Most Exciting and Most Boring Drives to Mountains

[Glenn]

I was thinking of the long boring hills of Vermont being the bad part. Not necessarily the traffic in the cities down south. But I can see that part being really bad too. Since you guys are Mount Snow travelers, you don't really get into the really long haul part of I-91 which is the central 1/3 of the interstate from a couple exits south of WRJ to StJ.

I can see how things can get a bit "boring" once you get farther up into VT. Exits are few and far between and there's really not much around.

 

[PA Ridge Racer]

Coming from PA most of it is boring until you get close. My favorite is Route 73 into Lake Placid which takes you through Keane and the High Peaks into town. It's also pretty cool having the ski jumps and Olympic complex welcome you to Lake Placid.

 

[Greg]

I do a lot of drives up to Vermont after dark, and that sucks. You lose all perspective on where you are and how far you've come. I particularly hate turning onto 89 from 91 at night. It's such nice scenery in the day time, but by that point I'm 3 hours into the drive and just want to get there.

 

[ta&idaho]

The trek from San Francisco to South Lake Tahoe is always great as well, high passes, big cliffs with just a small stone wall for a guardrail, forests, rivers, lots of alpine zone.....makes for a very interesting ride.

Agreed (minus the long slog through Sacramento and the Central Valley). The first view of the Lake after coming over the summit is incredible (and nerve-wracking in a storm with the cliffs so close).

 

[speden]

I do a lot of drives up to Vermont after dark, and that sucks. You lose all perspective on where you are and how far you've come.

That's why I always like to drive with a GPS navigator. Even when I know the roads I like the constant feedback of where I am and what time I will arrive.

 

[Glenn]

That's why I always like to drive with a GPS navigator. Even when I know the roads I like the constant feedback of where I am and what time I will arrive.

The GPS on my BlackBerry has been awesome. I've found it's great for getting to somewhat local addresses I've never been to before.

Be careful with GPS when driving on side/backroads in VT. Our road up in VT ends about 1/4 mile from the house and turns into a Class IV road. It's passable in my Jeep...but not so much with other vehicles. In the winter, forget it. This time of a year, I see at least one car a day go up the road...then come back down. I can only assume their GPS had directed them that way.

The guys who did some wiring work for us up there had some great stories; GPS taking them through fields, over roads you could hardly see. They once did work for a guy who had a sign at the end of his road: "Your GPS is wrong...." LOL!

 

[billski]

Most boring is the drive across Nebraska on my way to Colorado. .

I've done it. Hastings to Denver.
From Omaha to Hastings we sat in the back while my friend's dad did the driving. Me: why is he driving so slow? friend: say what? Me: can't he go faster? Friend: He's going 85!

In Nebraska everything is relative. And flat. And straight.

I think living in Nebraska would be cruel punishment for a skier/boarder.

 

[bigbog]

I can see how things can get a bit "boring" once you get farther up into VT. Exits are few and far between and there's really not much around.

..And from coming from the other side ...needs to be stated..
...any paved road is boring..(to some)...LOL..LOL

$.01

 

[billski]

Most exciting #1: Rabbit Ears Pass, Colorado, west side coming down (or up) into Steamboat. During a snowstorm!
Most exciting #2: The one minute awakening after dozing off while driving any least exciting route.

 

[speden]

Be careful with GPS when driving on side/backroads in VT.

One time I took my kids to ski at Crotched Mountain in southern NH, and my faith in the GPS was so absolute I just entented the name, shut off my brain, and then found myself in the middle of a little town asking the kids if they could see a mountain anywhere nearby. Then I searched for "Crotched Mountain" again and this time noticed there was another line that said "Crotched Mountain Ski" instead of just "Crotched Mountain". Duh! I was forty minutes off course and the GPS took me through a steep one lane gravel road to get to the real place. It was a little hairy, but turned out to be a good shortcut. I'm way to dependent on the GPS and if it died on me during a trip, no one would ever see me again.

 

[Glenn]

If going somewhere new, I'll try to look the directions up online first...just to double check.

 

[snafu]

I agree that 91N can get a bit boring, especially after exit 4 or 5, by that time driving has become monotonous and I'm itching to get where I'm going. But I like 91 for the fact it takes me straight up to where I'm going (just North of Springfield), no tolls, and pretty much no traffic --well once you get past Springfield(I miss Hartford traffic since thats where I'm coming from). I would rather be bored to death knowing I am going the quickest way possible than going a scenic route that takes longer.

One of my favorite rides from last season was going from Magic Mtn to Manchester VT. Its really beautiful through the Green Mountains. Bromley is a great looking mountain, I passed it on a sunny day and I was dying to stop and try it out. Forgot the route #...11 maybe?

 

[Glenn]

I agree...things mostly open up north of Springfield. But after Northampton, you have to watch out for the staties. And after driving that road a lot in the off season...it seems they patrol more during the ski season. I try to keep it around 70 and park it in the right lane when heading home Sunday nights.

 

[SIKSKIER]

Drove to Cannon on Sunday for probably my 800th time.Still never gets old driving through Franconia Notch.The only ski area I know of that has an exit off the interstate right into the parking lot.Easy access and spectacular scenery.Best of both worlds.

 

[St. Bear]

Drove to Cannon on Sunday for probably my 800th time.Still never gets old driving through Franconia Notch.The only ski area I know of that has an exit off the interstate right into the parking lot.Easy access and spectacular scenery.Best of both worlds.

I never understood how Cannon is not always #1 in Access in any reader survey. The new one by SKI that is being talked about in another thread has them #3! It is physically impossible for a ski resort to be more accessible.

 

[riverc0il]

I never understood how Cannon is not always #1 in Access in any reader survey. The new one by SKI that is being talked about in another thread has them #3! It is physically impossible for a ski resort to be more accessible.

The problem is any one that does not ski Cannon is likely to not vote for it. Cannon is very much a MA, RI, and NH area. You don't see hardly any plates from CT, NY, PA, NJ, etc. compared to Vermont. So since it does not have the skier base it may not get the votes.

Any ways, Cannon definitely has the best approach views in New England except for Sugarloaf. And with Cannon, the views are not just of the mountain. But starting in Thornton and for the next 20 minutes the mountains just keeping opening up, getting bigger, and more dramatic and then you drive through the notch. It never gets old and I still tilt my head a little bit when that first view of Franconia Notch barely opens up in Thornton on 93 north.

 

[WJenness]

It never gets old and I still tilt my head a little bit when that first view of Franconia Notch barely opens up in Thornton on 93 north.

I love that view. I saw it for the first time in a while last Saturday morning. Usually my drives up 93 are in a storm or at night. Last Saturday morning it was an amazing site as it came into view. Just that view alone gets me excited for the ski season.

I need to hit Cannon this year. Maybe one of my blackout days on my NE pass (it's tough for me to drive past Loon for free to go pay @ Cannon), particularly if it's a powder day.

-w

 

[riverc0il]

I need to hit Cannon this year. Maybe one of my blackout days on my NE pass (it's tough for me to drive past Loon for free to go pay @ Cannon), particularly if it's a powder day.

-w

IMO, your money could not be better spent on a powder day than at Cannon even if you have a season pass. I skip on my Jay pass all the time when Cannon has a good dump. On the flip side, I generally would drive past Loon even if I could ski there for free so you can take my commentary for what it is worth.

 

[WJenness]

IMO, your money could not be better spent on a powder day than at Cannon even if you have a season pass. I skip on my Jay pass all the time when Cannon has a good dump. On the flip side, I generally would drive past Loon even if I could ski there for free so you can take my commentary for what it is worth.

I don't doubt you at all.

I've had some really good spring days at Loon, but my 1 attempt at a powder day there was disappointing.

Last year (February 5th I'm almost certain), I drove up to Loon through the tail end of the storm (started previous afternoon evening and went through the night), clouds were breaking as I was getting off of 93 and pulling into the parking lot... was a decent dump, not huge, but decent... Got off the gondi to find the whole mountain groomed. Ducked into Mike's Way for some freshies and found them there ok, but the groomed surfaces were pretty slippery before too late in the day.

However, it was really tough to convince myself to go elsewhere as A: I was skiing with a friend who is a loon-diehard, and B: it was during my two weeks of unemployment so I was hesitant to spend the cash.

If I journey in that general direction in search of a powder day this year, I'll probably point myself at Cannon.

-w

 

[riverc0il]

got off the gondi to find the whole mountain groomed.

yup!!!