Canada vs Europe for SNOW- Canada hands down

Freezywater, you make a good point but personally I go to ski in the snow not on it.

As for your distance point-was making reference to the class of resort, it would be hard to place someone badly in Canada, at a poor resort whereas in France there are a thousand resorts you wouldn't like to be stuck at.

iLoveSkiing, I'm glad I lived up to your predictions. That is true-if you can find what you want in Europe then why not!

RoseR, I could find snow an hour after I left my door but its all in the quality. The America/Europe debate will rage on so maybe I will not say any more about it, everyone has valid arguments.

freezywater wrote:you've obviously never experienced the fog at Innsbruck Airport then :( lucky you :wink:

Oh I did last year, we flew around the Alps for 45mins and then landed at Innsbruck on second attempt, because the fog was so bad. We were the first ones to land that day and talking to people all week they were all diverted to various other airports and then to Innsbruck by coach. Still only held us up by about an hour. We were lucky and were still on the slopes by 3.30pm. Not bad.

But having said all that I would love to go to Canada, may-be one day.

I am going to canada i december,cant wait!!! sorry i am taking every oportunity to tell anyone who will listen (and those who wont!) I am so excited!

I detect a kind of Europe vs America/Canada feeling. Personally, I havent been across the pond to ski, and whilst I can pay less than half for a week in Europe, and not spend 10 hours on a plane, I dont have a desire to rush across there. Having said that, I am aware the snow record in many places is amazing, and there are some fantastic resorts I would gladly spend time at.

There is absolutely no reason to have a USA/Canada v Europe. Anymore than there is a reason to have Mayrhofen v Niederau. Ski locations are not just to be measured in annual depths, or village/peak altitudes. Every location has it's own distinct set of parameters.

Yes, Whistler has good snow. And it has significant white out weather. I have skiied straight down the fall line on Blackcomb glacier in white out, and it's great fun, erm afterwards.

The topic is Canada v Europe. My limited experience, having skied both, is that I would choose Colorado over Whistler. And there are other central USA stuff I haven't got to yet, like Alta.

Within Europe, the Arlberg has very respectable annual falls.

And no J2skier is going to manage to ski everywhere. Freezywater makes a good point about the depth of snow we actually need to ski on.

Then you have to look at time and value. It is pointless going across the Atlantic for a week. I surmise that 95% of j2skiers take their breaks in one week chunks.

Yes, we should all endeavor to ski Canada and the USA at least once during our lifetimes. But to try and make a competition of it, is just ....daft. (I respectfully suggest)

Agreed, Dave. I always go for a week at a time, which is why I have not really considered going trans atlantic.

Over the years I have been skiing both continents, £ for £ it is just about the same, the WEST coast of N America is twice as superior for service, lifts and snow quality than anywhere I have ever visited in Europe but it costs almost twice as much.
Where the cost difference really kicks in is that in N America nearly all accommodation is Room Only as opposed to HB or Chalet board in Europe and the lift passes are around double the price.
I don't understand why anyone would visit the East Coast of N America, the snow is less consistant than Europe but nearly everything else is equivalent to the West Coast, food and lift passes are almost the same prices, the journey is around 5 hours less but is much further than almost everywhere in Europe.