casper skiing (Cheyenne, Laramie, Basin: appointed, rent, house) - Wyoming (WY) - City-Data Forum

murf · 06-14-2006, 12:33 PM

Can anyone tell me about the skiing at hogadon ski area in casper? Am moving to casper late summer. Also how far are backpacking opportunities from casper?

jetta2337 · 06-26-2006, 01:28 PM

Backpacking opportunities are right outside your backdoor!!!!

I am just starting to get into the hiking and backpacking here (Lived here for years) and Wyoming has opened more up to me. Casper Mountain has some trails most you can blaze yourself being most of the moutain is BLM owned. But as of right now no fires allowed and be like that most of the year I am guessing.

But for your bigger weekend trips you have the Bighorns just north of us that will take care of all your hiking needs. It is some of the greatest around, along with the Tetons and down south also.

As for the skiing that is where the news goes downhill. (No pun) Hogadon is city owned and they put no money into it. It has the chance to be a very nice hill but someone with a ton of money would have to buy it and add on to it. It gets the job done I say. (I worked there for a year going to school) It lets you keep in practice and is just that ok. Nothing great but not a crap hole. People that want that great ski go to Deadwood (Terry Peak or down south)

murf · 06-27-2006, 07:34 AM

Thanks jette2337 for the info. Im really looking forward to the hiking! Thats my first love and the so-so skiing is gravy! I'm really worried about the wind tho. How far from Casper do you have for the wind to lessen or is it statewide? I've read Casper and Cheyenne are worse than the rest of the state. I'm moving my wife/son the wk of 1st-9th and I'm coming back to Mississippi to sell house and then I'll move out. I sure hope the house sells during the summer months. Wdo ya'll get first snow? Thanks again! Seeya on the trail!

jetta2337 · 06-27-2006, 09:47 AM

The wind is about state wide. Up north in the Big Horn Basin it isnt that bad at all. But in and out of Casper down the I-25 and I-80 routes in the winter just expect it to be blowing. High Wind warnings are most of the time in the Winter. Look close when you are here and you will see most trees lean to the east just because of the wind. If you plan to live in town most of the time the wind isnt that big of a problem. When I first moved out on my own I lived in a town house on a hill. Most of the windows faced the west and the landlord didnt give to much of a crap of his places. And I should have opened up the windows to let the wind blow though it might have cut down on the noise.

But if you rent check past heating bills of a house or place that has west facing windows or doors with no wind blocks. It will save MUCH hassle in the future!!!!
But summers here are great for wind. A breeze most of the time to help it out. You will find going back home to Mississippi will suck in the summer because of the NO humidity here in Wyoming. A nice little swamp cooler in the summer time day works great and a nice fan in the window at night makes it wonderful.
Take the good days with the bad with the wind and you will be fine. I think the big thing is that people move here thinking they can handle the wind because it blows all the time where they are from. Then they find out what we mean by wind. A wind sock in Wyoming durning the winter will last about a month before it is shreaded and not useable any more. But you know about it and expect it so that is the biggest thing.

I just found out about a great trail on Laramie Peak that I am super excited about getting to. (Down around the Dougless area. When you hit I-25 around Glendo look to the west and it is the biggest mountain) But a starting hiker like me is still finding out much about this state.

As for the snow does it ever stop?

I have seen it snow every month of the year here in Wyoming. But that dont happen to much at all! It seems though you can start to look for snow the first of October. But it will come and melt off most of the year. The wind will come and dry out the snow that it makes it like a dust and so when the sun does come out it melts the snow very fast. And then you can expect snow up to May any time also. Most Aprils we will get a real nice big wet snow storm to green everything up. But the snow around here comes and goes all winter long. The roads are most of the time cleared off very quick and travel is fine.

murf · 06-27-2006, 12:25 PM

Have you checked out LINK REMOVED ? Theyve combined hundreds of hiking guides and you can access over 30,000 trails. It costs around $50/yr but you can get a free 14 day trial subscription that allows you to download 3 trail descriptions free. I did the free deal and got 2 Teton and 1 Bighorn trail. The Laramie peak hike is there too. Great trail descriptions taken directly from the guidebooks and great topo maps too---so give it a try. Also check out LINK REMOVED. Enjoy!

MHT · 08-16-2006, 02:39 PM

Have only been skiing in Casper once. That was enough. I grew up skiing in Montana so am spoiled. We now go to Laramie (Snowy Range). Much better. Not sure about the backpacking.

murf · 08-17-2006, 05:44 AM

Yeah MHT, I think I'll probably have a similar experience at Casper ski area. I lived in New Mexico for ten yrs and learned and skied almost exclusivel at Taos which I believe is one of the finest areas in US. I'm VERY spoiled also. Oh well! My wife will prob. love it. She's never skied and it will prob be a great area to learn---real cheap and forgiving(I hope!). Thanks for input.

jetta2337 · 08-23-2006, 10:41 AM

Yes it is cheap and forgiving a nice place to learn. And as I said it isnt the best place but it is ok for those quick up the mountain and get some runs in.

funderhide · 10-03-2006, 05:10 PM

Casper Mountain is a very small ski run. If you are usted to the large runs of the west, you may be dissappointed. If you are from the east coast, you will be pleased. On the positive note, it isn't crowded, the snow is fair, and the price is right. The run is also very close to town. It just takes a few minutes to leave your house and be on the slopes.

Hiking. There is a lot of hiking opportunities. Some of the options do not have a lot of trees or water around. I think of hiking as extended backpacking trips in steep mountains with lots of trees and streams. You would need to drive 1 or 2 hours for that. However, when you get to the big horns of the wind river range, you will be in heaven.

murf · 10-04-2006, 06:33 AM

Yeah Funderhide, I got a long day hike in in the big horns in July when I moved my wife/son out to Casper. It was great. When we got back to camp there was a moose in our campsite! Closest I'd been to one! Beautiful mtns with several lakes on our route. I'm lookin forward to getting out there(Whenever my house sells) Give ya a deal on a great house in Mississippi!!!
seeya on the trail,
murf