Favorite Small Ski Areas - why?

[dlague]

I saw something like this on another forum (slow over there) - since this forum is much more engaging I thought this might make for a great discussion especially with the additions to the Freedom Pass. What are your favorite small ski areas? Not just in New England.

Here is my take on this subject

In the East

Pats Peak is well set up and has some decent but short runs and a great pub.

Whaleback is limited with respect to lifts but has some challenging terrain for it's size

Dartmouth Skiway - is fun too when open on both sides of the road. Reminds me of Granby Ranch in Colorado.

Crotched Mountain has a high speed lift that takes you up their 1000' of vert in 4 minutes which is great for lapping runs.

Suicide Six is an awesome little place unfortunately it is overrun by ski racers.

Black Mountain in NH is lots of fun and is blocked from wind. Lodge is very old school. At the end of the day they let kids ride on the snow cats while they groom for a small fee. Our son did it and had a blast.

Black Mountain of Maine has great glades and decent vertical for $15 - only problem it is out there but if visiting Sunday River or Sugarloaf it is worth stopping by.

Lost Valley in Auburn Maine is pretty cool. Very small but several lifts and you feel like a pro due to the number of beginners there. We skied there on a two hour lift ticket on our way back home from Sugarloaf.

Lastly, hopefully opening this season is Tenney. It has been closed for a long time but is about to reopen - never skied it but it looks like there are some good runs.

In Colorado

These are all 800 acres or less but small for Colorado

Monarch, while it smallish in Colorado standards and would be big back east, has some great runs and nice hike to terrain.

Cooper which is smallish as well and a great place. No crowds with an old school feel! Lots of fun glades as well.

Eldora one I am interested looks like it has a nice bowl in the back but I heard gets crowded.

Other considerations - Sunlight, and Powderhorn

 

[cdskier]

Plattekill in the Catskills. Never crowded even on holidays. Fun trails. Good prices. Old school vibe.

 

[Cat in January]

Black Mountain in Maine is $29 and it is not near Sugarloaf.

 

[dlague]

If you live four hours or more away than it is fairly close and be included in the trip.

 

[4aprice]

Buttermilk, the overlooked Aspen area. 2000' vertical but considered small because of what its around. Great cruising on Buttermilk West and the Tiehack area has some fun drops and the Timber Doodle Glades are a blast. Really shines when a storm moves in as (at least for me) visablity can be an issue at higher elevations when its really coming down.

Loveland Valley (Chair #3) is not bad cruising and another place I've run to when its been storming. Had it to ourselves one memorable powder day several years ago when it was almost impossible to see up at the Basin.

Alex

Lake Hopatcong, NJ

 

[2Planker]

I have to throw a bone for 2 places i've skied only a few times on true powder days, but enjoyed
them way more than i expected.

Mt Abram in Locke Mills ME. Old lifts, but some descent terrain none the less. 15 mins closer than SR., Great Lodge food !! and access is perfect.

King Pine in Madison NH. Def not too small, but had everything you need. NO crowds at all....

 

[skiberg]

La Reserve, Laurentian's, Quebec. Best ski area I have vet skied with 1k very or less . It's the real deal.


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[Los]

King Pine in Madison NH. Def not too small, but had everything you need. NO crowds at all....

+1 for King Pine. Plus they have night skiing.

 

[yeggous]

+1 for King Pine. Plus they have night skiing.

Night skiing is the only time I go there. They are convenient to hit on the way up to North Conway, and I have some days to burn on my Valley pass.

 

[steamboat1]

Snow Valley
High Pond
Norwich University

oops they're all closed

 

[JAM614]

Black Mountain of Maine, because it's like a private ski area, ever-expanding glades (20 for this season), cheap $15 Friday/$29 w/e, plentiful side-country, no lift lines, no wind hold, Post and beam lodge with great apres ski bar.

Mt Abram- variety, steep shots, old school vibe.

Abanaki- Rope tow, decent pitch, Bargain, great for the kids

 

[SnoDevil97]

From the Boston area, for me it's Crotched Mtn. - only a 1.15 hr drive. Love the Rocket lift which enables you to get many laps in on well-managed snow. Pub is good for après as well.

 

[Smellytele]

From the Boston area, for me it's Crotched Mtn. - only a 1.15 hr drive. Love the Rocket lift which enables you to get many laps in on well-managed snow. Pub is good for après as well.

Do not like the pub behind the fence. Seems like an "oops - we need a pub" - put it over there in the corner. That lodge has to be the worst lodge - more like a warehouse.

 

[Jully]

Do not like the pub behind the fence. Seems like an "oops - we need a pub" - put it over there in the corner. That lodge has to be the worst lodge - more like a warehouse.

It might not be the most aesthetically appealing lodge, but I personally like it. The downstairs especially is extremely nice for storage and booting up if you don't want to boot up in the parking lot for whatever reason. My only complaint is the upstairs tables and chairs, which I don't really like all that much.

For a small hill I love the lodge for what it does, I don't need a massive beautiful wooden lodge at Crotched.

Not a huge fan of the pub either, but I could see how someone could like the atmosphere.

 

[dlague]

It might not be the most aesthetically appealing lodge, but I personally like it. The downstairs especially is extremely nice for storage and booting up if you don't want to boot up in the parking lot for whatever reason. My only complaint is the upstairs tables and chairs, which I don't really like all that much.

For a small hill I love the lodge for what it does, I don't need a massive beautiful wooden lodge at Crotched.

Not a huge fan of the pub either, but I could see how someone could like the atmosphere.

It was probably cost effective to build.

 

[sugarbushskier]

Not sure how "small" is small, but Bousquet's in Pittsfield, MA (where I learned to ski) has some of the best advanced terrain in southern New England. While it's only ~750 vert, it has nice back and side country terrain such as Louises Folly, Jewett, Roberto's Chute and Dinos. Still one of my faves when back in the area and enjoy the quiet, non-boulevard type of terrain. And it's CHEAP!!

Another smaller area is Middlebury Snow Bowl. Make sure you go when Bailey Falls chair is also running, but it's great on a powder day as snow lasts forever. Nice woods, pretty steep terrain and while only ~1000 vert, it skis much, much bigger! Nice alternative from SB or K if you're in central VT.

 

[SnoDevil97]

Do not like the pub behind the fence. Seems like an "oops - we need a pub" - put it over there in the corner. That lodge has to be the worst lodge - more like a warehouse.

That was my take at first, I didn't even bother going to the pub the 1st 2 times I skied there. But then I went and actually had a good time, didn't even mind the weird fence at all. Decent beer selection and friendly servers too.

 

[xwhaler]

It might not be the most aesthetically appealing lodge, but I personally like it. The downstairs especially is extremely nice for storage and booting up if you don't want to boot up in the parking lot for whatever reason. My only complaint is the upstairs tables and chairs, which I don't really like all that much.

For a small hill I love the lodge for what it does, I don't need a massive beautiful wooden lodge at Crotched.

Not a huge fan of the pub either, but I could see how someone could like the atmosphere.

CM lodge is outstanding from a functionality standpoint. Having 2 separate levels really works well. Plenty of room, large cubbies to store bags and a good flow.
Agreed the tables are not the best. They would do better having picnic tables or something I feel.

The pub while not the most rustic ski lodge bar in the world I think works quite well for what it is.
Food is pretty good in there and they have Rocket Fuel IPA on draft!

 

[BenedictGomez]

Plattekill.

Best Saturday ski area in the east. Good variety of trails, narrow, wide open, steeps, moguls, groomed, etc...

It's like you stepped into the 1960s ski scene (or at least I think it is given I wasn't around).

 

[Cornhead]

Hickory, Snow Ridge, Wolf Creek