• 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!

Least Challenging Blacks

RISkier

Active member
Joined
Dec 3, 2003
Messages
1,062
Points
38
Location
Rhode Island
Very useful thread for me as I graduate from being an intermediate skier and make my way to black terrain. One thing I noticed is that there is a lot of variance among those, so I am trying to work my way up starting with wider black trails.

I am taking these as recommendations. :D

I view myself as an improving intermediate. My wife and I are skiing more and more black terrain. I'd say conditions are as or more important than pitch in determining difficulty. A pretty steep trail with good snow can be seem pretty easy, the same trail that's scraped up and icy can be a totally different experience. One benefit of skiing "blacks" is that skier density is generally much lower so you don't have to deal with as much skie traffic and conditions often stay good later in the day.
 

thetrailboss

Moderator
Staff member
Moderator
Joined
Jun 4, 2004
Messages
33,770
Points
113
Location
NEK by Birth
Shoot at Burke.

Spin Out at Sugarbush.

Cyclone at Pats Peak.

Almost any "Black" at Sunapee.
 

millerm277

Active member
Joined
Nov 18, 2006
Messages
1,815
Points
38
Location
NJ/NH
Hellgate, I don't care what you Hunterites say, it's blue. Yeah, if it's bumped skiers lift and you take that line it's harder, but if not it's blue all the way.

Yes and no. If it hasn't been groomed in a while and/or is icy, it's pretty tough for most intermediates. When you consider that, and how much more difficult it is in comparison to Hunter's other blues (Belt Pkwy, Hunter One), it does deserve the diamond rating.
 
Top