Help me plan my trip of a lifetime ....

Personally, if this is "once in a lifetime", I'd suggest you go somewhere that has more variety of areas and better weather.  Maybe Utah.  Salt Lake is a major hub and most of the resorts aren't really that far from each other.  The snow quality is usually much lighter than that at Whistler and there's a ton of it.  In addition, Park City the town is plenty to keep non-skiers like your wife entertained with art galleries and shops.  Yeah, Whistler has this mall-feeling area that has lots of shops all selling the same stuff and yes the area itself is huge, but it really wouldn't be my first pick for you.  Do a search of the forum to find where others have asked the exact same question and read the reviews under the Resorts tab for more info.  

My second choice would be the Summit County area of Colorado.  Plenty of areas there as well.  More driving, though.  But also usually great weather rather than all socked in.  

Quote:

Originally Posted by sibhusky 

Personally, if this is "once in a lifetime", I'd suggest you go somewhere that has more variety of areas and better weather.  Maybe Utah.  Salt Lake is a major hub and most of the resorts aren't really that far from each other.  The snow quality is usually much lighter than that at Whistler and there's a ton of it.  In addition, Park City the town is plenty to keep non-skiers like your wife entertained with art galleries and shops.  Yeah, Whistler has this mall-feeling area that has lots of shops all selling the same stuff and yes the area itself is huge, but it really wouldn't be my first pick for you.  Do a search of the forum to find where others have asked the exact same question and read the reviews under the Resorts tab for more info.  

 

In April, the weather in both places is so variable that basing anything on the "snow quality" is kinda pointless.  And Whistler gets more snow than Park City, so they have a ton of it, too.  If the OP wants to literally meet her on the slopes for lunch, Whistler has the gondola that she can ride up to the Roundhouse and meet for lunch, without them having to leave the alpine.

Will Whistler be crowded?  Short answer, maybe.  In general, Whistler's pretty crowded, but April's a lot better than mid-winter and mid-week is somewhat better than weekends (although not as much so as in other areas due to the high volume of weekly vacationers that Whistler gets).  April isn't too late for Whistler; they will likely still be 100% open.  You could get great spring skiing, you could get mid-winter-like dumps, you could get terrible weather.  Who knows.

I'm not saying Park City is a bad choice, it's definitely a great town for the wife.  I've only skied the cottonwoods so I won't speak to the actual skiing in PC.  My point is that I wouldn't discount Whistler, it sounds to me to be exactly what the OP wants.

As for any of these places, and will there be enough for the wife to do, it depends on what she likes to do.  Are we talking spas, art galleries, shopping, or are we talking outdoors (but non-skiing) activities such as snowshoeing, etc.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jaobrien6 

 

In April, the weather in both places is so variable that basing anything on the "snow quality" is kinda pointless.  And Whistler gets more snow than Park City, so they have a ton of it, too.  If the OP wants to literally meet her on the slopes for lunch, Whistler has the gondola that she can ride up to the Roundhouse and meet for lunch, without them having to leave the alpine.

 

Will Whistler be crowded?  Short answer, maybe.  In general, Whistler's pretty crowded, but April's a lot better than mid-winter and mid-week is somewhat better than weekends (although not as much so as in other areas due to the high volume of weekly vacationers that Whistler gets).  April isn't too late for Whistler; they will likely still be 100% open.  You could get great spring skiing, you could get mid-winter-like dumps, you could get terrible weather.  Who knows.

 

I'm not saying Park City is a bad choice, it's definitely a great town for the wife.  I've only skied the cottonwoods so I won't speak to the actual skiing in PC.  My point is that I wouldn't discount Whistler, it sounds to me to be exactly what the OP wants.

 

As for any of these places, and will there be enough for the wife to do, it depends on what she likes to do.  Are we talking spas, art galleries, shopping, or are we talking outdoors (but non-skiing) activities such as snowshoeing, etc.

This is correct (Park Shitty in April can be great or lousy, whereas Whistler is pretty much a known quantity - take this year for example).

Early April won't be crowded now that the Telus Festival will be gone, and they lost (thankfully) the Dew Tour.

Agree with the others, for April Park City is really a bizare recommendation.  Whistler no question will be a much much better bet.  Often in April Whistler is nothing but sun and great spring conditions.  You can of course get rain, but you could get powder too, the same could be said for anywhere.  But on averages, spring in Whistler is sunny.  As for NSW, Whistler is a ski town, but there is tons to do, day spas galore, shopping, art galleries, great food everywhere, and it is easy for her to get up the lifts to meet you and then take the lifts back down.  You can also go up the mountain at night by snowmobile or snowcat for fondu on the peak.  Will Whsitler be busy at Easter? Yes.  Try to avoid Easter if you can, its a long weekend so draws heavy from Vancouver, Seattle etc.  However if you cant avoid Easter, Whistler is one of the best resorts for handling large crowds, there is tons of lift capacity and the chalets are numerous and large....typcially your legs will be done regardless, just get up early.

I guess I didn't notice his dates, but have been to Park City in early April and had four feet of snow in four days.  

Quote:

Originally Posted by sibhusky 

I guess I didn't notice his dates, but have been to Park City in early April and had four feet of snow in four days.  

Well, that must mean it's always like that, right?   PC definitely has the *potential* for great April snow, but it's unreliable enough that it shouldn't be a deciding factor in anyone's long range plans.  Of course, the same holds true for just about everywhere in April.

Leave your wife at home, and do some cat/heli skiing in the Kootenays with your sons. 

Wait!  By February you will get a pretty fair picture of who has the snow base.  Every one of these regions has its' own charms.

Banff is off the charts spectacularly pretty even by the standards of the Alps, and the Banff Springs Hotel plush by any standards (they will pamper your wife).  They have been keeping non-out-doorsie people happy since Christ was in short pants.  Early April is prime time skiing up there.  The wildlife there is unique.

Whistler Blackcomb is huge by North American Standards.  Lots to do for the non-skiers.  There will be snow, best chance for cloudy damper weather too.

Utah has some amazing skiing, provided there is a winter (unlike this freaky year).  The Cottonwood Canyons are the best skiing, but your wife will hate it.  The Park City areas have the most to do, but they have the tamest skiing; if the skiing does not have to be all blacks and powder it could be a really good choice.  3 distinct very good mountains within minutes of an honest to goodness western mining town.  Utah is a dream by American standards for area access, all these areas are less than an hour from an international airport.

Does she like to gamble?  (She won't meet you for lunch here)  How about Lake Tahoe?  Again very close to Reno, or you can fly into San Francisco.  Lots of areas, and normally lots of snow there that time of year.

Check out the other threads on here for A LOT MORE information.  But don't commit if at all possiable till you see who gets a winter next year.

Enjoy your trip of a lifetime.  I am so jealous, want to do this in reverse to Europe.

For me, "the trip of a lifetime" wouldn't be in the spring when the snowpack is often frozen in the AM, then softens and turns to great corn snow for a few hours, then turns to slush in the late PM, or it just rains and sometimes snows. I much prefer mid winter dry soft snow and more consistent cold temperatures that generally occur at most NA resorts from mid January to early March. But it sounds like the OP has a fixed timetable and i would think a spring time trip with milder temps would be better for the non skiing wife.

So, if the OP wants to make this the trip of a lifetime for his wife then there is really only one choice and that is Banff/Lake Louise. Lots of places have shopping, spas, museums and great scenery, but imo Banff/Lake Louise scenery is way beyond great. It is world class spectacular. I ski bummed for a winter at Lake Louise in the 70s and hadn't been back in 38 years until this past April and i had forgotten how beautiful and plentiful the mountains of Banff National Park really are.

During the 10 days that I was at LL after Easter we got some rain and some sticky snow, but I skied ankle deep and boot top powder my last day of the season. Several times I had to stop in the middle of a run and just take in the scenery. On the front side you get the classic post card view of the Lake on the other side of the valley with Mount Victoria in the background and the Chateau Lake Louise in the foreground and massive Temple Mountain off to the side. On the back side of LL the other side of the valley is very close and and the huge mountains seem almost touchable.

Fly to Calgary, rent a car, stay in Banff, take one of the many ski shuttle buses to Lake Louise and/or Sunshine Village, leave the rental car with your wife to tourist about. Or the wife can drop you off at LL  and then meet you there for lunch at the base lodge. The drive between LL and Banff is about 40 minutes, considered short in a country the size of Canada. A drive up the Columbia Ice Fields Parkway (the road between Lake Louise and Jasper) is a must as many consider it the most scenic mountain highway in the world.

Another not to be missed attraction, according to a lady that I shared a gondola ride with, is the spa at the Banff Springs Hotel. She raved about it and I think she said the full day package was $65 and they fed you cookies and muffins, massage, hot and cold tubs, fountains, steam rooms etc. She said she was there for 6 hours.

To sum it up: there is a reason that Alpinists have been coming to Banff National Park for well over a century, and long before ski areas; Its the mountains.
 

Whistler

Aspen

Jackson Hole

Banff

Whistler/Blackcomb:  As large as it gets in North America.  Great village with lots to do.  You can walk everywhere.  It can and usually does have a great base of snow by April.  Remember the Olympics and the trouble with the snow? It can can warm/wet/foggy due to the proximity to the Pacific.  Vancouver is a great city to explore for a day or two on the way up or back from W/B.

Park City:  Home of three world class ski resorts.  Great romantic "old" mining town (at least the buildings on Main St.) with enough shopping/dining for your wife.  Easy proximity via great roads to four other ski areas.  Home of the Olympic Park and Alf Engen Museum.  45 minutes from Salt Lake City (shows, more shopping, etc.) for your wife. The spring conditions are usually good, unless you have a year with little snow.

Another poster suggested waiting until later in the season to book your reservation to make sure there is a great base of snow in either location.  This may not be a bad idea since there are always plentiful lodging options in April.  This first week in April can bring sunshine,  powder or rain in either location.  Odds are you will have good weather and a great time in either location.  Surprisingly, there are few people on the mountains in April and you will have many runs to yourselves!
 

FYI:  Easter is March 31, 2013 

Quote:

Originally Posted by DanoT 

[...] but imo Banff/Lake Louise scenery is way beyond great. It is world class spectacular. [...] A drive up the Columbia Ice Fields Parkway (the road between Lake Louise and Jasper) is a must as many consider it the most scenic mountain highway in the world. [...]

True that.  I've only been to that general area once, but was just blown away by the beauty.  And Banff's a really nice town, too, definitely stuff for the NSW to do.

I'm also from England and have been fortunate enough to visit Canada a few times. The one place I didn't like as a place was Whistler; big and bustling, much more like a European ski town and not what I consider the true Canadian experience. Great skiing but bus, busy!

Banff and Lake Louise are utterly awesome with great skiing as well. Much more to do in Banff than Lake Louise for non skiers but breathtaking mountain scenery you will never forget. This is a destination that will live in the memory forever and the snow is usually good at the time you're considering.

We did Lake Louise twice for Easter vacations years ago, and both times it was absolutely wonderful.  Stayed at the Post Hotel in Lake Louise, which is a terrific place, but not so great for shopping.  If that is important, stay in Banff.  I'd be hard pressed to think of a place on earth that competes with the beauty of standing at the top of Lake Louise's lifts.  

Quote:

Originally Posted by Adie 

I'm also from England and have been fortunate enough to visit Canada a few times. The one place I didn't like as a place was Whistler; big and bustling, much more like a European ski town and not what I consider the true Canadian experience. Great skiing but bus, busy!

 

Banff and Lake Louise are utterly awesome with great skiing as well. Much more to do in Banff than Lake Louise for non skiers but breathtaking mountain scenery you will never forget. This is a destination that will live in the memory forever and the snow is usually good at the tiyou're considering.

 With 62,000 beds, Whistler is not a quaint ski village, it is a city with a skyline. Lots to do and see there though.

I have to agree with Banff over Whistler for what you need at the time of year you want. It will give your wife the whole 'ooo- look at the bear, ooo- look at the elk, ooo- look at the mountains' while in the lap of luxury Canadian experience that Brits, Germans and Japanese come to see and experience. If it was strictly about skiing then that might put Whister ahead of Banff but only maybe.

So, what would you expect to see on the way to school on a nice spring morning. If you lived on Elk Street in Banff you might just see an Elk.

However, there were no martens on Marten Street nor wolves on Wolf Street that day. Elk pics were taken on the only day of my 10 day trip to Lake Louise that I spent in Banff.

Hey, we're not recommending the ski trip of your life, no, we are recommending the trip to Canada of your life and you get to go skiing.

Cool pics DanoT. If you like elk come to Sparwood. It's in the Elk Valley by the Elk River on the way to Elkford. They come down in winter especially when the weather is about to turn. Herds of 50 to 150 aren't unusual. Can be a real eye opener when driving in the dark!!

I don't know what your thoughts are for planning travel arrangements etc. but we found Canadian Affair very good value from the UK, even cheaper than doing it all yourself and a whole lot easier. They use Air Transat from Manchester, Gatwick and I think Heathrow. Air Transat are just fine. Canadian Affair are helpful and you can book a simple package which includes flight, transfer etc. or they'll do mixed packages with car hire.

For the big trip what about Banff then a trip up to Marmot Basin?

Though others have already stated this...

A once in a lifetime trip would be to Banff National Park!  Stay at the Banff Springs or Chateau Lake Louise and be in style while you're in the most beautiful place on earth!!!!

As well Banff is pretty much guaranteed to have good conditions in April.

Don't listen to anyone who tells you to go to the US.  Colorado and Utah (and the rest) might have comparable skiing in April, but the mountain scenery can't come close.  Neither are conducive of what I would call a once in a lifetime trip.

(Utah mid-winter WITHOUT the NSW might be once in a lifetime material, if you hit a storm... but considering the awesomeness that is Banff National Park, it's basically a lock!) 

I live in Vancouver and am biased. Whistler is my home hill. You will get all you want there for both skiing and the other activities to keep the wife happy. I am sure It would be a great holiday. But Banff is special. That is where we go for holidays.You will not believe the beauty. The skiing will still be good in your time frame and while there is not quite as much vertical nor or the hills as easily accessed as Whistler/Blackcomb, the area's vistas more than make up for that.  The only draw back is that you do need a car rental added into the budget - it is a neccessity as many of the areas you will want to visit and all ski hills require some driving to access. At Whistler there is no need for a car. Ski season is also low season in Banff so prices usually are pretty reasonable. Summer in Banff is even prettier but more pricy.  

I skied Lake Louise around ten years ago and have to agree about the scenery.  I am no rock hound, but the mountains seem millions of years older than the US Rockies and are wonderful.  I fractured my shoulder a few days into the vacation (still came back for a powder morning) and ended up hiking a few of the days since it didn't hurt too badly.  Scenery, people, food and the Chateau Lake Louise all get a big thumbs up.  The rooms in the Chateau Lake Louise are smaller (European style) but luxurious.  Calgary is probably harder for the OP to fly into than SLC or Vancouver, but Banff is certainly an option.

Chateau Lake Louise is certainly the iconic destination and well worth staying at if you can afford it. It is, however, quite remote from things if you're a non skier. When I stayed there a few years ago (a holiday won in a competition) I couldn't afford to eat in the hotel. This year we stayed in the Lake Louise Inn. Small rooms but really friendly place, nice pool and hot tub etc. There are bigger rooms and suites. We ate at Bill Peyto's cafe which is good value. It's still a bit quiet for non skiers though It suits me fine as I'm just there to slide but for the non skier in the party maybe Banff is a better option though not as stunning!

no the lift's close early around 3:30 maybe 4 later in season because the mountains are big and it takes a while to get everyone to the bottom and accounted for before dark.  But they also open earlier  than Europe. 
 

It would be easier for a lunchtime rendezvous at Whistler (not sure how much for a one trip pass or if they even exist) in theory, but Whistler is so huge you'd really want to have a recy ride a lift with her to show her where to meet. Lake Louise and Sunshine are more of an issue as you will be taking a bus to the ski area each day(not nearly as onerous as it sounds; actually less walking than in many resorts and far less than most of Whistler) At Lake Louise most of the eating is at the base lodge. The only alternative is Temple Lodge which is not really accessible without skis or board.

As for lift closures. At Easter they closed at 4 p.m. this year. How much do you ski? We were on the lifts about 8.45 ( officially 9 a.m.) We're serious skiers and believe me the amount of skiing you can do in that time is enough for anyone (easily 30000+ feet vertical) If it's a lazy start and lots of ambling around you may want longer but remember pistes are seriously less crowded and even over Easter weekend the queues were no problem. During the week there were no queues anywhere. You will often have a piste virtually to yourself and the backbowls are never crowded. This is not the case at Whistler, however, where long queues form to get out of town first thing and at vsrious spots on the mountain.

Quote:

Originally Posted by quant2325 

Whistler/Blackcomb:    It can and usually does have a great base of snow by April.  Remember the Olympics and the trouble with the snow?

The problem venue was Cypress, which is across the bay from Vancouver. They trucked snow down from Whistler.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Adie 

It would be easier for a lunchtime rendezvous at Whistler (not sure how much for a one trip pass or if they even exist) in theory, but Whistler is so huge you'd really want to have a recy ride a lift with her to show her where to meet.

How about walking off the Whistler Gondola and walking straight into the Rendevous?

Quote:

Originally Posted by snofun3 

The problem venue was Cypress, which is across the bay from Vancouver. They trucked snow down from Whistler.

 

How about walking off the Whistler Gondola and walking straight into the Rendevous?

Yes, very convenient!!

But, anyone know what it would cost for her to get there every day for lunch?  Would she need to buy a lift ticket or do they offer foot passenger tickets?  Either way, it could be quite pricey for her to join the family for lunch on a daily basis.  However, since it is a trip of a lifetime, cost may not be an issue.