Best Expert Terrain Pod in the East

xwhaler · Aug 26, 2015

Best Expert Terrain Lift in the East

DHS' claim that Madonna expert terrain is better than C-rock got me thinking, what do folks feel is the best expert pod in the East?
For the record I'm not agreeing nor disagreeing with DHS' claim---I have to think more about that one before I make up my mind.
I think for me the variables in play are variety of offerings (trails + woods), no mixing with lower level terrain, ability to lap the terrain easily, and continuous steep/challenging vert.

*I'm sure I'm missing a lot so feel free to add for discussion.

Some contenders that I have skied:
-Smuggs M1 (Fab 5 + upper mtn glades)

-Sugarbush Castlerock

-Saddleback Kennebago (Kennebago Steeps + Casablanca/Muleskinner)

-Cannon Zoomer/C-Ball quad/Mittersill (I can't decide whether Cannon fits the profile since all their lifts do involve mixing with other terrain)

-MRG Single/Double

-Sugarloaf King Pine/Brackett

-Pico Outpost Double

-Magic (either chair but the mixing and run out may eliminate from this discussion)

skiMEbike · Aug 26, 2015

I think we will need a refresher on the definition of "pod" before we can answer :wink:

deadheadskier · Aug 26, 2015

Canyon Area at Bear Mountain at Killington would get votes from some I'm sure. I wouldn't give them top billing in the East personally, but they are both excellent.

Puck it · Aug 26, 2015

deadheadskier said:
Canyon Area at Bear Mountain at Killington would get votes from some I'm sure. I wouldn't give them top billing in the East personally, but they are both excellent.

I prefer the Canyon Area over Bear. There seems to more options for tree skiing there. On and off map.

Puck it · Aug 26, 2015

xwhaler said:
DHS' claim that Madonna expert terrain is better than C-rock got me thinking, what do folks feel is the best expert pod in the East?
For the record I'm not agreeing nor disagreeing with DHS' claim---I have to think more about that one before I make up my mind.
I think for me the variables in play are variety of offerings (trails + woods), no mixing with lower level terrain, ability to lap the terrain easily, and continuous steep/challenging vert.

*I'm sure I'm missing a lot so feel free to add for discussion.

Some contenders that I have skied:
-Smuggs M1 (Fab 5 + upper mtn glades)

-Sugarbush Castlerock

-Saddleback Kennebago (Kennebago Steeps + Casablanca/Muleskinner)

-Cannon Zoomer/C-Ball quad/Mittersill (I can't decide whether Cannon fits the profile since all their lifts do involve mixing with other terrain)

-MRG Single/Double

-Sugarloaf King Pine/Brackett

-Pico Outpost Double

-Magic (either chair but the mixing and run out may eliminate from this discussion)

In regards to Cannon. Zoomer has the better trails than Cannonball but Cannonball trees are better than the lower glades. Wind up high helps to load especially when hey fire up the guns on Profile. Mittersill is by far the better expert terrain only due to the natural conditions. Once snowmaking goes in, Baron's will be just another cruiser.

catsup948 · Aug 26, 2015

I terms of pure gnar castlerock, even its name is gnarly. Kennebago chair offers the greatest amount of skiing for one single expert pod. M1, Both MRG chairs offer too much mixing to be counted as pure expert pods. I think the Jet triple at Jay should be mentioned as as well, maybe also the north face of mount snow as a pure expert pod too.

Tin · Aug 26, 2015

An actual pod and not an entirely serviced mountain... Canyon at K or Outpost at Pico. (Otherwise I would vote for Magic, Mitty, and M1)

marcski · Aug 26, 2015

What about Stowe's Forerunner Quad? I know it serves some intermediate runs too, but the expert runs off the lift are quite prime for the east.

Newpylong · Aug 26, 2015

I would add North Face at Mount Snow - not really difficult compared to a lot of pods mentioned but is pretty much a pure advanced pod.

How about Straightbrook at Gore?

xwhaler · Aug 26, 2015

catsup948 said:
I terms of pure gnar castlerock, even its name is gnarly. Kennebago chair offers the greatest amount of skiing for one single expert pod. M1, Both MRG chairs offer too much mixing to be counted as pure expert pods. I think the Jet triple at Jay should be mentioned as as well, maybe also the north face of mount snow as a pure expert pod too.

In terms of total acerage of expert skiing the Kennebago at Saddleback does offer an enormous amt of terrain!

St. Bear · Aug 26, 2015

Slides at Whiteface.

ScottySkis · Aug 26, 2015

Hunter west

dlague · Aug 26, 2015

xwhaler said:
In terms of total acerage of expert skiing the Kennebago at Saddleback does offer an enormous amt of terrain!

I agree! However Canyon at K is right up there. Have not skied Bear yet. Also KP at Sugarloaf with access to Brackett+.

steamboat1 · Aug 26, 2015

The only trails scary steep at K are OL, DF, lower Ovation & maybe the very top of Vertigo. None of these trails are located in the Canyon area. Royal Flush is pretty steep too but I consider that off Snowdon even though it does lead down to the Canyon chair. So no I wouldn't vote for the Canyon area at K.

Being old school I'd still vote for the Front 4 at Stowe. To me Goat is the most challenging trail top to bottom in the east, not much of run out when you ski the whole trail.

BenedictGomez · Aug 26, 2015

skiMEbike said:
I think we will need a refresher on the definition of "pod" before we can answer :wink:

Probably the second most incorrectly used word in the ski terminology lexicon* (several examples in this thread already).

The best example of pod skiing in the east, is Gore. Gore should be listed next to "pod skiing" in the dictionary.

*Powder, is the most incorrectly used. Especially by ski area marketing teams & snow reporters.

Highway Star · Aug 26, 2015

xwhaler said:
DHS' claim that Madonna expert terrain is better than C-rock got me thinking, what do folks feel is the best expert pod in the East?
For the record I'm not agreeing nor disagreeing with DHS' claim---I have to think more about that one before I make up my mind.
I think for me the variables in play are variety of offerings (trails + woods), no mixing with lower level terrain, ability to lap the terrain easily, and continuous steep/challenging vert.

*I'm sure I'm missing a lot so feel free to add for discussion.

Some contenders that I have skied:
-Smuggs M1 (Fab 5 + upper mtn glades)

-Sugarbush Castlerock

-Saddleback Kennebago (Kennebago Steeps + Casablanca/Muleskinner)

-Cannon Zoomer/C-Ball quad/Mittersill (I can't decide whether Cannon fits the profile since all their lifts do involve mixing with other terrain)

-MRG Single/Double

-Sugarloaf King Pine/Brackett

-Pico Outpost Double

-Magic (either chair but the mixing and run out may eliminate from this discussion)

Seriously.....?

Highway Star · Aug 26, 2015

steamboat1 said:
The only trails scary steep at K are OL, DF, lower Ovation & maybe the very top of Vertigo. None of these trails are located in the Canyon area. Royal Flush is pretty steep too but I consider that off Snowdon even though it does lead down to the Canyon chair. So no I wouldn't vote for the Canyon area at K.

Being old school I'd still vote for the Front 4 at Stowe. To me Goat is the most challenging trail top to bottom in the east, not much of run out when you ski the whole trail.

Actually, they most consistantly scary "on the map" spot on the mountain is located in the canyon.

steamboat1 · Aug 26, 2015

Highway Star said:
Actually, they most consistantly scary "on the map" spot on the mountain is located in the canyon.

Which in your opinion is?

St. Bear · Aug 26, 2015

BenedictGomez said:
*Powder, is the most incorrectly used. Especially by ski area marketing teams & snow reporters.

"Come ski the 2" of fresh powder!"

skiNEwhere · Aug 26, 2015

Even though it's debatable as to whether or not its a pod, I have to go with the single chair terrain at MRG. I think it fits the definition of a pod in that you can lap the trails without having to take another lift to get back where you started.

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