New mountains you've skied due in part to AZ

[ckofer]

Smuggs & MGR.

I always knew they'd be good but when I see you guys driving further than I do from Southern NH to ski that part of VT, I feel that I have run out of excuses.

 

[Mildcat]

New places I've skied because of AZ.
Sugarbush
Burke

There's also a bunch of places of skied before and went back to because of the "skiing on the cheap" thread.

 

[thetrailboss]

BEast
Loon
Stowe (to some extent)
Sugarloaf

 

[Terry]

Pico

 

[riverc0il]

Pats Peak with the AZ race team.

Same here.

 

[o3jeff]

I'll be heading up to Sugarbush and MRG the week of 3/10 to see for myself that it is as good as everyone says.

 

[urban07sti]

Sugarbush and Stowe, although now after skiing them and doing more reading, I want to hit these guys hard and do a little more slackcountry

Still trying to get to Jay Peak this season....

 

[kcyanks1]

Magic

 

[ta&idaho]

Its my first season in the East, so pretty much everywhere I have skied (and will ski) has been influenced by AZ.

 

[urban07sti]

Forgot to add Pico too....

 

[SkiingInABlueDream]

skifastr - what was the skiing like in Japan?

Pretty awesome. I skied on Hokkaido which is the big island to the north of mainland Japan, which (from what Ive heard) typically gets more snow with more consistent temps & weather than mainland, thought the mtns are bigger on the mainland. (mainland has Nagano.) The 2 resorts I skied are Niseko & Rusitsu. The terrain isnt sick or extreme by any means but it was some of the best tree skiing Ive seen. You could basically point your skis anywhere into the trees and find lines. It dumped a lot during the first few days I was there and skied boot- to waist-deep powder all 7 days.

I didnt see too much of Japan outside of skiing. I met a friend who's been in asia for a couple years for work and basically just flew in, skied and flew out. (I'll go back and tour Japan on a non-ski trip.)

The Japanese people are incredibly polite but it's true that not many of them speak english (though there are english signs everywhere). There are tons of Aussies over there too because Japan is a major ski destination for Aussies. (not sure about Kiwis, probably less so because NZ has much better skiing than Aus.) You literally see about 2 Aussies for every 3 Japanese people you see!

some pics from in the trees:

 

[SkiingInABlueDream]

some more pics...

 

[ERJ-145CA]

I just got back from Blue Mountain, it was my first time there. If not for GSS I probably would have kept my PA skiing to the two closest Pocono mountains - Shawnee and Camelback. Blue was far and away my best Pocono experience, I'll definitely go back.

 

[snowmonster]

I like to ski new areas just so I can experience the place. Not all negative reviews keep me away from certain areas -- if the reviews are about crowding, then I tend to avoid the place complained about but if the complaint is about the terrain (too flat/easy/groomed) then I will adopt a see-for-myself attitude. I don't necessarily hang with an expert crowd and an expert's easy area may be just what intermediates are looking for.

On the other hand, when AZers rave about a place, I start making plans to get to it. Usually, the recommendations are spot on. Places I've tried because of good vibes on this board:

Mad River Glen (never knew about it before AZers showed it so much love)
Burke (same as MRG)
Pico (thought of it as K's beginner area before AZ)
Wildcat (same as MRG)

For this reason, Magic and Saddleback are on the wish list.

 

[SKIQUATTRO]

Ascutney...will be back, cool little mtn, no crowds and good pitch,,,