-
Welcome to AlpineZone, the largest online community of skiers and snowboarders in the Northeast!
You may have to REGISTER before you can post. Registering is FREE, gets rid of the majority of advertisements, and lets you participate in giveaways and other AlpineZone events!
Front Four vs. Castlerock: Which is Better?
- Thread starter WWF-VT
- Start date
good read
I like Castlerock better myself for actual trail skiing. Trees between trails, I'll take Front Four.
Whoever ruined Liftline and National at Stowe should be paddled in the town square annually as a sacrifice to ullr.
I like Castlerock better myself for actual trail skiing. Trees between trails, I'll take Front Four.
Whoever ruined Liftline and National at Stowe should be paddled in the town square annually as a sacrifice to ullr.
Philpug
New member
- Joined
- May 13, 2008
- Messages
- 1,589
- Points
- 0
The "Front Four" has the reputation, ask most NE skiers where the "Front Four" are, most can say Stowe (and most of them can name the trails). Ask most skiers where 'Castlerock' is, most do not know, let alone name the trails.
Which is better? Depends, which has better snow. I will say I took one of my scariest falls on Goat about a year ago.
Which is better? Depends, which has better snow. I will say I took one of my scariest falls on Goat about a year ago.
riverc0il
New member
That article sums everything up fairly well. Castlerock has more character and charm. As DHS mentions, Stowe must have had something really special when the trails were in their original form prior to the bulldozers making the trails straight highways. I think the areas may have been comparable back in the day. Any old timers care to address that issue?
The article was pretty gentle on Castlerock for two of its biggest faults: long boring run out back to the Castlerock lift and even longer boring run out back to any other lift or the base area. Stowe relents quite a bit at the bottom of the mountain. But it is a fairly short stretch of no more than 20 seconds or so of "this is boring, where is the lift" skiing whereas that lasts about what seems like a minute at the bottom of Castlerock and a few minutes back to the base area.
I agree with DHS that for trail skiing, Castlerock owns but Stowe has superior trees in between those trails with a lot of good options. Personally, I think these two trail pods are so characteristically different that they really should not be compared against each other.
The article was pretty gentle on Castlerock for two of its biggest faults: long boring run out back to the Castlerock lift and even longer boring run out back to any other lift or the base area. Stowe relents quite a bit at the bottom of the mountain. But it is a fairly short stretch of no more than 20 seconds or so of "this is boring, where is the lift" skiing whereas that lasts about what seems like a minute at the bottom of Castlerock and a few minutes back to the base area.
I agree with DHS that for trail skiing, Castlerock owns but Stowe has superior trees in between those trails with a lot of good options. Personally, I think these two trail pods are so characteristically different that they really should not be compared against each other.
I thought that looked familiar. That is an article from last season. I remember reading it. I think that the two are great for different reasons. I like them both. I lean more towards the Front Four because of pitch and it is my kind of skiing, but I love SB obviously. I can honestly say that people get excited about CR, but my years of skiing at SB my experience has been so-so I'd say. Often terrain is skied out or needs more snow. That said, last spring f^&*ing rocked there, and I have had many good days:
Trekchick
Active member
From the perspective of someone who travels to the east to ski, I go to Stowe because its considered a "destination" which is why I recognized the front four and know what the Front Four are.
I've never thought of Sugarbush as a destination from here, though I am probably robbing myself of an awesome experience.
I've been trying to convince my posse to do a storm chase on the east coast this year. It would be great to watch a storm go through and follow it in the Yukon, catching all the best snow with my bestest buddies!
I've never thought of Sugarbush as a destination from here, though I am probably robbing myself of an awesome experience.
I've been trying to convince my posse to do a storm chase on the east coast this year. It would be great to watch a storm go through and follow it in the Yukon, catching all the best snow with my bestest buddies!
You owe yourself a trip to Sugarbush the next time you're in the east. I can't compare it to Stowe since I've only been there once early season several years ago (ETU), but Sugarbush definitely doesn't suck.
bigbog
Active member
Think the term Better is kinda tough to pin down in VT, or anywhere in northern NewEngland.
assigned: curmudgeon...;-) Once good snow arrives, it's all good.
assigned: curmudgeon...;-) Once good snow arrives, it's all good.
Last edited:
Tin Woodsman
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jul 12, 2004
- Messages
- 1,154
- Points
- 63
It's well known that I'm a SB homer, but I never got this. I guess the bottom of C-Rock Run is flat and boring, but I've always thought that Liftline, Cotillion, and Middle Earth (the three other runs making it to the bottom) kept you busy with different sections, pitches, and turns, even if the pitch wasn't as interesting as higher up. On Rumble in particular, it seems that every little section in between the Troll Road and other switchbacks offers something new. The lower portion of C-Rock also happens to offer some of the more interesting tree shots on the hill. If that lowest section of Liftline is open, you get a nice little pitch that keeps you on your toes. Otherwise, the last 15-20 seconds doesn't offer much, but that's not out of the ordinary.
I suppose if I knew the trees on Castle rock well, I'd have a different perspective. Though it does wind through the forest, it is pretty flat for a good stretch at the bottom......the run out from Rumble side trails anyways
In general Lincoln does have some pretty lengthy run outs. It is part of the reason I tend to prefer to ski North.
In general Lincoln does have some pretty lengthy run outs. It is part of the reason I tend to prefer to ski North.
WWF-VT
Well-known member
riverc0il does not like the Castlerock Runout which is below the Castlerock chair that brings you back to the base area. If you do multiple runs on the Castlerock chair you don't need to take the run out unless you are going back to the base area. Alternative is to take the Bailout from Castlerock Run and hit the Heavens Gate chair where you have some of the best trails at SB - Ripcord, Paradise, Spillsville and a lot of woods options.
i've skied all of castlerock but only liftline at stowe, therefor i have no basis for an opinion but i was curious, starr and goat both looked steeper then any of the runs at castlerock. (they, along with national, werent open the only time i was there) not that steeper means better, but just curious if this is actually the case.
The top of Star and portions of Goat are steeper, but not by a ton.
Tin Woodsman
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jul 12, 2004
- Messages
- 1,154
- Points
- 63
Personally, I'm usually so gassed by that point that I welcome the chance to rest a bit before getting back on the chair.
riverc0il
New member
I find run outs to be extremely tiring so they bring me no rest. I would rather traverse back from parts unknown that do a run out. So that is why I am very critical.
Geoff
Well-known member
My Stowe passes were in my UVM days that started in the fall of 1976. I still remember my first run on Goat. I grew up as an every-weekender at Stratton and thought I was pretty hot. Narrow. Double fall line. Steep. One bump line and nowhere else to go. It pounded the crap out of me and, after four years of skiing it, I still had more bad runs on it than good runs. I always thought Starr, National, and Liftline were kind of meh compared to Goat. Goat has all the character and is still probably my favorite trail in the east.
I've skied Castlerock a lot more than I have Stowe, so I guess it's no surprise that, for the trails, I put the Rock on top. Plus, as far as trails go, Rumble is my all time favorite. Run outs, my friends, are a fact of life - just grimace and bear it.
Newpylong
Well-known member
Castlerock without a doubt. Front four all hype but Goat.
If you include Starr in that sentence I'll agree with you. The top of Starr is more difficult than anything on CR. The skiable width for the first 30 feet or so is as narrow as Rumble and MUCH steeper.
I would definitely agree on Liftline and National. They really should be left ungroomed. I don't think ANY double black run should be groomed outside of recovering from a freeze / thaw / rain event. Not even a bail out lane.
Stowe has so many great cruising runs as it is, I see no reason to groom Liftline and National. I suppose they do it just so people can say they've skied them.
Similar threads
- Locked
