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Intermediate trails that are now labeled as beginner trails...

Edd

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To be fair, there's nothing else to do with South Ridge. The pitch and width are perfect for beginners. The traffic is the only downside I see.
 

Jully

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Not sure how I feel about Attitash. The double-double area isn't the greatest IMO. Snowshed is definitely superior as are many other areas in NE. Barnyard at Ragged is great as is the area at Stowe for sure though.
 

Jully

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To be fair, there's nothing else to do with South Ridge. The pitch and width are perfect for beginners. The traffic is the only downside I see.

Oh yeah the lift system is excellent and the majority of the trails are wonderful. Of resorts in Maine I think it is the best and probably the best east of Bretton Woods. Its just unfortunate that they made that area the epicenter of the resort from a beginners standpoint.
 

podunk77

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We've perhaps gotten a little off topic, but when it comes to good beginner pods, I'm a little surprised Tuckerbrook at Cannon hasn't been mentioned. I haven't been there for a few years, but I remember discovering it for the first time and thinking what a nice little enclave it was for people learning to ski. I've come close to recommending it to a couple people but wasn't certain whether Cannon offered a "Tuckerbrook only" lift ticket (i.e., why pay the same to ski the whole mountain when you're only going to use the Tuckerbrook lift?).
 

Quietman

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Still off topic, but I taught all of my kids to ski/board at the Westside chair at Mt Abram. Seperate pod, easy uncrowded lift & trails, nice length/pitch, nice cozy little lodge. I'm biased, but I don't recall a better learning area. Only issue is that it is separated from the main base area, but maybe that's also a plus.
 

Smellytele

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We've perhaps gotten a little off topic, but when it comes to good beginner pods, I'm a little surprised Tuckerbrook at Cannon hasn't been mentioned. I haven't been there for a few years, but I remember discovering it for the first time and thinking what a nice little enclave it was for people learning to ski. I've come close to recommending it to a couple people but wasn't certain whether Cannon offered a "Tuckerbrook only" lift ticket (i.e., why pay the same to ski the whole mountain when you're only going to use the Tuckerbrook lift?).

I did mention it back at the beginning right after Killington
 

deadheadskier

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Still off topic, but I taught all of my kids to ski/board at the Westside chair at Mt Abram. Seperate pod, easy uncrowded lift & trails, nice length/pitch, nice cozy little lodge. I'm biased, but I don't recall a better learning area. Only issue is that it is separated from the main base area, but maybe that's also a plus.

Definitely a great learning area. I think it's a good thing it is separate from the main base
 

SIKSKIER

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. I haven't been there for a few years, but I remember discovering it for the first time and thinking what a nice little enclave it was for people learning to ski. I've come close to recommending it to a couple people but wasn't certain whether Cannon offered a "Tuckerbrook only" lift ticket).
They still offer that ticket and it includes the Brookside lift if both are running.What is great about it for a learning area is it being totally separated from the main mt.Whats not so great is the the big flat area mid trail mostly under the chair where it almost goes uphill.Btw,the cutback from Mittersill has been improved vastly.It now intersects at almost parallel instead of 90 degrees.
 

dlague

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They still offer that ticket and it includes the Brookside lift if both are running.What is great about it for a learning area is it being totally separated from the main mt.Whats not so great is the the big flat area mid trail mostly under the chair where it almost goes uphill.Btw,the cutback from Mittersill has been improved vastly.It now intersects at almost parallel instead of 90 degrees.

I always thought that it was odd that they had a short steep, narrow exit from Barons (Way Back) that dumped out at the top of a beginner lift onto Raven Ridge. Seems like it would freak out the skiers getting off the lift on those days when that was scraped off and there was limited opportunity to slow down much.
 

machski

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I always liked Lower Meadows at Waterville for learning/teaching. It is isolated and if you go midweek, you can even park right behind the lift and pod for the easiest access at WV.

I wonder if the pod will be ruined with the Green Peak expansion. Hopefully none of those runs drop straight into Lower Meadows.
 

Quietman

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OK, back to the original topic, but with a different slant. In 1991, Quantum Leap at SR was listed as a intermediate run. Today it is a double black. Imagine a beginner in the early 90's thinking that this could be an easy step up?!?!?!

Many other runs at SR have change ratings over the years, but not by two levels.
 

Edd

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OK, back to the original topic, but with a different slant. In 1991, Quantum Leap at SR was listed as a intermediate run. Today it is a double black. Imagine a beginner in the early 90's thinking that this could be an easy step up?!?!?!

Many other runs at SR have change ratings over the years, but not by two levels.

QL as a blue sounds insane to me. I'd skied SR regularly the year before but can't remember the rating. I wonder if they were way more aggressive with the snowmaking on it than they are now so conditions were better. It's the generally horrific snow conditions that earned QL its current rating, I assume.
 

Newpylong

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Top Gun? There has been man made coverage on that run every year I have been there, granted it's been 3 years.
 

machski

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OK, back to the original topic, but with a different slant. In 1991, Quantum Leap at SR was listed as a intermediate run. Today it is a double black. Imagine a beginner in the early 90's thinking that this could be an easy step up?!?!?!

Many other runs at SR have change ratings over the years, but not by two levels.

I don't recall that, I can only recall it was a single black to begin with. Go a shot of that map? Actually, Sirius at SR has dropped three levels (that map of yours should show it as a double black back then).
 
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