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Saturday? Southern VT or Cats, where to avoid the worst of crowd?

abc

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I need to pack Sunday for my trip to Utah. So Saturday is what I'll have for taking advantage of this Wed/Thur storm (actually I can probably get Friday off too, though that's probably easy in that regard)

On my MAX pass, I can do the Cats (Windham vs Belle), or southern VT (Stratton/Okemo/Killington/Pico). I have access to lodging closest to Stratton. But past experience of Stratton on Saturday can be pretty rough. Is any of the other 3 better crowd-wise? Or should i just put up with the crowds at Stratton because the others would be no better?
 

cdskier

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Pico is one of those mountains that I typically consider a good place to go to avoid crowds.
 

ss20

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Pico is your best bet. By far. Still though, it's probably going to be busy. The base area quad can get packed. Lot's of snow not just in ski country but the big cities, too! Everyone is going skiing this weekend.

In other news, this is probably the last "big" weekend for many areas. Spring sports + early Easter.
 

abc

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My only concern with Pico is their low trail count even after last storm. So I don’t know they’ll get enough to open all the fun stuff.
 

drjeff

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My only concern with Pico is their low trail count even after last storm. So I don’t know they’ll get enough to open all the fun stuff.

Having been up in the Killington area this past weekend, what fell Friday through Sunday, set Pico up to be ready to have the trail count go way up if the storm tomorrow/Thursday delivers as forecasters are thinking. Some nice dense, base snow is down over what was a pretty ugly looking Pico that I skied about 10 days ago. I wouldn't sweat their current trail count vs what its very likely to be this coming weekend
 

ss20

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My only concern with Pico is their low trail count even after last storm. So I don’t know they’ll get enough to open all the fun stuff.

Killington has everything but their gnarliest and southern-facing stuff open. With 12" you could easily get 100% open at Pico. Killington has more rocks and they'll probably have everything but Devil's Den open.
 

bdfreetuna

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keep the faith
Almost everywhere is going 100% is my prediction.

I'll be up there Saturday as well. Might take a change at Smuggs... it'll be day 3 in a row so if I get fewer runs in, whatever. Mount Ellen is another reasonable choice for Saturdays. Burke is low crowds but it's hard to say if they'll be able to fully open.

Magic probably won't be too busy Saturday either as they ought to have a decent contingent arriving for Thursday/Friday .. myself included
 

drjeff

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Were thinking Magic as well !

Magic has a bunch of 10-14yr olds clad in race suits as well as some parents and coaches scheduled to be racing on Showoff on Sunday - that same contingent will be at Bromley on Saturday.

If one goes to Magic on Sunday and the parking lots look jammed, early, #1 those of us in the racing contingent have to get there early (as in kids ready to load the Red at opening bell, and #2 - there won't be very much traffic proportional to parking lot fullness on anything not related to Showoff and/or whatever connector trails chosen to get from the summit down to the top of Showoff
 

Glenn

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Planning on Sunday at this point. Seems that half of the tri-state region was in SoVT last Saturday. :lol:
 

kingslug

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This weekend will be first time in the condo. Decision to make..drive up friday night and be able to get the 7:30 chair or early saturday. I'm thinking Friday night..really like the 7:30 chair as it gives you 2 hours before the hoards show up.
 

GregoryIsaacs

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From a purely condition standpoint, you really cant go wrong with anywhere this weekend, other than maybe blue hills..........
 

spiderpig

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Killington has everything but their gnarliest and southern-facing stuff open. With 12" you could easily get 100% open at Pico. Killington has more rocks and they'll probably have everything but Devil's Den open.

They don't have any glades open, but they looked well covered for (icy) base two weekends ago. Maybe last week's snow was a bit lacking for them to be confident to drop the ropes to the masses, aside from poachers. A foot should do the trick, and Pico is always nice with fresh snow, likely not too bad in the crowding.
 
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