I am planning to go skiing over Thanksgiving holiday and am looking
for a very good ski resort that is no more than 14 hours drive from
Atlanta. I plan to leave on November 27 and return December 1. The
resort should be an excellent one, probably the finest resort for
skiing. I plan to go with my family and the resort should be appealing
to first time skiers.

Please let me know which locations and resorts would offer the above.
Also, different packages offered by these resorts. The location can
either be US or Canada.

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Request for Question Clarification by aceresearcher-ga on 08 Nov 2002 15:36 PST

youchoose,

Will you be making the up-to-14-hour drive in one, or two days?

aceresearcher

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Request for Question Clarification by aceresearcher-ga on 08 Nov 2002 20:53 PST

youchoose,

Hang in there, weisstho and I are working on some options for you.

aceresearcher

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Clarification of Question by youchoose-ga on 08 Nov 2002 23:12 PST

I plan to make the up-to-14 hour trip in two days by leaving Atlanta
the previous evening and taking a night stop after driving 7 hours.

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Clarification of Question by youchoose-ga on 11 Nov 2002 13:16 PST

It seems that i wont be able to drive in such a short time.  I am
willing to fly. I looked on the web for Colorado and they have snow.
Please let me know what will be a good place in Colorado, where i can
find good resort, good snow and a nice package for first timers.

-you choose

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Request for Question Clarification by aceresearcher-ga on 11 Nov 2002 15:51 PST

youchoose,

Yeah, that's why I asked about your driving plans. If you drive on Nov
27 and 28, you will only get to ski on Nov 29 before turning around
and driving home on Nov 30 and Dec 1. Your other driving option would
be to do the drive in one day. There are decent places to ski in
Michigan and Pennsylvania that you could drive to within 12 to 14
hours. However, if you did that in one day, I can pretty much
guarantee you (from my own experience) that you wouldn't feel like
skiing -- or much of anything else -- the next day. In addition, while
they have gotten some snow already, it is difficult at this point to
guarantee that Pennsylvania or Michigan would have good skiing
conditions for 2½ weeks from now.

I was glad to try to help you with ski possibilities in the Poconos in
Pennsylvania (and weisstho had the lowdown on Michigan ski areas).
However, Atlanta is a major airline hub, so if you are able and
willing to FLY to your skiing destination, that will leave you with 3
days to ski, and give you much better options for the quality of
skiing.

Although I have skiied in a few places out west, I am sure there are
other Researchers who know FAR more about the best places to ski out
there. I am going to point some other Researchers in your direction; I
am confident they will be able to give you a great answer.

I hope you really enjoy your Thanksgiving vacation!

Regards,

aceresearcher

Hello youchoose,

I strongly suggest that you check out Snowshoe, West Virginia at
http://www.snowpak.com/snowpak/resorts/snowshoe.html#skipackage

The first time I ever went skiing was at Snowshoe.  I was on spring
break from the University of Florida.  We drove up from Gainesville
for about a week.  I had an absolutely wonderful time and learned a
great deal.   It has incredibly long beginners slopes.  They
beautifully wind through remote areas.  It is 560 miles from Atlanta.

Now, I live in Colorado.  I had only skied at Snowshoe when I moved
here.  I am now an intermediate skier and have been to many of the ski
resorts that are within 2 hours of Denver.  All of the major resorts
have packages for beginners.

I suggest Winter Park or Loveland for beginners.  More than the others
they have some really lovely high altitude (for Colorado, not Atlanta)
beginner slopes.  Many of the major resorts keep the beginner slopes
only at the bottom of the runs.  Winter Park and Loveland have them
scattered up and down the mountain.  These two are the resorts where I
leaned the most, and where I have most enjoyed the easier slopes. 
They are where I take beginners.  And, they are also the closest ones
to Denver.

WinterPark
http://www.winterparkresort.com/

Loveland
http://www.ski-guide.com/overview.cfm/co23.htm

Colorado Ski Resorts
http://www.ski-guide.com/statemap.cfm/co.htm


And, after all of the resorts I have been to in Colorado, I still like
Snowshoe, West Virginia the best.

And for future reference there is a ski resort in Clayton, Georgia
(106 miles from Atlanta).  But, they don’t expect to be open until
December.
Sky Valley Resort
http://www.ski-guide.com/stats.cfm/ga01.htm

You may want to check out the Ski Guide at
http://www.ski-guide.com/usmap.cfm


I also looked up what type of packages might be offered over
Thanksgiving.
Ski & Snowboarding packages for ’02-03
http://www.agetaway.com/packages/ski/ski.html

Rocky Mountain Vacations
http://www.colorado-ski-vacations.com/

A lot of the really serious skiers that I know take there kids to Utah
for skiing.  I have never been.  But, Snowbird is an easy drive from
Salt Lake City.
http://utahsnow.com/skipack.html


Keywords Used: 
Snowshoe West Virginia
http://hotbot.lycos.com/?query=snowbird+west+virginia&nummod=2&placeselection=georegion&dateoption=within&act.query=1&cobrand=&srchbutton.x=20&srchbutton.y=6

Loveland Ski resort
http://hotbot.lycos.com/default.asp?lpv=1&query=Loveland+Ski+Resort&prev=ski+resort+loveland+colorado&rfindex=2S&loc=refinebox

thanksgiving ski packages
http://hotbot.lycos.com/?query=thanksgiving+ski+packages&nummod=2&placeselection=georegion&dateoption=within&act.query=1&cobrand=&srchbutton.x=57&srchbutton.y=9

I hope this helps.
pba

14 hours is 700-900 miles, which limits one to West Virginia, maybe
Ohio, etc.  Sorry, the chance of finding (man-made) snow over
Thanksgiving is extraordinarily slim.

24 hours from Atlanta would bring one to northern Michigan (albeit
lower peninsula) and the Boyne's (Highlands and Mountain) will do
their best to open on Thanksgiving, at least in a limited way.  Blue
Mountain in Ontarior (north of Toronto) will try to open.  Each of the
above are 500 foot vertical.

Might be an outside shot at getting to the Montreal area or Vermont -
but you're over the 24 hour radius.

Here in northern Michigan our temps are still in the 40's to 50's. 
There is no snow on the ground and the resorts have not been able to
make any snow. Temps for making snow must be in the high 20's or lower
and we have not had such temps sustained.

Now if you were able to fly . . . 

weisstho-ga

I have visited most ski resorts in the U.S. with my family, and have a
recommendation for you:  Keystone Resort in Dillon, Colorado: 
http://keystone.snow.com/

Keystone is already open for the season.  
It is just 90 minutes west of Denver - just 3-4 miles north of I-70.
They have a first class ski school, and are particularly great with
small kids.
Lots of first class lodging at a broad range of prices.
Great restaurants and other fun things to do.
Night skiing for those with antifreeze in their veins.
Lots of "green" (beginner) runs - "School Marm" is the best.
2300 vertical feet of snow!!
Fantastic scenery.
Super family friendly.

Also, Breckenridge is just across the mountain, Vail and Copper
Mountain are just up the road 20 minutes.

And just 90 minutes from Denver.

No question about it - take the kids to Keystone.

weisstho-ga