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MRG first timer

urungus

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So I think I am ready for my first trip to Mad River Glen. I am excited to visit this historic place but also a little nervous about the difficulty level given how they are always bragging about how hard it is. I am able to ski most runs at Magic but not Red Line, Black Magic or Magician, and the last cliff at the bottom of Black Line is a challenge. What are the least difficult blacks off the single and double chairs at MRG and how would they compare to Magic? Which runs have cliffs, would like to avoid those at least to start. Also do they still have free hosted mountain tours on weekends ?
 

Scruffy

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How is your bump skiing? If you're at all comfortable in the bumps, there is a ton of stuff all over the mountain for every level. If you need groomers, then there will be usually only a few options down, but go anyway, it's a special/classic place that any skier deserves treating themselves to.
 

Nick

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watch for that walk from the parking lot, it’s a doozy

I went to MRG a few years ago and had a great time. Don't let the slogan fool you, the terrain is challenging, but certainly other resorts have challenging terrain also. As mentioned if you can ski bumps and natural snow you will have a blast. I didn't encounter any "mandatory" air there, at least not that I recall.

A really fun place and experience, it's completely epic after a storm, but also the single chair line can get crazy backed up when conditions are good. I think when I was there I only ended up doing 6 runs or so in the entire day.
 

deadheadskier

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Outside of cliffs hidden in unmarked woods runs, most are easily avoidable at MRG and have bail out options. Even in Paradise you can find ways around the drops.

Sent from my XT1635-01 using AlpineZone mobile app
 

jimk

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Get on the single chair immediately. It is as iconic as anything in American skiing. You will be able to see some of the tougher terrain from the chair, but from summit take Upper Antelope trail to Broadway and then Easy Way to base, this is all blue or green runs and a great intro to the beauty of the area.

I wrote this report shortly after my first ever day at MRG in 2010. I'd been skiing 40+ years all around the world by that point, but you can tell by reading it that the place still blew me away, been back several times since: http://www.dcski.com/articles/1236

1263861654_pic1.jpg
 
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BenedictGomez

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Wasatch Back
So I think I am ready for my first trip to Mad River Glen. I am excited to visit this historic place but also a little nervous about the difficulty level given how they are always bragging about how hard it is.

Marketing shtick. There's hard stuff at plenty of Vermont mountains, and easy stuff too.

In other news, they unveiled a cool webcam this week which rotates through 6 views:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S72...vFZI892RdRqpKCMMnVAX7CYn_CYWi6r5S_nULk7I910X4
 

urungus

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Get on the single chair immediately. It is as iconic as anything in American skiing. You will be able to see some of the tougher terrain from the chair, but from summit take Upper Antelope trail to Broadway and then Easy Way to base, this is all blue or green runs and a great intro to the beauty of the area.

I wrote this report shortly after my first ever day at MRG in 2010. I'd been skiing 40+ years all around the world by that point, but you can tell by reading it that the place still blew me away, been back several times since: http://www.dcski.com/articles/1236

1263861654_pic1.jpg

Great report but you did mention that there is “mandatory air over a pair of six foot frozen waterfalls” on Paradise. I don’t mind steep ungroomed bumpy trails with natural snow, but that sounds like a little much for me. What would you recommend trying next from the summit after tackling Upper Antelope?
 

Zand

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In a good snow year the Paradise waterfall is easy to bypass. But if it's not to that point there's plenty of other stuff from the top like Lynx and Fall Line. Don't sleep on the terrain off the double either.

For the record, I (still) try to avoid mandatory air because I can never land it. Usually skip lower Lift Line for this reason. But every time I go there I lap Paradise...so much fun.
 

ThinkSnow

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I recommend carrying your gear into the lodge in a Burton Logo bag, and see how many stares you get until pulling your ski boots out.
 

mfi

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The bottom of the single chair run has mandatory air..but there is a bail out before it. I hired a guy for 1/2 a day to show me around. it's a tough place but a must do.
 

tnt1234

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So I think I am ready for my first trip to Mad River Glen. I am excited to visit this historic place but also a little nervous about the difficulty level given how they are always bragging about how hard it is. I am able to ski most runs at Magic but not Red Line, Black Magic or Magician, and the last cliff at the bottom of Black Line is a challenge. What are the least difficult blacks off the single and double chairs at MRG and how would they compare to Magic? Which runs have cliffs, would like to avoid those at least to start. Also do they still have free hosted mountain tours on weekends ?

Antelope top to bottom is a great run. If you like bumps, go Catmount>antelope>lower antelope and if you like mellow, low angle trees, finish with Marteen at the end....but that means you skip some of lower antelope, which is a great trail....But this is a great run off the single that isn't too crazy. If you really want to keep it mellow, skip lower antelope, and go antelop>braodway>bunny . But lower antelope is not crazy just a classic twisty NE trail.

Chute you will see from the single and make your own mind up about...no real mandatory air or anything Just a steep cliff strewn kind of thing...

Lnyx >beaver is one of my favorite trails. Glades, steep, but not crazy, twists and turns...awesome stuff.

Fall line is a great, pretty steep bump trail - again, no mandatory air, but an perfect NE trail...

Paradise - don't let the waterfall scare you. It's one jump turn. and someone told me there is a way around it. Skiers right I think? never did it, but I'm sure there is....couple of other waterfall/cliffs, but again, they are like a short slide or a hop turn....and if the snow is good, it's so worth it. Beautiful, peaceful place to be.

Heck, this is just the marked stuff off the single! So much more there...it's a great place.

FYI - it's my families favorite mountain, and that includes my wife who is an intermediate skier who hates steeps. There is plenty off both chairs for everyone.
 

cdskier

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My first time ever there was this past Wednesday. Simply fantastic. So much variety no matter what type of terrain you want to ski. Plenty to ski for all ability levels. And so much more that I didn't get a chance to ski.
 
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