Baker is... Baker. There's nothing like it. That's good, and not so good. But you don't come here for the glitzy, corporate, mani-pedi, $20 apres drink, packed like sardines gondola, sleep in your king-sized goose down comforter bed. You come here to shred, without all the B.S. I've skied all over N. America and Europe for 50 years, and for me, Baker is heaven. Sure, Alta has better snow. Sure, Whistler has a cool village. But they also cost you $2,000 for a weekend and you're surrounded by thousands and thousands of people, Not all of whom you really want to mingle with. Yeah, I've made the (short) drive only to find rain and sleet. But I've also skied untouched powder out of bounds (legally) with not a soul around. That's winter sports. Mother nature is fickle, so deal with it. Some days you win, some days you lose. But it's always real.