2015-2016 Ski Areas to visit...

[deadheadskier]

Give me a heads up. You'll love the tunes @ the Red Chair.

Definitely will!

 

[deadheadskier]

I really never cared for Stowe. Granted last time I was there was before I was into going into the trees at all, but I didn't see anything overly amazing with their trails. Perhaps I was a bit turned off by the need to always ski the run-outs at the bottom. I probably would have enjoyed it more with an upper mountain-only lift.

On map Stowe is not the best in the east by any means except for maybe fall line cruising terrain. Off map it has more acreage of easily accessible slackcountry than anywhere in the East. I've got probably around 300 days in there lifetime and there's still plenty I've never skied.

Inbounds by late January you can pretty much ski the place boundary to boundary. Arguably more trees between trails than even Jay.

 

[Newpylong]

Ehh........ I dont know about all that. I've never skied slidebrook, I'd love to, so I'll give you that it may well be awesome when it's open, but the woods skiing proper at Sugarbush otherwise just isnt that great, and I think they could do far better by way of natural snow trails. At the very least, I dont see any of this (even if true) as being a reason to not ski MRG.

You sure you were at Sugarbush?

 

[Newpylong]

I have skied MRG with long term Co-op members and can make a very valid comparison having been all over the mountain in a variety of conditions. I've got nothing against MRG but just saying it's not this amazing skiing nirvana when you have Sugarbush next door.

I lived in the valley for 4 years with a ASC Gold pass I can count on one hand the # of times we went to MRG in those 4 years. Good for a day here and there but no advantage if you're a Bush passholder.

 

[Domeskier]

If I want to have a picnic by a stream, I might visit a "glen". If I want to ski, I go to a mountain!

 

[Tin]

If I want to have a picnic by a stream, I might visit a "glen". If I want to ski, I go to a mountain!

You're more into "hills".

 

[BenedictGomez]

You sure you were at Sugarbush?

Keep in mind I ski all over northern Vermont and New York, so I don't have an "anchor opinion". Given that fact, yes, in my opinion the tree skiing at Sugarbush (ex-Slidebrook which I've already mentioned) isn't anything to write home about, and is bested by pretty much every other n.VT location (Stowe, Smuggs, Jay Peak, probably MRG too), as well as N.NY as well (Gore).

Is this really a controversial belief? I just assumed pretty much everyone agreed with that.

 

[Domeskier]

You're more into "hills".

It's a "ridge", thank you very much!

 

[Tin]

It's a "ridge", thank you very much!

I thought this was a "ridge".

 

[Domeskier]

I thought this was a "ridge".

I think that's just a marketing ploy for what is otherwise merely a local park.

 

[ss20]

I thought this was a "ridge".

Amateurs. This is a ridge.

 

[WWF-VT]

Keep in mind I ski all over northern Vermont and New York, so I don't have an "anchor opinion". Given that fact, yes, in my opinion the tree skiing at Sugarbush (ex-Slidebrook which I've already mentioned) isn't anything to write home about, and is bested by pretty much every other n.VT location (Stowe, Smuggs, Jay Peak, probably MRG too), as well as N.NY as well (Gore).

Is this really a controversial belief? I just assumed pretty much everyone agreed with that.

You have never skied Slidebrook, and probably don't know a lot of the off the map options at Lincoln Peak and Mount Ellen, and believe that Gore offers better tree skiing, so it does make your opinion highy suspect.

 

[steamboat1]

Anything from Killington north along the Green Mountain spine is good in my book. Only skied Gore a few times & didn't really care for the place, to many flats.

 

[BenedictGomez]

You have never skied Slidebrook, and probably don't know a lot of the off the map options at Lincoln Peak and Mount Ellen, and believe that Gore offers better tree skiing, so it does make your opinion highy suspect.

I specifically stated, ex-Slidebrook (ex means without) to admittedly take that into the equation/to be fair.

So you're saying the tree skiing, in your opinion, is better at Sugarbush than Jay Peak, Smuggs, or Stowe?

And yes, I think Gore offers better tree skiing (again, admitting ex-Slidebrook) than Sugarbush. I think Gore offers better tree skiing than the vast majority of eastern resorts, and I also think probably few people realize this because so few have skied there. Have you ever skied Gore?

 

[Newpylong]

Keep in mind I ski all over northern Vermont and New York, so I don't have an "anchor opinion". Given that fact, yes, in my opinion the tree skiing at Sugarbush (ex-Slidebrook which I've already mentioned) isn't anything to write home about, and is bested by pretty much every other n.VT location (Stowe, Smuggs, Jay Peak, probably MRG too), as well as N.NY as well (Gore).

Is this really a controversial belief? I just assumed pretty much everyone agreed with that.

No anchor opinion here, Sugarbush is in Vermont, I live in New Hampshire. I was just surprised to see such a poor reflection on the Bush, I don't hear it often, if ever. I certainly would question ones rating system if I see it...

 

[BenedictGomez]

No anchor opinion here, Sugarbush is in Vermont, I live in New Hampshire. I was just surprised to see such a poor reflection on the Bush, I don't hear it often, if ever. I certainly would question ones rating system if I see it...

Have you skied trees at Jay Peak?
Have you skied trees at Smuggler's Notch?
Have you skied trees at Stowe?


Because I certainly dont ever hear people claim Sugarbush has better tree skiing. Sugarbush on-map tree skiing is pretty meh. It wasn't a poor reflection on the entire place, just one aspect of its' skiing compared with it's northern competition.

 

[Newpylong]

Of course I have - all of these places are just out my door, not 5 hours away like from New Jersey.

That is fair enough, to each their own. But don't be surprised to see eyebrows raised :grin:

 

[BenedictGomez]

Of course I have - all of these places are just out my door, not 5 hours away like from New Jersey.

To be clear, you are stating that tree skiing at Sugarbush is better than tree skiing at Jay Peak and Smuggler's Notch.

IMO, if we took a poll here of people who've skied all three, not only would "eyebrows" not be "raised", but your opinion would likely come in last place in a ranking of the tree skiing at those three, and probably significantly so. My 2¢.

 

[St. Bear]

Have you skied trees at Jay Peak?
Have you skied trees at Smuggler's Notch?
Have you skied trees at Stowe?


Because I certainly dont ever hear people claim Sugarbush has better tree skiing. Sugarbush on-map tree skiing is pretty meh. It wasn't a poor reflection on the entire place, just one aspect of its' skiing compared with it's northern competition.

Sugarbush trees are not as in the open as Jay and Stowe. I don't mean the physical spacing, but you have to really look and know where you're going to find the better spots. That's fine by me though, as the trails are interesting enough to keep me entertained.

 

[BenedictGomez]

Sugarbush trees are not as in the open as Jay and Stowe. I don't mean the physical spacing, but you have to really look and know where you're going to find the better spots. That's fine by me though, as the trails are interesting enough to keep me entertained.

This is where Sugarbush shines. Now, if the question were posed, who has better trails, Sugarbush or Jay Peak, then I'd say Sugarbush. But often you cannot make a judgement comment on this site without fanboys of XYZ ski area feeling they must jump in to "defend" their area at all cost, with no quarter given. DMC was the worst ever example - Hunter > Kitzbuehel in his mind.