Best and Worst Parking at Ski Resorts

[Puck it]

Can't beat Zoomer Bar for parking! Hopefully it will be open for business

 

[sugarbushskier]

And there's always the shuttle too going around if you don't want to walk at least on weekends, not sure about midweek.

I look at this walk up as my stretching exercise before skiing. Add to the walk the fact that I always boot up upstairs, by the time I get to the second floor I'm tired, but feel like I'm ready to go.

Here's a thought for another thread though, the comfortable area for putting skis on and getting to the GMX has to be one of the best!!

 

[bigbog]

Best -Killington at Bear

Worst- Sugarloaf..Vail

Imho..with the underground springs, potentially the best beginner mogul patch @SL = lost to the lower parking lot

 

[deadheadskier]

True.....but for some reason having parking garages at ski areas just seems so out of place. I know that plenty of other infrastructure at ski resorts take away from the natural feel of being in the mountains (like a seven story brick hotel), but parking garages just feel like I'm in a city.

 

[bigbog]

True.....but for some reason having parking garages at ski areas just seems so out of place. I know that plenty of other infrastructure at ski resorts take away from the natural feel of being in the mountains (like a seven story brick hotel), but parking garages just feel like I'm in a city.

Think you're right about high brick(older structures). I guess a lot "opinion" just comes from where one spends a lot of time in...but newer materials can give higher structures a separate look all their own that take up a % of land that exists in parking lot acreage. Compare a few of Taipei's(sp?)..ex-Taiwan's newer buildings with old brick & mortar Allston-Brighton, that I lived in for 20yrs(Granted..somewhat warping the mind), leading into Boston. A couple of those newer buildings house more, of anything, that does the mile after mile of Boylston Street alone. Forget all the multitude of other Taiwanese buildings but wouldn't an area of just one or two structures with loads of undeveloped land/woods be more pleasing to the eye than the mile after mile horizontally paved Boston, Back Bay and Allston-Brighton?

 

[bdfreetuna]

Best..
Berkshire East
Pico
some lodges at Killington
Jay Peak Stateside

MRG can be the best if nobody is there or a total mess if it's a busy day.

Basically if you don't have to hike up a hill from parking to the lodge it's a win.

Places like Stratton, Bromley, Jiminy Peak that have awful far-away parking deserve some credit for running a tight shuttle game.

 

[steamboat1]

Small area but Middlebury College Snow Bowl has convenient parking.

 

[Jully]

Think you're right about high brick(older structures). I guess a lot "opinion" just comes from where one spends a lot of time in...but newer materials can give higher structures a separate look all their own that take up a % of land that exists in parking lot acreage. Compare a few of Taipei's(sp?)..ex-Taiwan's newer buildings with old brick & mortar Allston-Brighton, that I lived in for 20yrs(Granted..somewhat warping the mind), leading into Boston. A couple of those newer buildings house more, of anything, that does the mile after mile of Boylston Street alone. Forget all the multitude of other Taiwanese buildings but wouldn't an area of just one or two structures with loads of undeveloped land/woods be more pleasing to the eye than the mile after mile horizontally paved Boston, Back Bay and Allston-Brighton?

I tend to agree with you about Allston in Boston. Absolutely despise the feel there. If it's empty I feel like I'm in the Walking Dead or something. I find it different at a ski resort though. Parking lots are relatively unobtrusive and when unpaved it almost fits into my schema of a resort. Parking garages do not sadly.

 

[joshua segal]

Doesn't get easier than at Crotched Mtn.

 

[benski]

I think low rising like parking garages at ski areas since it is better than far away lots. I have never seen large structures at a ski area but building one into the hill seems like a good solution. I remember Jay having one that at from a distance looks blends in.

 

[Jully]

I think low rising like parking garages at ski areas since it is better than far away lots. I have never seen large structures at a ski area but building one into the hill seems like a good solution. I remember Jay having one that at from a distance looks blends in.

I have never been to Jay, so they very well could have done it nicely. Stratton has some garage like structure that I was less of a fan of though.

 

[BenedictGomez]

BEST PARKING:
1) Plattekill
2) Smuggler's Notch (the people listing Smuggs as a "worst" dont know Smuggs, and have absolutely no idea where to park)
3) Stowe

WORST PARKING:
1) Whiteface (by a mile, figuratively & literally)
2) Gore
3) Sugarbush

 

[steamboat1]

BEST PARKING:

Smuggler's Notch (the people listing Smuggs as a "worst" dont know Smuggs, and have absolutely no idea where to park)

Unless you're talking about parking down at Morse all parking up at Madonna requires walking up that god damn hill to the base lodge

 

[deadheadskier]

Not the parking lot next to the T bar. I'm assuming that's what he is referring to. If you are someone who boots up at the car it's very convenient parking (though not as good as Stowe Gondi lots)

 

[SkiingInABlueDream]

Worst- Sugarloaf..Vail

This. And for best, the beach at A-Basin.

edit: oops, I was thinking Vail for worst. No experience with the Loaf...

 

[gmcunni]

Ski Sundown. I always find a spot 50 yards or less from the door.

 

[tree_skier]

This pay to park is awful. Seeing as i am generally at an area early and can't go to outer bases here is my list

Worst
Stratton
Snow
Sugarbush

Best
Beast aka Berkshire East
Bousquet
Blandford
Pats
Bromley, a bit of a walk but i am generally in the first few rows same for okemo
pico
Stowe (MMSC lot is easy however no food service)

 

[4aprice]

Certainly in the west you have some places with remote parking served by either a shuttle system or transfer lift. I don't mind that if its efficient (Cooper, Snowmass and the old Canyons come to mind) Parking for Vail and Ajax is a nightmare. Like the parking pretty much at all 4 of the LCC and BCC areas in Utah. Solitude's lot has a lot of slope front acreage. Seen the beach's at Arapahoe and Sunapee which are a good time in the spring. (would like to see that Zoomer Bar one day). Even close to home here CBK has the Sun Bowl lot which they have a great spring party on (and its paved, not a mud hole, which is a bonus)

Alex

Lake Hopatcong, NJ

 

[cdskier]

I'm curious why so many people list Sugarbush's parking as one of the worst (even people that are there early). Is it the walk from the lot to the lifts that people don't like? Or it is something else?

 

[thetrailboss]

I'm curious why so many people list Sugarbush's parking as one of the worst (even people that are there early). Is it the walk from the lot to the lifts that people don't like? Or it is something else?

I wonder the same.


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