Thanksgiving skiing at Vail - worth the trip?

I would appreciate help in finalizing our decision to take a family
vacation to Vail next week (Nov. 22-27). I know the snow is limited,
but the vail site says they will have four lifts open, and have enough
snow for these runs. Does anyone know if this is true? Is it worth
driving 8 hours with my two kids and paying full lift ticket prices
for limited skiing? We're all intermediate skiiers. Does anyone know
how bad the lines are likely to be before Thanksgiving? With so few
lifts open, if there are very many people, it will be awful. But
maybe the risk of it being awful will keep most people away and there
will be very few of us risk-takers. I would appreciate some advice
from anyone who has experience with the opening days at Vail. We will
be leaving on Thanksgiving - so I'm only looking at 4 days of skiing,
Sun.- Wed. We've already got the condo and I think we're stuck with
that. Thanks for your help!
Mom who wants a good family vacation

Schmoe wrote:

> > Schmoe wrote:
> > > I'm new to the group and hope the flames will be kept to a minimum.

<snip>

Actually, I agree with you. Let's hope that the flames will be kept to
a minimum.

--
//-Walt
//
// The Volkl Conspiracy

Jonna wrote:
> We've already got the condo and I think we're stuck with
> that. Thanks for your help!

Oops. Missed the condo reference tucked in there at the end the first
time I read the post. OK, so you have a paid for condo - just go up
there and enjoy what you find - if the skiing looks good, go skiing;
otherwise do some other family activity. Should be fun no matter what.
Stockpile some memories. BTW, if your condo is in Vail - it's still
possible to ski a couple of other nearby places without too much driving.

I suspect you're just stressing; relax - no such thing as a bad day in
the mountains.

"Walt" <walt@boatnerd.com.invalid> wrote in message
news:3FBCF478.634146FC@boatnerd.com.invalid...
> Schmoe wrote:
>
> > > Schmoe wrote:
> > > > I'm new to the group and hope the flames will be kept to a minimum.
>
> <snip>
>
> Actually, I agree with you. Let's hope that the flames will be kept to
> a minimum.

Allrighty then. Your first drink is on me (w/e starts early here) and let's
start a collective chant for snow. My boards are getting sharpened & waxed,
my thumb is healing nicely from some minor surgery and I'm hoping that
Killington has enough to make it worth my usually annual post-Thanksgiving
day opening w/e.

Schmoe wrote:

> Allrighty then. Your first drink is on me (w/e starts early here) and let's
> start a collective chant for snow.

It's a deal. Unfortunately, I can't make it to whatever part of New
England you seem to be located at, so I'll just grab a bottle from the
Sacred Beer Vault and mark it down on your tab. Feel free to stop by
for a tour next time you're in the midwest.

> My boards are getting sharpened & waxed,

"getting" ? You should learn to do this yourself. It only takes about
10 minutes (or about half a beer) and you'll never have to ski on dull
edges again. I can't imagine tackling K-Mart without freshly sharpened
edges.


> my thumb is healing nicely from some minor surgery and I'm hoping that
> Killington has enough to make it worth my usually annual post-Thanksgiving
> day opening w/e.

Sounds good. Wish I could be there.

--
//-Walt
//
// The Volkl Conspiracy

Sam Seiber wrote:

> Walt wrote:
>
>>"getting" ? You should learn to do this yourself. It only takes about
>>10 minutes (or about half a beer) and you'll never have to ski on dull
>>edges again. I can't imagine tackling K-Mart without freshly sharpened
>>edges.
>
>
> Hey, hey W Whats the big hurry tuning the skis? Any job that can
> be
> done in a half a beer is a job done in haste. Take your time tiger.
> I have a three beer minimum before the job is done.

Tuning is best done at the locker room wax bench about 7:45am, while
enjoying a cup of java and the company of 3 or 4 dedicated ski buddies
who congregate each morning to prepare equipment and selfs for another
day in paradise...

Note: beer can wait until noon ... EST.

jholland@unomaha.edu (Jonna) wrote in message news:<5e78e591.0311191229.bf1fea9@c om>...
> I would appreciate help in finalizing our decision to take a family
> vacation to Vail next week (Nov. 22-27). I know the snow is limited,
> but the vail site says they will have four lifts open, and have enough
> snow for these runs. Does anyone know if this is true? Is it worth
> driving 8 hours with my two kids and paying full lift ticket prices
> for limited skiing? We're all intermediate skiiers. Does anyone know
> how bad the lines are likely to be before Thanksgiving? With so few
> lifts open, if there are very many people, it will be awful. But
> maybe the risk of it being awful will keep most people away and there
> will be very few of us risk-takers. I would appreciate some advice
> from anyone who has experience with the opening days at Vail. We will
> be leaving on Thanksgiving - so I'm only looking at 4 days of skiing,
> Sun.- Wed. We've already got the condo and I think we're stuck with
> that. Thanks for your help!
> Mom who wants a good family vacation

GOOOOOOO!!! It won't be crowded Sun - Wed - tons of stuff to do -
don't worry about it and have a great time.

Sam Seiber wrote:
>
> Walt wrote:
> > "getting" ? You should learn to do this yourself. It only takes about
> > 10 minutes (or about half a beer) and you'll never have to ski on dull
> > edges again.
>
> Hey, hey W Whats the big hurry tuning the skis?

Sadly, no hurry whatsoever. Looks like it'll be at least another two
weeks, maybe three, before I get out on the hill.

> Any job that can be
> done in a half a beer is a job done in haste. Take your time tiger.
> I have a three beer minimum before the job is done.

Maybe I just need to buy bigger bottles of beer...


> Sam "My edges are still sharp from last weekend" Seiber

Obviously your snow is too soft.

--
//-Walt
//
// The Volkl Conspiracy