Bretton Woods is cutting more trails

[RISkier]

We did a weekend at BW last spring when they were doing a 3-day all you can ski (including nights) lift ticket for $99. Year before I think we paid $52 on the weekend. It's more expensive than Cannon but it's not in the Stratton range yet. BW is not Cannon and doesn't try to be. I think it's very good for novices and low intermediates. There are green trails off almost every lift and while they aren't steep they have sustained pitch. There's lots of easy blues to progress too, and the groomed blacks are nice cruisers. I've heard a lot of positives about the glade skiing, but don't have first hand experience. No doubt the blues are easier than those at places like Cannon or Stowe -- I think the groomed blacks would be rated blue at Stowe or Cannon. OTH, the blues at BW don't strike me as having any less pitch than places like Gunstock, Sunapee, or Pats. We're second year skiers and have skied everything at Pats except Hurricane. I certainly don't find Pats or Gunstock, or Sunapee to be any more challenging than BW. That said, BW is clearly targeting a more upscale faimily oriented clientel -- their target market is much more like Stratton or Okemo than Cannon.

[thetrailboss]

Originally Posted by Greg

It's not always the mountain's vertical though trailboss. BW has 4 high speeders which on an uncrowded day can provide a lot of skiing. Think of it in terms of the total vertical you can get in a day.

Also, let's be frank. BW caters to a different clientele than a mountain like Cannon.

High speed quads also do not make or break a mountain either. Sugarbush has 5 as well, but their terrain is much better than BW's. Other mountains have great service and terrain, but no hs quads which usually bring larger crowds and higher ticket prices.

I think this would inspire an interesting AZ poll--what makes a great mountain? I'll get to that in a minute.

Like Chilemass said, BW caters to those who have the $$$ to spend it. I personally would go elsewhere because the terrain is blah.

Still a lot of money for 1500 vertical feet of relatively flat terrain and their glades that I have skied were nothing to write home about, but then again, I am comparing them to Burke and Jay, which is altogether different.

BW: Not my cup of tea. Maybe yours? If so, enjoy!

[riverc0il]

regarding pricing at BW, other posters said it best when they noted that BW is catoring to a different market. check out the prices for a weekend for two in the mount washington hotel at the same resort! add in a ski package and some extras, and you quickly see that BW is targeting a crowd that plans to spend $800 minimum on an inclusive weekend getaway... and skiing is a side option, not the main course.

that's cool by me. the ski industry needs places like BW and stratton, etc. so that people who like that kinda thing stay outta my powdah stashes on other mountains no offense intended to those that do like those types of mountains, my point is everyone has a preference and it's nice for the variety.

if you want to ski BW cheap, get the bold & beautiful pass that combines cannon and BW for (i think...) less than $300 for the season.