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Stratton vs Sugarbush crowd on a Saturday?

abc

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I'm taking a couple days off to make it a long weekend to take advantage of the current snow bounty.

My prime objective is Sugarbush. I've only skied there a few days. Was quite impressed, would like to spend more time there. But I heard it can get crazy busy on weekends. So... should I move camp and ski somewhere else, at least on Saturday? Or sticking to Mt Ellen for the weekend will do the trick?

I'm hoping Sunday's crowd will be less insane, particular since it's Superbowl Sunday.

I have tons of days on my Ikon pass. So I can ski Stratton, Killington, Pico also. It's more a matter of which mountain has the best snow and least crowd. I KNOW Stratton and Killington are typically quite crowded on Saturdays too. But I don't know how it compares with the crowd in Sugarbush on weekends.

(The only reason Stratton is in the running is because I have free lodging there. But to be honest, Stratton's terrain isn't my top choice)
 

cdskier

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On a normal mid-winter Saturday (non-holiday, non-powder day) when all terrain is open, Sugarbush really isn't bad. The mountain spreads the crowds out well. I often go to Mt Ellen on Saturdays to avoid crowds, but realistically Lincoln Peak is not bad compared to some other resorts you mentioned with most lines averaging less than 5 minutes (Castlerock being a likely exception as well at Gate House being an exception).

And of course it always helps to get there early. A couple lifts open at 8 on weekends.

Sundays are normally perfectly fine even at Lincoln Peak.
 

Griswold

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The crowds at Lincoln peak aren’t that bad at all, even on the most popular Saturdays. The castle rock chair might have a long line since its capacity is so low (same with gatehouse 9-11) but the others will be practically ski on most of the day. Superbravo 9-11 might have a short line but you can jump on valley house instead. Besides downspout and upper snowball I don’t think any trails will come even close to being crowded. What will be crowded is the castle rock pub around lunch and then again 3-4, but you can always go to Rumbles (is that the new name?) and find a table if you are into that.

I have never waited more than maybe a minute on a Saturday at Mt Ellen so going there is a good choice if you really want to avoid people. I’ll be at Killington this weekend in a sea of people wishing I was at sugarbush instead...


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drjeff

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Stratton has at least 1 race there on Sunday (for reference I was there 3 weeks ago on a Sunday when they had 4 competitions going on that day so 1 or 2+ aren't a big deal for them) Crowds were light (that was the day of the 1PM start Patriots divisional playoff game vs the Chargers) and about the only effect the competition had on things was Frank's Falline and World Cup were closed for racing, the mid mountain Lodge was a bit crowded around lunchtime, and the hallway in the main base lodge heading down to the free bag check was jammed with bags. Otherwise it was maybe a 10 chair wait tops on most lifts all day, and even the Gondola had maybe a 5 minute average wait most of the day.....

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x10003q

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Pico would be an excellent choice for a Saturday visit.

Stratton has been transformed by the Snow Bowl HSQ. The URSA6 is now a 5 minute wait (as opposed to 8-10min), usually less, and the Snow Bowl HSQ usually has just a handful of groups waiting in front of you. The crowds are more spread out and there is more elbow room on the trails. I do not use the gondola on weekends, but I would imagine that line has been reduced also.
 

Hawk

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I would go to Sugarbush. Start early at Lincoln peak and then if the crowd build, take the slidebrook Chair over to Mount Ellen. The woods at both should be in great shape. The lines tis year have not been bad as long as all of the lifts are working.
 

NYDB

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I haven't been to Stratton since Thanksgiving, but I've heard from family that the crowds/lines have been light since Snow Bowl HSQ opened.

Also (and this is my theory only) I think they may have lost alot of the college age through 30 crowd due to having no more discount pass offerings.
 

slatham

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I would go to Sugarbush. Start early at Lincoln peak and then if the crowd build, take the slidebrook Chair over to Mount Ellen. The woods at both should be in great shape. The lines tis year have not been bad as long as all of the lifts are working.

That’s been my strategy on anSaturday. My Ellen isn’t nicknamed “Club Ellen” without reason.....
 

tnt1234

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I'm taking a couple days off to make it a long weekend to take advantage of the current snow bounty.

My prime objective is Sugarbush. I've only skied there a few days. Was quite impressed, would like to spend more time there. But I heard it can get crazy busy on weekends. So... should I move camp and ski somewhere else, at least on Saturday? Or sticking to Mt Ellen for the weekend will do the trick?

I'm hoping Sunday's crowd will be less insane, particular since it's Superbowl Sunday.

I have tons of days on my Ikon pass. So I can ski Stratton, Killington, Pico also. It's more a matter of which mountain has the best snow and least crowd. I KNOW Stratton and Killington are typically quite crowded on Saturdays too. But I don't know how it compares with the crowd in Sugarbush on weekends.

(The only reason Stratton is in the running is because I have free lodging there. But to be honest, Stratton's terrain isn't my top choice)
Go to Sugarbush. No comparison to Stratton....

It will be crowded at the base, but head to castlerock or heavens gate. That's the better skiing and lines will be manageable.

I've only skied Mt. Ellen once and it was X-mas week and quote crowded, so not sure what to say about that.

But in terms of terrain and good skiing in good snow, it's a no brainer.
 

benski

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I've only skied Mt. Ellen once and it was X-mas week and quote crowded, so not sure what to say about that.

If you got stuck in more than a 2 minuet wait at Mt. Ellen with all the lifts running you got screwed.

Sugarbush handles crowds much better when conditions are good. They have a lot of Natural snow trails and glades and only half the trails are groomed, which keeps people away from the lifts when the conditions are good.
 

Glenn

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I haven't been to Stratton since Thanksgiving, but I've heard from family that the crowds/lines have been light since Snow Bowl HSQ opened.

Also (and this is my theory only) I think they may have lost alot of the college age through 30 crowd due to having no more discount pass offerings.

We've been going on Sundays. Lines haven't been bad at all. We mostly take Ursa, Sunrise or the new lift.
 

skiur

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The only advantage stratton has over SB for me is that it is closer to home, outside of that its not even a contest.
 

abc

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The only advantage stratton has over SB for me is that it is closer to home, outside of that its not even a contest.

(The only reason Stratton is in the running is because I have free lodging there. But to be honest, Stratton's terrain isn't my top choice)
As the thread got longer, people stop reading the opening post but just respond to the last post on the thread!

At this point, I've already decided to go to Sugarbush for the entire weekend. :D So you can stop debating now. ;)

WWF-VT ,
I might take you up on your offer of a tour! :D
 

abc

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The only advantage stratton has over SB for me is that it is closer to home, outside of that its not even a contest.

(The only reason Stratton is in the running is because I have free lodging there. But to be honest, Stratton's terrain isn't my top choice)
As the thread got longer, people stop reading the opening post but just respond to the last post on the thread!

At this point, I've already decided to go to Sugarbush for the entire weekend. :) So you can stop debating now. ;)

WWF-VT , I might take you up on your offer of a tour!
 

abc

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The only advantage stratton has over SB for me is that it is closer to home, outside of that its not even a contest.

(The only reason Stratton is in the running is because I have free lodging there. But to be honest, Stratton's terrain isn't my top choice)
As the thread got longer, people stop reading the opening post but just respond to the last post on the thread!

At this point, I've already decided to go to Sugarbush for the entire weekend. :D So you can stop debating now. ;)

WWF-VT , I might take you up on your offer of a tour! :D
 
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