Our expert answers your top ski vacation questions

We recently hosted a live chat on Orbitz’s Facebook page to help travelers plan their ski vacations. Away.com ski expert Pieter van Noordennen was on hand to field questions, and here are some of the highlights:

Pieter, four of my closest friends (all guys) and I are traveling from Atlanta to Breckenridge in February for our yearly Ski Adventure (ha). Neither of us are expert skiers or snowboarders, but I wonder, which peaks do you recommend for intermediate and below skiers? Thanks. –Yeavis M.

Yeavis, Breckenridge has a really good mix of easy, intermediate, and hard slopes, so you’ll be fine there. The beginners can hit Peak 7 for really nice greens and blues, those intermediates can ski the blues/blacks off Peaks 8 and 9, and if you want to push yourselves, Peak 10 and the high-alpine bowls are great. If you want to explore a bit on your ski vacation, head over to Keystone (one valley over, about a 30-minute drive), which also has a nice mix. Here are some Breckenridge ski vacation packages.

My wife likes to ski, but I like to snowboard. What are a few great resorts for the two of us? (She also likes spa services, naturally.) — Ross

Hi Ross. Skiing, snowboarding and spas … my three favorite pastimes. For a ski vacation like that, Aspen is tough to beat — lots of spas, and all the resorts have good fall-lines runs (meaning fewer traverses for you). I think Aspen Highlands is one of the most underrated ski resorts in the country in terms for pure terrain and snow. The spa in the basement of the St. Regis Aspen Resort regularly caters to celebs, though there are more moderately priced options out there. Check out some Aspen vacation deals.

Or you could try Taos, New Mexico. The amenities fewer and farther between, but they did open to snowboarders two years ago … and it’s STEEP!

What is the best ski resort that is closest to a major airport? Flying and then driving two+ hours often makes a trip quite a schlep. And, are crowds really large at CO/NV/UT ski resorts over President’s Day weekend? Thanks! — Joy in DC

Hi Joy, thanks for chiming in. Personal opinion here, but I think Salt Lake City is your best bet for a ski vacation with minimal schlep. In 45 minutes you can be from the SLC airport to the base ofAlta/Snowbird or Park City, and many of the ski resorts offer deals where you can ski free on the day you arrive. Plenty of shuttles run from the airport to the resorts too, so you don’t need to rent a car. See Utah ski vacation packages.

The crowds do stack up quite a bit on President’s Day, and prices can increase too. There’s really no way around that. Do a little research on the resort you’ll be skiing beforehand, so you can identify the main (and busiest) lifts and access points, then avoid them.

Got any suggestions on international ski vacation destinations? Any specifics on family-friendly locations are appreciated too. –Victoria  B.

Sure Victoria. The skiing can be really tough in the classic Alps destinations like Chamonix, France, or Zermatt, Switzerland. So well-connected mountain villages with beginner slopes or glacier-skiing are good for families. The Stubai Valley in Austria, Saas Fee in Switzerland, or Courchevel in France are worth checking out.

If you’re looking for something a little more off the beaten path, Italy’s Dolomites or Are, Sweden, both have a lot of mellow terrain to go along with ample culture.

Alistair Wearmouth wrote: In addition to Pieter’s recs for Euro resorts, I’d also add Japan to your ski bucket list, Victoria. Places like Niseko (on Hokkaido) and the resorts around Nagano (closer to Tokyo; try Hakuba) have long been popular with Aussie and New Zealand skiers. In fact, Japan has more hills in total than the U.S., though many are quite small. An all-mountain pass combining the best ski resorts in Niseko only runs about $60, so cheaper than what you might get in the U.S., too. Here’s a quick guide to skiing in Japan. Might seem like a big trip for a family vacation, but Japan’s a fascinating and very family-friendly option. And with the long recession there, prices aren’t quite as intimidating as they once were in the ’90s.

What are the top 3 ski vacation destinations in your opinion, taking into consideration: snow/terrain of the local mountain, restaurants/bars, events? –Drew F.

Hi Drew, superb question … really holding my feet to the fire here. My top three are:

1. South Lake Tahoe: Casinos and three excellent ski resorts in South Lake Tahoe along with a lot of affordable lodging options.
   

   Vail (Photo: Colorado Tourism Office/Jeff Circco)

2. Vail: Surprised? A lot of people are by this one. Some people think of Vail as kind of stuffy, but it’s really not. They’ve embraced big-time events and shows (I’ve seen Snoop Dogg and G Love in recent years at Spring Back to Vail). The skiing there is massive, with the Back Bowls getting most of the press. But consistent, light snowfall and a wide variety of terrain and exposures are the real draw for me. Yes, it has a lot of fine dining and luxury hotels, but it also has some great nightlife and good, but not expensive, bars and restaurants. Vendetta’s Pizza, Garfinkle’s, The George, Samana, Montauk Seafood … those are my faves. Plan a Vail ski vacation.
3. Whistler, BC: They have the Olympics this year, so we’ll give them top billing. But they’ve always an excellent party scene, with the Telus Festival in April being one of skiing’s main events. And the mountains … 8,171 acres, massive snowfall, great steeps … It’s good stuff. See Whistler vacation packages.

If my family is first-time skiers, should we stay local and learn, or is it worth making a vacation of it? We live in the DC area. Where’s good for youngskiers (4 & 7). Is four too young to start? –Jennifer O.

The question is a good one … A lot of people make their first turns of the season on the first day of their big trip out West, which is a mistake. Go to your local hill to learn, even if it’s just for a day. Skiing at a destination resort is a totally different experience — bigger mountains, better snow, more ski culture — but having a little know-how will go a long way to making that big ski vacation more enjoyable. In the DC area, you have Wisp, Md., Ski Roundtop in Penn., Bryce Resort, Va., and a few other smaller options.

Related Orbitz resources:

• Ski vacations
• Official Orbitz Facebook page
• Breckenridge ski vacation packages
  
• Breckenridge/Keystone lift tickets
  
• Aspen hotels
• Taos hotels
  
• Utah ski vacation packages
• Ski Salt Lake Super Pass
• Park City lift tickets
• Heavenly (South Lake Tahoe) lift tickets
  
• Vail ski vacation
  
• Vail/Beaver Creek lift tickets
  
• Whistler vacation packages

Pieter van Noordennen, a former senior editor Skiing Magazine, learned to ski back East but has lived in Breckenridge, Boulder and Santa Fe. He has logged over 30 ski days a year for five years running, with recent trips to Jackson Hole, Banff, Revelstoke, Steamboat Springs and Lake Tahoe.

Tagged: California, Europe, Family time