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Where would you live in ski country?

Krikaya

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If you could live anywhere in New England ski country where would you choose? I'm from Boston and am always searching for paradise up north and even though I know it doesn't exist please indulge my fantasy. The ideal location would have great outdoor sports opportunities, affordable housing, friendly people etc. I know some of you wanna keep the massholes and the joeys out of your special place.....but they're not gonna read this post anyway.

I'm most familiar with North Conway but I've heard from people who've moved there that it's like high school-clicky and petty. I've heard great things about Chittenden county VT. Portland ME is good but it's far from the mountains. Central VT looks perfect but must be expensive. If you include New York in this, what is it like living in Lake Placid?
 

deadheadskier

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Taking affordable housing into account, somewhere along VT15 between Cambridge and Hardwick. Cambridge end if Smuggs is the plan for a home mountain. Morrisville area if Stowe is the home hill. More towards Hardwick if Jay/Burke is the plan
 

jimmywilson69

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I would think if you don't mind having a 20-30 minute commute to some of the main players in VT, there are plenty of places with affordable housing. Just make it your primary residence, or you will be taxed to death...

It'd be awesome to Live in the MRV or Stowe, but I know there is nothing affordable directly in those areas.
 

wa-loaf

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A Lake house in the Bridgeton Maine area. 4 season living, Shawnee Peak is right there and it's an easy drive to Sunday River and N Conway NH.

Littleton NH is supposed to be pretty nice too with Cannon right there and everything else the White Mtns have to offer.
 

xwhaler

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Rangeley ME
4 season paradise off the beaten track and Saddleback/Loaf/BMOM at your disposal
 

Jully

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How much is there to do in those VT places? Especially concerning restaurants. I'm not too familiar with those areas of VT.

I know in NH Conway and Lincoln have good places to eat, any others considered up and coming ski towns? I'm sad to say I've only driven through Littleton.
 

Jully

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Rangeley ME
4 season paradise off the beaten track and Saddleback/Loaf/BMOM at your disposal

I was about to mention Rangely! If Saddleback reopens and is sustainable... it's also a hike and a half to get to.
 

cdskier

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It'd be awesome to Live in the MRV or Stowe, but I know there is nothing affordable directly in those areas.

I think it depends what you're looking for and what you consider affordable. If I compare the MRV to NJ, MRV looks quite affordable! :)
 

Savemeasammy

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The upper valley (Lebanon, Hanover, etc.) - although not exactly ski country - is a great spot. You have reasonable access to everything in VT, and there is a solid economy where you can find good jobs. I'm originally from that area, and I'd love to be back there.


Sent from my iPad using AlpineZone mobile app
 

jimk

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Answering your question can be real simple (Just do it! Maybe to the Lake Winnipesaukee area of NH?) or real complicated. Here’s the complicated answer. Are you young or old? Married or single? Are you talking about retired living, or still needing to make an income? Are you looking for a second home, while keeping a primary residence elsewhere? Do you have to have slopeside or will 25 miles from a good ski area be ok? Do you want some trappings of city life like Burlington, VT or completely rural solitude?

I live in the Wash DC area and for a long time I dreamed of moving to ski country (Rockies rather than New England) when I retired. But as I got closer to retirement age the choices got harder, not easier even though I had the financials to do it. My wife was hesitant to leave her familiar community, church, family, and her input is most important to me. Truth is, I was too. And I wasn’t sure whether I wanted to commit to settling near one, specific ski resort or even one region. I liked the variety of skiing new places each winter.

Then I had an adult child who is an avid skier move to Salt Lake City and that got me to focus a lot of my ski travel on that area. I was glad I had not committed/bought a home in a different region. I retired, but got a second job and that kept me in the visitor-to-the- mtns mode, rather than retired-and-moving-to-the-mtns mode.

I guess the bottom line is to keep in mind the old John Lennon quote, “life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans.” I interpret that as to make sure you do the little, attainable things in life that give you meaning and satisfaction, and do them frequently. Your ideas and plans about the big things might change before you are able to realize them?!? And that’s not all bad. Keep your options open and enjoy life as it comes to you. Another Beatles line, this a Paul McCartney lyric from the song The End: and in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make.
 

deadheadskier

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How much is there to do in those VT places? Especially concerning restaurants. I'm not too familiar with those areas of VT.

Well, Cambridge is a 30-40 minute drive into Burlington for all that it has to offer. As you head East it basically goes Jeffersonville, Johnson, Hyde Parke, Morrisville, Wolcott, Hadwick. All of those towns tend to be commuting destinations for those working at Smuggs or Stowe. I lived in Stowe for a long time and many of my friends have settled in those towns as they're much more affordable than Stowe. Morrisville has a growing restaurant and brewery scene. Even Hardwick to the east is improving. The Positive Pie is a great restaurant in that town.

If affordable housing was not as much of a consideration, I would pick Waterbury as a landing spot. All of these choices are based mostly on access to what I feel is the best snow/skiing in the East.

If money were no object and I was thinking more of a four season destination, I'd buy a place on Conway Lake. Skiing in the MWV isn't as good as Northern VT, but I prefer the area for the rest of the year. It would also be much easier for my family and friends in Southeastern NH to come visit.
 

Whitey

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Burlington VT area, somewhere between Williston & Waterbury. Easy access to Smuggs, Stowe, MRG, Sugarbush, Bolton, Jay, etc.

Added bonus in that you can take advantage of all of those microbreweries around there too.
 

snoseek

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Those little towns Deadhead mentioned or the MWV because the MWV while maybe not the very best skiing has a perfect mix of year round activities and commerce plus is an easy drive to the ocean.
 

Jully

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Well, Cambridge is a 30-40 minute drive into Burlington for all that it has to offer. As you head East it basically goes Jeffersonville, Johnson, Hyde Parke, Morrisville, Wolcott, Hadwick. All of those towns tend to be commuting destinations for those working at Smuggs or Stowe. I lived in Stowe for a long time and many of my friends have settled in those towns as they're much more affordable than Stowe. Morrisville has a growing restaurant and brewery scene. Even Hardwick to the east is improving. The Positive Pie is a great restaurant in that town.

If affordable housing was not as much of a consideration, I would pick Waterbury as a landing spot. All of these choices are based mostly on access to what I feel is the best snow/skiing in the East.

If money were no object and I was thinking more of a four season destination, I'd buy a place on Conway Lake. Skiing in the MWV isn't as good as Northern VT, but I prefer the area for the rest of the year. It would also be much easier for my family and friends in Southeastern NH to come visit.

Waterbury does seem like the perfect location. 30 minutes from Stowe, 20 minutes from Bolton, 30 minutes from Sugarbush. Agreed about the relative lack of things to do in VT compared to the lakes of NH in the summer. Plus NH has lower taxes generally. Then again, northern VT seems like a mecca of 4 season activities compared to anything near Sugarloaf with Burlington VT relatively close by.
 

dlague

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Having lived in Concord, NH for 15 years then moving away, I realize that Concord was a pretty ideal location due to access to jobs, retail, restaurants etc. From a skiing perspective it was the perfect location to day trip all over VT, NH and ME mostly due to the fact that we were at the junction of the 89 and the 93. With in 2.5 hours we had access to something like 45 ski areas. Locally we had Pats Peak where the kids had their school ski program (they left at noon from school and the bus left at 5 to take them back) as well as Gunstock both 30 minutes or less. In about 45ish minutes we had Ragged, Waterville, Crotched, and Loon. About an hour +/- we had Cannon, Dartmouth Skiway, Whaleback, Suicide Six and Bretton Woods (1h 20m) as a stretch. Then 1.5-1.75 hours was Burke, Killington, Pico, Okemo, Attitash and Mt Snow. With about two hours we got to Sugarbush, Magic, MRG, Bolton Valley, Wildcat and Stowe (2+) then within the 2.5 hours are Shawnee peak, Sunday River, and Jay Peak. Nice thing is we got to ski them all including other smaller places in between! While living there it felt like the skiing world was our oyster because we spread the wealth and were never content with a single resort but had access to many. Cannon became our home which we will miss but A Basin is like our Cannon now.

On a last note, the ocean and Boston were like an hour away from Concord as well with plenty of access to hiking, MTB, and other watercraft activities also all over New England.

If it is purely for skiing and wanting to localize it more then I agree the Burlington area is ideal with a focus just on VT skiing which I think is about the best in New England. I also notice that no one on this board lives there. I know some live in NEK or southern VT. Vermont is a funny state - I lived there up until 25ish. The job market is tough and very isolated and often salaries are much lower than even southern NH. So in that respect central NH wins.
 
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Smellytele

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Right where I want to be
If money were no object and I was thinking more of a four season destination, I'd buy a place on Conway Lake. Skiing in the MWV isn't as good as Northern VT, but I prefer the area for the rest of the year. It would also be much easier for my family and friends in Southeastern NH to come visit.
Rented a house on Conway lake with a bunch of friends as a ski house for 3 or 4 years back in the 90's. It was on the North end of the lake right near the junction 302 and 113. Nice lake.
 
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