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Best and Worst Parking at Ski Resorts

dlague

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Was posting on another thread and it got me to start thinking about parking while some ski areas have relatively close parking and i is easy to get to others are a PITA. Worst examples are Sunapee and Okemo with their shuttles are kind of a pain. Atitash with their across the street and mile long parking lot is also is you do not get there early but there is the $15 parking right close by which we have used. Then there are places like Waterville that is all downhill so we pay for valet parking. Cannons parking has never been problematic since they allow you to park all over the place.

Do you boot up at in the parking lot? We never did until we started skiing Cannon as pass-holders more often where we started booting up at the truck. Actually, this board got me to start doing that. In fact, once we started booting up at the truck then we started tailgating there too. How many boot up or tailgate? Killington's parking lot while quite large has never been too bad because we pay to park in the front row section at K 1 great tail gating spot too.

However, we still drop our skis off then park unless we can park trail side like at Cannon. Call us lazy? How many carry there skis from the parking lot?

Jay Peak is not too bad with the parking garages not good for tailgating but at least not too far away. Have always been able to park fairly close at Sugarbush, Gunstock, Bretton Woods.

When we get to ski areas later like at Bretton Woods we often find spots up close left by those early skiers. Same applies with Gunstock when night skiing.

Any one else hate or like parking at ski resorts, tailgate, boot up there too? Do you poach spots up from or go for the edges of trails when possible?
 

Smellytele

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Sunapee has the best parking if you get there early.
worst is okemo, waterville, Bromley.
Yes bootup in lot most of the time and carry skis.
Tailgate once in a while mostly in the spring. Used to all the times before kids. Now they are teens I am starting to again more often.
 

xwhaler

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Gunstock is pretty bad when u consider the long walk to the lodge followed by a long uphill walk to the lifts.
 

thetrailboss

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I find if you can get at any place early that you can get decent parking. Sunapee included. Used to get there for opening and have the first two hours pretty much to ourselves.

In terms of lots and set-ups, my memory is fading and the time is passing fast. Attitash--yeah that sucks. Cannon--not bad. Bretton Woods--not bad. Sugarbush--folks bitch about the grade at Mount Ellen, but again, get there early and you can get one of the first top tiers. Sunapee--the satellite lot does suck. When I skied at Sunday River I would always start at Barker. Seemed a lot of locals would go there. I did start at White Cap Base once and it was not too bad but the lodge was pretty shopworn. That was almost ten years ago :eek:
 

xlr8r

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Best:
Wachusett
Killington Skyship and Bear
Statton Sunbowl
Pico

Worst:
Sugarbush Mt. Ellen
Waterville
Stratton Main Base Lots
Sugarloaf
Okemo
 

Jully

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Gunstock is pretty bad when u consider the long walk to the lodge followed by a long uphill walk to the lifts.

Isn't gunstock good if you can park near the quad?

Crotched has got to be my favorite parking lot FAR and away. Wildcat might be #2.

Sunday River is an honorable mention if you park by Whitecap or get there early enough for a good spot at South Ridge or especially Barker depending on the time of year.
 
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Jully

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Worst:
Sugarloaf
Okemo

Sugarloaf is so annoying. Literally even midweek it's not good... the shuttle is still faster most of the time.

Shawnee peak is also pretty great at both the East Side and the main lot. Another place where booting up in the car is the play.
 

Jully

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I find if you can get at any place early that you can get decent parking. Sunapee included. Used to get there for opening and have the first two hours pretty much to ourselves.

In terms of lots and set-ups, my memory is fading and the time is passing fast. Attitash--yeah that sucks. Cannon--not bad. Bretton Woods--not bad. Sugarbush--folks bitch about the grade at Mount Ellen, but again, get there early and you can get one of the first top tiers. Sunapee--the satellite lot does suck. When I skied at Sunday River I would always start at Barker. Seemed a lot of locals would go there. I did start at White Cap Base once and it was not too bad but the lodge was pretty shopworn. That was almost ten years ago :eek:

I really kind of like the shopworn lodge feel of Whitecap. Reminds me a lot of the Wildcat lodge which I also love.

Are there any areas where booting up in the car is actually not the play? I feel like at Lincoln Peak booting in the car might be worse if you didn't park in a prime location.
 
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I find the lot at Smuggs to be a pain, but have learned to leave my skis at the base of Sterling lift, get my tix and boot up in the lodge. Of course the terrain makes this a first world problem.

K1 Skyship base, Pico, Sundown and BE are all really easy as is MRG as long as you get there early.
 

cdskier

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Sugarbush--folks bitch about the grade at Mount Ellen, but again, get there early and you can get one of the first top tiers.

And there's always the shuttle too going around if you don't want to walk at least on weekends, not sure about midweek.
 

deadheadskier

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If you can get a spot early, Gondi lots at Stowe are tough to beat. Ski to and from your car. Literally no walking at all mid season when they're snow covered.

Worst = any place that requires a shuttle
 

ss20

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Threads with topics like this remind me that ski season can't start soon enough

Yep. I usually don't arrive so late that I get a bad spot when I drive. And after years of bus daytrips I've been in a lot of shitty parking areas and have had to carry my skis and boots across the lot. The only time I remember it being a hike was Bromley.
 

Los

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Parking at Smuggs was annoying, and I guess Waterville too. But other than that, our parking experience has mostly been a function of what time we arrive.


Sent from my iPhone using AlpineZone
 

drjeff

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Isn't gunstock good if you can park near the quad?
.

If you have a season pass, I'd agree. If you need to buy a ticket the schlep down to the lodge, then across the flat and back up to the lift stinks!

Was even worse last Spring when my daughter had a race at Gunstock and we had to go from the parking lot to the main base lodge and over to their race building on the far side way away from the quad and back!! If I'm schlepping gear that far while in my boots, I'd much more prefer it to be earn your turns stuff vs just lateral transit across the base area
 
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