Crowded ski areas

[farlep99]

Thats like me saying I hate traffic after living in Wyoming for six years.

You still dont really make a clear point. Unless you have literally an entire trail to yourself, you are skiing somewhat defensively already. It seems we agree on this.

Just having other people on the trail meaning you being uncomfortable, Id say thats more a psychological problem than a crowding problem. Outside of holiday periods its just not an issue for the most part.

I'll back up JR on this. Having skied Magic regularly for a few years now, it's tough to go back to a place where the trails are crowded. Frankly, it can be unsettling when you're not used to it. For years I was very used to skiing crowded trails (i.e. Mt Snow/Killington, etc on weekends) & you learn how to deal & can eventually find a way to navigate away from crowds. Skiing the trees certainly helps, although even sometimes those were crowded if the snow was good (again, on weekends). I skied once @ Killington last season on a weekend & ended up in the bar for half the day. Granted, the conditions weren't great on top of the crowds, but the crowds were overwhelming. I'll gladly accept a few bare spots/thin cover/fewer trails for more trails that are stacked with skiers/riders. I guess it's just what you get used to

 

[4aprice]

Crowds don't really bother me much. I guess I just accept that some days will be more crowded than others.

Look at it as skiing trees that are just tighter. Look for open spaces.

I would never let other people interfere with my skiing time.

I find when mountains are 100% or close to it there's always seems to be some place (lift or pod) on the mountain to escape to you just gotta find it. I know even on the most crowded days at my home bump I have an escape. I have to ski the weekends at this time (sprinkled mid week days) so crowds are a fact of life for me. The real beastly crowds are gone by March/April which is my favorite time to ski anyways.

Alex

Lake Hopatcong, NJ

 

[billski]

Dr. Jeff, I should have used emoticons that smile. :grin: I do appreciate that the lifts get much more easonable once you get away from that area.
I simply try to avoid the most popular areas on Saturdays. There are plenty of gems that can be hit for less money and fewer people. The other method is "work the method". I've noticed that many resort single-tix deals are discounting Saturdays.

 

[drjeff]

Dr. Jeff, I should have used emoticons that smile. :grin: I do appreciate that the lifts get much more easonable once you get away from that area.
I simply try to avoid the most popular areas on Saturdays. There are plenty of gems that can be hit for less money and fewer people. The other method is "work the method". I've noticed that many resort single-tix deals are discounting Saturdays.

I totally get what you say Bill. The point that I was really trying to make is that for some people it might seem unfathomable that they would "subject" themselves to lines and such on a regular basis, but to others there's plenty of other items, items that a non regular might not appreciate, that for them weigh just as much into the decision as to why they go there.

For example with my family. We've got a group of close to 10 other families, that we've met and become good friends with up at Mount Snow, either via having kids in the same program or even via our online "love" for Mount Snow in multiple online forums. On most Friday and atleast Saturday nights during the ski season(and in many cases at anytime of the year), there will be either a meeting up of a bunch of us at a local restaurant or a dinner party at someone's house. In our current situations, its really great to have such a group of friends, all of whom are very passionate about our snow sliding addiction. The adults and kids in our "Mount Snow family" all look forward to this, and that very often has one forgetting about any liftlines and/or crowded slopes that we may have experienced that day. We've all seemed to have found our face to face community of snow addicts, and that trumps many things for us

 

[billski]

DrJ and Farlep,
I am with you guys. Someone earlier said it's a matter of confidence. I ski everywhere (*though it may not be pretty, and forget about Paradise for me). Where I draw the line is where safety becomes an issue. The blue trails are the worst. They get scratched up early. Lots of progressing intermediates loose their nerve and begin skidding. Trying to get by these guys is perilous. I can thing of a few places where trails narrow or merge - think Jay or Stowe. Not many trails are like that, but it's hell trying to get through in one piece.

If you really want solace, consider going tele, back country. While I like to think of my outdoors activities as "me vs. the mountain, it's also vs. people too.

I also get the midweek thing - that' nirvana when I can afford to do it.

I met a guy on a chair a few years back, I think it was at Magic. We were skiing in the rain. He told me that he only skis in the rain. Huh? Because it's not crowded he said. What a hoot!

As long as others aren't wiping me out, I"m OK. I've seen enough injuries, including concussions courtesy of yahoos to understand the importance of passing safely. To that, I can see how people freak out when an OOC skier comes their way. I'm always on the lookout for the OOC or Yahoo incoming. I'm usually quick enough to get out of the line of fire. However, I can see how a less confident skier would freak over that. Entirely understandable.

 

[snosharkrider]

I have to add Stratton to the list. Their mid-mountain lift (Ursa I think) is a disaster on a weekend and even with a free ticket not worth it. The mountain's setup funnels skiers and riders to that chair. There's a maze of ropes to line up for the chair. In front of the maze a large and dangerous ice field develops early in the day. <br>


I work, like many others, M-F and so weekends are when I can ski. One has to make due with what is available.

 

[Boston Bulldog]

What about in the West? From what I have heard, Breck has the worst crowds

 

[jaytrem]

Mt. Snow is only crowded, 15-20 years ago it was CROWDED. Back then you could only escape the lift lines using Ego, Sundance and Fairway(aka Heavy Metal or whatever), even the Summit Triple would get a good line sometimes. Now the North Face is almost always reasonable and same with Beartrap/Sunbrook.

 

[Gnarcissaro]

What about in the West? From what I have heard, Breck has the worst crowds

Northstar-at-Tahoe

 

[drjeff]

Mt. Snow is only crowded, 15-20 years ago it was CROWDED. Back then you could only escape the lift lines using Ego, Sundance and Fairway(aka Heavy Metal or whatever), even the Summit Triple would get a good line sometimes. Now the North Face is almost always reasonable and same with Beartrap/Sunbrook.

Agree - even on it's most crowded days now, if the mountain is running all of its lifts, more often the not the longest wait I'll have all day is to get a bar stool if I don't get to the Station Taproom before say 12:15 :beer:

 

[HowieT2]

I totally get what you say Bill. The point that I was really trying to make is that for some people it might seem unfathomable that they would "subject" themselves to lines and such on a regular basis, but to others there's plenty of other items, items that a non regular might not appreciate, that for them weigh just as much into the decision as to why they go there.

For example with my family. We've got a group of close to 10 other families, that we've met and become good friends with up at Mount Snow, either via having kids in the same program or even via our online "love" for Mount Snow in multiple online forums. On most Friday and atleast Saturday nights during the ski season(and in many cases at anytime of the year), there will be either a meeting up of a bunch of us at a local restaurant or a dinner party at someone's house. In our current situations, its really great to have such a group of friends, all of whom are very passionate about our snow sliding addiction. The adults and kids in our "Mount Snow family" all look forward to this, and that very often has one forgetting about any liftlines and/or crowded slopes that we may have experienced that day. We've all seemed to have found our face to face community of snow addicts, and that trumps many things for us

I agree with you 100%, but that really isnt the issue. As a regular who gets 40 days in schlepping up from NY every weekend, I am sometimes relieved to take an afternoon off when the conditions arent good, but that doesnt make it a good thing. We love the atmosphere/vibe, our friends, yada yada yada but that doesnt mean there arent crowds and lift lines, which is the subject of this thread.

 

[Smellytele]

I agree with you 100%, but that really isnt the issue. As a regular who gets 40 days in schlepping up from NY every weekend, I am sometimes relieved to take an afternoon off when the conditions arent good, but that doesnt make it a good thing. We love the atmosphere/vibe, our friends, yada yada yada but that doesnt mean there arent crowds and lift lines, which is the subject of this thread.

+10

 

[bobbutts]

I strongly prefer nearly empty trails. Above a certain level of traffic is reached, I find my attention diverting from my interaction with the terrain and snow to avoiding collisions. I'll often wait at the top of a pitch for the crowd to clear. It's ok, but it's more fatiguing and less enjoyable for me. I see many people skiing comfortably in a crowd, so I get the sense I'm not typical with this.

 

[marcski]

I grew up skiing smaller, quieter old-school areas known for their terrain...mostly The original BEast, Berkshire East and Magic. Since then, I have always appreciated the terrain that these types of areas provide but for a good 10 years I was a pass holder at Mt. Snow...and logged a good number of days at other larger, more "mainstream" areas in Vermont mostly for social reasons..apres and social opportunities. However, as I age (gracefully, I might add!), I can't stand crowds. I deal with people all of the time for work etc., when I finally get away to the mountains, I don't want to see crowds or lines of people or god forbid have to ski in an obstacle course of people down the hill! I don't want to have to think about whether I'll be able to get a table to sit at in the lodge if I stop at a certain time for lunch. I thoroughly enjoy the lack of crowds now at my home mountain and other than the terrain, the lack of crowds is probably best thing about the place! I also think it's less intimidating for younger children to be in an environment that's less crowded and less frenetic than some of the larger, "crowded" resorts mentioned above in this thread.

It's all personal preference though, of course...which is what makes things so interesting...both on the hill and reading an internet forum.

 

[bdfreetuna]

The worst are trails full of people skiing erradically or snowplowing across the trail due to basic lack of skills. It's impossible to predict which way these people will turn and they are prone to suddenly cutting across the entire trail, making it risky to attempt to plan a quick blow-by amidst the bunch of them.

More of a problem on narrower trails where this type of skiier will easily traverse the entire trail with each unpredictable turn.

 

[ScottySkis]

I grew up skiing smaller, quieter old-school areas known for their terrain...mostly The original BEast, Berkshire East and Magic. Since then, I have always appreciated the terrain that these types of areas provide but for a good 10 years I was a pass holder at Mt. Snow...and logged a good number of days at other larger, more "mainstream" areas in Vermont mostly for social reasons..apres and social opportunities. However, as I age (gracefully, I might add!), I can't stand crowds. I deal with people all of the time for work etc., when I finally get away to the mountains, I don't want to see crowds or lines of people or god forbid have to ski in an obstacle course of people down the hill! I don't want to have to think about whether I'll be able to get a table to sit at in the lodge if I stop at a certain time for lunch. I thoroughly enjoy the lack of crowds now at my home mountain and other than the terrain, the lack of crowds is probably best thing about the place! I also think it's less intimidating for younger children to be in an environment that's less crowded and less frenetic than some of the larger, "crowded" resorts mentioned above in this thread.

It's all personal preference though, of course...which is what makes things so interesting...both on the hill and reading an internet forum.

So Plattty is out because it is so crowded lol.


Sent from my ADR6410LVW using Tapatalk 2

 

[Glenn]

Nothing attracts a crowd....like a crowd.

:90smusicrocks"

 

[Smellytele]

Nothing attracts a crowd....like a crowd.

:90smusicrocks"

"Nobody goes there any more... Its too crowded" - Yogi Berra

 

[UVSHTSTRM]

Killington crowded? While I am a season passholder at Killington I am by no means a homer, Killington on non holiday weekends is not crowded. Powder days on a weekend can be crowded at times, but Killington being called crowded can only be blamed on people who remember the ASC cheap pass days, now that was crowded. The thing is is that Killingtons two most crowded lift lines (Bear and Killington) move really quickly. Go to Sugarloaf (my favorite mountain for all sorts of reasons) on a weekend and try to get on their to most frequented lift, ugh! At both the above mentioned places the trails themselves are rarely crowed.

 

[RISkier]

What about in the West? From what I have heard, Breck has the worst crowds

I'll claim no expertise. We've done a few trips to UT, a trip to Vail, and a trip to Summit CO. I didn't think Breck was too bad except near the base of Peak 9 and somewhat at the base of Peak 8. Most lifts were ski on and that was during a spring break week in March. Mid Vail can be really busy and we were in Vail in what should have been an off week in January. Don't recall ever waiting much for a lift anywhere in UT. I've no doubt it happens.