western riding

[40th RTX]

A buddy and I are thinking of going out west to ride this winter. Neither of us has ever ridden outside of the midwest. I am looking for input on places to go. We don't need it to be fancy, just clean. lol. We would be flying so it would help to be reasonably close to an airport. Interested in lodging, rental and availability of trails, powder riding etc. We would probably want a guide for at least one day. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[mrbb]

IMO< for a first time trip out west, its hard to beat west yellowstone, tons of places to stay, tons of places to rent and tons of trails and OFF trail riding
and honestly if your a TRAIL rider, you will have awesome trails and miles to ride, as most folks go out to off trail ride, so trails DON"T get beat up like they do in a more trail riding only area's
plus many many places if you do a whole package with them, give you a free tank of fuel each day to ride on!
some will even do airport pick up IF there is enough to make it worth while, other wise, if you have say 3-4 guys, RENT a car and split the costs, its pretty cheap, you will still have a little driving to to get there from any airport, about an hour or so, its just nature of the beast!
another place is Island park ID, again lots of options there too, more off trail than trail

there are other places off the beaten path better for more experienced off trail riders, but for first time trip , west yellowstone is HARD to beat IMO
all the more so if your NOT all BIG on playing off trail and getting stuck, as with so many trails to ride, you can ride all day and see awesome scenery and enjoy yourself, OR , can trail ride and stop and watch some of the more skilled or younger guns, run off trail and get stuck LOL
another idea I would even suggest, if, if you go for a week, rent 2 types of sleds, a trail sled the first couple days and then as your get more aquainted with the area, then a mountain sled, and go play off trail

keep in mind if your a flat lander, altitude out there can effect some more than others, so keep a eye out for signs of sickness
I took one buddy out and they got pretty sick the first 3 days, just couldn;t handle being up high?? (above 7500 ft)
I'd suggest drink lots of water , and know the signs of altitude sickness if you go HIGH and ain't used to it
can happen to some folks at above 8,000 ft!
its not like your on million feet up, just it effects some more than others!

 

[woodside]

I highly recommend Beaver Creek Lodge which is about a 2 hour drive northeast of Salt Lake City. We were there in 2015 and 2016 and friends of ours went there last Winter.
This is a first class operation and Brian, the owner, is all about customer service and providing everything you need to assure a great experience.

Take a look at my review from 2015 and also other reviews on their website http://www.beavercreeklodge.com/ or trip advisor https://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g57049-d1018688-Reviews-Beaver_Creek_Lodge-Logan_Utah.html

2BVI
Bayfield, WI


38​

Reviewed February 2, 2015First Class
We chose Beaver Creek Lodge based upon the personal recommendation of John Prusak from Snowgoer Magazine who featured the lodge in their mag early this Winter. As usual John was spot on. Bryan and his staff are committed to making their guests experience the best it can be. And they deliver on their promise.

This was my first experience riding out west but am a very seasoned rider logging tens of thousands of miles on the trails and forest roads of northern Wisconsin. But mountain riding, except for the trails, is a totally different experience. I know that Bryan shook his head watching me do some boneheaded things on the first day of riding. But he is very understanding, patient and helpful. But you learn and adjust quickly and your riding skills improve everyday.

The lodge has all one could ask for including wifi. There is no cell phone service but one can always use Skye if needed or drive down the road a few miles for a signal. Gerald and Vivian are absolutely fantastic chefs and you WILL NOT BE disappointed with their service. Plus they are wonderful people and are very easy to get to know and talk with. Viv made sure I had hot tea which helped nurture the bad cold I had. The three of us were the only guests during the Jan 12-16 period so we got a lot of personal attention for all the staff. Maybe a better term would be pampered!!

The plan is to return next Winter, this time with my wife, brother, Dean, Pete and other riders who stay at our lodging business in Bayfield, Wisconsin www.woodsidecottages.com The lodge is just a two hour drive from SLC airport, depending on the weather. We got $228 airfare from MSP which was a huge help with the cost of our trip.

We choose the full package which I felt was reasonable. Bryan has new and high quality equipment. We did upgrade to the 800c/154" Summitt after the first day which we felt best met our needs with the off trail riding that we did. Power is king.

The area has many miles of groomed trails and most of them are adjacent to meadows, basins bordered by hills, slope and high ridges which provide a fun experience for riders no matter the level of skill. Those who want technical riding can find their way into the back country, often by trail and error, and enjoy their day or hire one of the professional guides Bryan has on staff who know the way.

One of my favorite areas are Peters Sinks which is an interesting area famous for the cold temps. I enjoyed the many riding opportunities and uniqueness that the area offered.

I think about the trip every day. The plan is to return late March 2016, this time with my wife, brother and other riders and friend who stay at our lodging business in Bayfield, Wisconsin www.woodsidecottages.com The lodge is just a two hour drive from SLC airport, depending on the weather.
Show less

• Stayed: January 2015, traveled with friends
  
  • 
    Rooms
    
  • 
    Cleanliness
    
  • 
    Service

Ask 2BVI about Beaver Creek Lodge



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2BVI
Bayfield, WI


38​

Reviewed February 2, 2015First Class
We chose Beaver Creek Lodge based upon the personal recommendation of John Prusak from Snowgoer Magazine who featured the lodge in their mag early this Winter. As usual John was spot on. Bryan and his staff are committed to making their guests experience the best it can be. And they deliver on their promise.

This was my first experience riding out west but am a very seasoned rider logging tens of thousands of miles on the trails and forest roads of northern Wisconsin. But mountain riding, except for the trails, is a totally different experience. I know that Bryan shook his head watching me do some boneheaded things on the first day of riding. But he is very understanding, patient and helpful. But you learn and adjust quickly and your riding skills improve everyday.

The lodge has all one could ask for including wifi. There is no cell phone service but one can always use Skye if needed or drive down the road a few miles for a signal. Gerald and Vivian are absolutely fantastic chefs and you WILL NOT BE disappointed with their service. Plus they are wonderful people and are very easy to get to know and talk with. Viv made sure I had hot tea which helped nurture the bad cold I had. The three of us were the only guests during the Jan 12-16 period so we got a lot of personal attention for all the staff. Maybe a better term would be pampered!!

The plan is to return next Winter, this time with my wife, brother, Dean, Pete and other riders who stay at our lodging business in Bayfield, Wisconsin www.woodsidecottages.com The lodge is just a two hour drive from SLC airport, depending on the weather. We got $228 airfare from MSP which was a huge help with the cost of our trip.

We choose the full package which I felt was reasonable. Bryan has new and high quality equipment. We did upgrade to the 800c/154" Summitt after the first day which we felt best met our needs with the off trail riding that we did. Power is king.

The area has many miles of groomed trails and most of them are adjacent to meadows, basins bordered by hills, slope and high ridges which provide a fun experience for riders no matter the level of skill. Those who want technical riding can find their way into the back country, often by trail and error, and enjoy their day or hire one of the professional guides Bryan has on staff who know the way.

One of my favorite areas are Peters Sinks which is an interesting area famous for the cold temps. I enjoyed the many riding opportunities and uniqueness that the area offered.

I think about the trip every day. The plan is to return late March 2016, this time with my wife, brother and other riders and friend who stay at our lodging business in Bayfield, Wisconsin www.woodsidecottages.com The lodge is just a two hour drive from SLC airport, depending on the weather.
Show less

• Stayed: January 2015, traveled with friends
  
  • 
    Rooms
    
  • 
    Cleanliness
    
  • 
    Service

Ask 2BVI about Beaver Creek Lodge

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