The Difference Between East Coast And West Coast Skiing

The first time that I put on a pair of skis was when I was 11 years old. White Pass Ski Resort in Washington state is where I spent most of my life learning to ski, racing my brothers, and hanging out with my cousins. Since then, I have skied in Montana at Big Sky and Bridger Bowl Ski Resorts, and this past winter, I skied on the East Coast for the first time in Maine. The biggest questions that I get from people are first “how did you end up on the East Coast” followed by “what’s the difference between East and West Coast skiing.” The only thing that I knew of East Coast skiing was the occasional photo that I saw on Instagram about the icy conditions. I honestly wasn’t really sure what to expect. Here are some of my takeaways:

The Snow

As I said before, my only knowledge of East Coast skiing was what I saw on social media. The stereotypes seemed to be more icy conditions, and it turned out to be somewhat accurate. On my first run, I definitely noticed how different the snow felt. It took a few runs to adjust, but once I did, I had so much fun. The type of snow and powder was different from what I was used to, but once I got used to it, I had one of the best days of skiing I had ever had. I noticed the more challenging trails had more moguls. As someone who hadn’t really encountered this before, it was a struggle to figure out, but one of the highlights of my trips to Saddleback Ski Mountain once I did figure it out.

The Trails

I would consider myself an intermediate skier. I have tried a few black diamond trails since I moved to the East Coast, though I had never attempted any when I lived in Washington. I quickly noticed that the trail difficulty can vary between regions. For example, a black diamond trail on the East Coast could have been an intermediate trail on the West Coast. On one of my trips to Saddleback, I also attempted one of the easier glades. I had never tried skiing through trees before, and there aren’t as many opportunities at White Pass Ski Resort to try this. I enjoyed the challenge and hope that I can keep practicing and improving this winter.

The Overall Experience

One of the things that I noticed right away was the difference in overall atmosphere and experience. Ski resorts on the West Coast are some of the largest and most well-known in the nation. However, these resorts are often expensive and have a more commercialized feel. While I love skiing in my home state, it sometimes lacks the sense of connection that I experienced when skiing on the East Coast.

When I first started skiing at Saddleback, I noticed a strong sense of community at the mountain. Most of the people skiing there were locals and families with a strong connection to the mountain. After hearing the story of Saddleback’s closing and inspiring reopening in 2020, I began to understand the pride and love that people have for Saddleback. It was amazing to see how much a mountain means to a community and brings people together.

As winter approaches, I look forward to spending another season on the East Coast and skiing on the weekends.
– Cassy