Brilliant Gems of Trail Design

[wintersyndrome]

OK to converse the *itching about bad trail design...

I feel that nearly every mountain has their gems and blemishes, and some mountains are just plain vanilla. What does the collective consciousness here on AZ consider Brilliant Gems of trail design?

My feelings:
Ascutney's trail design, for the most part, namely skier right from the summit are tight narrow and twisting,

Gore: i like the summit and High peaks area trail designs, for the most part the entire mountains trails twist and contour with the natural terrain

'Bush: Love the turns off of jester and lincoln peak area in general, even C-Rock love the views from the top of ellen

What about the rest of Ya'll here on these boards...your favorite trail designs?

 

[JD]

Chin Clip. Holds snow, has great flow and good pitch.

 

[deadheadskier]

Chin Clip. Holds snow, has great flow and good pitch.

co-signed


this thread has quasi been done before though. probably been a dozen favorite expert or favorite trails in general threads. Hard to have favorites that incorporate bad trail design.

 

[riverc0il]

All CCC trails.
All trails at MRG except Grand Canyon.
Hardscrabbles at Cannon
Chin Clip at Stowe as previously mentioned
Rumble at the Bush

 

[SKIQUATTRO]

robins run at Smuggs
CR at Bush

tight, twisty, steep trails that make you think.....

 

[loafer89]

Muleskinner at Saddleback. The treck to it on Dazzler is long, but the trail is 20-25' wide and all has natural snow.

 

[Zand]

Polar Playground at Wachusett

How about Beast at Beast?

 

[millerm277]

Roundabout at Killington-Not that long, but extremely narrow, and it twists and turns through the woods.
Lower Great Eastern at Killington. (Below Snowshed Crossover).

 

[skibum1321]

robins run at Smuggs

Ironically, Robin's Run was originally an illegal cut. I do agree with that one though. I would also add Liftline at Smuggs to the list.

Pretty much all of MRG.

Bush: Castlerock, Paradise, Mall, Hammerhead, Tumbler

 

[learn2turn]

Polar Playground at Wachusett

Actually Balance Rock at Wa is a CCC trail. Most of it's now superceded by Connie. There is still an extension to the summit above the connector from Connie that is skiable and poached now and then.

Also, Pine Hill Trail at Wa is a CCC ski trail from the 30s. It's not in the area of the ski area. I think it's likely to narrow to ski now. You can tell by the tree sizes how wide it used to be be.

 

[learn2turn]

Cuffer, Way, and Bitter at 'loaf. All old-time NE trails that hold snow and are interesting to ski.

The old trails, or what pieces of them are left, on Locke at SR-- Locke Line, XBow, Bim's, etc.

 

[drjeff]

As weak as this will sound, you need to give Killington some mention for Snowshed Slope. That concept of a long, wide, consistant pitched slope for learning really had a major impact on how mountains looked a learning areas.

 

[deadheadskier]

As weak as this will sound, you need to give Killington some mention for Snowshed Slope. That concept of a long, wide, consistant pitched slope for learning really had a major impact on how mountains looked a learning areas.

True - for low angle / elevation learning areas. It's unfortunate so many other trails there and elsewhere were ruined when the same philosophy was applied to intermediate and expert terrain.

 

[KingM]

Sugarbush: Paradise, Rim Run, Jester, everything off Castlerock, Sleeper.
MRG: Everything at MRG has a wonderful design except for that green flatout that snakes across everything as it winds down from the double.

 

[deadheadskier]

Oh this conversation certainly isn't complete without Wildcats: Polecat, Lynx, Catapult and Wildcat.

 

[sledhaulingmedic]

Many great ones noted. With that being said, I'll add a couple more of my all time favs

Slide of Hans at Magic

Nightmare Glades @ Saddleback

#3 (later know as "Dipsy Doodle") at Crotched East

 

[kcyanks1]

Sugarbush: all Castlerock trails, Paradise, Mall (while straight, I still like narrow liftlines are nice), Spillsvillle (though short)

MRG: Pretty much everything, though I agree with Steve about Canyon and will add Catamount Bowl.

Whiteface: Empire

Killington: Roundabout, Catwalk; to a lesser extent, Northstar

I'm sure there are others I'm missing at this time.

 

[loafer89]

Many great ones noted. With that being said, I'll add a couple more of my all time favs

Slide of Hans at Magic

Nightmare Glades @ Saddleback

You don't like Dark Wizard Glade?

 

[riverc0il]

MRG: Pretty much everything, though I agree with Steve about Canyon and will add Catamount Bowl.

Cat Bowl has its moments, especially on a nice sunny warm day when the bumps corn up. Its exposure and face lend itself well to sun exposed bumps much before the rest of the mountain softens up. A little too wide but still a good trail.

 

[davidhowland14]

I'm gonna have to add in Sweepstakes and Joe's Ravine at Ragged.