Holiday trips? Where is everyone going?

[tnt]

We decided on Stratton after being between Stratton, Gore or maybe Jay - reasons being:
- Closer to home - 4-1/2 hours, so the last of four skiing days can be a full day.
- We went with the more affordable on hill hotels - Inn at Stratton maybe? - so for the same money as Gore, we don't have to touch our car.
- I know the terrain won't be insane, but my daughters are 11 and 14, very good skiers, my wife is a solid intermediate and Stratton looks like it will give them nice top to bottom cruisers, and some moderate grade glades (if there is snow), and really, the trip is for them more than for me.
- If there isn't snow, sounds like they are on top of their snow making game, so we should have something to ski.
- While I am concerned about the crowds, speaking to some friends, it sounds like once you get up the mountain, you can find some unpopulated lifts. My kids like to hit it early and stay late, so I think we'll get plenty of skiing in.

Last year we went to Jay, caught the X-mas dump, had a BLAST. But it was cold, windy, far and while I loved the mountain, and made a little time every day to explore for myself, for the rest of the crew, with the upper mountain lifts having issues every day, it lacked a bit of the big mountain top to bottom skiing. That said, the kids LOVED a bunch of the trails, and they didn't seem to it one bit - I'm being a little hyper critical there.

We wanted to get out west but a combination of schedules and budget made that a no-go this season.

So, what about everyone else? Where to over the X-mas break?

 

[hammer]

We usually stick to short day trips closer to home over vacation weeks...during XMas week the snow conditions are not reliable season to season and most areas are a mass gaggle of people anyway. If we owned a place near a ski area we'd do differently.

Will most likely try to get one trip to Ragged during that time. Also have family stuff going on which unfortunately doesn't involve being at or near any ski areas.

 

[Smellytele]

I am assuming you are speak the Xmas/NYE holidays. If so I do not go anywhere because of limited terrain and unlimited people. I do a couple of hours for a couple of days at the home hill.

 

[ALLSKIING]

I usually wait later in the year to take the entire family up for 3 days or more. Paying those prices for early season skiing in my mind is not worth it...Yeah, sometimes you get lucky with a storm but the chances are slim. MLK weekend is usually the earliest I do it but really prefer Feb break.

 

[dlague]

We kind of live in ski country so vacations are generally not our norm. We day trip it since 90%+ of all NE ski areas are 2 hours or less, a bunch at less than an hour, and half dozen are half hour or less.

If we stay for a while then it is in the NEK for Jay Peak, Owls Head, Sutton, Orford, Bromont and Burke since we have a free place to stay up there!

 

[hammer]

I am assuming you are speak the Xmas/NYE holidays. If so I do not go anywhere because of limited terrain and unlimited people. I do a couple of hours for a couple of days at the home hill.

If that's Pats Peak then that's a good day trip over that time period...unless the wx has been uncooperative they are usually near 100% with the snowmaking and even with the crowds they have good lift capacity (albeit all fixed-grip). Only downside is that one can only do so much with less than 800 feet vertical...

 

[crank]

I almost always go for at least a few days just after Christmas. Everywhere is crowded and expensive. Hitting the slopes early is key as you will get a jump on everyone else and beat the crowds for at least the first hour. When my son was younger we used to go to Okemo and, sometimes, Stratton. Jay Peak has also been a favorite though if natural snow is not good jay is not good.

Last Season my GF and I roamed from Smugglers Notch to 3 days in Quebec (Cold as a witches you know what but a great city and awesome skiing close by at Ste Anne and Le Massif) and then skied jay Dec 31. Probably same time as OP. Every place we skied had excellent conditions and we had at least 2 good powder days!

This year we are house and dog sitting for some friends who live just a few miles from Mt. Sunape, NH and will ski there as well as make a few forays into VT, probably Killington due to proximity and terrain. Maybe Stowe or Sugarbush as we will be near I-89.

We really liked Smuggler's Notch (it was my first time there). Great terrain and not too crowded, however, if not for major dumpage not much of that good terrain would have been open. We were ducking ropes as it was and were rewarded with face shots.

 

[Tin]

Season pass to Crotched this year, they went wild making snow and were 100% by Christmas last year. Hopefully it is the same this year. Planning an after Christmas trip to Jay, MRG, and others thanks to some cheap Liftopia tickets.

 

[Smellytele]

If that's Pats Peak then that's a good day trip over that time period...unless the wx has been uncooperative they are usually near 100% with the snowmaking and even with the crowds they have good lift capacity (albeit all fixed-grip). Only downside is that one can only do so much with less than 800 feet vertical...

Yes that is why I wrote a couple of hours on a couple of days. If we get lucky and get snow then the glades can be fun. They usually hammer hurricane with snow making just before that week which keeps me busy for a few hours lapping it.

 

[Puck it]

Rented a place near Mitty for 1/2 to 1/6. We are hoping for good snow.

 

[xwhaler]

Yes that is why I wrote a couple of hours on a couple of days. If we get lucky and get snow then the glades can be fun. They usually hammer hurricane with snow making just before that week which keeps me busy for a few hours lapping it.

I have a Pats voucher and X-mas Eve day off so was sort of pre-planning a day there as its only abt 50 mins from my house. Was also considering Crotched since they could be 100% open by then with their awesome snowmaking system but I'd then need to find someone in the lot to go BOGO with. It's been abt 5 yrs since I've skied Pats so will likely head there.

 

[Warp Daddy]

We live in a vacation area so our entire extended family with all the grandkids is here for 10 days during Christmas Holidays

We ALL ski Titus mtn several days , been a family posse outing for several decades :grin:

 

[ScottySkis]

Gore and Whiteface both will never be over crowded like Vermont if they got fresh snow consider those for sure, great Vertical then south Vermont resorts and great glades.

 

[HowieT2]

crazy school vacation this year for my kids. 12/20 until 1/6. I might have to go to the office for a few days, but could be 2 solid weeks at SB.

last year we got a 2 foot dumping on 12/27.

 

[Savemeasammy]

If we are going to endure the madhouse of skiing during Xmas break, we will be at Pats Peak putting some mileage on our passes!

 

[Smellytele]

If we are going to endure the madhouse of skiing during Xmas break, we will be at Pats Peak putting some mileage on our passes!

See ya there

 

[4aprice]

If it wasn't for Christmas racing camp for the boy I would skip the holiday week all together. As it is I will spend a few days at the home bump. Next year when the offspring is in college, it will be no more Christmas week, MLK weekend, or Presidents weekend. Normal weekends, ok and of course the crème de la crème is post Presidents - closing.

crazy school vacation this year for my kids.

Don't start me with the schools. Boy's spring break doesn't start till April 14th. Its always been either the last week in March or 1st in April and the perfect time to head to Utah. Most everything shuts down about that time:angry: Looking at alternate plans (last week in March) for the wife and myself if I can get over the guilt of leaving the boy home but don't know if I can.

Alex

Lake Hopatcong, NJ

 

[dlague]

If we are going to endure the madhouse of skiing during Xmas break, we will be at Pats Peak putting some mileage on our passes!

Yup that will be a mad house for sure! Have you ever just looked around off the deck where Sled Pub is? It is like an ant colony - stuff going on everywhere! Fun to do while chillin' and drinking Harpoon IPA.

 

[WWF-VT]

crazy school vacation this year for my kids. 12/20 until 1/6. I might have to go to the office for a few days, but could be 2 solid weeks at SB.

last year we got a 2 foot dumping on 12/27.

I'll be on a similar schedule at Sugarbush. Let's hope for a repeat of last December.

 

[mriceyman]

First time in about 8 years wont be doing a ski trip over holidays.. But i have a share of a house in stratton for the winter so i know i wont be losing any days on the hill


Sent from my iPhone