2-3 week road trip

[TreeLine]

Hey Everybody, I am looking for some advice. I am planning on doing a 2-3 week roadtrip with some buddies sometime midwinter (dates are not yet set) and I am lookig for recommendations of places to hit up. I plan on leaving from and returning to Philly. My experience is only limited so far to southern vermont, but that is why i'm taking an extended road trip so that I can expand my ski IQ. I prefer places with lots of steeps and interesting terrain. Night life is only a factor in that if there is any kind of bar i'm cool.

So I guess what i'm asking, is if you were to go on a 2-3 week roadtrip solely to ski as much as possible how would you do it?

Thanks

 

[SKIQUATTRO]

you flying out west then treking around or are you looking to drive north from philly and hit VT/NH areas?

 

[ajl50]

for two to three weeks go west young man.
Take the three weeks and drive around Utah/Jackson/Colorado.
Fly to denver on US air, rent a good car and drive all over.
OR....
Drive out there and chase storms for the three weeks.

 

[TreeLine]

Planning on heading north from Philly NY/VT/NH/ME

 

[drjeff]

Maybe in another 25 to 30 years when I retired and the kids are long out of the house could I dream of a 2 to 3 week roadtrip! Oh to be young again!

 

[pepperdawg]

for two to three weeks go west young man.
Take the three weeks and drive around Utah/Jackson/Colorado.
Fly to denver on US air, rent a good car and drive all over.
OR....
Drive out there and chase storms for the three weeks.

What he said....2-3 weeks - dont screw around in NE...

 

[TreeLine]

Although out west would be ideal, the inciting event was last spring when a bunch of us were at Killington and we realized we always end up going there and while I enjoy the terrain (last year was after a span of days that left 3+ ft of natural and the only time I've gotten to enjoy the Fiddle!!) I feel as if I am missing out and trapped in a ski bubble! So, we all decided to bank summer vacation time and hit up an extended road trip and ski as many places as much as possible. So that is our reason for keeping on the east coast. I personally have an itch for hitting whiteface, the others are pretty much up for anything.

 

[SKIQUATTRO]

whats the difference if you spend 6-8 hrs in a car from Philly driving north or sit on a plane for the same amt of time and land in CO/UT/WY.....dont waste 3 weeks in the NE..go west!!!! you'll most likely never get another 3weeks off in a row for the rest of your existance!!

 

[riverc0il]

Go west would be the first and most obvious suggestion. If you are set on the east, I would plan a trip that would tag northern new england east to west. You can go west to east if you prefer, but why not save the best for last (not that the Loaf isn't good). Any ways, start in Maine with Sugarloaf for a few days and hit Saddleback before heading into NH. North Conway is available for your commercial needs or you can slum it in Gorham and nail one day each at Wildcat and Cannon if so inclined. Tag one day at Burke and then base yourself out of the Stowe area and nail Jay, Stowe, and Smuggs. Finally, cross the ferry and finish up at Whiteface. You would miss Bush/MRG but that might be cramming too much. If you want to narrow things down, the key mountains to hit would be Loaf, Jay, Stowe, and Whiteface for the essentials.

If it were me, I would just base out of either Waterbury or Stowe for the entire three weeks and nail everything between Bush through Jay spending mid-weeks at MRG, Stowe, and Smuggs or Jay mid-week on an epic powder day.

 

[ajl50]

Although out west would be ideal, the inciting event was last spring when a bunch of us were at Killington and we realized we always end up going there and while I enjoy the terrain (last year was after a span of days that left 3+ ft of natural and the only time I've gotten to enjoy the Fiddle!!) I feel as if I am missing out and trapped in a ski bubble!.

Talk about getting out of the bubble GO WEST!!!
Go to interior British Columbia. Go to Jackson/Targee. Go to Big Sky, Jackson AND INTERIOR BC. GOOD GOD. Why ski on blown snow with the HOPE of getting great natural snow when you have the opportunity to chase storms in places where three feet of natural happens way more often.

And a note...like everybody here I LOVE skiing in the northeast. It's great...way underrated - but it's RIGHT here. Why spend three weeks tooling around places you can hit up over a weekend.

 

[TreeLine]

OK, you guys are all starting to persuade me, I've gotta go compare prices now!

 

[pepperdawg]

you have 2-3 weeks - drive out if needed - 3 days (give or take) will put you in CO....find a window between storms so you dont get stuck in some midwest blizzard.....spend some time in CO...maybe head up to JH or west to UT or down south to 4 corners area (Wolf Creek, Taos, Telluride)......Mmmmmmmm

 

[deadheadskier]

As others have said GO WEST. I think a big part of this suggetion is that most all of us are at a point in life where such a journey is not possible until retirement. Twenty years from now you'll probably look back at your eastern road trip with great fondness, but will probably always wonder what it would have been like had you and your buddies headed out west.


Think if it in these terms. Number 1, from Philly, it's pretty easy to bang out a few Northeastern areas a year with four day trips. It's highly cost prohibitive from there to bang out several 4 day trips out west in a winter to experience multiple areas.

The other factor is the 'R' word. While you're not guaranteed that it will 'R' on the east during your trip, it is a definite possibility. Out west you can 99.9% guarantee you won't run into that. 'R' can ruin the slopes in New England for days and in my opinion, it's not worth risking what is likely a once in a lifetime experience on the chance that that might happen.

 

[RENO]

As much as I love snowboarding in Vermont,NH, etc... if I'm doing a 3 week trip I'm flying West! Fly to Denver or SLC and hit Colorado, Utah, Montana, etc... Maybe even hit Lake Tahoe and fly back from there...

 

[bvibert]

I've never been West, nor have I been to many of the northern NE areas suggested, but if I had 2-3 weeks to take a vacation I would definitely head West. Without a doubt. You'd probably spend as much in gas tooling around the North East as you would on a plane ticket...

 

[shwilly]

Ask about a trip that everyone here would love to be able to do, and you'll get some good answers!

What everyone else said. If for whatever reason you decide to stay in the east, c0il's itinerary was perfect.

 

[bvibert]

If for whatever reason you decide to stay in the east, c0il's itinerary was perfect.

Steve's itinerary looks pretty good, but I think I'd try to fit MRG and possibly Sugarbush in there somehow as well.

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

As others have said..with 2-3 weeks go west young grasshopper..with only 5-7 days I'd say hit up Northern Vermont..

 

[snoseek]

If you have multiple drivers you can go across in 2 days easy. book everything last minute on hotwire, and follow the five day forecast closely. It's always going to be deep somewhere. eat lots of salad bars at supermarkets, and never pay full price for tickets to keep cost down.

 

[Marc]

Two words: Roger's Pass.