Most challenging ski area in the northeast

[deadheadskier]

MRG for stuff within the boundaries or on the trail map. For stuff you need to hike to or find on your own, it's Stowe hands down. The Kitchen Wall, Hellbrook, Tusk and certain other shots are as difficult as anything you'll find anywhere, and they require just a lift-assisted hike. There's really no comparison in the East until you start talking about true BC skiing like Tucks.

Tusk doesn't require a hike perse, well, I guess you do have to hike down to it depending on the snowback. Because the snow is almost always sketchy there at best, I find that to be the most difficult shot on the mountain - more so than Hellbrook or Hour Glass.

In bounds, no hike required at Stowe - Pipeline gets my vote for most difficult. 1000 vertical feet of six feet wide 45 degree pitch nastiness. If you're one of the first 3 people down it on a powder day consider yourself blessed. It can only handle a handful of people before all the pow is scraped off at which point, its near impossible to make it down without hugging a few trees. That chute is far and away the most relentless experience I've come across within a ski area's boundaries on the east coast.

 

[deadheadskier]

For Ski Areas, I'm going to say either MRG or Magic.

MRG has magic beat by a long shot. i do love magic though!

Magic outside of those that I initially listed - Stowe, Jay, MRG, Sugarbush, Smuggs, Sugarloaf and Whiteface (heresay) - certainly has the hairiest terrain I've seen in the east.

The problem with Magic is more often than not, there simply isn't the snowpack. Goniff and under both lifts offers some pretty crazy terrain, but they simply lack the natural snow to even open those slopes but a few days a season.

I think MRG gets a lot of nods as being the most difficult because EVERYTHING has some degree of challenge - the whole place is moguled and gladed.

I've found numerous lines at other areas that I personally find more difficult to ski than anything within MRG's boundaries. However, because nearly everything at MRG requires advanced ability to ski, I can see why its often regarded as the most challenging ski area in the east.

 

[riverc0il]

I think MRG gets a lot of nods as being the most difficult because EVERYTHING has some degree of challenge - the whole place is moguled and gladed.

this is my thought exactly. overall, mrg may or may not have the absolute most challenging runs in new england, but far and away has the highest overall degree of difficulty when you look at the mountain as a whole. when half your blue squares are bumped up and kick like a mule, you got some bite. i find it very hard skiing MRG open to close on a day with no lift lines and MRG is one of the few resorts that has sent me packing up early because my body simply could not take another run.

spot on about magic's snow pack. though, some might argue that magic's lack of natural snow compared to it's northern big brother in spirit actually makes the place harder. i have skied red line and master in down right boney conditions and it was a true challenge. but i believe when comparing relative difficulty, you need to take out the average snow pack factor and consider each run against other runs on a level playing field. magic has some good challenge under the lift lines and down master, but that's only three tough runs. the other double D's (twilight, goniff, witch, and slide) aren't worthy of their doulble diamond ranking, especially slide and twilight. i hate the double diamond rating any ways, heh.

i would put cannon slightly ahead of magic on the difficulty factor. i have yet to sample castlerock at bush, the face at jay, or any of smuggs, so i have a hard time comparing there. but i think the point about MRG having the most consistantly difficult mountain is an important factor to consider when judging an overall most challenging mountain.

 

[Treeliner]

i hate the double diamond rating any ways, heh.

lol, then I bet you really cant stand the triple black rating :lol:

 

[riverc0il]

i can honestly say that i have never skied a triple diamond in my life. does any one else in new england have triple diamonds besides smuggs?

 

[awf170]

i can honestly say that i have never skied a triple diamond in my life

What you never skied a triple black, your pathetic :wink: ... i skied a few quadrouple blacks this year and next year i think i might be able to ski a 5x black :wink:

anyway, who has skied this triple black at smuggs, it must have a mandatory drop of atleast 5ft right???

After hearing about that triple black i hated smuggs for years just for doin something so stupid...


and steve its the only one.... though mount bohemia has some but thats in michigan, and they are some sick lookin runs

 

[Starter Jackets Rule!]

How about "Church" at sugarbush.. now thats some "come'in at ya" skiing.
Me and a bud were looking 4 it one day and had no luck... the locals were being tight liped.
so that night we went to some bar up on 17 and asked around and a cool ski bum asked me if i had any rope in my pack..yup was all I said and the next day she showed us the goods!

 

[Zand]

From what I hear, the Triple-Black at Smuggs is tough, but no tougher than, say, Julio at Killington. Not worthy of a triple-black rating at least.

 

[highpeaksdrifter]

a cool ski bum asked me if i had any rope in my pack..yup was all I said and the next day she showed us the goods!

Wow, bondage and the goods all in the same weekend. Nice! Whatever it takes to get the info from a local is worth it.

 

[skibum1321]

From what I hear, the Triple-Black at Smuggs is tough, but no tougher than, say, Julio at Killington. Not worthy of a triple-black rating at least.

The triple black at Smuggs is just a gimmick to say they have the only one in the east. It's really not all that difficult.

And in regards to the Church, you would have to be blind to not see it.

 

[Tin Woodsman]

I'd say the Black Hole is more difficult than Julio for sure. Tighter trees, somewhat steeper even. But the triple black rating is really a joke.

As for the Church - it's pretty hard to miss, and you don't need a rope.

 

[Mr MRG]

While I am obviously biased towards MRG, on my day off when I'm looking for challenge with my little ripper son (age 7) we head to Smugglers' Notch. My son said it all last year on a visit. "Gee Dad this is steeper than Mad River." He wasn't entirely wrong. MRG just has a more consistent, sustained pitch, but man does Smuggs have some gret terrain.

 

[highpeaksdrifter]

While I am obviously biased towards MRG, on my day off when I'm looking for challenge with my little ripper son (age 7) we head to Smugglers' Notch. My son said it all last year on a visit. "Gee Dad this is steeper than Mad River." He wasn't entirely wrong. MRG just has a more consistent, sustained pitch, but man does Smuggs have some gret terrain.

Yeah man, I love Smuggs.

 

[Charlie Schuessler]

Tuckerman's.

MRG is tough, but you can take a lift up....Tuckerman's is all work up & down...

 

[Greg]

the other double D's (twilight, goniff, witch, and slide) aren't worthy of their doulble diamond ranking, especially slide and twilight.

I agree. Slide of Hans is actually pretty mellow. I found Witch pretty tough, not because of the pitch, but because of the slick almost ice surface. Goniff is pretty challenging with its double fall line, but the wide tree spacing makes it a bit easier. I also agree that Twilight is not worthy of the <><> rating, but it's probably my favorite run at Magic. I was too chicken to attempt Redline or Master. MM looks particularly gnarley.

 

[Brettski]

I don't know...I gotta nominate the "trail" underneath the lift at smuggs where the guys ski around a snow fience to jump off the hug bolder...gotta be 20 feet or more. Never seen anyone do it, but I seen the tracks....wackos

And I gotta say the face chutes under the tram at Jay are just sick. I seen guys doing that...catch an edge and you are history....don't think you'll ever see me out there....

 

[awf170]

I don't know...I gotta nominate the "trail" underneath the lift at smuggs where the guys ski around a snow fience to jump off the hug bolder...gotta be 20 feet or more. Never seen anyone do it, but I seen the tracks....wackos

got any pics of it?

 

[Brettski]

Nope....next time I'm up there...but does anyone else know what I'm talking about...am I exaggerating?

I think it's right before you get to the first on Sterling.....

And as "slow" as those lifts are, it's only about 12/15 minutes to reach either Summit..not too bad...everyone keeps calling for high speed quad, and the owners refuse...good for them...

Anyone ski the chutes at Jay? My wife told me to give it a try...I think she uped my life insurance policy...

 

[Joshua B]

I've never skied the steepest trails at Mad River Glen or Stowe, but I've seen some of them and they scare me. I'll vote for those two.

 

[Brettski]

Never been to MRG (yet), but there's nothing you can fall off the face of at Stowe (maybe off-piste), you can sure fall off the the chutes at Jay