East or West?

[SnowRider]

Would you prefer east or west skiing. I have never been out west but I have to say I love the skiing here in the east.

SnoRider

 

[andyzee]

Nothing against the east, love it. But after doing the west for the first time for 5 days, gotta go with the west for terrain and snow conditions.

 

[skibum1321]

The only time I skied out west was in Tahoe and we had eastern conditions. I love Eastern skiing and would need another trip out west in good conditions to sway me to the side of the West. Given equal conditions, I prefer the tight trees of the East - but we all know conditions aren't equal.

 

[SkiMangoJazz]

I ski more in the East and learned to ski here. I think Western skiing is far better. Longer runs, less crowds on the trails to avoid, better snow (I don't mean powder necessarily either.)

Also it's a lot less of going up and down, up and down - it's more of a day trip. "Let's go over there, then down that trail to the XYZ lift, then down trail ABC over to the catwalk to the XXY lift, up that, down to the Eastern Bowl, then work our way back across the mountain to the midstation lodge."

 

[awf170]

Given equal conditions, I prefer the tight trees of the East - but we all know conditions aren't equal.

Exactly. There is nothing like bushwacking through so nasty crap, thinking your never going to find some nice terrian then have an awsome untracked powder line open up in front of you. IMO the west is overated though. People think it just snows every day, and they will have a ton of waist deep untracked powder. Wrong. Jay Peak, Stowe, and Smugglers get about the same amount of snow as most places out West so they will have just as many powder days. The conditions on average wont be as good because of rain or warth. But just in a powder days perspective northern Vermont gets the same as about 60-70% of the ski areas out West.

 

[marcski]

Exactly. There is nothing like bushwacking through so nasty crap, thinking your never going to find some nice terrian then have an awsome untracked powder line open up in front of you. IMO the west is overated though. People think it just snows every day, and they will have a ton of waist deep untracked powder. Wrong. Jay Peak, Stowe, and Smugglers get about the same amount of snow as most places out West so they will have just as many powder days. The conditions on average wont be as good because of rain or warth. But just in a powder days perspective northern Vermont gets the same as about 60-70% of the ski areas out West.

Even assuming what you said is true, it still leaves 30-40% of ski areas out west as having more snow than places out east. If you combine that with the increased vertical and steepness, IMHO, the west is far superior to skiing in the east.

Now, I do agree with you that on a powder day there are outstanding choices to be had here in the east. However, as you noted atmospheric conditions just don't really cooperate with us in the east compared to the west. And, I also agree with you that I enjoy skiing the hardwood forests here in the east generally better than tree runs out west (although, there are soooooo sooo many more that i need to ski).

Overall, IMHO, the west is definitely superior.

 

[Plowboy]

West is best. Even if you don't get powder days, odds are it will be bluebird and good snow pack. A few 05 - 06 totals.

Mammoth: 664
Kirkwood: 763
Snowbird: 586
Brighten: 623
Alta: 638

Jay: 388
Stowe: 305
Sugarbush: 194

I think the totals show many more powder days out west. West has no or very little rain in between storms.
Of course this is not what happens every year.

 

[Ski Diva]

I love the east. I love getting up to the summit and looking out and seeing trees on the surrounding mountains. You don't get that everywhere out west; parts of it are way too barren for my taste. And though I do love the west's terrain, I think the ski areas here are far more manageable. I like being able to get from one part of a mountain to another without a huge time commitment.

Still, I wish our season was as long as it is out there. I could do with their snow totals, too. And the west has better weather -- more sun, and it doesn't feel quite as cold it does here.

 

[ChileMass]

It's apples and oranges. A great day skiing is a great day skiing, but each coast has its +/-.

And then there's skiing in Switzerland, which blows both away. Skiing into Italy for lunch and taking the chair back over the border for dinner was incredible, and if you think the party scene in the MRG or A-Basin lots is something, you need to see the snow bar at 11,000 feet up on the Klein Matterhorn........they know how to get it done......

 

[SnowRider]

awf170---- There is nothing like bushwacking through so nasty crap, thinking your never going to find some nice terrian then have an awsome untracked powder line open up in front of you. IMO the west is overated though. People think it just snows every day, and they will have a ton of waist deep untracked powder. Wrong. Jay Peak, Stowe, and Smugglers get about the same amount of snow as most places out West so they will have just as many powder days. The conditions on average wont be as good because of rain or warth. But just in a powder days perspective northern Vermont gets the same as about 60-70% of the ski areas out West.

I have always thought about the lower half of your comment. If Jay, Stowe, Smuggs get just as much snow as the mountains out west there will be the same amount of powder days. Not to mention it isnt likely to get a season with as much rain as we got

 

[riverc0il]

IMO the west is overated though. People think it just snows every day, and they will have a ton of waist deep untracked powder. Wrong. Jay Peak, Stowe, and Smugglers get about the same amount of snow as most places out West so they will have just as many powder days.

i have never been out west, but from what i have seen of TR's from CO, UT, MT, CA, etc. i don't think the west is over rated. marc's TR's on FTO indicate anything but. not only is the average snow amounts higher (on average, there are a few exceptions in the east that get about the same, but are more variable) but the snow sticks around longer, builds better base, and stays better longer. also, the back country out west puts east to shame. i love living in new england, but i sure didn't decide to move to VT because i thought it was the best skiing in the country.

 

[Geoff]

I don't quite understand why there is even any debate on this topic. I ski New England because I live here. If I had infinite money and a Gulfstream V, I wouldn't ski anywhere east of the continental divide other than a few select days. The only time the east is consistently good is on warm days from mid-March through the end of April when it's spring conditions.

 

[highpeaksdrifter]

I don't quite understand why there is even any debate on this topic. I ski New England because I live here. If I had infinite money and a Gulfstream V, I wouldn't ski anywhere east of the continental divide other than a few select days. The only time the east is consistently good is on warm days from mid-March through the end of April when it's spring conditions.

You're right. IMO it's not even close.

 

[awf170]

I didn't say the East was better. I know its not even close. I said that people go out West having crazy expectations of deep powder every day, not everyone does this obviously but I defiantly get that vibe reading eastern ski forums. And you don't need to tell me that it rains on the east and we have more base, I'm not an idiot.:roll: And I didn't say that Jay/Stowe/Smuggs gets more snow then all skis areas out West, I said 60-70% percent. The major western desination Colorado gets less snow then them. So in theory they will have more powder days, yes I know they will have less base and that the conditions wont last as long, and on average it wont be as good. I agree about the backcountry, the west is awsome and that access is easy. But the east isn't horrible, from the looks of it the Daks have some awsome slides to ski, vermont defiantly has some nice bc glades, and NH has the presidentials, not just mt. washington. jefferson, adams, and madison must have some awsome skiing if you feel like exploring. And if you feel like driving you have the Chics Chocs which looks like 100 mt washingtons right next to eachother. If you dont believe me check this out: http://community.webshots.com/album/548116037OeltFb/0
So once I again, yes I know the west is better, but the east is such a craphole of skiing like lots of people seem to think.

 

[riverc0il]

I didn't say the East was better.

but you did say the west is over rated, my major contention i think you meant to say the east is under rated

 

[awf170]

but you did say the west is over rated, my major contention i think you meant to say the east is under rated

Same difference. But yeah thats kinda what I meet. But you now what is overated, utah.

 

[Greg]

This comes up from time to time and occassionally turns into a heated debate. I've never skied out West, but I'm sure the West rules it. Nevertheless, even though I have little to compare it to, I love Northeastern skiing. New England is my home; all my immediate family lives here, I've started a family here, and we just bought our long-term house here, so most of the skiing that I do in my life will be on the right coast and I'm fine with that. Once the kids are older and skiing well, we'll likely plan some trips out West each year though.

 

[awf170]

This comes up from time to time and occassionally turns into a heated debate

Good. I like having a good heated debate as long as nobody gets too mad or gets into a huge flame war, come on its just the internet. Sures beats those boring "your favorate/most under/over rated _______ threads. Heres kinda the same thing over at TGR I found. It also turns into a pretty heated arguement.
http://www.tetongravity.com/forums/showthread.php?t=9653&highlight=stowe+east+west

 

[skiadikt]

it's almost 2 different sports. while eastern skiing has it's charms ... there's no comparison. even the best of pow days in the east is generally on an ice base. out west, even when they haven't had snow in a week, it blows away virtually any eastern day. and the terrain ... i've seen areas out west where outer limits would be a double blue. and then the bowls, chutes, cornices, cliffs ... you want bumps. perfect bumps on incredible snow that go on & on. beautiful tree runs.

i ski here because i live here and i love it. i love the different challenge that eastern skiing offers. as far as i'm concerned virtually any ski day is a great day, BUT if i had the means, i'd be out west in a heartbeat. no comparison.

 

[awf170]

it's almost 2 different sports. while eastern skiing has it's charms ... there's no comparison. even the best of pow days in the east is generally on an ice base. out west, even when they haven't had snow in a week, it blows away virtually any eastern day. and the terrain ... i've seen areas out west where outer limits would be a double blue. and then the bowls, chutes, cornices, cliffs ... you want bumps. perfect bumps on incredible snow that go on & on. beautiful tree runs.

I would take 2 ft. of pow at any place with awsome glades over 2 ft at any where out west. Deep snow in glades just blows away anything else IMO. The terrian out west is different, I wouldn't say more challenging. Us easterners freak out at a really steep exposed line, westerners would freak out at some of the stuff call glades. And for steep exposed lines Mt. Washington rivals anything inbounds in the West. Try to find something as sick as the headwall, dutches, pipeline, or dodges inbounds out west, I don't think you will.
Dodges: (nuts, I wont think about skiing it for a long time)