Favorite Ski Area Vistas

[beswift]

Hard to argue with Cannon, BW, Wildcat..

Of the three, I'ld put Cannon at the Bottom and Wildcat at the top.

Pictures from the Tahoe resorts certainly are interesting, but I've never been there (yet).

I skied Squaw Valley on a clear day, but I don't remember it as a standout. I have heard that Heavenly offers great views of the Nevada desert, the Sierras and Lake Tahoe, though. Red Rocks, a small ski area outside of Las Vegas has breath-taking views of the city. If you can get a chance to see it at night, it is spectacular. There is also a small ski area in the San Gabriel Mountains (Mt. Baldy, I believe.) outside of L.A. which looks over the vast urban area there. You have to catch it on a smogless day, though, and also at night. I think they have night skiing.

Taos, Santa Fe and Apache are outstanding, but you have to like the desert flavor.

The summit at Sandia Peak overlooks Albuqueque with an incredible shear drop of ,I believe ,3,000 feet The small ski area lies in Sandia Park which is quite beautiful. I've never done Santa Fe or Apache, but Taos again doesn't stand out for it's views. It's very steep skiing, however. I was only there once, took one run off the steeps which had very little snow and demanded a refund for my ticket. I don't remember if the day was clear, but I know it definitely was not snowing.

 

[JimG.]

Anywhere in Portillo, Chile. I've been all over the world skiing, and there is no ski region on Earth with more amazing views than in the Andes. My favorite view was from the top of an unnamed, unskied (until that day) 14,000ft peak after the helicopter had left the LZ. From there, we crained our necks to look UP at hanging glaciers on 23,000ft tall Aconcagua, the tallest peak in the western hemisphere.

 

[riverc0il]

But will someone mention the view from the summit of Mt. Washington? On the clearest day with good eyesite, you can see the Atlantic.

i was actually quite disappointed with the view from the summit of mount washington. i have developed a philosophy regarding views that it is always a better view to be looking over an up at everything around you than to be looking down at everything below you. the view from the summit of mount washington isn't even in my top 20 new england views. however, that being said, the view from the lawn above tuckerman ravine, the view from inside tuckerman ravine, and the view from boott sput are all incredible. i much prefer them to the actual summit views.

any ways, mount washington isn't a "ski area" even though it is a mecca for skiing so doesn't fit the topic

 

[thetrailboss]

But will someone mention the view from the summit of Mt. Washington? On the clearest day with good eyesite, you can see the Atlantic.

i was actually quite disappointed with the view from the summit of mount washington. i have developed a philosophy regarding views that it is always a better view to be looking over an up at everything around you than to be looking down at everything below you. the view from the summit of mount washington isn't even in my top 20 new england views. however, that being said, the view from the lawn above tuckerman ravine, the view from inside tuckerman ravine, and the view from boott sput are all incredible. i much prefer them to the actual summit views.

any ways, mount washington isn't a "ski area" even though it is a mecca for skiing so doesn't fit the topic

You're right, Rivercoil. With the worst weather in the world, Washington has very few clear days for one to take in the views and it is not exactly a ski area (though the Cog is running ski trains...obscene price...and there is Tuckerman's). :wink:

 

[riverc0il]

ahh, you got me on the cog. it does fall under the topic heading then. i have a hard time of thinking as the cog as "skiing mount washington" though, i mentally lump skiing the cog in with skiing BW.

 

[thetrailboss]

ahh, you got me on the cog. it does fall under the topic heading then. i have a hard time of thinking as the cog as "skiing mount washington" though, i mentally lump skiing the cog in with skiing BW.

But for all intents and purposes, the view from the Cog Ski Trains is not the same as that of the top.

Will I be seeing you at Burke for the Alpinezone ski day in March, Rivercoil? :wink:

 

[riverc0il]

you bet! looking forward to making some turns with you and everyone else on AZ that can make it. not to mention the view of willoughby gap is pretty interesting

 

[loafer89]

While I cannot vouch for the view from the summit, the view of the atlantic and Maine coast from the base of Camden Snow Bowl was nice. I visited the coast in February 1998 as a day trip from Sugarloaf, unfortunatly I did not bring my ski's. I plan on skiing there next month as I plan on traveling up the coast before heading on over to Sugarloaf. I have heard that this is the only ski area in the east where you can see the ocean while you ski?? I will take/share pictures when I go, hopefully the weather will cooperate.

My favorite vistas are:

Maine: The view of Mt Katahdin from the summit of Big Squaw.

Vermont: The view of Lake Willoughby from the summit of Burke.

New Hampshire: The view of Mt Washington from Wildcat.

 

[bigbog]

...

...I must check Big Squaw's status.....
Jordan's views of Mt. Washington are nice....do I ever want to explore Jordan's backside 8) ...but I think we may need more of the natural white stuff :angry:

 

[ctenidae]

Not a view from skiing, but I've got to agree with JimG's assessment of the Andes. I spent a few months in Ecuador, and those mountains are BIG with a double capital B. Views from Ruku and Wawa (sp?) Pichincha over the city of Quito and beyond are amazing.
I'm working on my wife to agree to a summer skiing trip to SA. The whole continent's so cheap, you could probably go there twice for what one trip to CO would run you.

For skiing related views, Sunapee's view from the summit is great, especially on the quad on the way up. Sad to say, as many times as I've been there, I never really noticed the view from the Sunbowl. Too busy skiing, I guess.
.

 

[beswift]

i was actually quite disappointed with the view from the summit of mount washington. i have developed a philosophy regarding views that it is always a better view to be looking over an up at everything around you than to be looking down at everything below you. the view from the summit of mount washington isn't even in my top 20 new england views.

I don't regret having climbed Mt. Washington, but I agree with you about views. Mt. W does give the furthest view one can have of the Northeast excepting Mt. Marcy, perhaps. This makes me want to credit it. It's the vastness of the panorama which makes it worth the climb. I never climbed Marcy but did climb Giant Mtn. which sits next to it. Now, that isn't a ski area, but I define any area that is skied as a ski area.

you got me on the cog. it does fall under the topic heading then.

You seem to want to include either lift-service or cash payment as a criterion. Don't limit yourself. By the way, the views from Moosilauke of the Presidentials are quite spectacular. The first downhill skiing in New England served by a motor was done there by the Dartmouth Outing Club back in the 20's and 30's before the introduction of T-bars or Chair lifts. There had been rope tows, I would guess, but I am not so sure. They used to motor up the road to the summit (It is now not permitted to do this.) When Movie Cameras became affordable for the rich, they were used by some Outing club members to record the skiing. The N.E. Ski Museum has oodles of this footage. People still climb the mountain and ski down the old trail. The climb offers some terrific views of Mt. Washington as the main trail from the Lodge side curve around Moosilauke to the East., opening up the vista. I have climbed it twice, but not in the winter. Friends of mine have done the climb and ski, though. They do state that it is a very tough experience.

 

[beswift]

views

Anywhere in Portillo, Chile.

I was wondering about that. I haven't skied there, but I bet it has the greatest views. The altitude would do it.

 

[riverc0il]

You seem to want to include either lift-service or cash payment as a criterion. Don't limit yourself.

considering i plan on skinning the sherburne ski trail on sunday, trust me i am not limiting myself but you can ski any where there is snow, but by definition i think a "ski area" is an established operation with a defined boundary and generally has some sort of lift servicable skiing. locales in which people hike for skiing are no less skiing, better yet they often have the soul of skiing. but the way i see the definition, are not "ski areas."

 

[beswift]

Areas

Of course we generally agree about what defines a >>Ski Area<<, it's only a mutually accepted opinion, however.

 

[smallberries]

I think there was a thread along this line last season.

As I recall I went along with the Wildcat #1, Cannon #2 consensus for New England.

Not quite New England, but Le Massif in Quebec is right up there with a panorama of the Saint Lawrence.

Out west my fave is Telluride, and A-Basin ranks 2nd. Grand Targhee gets an honorable mention. I haven't been to Crystal Mtn in Washington, but I've heard the view of Rainier is amazing.

My all time favorite is from the top of the Schilthorn over Mürren. The peaks of the Eiger, Jungfrau, and Mönch command you to stop skiing a while and take it all in. http://www.schilthorn.com/index.php?uid=1

 

[salida]

i ditto smallberries on east and west

telluride is amazing

the only other one i would say is aleyeska in alaska