Where O Where Has All the Snow Gone?

Here we are in the new year of 2012 and Old Man Winter

  has been hiding the snow from most of the ski resorts in the nation. Many skiers, snowboarders and outdoor winter enthusiasts are wondering where o where has all the snow gone!

So what is a person to do if they are looking to strap on that new Christmas gear and hit some slopes knowing that most of the nation is experiencing record warm temperatures and low snowfall? Perhaps consider more than just snow amounts.

For instance Deer Valley Resort boasts the ability to backup natural snowfall with state-of-the-art snowmaking equipment and:

5 years in a row voted #1 ski resort in North America by the readers of SKI Magazine

First class service reminiscent of a five star hotel including

• Gourmet dining
• Customized lodging
• Lift ticket, lessons and rental packages
• Award winning ski school
• Luxurious amenities such as ski valets, on-site childcare and 3 elegant day lodges

A great resource to check before you go is On the Snow with

• Current snow and surface conditions
• Live webcams
• Trail maps
• Guest reviews

With recreation, dining options, equipment rentals and lessons all taken care of, it’s time to think about where to settle down to share your adventures with friends after a great day on the slopes. Customize your Deer Valley Resort rentals with options to accommodate

• Private Condos/Townhomes
• Private Home
• Drive, walk or shuttle to lifts
• 2-6 Bedrooms
• Economy to Deluxe pricepoints

 Now that everything is planned, you’ll just need to focus on getting old man Winter to give up his stash of snow!

Welcome back!

It’s that time again to start dreaming of fluffy, bottomless powder that abounds at this Idaho ski resort. Brundage Mountain Resort, in McCall, Idaho, serves the locals and visitors alike with great on-mountain skiing/riding as well as off-piste adventures that include guided snow cat tours in the back country of the Payette National Forest. Last year, Brundage Mountain Resort celebrated their 50^th year of having the best snow in Idaho.

The 2011/2012 season is expected to be as good as or better than the last season with La Nina expecting to get stronger as the winter season approaches especially in the Pacific Northwest region. The snow-line will be pretty low on average meaning a great amount of snow in the higher elevations. If places like Seattle are getting snow then you know what that means for the mountains of Central Idaho.

What you should expect in a Central Idaho ski vacation:

Great ski school and private lessons for the whole family

Private as well as group lessons are available for all abilities and there is of course a kids’ program from ages 4-11.

Cool Freestyle Terrain Park

There is freestyle terrain that is subject to the weather as well as man-made features that will challenge the most daring rider or skier.

Convenient Ski Rental & Repair Shop

Enjoy a one-stop-shop when renting skis or a snowboard and get a multi-day discount when renting equipment for 2 or more consecutive days.

McCall Idaho Lodging Close By

There are several lodges, hotels, motels and even vacation rental condos and cabins available just minutes from skiing and snowboarding.

Very affordable Lift Ticket Prices (Adult Pricing)

For around $55 a day one can ski or ride 1,500 acres of lift served terrain. When compared to other Idaho ski resorts, Brundage hold its’ own with being affordable, family friendly and not overly crowded.

Check out Central Idaho this winter for a ski and snowboard vacation of a lifetime!

All photos courtesy of Brundage Mountain Resort.

Brundage Mountain Resort turns 50 this year, and they’re celebrating all season long!  50 years of great snow, amazing hospitality, and gorgeous scenery combine to make Brundage a favorite year after year.  Combine that with a season of celebration, this may be one of the mountain’s best years yet!  

Never skiied Idaho?  Here’s what you’re missing:

• Fresh Powder.  Oh, the powder.  The mountain boasts over 300 inches of the fluffy white stuff annually.
• Terrain.  Offering great terrain for beginners and experts alike, Brundage offers thousands of acres served by a combination of 46 lifts and back country SnoCats.
• Great Prices.  Brundage offers some of the best lift ticket deals in Idaho.
• Fun Events.  Hosting a variety of fun events throughout the year, Brundage is sure to have something going on no matter what time of year you choose to visit!
• Awesome Staff.  From the ski school  instructors to the lift operators, everyone that works on the mountain is friendly and knowledgable. 
• Mountain Culture.  The aforementioned awesome staff, friendly locals, and overall personality of the mountain combine to create a mountain culture second to none.  One visit to Brundage, and you’ll be checking their job listings!
• This:
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We could go on, but we’re sure you get the point.  Planning a ski vacation this year?  Be sure to check out Brundage Mountain Resort, and help them celebrate 50 years of the Best Snow in Idaho!

Images Courtesy Brundage Mountain Resort

Have you ever had a vacation where you needed a vacation when you were done just to recuperate from all the fun and activity? 

Do the people in your party have such diverse taste in what they do to have fun, that it’s hard to please everyone all the time? 

If you answered yes to either question, then you might want to start your vacation planning with  Deep Creek Lake rentals and prepare for a delightful Maryland vacation experience full of giggles and stories to share that is sure to please everyone in your family or group.

Deep Creek Lake in Maryland seems to have every kind of vacation activity you could imagine no matter what time of year! 

Adventure and outdoor enthusiasts can select from activities that exhilarate the senses such as water or snow skiing, wakeboarding and river rafting or experience the mountain coaster all year round. 

If your senses are looking for a calmer, more tranquil feel, then visitors can choose to enjoy the peacefulness of snow-shoeing or cross country skiing, fly fishing or simply bobbing or floating on the lake.

 Festivals more your thing?  Then , don’t miss out on the Art & Wine and Highland Festivals.  Visitors of all ages will find events to delight by visiting the local chamber for their calendar of events.

 I can’t imagine a family or group that wouldn’t be able to find something to interest everyone in and around the Deep Creek Lake area.  What’s even better is the close proximity to Baltimore, Cleveland, Pittsburgh and Washington, D.C.  With the hassles of flying, how nice is it that so many people can visit by driving from nearby? 

Moving to Colorado after living in the Midwest farmland for many years has made me realize that you can have a vacation nearly every weekend when places are within easy driving distance.  It seems like the same would be true for people in and around the Deep Creek Lake area.  Iowa Farmlands?  Not so much.  I used to have to drive at least 40, if not 90 miles, just to reach the nearest interstate that would then take me another sizeable distance to some place you actually wanted to visit! 

 So, whether you travelling from near or far, your group is large or small, you’re looking for exhilaration or tranquility, a vacation in and around the Deep Creek Lake area of Maryland seems like a sure bet.  It’s certainly going to be on my ‘list of places to see.’

Editors Note: A guest shares how skiing in Idaho became a family tradition

My husband and I were both raised in the very deep south and had limited exposure to snow, and literally no experience with snow deep enough to ski in. One day, several years ago, our close friends decided they wanted to go skiing and invited us along for the trip. They have been skiing most of their lives, as they both grew up in Colorado and had only been in our area for a handful of years. Even those of us way down south know there is skiing in Colorado, but they wanted to ski in Idaho.

My husband and I made quite a few jokes about skiing on hills of mashed potatoes, not realizing there were ski areas in Idaho. We have now taken many Idaho ski trips together and I can confidently say there are numerous ski resorts, none of which makes their snow out of mashed potatoes.

The Brundage Mountain Resort has become one of our absolute favorite ski areas in Idaho. One of the great things, especially as our families have expanded, is the amazing room rates that are so close by. The town of McCall has several nationally recognized hotel chains that have very reasonable prices. Compared to many ski towns we have visited, the rates are unbelievable. The great rates have been one reason we have been able to continue our skiing traditions even in a less than perfect economy. Not only are the rooms affordable, but Brundage also has several ways to save on skiing as well. We can definitely afford this Idaho ski resort.

The important parts for those who are interested in Idaho ski resorts, however, are the mountain specifics of Brundage. After all what good are deals if it isn’t fun to ski in Idaho, right? The base elevation is about 5,800 feet and the summit elevation is just over 7,600 feet. There is a vertical drop of 1,800 feet and more than 40 trails and about 1,500 acres just perfect for skiing. There is plenty of room at Brundage for the entire family to have a great time.

As we have collectively moved from beginner status to skiers who are pretty good we have taken advantage of several of the ski classes the resort has to offer. Of course, at first, my husband and I took the very basic getting to know snow classes but later we moved on to some of the more advanced lessons for the more difficult runs and have even consulted with professional skiers for personalized tips. As our children have grown, we have used the daycare center available at the resort, and our son just recently decided he wanted to take a few snowboarding lessons. The husband and I are still trying to decide if that is something we should tackle for ourselves, but it is definitely an opportunity I’m happy our son wants to take advantage of.

We are certainly looking forward to another great annual Idaho family ski vacation!