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EPB

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Nov 13, 2005
Messages
966
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28
Plattekill & Magic are absolute musts, possibly the 2 best sleeper areas in the east. Do not "book" a trip to Whiteface, go to Whiteface only once it gets the goods, most serious mountain in the east IMO, but it will stink if it's been a while since it snowed (i.e. Iceface).
Thanks, BG. Would have crossed Plattekill off the list this year if not for the Peak pass. Meant to stay in So VT closer to Mt. Snow this year with friends, but hope to next year. Unsure if I'll be able to swing a day at Magic, but that's the hope.

Warren Miller was giving away tickets to Gore and Whiteface, so hoping to go to the show and make use of those, too. Gore would be new to me, but is lower priority.

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tumbler

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 10, 2014
Messages
1,404
Points
83
Solitude with 2 feet while we were there. Fantastic.
 

cdskier

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Joined
Mar 26, 2015
Messages
6,412
Points
113
Location
NJ
Thanks, BG. Would have crossed Plattekill off the list this year if not for the Peak pass. Meant to stay in So VT closer to Mt. Snow this year with friends, but hope to next year. Unsure if I'll be able to swing a day at Magic, but that's the hope.

Warren Miller was giving away tickets to Gore and Whiteface, so hoping to go to the show and make use of those, too. Gore would be new to me, but is lower priority.

Gore is a huge sleeper in my opinion. Really terrific mountain that many people overlook. And like BG said, Platty should definitely be a priority when they have everything open.
 

skiur

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Joined
Jan 27, 2012
Messages
1,572
Points
113
Gore is a huge sleeper in my opinion. Really terrific mountain that many people overlook. And like BG said, Platty should definitely be a priority when they have everything open.

Agreed with Gore, great mountain when it gets snow, has some really good trees. Its been too long since I have been there.
 

Skrn

Member
Joined
Apr 24, 2018
Messages
98
Points
6
Yes, I definitely consider myself lucky! As a family, we have been traveled a lot, like ~60 days a year since my youngest turned 2 year old. Through those travel days, we figured out our own travel routine that made travel much easier. We also found ways to make travel much cheaper than normal.

As we started to ski, we just changed some "regular" travel vacation into ski travel vacation. This is the season we get to ski a lot, especially ski a lot out west in our 2nd season.

you hit all those in your second year? lucky dog!
 

Skrn

Member
Joined
Apr 24, 2018
Messages
98
Points
6
We skied 20 days in the first year, and more than 50 days this year. So in terms of number of days, we have some mileage. Another factor is that we like to keep pushing ourselves to harder terrain, which helped.

Last comment is that I think there is a big difference between being able to ski certain terrain and being able to ski it gracefully. We are definitely not gracefully at all. Still a lot to learn.

I was thinking the same thing. Also that they are skiing trees in their 2nd year of skiing and skiing off the castle rock chair.
 

tnt1234

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Joined
Sep 12, 2014
Messages
1,492
Points
48
Finally got to Magic!

a lot of the mountain was frozen from a rain the night before, but miraculously Red Line, Goniff Glade and a few things near them were super soft and tons of fun!

Loved the vibe of the place....so glad to finally visit.

Our second year hitting Manchester for Pres. weekend, and I think we'll make it a regular plan. Several mountains to choose from, never felt str jam packed in the restaurants....nice trip. Skied Bromley as well, but that wasn't new to us. They avoided all the rain and we had soft bumps all over the mountain. Fun stuff.
 

tnt1234

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Joined
Sep 12, 2014
Messages
1,492
Points
48
Also, Breckenridge this year - returning after nearly 30 years...so it felt like new to me.
 

abc

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 2, 2008
Messages
5,805
Points
113
Location
Lower Hudson Valley
Buttermilk

Been to Aspen many times, never hit Buttermilk until this year. It was a "mini-powder-day" (i.e. 2-3"). We knew the "normal" terrain in Highland/Snowmass would be skied off (even though it's Aspen). Decided to hit Buttermilk in the hope the beginners don't go off the groomer.

It worked.

Was also considered Revelstoke. But they didn't get as much snow as mountains south of the border. So no go.
 
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KustyTheKlown

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Joined
Mar 1, 2013
Messages
5,362
Points
113
Location
Brooklyn
going to buttermilk over the other three aspen options on any sort of powder day is an absolutely ludicrous decision.
 

shwilly

Member
Joined
Apr 13, 2006
Messages
311
Points
16
going to buttermilk over the other three aspen options on any sort of powder day is an absolutely ludicrous decision.

Sure, choices different from what you'd do are absolutely ludicrous. Other people doing things, I tell ya :rolleyes:

No new ski areas for me this year. I found many new lines at SR that I didn't know before. I must have found most of them by now, but don't seem to have run out yet.

The season may end with a return to Sugarloaf for the first time in several years. Have to see if that works out.
 

Cornhead

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Joined
Dec 4, 2010
Messages
2,836
Points
48
Do not "book" a trip to Whiteface, go to Whiteface only once it gets the goods, most serious mountain in the east IMO, but it will stink if it's been a while since it snowed (i.e. Iceface).
Beware wind holds after big dumps at WF, I've been burned more than once. Oh, check for Canadian holidays too.


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kendo

Active member
Joined
Mar 7, 2019
Messages
352
Points
43
Finally skied Telluride. 3/10-17 an epic week ... 19" in 24hrs, 31" in 48h and 50" in 7 days with bluebird days to end the week. They're closing 4/7 (date set a year in advance) with 98% open and a 93" base after the record snow year. Seasonal flights into Montrose cut back = few skiers to justify the operating expense.
 

abc

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Joined
Mar 2, 2008
Messages
5,805
Points
113
Location
Lower Hudson Valley
going to buttermilk over the other three aspen options on any sort of powder day is an absolutely ludicrous decision.
Missing a smiley somewhere? :D

Calling a 2-3" day as "powder" day is just as ludicrous (or so northeast?). Aspenites won't even bother to get up early on any day with less than 4" (some say less than 6")
 

KustyTheKlown

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Mar 1, 2013
Messages
5,362
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113
Location
Brooklyn
you called it a "mini powder day", not me. choosing buttermilk over highlands, snomass, or ajax, on any day, ever, is a ludicrous decision and a waste of western skiing.
 

Bumpsis

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 25, 2004
Messages
1,088
Points
48
Location
Boston, MA
Sugarloaf's Snowfields

Well, not exactly new, but I have not had the chance to ski those in years, even though I'm at Sugarloaf every year for a week.
This time, the snow cover was fantastic and skied the back fields that lead into Brackett and Burnt Mt. It's rare that I get to ski some steep terrain without hiking up to Tucks.
Since it has been years that I was up there last, it was almost like a "first".

Maria Snowfileds 1 (2).jpg
 

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GregoryIsaacs

Member
Joined
Dec 18, 2017
Messages
238
Points
18
Hit Abasin and Loveland for the first time at the end of Feb/Early march and lucked out big time. Used GEM Cards for a $40 ticket at Loveland and $50 days at Abasin.

Empty midweek Bluebird day at Loveland followed by two days of endless pow at Abasin... which is for sure my new favorite western mountain. Only got one lap on the east wall before it closed for the next two weeks and barely got around to hitting the beavers (Zuma Cornice was skiing amazing) so of course already planning my return!
 

KustyTheKlown

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 1, 2013
Messages
5,362
Points
113
Location
Brooklyn
a-basin is easly the best ski area in the denver area (including all of summit county, vail/eagle county, and winter park/grand county).

it's really the only consistently interesting terrain in the entire region.
 
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