Stowe April 7-9...spring at its best

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

Originally Posted by Greg

Maybe someday we can hold a goose-stompin' duel down it...

again what is goose stompin??

[Greg]

Originally Posted by GrilledSteezeSandwich

again what is goose stompin??

Oh come on. You remember. Goose Stomping. Classic MrMagic slam. Where's that pic, GSS?

Sorry for the hijack.

[powderfreak]

Originally Posted by deadheadskier

All of those mountains are fantastic in their own right, however they do not come as close to Stowe in terms of delivering a near Western Style skiing experience. I could think of aspects of all of the above listed areas that one could argue are better than Stowe.

It's just the whole package of the place combined. The easily accesible high alpine terrain, high natural snowfall, sustained vert, HUGE slack country offerings, even great cruising terrain and grooming, there is very little that the mountain doesn't do VERY well outside of being unreasonably expensive.

Well said. The true appeal of the place isn't apparent (except visually) the first few visits to Stowe, IMO. When I arrived up here 5 years ago, someone who I trusted with regards to VT skiing told me I'd be stupid to go anywhere but Stowe. There passes were higher and I almost went elsewhere but took the advice and skied that first season. I liked that first season but it wasn't until my second and third seasons when I really discovered what Stowe and Mt. Mansfield is about.

Don't get me wrong, I'm a big fan of Stowe but its not the resort that does it for me...its the mountain. Mount Mansfield is hands down the best piece of rock to ski on in the northeast and I'm convinced of that. Take away all the lifts across New England and compare pure mountain to pure mountain, and Mansfield is up there. It pulls in more snow than anywhere else in the east except Jay Peak, you get over 2000ft of sustained vertical from the lifts, and 2,800ft if you ski from the Chin to the parking lots. That's 2,800ft of steep, sustained pitch though terrain that is not easily found elsewhere in the east.

And if you like off-piste stuff (Stowe cruisers are ok but I wouldn't rate them all that high in that category), the ease of access from the top of the lifts to western style descents is incredible. Also, the fact that the CCC was cutting trails on Mansfield over half a century ago lends to the historical significance of the mountain...when skiing down the Bruce or Teardrop, you just get this feeling that these trails have been here for a while. The CCC trails also add skiable terrain to the western side of Mansfield which is just an enormous amount of skiing when you factor in the possibilities. A friend of mine started doing the Three Town Tour this season...start in Underhill, skin up the west side, ski down into Stowe, take the crossover Gondi to Spruce Peak, go to the top and drop down into Jeffersonville/Cambridge area where Smugglers Notch resort is located. Then you skin back up the closed RT 108, ski down to the quad or gondola and head back up to the Mansfield ridge before ending with an alpenglow run into the sunset back down to Underhill where your car is. Of course, you can compliment it with more lift accessed runs but there aren't many other places in the east that you can get that European style experience of covering large amounts of distances via lifts and hiking.

I could go on forever but instead I'll just have to keep posting trip reports

-Scott

[powderfreak]

Originally Posted by Greg

Pure Droolage

I took that with you bump artists in mind. I knew you'd appreciate the steep, mature line This time of year the bumps can be especially addicting.

[hardline]

Originally Posted by powderfreak

Well said. The true appeal of the place isn't apparent (except visually) the first few visits to Stowe

this very true. i was very fortunate my first season to have people that new the mountain show me where to be. i like going out west but but i always find myself comparing the west to the things i love about mansfield. friends think im a little nutty but thats ok. ill take days of runs down to 108 with out seeing a single person over the madness i have seen at some of the resorts out west.

[kingslug]

Originally Posted by Greg

Maybe someday we can hold a goose-stompin' duel down it...

Have fuuuuuuuuunnnnnnnnn!!!!!!!!!!!

[deadheadskier]

Originally Posted by hardline

this very true. i was very fortunate my first season to have people that new the mountain show me where to be. i like going out west but but i always find myself comparing the west to the things i love about mansfield. friends think im a little nutty but thats ok. ill take days of runs down to 108 with out seeing a single person over the madness i have seen at some of the resorts out west.

I feel the same way. Now mind you, I've only skied in Colorado at about ten places, so I don't have a lot to compare it to out West. However, I do have a love affair with the terrain in the Notch, both from Mansfield and from Spruce/Sterling. On a good day, skiing down to 108 from either side is as good as it gets for me. No place I'd rather be.

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

Stowe is awesome..but not comparable to Out West..

[hardline]

Originally Posted by GrilledSteezeSandwich

Stowe is awesome..but not comparable to Out West..

im not realy comparing it. its apples to oranges but when i am on a open bowl/face out west going ballz out, i miss the technical lines that have made me the rider that i am today. if i want high alpine just do a little booter up an i have it(granted things have gotten a lot easier with my splitty). then i am into the trees i love. then if i want to shit a twinkie, traverse hard left into the notch. this is all stuff you know already. for me its the perfect mountain. it has the perfect mix. i will always love exploring new places but there is nothing like moms home cooking and mansfield is biscuits and gravy.

[deadheadskier]

Originally Posted by GrilledSteezeSandwich

Stowe is awesome..but not comparable to Out West..

Guess I'm not really comparing....More stating my preference.

Like mentioned earlier, I've never been to Utah, J-Hole, plenty of places that I'm sure I'd love out West. I've had some sick days in Colorado for sure though. It's just given my druthers, I'd rather be standing on top of the Chin on a bluebird day looking out towards the dacks across Lake Champlain to the West and looking over to Washington in the east and dropping down towards 108 than say standing on top of Aspen Highlands about to descent Highland Bowl.

I guess it's kinda like the 'mom's home cooking' metaphor hardline threw out. I'm a New Englander through and through and skiing Vermont was a HUGE part of my upbringing. Vermont is just my skiing 'home'. I'll take skiing there on a good day over out west any day of the week, especially Mansfield. That mountain gives me everything I want.....I desire nothing more when I'm there on a powder day.