IMO - World Cup at Okemo is the best early season trail to open in the east. Lower WC is pretty wide open and boring, but Upper WC has some nice flow with the fall line. WC would is a pretty solid 1600 vert crusier for anywhere in the east IMO.
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It's official, a brand new orange 6 pack bubble at Okemo
- Thread starter slatham
- Start date
jimmywilson69
Well-known member
I agree DHS. While Okemo isn't Killington, Stowe, Cannon, etc. It is a decent mountain that offers excellent intermediate terrain. Being from PA I enjoy skiing there. However, I must say that more than a day or 2 and It would be boring. we've always hit it on the 3rd day of a 3 day weekend after skiing Killington for 2 days. It's a good way to round out the trip.
I personally don't get the hate, but I guess it's just "internet muscles" that many people tend to flex.
I personally don't get the hate, but I guess it's just "internet muscles" that many people tend to flex.
Newpylong
Well-known member
And opened 2-3 weeks after Killington's "short, flat and slow" triple. By the time World Cup is open Killington is into the Canyon effectively giving you a run of similar length and pitch.
To each his own, I don't really criticize any mountain's offerings.
bobbutts
New member
I'll go to either and enjoy them both. It's less of a Killington criticism than a mention that Okemo has some good early season skiing available. Yeah, it lacks any sustained steep runs, but early season, those aren't going to be open anywhere regardless. Also, Great Northern opens after Rime, no? Or you're saying East Fall?
xwhaler
Active member
Okemo does do a good job with early season ops. WC is a good trail for cruising and the summit lodge plus HSQ makes it an attractive proposition.
We'll be there Thanksgiving wknd if not sooner.
We'll be there Thanksgiving wknd if not sooner.
steamboat1
New member
The Downdraft headwall is usually one of the first things to open after they get upper Great Northern connected to North Ridge. They hold an early season competition on it (Turkey Jam).
steamboat1
New member
Steeper than anything at Okemo sustained or not/early season or not.
dlague
Active member
Let's face it - if you like making turns and cruising, Okemo has plenty to offer. They do provide some nice bump trails on the Jackson Gore side but they dump on to a cruiser. If you are looking for heart pounding excitement - naturally Okemo is not for you. I enjoy skiing there mainly to cruise around and focus on Glades Peak, South face and Northstar with a little Jackson Gore.
steamboat1
New member
Actually if you're into bumps Okemo has more to offer than K. K has been grooming the heck out of the mountain the last few years leaving only a few small areas of seeded bumps which don't amount to much. Even natural snow bump runs such as North Star & Great Bear have been groomed. This has been a major complaint of K regulars including myself the last few years. You have to wait until spring to find good bumps at K. Royal Flush is the only good bump run usually left untouched (although I did see it groomed once) & they usually leave 1/2 of OL ungroomed. Upper Needles & skiers right on lower Needles are also usually left bumped as well as a few other short shots on the mountain. Pretty much everything else gets groomed regularly.
Okemo usually has several runs bumped up all season. I'm not good with trail names at Okemo but the run above the 1/2 pipe is usually bumped up as is the trail under the triple next to the Northstar lift. The trail down to the Solitude chair from the upper mountain triple is another as well as one run over at Jackson Gore. See I don't always knock Okemo although I still don't enjoy skiing there.
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Newpylong
Well-known member
I agree, I think the bumps at Okemo have been better than K recently. The one down in Solitude is the Plunge and the one by Black Chair is Sel's Choice. Both good runs. It does seem like you have to wait until spring for nice bumps at K and even then they are on the natural only trails as the ones with snowmaking are either bulletproof or flattened. Stratton also has some good bumps runs all season.
I was referring to East Fall when I said Killington moves into the Canyon. I forgot all about Downdraft Headwall.
I was referring to East Fall when I said Killington moves into the Canyon. I forgot all about Downdraft Headwall.
mikestaple
Member
I had my first bubble experience at Big Sky last Feb. They bought out the old Spanish Peaks and that had a short lift with a bubble (sorry, no orange).
It was a nice novelty. But after the first time, you really didn't need it. In fact, if anything, it made the ride up humid and fogged up the googles.
It was a nice novelty. But after the first time, you really didn't need it. In fact, if anything, it made the ride up humid and fogged up the googles.
After a 20 plus year hiatus from okemo -Skied okemo 11/17 this year- pouring rain and they had maybe 3-4 trails ttb - maybe 9 listed as open- skied 38k cruising all day on an empty north star express on great wet snow- awesome day- way more terrain than snow or Stratton- k may have been ttb on snow den with glades triple at that time- maybe more acreage but it was bits and pieces... Props to okemo - even after that they added trails quicker than anyone except k-
drjeff
Well-known member
And it's name will be....
Sun Burst 6
Sun Burst 6
Newpylong
Well-known member
Not a bad choice imho
drjeff
Well-known member
As long as no CRAZY events happen to effect construction, it will be ready in 3 months time I'm sure!
Once the footings are in and cured and all the lift components are on site, it really will go from looking like barely anything to looking like a lift that's ready to operate quickly! Same with the storage barn depending on the type of construction they use. If it's a steel frame, almost pre-fab like structure that will also quickly go up! Mount Snow's storage barn took a while to build simply because they chose to use all post + beam "old school" New England barn type construction! Regardless of what type of barn Okemo builds, I'm quite sure that prior to building it, they'll install the storage rails and their support towers in the area that will be inside the barn before putting the roof and/or walls up - much easier doing it that way with likely the same crane that will install the bottom terminal components
dlague
Active member
I was noticing on a Banff FB page that some one earned their turns and skied a dump on September 3 on at Sunshine. Out in interest, I went to their site to look at Cams - it is all gone but it is spitting snow there at this time. I know, I know what the hell does this have to do with Okemo and the oragne heated bubble chair well check it out
http://www.skibanff.com/sunshine-village-news/sunshine-village-will-soon-have-the-hottest-chair-in-canada/
Those orange bubbles are popping up all over!
http://www.skibanff.com/sunshine-village-news/sunshine-village-will-soon-have-the-hottest-chair-in-canada/
Those orange bubbles are popping up all over!
ss20
Well-known member
No October opening then it seems.
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