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Most Over/Under Rated Ski Trails
- Thread starter canobie#1
- Start date
ss20
Well-known member
Underrated:
Stratton's glades
Chilloot (Smuggs)
Freewheeler (Butternut)
Overrated:
Every ride at Canobie :angry: (look at my sig)
Wandering beginner trails with no pitch (Juggernaut (Killington), Mountain Road (Okemo), etc)
Standard (Stratton)
Stratton's glades
Chilloot (Smuggs)
Freewheeler (Butternut)
Overrated:
Every ride at Canobie :angry: (look at my sig)
Wandering beginner trails with no pitch (Juggernaut (Killington), Mountain Road (Okemo), etc)
Standard (Stratton)
Overrated: Front Five at Cannon. Yes, they have great pitch, but those trails are awfully short and WAY too wide. I would have rathered the mountain put in 8 trails with character across that width of terrain, instead of 5 massively wide straight boulevards.
Underrated: Chief at Okemo. While it's not as good as it once was due to widening over the years, it's still a nearly uninterrupted 1500 vert run with decent pitch that's a blast to rail big Super G turns on. Before it became the mountains signature race trail, Upper Chief was actually a decent bump run.
Underrated: Chief at Okemo. While it's not as good as it once was due to widening over the years, it's still a nearly uninterrupted 1500 vert run with decent pitch that's a blast to rail big Super G turns on. Before it became the mountains signature race trail, Upper Chief was actually a decent bump run.
snowmonster
New member
Overrated:
White Heat (Sunday River) -- It's steep (but in sections), straight, very wide and half-groomed. I know it was once hyped as the steepest widest trail in the northeast but the shine has come off that marketing pitch. Really, this trail is not as difficult as it is made out to be. The most difficult thing about this trail really is the iciness of it when the snow is not right. Actually, come to think of it, any trail that was subject of any ad campaign is screaming to be overrated.
Liftline (Stowe) - The Front Four has a mythical quality to it and Starr, Goat and National can lay claim to that distinction. Not Liftline. I know Liftline is a shadow of its former self, having been bulldozed and blasted to get to its present state. It's a straight and wide shot. It has some steep pitches but is not as technical as the other three. I suggest that Lookout should replace it as the new Front Four.
Underrated:
Blind Ambition (Sunday River) - The moderate pitch and widely spaced trees scream intermediate terrain but this is probably the most fun you could have in a glade. Just point your skis down and slalom past the trees without even having to think about it. Always deserves a repeat.
Hackett's Highway (Stowe) - Under the chair, narrow, twisty and with moderate jumps and steeps. Bottoms out on a streambed before spitting you out on a trail. You have to know exactly when to turn. Overlooked because of the Front Four but a hidden gem on Mansfield.
Misery Whip (Sugarloaf) - Straight as an arrow, narrow and bumped up. A bumper's paradise. For non-bumpers, a place to up your game. Relentless. The pitch does not let up. Do it thrice in a row in the spring and you've earned that beer.
Anything off the Sunnyside Double (Mad River Glen) - Everybody loves the Single (justifiably so) and will willingly wait in line for the privilege of skiing the terrain off it. Everyone wants to experience Paradise, Chute and Liftline. Of course. However, the terrain and the woods off the Double don't get as much love. Similar pitch as the Single and the same tight, uncrowded woods that MRG is famous for. When the line is long at the Single, get to the Double and get in more runs. The Single has Paradise but the Double has Little Paradise (you'll need to sniff around for that).
White Heat (Sunday River) -- It's steep (but in sections), straight, very wide and half-groomed. I know it was once hyped as the steepest widest trail in the northeast but the shine has come off that marketing pitch. Really, this trail is not as difficult as it is made out to be. The most difficult thing about this trail really is the iciness of it when the snow is not right. Actually, come to think of it, any trail that was subject of any ad campaign is screaming to be overrated.
Liftline (Stowe) - The Front Four has a mythical quality to it and Starr, Goat and National can lay claim to that distinction. Not Liftline. I know Liftline is a shadow of its former self, having been bulldozed and blasted to get to its present state. It's a straight and wide shot. It has some steep pitches but is not as technical as the other three. I suggest that Lookout should replace it as the new Front Four.
Underrated:
Blind Ambition (Sunday River) - The moderate pitch and widely spaced trees scream intermediate terrain but this is probably the most fun you could have in a glade. Just point your skis down and slalom past the trees without even having to think about it. Always deserves a repeat.
Hackett's Highway (Stowe) - Under the chair, narrow, twisty and with moderate jumps and steeps. Bottoms out on a streambed before spitting you out on a trail. You have to know exactly when to turn. Overlooked because of the Front Four but a hidden gem on Mansfield.
Misery Whip (Sugarloaf) - Straight as an arrow, narrow and bumped up. A bumper's paradise. For non-bumpers, a place to up your game. Relentless. The pitch does not let up. Do it thrice in a row in the spring and you've earned that beer.
Anything off the Sunnyside Double (Mad River Glen) - Everybody loves the Single (justifiably so) and will willingly wait in line for the privilege of skiing the terrain off it. Everyone wants to experience Paradise, Chute and Liftline. Of course. However, the terrain and the woods off the Double don't get as much love. Similar pitch as the Single and the same tight, uncrowded woods that MRG is famous for. When the line is long at the Single, get to the Double and get in more runs. The Single has Paradise but the Double has Little Paradise (you'll need to sniff around for that).
ScottySkis
Well-known member
MountainSnow has good diamond trail on NorthFace and is better then Stratton and Okemo, so I say it is underrated trials and glades.
Puck it
Well-known member
I will give the wide comment on four of the five. Pauly's is a perfect IMHO.
The trails that I hate By-Pass and Upper Middle Cannon. Terrible layout when the HSQ went in. It should have terminated in the open area below Big Link.
dmc
New member
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Hunter
- Most underrated "Mad Box"
- Most overrated "Mad Box"
- Most underrated "Mad Box"
- Most overrated "Mad Box"
Riverskier
Active member
I don't really have any to add, but to comment on a couple already mentioned...
Right Stuff at SR: I could take it or leave it, but it is a well pitched trail great for high speed cruising with no real intersecting trails. Where it really shines though is that it is one of the first trails SR opens for the year, and for early season I think it is exceptional terrain. If SR can get it open this weekend it will probably represent the most interesting open terrain in the East IMO.
Blind Ambition at SR: Yeah, it certainly isn't steep gnarly terrain, but it is huge, well spaced glade, and an absolute blast to rip through on a powder day. Untracked runs in there often end up being my runs of the day.
Right Stuff at SR: I could take it or leave it, but it is a well pitched trail great for high speed cruising with no real intersecting trails. Where it really shines though is that it is one of the first trails SR opens for the year, and for early season I think it is exceptional terrain. If SR can get it open this weekend it will probably represent the most interesting open terrain in the East IMO.
Blind Ambition at SR: Yeah, it certainly isn't steep gnarly terrain, but it is huge, well spaced glade, and an absolute blast to rip through on a powder day. Untracked runs in there often end up being my runs of the day.
skirick
New member
LOL - Never could understand why they bothered even naming a flat trail that's 200' long.
jimk
Well-known member
Fun topic. My ability sweet spot is hard blue/easy black so what I think is underrated may vary from a true steeps-meister. Also, my impressions are those of a touron with limited exposure to most ski areas out of my home region. Take with grain of salt
Focusing on Underrated ski trails or maybe underappreciated is more apropos:
Saddleback, ME: Muleskinner. I'd heard a little buzz about this being a neat trail, but when I skied it first time two years ago found it to have cool remote feel, quite tight and twisty.
Wildcat, NH: really like Wildcat ski area, fits my ability level very well. There really isn't anything inbounds that is super steep, but heading straight under the Express Chair or nearby parallel trail (old gondy line?) you get 2000 vert of soft bumps with a few little rock drops and an audience.
Stowe, VT: don't know mtn well, but had someone take me through Angel Food glade last year. Very fun, not too hard, not too easy with nice side-country feel.
Mt. Snow, VT: Ripcord. Whatever you might think about the rest of the mtn, there is no denying Ripcord is steep and bumpy.
Moving beyond the Northeast:
Mt. Bachelor, OR: gets the "Flatchelor" label because it's sort of like Wildcat, great skiing, but nothing extreme. However, when the backside is open it's a really exceptional side-country experience with about 1500-2000' continuous vertical of easy black diamond pitch, interesting snow conditions, and few skiers across 1500 backside acres.
Squaw Valley, CA: Red Dog Ridge. No way Squaw could ever be considered underrated, but there is so much interesting black diamond terrain! Red Dog Ridge is quite steep with fairly open glades and requires just enough high traversing from any lift to feel adventurous, but not life threatening.
Snowbird, UT: Mineral Basin. MB may be considered the softer and sometimes slushy side of Snowbird, but I skied it once on sunny day in January and had a blast across hundreds of acres of open face. Pitch is blue/black, but some parts funnel into steeper chutes and there are areas of big rocks/cliffs.
Taos, NM: climbing the ridge. Taos is a GREAT expert's mtn, just for the lift served terrain. I was a little intimidated to try hiking the ridge to their renowned extreme stuff, but it's beautiful up there and you can skate past the hairiest parts and ski stuff that is normal black diamond in difficulty.
Arapahoe Basin, CO: Pali! If you're a fan of old school, no-nonsense areas like MRG, Magic, Platty and you ever get to Colorado reserve a day from the mega resorts and visit Arapahoe Basin. It has scenic upper-intermediate terrain, but the bump runs under the Pallavicini chair are a standout. Must be a dozen trails served by this chair alone with the pitch and vertical of Outer Limits at Killington.
Focusing on Underrated ski trails or maybe underappreciated is more apropos:
Saddleback, ME: Muleskinner. I'd heard a little buzz about this being a neat trail, but when I skied it first time two years ago found it to have cool remote feel, quite tight and twisty.
Wildcat, NH: really like Wildcat ski area, fits my ability level very well. There really isn't anything inbounds that is super steep, but heading straight under the Express Chair or nearby parallel trail (old gondy line?) you get 2000 vert of soft bumps with a few little rock drops and an audience.
Stowe, VT: don't know mtn well, but had someone take me through Angel Food glade last year. Very fun, not too hard, not too easy with nice side-country feel.
Mt. Snow, VT: Ripcord. Whatever you might think about the rest of the mtn, there is no denying Ripcord is steep and bumpy.
Moving beyond the Northeast:
Mt. Bachelor, OR: gets the "Flatchelor" label because it's sort of like Wildcat, great skiing, but nothing extreme. However, when the backside is open it's a really exceptional side-country experience with about 1500-2000' continuous vertical of easy black diamond pitch, interesting snow conditions, and few skiers across 1500 backside acres.
Squaw Valley, CA: Red Dog Ridge. No way Squaw could ever be considered underrated, but there is so much interesting black diamond terrain! Red Dog Ridge is quite steep with fairly open glades and requires just enough high traversing from any lift to feel adventurous, but not life threatening.
Snowbird, UT: Mineral Basin. MB may be considered the softer and sometimes slushy side of Snowbird, but I skied it once on sunny day in January and had a blast across hundreds of acres of open face. Pitch is blue/black, but some parts funnel into steeper chutes and there are areas of big rocks/cliffs.
Taos, NM: climbing the ridge. Taos is a GREAT expert's mtn, just for the lift served terrain. I was a little intimidated to try hiking the ridge to their renowned extreme stuff, but it's beautiful up there and you can skate past the hairiest parts and ski stuff that is normal black diamond in difficulty.
Arapahoe Basin, CO: Pali! If you're a fan of old school, no-nonsense areas like MRG, Magic, Platty and you ever get to Colorado reserve a day from the mega resorts and visit Arapahoe Basin. It has scenic upper-intermediate terrain, but the bump runs under the Pallavicini chair are a standout. Must be a dozen trails served by this chair alone with the pitch and vertical of Outer Limits at Killington.
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bdfreetuna
New member
Sidewinder & Doozie at Pico
That whole pod of trails is really fun but especially over on the north side
That whole pod of trails is really fun but especially over on the north side
xwhaler
Active member
+1 on Muleskinner. Sticking w/ Saddleback since I know it very well, other trails that are under-rated would include Golden Smelt and Red Devil. Smelt is a bit steeper and ungroomed but a nice classic style run most ppl stay on Grey Ghost.
Among their glades I'd say Dark Wizard and Thrombosis are under-rated...DK Wiz is very tight but holds the snow incredibly well.
St. Bear
New member
Feline. I wonder if it gets ignored because it's looks small on the trail map, but I always find myself alone on the trail, and I would argue it has some of the most interesting terrain on the mountain. Small rock and cliff bands and lift towers to navigate, and much narrower than Lift Lion or Top Cat.
This pic is from last year, the day after 18" or so. Groomers were frozen over, the woods were crusty and dangerous, and Feline was by far the best trail on the mountain.
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C-Rex
New member
Overrated: Jericho and Wild Turkey at Jiminy Peak. Sure they're fairly steep. But they're also well groomed and pretty wide so unless it's a boiler plate surface they're pretty tame.
Also, all of Okemo. Except for maybe Tuckered Out on Jackson Gore. That trail is pretty fun.
Underrated: Binder at Sugarloaf. The lower half in particular. It's probably my favorite trail in the northeast. It's narrow and winding with a shallow, natural halfpipe crossection. I love little side features and Binder has both quantity and variety. Plus, being narrow and tucked down out of the wind, it's protected and skis well whether it's a groomer or powder day.
Also, all of Okemo. Except for maybe Tuckered Out on Jackson Gore. That trail is pretty fun.
Underrated: Binder at Sugarloaf. The lower half in particular. It's probably my favorite trail in the northeast. It's narrow and winding with a shallow, natural halfpipe crossection. I love little side features and Binder has both quantity and variety. Plus, being narrow and tucked down out of the wind, it's protected and skis well whether it's a groomer or powder day.
Superbman
New member
Underrated: Everything on Kennebago Steeps or Casablanca Glades at Saddleback, Maine
All Glade Runs at Mount Snow…seriously, when the snow is in-Mt. Snow's Glades are wonderful (especially the ones to the farthest skiers left of the Northface.
Starr at Stowe…yeah I know everyone rates this highly…but still not high enough
Paradise-Sugarbush. Everyone talks up Castlerock trails, but Paradise is the best trail there.
Mittersill Area-Cannon: Yep, it's snow-starved, but if you get a chance to ski in in a March Storm cycle…you'll see it rules.
Competition-Berkshire East-If you are in the mood for no-holds-barred big, sweeping SG turns on a falling line steepish, well-maintained groomer, This is the Run!
Overrated: Everything at Okemo…no matter where you rate it, you've rated it too high.
Rumble-Sugarbush-Yeah it's hard and twisty, but give me Paradise anyday
Outer Limits-It's not even the best(or steepest) bump run at Killington…and they groom 2/3's of it!
All Glade Runs at Mount Snow…seriously, when the snow is in-Mt. Snow's Glades are wonderful (especially the ones to the farthest skiers left of the Northface.
Starr at Stowe…yeah I know everyone rates this highly…but still not high enough
Paradise-Sugarbush. Everyone talks up Castlerock trails, but Paradise is the best trail there.
Mittersill Area-Cannon: Yep, it's snow-starved, but if you get a chance to ski in in a March Storm cycle…you'll see it rules.
Competition-Berkshire East-If you are in the mood for no-holds-barred big, sweeping SG turns on a falling line steepish, well-maintained groomer, This is the Run!
Overrated: Everything at Okemo…no matter where you rate it, you've rated it too high.
Rumble-Sugarbush-Yeah it's hard and twisty, but give me Paradise anyday
Outer Limits-It's not even the best(or steepest) bump run at Killington…and they groom 2/3's of it!
dlague
Active member
Well I can probably list trails at every resort but that would take too much time and result in too much reading. But I find that there are many trails that are rated as black trails that ar kind of steep, e flat and fairly wide that in my mind are blues examples Bretton Woods' Waumbek, Ragged Mountain's Showboat and Showoff, Gunstock's Middle Trigger etc. Every mountain has them. Then there are blues that are long and flat like Bretton Woods' Two Mile Home, Gunstock's Stonebar.
To me it appears that these trail designations are designed to protect the beginners and not to identify challenges to the better skiers.
To me it appears that these trail designations are designed to protect the beginners and not to identify challenges to the better skiers.
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emmaurice2
Member
Over-rated:
Jericho at Jiminy (Upper Liftline is much more interesting---on the rare occasion I've seen it open)
Catapult at Catamount (with the exception of those rare days when they have fresh snow--then this trail is fun)
Under-rated:
Sunrise at Sugarbush--great view, often ignored, nice bumps if you choose
Liftline at Berkshire East--if conditions are right, this trail is a blast.
Whirlaway at Stowe (Spruce Peak)--often ignored, so if everything else is tracked out, chances are you can find fresh snow
Jericho at Jiminy (Upper Liftline is much more interesting---on the rare occasion I've seen it open)
Catapult at Catamount (with the exception of those rare days when they have fresh snow--then this trail is fun)
Under-rated:
Sunrise at Sugarbush--great view, often ignored, nice bumps if you choose
Liftline at Berkshire East--if conditions are right, this trail is a blast.
Whirlaway at Stowe (Spruce Peak)--often ignored, so if everything else is tracked out, chances are you can find fresh snow
St. Bear
New member
Well that's no fun.
MadMadWorld
Active member
Feline. I wonder if it gets ignored because it's looks small on the trail map, but I always find myself alone on the trail, and I would argue it has some of the most interesting terrain on the mountain. Small rock and cliff bands and lift towers to navigate, and much narrower than Lift Lion or Top Cat.
This pic is from last year, the day after 18" or so. Groomers were frozen over, the woods were crusty and dangerous, and Feline was by far the best trail on the mountain.
+1 on that. It is a really unique trail with tons of character. That side of the mountain really doesn't get any love unless the HSQ is on wind hold and Tomcat is running.
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MadMadWorld
Active member
So many underrated trails to even count.....Fall Line at MRG is kind of the red headed step sister to Paradise. But it is an incredibly awesome area. I can't even call it a trail since it skis different every time. One time it's steep moguls. The next it's tight trees with drops. I would argue that Fall Line is just as fun and challenging as the main area of Paradise.
Overrated: Pretty much every marked double diamond in the East. I appreciate mountains like Jay, Cannon, and MRG who keep it to one. I feel like a double diamond should only be for trails where falling can result in serious bodily injury. I can understand an argument for a few things like the Slides at WF or Liftline at Smuggs but not much else.
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Overrated: Pretty much every marked double diamond in the East. I appreciate mountains like Jay, Cannon, and MRG who keep it to one. I feel like a double diamond should only be for trails where falling can result in serious bodily injury. I can understand an argument for a few things like the Slides at WF or Liftline at Smuggs but not much else.
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