Blue Glades?

[MICO]

Yeah, sounds like an oxymoron maybe. Skied Bolton last winter, and got the wifey to try new mid-fats on low-angle tree runs off the Wilderness lift. 8" of fresh had fallen overnight, and she stayed in the woods for hours.....Said it was like x/c on steroids. LOL! She's an intermediate skier, but not too strong a one......Done a couple blacks at Gore......Likes ungroomed as long as pitch isn't too steep.

Anyway, wondering about easy glades at other places. I know what Jay has on the lower mountain. What about Burke and Smuggs? Never skied either yet. Was ready to book Burke in Feb. then just read someone stating it was an "advanced/expert" mountain. Yet I see plenty of blue on the trail map. Smuggs has a few glades marked blue on its map. Any feedback on those?

Looking at Sugarbush. Appears to be a number of new glades on their map. Wondering if any would be good as beginner tree runs?

 

[skiersleft]

Squeeze Play at Killington in Ramshead area. 1000ft of continuous true blue tree skiing. Wonderful for introducing someone to tree skiing.

 

[riverc0il]

Bretton Woods all the way.

 

[BenedictGomez]

Smuggs has some easy glades, problem is they're more in "patches" so to speak, than really long sustained runs like at Jay. But I think I'm probably being really picky in that, I'd say it's a pretty good choice for "manageable" glade skiing.

 

[HowieT2]

Sugarbush has eden and sleeper at lincoln peak as well as semi tough and brambles at mt ellen which are low angle beginner woods. They are what you are looking for.

 

[riverc0il]

You should probably advise if the skier in question can ski bumps. Even low angle trees can bump up which could be an issue for a lower level skier that has only ventured in the woods in nice powder conditions. That may better help inform suggestions.

I'll stand by my previous suggestion of Bretton Woods as the best place in the northeast to get into low angle woods skiing. But Jay has a lot to offer as well. There are a few really flat glades off the Metro Quad. And a little higher up in level include Stateside and Buckaroo Bonzai, those are two really sweet lower angle glades.

One thing to keep in mind is some areas will label all glades black regardless of pitch. So there may be some black glades that actually ski quite nicely for someone learning.

You asked about Burke and I'd say this isn't a good area to learn glade skiing at. There is a beginner glade off the Sherburne Quad and few lower angle glades (Marshland?). But I wouldn't say glades at Burke are beginner friendly for the most part. You noticed a lot of blue on the trail map, but Burke's blues ski a level up from most other areas blues. And many tree areas are definitely not for those learning.

Smuggs might be a good option, as suggested by BG.

 

[fbrissette]

But Jay has a lot to offer as well. There are a few really flat glades off the Metro Quad. And a little higher up in level include Stateside and Buckaroo Bonzai, those are two really sweet lower angle glades.

I don't see Jay as having good intermediate glades. The lower parts of Everglade (accessed off of JFK) and Buck Woods are where I bring intermediate skiers.

 

[tarponhead]

I thought RC was on the money saying stateside and BB are perfect intermediate glades. I agree 100%

 

[deadheadskier]

Last Tango and Blind Ambition at Sunday River are two large glades that are good for introducing intermediate skiers to. Definitely "blue square" glades, so don't let the diamond ratings discourage you.

 

[MICO]

Great info guys! Thanks a bunch!

 

[BenedictGomez]

I don't see Jay as having good intermediate glades. The lower parts of Everglade (accessed off of JFK) and Buck Woods are where I bring intermediate skiers.

Then you're missing some of the better introductory glade spots Jay has to offer, via the Metro Quad like Riverc0il noted.

Take a right off Metro and you have the Moon Glades (Quarter, Half, and Full), which are the easiest glades at Jay, and are precisely where I will be introducing my girlfriend to glades skiing this winter. About as low-angle as humanly possible, very "safe" wide spacing, some tighter too obviously to practice on etc... It doesn't get much easier than this.

Take a left off Metro and you have Bushwacker Glades which, while easy, are fun regardless of who you are! The great thing about Bushwacker is there are very easy lines, as well as a few decently steep pitches for the learner to practice on if they feel capable. Even better, the steep bits are totally avoidable if you dont want to try them. There's a few spots where it gets decently thick, again, IF you want to go there, and importantly you dont have to. There is a stream bed and a bit of a gully if you go too far left, but these are great IMO for a "teachable moment" that you NEVER know what lurks in the woods so always pay attention and be careful etc..

The fact both of these are easily lapable for many repetitions from Metro is fantastic, and there's even a narrow trail cut through them if you're teaching someone, but another person in the party cant do glades but is skiing with you.

 

[from_the_NEK]

Take a left off Metro and you have Bushwacker Glades which, while easy, are fun regardless of who you are! The great thing about Bushwacker is there are very easy lines, as well as a few decently steep pitches for the learner to practice on if they feel capable. Even better, the steep bits are totally avoidable if you dont want to try them. There's a few spots where it gets decently thick, again, IF you want to go there, and importantly you dont have to. There is a stream bed and a bit of a gully if you go too far left, but these are great IMO for a "teachable moment" that you NEVER know what lurks in the woods so always pay attention and be careful etc..

This is the glade I cut my teeth in when I first started skiing trees. Granted that was before they cut the path through the middle wide enough for a groomer to pass through.

 

[Puck it]

Sunapee has Ridge Glades. The new Becks Brook Glade looked pretty tame too.

 

[WWF-VT]

You should probably advise if the skier in question can ski bumps. Even low angle trees can bump up which could be an issue for a lower level skier that has only ventured in the woods in nice powder conditions. That may better help inform suggestions.

+1 Many of the "easy" glades get a lot of traffic you are essentially skiing moguls that just happen to have trees as obstacles

 

[MadMadWorld]

Bretton Woods all the way.

Indeed.

 

[Cheese]

Bretton Woods all the way.

+1

Wait for them to get packed down and then fresh snow covered though. Even intermediate glades with thin cover can be challenging.

 

[riverc0il]

Nit picking a bit here, but Moon is left off the Metro, Bushwacker is right. There are both green circle glades.

Just checked and Stateside Glade is listed as a blue square. The green glades can be a little "whatever" for someone of decent ability trying to learn trees. Stateside is just about perfect pitch for learning. I like the idea of Lower Everglade via JFK as well, that is very mellow and not deserving of a diamond rating. Buckaroo is also a diamond rating but it is similar pitch and spacing to Stateside Glade.

 

[BenedictGomez]

Nit picking a bit here, but Moon is left off the Metro, Bushwacker is right. There are both green circle glades.

I guess you think of left vs. right as being once your feet touch the snow, I think of left vs. right as being once you face down the hill!

Both are these are blue square glades though, not green circle (though IMO the Moon glades should be green circle). I think the cut trail through Moon might be listed as a green circle though even though it doesnt seem to be on the below map.

http://www.jaypeakresort.com/skiing-riding/the-mountain/trail-map

 

[ScottySkis]

Sent from my ADR6410LVW using Tapatalk 2
In south Vermont Mount Snow and has some easy glades by off the chairs.

 

[mlctvt]

In south Vermont Mount Snow and has some easy glades by off the chairs.

I agree, these would be parallel to the Ego Alley lift and an even easier area between Nitro and Mineshaft in the Carinthia area.