Northern VT March 30 - April 1 Family

[skiprob]

My lovely bride of 15 years has to tour some colleges in Burlington for her job on Friday March 30th. We will tag along and make a weekend of it.

• The kids and I will ski Mad River Glen on that Friday.
• We will all ski at Bolton Valley on Saturday - We have two free passes.
• We will all ski at Stowe on Sunday before heading home to Albany.
• The oldest has a 5th grade ski VT free passport. So, he will ski free as long as one adult pays full price.

We are staying at the Best Western in S. Burlington.

The boys (9 and 11) have skied on the following trails and have held their own:

• Cloudspin, Skyward, Mountain Run and Wilderness at Whiteface - Spring conditions
• Catapult and Glades at Catamount - good snow
• Jericho, Whitetail and Cutter at Jiminy - good snow
• Last year my oldest skied Stein's Run at Sugarbush - spring conditions.

Emily (almost 6) is making solid wedge turns and wedge chrities on difficult blue trails as long as someone leads and sets the line for her.

My questions:

• We have a lesson planned for little sister so the boys and I can ride the original single and get some trails off that side. What trails would you suggest for the boys and I while she is in her lesson (ie is paradise too much)?
• Please confirm that she is too small to ride the single by herself.
• Please confirm that the boys could ride the single. Are there minimum height requirements?

Any trail progressions/suggestions for Bolton Valley? I have not been there since 1981 (Oh god). I will probably stay with the little girl. Mom has only been out four times this season, so I really want to make an effort to ensure she can do what she pleases.

We'll probably ski on Spruce as a family at Stowe for the morning. In the afternoon, the boys and I may want to hit one or more of the front four. Last year they both did the bottom of Liftline.

Where shoud we eat at the end of Friday and Saturday?

• On Friday, I was thinking of that barbeque joint in Waitsfield. The boys and I had a great time there last year.
• Any suggestions for Saturday returning to Burlington from Bolton Valley?

Thanks and feel free to say hi and/or join us if you happen to spot us.

 

[Greg]

My questions:

• We have a lesson planned for little sister so the boys and I can ride the original single and get some trails off that side. What trails would you suggest for the boys and I while she is in her lesson (ie is paradise too much)?
• Please confirm that she is too small to ride the single by herself.
• Please confirm that the boys could ride the single. Are there minimum height requirements?

If you and your boys can handle bumps, many of the blacks off the Single should be doable. I've never done Paradise or Fall Line, but I've heard they are pretty steep with a mandatory air off the top of Paradise. I believe those are the two steepest runs at MRG (again, haven't done either, yet...). Much of the other trails off the Single, while bumped, aren't really all that steep. Again, be prepared for lots of bumps though and some of the trails are lightly gladed. If all those trails you mentioned were skied after a groom, you will find MRG very challenging. I think you can get a great MRG experience without hitting Paradise with the boys. Start with the Antelope-Catamount-Broadway-Bunny and scope out the place. If they're tearing up the other terrain (again very challenging), then give Paradise a try. Personally, I wouldn't want to put my kids on a trail that I've never done myself unless I know they can handle just about anything.

As far as riding the Single, it's just like any other lift. Keep in mind though that you won't be there to help any of you kids load which I imagine would be tricky for your daughter. Also, at the summit, you need to get off the chair and ski quickly to your right. You need to instruct your kids to pay attention to that. There are lifties at both the base and summit that will help them though.

The double has some great terrain too so don't overlook that area.

 

[skiprob]

Thanks. Very good advice about Paradise and liftline. Now that you mention it, I still cannot let them go on Rumor or Lies at Gore.

I think the only goal would be to have them ride the single if possible. Even if the single is not running, I will be very glad to be at MRG with them.

They can handle moguls more easily in spring conditions. But I'd rather not freak them (or me) out.

My daughter will only be in a two hour lesson in the morning, so the plan is to hit the single while she is in her lesson and the other trails with her in the afternoon.

wahoo.

 

[Greg]

Thanks. Very good advice about Paradise and liftline. Now that you mention it, I still cannot let them go on Rumor or Lies at Gore.

Haven't skied Rumor, but Lies is probably a good indication of much of the pitch at MRG. Just throw in some tree here and there. Again, I've never done it, but Paradise is considered by many as one of, if not the hardest on map trail in the East. If there are trails at other NE mountains that are beyond their ability, then I don't think Paradise is right for them. There is plenty of other challenging terrain at MRG. Keep in mind, two hours of skiing off the single might only be 2 or 3 black diamond runs. Maybe start with some of the tree-less blacks line Catamount Bowl, Beaver or Canyon. If they're ripping those, then maybe try the lightly gladed runs like Lynx and Upper/Lower Glades. Plenty of challenge in those runs.