The Online Influence

[Greg]

Let's not turn this into a ski area bashing thread, but is there a ski area that you have no real interest in ever visiting, due mostly to the reputation it has here and/or on other forums? For me, I'd have to say Stratton - it just doesn't seem like my kind of place. I would probably opt for Magic if I was in that area. You?

 

[Warp Daddy]

The Poconos -- even tho i did my undergrad work in the great state of PA . The ski areas there are very modest in vertical and frankly there are so many other really good areas within 2-5 hrs --Why bother??

Second might agree with you Greg . The vibe @ Stratton seems plastic by many accounts . I'm a skier not a lounge lizzard

 

[bvibert]

Stratton doesn't seem like my cup'o tea from what I can gather from their online rep, but I was hoping to visit this year since we have a couple of passes...

I'd say Bretton Woods is another I'm not likely to visit based on it's online reputation.

On the flip side there are other's that I probably wouldn't have considered if not for their online influence...

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

Mount Snow was always one...but I went there November 10th because they were the first to open in Vermont..The fact that it's the closest VT mountain gives it a reputation of being crowded and it's also under 2,000 vert...while most of the major VT mountains are over 2k of vert.

Greek Peak..slow lifts and the fact that it's almost as far as the catskills with fast lifts and more vert..

Bear Creek PA...the same distance as Blue mountain for me but half the vert and slow lifts..

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

The Poconos -- even tho i did my undergrad work in the great state of PA . The ski areas there are very modest in vertical and frankly there are so many other really good areas within 2-5 hrs --Why bother??

Second might agree with you Greg . The vibe @ Stratton seems plastic by many accounts . I'm a skier not a lounge lizzard

Where did you do your undergrad work???

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

Gore mountain as well..it's almost as far as Vermont..so if I've made it that far..I might as well go to Stowe...it also looks like there are alot of flat areas..

 

[Dr Skimeister]

I'm more with you on this one, Brian....I'm more likely to have interest stimulated by an online account of someone's visit than I am to rule-out visiting an area. I'll be more likely to look to very recent accounts of areas to fine-tune plans for travel as the time of the trip gets closer.

Certianly, there are ski areas I'm not in any hurry to go back to after having been there myself. I'd rather make that assessment on my own.

 

[Hawkshot99]

Reading here I would never want to ski Killington. Fortenetly I have been there and know that the bad rep i read on here is bogus, or at least very inflated.

Stratton is actually a fun spring mountain.

 

[wa-loaf]

I would have never gone to Hunter if it weren't for AZ. I probably won't go back unless I'm already in NY for some reason, but I know you can have a good time there now.

 

[MRGisevil]

I've never been to Okemo, but from what I've read about it online, I really have no ambition to go...

 

[RISkier]

We got a cheap deal to visit Stratton last year. I don't recall how we got the deal. It would take a pretty unusual set of circumstances for us to ever return. The village has that purpose built fake Tirolean sort of feel, the mountain didn't seem especially interesting, and the overall vibe was corporate. It's out of our way and we certainly wouldn't go out of our way to return. We ended up at Okemo one Saturday and it was a mob scene; we don't really have much interest in returning. We've pretty much stayed away from Loon cause of the reputed weekend crowds. And I'd never wanted to go to Mt. Snow cause of reputed crowds, but we visited one Sunday earlier this year and really enjoyed it. Probably wouldn't go to Killington based on reputation; it's not a place we could get to reasonably for a day trip and for a longer stay we'd drive by it and head for either Stowe or Sugarbush.

 

[ComeBackMudPuddles]

I've never been to Okemo, but from what I've read about it online, I really have no ambition to go...

x2....

 

[ComeBackMudPuddles]

Gore mountain as well..it's almost as far as Vermont..so if I've made it that far..I might as well go to Stowe...it also looks like there are alot of flat areas..

Hmmm, I don't know about that. Gore has some fun terrain and a great laid-back vibe. Maybe get more of a first-hand account on the SkiADK board?

http://forums.skiadk.com/viewforum.php?f=3

 

[Greg]

I've never been to Okemo, but from what I've read about it online, I really have no ambition to go...

x2....

Interestingly enough, after [thread="23829"]Pat's visit[/thread], I'm very interested in hitting up Okemo. I haven't been there in 10+ years.

OKEMOGULS

 

[andyzee]

I'll have to go with Stratton as well, never skied it, but did stop once at the end of the season and checked out the village. That right there was enough to turn me off. Showed me what Stratton was all about. Then reading about it kind of convinced me that I have no interest.

Going by what I read on this and other forums, Okemo would be another choice. However, when I first started skiing, I went to Okemo a number of times and really enjoyed it. So, under the right circumstances, I may give them another shot.

 

[2knees]

I dont know if anyone's opinion is gonna affect whether or not i go to an area. I like to think just about anyplace has something to keep me interested assuming conditions warrant it. That seems to be a bigger factor in determing whether or not i have fun. I've gone to sugarbush under bad conditions and not had a great time, conversely i was just at the oft ridiculed okemo 2 weeks ago and had a blast. I dont need kitchen wall steepness, 50 foot cliffs and trees tighter than a virgin. I dont need them cause i'm not good enough anyway. Difference between those two trips, sugarbush was flash frozen and okemo had 5 inches of fresh. amazing what a little snow does for your outlook.

I guess my rambling point is that you dont know until you go.

 

[campgottagopee]

I'll always make come to my own opinion. That being said I've been to Stratton and would'nt ever think of goin back. Just not 4 me at all.

 

[skibum9995]

I don't think my opinion of ski areas has been affected by the internet, I already had pretty strong opinions before joining AZ. Most of my opinions have been reinforced though. I was at Bretton Woods for the first time a few weeks ago and found it even worse than what its made out to be on this site and others.

 

[ckofer]

I think this board has talked me out of exploring Stratton - unless it's mega-convenient, very affordable and very good snow.

 

[deadheadskier]

I've pledged to stay as far away from Sundown as possible due to the freaks that apparently ski there :lol:



In all seriousness though due to what I've read on here, I probably won't be returning to Stratton or Killington anytime soon. I'd rather ski Magic or try Bromley in the Stratton local and if I'm near Killington, I'd rather ski Pico or head up to the Bush most likely.

Okemo I'm with the majority opinion here and probably won't make to hard an effort to go back someday, but probably will for nostalgia purposes.

Bretton I've never been and I doubt I ever will