Northeast Trip Planning ?'s

[MBlacky1051]

I'm a longtime lurker of the forums needing a few tips/advice on a trip I plan to take to New England this upcoming winter. I've searched threads about conditions, resorts, ticket prices, and so on, but needed a little more info. Longtime skier, grew up out west, been skiing for 23-24 years now, and now live in the South. I take about 2 trips to Colorado or Utah each winter and get in about 10 days or so skiing in North Carolina (hey, it's better than living in Florida). On average, I get in about 20-25 days skiing each year.

Anyways, the only time I have skied in the Northeast was in 2005 at Stowe for 2 days over Valentine's Day weekend. I was lucky enough to hit Stowe right after a Nor'Easter hit the day before I arrived. Had a great time skiing there, had awesome conditions, and loved the off-piste trees at Stowe. Unfortunately it was a weekend trip and I missed out on so many other resorts I'd like to ski in Vermont & New Hampshire.

I was thinking about a mid-December trip to Northern Vermont, but from what I've read on the site conditions are hit or miss. So I decided on late February/early March for a 3-4 day trip skiing in the Northeast. I figured the snowpack would be pretty high and this would be the best time of the year conditions wise. Depending on cheap flights into Boston or Burlington, I am planning a homebase of Burlington or Concord/Manchester. I know that the Northern Vermont resorts tend to get more snow than the New Hampshire resorts, but there are a few resorts I'd like to ski in NH.

I know this is a pretty general question, but I was wondering what can I expect conditions-wise in late February/early March? I figured this time of the season is a safe bet, but I am going off of experience skiing in the Rockies. Based on what I like to ski (off-piste, trees, powder, bumps), I'm looking at Jay Peak, Sugarbush, and MRG if I fly into BTV. Cannon, Wildcat, and anywhere with snow if I fly into Boston.

Thanks for any advice, tips you can provide me with. I'm looking forward to getting back to New England and making some turns.

 

[SkiDork]

You basically answered your own questions. Conditions will be a non-consideration at that time of year, i.e. they will be very good. Only question is will you get spring conditions or a dump of snow. Either way you can't go wrong.

 

[Greg]

I know this is a pretty general question, but I was wondering what can I expect conditions-wise in late February/early March? I figured this time of the season is a safe bet, but I am going off of experience skiing in the Rockies. Based on what I like to ski (off-piste, trees, powder, bumps), I'm looking at Jay Peak, Sugarbush, and MRG if I fly into BTV. Cannon, Wildcat, and anywhere with snow if I fly into Boston.

Great time of year. Good chance for big snows. The temps may have started to warm a little by then, but I've experienced mid-January cold in early March. As far as conditions, hey, it's the northeast. You might have great conditions, but it could also rain while you're here. Your chance of of deep snowpack and powder are highest during your proposed trip though. Despite never skiing Wildcat or Cannon, I would still do NoVT over NH. I would base yourself out of the Waterbury area and try to hit some combination of Jay, Stowe, MRG and Sugarbush depending on how many ski days you have and assuming you'll be renting a car. Not a ton of nightlife up there, but if you ski hard enough, you won't need it.

Welcome to AZ and please tell us how it goes.

 

[Talisman]

Keep your options open as long as you can before making reservations. March is typically the snowiest month in New England and this will be on top of base snow from the preceeding months. You will get a lot of No VT advice and that is where I usually ski because the snow is usually best, but keep an eye on the weather. A Nor'easter out of the Gulf of Maine can hammer the Eastern Whites in March and convert Wildcat into enchanting powder goodness. Cannon and Wildcat are both amazing under ideal conditions which honestly rarely happen but when the stars align I make the pilgrimage.

 

[MBlacky1051]

Thanks for all of the advice, very much appreciated. I am definately keeping my options open, haven't booked a plane ticket yet and am waiting for prices to drop. I can get a direct flight to BTV out of Atlanta, there's also a direct to Manchester, and of course to Boston.

Northern Vermont is what I am leaning towards, I have points I can use on lodging at several hotels in Burlington. I can also use the points on hotels in Concord or Manchester. I am trying to do this on the cheap, but of course planning a ski trip 5 months in advance is a shot in the dark.

There are so many resorts I want to ski up there, but I just don't have the time. A long weekend is all I can do this year, I'll be in Aspen/Snowmass in Jan. and Utah in Feb. I am targeting the 1st weekend in March, but that can change. If I go to No. VT, Jay Peak is a must for me. If I go to NH I pretty flexible. If you had 3-4 days in either area, what resorts would you recommend?

 

[Greg]

If I go to No. VT, Jay Peak is a must for me.

Based on your terrain preferences (off-piste, trees, powder, bumps) you gotta try MRG too.

 

[kcyanks1]

If I go to No. VT, Jay Peak is a must for me. If I go to NH I pretty flexible. If you had 3-4 days in either area, what resorts would you recommend?

4 days in northern VT -- MRG, Stowe, Sugarbush, and Jay. I'd make MRG a must unless you are totally unlucky with conditions. If you only have 3 days, I'd go with Sugarbush or Stowe unless Jay has a big snow advantage at the time. But you really can't go wrong with any of them.

I'm omitting Smuggs, which could be very worthy as well, in large part since I haven't been there.

If you stay in Waterbury, Stowe, MRG, and Sugarbush would all be short trips. Jay and Smuggs would be further but easily doable.

 

[campgottagopee]

Gotta give my 2 cent.....If I had 4 days for me it would be Stowe, Smuggs, Jay and MRG---nuff said

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

I'd say you have a better than average chance at good conditions during that late winter time frame..weather can be fickle in the northeast..there can be rain/warmth at any time..but late winter is better because there's a better chance for deep snowpack and Nor-easters. New England can have equal and even better snow conditions than the Rockies..it's not always deep powder and fluffy packed powder in the Rockies..I've skied Jackson Hole in January and March when a thaw freeze cycle made for mankity mank snow turning to frozen crud...Burlington or Stowe would be the best home bases for a New England ski trip. Combining NH and VT in the same ski trip would mean lots of driving..as the crow flys the VT resorts aren't that far from the NH resorts but most of the decent roads in Northern New England run north/south as opposed to east/west..that's why it takes 5 hours to drive from Burlington VT to Sugarloaf Maine..

 

[2knees]

Hi, I'm Grilledsteezesandwich and I'm just going to repeat, verbatim, what everyone else has already said cause I have textual tourette syndrome and cant help myself..

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[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

....

I'm I'm 2knees and I like to hijack new members threads..:-x

 

[4aprice]

Welcome to the Northeast. I've skied plenty out west and in Europe but when the conditions are right Northeastern skiing is as exciting as any where else. I think the woods skiing here is better then anyplace else.

Alex

Lake Hopatcong, NJ

 

[hardline]

....

i just shot sprite out my nose

I'm I'm 2knees and I like to hijack new members threads..:-x

burn


i tend to agree at that time burlington wold be cool to base yourself out of. you have 4 resorts in striking distance.

 

[riverc0il]

You already have a good plan. Not sure what else any one could contribute. Late February/Early March is a great time of years for good weather odds. But anything can happen on any given day and we have had plenty of total wash outs during that time of year. Though odds of good snow are far more likely and much better than almost any other time of the season.

If you have already done Stowe, then Jay, Smuggs, MRG, and Bush should all be possible suspects for NoVT. For NH, I would recommend Cannon, Burke, and Wildcat (I always lump Burke in with NoNH due to geography and access). Loon could be an option mid-week. You'll get much better tree skiing in Vermont than NH, especially if you don't know where to go.

 

[crank]

Ditto what everyone else said. My little piece of advice is avoid MRG on the weekend because the line for the single chair can get old and there aren't a lot of other there.

 

[MBlacky1051]

Thanks Rivercoil, I never though about Burke being so close to No. NH, looks like some awesome tree skiing there to the lookers left off of the quad. Can't wait to make my trip up there this season.

 

[riverc0il]

Thanks Rivercoil, I never though about Burke being so close to No. NH, looks like some awesome tree skiing there to the lookers left off of the quad. Can't wait to make my trip up there this season.

Burke is an hour from Cannon, so not exactly "right there" but not much further than Cannon is from Wildcat and Burke is certainly closer to NH than to the spine of the Greens. Best tree skiing at Burke is not on the map (where isn't this the case, lol) but the lines on the map are mighty fine. Tighter lines on skiers left in Birches and Jungle where as the stuff skiers right of the quad is generally a big more open and rolling. Burke is much much much more reliable for trees than most NH places but doesn't pick up the big dumps like the spine of the greens. Generally a consistent mountain though.

 

[JD]

if you get snow, go to MRG if you've never been. It's just alot of fun.
ps, there is great tree skiing lookers left of Burke. Some of the most beautiful New England Maple I've ever had the honor of shralping.