Ascutney Mtn

[loafer89]

Does anyone have information on how Ascutney Mtn is doing lately? I really wanted to ski there yesterday, but they only have 21 trails open out of 56 and the summit quad is not operating, this is fairly lousy for January. Is this ski area even trying to attract people to ski there?

 

[sledhaulingmedic]

Nothing frist hand from Ascutney. That part of VT made out ok on the last storm, but they would have to have had agressive snowmaking to have much of a base.

I've onl skied there once. I like the style of the trails and enjoyed it a lot. It's not a place with a very high profile and rarely seems to come up in discussion here or other forums. I'm not really sure why.

 

[loafer89]

I have skied there twice, once before the new quad was installed and again the year that they put it in. I like the mountain and it is close to Okemo, but the snow condition reports often lead me to believe they are not making much snow and I was not going to ski there yesterday without the summit quad running, so we opted for Magic instead.

I tend to like the little guy ski areas, with the more friendly laid back atmosphere, that's why I intend to ski Black Mtn, Saddleback and Camden next month as a diversion from Sugarloaf.

 

[sledhaulingmedic]

Ascutney is a lot like Magic, but without the steeps. Magic's terrain inspires a lot of geniune devotion, so there is quite a bit of buzz in the skiing community, particularly online. Ascutney is a great little place, there just is not as much loyalty.

Glad you enoyed Magic. I had heard it was the best day so far this season.

 

[rjc1976]

I was up at Ascutney last week. The conditions were pretty bad, and the open trails were very limited. I was also at Okemo that same weekend, and it was completely the opposite. From what I could tell, Ascutney looks like it'd be a fun place to ski once it has some snow. The snow making operation seemed pretty weak from what I could see, and it appeared to me like they couldn't really blow that many trails at a time. I would like to go back there and check it out again in February (assuming we get some real snow by then).

 

[Talisman]

Ascutney has interesting terrain, but usually gets less natural snow than mountains to the East or West of it. Without robust snow making Ascutney, will suffer until there is some natural snow. There are some decent glades at Ascutney that seem to rarely open from lack of snow.

 

[beswift]

Ascutney is a lot like Magic, but without the steeps.

Ascutney is steep. It is much steeper than Okemo and comparable to Magic. It has some excellent glades and terrific views. The view of Brownsville, the village at the base, rivals the view of Telluride from Coonskin. Unfortunately they don't have the water for aggressive snow making. Every year they pull all the water out of their pond and quit. That means that it isn't worth skiing until there is a lot of natural. One thing that makes me proud would be that I was one of the first modern era telemark skiers there. Now they offer Tele Thurdays for a reduced price. They have a two-fer-Tuesday, too. Like Magic it has almost no weekday traffic, but you don't have to take any where near as many back roads to get there from Boston or I-91. Another interesting note about it would be that the views of the Mountain from the surrounding countryside has been inspirational to many. Maxfield Parrish painted it often. The Cornish Art Colony sprang up in it's shadow. Winston Churchill spent a few summers there. The south side of the mountain has extensive back country trails.

 

[Talisman]

I like Ascutney and think there is excellent skiing there with natural snow, but what trails does Ascutney have that rival Red Line or Master Magician?

 

[jamesdeluxe]

I like Ascutney and think there is excellent skiing there with natural snow, but what trails does Ascutney have that rival Red Line or Master Magician?

Cabin Chute is fun when coverage is there.

 

[beswift]

I like Ascutney and think there is excellent skiing there with natural snow, but what trails does Ascutney have that rival Red Line or Master Magician?

Let me add Free Fall to that list. That trail with a lot of snow reminded me of Mad River Glenn. I'm also sure Upper Exhibition offers comparable skiing, but I haven't seen it open. I would include Bushwaker and Touch-N-G0 although they are short plunges as I remember. Finally Darkside looks interesting, but I haven't been there when it was open in a long time.

 

[sledhaulingmedic]

It seems like a nice little place withan old school feel, but I really didn't see anything that compares to Magic. I have a freind who lives in Brownsville and never skis there.

I'd probably enjoy it more on tele skis.

 

[beswift]

I'd probably enjoy it more on tele skis.

Prabably. I don't find Magic all that exciting, either. Once you have skied out west in places like Taos, Aspen Highlands, Telluride and Solitude, they don't seem so expert when you return. Magic doesn't compare to Mad River or Sugarbush North, either. The runs aren't as long, the woods aren't as steep and usually there isn't as much snow.

 

[sledhaulingmedic]

I'd probably enjoy it more on tele skis.

Prabably. I don't find Magic all that exciting, either. Once you have skied out west in places like Taos, Aspen Highlands, Telluride and Solitude, they don't seem so expert when you return.

I have (two out of four). I still find pleny of challenge at Magic.

Magic doesn't compare to Mad River or Sugarbush North, either.

I wasn't comparing Magic to MRG, or Glen Ellen. Since you brought it up, I think Chute at MRG is very comperable to Redline. Never skied Glen Ellen, but really need to ski the Castlerock side. (Problem is, MRG pulls me up the road like a magnet.)

The runs aren't as long...

Ok

.. the woods aren't as steep ...

Ever ski "Oh, phuck" into "Afterglow"? (I didn't think so)

and usually there isn't as much snow.

Well, Magic is in Southern VT. I'd go as far to say as Magic rarely has as much snow.

My take: Magic and Ascutney are comparable, but I'd give Magic the edge on terrain. Magic and MRG are comparable, but MRG has more: More vertical, more OB/unofficial, more snow.

 

[beswift]

I have (two out of four). I still find pleny of challenge at Magic.

I haven't been there in a couple of years so it is fading in my memory, but I am glad you enjoy it.

I wasn't comparing Magic to MRG, or Glen Ellen. Since you brought it up, I think Chute at MRG is very comperable to Redline. Never skied Glen Ellen, but really need to ski the Castlerock side. (Problem is, MRG pulls me up the road like a magnet.).

First of all Castlerock is in the South Basin. (I'm sure you know this, but I want to put it on record.) It can be highly trecherous when the snow isn't falling. I have gone down Middle Earth when it was nothing but waist high bumps of solid ice. I watched an old-timer ski around
them with great finesse, but little speed. At that point I learned something. I don't think they have been keeping it open much since 9/11. They have to send out lift operators and get it cranking to make it part of the operation. Often they don't have the staff nor the clientel to warrant the expense. However, I have had some of my best skiing there during a powder dump. It really is incredible.

Ever ski "Oh, phuck" into "Afterglow"? (I didn't think so).

Well, Magic is in Southern VT. I'd go as far to say as Magic rarely has as much snow..

My take: Magic and Ascutney are comparable, but I'd give Magic the edge on terrain. Magic and MRG are comparable, but MRG has more: More vertical, more OB/unofficial, more snow.

To be quite honest, I just ski and try to enjoy it. I don't often pay attention to the names of the trails and I don't try and limit myself by comparing them to other trails I have skied. I do try and avoid bad experiences by using my memory, though. It doesn't always work. Since I know it well, I try to limit myself to skiing Paradise at MRG. I stay very close to the lift line but always in the woods. I load at the midstation. In the past I have been admonished by the operators for ignoring them and skiing directly into the chair out of the woods. Now, though, my grey hair (It ain't white yet!!!)
allows me that privelege.