Favorite beginner runs in the east?

[kendo]

Any area that has both the topology and the vision to build an absolutely dedicated novice area is great in my mind... Sunapee, Burke, Saddleback, Ragged, Killington come to mind. It's an often overlooked demographic and it's how people get into the sport.

Belt Parkway, Hunter

 

[BodeMiller1]

Cannon

CANNON - When they built Tucker took I went up to see how they were cutting the trails. Pretty cool stuff lots of tree roots ready to be pulled out of the ground. I get to the top of the new pod... Then he came a huge male black bear. Had a camera and got a nice shot of him. He was a nice bear. He didn't seem concerned about much. I hid and he passed....
If you look at the trail map on line, there's a map just for the pod. It's well done with lots of extra stuff. The trails have placards showing the native beasts.

 

[ne_skier]

Went to Killington last April, and although I only skied it twice to get to Bear, Bear Cub is a nice winding easy run that, if empty, you can actually get some speed on. I'm all about steep ungroomed stuff whenever its open, but a cruiser you can dig your edges into is always nice for a first run.

 

[miskier]

Sunway at Gore. It's long and every time it starts to get a little steep it flattens out again

 

[podunk77]

My favorite(s) not mentioned yet:

Sachem at Okemo (catch it with nobody on it, and it can be a nice fast, curvy/undulating trail that even goes under a bridge at the end)

Inside Out at Attitash (don't know why, but I just love bombing down this trail)

 

[Zand]

I used to love Sachem when I was a kid. Or really any trail that involved skiing amongst the condos and involved bridges/tunnels. We used to go to Okemo during Presidents week when I was young and I remember lapping the Sachem Quad and that trail when the lines got long elsewhere.

 

[deadheadskier]

In the late 80s before buying property in Ludlow my folks did a couple of 50/50 seasonal rentals in a condo off Sachem trail. Great green cruiser and frowned upon today, but an excellent trail to sled on!

Pretty dumb looking back, but we used to sled all the way down to the base after the mountain closed. Had these sleds with 3 skis and a steering wheel that just flew! My dad would meet us at the bottom and drive us back up to the condo. Pretty surprised me and my cousin didn't kill ourselves.

 

[skixc2]

Black Beauty at Black Mountain (NH)
The top half just feels so remote and mysterious even though you are in the ski area interior, and the lower half, with the big open fields and little bowls is just glorious!

Honorable Mentions to:
Blast - Pat's Peak
Supernova - Crotched
Main Hill - Abenaki

 

[So Inclined]

Belt Parkway, Hunter

I get that this is probably meant ironically, but I think it's really a fun trail to cruise or rip as you please - on the rare occasions it's not packed.

 

[2Planker]

In the late 80s before buying property in Ludlow my folks did a couple of 50/50 seasonal rentals in a condo off Sachem trail. Great green cruiser and frowned upon today, but an excellent trail to sled on!

Pretty dumb looking back, but we used to sled all the way down to the base after the mountain closed. Had these sleds with 3 skis and a steering wheel that just flew! My dad would meet us at the bottom and drive us back up to the condo. Pretty surprised me and my cousin didn't kill ourselves.

... SR had a sledding fatality a few years back.
I recall teenagers, alcohol, speed, and no helmet, NOT a good combo for sure.

 

[deadheadskier]

... SR had a sledding fatality a few years back.
I recall teenagers, alcohol, speed, and no helmet, NOT a good combo for sure.

Happened at Wildcat about ten years ago too.

This was back when lawn darts were legal. Lotta stupid stuff done in the 80s.

 

[2Planker]

Happened at Wildcat about ten years ago too.

This was back when lawn darts were legal. Lotta stupid stuff done in the 80s.

2012 Wildcat - https://www.wmur.com/article/18-yea...sledding-accident-on-wildcat-mountain/5178602

2018 SR - https://www.necn.com/news/local/mai...-excursion-at-sunday-river-ski-resort/224697/

... and what's wrong w/ Lawn Darts ?? We still have 2 sets from 1972

 

[Smellytele]

... SR had a sledding fatality a few years back.
I recall teenagers, alcohol, speed, and no helmet, NOT a good combo for sure.

Wildcat as well
Oops should have read more before posting

 

[Smellytele]

2012 Wildcat - https://www.wmur.com/article/18-yea...sledding-accident-on-wildcat-mountain/5178602

2018 SR - https://www.necn.com/news/local/mai...-excursion-at-sunday-river-ski-resort/224697/

... and what's wrong w/ Lawn Darts ?? We still have 2 sets from 1972

Lawn jarts and those glass clacker balls on strings!

 

[jimk]

Last March 2023 at Copper Mtn, CO: two teenagers, a 17- and 18-year-old, from a High School in Illinois were on a spring break vacation when they rode tandem down the halfpipe and launched off a large snowbank at the bottom of the halfpipe. The teens were riding a single plastic sled, which is not allowed on Copper Mountain runs. This was also after the resort had closed for the night. They came down hard on the ice below which caused blunt-force trauma.

 

[hovercraft]

Jake’s run, Stowe

 

[heiusa]

Belt Parkway - Hunter
Great Eastern - Killington

 

[joshua segal]

Interesting thread. The title of this thread, "Favorite beginner runs in the east" belies many of the answers. There is a huge difference between a "green circle" run and a "beginner run". Green circle only means "the easiest run on a particular pod". A "beginner run" is one suitable for a never-ever after some minimal work on a berm. True beginner runs are usually uniform pitch and pretty wide. The best of these longer "beginner runs" include Snowshed at Killington, the South Branch at Saddleback and maybe even the Barnyard at Ragged.

 

[Newpylong]

Those are the 3 that always pop up into my head as the most beginner friendly as well. Dedicated lift with absolutely perfect (steady) gradient the entire length of all trails served by it.

 

[jimk]

Interesting thread. The title of this thread, "Favorite beginner runs in the east" belies many of the answers. There is a huge difference between a "green circle" run and a "beginner run". Green circle only means "the easiest run on a particular pod". A "beginner run" is one suitable for a never-ever after some minimal work on a berm. True beginner runs are usually uniform pitch and pretty wide. The best of these longer "beginner runs" include Snowshed at Killington, the South Branch at Saddleback and maybe even the Barnyard at Ragged.

If I remember correctly from my one visit to Wachusett many years ago, don't they have a super flat and fairly long beginner trail served by its own lift. Indian Summer? It would be a good place to practice unless it was mobbed with newbies.