Loon South Peak Expansion

[MadPadraic]

Hate Loon, Way toooooo crowded w/ Boston "Joey's"

Other than surveying people on the mountain, it would be hard to settle this, but I suspect that Cannon has a higher percentage of Bostonians than Loon does. (As measured by percent of people at the mountain to control for Loon's larger capacity).

 

[2Planker]

Other than surveying people on the mountain, it would be hard to settle this, but I suspect that Cannon has a higher percentage of Bostonians than Loon does. (As measured by percent of people at the mountain to control for Loon's larger capacity).

Possibly. But i feel that Cannon has a much larger crew of dedicated regulars…..

 

[snoseek]

Cannons crowd is a completely different kind of people and a lot less of them.

 

[Newpylong]

Other than surveying people on the mountain, it would be hard to settle this, but I suspect that Cannon has a higher percentage of Bostonians than Loon does. (As measured by percent of people at the mountain to control for Loon's larger capacity).

I don't think you'll find a ski area in New England with a higher % of people from Eastern MA than Loon. It doesn't have the nickname Marblehead Mountain for nothing.

WV may be a close second.

 

[MadPadraic]

Possibly. But i feel that Cannon has a much larger crew of dedicated regulars…..

Cannons crowd is a completely different kind of people and a lot less of them.

I don't think you'll find a ski area in New England with a higher % of people from Eastern MA than Loon. It doesn't have the nickname Marblehead Mountain for nothing.

It's funny how so few people ride/ski both mountains. My love for Cannon is well established on this board, but I also have been to Loon a fair amount back when I had the Boyne or Max Pass. Observations below are from lift conversations, conversations about sking/riding at parties over the years, and chats at Cannon's bar. Note the sampling bias problem: I never really got drinks at Loon's bars. My general observation is that Loon has a lot more from the Boston suburbs, and Cannon a lot more from Boston's urban core; this may not be a distinction that OP meant when he said "Bostonians." Loon also used to have lots of UK groups and a whole lot of people from Southern NH. Loon seemed to have a fair amount of second home owners compared to Cannon, and Cannon definitely has a more dedicated/specialized following.

Also, I suspect that Blue Hills has the highest percentage of people from Eastern, MA, but I doubt Newplylong was thinking about places that small.

 

[Newpylong]

Yes sorry I was excluding MA ski areas.

 

[thebigo]

Skied 35 days at loon over last couple years, almost entirely non-holiday midweek. Lift/Bar talk suggests a midweek demographic that skews largely in two directions: greater boston college kids originally from elsewhere and retirees who have relocated to the white mountains from all over the northeast. Both groups turn out far in excess of what I have seen elsewhere excluding maybe the retiree contingent at cannon for free. Sure the holiday/weekend demographic is significantly different.

 

[snoseek]

I don't know much about weekends but Cannon midweek is mostly retirees, in state residents and vets. Heavy local crowd. Cannon gives discounts to these groups and Wednesdays are NH resident days. Lot of Plymouth state kids too who are from all over.

 

[2Planker]

I don't know much about weekends but Cannon midweek is mostly retirees, in state residents and vets. Heavy local crowd. Cannon gives discounts to these groups and Wednesdays are NH resident days. Lot of Plymouth state kids too who are from all over.

I don't know any WMV locals who go to Loon. I do know a ton of people who will make the longer drive to Cannon any day of the week.

 

[Fishski]

I know so many people that go to Loon as their primary ski destinations from where I live on the South Shore of MA. I know very few that go to Cannon as their primary ski destination. Most of the Loon crowd have families that like everything that Loon offers. The few that go to Cannon, love to ski first and foremost. Those that don't like Cannon or those that have never been, often cite the cold and icy conditions that they have heard about or experienced. I ski both and have been for many years, but will only go near Loon on a non-weekend, non-holiday time.

 

[2Planker]

The few that go to Cannon, love to ski first and foremost. Those that don't like Cannon or those that have never been, often cite the cold and icy conditions that they have heard about or experienced.

That's exactly why Cannon (and Wildcat) have always had the best Race programs, and the best Racers in NH. . Lots of those kids go on to NCAA D1 ski programs and do really well, because they trained in "tough conditions".

Can't remember the last time I even saw a Loon racer....

 

[thebigo]

That's exactly why Cannon (and Wildcat) have always had the best Race programs, and the best Racers in NH. . Lots of those kids go on to NCAA D1 ski programs and do well, because they trained in "tough conditions".
Can't remember the last time I even saw a Loon racer....

May have been true at some point in the past but wholly untrue on the youth level today. By no measure has the wildcat youth programs produced better results than loon of late. Best program in the state is BBTS, next is probably FSC. Below FSC is a group that includes GSC, LRT, RMST, PPST and probably PROC. SUN used to be be up there but has seen a mass exodus to PROC due to mismanagement by vail. Youth success is a function of time on snow and coaching, not terrain or weather.

 

[2Planker]

May have been true at some point in the past but wholly untrue on the youth level today. By no measure has the wildcat youth programs produced better results than loon of late. Best program in the state is BBTS, next is probably FSC. Below FSC is a group that includes GSC, LRT, RMST, PPST and probably PROC. SUN used to be be up there but has seen a mass exodus to PROC due to mismanagement by vail. Youth success is a function of time on snow and coaching, not terrain or weather.

"To each their own...... Many here may disagree w/ your last sentence.
Why do you think the best NCAA programs go train @ places like Whiteface and the Loaf ?
UNH, Dartmouth & Plymouth State all trains @ Cannon & The Cat, definitely NOT @ Loon.

 

[Newpylong]

Because they have an entire mountain (Mittsersill) to themselves.

 

[The Sneak]

IMO Loon is brutal. I know I will be there 3-5x this season due to my Ikon pass...and I'm praying it's better than the absurdly bad and unavoidable boilerplate and glare ice that was everywhere by 12 noon on a Sunday. Which was my experience all 3x I visited last year.

Icy groomers + human pinball.

 

[thebigo]

IMO Loon is brutal. I know I will be there 3-5x this season due to my Ikon pass...and I'm praying it's better than the absurdly bad and unavoidable boilerplate and glare ice that was everywhere by 12 noon on a Sunday. Which was my experience all 3x I visited last year.

Icy groomers + human pinball.

100% agree, I get a Boyne Bronze for SR in November, Loon in April plus midweek in DEC. I have no idea why anyone would make Loon their midwinter weekend home mountain.

 

[thebigo]

"To each their own...... Many here may disagree w/ your last sentence.
Why do you think the best NCAA programs go train @ places like Whiteface and the Loaf ?
UNH, Dartmouth & Plymouth State all trains @ Cannon & The Cat, definitely NOT @ Loon.

Dedicated course, preferably with a surface lift, equals more time on snow. The data is available, last years youth team points attached. Would be best to average last five years if I had the time but Wildcat youth programs do not score well.

 

[Zand]

IMO Loon is brutal. I know I will be there 3-5x this season due to my Ikon pass...and I'm praying it's better than the absurdly bad and unavoidable boilerplate and glare ice that was everywhere by 12 noon on a Sunday. Which was my experience all 3x I visited last year.

Icy groomers + human pinball.

Might not be more of an "avoid on weekends" ski area in New England than Loon. But on weekdays, I like it if natural snow is bad elsewhere. They have some of the better snowmaking in NH and quick laps on Lincoln and North Peak are always fun.

 

[2Planker]

Dedicated course, preferably with a surface lift, equals more time on snow. The data is available, last years youth team points attached. Would be best to average last five years if I had the time but Wildcat youth programs do not score well.

So why does the Loon team have to go to Cannon or BW to train ??
To crowded,

Might not be more of an "avoid on weekends" ski area in New England than Loon. But on weekdays, I like it if natural snow is bad elsewhere. They have some of the better snowmaking in NH and quick laps on Lincoln and North Peak are always fun.

The ONLY time we ever go to Loon is for the Highland Games in August. Went once on a powder day, and they had 1/2 the lifts closed w/ Open trails BUT no way to get to them. "Oh it's Open, but you have to hike it" Fucking BS ! I know.... I worked for Boyne for many years, and left for a good reason. There are many better places to Ski free/work. After 35 years I can honestly say that Boyne wasn't great BUT it's better than working for Vail

 

[deadheadskier]

May have been true at some point in the past but wholly untrue on the youth level today. By no measure has the wildcat youth programs produced better results than loon of late. Best program in the state is BBTS, next is probably FSC. Below FSC is a group that includes GSC, LRT, RMST, PPST and probably PROC. SUN used to be be up there but has seen a mass exodus to PROC due to mismanagement by vail. Youth success is a function of time on snow and coaching, not terrain or weather.

I can figure out most of these, but what are BBTS and PROC?