billski
Active member
Date(s) Skied: Saturday March 5, 2005
Resort or Ski Area: Bolton Valley
Conditions: Excellent - Powder, All trails open
Trip Report:
While I have been skiing for nearly 30 years, and my pin collection now exceeds 35 distinct resorts (and several that had no pins), you will find that my reports are oriented moreso to intermediates and beginners. Why? Well, firstly, because I am in the process of raising three delightful daughters, ages 8 to 15, introducing them to grand sport of skiing, a skill which will be with them forever (and can subsidize my ski senior citizens discount some day
) Second, there is a dearth of reports that a beginner or lower-level intermediate can use. So here we go....
Bolton is an area that I have simply neglected for years zooming past on my way to Stowe so many times. Saturday was my first trip there. I really like it. Luckily, the snows were good to us this week. No, great. There was powder everywhere to be found and everyone in my family, which ranged from a tentative adult skier, to a warp-speed GS schusser to an 8-year-old no-hold s-barred glades skier found something to like. Actually, we had a blast.
It was clear from the number of Vermont license plates in the lot that this was a locals area. The bulk of skiers appear to come from the Burlington area. What a great group of unpretentious skiers: friendly kids, no Bogner suits or Land Rovers, just a bunch of average, pretty good and very good skiers and boarders. A big attraction of the day was a boarder competition right in front of the lodge. Very entertaining, regardless of your orientation. And it kept the kids busy.
It was a bluebird day. Sunny and warm (hi 20s) made staying out all day no problem. The view from the top was stunning. Lake Champlain set with Whiteface Mountain (Lake Placid) behind it appeared so close. Mount Mansfield was also quite picturesque.
Skiing on the "left" (when facing up hill), "Tucker Peak" was awesome. Powder everywhere to be found, with very few skiers and no lift lines. The locals avoid it, I guess the double chair has a reputation for breakdowns. We spent a good part of the day over here. Early in the day, my girls discovered the ad-hoc glades in "Tucker Peak"
Now, there is a much to be said for some lower to mid-skill level glades. It is a great opportunity to learn the greats at fairly low risk. Most reports I hear about are high-end skiers in "experts only" glades. Now where are you gonna learn if you're not a yahoo-type??? Here! The glade slopes are gentle, the snow was ample and fluffy and the bailout options aplenty. The bumps weren't extreme and when you fell, it was a face-shot of powder. My 8 year old kept shouting "Let's Go!" everytime we would stop on-trail. Everyone was lovin' it.
I loved "Tucker Peak" because it has retained the classic New England trail type: winding, narrow trails, an adventure around every turn. Mostly blues, but a lot of fun regardless of your ability.
We never got to Vista Peak (middle mountain), since the lift that serviced that had about a 10 minute line and it was just as easy to head back to Tucker Peak lift and ski more glades. We also didn't want to go to the top via a mid mountain switch to a second midmountain lift.
We did venture over to Timberline Peak (rightmost) but didn't really care for it. It was well-groomed, entirely predictable, boulevard-sized trails that you could see top to bottom. Not too interesting, unless you charactarize "sustainable vertical" and straight-shot as your cup of tea. Entirely skiable. Lots of people; it is served by a separate lodge and parking area. We were greeted by a 10 minute lift line on the "new lift" (quad?) which required you to side-slip in line, since you were at the bottom of a bowl. The slopes were corduroy, like a Loon, Waterville or Stowe Intermediates. Everyone wanted to head back to Tucker.
How many ways can I say that the prices were inexpensive? As compared to Stowe, it was like discount shopping. Still, many people being the practical bunch that they are, brown-bagged it. They also had resort souvenier pins, which I am on the lookout for. This was number 35.
For the beginner or lower-intermediate, I believe the watch-phrase is "Low Stress." You will be infinitely more successful if you don't have to keep looking over your shoulder, unsure what to do when the next yahoo bails. You won't have that problem here. Everything is much more relaxed. You won't see a lot of impatient people grumbling while you stumble, fumble and fall in line. You can travel trails for a good stretch and only encounter a few (save for Timberline, the most "crowded".) No comment on lessons other than that I didn't see a lot of them, but then again we were lost in the woods (figuratively). The chairs are slow, old doubles, which can actually reduce the stress further. The attendants were friendly to a fault. We skied right onto the Tucker Peak chair the entire day. Also a big beni to the beginner is green trails off the top. You really will enjoy the scenic vistas from the top, something most green trails lack - that mountaintop experience is something unforgettable. It gets the lower level skiers to the top.
The lodge was extremely bustling and crowded, which made finding a table challenging, but not impossible. Nor was it aggravating, because the customers were all quite friendly and accomodating.
Oh yeah, it's not intuitive, but you can buy tickets inside, you don't have to stand outside.
No comment on rentals, didn't use.
The resort has architectural style, from the arched entryways to the clocktower. The massive wooden doors to the lodge reminded me of some medieval castles I've entered in Europe. I liked the moose weather vane. The drop off circle worked amazingly well. I highly recommend it, since it's uphill from the parking lot. A hotel at the base, but that's about the extent of the lodging.
The access road looks like it could be an adventure on snowy days - steep and winding, but extremely well maintained.
I read that Bolton is having financial difficulties. That's a shame, since it's really a great area. Take a day skiing there when you're in the area.
Negative: No fried dough the 8 YO says. Bummer. Had to make due with a Starburst candy.
Would I go back? Absolutely. In fact, probably the next time I visit Stowe, one day will be at Bolton, which is about 30 minute drive from Stowe Center.
Pictures are here
http://forums.alpinezone.com/module...ame=gallery&file=index&include=view_album.php
Resort or Ski Area: Bolton Valley
Conditions: Excellent - Powder, All trails open
Trip Report:
While I have been skiing for nearly 30 years, and my pin collection now exceeds 35 distinct resorts (and several that had no pins), you will find that my reports are oriented moreso to intermediates and beginners. Why? Well, firstly, because I am in the process of raising three delightful daughters, ages 8 to 15, introducing them to grand sport of skiing, a skill which will be with them forever (and can subsidize my ski senior citizens discount some day
) Second, there is a dearth of reports that a beginner or lower-level intermediate can use. So here we go....Bolton is an area that I have simply neglected for years zooming past on my way to Stowe so many times. Saturday was my first trip there. I really like it. Luckily, the snows were good to us this week. No, great. There was powder everywhere to be found and everyone in my family, which ranged from a tentative adult skier, to a warp-speed GS schusser to an 8-year-old no-hold s-barred glades skier found something to like. Actually, we had a blast.
It was clear from the number of Vermont license plates in the lot that this was a locals area. The bulk of skiers appear to come from the Burlington area. What a great group of unpretentious skiers: friendly kids, no Bogner suits or Land Rovers, just a bunch of average, pretty good and very good skiers and boarders. A big attraction of the day was a boarder competition right in front of the lodge. Very entertaining, regardless of your orientation. And it kept the kids busy.
It was a bluebird day. Sunny and warm (hi 20s) made staying out all day no problem. The view from the top was stunning. Lake Champlain set with Whiteface Mountain (Lake Placid) behind it appeared so close. Mount Mansfield was also quite picturesque.
Skiing on the "left" (when facing up hill), "Tucker Peak" was awesome. Powder everywhere to be found, with very few skiers and no lift lines. The locals avoid it, I guess the double chair has a reputation for breakdowns. We spent a good part of the day over here. Early in the day, my girls discovered the ad-hoc glades in "Tucker Peak"
Now, there is a much to be said for some lower to mid-skill level glades. It is a great opportunity to learn the greats at fairly low risk. Most reports I hear about are high-end skiers in "experts only" glades. Now where are you gonna learn if you're not a yahoo-type??? Here! The glade slopes are gentle, the snow was ample and fluffy and the bailout options aplenty. The bumps weren't extreme and when you fell, it was a face-shot of powder. My 8 year old kept shouting "Let's Go!" everytime we would stop on-trail. Everyone was lovin' it.
I loved "Tucker Peak" because it has retained the classic New England trail type: winding, narrow trails, an adventure around every turn. Mostly blues, but a lot of fun regardless of your ability.
We never got to Vista Peak (middle mountain), since the lift that serviced that had about a 10 minute line and it was just as easy to head back to Tucker Peak lift and ski more glades. We also didn't want to go to the top via a mid mountain switch to a second midmountain lift.
We did venture over to Timberline Peak (rightmost) but didn't really care for it. It was well-groomed, entirely predictable, boulevard-sized trails that you could see top to bottom. Not too interesting, unless you charactarize "sustainable vertical" and straight-shot as your cup of tea. Entirely skiable. Lots of people; it is served by a separate lodge and parking area. We were greeted by a 10 minute lift line on the "new lift" (quad?) which required you to side-slip in line, since you were at the bottom of a bowl. The slopes were corduroy, like a Loon, Waterville or Stowe Intermediates. Everyone wanted to head back to Tucker.
How many ways can I say that the prices were inexpensive? As compared to Stowe, it was like discount shopping. Still, many people being the practical bunch that they are, brown-bagged it. They also had resort souvenier pins, which I am on the lookout for. This was number 35.
For the beginner or lower-intermediate, I believe the watch-phrase is "Low Stress." You will be infinitely more successful if you don't have to keep looking over your shoulder, unsure what to do when the next yahoo bails. You won't have that problem here. Everything is much more relaxed. You won't see a lot of impatient people grumbling while you stumble, fumble and fall in line. You can travel trails for a good stretch and only encounter a few (save for Timberline, the most "crowded".) No comment on lessons other than that I didn't see a lot of them, but then again we were lost in the woods (figuratively). The chairs are slow, old doubles, which can actually reduce the stress further. The attendants were friendly to a fault. We skied right onto the Tucker Peak chair the entire day. Also a big beni to the beginner is green trails off the top. You really will enjoy the scenic vistas from the top, something most green trails lack - that mountaintop experience is something unforgettable. It gets the lower level skiers to the top.
The lodge was extremely bustling and crowded, which made finding a table challenging, but not impossible. Nor was it aggravating, because the customers were all quite friendly and accomodating.
Oh yeah, it's not intuitive, but you can buy tickets inside, you don't have to stand outside.
No comment on rentals, didn't use.
The resort has architectural style, from the arched entryways to the clocktower. The massive wooden doors to the lodge reminded me of some medieval castles I've entered in Europe. I liked the moose weather vane. The drop off circle worked amazingly well. I highly recommend it, since it's uphill from the parking lot. A hotel at the base, but that's about the extent of the lodging.
The access road looks like it could be an adventure on snowy days - steep and winding, but extremely well maintained.
I read that Bolton is having financial difficulties. That's a shame, since it's really a great area. Take a day skiing there when you're in the area.
Negative: No fried dough the 8 YO says. Bummer. Had to make due with a Starburst candy.
Would I go back? Absolutely. In fact, probably the next time I visit Stowe, one day will be at Bolton, which is about 30 minute drive from Stowe Center.
Pictures are here
http://forums.alpinezone.com/module...ame=gallery&file=index&include=view_album.php
