Where to live for surf and ski??

[801 jav]

Chile is hard to beat.. all those insane left points, fewer crowds... plus close enough to the hill with options. Stateside... Santa Cruz is first that comes to mind (beacaues it sounds like surfing is first priority) but obviously very expensive. Year round surfing in the PNW may get tougher than you think.

[cito]

Commish, you pretty much answered your own question. Just forgot filthy, redic amount of hardcore fakes who can't do shit but look cool...and quality of life/standard of living, culture isn't in South American's league. Like I said, Nocal only option in the states. Don't know 801 jav at all, but seems like he has a clue.

And the SC barb...always taken as a compliment. Cool yo.

[cj001f]

culture isn't in South American's league.

given the aspirations of most Santiagans, that's fucking funny

Norcal is mostly a shitty impostor of Socal now. Check out Capitola sometime....

[cito]

To each his own. The urban planning was comical for the LA area. Building on fault lines is not even scratching the surface. The semi-circle of mountains the begins and ends on the coast so all that crap just circulates is especially impressive. You ask any geologist if they can go back in time and change the horrific city planning, and the answer will be unanomous. At least "downtown" kicks ass, LOL.

[Alpine Dreams]

I'll throw in a vote for Chile.

[cj001f]

To each his own. The urban planning was comical for the LA area. Building on fault lines is not even scratching the surface. The semi-circle of mountains the begins and ends on the coast so all that crap just circulates is especially impressive. You ask any geologist if they can go back in time and change the horrific city planning, and the answer will be unanomous. At least "downtown" kicks ass, LOL.

Heh. My point was the monumentally craptacular socal model is being widely aped in Norcal and most of SoAmerica... but to each their own.

[cito]

Ugh, problem is....forget it.

But even though, I assumed, driving distance was criteria, easy access to world class shit must be in the equation for heaven. Ala Alaska/Revelstoke/Crystal up there, and everywhere in South/Central America. That being said and I suck for fuckin' it up -- Japan/SEasia/Fiji/Bora/NZ/Australia and up and coming China gots serious props.

[cito]

Actually, didn't Japan get hit hard with swell or was about to or some shit? I remember hearing something like from someone somewhere, but don't remember shit and don't quote my ass.

[Bob O]

there has been a lot of talk about Chile.

QUESTION IS: where is the coolest town half way between good surf and good skiing. I don't want to live in Santiago smog. It has some of the worst air quality in the world.

NEXT QUESTION: How bad is the air quality in the surrounding areas?

thanks for the beta

[stew130]

I wouldn't rule out Bend. Gerry Lopez could live anywhere in the world and he lives here now. He doesn't ski, but snowboards like a 20 year old. Mt. Bachelor isn't big mountain skiing, but is only 20-30 minutes from town and gets a fair number of powder days. The BC skiing is good and accessible. For surf, Pacific City is 4'15" away and when you don't have the time or there's no swell, there's wakesurfing at several lakes within an hours drive and a lot of people with boats who are more than happy to have some portable ballast on board if you pony up gas money or beer.
Bend has grown tremendously in the last 15 yrs, but that's brought high tech job opportunities and overall a better quality of life despite what the old timers might tell you. It is an expensive place to live though.

[cj001f]

who the fuck is going to share their slice of paradise in this day and age?

I'd club them to death with a twinzer on general principles

[gunnar93]

portland maine. Sunday river is 70 miles away. the skiing isnt as good as out west but it is prettier than out west. at least in the tree department.not as good of views but also not as crowded as L.A. and way better air quality. and then Boston is only 1:30 hours away.

[cito]

People putting up NE locals, you guys serious? I'm an ECoaster at heart and will defend it to the death on certain aspects, but BEST place to live and surf in the world, c'mon now. VT/NH/ME contigent, yes earthy and excellent vibe, but cannot compare Sunday River or anywhere else on EC with respect to big mountain/huge lines/wide open space to the Rockies.

Unless you grew up here, heavy majority of west coast transplants to NE would be highly dissappointed. The ratio of E to W transplants must heavily outweigh it's counterparts (with regards to the thread content at hand). Have no stats to support this, but having lived on both, no brainer. Seriously not trying to disrespect/minimize the beauty of NE, but facts are facts.

[Dromond]

People putting up NE locals, you guys serious? I'm an ECoaster at heart and will defend it to the death on certain aspects, but BEST place to live and surf in the world, c'mon now. VT/NH/ME contigent, yes earthy and excellent vibe, but cannot compare Sunday River or anywhere else on EC with respect to big mountain/huge lines/wide open space to the Rockies.

Unless you grew up here, heavy majority of west coast transplants to NE would be highly dissappointed. The ratio of E to W transplants must heavily outweigh it's counterparts (with regards to the thread content at hand). Have no stats to support this, but having lived on both, no brainer. Seriously not trying to disrespect/minimize the beauty of NE, but facts are facts.

For sure. I have not known any permanent W -> E transplants that were serious skiers or surfers. NE is great - but it is what it is.

[Bob O]

true that. the east coast is great, but for surf and snow it can't hang.

now back to the real question

where is the coolest town half way between good surf and good skiing. I don't want to live in Santiago smog. It has some of the worst air quality in the world.

How bad is the air quality in the surrounding areas?

[Dawn Patrol]

North East isn't the best place in the world. But living on Long Island last year, 35 days this or better, 5 hours away:



With an additional 20 good days.

And probably 15 days like this or better, minutes away (curtosey of fellow islander):





With another 75 days surfing. Isn't bad. Add in the fact that you're 20 miles from manhattan, and life is good. Might not be the best place in the world, but I like it.

[cito]

Unless abroad is a serious option, Cruz and whatever northern coast from there on up should be decisive, domestically speaking.

[cito]

Those are epic EC conditions, not the norm. And the pow is still in super tight lines - you can't let it rip. And that post pic of the storm (which you would guess is after a northeastern swell, but by color of water and shape, looks like a cold southerly), that right is a closeout. Check out outside, next one coming from other direction. No designated breaks, bars change annually, even monthly. Although we have our moments, consistency is what's lacking.

[cito]

My bad, left, got excited. After it cleans up and blows west though, fun as shiz. Btw, looks like good striper territory. When was that taken?

[Dawn Patrol]

Pic was in may. Like I said, I had about 15 days out of 90 like that, and 35+ days like the skiing pic last winter. That is average good for my groups skiing (we almost exclusively ski trees and bc)

THIS was epic EC stoke:




Yea, the sandbars shift, the trees are tight, but thats the trade off.


PS. The summit of Mansfield allegedly got 400" last winter. I believe it.

[Dawn Patrol]

Anyway, I don't want to keep diverting this thread, yea, the EC isn't the best place, but its pretty sweet.

[cito]

Werd, DP. Props for maximizing it. Are those 179 Seths, 06/07's?

[Dawn Patrol]

Yes sir, no question, they are sick skis. Bought them for the pow/touring and within 2 days they were my everyday ski.

[cito]

As an EC'er, can't argue with choice of sticks. Along with 190 Goats, manageable to say the least.

So pic was taken in May in low 50 degree temps, yup stripers.

[Bob O]

With another 75 days surfing. Isn't bad. Add in the fact that you're 20 miles from manhattan, and life is good. Might not be the best place in the world, but I like it.

life isn't bad on the east coast. nice pics. you got a good thing going. 100 more inches a year and more consistent surf and I'll move back.