homes people think are worth $1.5-2M, and they aren't even in great locations like Telluride or Mountain Village where to you can walk to everything, including skiing. Some folks want +600/sq ft for an older outdated home that is still a 15-20 min drive to skiing and the heart of the town. Sun Valley is starting to make Telluride look cheap. haha Both places have such small inventory hence the crazy prices.

We love to fly fish too, and that would be a big plus in Sun Valley. The big wood river is awesome. The mountain biking there is great, and yes the time we spent in the sawtooths was nothing short of amazing.

We need to do a road trip back through McCall, to Sun Valley, over to Driggs and if time permitted back to CO.

Anyone want to buy a house in the Cascade foothills 30 minutes outside of Seattle? The summers are really nice!

Do you need to be close to a ski resort for work, or just for skiing?

A snowmobile is a hell of a lot cheaper than paying resort prices for real estate. Not to mention the lack of lift lines and tracked out powder after the first run.

[NBUplander]

Originally Posted by Colorado^

Do you need to be close to a ski resort for work, or just for skiing?

A snowmobile is a hell of a lot cheaper than paying resort prices for real estate. Not to mention the lack of lift lines and tracked out powder after the first run.

Ski town just for fun. I do have a couple sleds too. As great as backcountry skiing via sled access is, it's not convenient enough to do several times a week. I'd like to live the dream and be able to put in +70 days a year, even if it's only a couple hours each day.

Assuming a snowmobile would be the primary method of putting in some turns, where would you live to do that?

[Colorado^]

Originally Posted by NBUplander

Ski town just for fun. I do have a couple sleds too. As great as backcountry skiing via sled access is, it's not convenient enough to do several times a week. I'd like to live the dream and be able to put in +70 days a year, even if it's only a couple hours each day.

Assuming a snowmobile would be the primary method of putting in some turns, where would you live to do that?

I'm new to sleds (just got one last winter), so I'm not an authority... but Rabbit Ears is near Steamboat and it's a popular area to ride.

FWIW most who use a sled for skiing, eventually end up leaving the skis at home. "Sledding is more fun", they say. That's why I bought a mountain sled, and not a 2up trail sled.

The wife and I did an entire season of full time boarding, when we first moved to CO. Man, that was the greatest. During March & April, we had more powder to ourselves than we could use. 70+ days a year

Hope you find your little slice of CO heaven.

[NBUplander]

Originally Posted by Colorado^

I'm new to sleds (just got one last winter), so I'm not an authority... but Rabbit Ears is near Steamboat and it's a popular area to ride.

FWIW most who use a sled for skiing, eventually end up leaving the skis at home. "Sledding is more fun", they say. That's why I bought a mountain sled, and not a 2up trail sled.

I've been sledding for 17 years now and "they" are right, it's so fun that it'll take quite a few years before you use them to ski. Mountain riding in deep snow takes skill, finesse, and athleticism. The challenge of backcountry riding doesn't get old.

At least here in the NW it's hard to find spots to shuttle from top to bottom so they are best used to get deep into the backcountry then skin up. If the terrain is easy to get to on a sled it's likely been ridden and not something you want to ski due to the trenches left by sleds.

[Nn2036]

Lake Tahoe fits your criteria. Temp rarely reaches 90 and it is too far north so it get very little monsoon rain.

[NBUplander]

Originally Posted by Nn2036

Lake Tahoe fits your criteria. Temp rarely reaches 90 and it is too far north so it get very little monsoon rain.

Except it's CA. Not sure I could ever live in that state. The crowds, taxes, and politics already suck here in WA and CA is even worse.

[pikabike]

Originally Posted by Nn2036

Lake Tahoe fits your criteria. Temp rarely reaches 90 and it is too far north so it get very little monsoon rain.

Good suggestion. The elevation helps keep temps cooler also.

[SkyDog77]

Originally Posted by NBUplander

Except it's CA. Not sure I could ever live in that state. The crowds, taxes, and politics already suck here in WA and CA is even worse.

So live on the Nevada side.