Looking for Stratton info

deadheadskier · Jan 26, 2011

Skiing there Saturday with an old friend from High School who works there. He's a good skier, but very much a cruiser. Doesn't do bumps or trees, which are my terrain preferances.

What are some of the better bump runs and glades, preferably with decent cruising trails next to them such that we can meet back at the lift?

Even though Ron has worked there for ten years, I don't necessarily trust his opinion on good bumps and trees. He's a full on groomer skier.

Beetlenut · Jan 26, 2011

World Cup is their signature bump run and where they have their comps. It's alright, but kind of short. Upper and lower Spruce are usually bumped up, and give a nice long bump run if they are. Diamond in the Rough is one of my more favorite tree runs off Polar Bear. Moon Dance is also good, but steeper. There's also some nice trees below Test Pilot, about half way down Upper Kidderbrook. Free Fall also has bumps occasionally. Shred Wood Forest is a tree run right next to a cruiser, Upper Standard, and MoonBeam is also kind of fun There's tree shots in between most of the trails too.

taul · Jan 26, 2011

While Stratton has a well deserved reputation as a cruisers mountain, there are a few pitches that get bumped up, and they actually have some pretty great trees (that don't see much traffic). I grew up skiing there but, aside for a nostalgic trip now and again, don't get over there much.

The interactive map on their site doesn't show much, but there's an older PDF on there also that lists all the tree areas. Kidderbrook Ravine and Moon Dance stand out as the best trees that I recall, Slalom Glade->World Cup your best bet for bumps. Upper Down Easter is probably the steepest pitch on the mountain, but REAL short. Bear Down and Free Fall used to bump up nicely, but once they took out the Kidderbrook quad it became impossible to run laps on those.

Hitting Magic on Sunday?

deadheadskier · Jan 26, 2011

I wish

unfortunately, just in VT for the day. back to good ole newmarket Saturday after skiing. Crashing Friday night at my bros in Woodstock, VT.

thanks for the heads up taul and beetlenut

BMac · Jan 26, 2011

Diamond in the Rough is a really nice glade that is off the right side of the top of polar bear. It starts with a chute then opens wide up with all sorts of fun stuff in there. Pretty easy.

deadheadskier · Jan 29, 2011

well, I forgot my camera, so not going to do a full on trip report.

I really liked the place. Thought some of the glades were money. They had quite a few trails with bumps, some pretty sweet. Beginner trails with bumps, intermediate trails and steeper trails.

Some of the cruising trails I thought were fantastic. It's definitely not all just wide straight boulevards and some have pretty nice pitch. Not sure where they got the nickname Flatton. MRG it's not, but there's pitch in places, though sometimes not for very long. Spruce, Drifter, Grizzly Bear were all great fun. Grooming was fantastic.

Liftlines were fairly long, 15 minutes or so on the base area 6 pack, Ursa and the Sunbowl Sixpack. Snowbowl lift was ski on all day. That really needs to be a HSQ. Pretty frickin long slow lift. Thankfully not all that cold today. A HSQ would not only service the trails over there better, but it would probably help reduce the line on URSA. Shooting Star had minimal lines, but I would assume that's because it only services a few trails. I can see how folks miss the Kidderbrook as you now have to take two lifts to lap the nice glades over there. Kind of surprised to see the half finished new trails in the Sunbowl. Though short, that would add a bit more variety over there.

Overall a very pleasing day skiing. Look forward to my return visit. I definitely like it better than Okemo for a southern VT option.

mlkrgr · Jan 29, 2011

deadheadskier said:
well, I forgot my camera, so not going to do a full on trip report.

I really liked the place. Thought some of the glades were money. They had quite a few trails with bumps, some pretty sweet. Beginner trails with bumps, intermediate trails and steeper trails.

Some of the cruising trails I thought were fantastic. It's definitely not all just wide straight boulevards and some have pretty nice pitch. Not sure where they got the nickname Flatton. MRG it's not, but there's pitch in places, though sometimes not for very long. Spruce, Drifter, Grizzly Bear were all great fun. Grooming was fantastic.

Liftlines were fairly long, 15 minutes or so on the base area 6 pack, Ursa and the Sunbowl Sixpack. Snowbowl lift was ski on all day. That really needs to be a HSQ. Pretty frickin long slow lift. Thankfully not all that cold today. A HSQ would not only service the trails over there better, but it would probably help reduce the line on URSA. Shooting Star had minimal lines, but I would assume that's because it only services a few trails. I can see how folks miss the Kidderbrook as you now have to take two lifts to lap the nice glades over there. Kind of surprised to see the half finished new trails in the Sunbowl. Though short, that would add a bit more variety over there.

Overall a very pleasing day skiing. Look forward to my return visit. I definitely like it better than Okemo for a southern VT option.

Yes, Stratton is just too crowded for me on weekends but its a fairly nice mountain during the week. That place reminds me too much about Loon. Just way too many NYCers come over on weekends. Just about everything is ski on and the gondola maybe a few cabin wait during the middle of the day. For what they charge, having Snowbowl as a HSQ is a good idea to keep the base from overcrowding too much during the weekends, but its unneeded during the week, athough it would be nice not to go through the runout for every run I do in that area. Problem you run into during midweek is the Shooting Star is closed a lot so its tough to ski those trails up there but I still usually get a couple runs on those trails regardless.

keyser soze · Jan 29, 2011

I'll be skiing there Thursday and have never been so I appreciate all of the tips. Good to hear there is some challenging terrain.

Looking for Stratton info

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