Prez weekend crowds

[tarponhead]

Folks,

Limited to extended travel per my boys school schedule. Thinking about Jay Peak. Their stay and play program says kids under 14 get free lift tickets :beer:. That would be huge for me.

Is it stupid crowed that weekend? Same question applies to Stowe.
TIA

 

[thetrailboss]

Yes for Stowe, probably same for Jay, but to a lesser extent because their Canadian skiers and riders are not off. In my experience Jay is crowded on weekends and holidays. Midweek it is quiet, unless it is a powder day.

Considered visiting nearby places like Burke or Bolton Valley?

 

[deadheadskier]

Stowe will be as busy as anywhere in the east that week for sure. I would look at Burke as well.

 

[tarponhead]

Burke..... thank you guys. Will look into.

 

[billski]

Stowe will command the highest ticket prices. North of 90 I expect for single holiday day tickets, (last season Stowe was 89 and Jay was 65) without much of a break for multi-day during that time. Package prices of most lodging of course vary, but I wouldn't expect much discounting cause they don't have to...

 

[billski]

A bit off of the request (don't believe they have a kids program), but I'll probably ski at Magic during the height of Pres week. good chance for low crowds, unpounded trails, along with other suspects like Burke, Pico, Saddleback, Snow Bowl....

 

[Geoff]

Once you get beyond day tripper distance from the big population centers in southern New England, nobody is crowded midweek on Presidents Week. Most of the people will be gone by 1pm on Monday.

New Hampshire public schools have their vacation period the following week so that would ease the demand for places like Burke.

 

[Skimaine]

It is a long trip, but Saddleback would be a good choice. Toss in a side trip to Sugarloaf for some variety.

 

[ski_resort_observer]

Most resorts want to be pretty booked up during the entire Prez holiday period, that's why some sp's are blacked out and the rates are at their highest. Jay Peak with their new developement will hope for the same thing.

NH doesn't represent a very big market when compared to the NY/Boston/Albany areas. Holidays are the most crowded and the rates are at their highest. 2nd tier resorts like Burke, Ascutney or Bolton will have less crowds and the best prices. If you prepared for the crowds and the prices I think you can still have a great vacation.

 

[tarponhead]

It is a long trip, but Saddleback would be a good choice. Toss in a side trip to Sugarloaf for some variety.

Thats gonna be the Easter break trip (with JP tossed in); last week of march into the first week of April :beer:

I just checked out Burke, One lift and a POMA :-o Guessing things stay pretty quiet there. It actually looks pretty ideal; Sat through Monday at Burke, then possibly swing by JP for a day before the looonnnggg drive home

 

[billski]

I just checked out Burke, One lift and a POMA :-o Guessing things stay pretty quiet there.

check again - they have a lot more than that!

 

[Highway Star]

In all seriousness, Killington-Pico handles these holiday weekends very well. They aren't any more crowded than a nomal weekend, ususally less. They run all the lifts, so there's rarely lines except at some of the major ones at peak times. I would look into renting a condo at Pico, less expensive and right by the trails. Pico is always very uncrowded. Then you can drive over to Killington......or if you're adventerous, ski over on the interconnect trail, and take the bus back at the end of the day.

 

[MommaBear]

In all seriousness, Killington-Pico handles these holiday weekends very well. They aren't any more crowded than a nomal weekend, ususally less. They run all the lifts, so there's rarely lines except at some of the major ones at peak times. I would look into renting a condo at Pico, less expensive and right by the trails. Pico is always very uncrowded. Then you can drive over to Killington......or if you're adventerous, ski over on the interconnect trail, and take the bus back at the end of the day.

I've been at Killington midweek (Wednesday) during that school break - it was wall to wall, elbow to elbow people in the lodge. Worse than any weekend I'd ever seen. Slopes weren't bad, thou. And they DID give out free ice cream to the kiddies in the afternoon. (this was under old management - believe it was ASC's last year).

 

[billski]

In all seriousness, Killington-Pico handles these holiday weekends very well. They aren't any more crowded than a nomal weekend, ususally less. They run all the lifts, so there's rarely lines except at some of the major ones at peak times. I would look into renting a condo at Pico, less expensive and right by the trails. Pico is always very uncrowded. Then you can drive over to Killington......or if you're adventerous, ski over on the interconnect trail, and take the bus back at the end of the day.

I haven't skied there in years. What about the trail conditions? Don't they get pounded out pretty quickly?

 

[thetrailboss]

I just checked out Burke, One lift and a POMA :-o Guessing things stay pretty quiet there. It actually looks pretty ideal; Sat through Monday at Burke, then possibly swing by JP for a day before the looonnnggg drive home

No, they have four lifts. The lower mountain has an HSQ and a J-Bar. The upper mountain has a fixed grip quad and the Poma.

If there is snow, and their glades are open, you won't be disappointed.

 

[crank]

If you want to avoid Pres. Week crowds and PRICES and don't mind some extra drive time - check into Quebec. We stayed at Ste. Anne and skied there and Le Massif last year. No crowds. No holiday bump in rates. Lodging was extremely reasonable. ( 2 floor, 2 bdr condo with wood burning fireplace, pool, jacuzzi, sauna 1KM from hill with shuttle bus service for about $110 per night.) Skiing is awesome at both areas. And it was a great adventure. It was me , my 15 -year old son and 17-year old nephew. We stopped for a night and a day at Jay on the way back home.

We went to Saddleback and SL a couple of Pres. weeks back. SB was the most crowded it ever gets which meant about a 3 minute lift line max and a somewhat crowded lodge. SL was pretty crowded.

 

[tarponhead]

No, they have four lifts. The lower mountain has an HSQ and a J-Bar. The upper mountain has a fixed grip quad and the Poma.

If there is snow, and their glades are open, you won't be disappointed.

Yep, I lost the lower half on the pdf... This is looking like the an awesome time (remember, I'm newbie-MASH bait )

Thanks all, really informative.

Regards

 

[billski]

No, they have four lifts. The lower mountain has an HSQ and a J-Bar. The upper mountain has a fixed grip quad and the Poma.

If there is snow, and their glades are open, you won't be disappointed.

wow. when did they start marking the woods? Wait. Those names look familiar. They've been there for a few years, right? I musta got bumped on the head or sumthun....

Message recall - I just checked an old map, they've been there all along, I've hit at least some of them. Memory is shot. I never ski at one place too much and I tend to ski lines, not trails, so I often never notice trail names, no fooling. When someone asks me where I skied, I have a real hard time describing it. Kind of a good problem to have - lends itself to stash-preservation too

 

[riverc0il]

The glades went on Burke's map about a half dozen years ago as I recall, give or take a year or two. Don't worry though, the best stuff still is not on the map

 

[thetrailboss]

Yes, there are many good woods not on the map and with the help of a friendly local you can get some good stuff.