Best expert chairlifts in new england

[xwhaler]

True story. Does a runout diminish the quality of the terrain you just skied?

Sometimes "run outs" still allow for enjoyable skiing. M1 is a great example. Sure, the bottom is not steep, but there are plenty of places to duck into the trees to keep things fun.


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Well said...part of the reason why I love Smuggs---their lower angle trees can be a blast off M1/M2/Sterling
Have some good memories of ducking ropes in Bermuda this winter!

 

[from_the_NEK]

Normal year, yes some good terrain with the liftlines, Hairball, Al's ect, but it's also not continuous. The goods are there at Wildcat, they just are fragmented and in shorter bursts unlike some of the other options mentioned here.

Same thoughts apply to the upper mountain at Burke too.

 

[cdskier]

In my opinion, Heavens Gate, Madonna, Castlerock and North Peak Express all need to get tossed due to runout. Sorry, stretching an expert pod to 1400+ vertical in New England on a chair usually = runout.

What runout does Castlerock have other than beyond the bottom of the lift (which doesn't count in the vertical rise calculation for the lift itself therefore is irrelevant to this list)? The CR Double is a bit under 1700' of vertical. The bottom part may be a bit mellower, but I'd hardly call it a runout. The last drop of Liftline right before the lift still has some decent pitch to it.

 

[nhskier1969]

What's your definition of "expert" runs? I don't go by trail rating alone as I don't necessarily agree with some trail ratings on certain trails...

I love Sugarbush, but I don't know that I would put Heaven's Gate on that list. Paradise is the only trail off that lift that I would really consider an "expert" trail.

Stowe's FourRunner Quad needs to be on this list.

Heavens gate has
1. Ripcord
2. Organgrinder
3. paradise(with multiple options) including all the wood skiing around it
4. spillsville

 

[nhskier1969]

I think the best expert chairlift in New England is the Cannonball Chair at Cannon. That unload ramp can have have some nasty ass conditions and make the toughest slope at Cannon on days. Right Cannonball!!!!


The other is the High Country double at WV, not for speed but for the feel like you are going to fall of the whole way up if the safety is not down.

Short vertical might as well ski at wachusetts

 

[cdskier]

Heavens gate has
1. Ripcord
2. Organgrinder
3. paradise(with multiple options) including all the wood skiing around it
4. spillsville

I guess by trail designation those are technically "expert"...but Ripcord and OG don't make my personal list of challenging trails (don't get me wrong, I enjoy them and ski them often, just never thought of them as expert). Ripcord in particular is groomed far too often and really shouldn't be a double-diamond. I'd argue that many of the ungroomed diamonds at Sugarbush are more challenging than Ripcord most of the time (Middle Earth, CR Run, Hammerhead, Domino, the Mall, Bravo).

 

[benski]

What runout does Castlerock have other than beyond the bottom of the lift (which doesn't count in the vertical rise calculation for the lift itself therefore is irrelevant to this list)? The CR Double is a bit under 1700' of vertical. The bottom part may be a bit mellower, but I'd hardly call it a runout. The last drop of Liftline right before the lift still has some decent pitch to it.

There is a runout above that headwall.


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[Tin]

I guess by trail designation those are technically "expert"...but Ripcord and OG don't make my personal list of challenging trails (don't get me wrong, I enjoy them and ski them often, just never thought of them as expert). Ripcord in particular is groomed far too often and really shouldn't be a double-diamond. I'd argue that many of the ungroomed diamonds at Sugarbush are more challenging than Ripcord most of the time (Middle Earth, CR Run, Hammerhead, Domino, the Mall, Bravo).

Absolutely. And Paradise is more of a trail with "great character" than it is an expert run.

 

[benski]

Absolutely. And Paradise is more of a trail with "great character" than it is an expert run.

I would say upper paradise is steep and lower is just character.


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[4aprice]

The other is the High Country double at WV, not for speed but for the feel like you are going to fall of the whole way up if the safety is not down.

Ok so now I know it wasn't just me. Something about the padding on the seats, I too almost bailed on that one.

Alex

Lake Hopatcong, NJ

 

[ScottySkis]

Hunter West express chair.

Platty double chair.

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[180]

yep!

Hunter West express chair.

Platty double chair.

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[dlague]

The vertical kills many a good pods for sure!!

 

[tumbler]

Heavens gate has
1. Ripcord
2. Organgrinder
3. paradise(with multiple options) including all the wood skiing around it
4. spillsville

You forgot Downspout, that makes it double black diamond!

 

[fcksummer]

There was no expert skiing at Wildcat this year. That's why I didn't mention it!!!

Normal year, yes some good terrain with the liftlines, Hairball, Al's ect, but it's also not continuous. The goods are there at Wildcat, they just are fragmented and in shorter bursts unlike some of the other options mentioned here.

The liftline's were doable this year!

 

[deadheadskier]

Tops for sure. Bases know it for sure. I was more thinking the Starr Line and Black Cat portions. I do recall you talking about riding one of them on one of the few days the tops opened this season.

 

[nhskier1969]

You forgot Downspout, that makes it double black diamond!

You mean "death spout" it's only a double black at the beginning of the year, when all 4000 people at SB is skiing that day and you have the lesson congo line going down the middle of it. LOL

 

[tumbler]

You mean "death spout" it's only a double black at the beginning of the year, when all 4000 people at SB is skiing that day and you have the lesson congo line going down the middle of it. LOL

That's when it is triple black!! It's double black by 9:30 on the weekends during the season. Sheet of ice with no sun on it and 3,999 people on it.

 

[Rothski]

Goat at Stowe is the real deal top to bottom. Probably the only trail in this whole thread that meets the OP's criteria

 

[machski]

Goat at Stowe is the real deal top to bottom. Probably the only trail in this whole thread that meets the OP's criteria

True, Goat is a great run partly because it only runs 2/3 the length of forerunner (why it stays good). Then you get to hit the national or nose dive flats back to the lift.