Does Mad River Scare You a Little? NO!

[SnowRock]

MRG is the one mountain with a ban that as a boarder I'd like to ride. While I am sure Alta and DV have their merits, I feel like there is plenty similar to chose from right there, where out here in the east MRG seems to be a bit unique in terms of trails and terrain. I'd even pinkie swear not to ruin the bumps.

 

[SIKSKIER]

Can any other resort be have lifts any closer to the lodge?

The answer is yes.Tough to beat Cannon's Detach 30 feet from the deck and the tram inside the lodge.

 

[dlague]

The answer is yes.Tough to beat Cannon's Detach 30 feet from the deck and the tram inside the lodge.

Very True - no hill to climb, no long walks - just right there! Tramside even better since the parking lot is flat all the way to the building and the tram. If you do not need amenities then booting up outside and hopping on Zoomer is even pretty easy!

 

[Puck it]

If you do not need amenities then booting up outside and hopping on Zoomer is even pretty easy!

And a season pass

 

[ThinkSnow]

MRG is the one mountain with a ban that as a boarder I'd like to ride. While I am sure Alta and DV have their merits, I feel like there is plenty similar to chose from right there, where out here in the east MRG seems to be a bit unique in terms of trails and terrain. I'd even pinkie swear not to ruin the bumps.

If you really want to ride MRG, the Long Trail runs right across the ridge line. All you have to do is hike up. What's the worst that could happen?

 

[benski]

If you really want to ride MRG, the Long Trail runs right across the ridge line. All you have to do is hike up. What's the worst that could happen?

You can hike from mt Ellen along the ridge to the single chair. It's mostly downhill.


Sent from my iPhone using AlpineZone

 

[dlague]

If you really want to ride MRG, the Long Trail runs right across the ridge line. All you have to do is hike up. What's the worst that could happen?

Just have a friend in the parking lot so you can get the hell out quickly before the skiers there attack!

 

[AdironRider]

I did the hike down from Mt. Ellen once.

Really classy clientele over there at MRG let me tell you. One guy threatened to give me a **** punt in front of his maybe 8 year old daughter.

It was maybe equivalent to some trees I've skied at Loveland but I was kinda let down otherwise. Definitely not as rowdy as their rep preceded.

 

[Edd]

Really classy clientele over there at MRG let me tell you. One guy threatened to give me a **** punt in front of his maybe 8 year old daughter.

So, this was because you were on a board, just to be clear? If he threatened that before the sorority letter, the man was ahead of his time.

 

[Old Duderino]

I did the hike down from Mt. Ellen once.

Really classy clientele over there at MRG let me tell you. One guy threatened to give me a **** punt in front of his maybe 8 year old daughter.

It was maybe equivalent to some trees I've skied at Loveland but I was kinda let down otherwise. Definitely not as rowdy as their rep preceded.

I would have just smiled at the guy and said, "MRG, poach it if you can".

 

[Breakout12]

The reasons people think MRG is intimidating:
- Most major areas have a significant flat near the bottom to catch one's breath. MRG does not.
- Without snowmaking on most of the hill, it can be sketchy if there has been a "snow drought"
- They groom, but they groom a lower percentage of the mountain than most areas groom
- There are no steeps (black diamonds) that don't include moguls
- Only a few of the blue squares don't include moguls
- The other skiers IMO are better on average than skiers at most other areas. I was having a pretty good run down Chute when I was passed by a telemarker who proceeded to do a helicopter right in front of me. That doesn't happen at other places and it is humbling!

OMG! That is hilarious. It's almost sublime!

 

[jrmagic]

If you really want to ride MRG, the Long Trail runs right across the ridge line. All you have to do is hike up. What's the worst that could happen?

Lol get a group of 50 or so boarders to do it on a pow day and be sure to have some cameras to capture the fun. The mountain is great but that anti attitude really sucks.

 

[benski]

Found 6 boarders poaching mad river on youtube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NbDYHDOU5hQ

 

[KevinF]

Found 6 boarders poaching mad river on youtube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NbDYHDOU5hQ

How many times did those guys hike up? They obviously did at least two or laps. That's an impressive workout.

 

[BenedictGomez]

I did the hike down from Mt. Ellen once.....It was maybe equivalent to some trees I've skied at Loveland but I was kinda let down otherwise. Definitely not as rowdy as their rep

Not sure how it's possible to (even remotely) make that determination in one random run down one finite little bit of a mountain.

 

[VTKilarney]

Not sure how it's possible to (even remotely) make that determination in one random run down one finite little bit of a mountain.

He badly wants to believe it so he doesn't feel that he's missing out on anything. ;-)

 

[AdironRider]

Not sure how it's possible to (even remotely) make that determination in one random run down one finite little bit of a mountain.

So there are magically 10x better lines at MRG compared to stuff you can find at other EC hills? Doubtful.

My overall point is just like the OP's vid, its not some expert only if you dare type place. Tramline at Cannon or Kinsman is probably much rowdier than most of MRG's terrain.

 

[AdironRider]

So, this was because you were on a board, just to be clear? If he threatened that before the sorority letter, the man was ahead of his time.

Yes I poached it. This was back around 2006 or so.

I would have just smiled at the guy and said, "MRG, poach it if you can".

Something along those lines, but I probably flubbed the delivery as I was pretty taken aback given the under 10 kids he was with.

 

[VTKilarney]

So there are magically 10x better lines at MRG compared to stuff you can find at other EC hills? Doubtful.

My overall point is just like the OP's vid, its not some expert only if you dare type place. Tramline at Cannon or Kinsman is probably much rowdier than most of MRG's terrain.

You'll never know. ;-)

But, kidding aside, there is definitely a special vibe with MRG. Can you find equally challenging terrain elsewhere? Yes. But can you find an the same overall experience in the east? That's doubtful.

I think it's silly that they won't allow snowboarders. But I also think that snowboarders can be plenty happy without MRG.

 

[deadheadskier]

Kinsman is pretty tame compared to a lot at MRG. As a general rule the lines are tighter and steeper at MRG.

Tramline doesn't really have comparable terrain at MRG.

There's plenty of places in the east with stuff as challenging as MRG, but no where that has as high a percentage of such terrain.