3 most personally overrated ski areas you have skied.

[deadheadskier]

You like the Creek? I'm not typically adverse to tight trees, but I just found that area to be particularly ridiculous. I could ski it, but not with any sort of speed or rhythm

 

[Cannonball]

You like the Creek? I'm not typically adverse to tight trees, but I just found that area to be particularly ridiculous. I could ski it, but not with any sort of speed or rhythm

Yeah, actually I do. Although I haven't skied this season because of the 2 huge ice bulges at the bottom. Curious how you navigated those?

Again though, I agree it is ridiculously tight and not something they should be sending unwitting customers into. This brings up the frequently discussed issue of trail marking systems. A person could be feeling pretty good about themselves after a day of skiing double black diamond glades at Bretton Woods, then get seriously over their head on a single black thicket at Cannon.

 

[Puck it]

Yeah, actually I do. Although I haven't skied this season because of the 2 huge ice bulges at the bottom. Curious how you navigated those?

Again though, I agree it is ridiculously tight and not something they should be sending unwitting customers into. This brings up the frequently discussed issue of trail marking systems. A person could be feeling pretty good about themselves after a day of skiing double black diamond glades at Bretton Woods, then get seriously over their head on a single black thicket at Cannon.

Totally agree. I have skied past a number of people in the upper glades that should not be in there. They really should not be on the map especially with most of those names!!!

 

[deadheadskier]

Yeah, actually I do. Although I haven't skied this season because of the 2 huge ice bulges at the bottom. Curious how you navigated those?

.

IIRC there was a bit of easy out to the right with some snow to ski around it. It was definitely sketchy in the packed condition state.

 

[machski]

The knock against K and SR isn't traversing in the traditional sense, but rather skiing trails that you normally wouldn't ski as a means to get from one side to the other.

Yet that is one of the pluses of K and SR. With the width of the resorts, there is almost always an area devoid or with substantially less crowds.

 

[skiberg]

Would not worry much about liability. If you go in, you do so at your own risk. Ski resorts in the US are VERY difficult to sue. I just think with as tight as they are, you get very little flow. After I ski Jay or Stowe and I return I am always amazed at what we endure at Cannon. You can ski Timbuktu at Jay from the top all the way to the road, with pace and flow, and never stop. Try that at any of the upper mountain glades at Cannon and you are liable to eat some bark. Also, you are forced to ski similar lines which causes the snow to get skied off much quicker, but not much we can do about that, the trees are just tighter.

 

[deadheadskier]

Soft wood glades just don't work the same as natural hard wood stands. They require a ton of human effort to make work.

Thankfully a lot of Cannon regulars seem to help with that.

Wildcat has similar issues. Sometimes I wish I skied there with a chainsaw

 

[skiberg]

True, which is why Whiskey skis so much better, even though its at the bottom of the hill. Without MAJOR work up top, or a forest fire, we are simply not going to have any major change. Although, there are a few soft woods glades here and there that ski pretty well. Skied a few Sunday once they softened up.

 

[xwhaler]

Soft woods glades: Bolton is letting some locals thin some off map shots that are pretty amazing.
Makes the mtn ski pretty sweet despite the run out on a powder day like we had Sunday! Just gotta know where to look...

 

[Cannonball]

True, which is why Whiskey skis so much better, even though its at the bottom of the hill. Without MAJOR work up top, or a forest fire, we are simply not going to have any major change. Although, there are a few soft woods glades here and there that ski pretty well. Skied a few Sunday once they softened up.

Agree! Examples from last week:
Hard wood (Whiskey)


Soft Wood, actually one of the more open ones (LB)

 

[Savemeasammy]

Global Warming glade also kind of sucks. It isn't as bad as The Creek, but it would ski better if thinned a little more.

This.

My 7 year old was able to properly enjoy this glade on his 100's... Personally, I don't find runs like that to be particularly enjoyable or challenging. I hope that cannon has better glade offerings (Kinsman aside...)


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[steamboat1]

I also have come to love Killington because I learned it... No need to traverse all day if you know where you are going!

I agree whole heartedly with this statement. If they put in a new South Ridge chair it would be even easier to maneuver. I can & do ski the whole mountain everyday skiing up & down, not sideways. It's not hard once you learn the area.

 

[billski]

"Overrated" is dependent on what "rating" one goes by.

I'm with you all the way. However. It seems like you are using the AZ rating consensus, as you singled out the ones often discussed here.

I would define the rating as the hype given by the ski area's marketing machine. Since ski condition transparency via internet came into play, market hype is way down and truthfulness (or conditions withheld) make it vastly easier to see through anyone's rating.

But it's not just about setting expectations "downward". It seems to me that most mountains have, or desire to target, a niche. Get the wrong skier/boarder on the wrong mountain, you've got an epic fail. For some, it's epic grooming they expect. No loose pow. Bring a barkeater to, let's say Stratton, he's going to call them out for having over-rated glade skiing. Well, it's probably just right for the Stratton clientele. And what exactly are the expectations?

 

[CoolMike]

Over rated: Stowe, WaWa, and PCMR.

Stowe because I don't understand this place at all - apparently bad trail layout (or perhaps I was doing it wrong?), expensive for day trips, and extremely limited seating in the picnicking areas funneling people (like myself) into the over priced and still extremely crowded restaurants.

WaWa for obvious reasons, crowds, lack of pitch, and crowds.

PCMR only in comparison to the other mountains in the area, most especially Snowbird and Alta. I did enjoy myself there immensely and there were lots of cool runs, enough snow, and plenty of steeps. Its only real failing is that its in the same region as the big and little cottonwood canyons.

 

[Gforce]

Aspen - cool town but the mountain layout blows, everyone channels down under the Little Nell chair. It has the feel of route 128 on Friday afternoon rush hour. Go to Aspen Highlands.

Sunday River - too spread out, it seems like a sprawling 1990's strip mall, does not have the character or ambience of classic VT or NH ski areas. Go to Saddleback

Stowe - for $90/day the terrain, snow conditions and people are much better at Sugarbush.

 

[hammer]

I included Sunday River not because it is a bad ski area - but because it is way overhyped. I am sure that you will have a fine time there.

We did, even though there were only a few lifts open on Thursday due to winds and the conditions ranged from petrified corduroy to groomed hardpack. Went into a few of the easier glades but they were quite firm. Yes some of the traversing was a pain, but we managed OK.