Moving to CT with 5 kids, where to ski?

[BenedictGomez]

birdland is pretty mellow isn't it?

Very. I think MRG would be fine as long as folks are responsible and keep to their ability.

Antelope off the single chair is a blue trail & usually groomed.

Just down make the mistake of venturing onto Lower Antelope!

 

[dlague]

I think the plan you have laid out is great with Stowe and MRG. MRG will be a good experience and there are trails there that your family will be fine with and there are opportunities to step up your game. Talk to the folks the work there and they will give you great advice. I think you will also like Berkshire East, Mount Snow and Okemo. The two last I mention are pricey but that may not be an issue. Have fun and go out and get it!


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[ct_ski_dad]

Thanks all. Not as price sensitive as some but I am bringing 7 skiers most of the time so am trying to find deals where possible. I'll report back with an update as winter progresses


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[bigbog]

Not necessarily. I see a ton of families there every time I go. It's challenging no doubt, but the experience helps people improve quickly.

+1
You'll get to love northern New England for the skier it'll make you all into...
Think you'll also love the NE mountains for the hiking available as well....

 

[Mapnut]

Hi Dad, I live in Greenwich, CT about 20 minutes west of you. So I'm closer to the Catskills but further from everything in MA and VT. I'd like to second Berkshire East for day trips. I've only ever been there on weekends and have never seen it crowded. They don't hesitate to run the second summit chair if there's enough people to make a line, and the quad chair on the big practice slope Exhibition never has a line. They have a very easy run from the top, a superb intermediate trail Big Chief, and expert runs laid out so you can ski as much as you want or bypass them. Butternut is also a decent family area and is the closest to you of the 1000-vertical-footers, under 2 hours. You'd go up Route 8 which is an expressway 3/4 of the way. The whole mountain is easy; snowmaking and grooming is pretty good.

Mohawk and Sundown are decent CT areas with about 600 vertical feet and very good snowmaking. But you can get bigger hills with more variety for just a bit more driving.

Mt. Snow is the first area you come to that feels like a mountain (3,600 feet). It's got lots of easy terrain and some challenge too, but you'll need to find ticket bargains. I haven't found the crowds there to be as bad as you might expect.

 

[The Sneak]

Keep in mind Berkshire East is generally speaking much more challenging than Jiminy, but there is plenty of mellow terrain as well.

I think of Jiminy as a mini stratton or Okemo. It has it's place but is a totally different experience than BEast.



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[bvibert]

Welcome to AZ and CT! Lots of good advice in this thread. You'll have a great winter!

 

[Highway Star]

You may want to look at Burke, it's a virtually straight 4-1/2 hour drive from your spot in CT, and very far north. Probably worth a long 4-day weekend in march.

 

[Bostonian]

I would say Okemo since it has a little village for the wife, wide boulevard groomed runs and just generally speaking a pretty decent sized mountain.

 

[steamboat1]

For this winter have MCP so will hit Stowe, bought k-packs, bought family pass at MRG (kids passes then free).

Since you'll already be spending time in the Mad River Valley you might want to purchase a few quad packs so you can ski Sugarbush a few days. They are available on their website now but they stop selling them at the end of November. Kids 6 & under ski free at Sugarbush.

 

[dlague]

Thanks all. Not as price sensitive as some but I am bringing 7 skiers most of the time so am trying to find deals where possible. I'll report back with an update as winter progresses


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If I were you I would look into a few things. First, join a CT ski club and get a family membership. Second, The Ride and Ski card and/or Mountain Sports club might provide some 2 fer discounts. Third, watch out for the Fox 44 card coming soon. Lastly, while there are others check out and follow the Skiing on the Cheap thread you might find something interesting.


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[Abubob]

western ct sucks for ski travel, i live there too. 2 hours isn't going to get you much. i live in Monroe CT - 2 hours or less =
Mohawk
Ski Sundown
Butternut
Catamount
Berkshire East
Jiminy Peak.
Thunder Ridge (formerly Big Birch)
plus another couple very small places.

i used to have a pass to ski sundown - 1:05 door to door. for kids they have lots of programs and some variety in terrain (parks, bumps, jumps, racing) but it isn't a tall mountain. Mohawk is nice too, skis a little bigger than Sundown, gets a little more snow but they don't do the park/jump thing that the kids these days go for. Both Sundown and Mohawk offer night skiing if you are so inclined.

Most of these get pretty crowded as they are day trips for large metro areas. you can check out CT Ski Council (http://www.skiclub.com/) for some memberships that could get you some discounts to different places. a lot of variety in club offerings including lodges or just basic discounts. I join CAST = $15 for family and you get some great pricing at a lot of different mountains.

my kids are grown so i don't ski much with them anymore. the past couple years i've gravitated to Berkshire East. fun place with a good variety of terrain and 2

if you stretch the 2 hours a bit you open up a new, arguably better, group of mountains. You can get to the NY Catskills (Hunter, beleayre, windam, plattkill) or southern VT. Mt Snow, Magic, Bromley, Stratton, Okemo are all 3 hours or less.

Friday night traffic north up 91 sucks.

+1 - especially the part about 91 traffic.

 

[BenedictGomez]

watch out for the Fox 44 card coming soon.

I would buy 7 of those cards were I him, and hit a TON of places my first year so I'd learn where I like best. Though he's already spent a bit of money, so that option might be out.

 

[bigbog]

CT and MA can also get hit with accumulations by the noreasters that follow the coast. Money phrases = something like the Lows Forming_Off/Tracking Up the New Jersey Coast = time to think about calling in sick..if possible8)

 

[skifree]

+1 on joing ski club
www.skiclub.com