Mountains that "ski bigger" than they look...

[Greg]

You can't see half the terrain from the base...

Sort of like Mount Ellen. On a cloudy day you can't guage how large it is.

 

[Brettski]

I know this sounds cheesy, but mountain creek in NJ ski's much bigger than it looks. If you pull into the main parking lot, you have no clue what the other mountains at MC have to offer. They have some green trail called sojorner (or something like that) that goes from the middle peak to the former great gorge (bear mountain maybe?) peak that is long long long .... the lift takes an hour and a day as well.

I don't think so...sorry to disagree...that's my "virgin" mountain where I learned. Did my first christe out of fear on zero G because of the rocks in the trail.

The closest NYC Mountain that vaguely resemble a real Mountain is either Blue or Jack Frost.

And the real answer anyway is JAY...It ski's bigger than it really is.

At 2153, it seems a lot bigger than that. I was suprised at the vertical. I mean you can get lost at Jay. Can't say that about many areas. Feels like Whistler at times.

 

[dmc]

The closest NYC Mountain that vaguely resemble a real Mountain is either Blue or Jack Frost.

That made me laugh... thanks...

 

[Brettski]

Hunter is not the closest. I'm speaking of 1 1/2 hours, not 2 1/2. If you extend the range, there is NOTHING Close to HUNTA

Wyndham is a joke, and Belleayre, while I'm still just getting to know her, is difficult to navigate, at best.

Blues got to long bump runs that don't groom, so that's nice, and Jack Frost is the only Pokesa area that I know of that has tree skiing.

Every other area grooms the sheet of their trails, and there's nothing as far a tree skiing goes.

At 1600, Hunta is the same size as Mount Snow. AND I would dare say that Hunta has more character. Hunter West (When it's all open) Beats the North Side any day.

I mean, Anna Purna...what a great trail...double fall line....

HUNTA Lacks from the Ski Town atmoshphere...it probably suffers because of it's day trip accessability...

Mideweek is great though...we had a blast last year skiing Thursday and Friday...

We love going to PJ Frog's bar/restuarant

OK, so I like the bar part....

 

[dmc]

HUNTA Lacks from the Ski Town atmoshphere...it probably suffers because of it's day trip accessability

We're working on it... The new hotel is a start..
But the town is working on zoning and lots of condos are being built on main street as well as some comercial components..
It's so sad... We have NO ski bars left in Hunter... The last one closed at the end of winter
Ten years ago we could walk from bar to bar.. But now... Thats just a memory..
There are 2 bars left in the town...
And only a handful in Tannersville...

Also - the bridge to the mountain is being rebuilt.. One side not getting touched and will become a pedestrian bridge the new bridge will have 4 lanes - 2 in/2 out...

We love going to PJ Frog's bar/restuarant

OK, so I like the bar part....

PJ Larkins?
Gone... bought and being turned into an Irish bar...

 

[Brettski]

I must have the name wrong. It's half way between Hunter and Wyndham...You leave town heading west I believe, then hang a right up the mountain...I forget the road. You drive about 15 minutes, then you eneter a small town. It's tight there....gotta map quest it...

 

[Brettski]

EDIT: Maybe Top of the Frog?

 

[dmc]

I must have the name wrong. It's half way between Hunter and Wyndham...You leave town heading west I believe, then hang a right up the mountain...I forget the road. You drive about 15 minutes, then you eneter a small town. It's tight there....gotta map quest it...

Oh... yeah..
Your right.. Still around..

 

[Bkroon9175]

Black Mountain in Jackson and Pat's Peak all seem to ski bigger than they are. They certainly can be interesting.

 

[Brettski]

Whistler/Blackcomb Look big, and ski big....freaked me out...first time on a glacier...and the whisler bowls seem to go on forever...

Gotta get back there....

 

[ski_adk]

Andyzee, I'll second your vote for Plattekill. I discovered it this past season and wow, just wow, that little hill kicked my butt. It's only 1,000' vert, but there's a lot packed into there.

 

[highpeaksdrifter]

Andyzee, I'll second your vote for Plattekill. I discovered it this past season and wow, just wow, that little hill kicked my butt. It's only 1,000' vert, but there's a lot packed into there.

You just writing hill made me think of another Hickory Hill. Although I think they dropped the hill from their man a couple of years back. That place is about as anti-corporate as you can get. 1,200 vert. and I'm pretty sure there is still no snow making and no grooming.

 

[bvibert]

Welcome to the forums ski_adk!

 

[JimG.]

Andyzee, I'll second your vote for Plattekill. I discovered it this past season and wow, just wow, that little hill kicked my butt. It's only 1,000' vert, but there's a lot packed into there.

Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! Keep it under your hat.
Great steeps inbounds, some of the best tree skiing in the Catskills.

 

[ChileMass]

Ascutney - The best-kept secret in the Northeast. 1800' of vert.

Bolton Valley - The expansion will only make it better.

Gunstock - Outstanding grooming and a killer view of the NH lakes. Another hidden gem no one ever talks about.

 

[Greg]

Bump.

 

[AdironRider]

Gore for me. From the lodge the whole place looks like a bunch of green circles.

 

[kcyanks1]

Gore for me. From the lodge the whole place looks like a bunch of green circles.

The thing about Gore though is that you ski so little vertical at once. Straightbrook and High peaks are both in the 800' vertical range if I remember correctly, and that's where the most interesting terrain is.

 

[Tin Woodsman]

The thing about Gore though is that you ski so little vertical at once. Straightbrook and High peaks are both in the 800' vertical range if I remember correctly, and that's where the most interesting terrain is.

And this brings up a good point about the question posed in this thread. Is this about mountains that ski bigger than they look from the base? In this case, that would certainly apply to Gore. However, this just gives the edge to topographic set-ups where the summit or upper mountain(s) are out of sight from the base.

I interpreted the question to mean "Does this ski area ski bigger than you would expect by looking at its stats?" Gore is again a perfect example, though in the opposite direction. Given it's impressive vertical, you'd be surprised to discover that the best skiing is delivered only in 800-900' vertical packages. Killington most certainly "skis smaller" than its stated 3100' of vertical b/c each trail pod really only delivers a maximum of 1000' - 1500' of vertical. In addition, b/c many of the trails are straight and wide, you tend to ski fast and with fewer stops, leading to quick times top to bottom.

Contrast this with MRG, for example, with far less acreage and vertical than K-Mart or even Gore. Yet MRG's two main lifts deliver 1400' and 2000' of vertical respectively. Moreover, since the trail system is narrow, twisting, and often challenging, you tend to take many stops along the way to rest and assess your options. In that manner, I'd say that MRG inarguably skis bigger than it's stats would indicate. Same thing with Stowe, with its non-inflated 48 trails count and all top to bottom lift system, not to mention the additional 600' of hike-to vertical and all the OB available.

In sum, it's all about how you define the question.

 

[JimG.]

In sum, it's all about how you define the question.

Indeed yes; I take the example of MRG.

This is why so many have mentioned Plattekill. It's tucked away in the Catskills, not visible from any highway or main road in that area. You're in the parking lot before you see the hill. Doesn't look like much. But 2 lifts service 1000 vert and the runs all go T2B. And alot of the trails are very steep, and a few narrow and twisty.

In addition to that, the place has hidden woods shots boundary to boundary and then OB after that. There's just alot more there than you realize, and you don't realize until you start skiing and exploring.