President's Week - Where Ya Goin'

[BenedictGomez]

I am going to break my religion's 11th commandment.

THOU SHALT NOT SKI ON HOLIDAYS

In fact, never in my life have I skied on a holiday, but time constraints are now changing that.

Anyway, I'm hoping for some advice here on making this as "non-nightmarish" as possible. My strategy involves going "under the radar" so to speak, and hitting Bolton Valley and then Mont Sutton (never been) up in Quebec. I'm thinking Bolton's being a bit less known, and Mont Sutton's being in Canada (not a holiday) might help alleviate said nightmarish crowding in the lodge, slopes, lift-lines.

Does anyone here have experience skiing either of those resorts on Presidents Weekend, and if so, is my plan a sound one, or doomed for failure?

Any advice is appreciated.

 

[jaytrem]

I'll be doing what might be the most foolish thing ever for President weekend. Southern California skiing. Figured I should even things out after skiing middle of nowhere British Columbia during MLK weekend.

 

[from_the_NEK]

I am going to break my religion's 11th commandment.

THOU SHALT NOT SKI ON HOLIDAYS

In fact, never in my life have I skied on a holiday, but time constraints are now changing that.

Anyway, I'm hoping for some advice here on making this as "non-nightmarish" as possible. My strategy involves going "under the radar" so to speak, and hitting Bolton Valley and then Mont Sutton (never been) up in Quebec. I'm thinking Bolton's being a bit less known, and Mont Sutton's being in Canada (not a holiday) might help alleviate said nightmarish crowding in the lodge, slopes, lift-lines.

Does anyone here have experience skiing either of those resorts on Presidents Weekend, and if so, is my plan a sound one, or doomed for failure?

Any advice is appreciated.

Sounds like a solid plan. May I suggest Burke instead of Sutton if you don't have the credentials (i.e. Enhanced Driver's license or Passport) or patience to cross the border.

 

[andyaxa]

Last year we rented an apartment in Quebec City and skied Mont Ste Anne and had a blast. Based on advice here, this year we're heading up to the Eastern Townships, taking our three girls and sister-in-law's family with their three boys. Canadian school week is in March and I'm thinking folks from the US will bypass and head up to Tremblant, MSA etc. We rented a slope-side house on the back side of Bromont for a pretty good price. And you can't beat $39 adult lift tickets. Granted it's Bromont, but it certainly looks to have plenty to keep us happy and we can always scoot down to Sutton.

Might hit Burke or Jay for a day on the way home.

 

[jaytrem]

Granted it's Bromont, but it certainly looks to have plenty to keep us happy and we can always scoot down to Sutton.

I was pleastenly surprised with Bromont when I was there. Was defintely the one I was least looking forward too on the trip. Turned out they had a ton of great tree skiing and was one of the better days. They also added a lot more terrain since I was was there, so it should be even nicer. It was also President week when I was there, worked out perfectly, crowds were minimal at every mountain. I remember skiign Owls Head for about $12 after the exchange rate. Not sure if they still have the deal, but I think it was something like $15 Tuesdays.

Yup they still have, now with Wednesday too...

http://www.owlshead.com/page.asp?intNodeID=37851

 

[Glenn]

Mark is doing the pointer guy imitation now . . . I think I'm in trouble or you're just a bad influence on my kids

Both of those are true. :lol: Just wait until I start bringing a whoopie cushion over.

 

[mikestaple]

Steamboat. Go Tues to Tues and split the lodging with another family. Yank the kids for two days. Give them (and let's face it; the moms and dads) some great snow and glade skiing, and everything is a little cheaper Tues to Tues for flights etc.

It's amazing how many east coast folks you see out there (very evident by the horde of NH, VT, and Sugarloaf helmet stickers we see) smiling from ear to ear about the snow and lack of ice etc.

 

[BenedictGomez]

Sounds like a solid plan. May I suggest Burke instead of Sutton if you don't have the credentials (i.e. Enhanced Driver's license or Passport) or patience to cross the border.

We have passports, so that's not a problem. Is Burke much better than Sutton? I've never been to either.

My idea of Mont Sutton is simply because it's Presidents Weekend, and I'm trying to avoid the crowds. So I thought fleeing to Canada might be an option since my hypothesis is people wont think about that place. It's close to JayPeak, of course, and I love Jay, but I'm guessing Jay will be packed solid for Presidents Weekend?

 

[crank]

Jay is usually pretty busy then but if you can hack the Freezer or ski Bonnie it's not too bad. I've been meaning to try some of the Eastern Township areas from our base at Jay for years but have yet to do it.

Quebec areas have been a good escape from the crowds for us the past few years. We usually spend a day and night at Jay or somewhere on the way home to break up the drive.

Whoever mentioned Bolton might have a good idea for crowd avoidance.

Not only is my week being truncated due to my son's college search. I have gig with my original band on the 18th in Ct and on the 25th in NYC. Gonna put a lot of miles in that week...I should be more like dmc and work on getting gigs at ski areas!

 

[from_the_NEK]

We have passports, so that's not a problem. Is Burke much better than Sutton? I've never been to either.

My idea of Mont Sutton is simply because it's Presidents Weekend, and I'm trying to avoid the crowds. So I thought fleeing to Canada might be an option since my hypothesis is people wont think about that place. It's close to JayPeak, of course, and I love Jay, but I'm guessing Jay will be packed solid for Presidents Weekend?

Jay will probably be pretty busy. But a good % of their clientelle is Canadian and they don't celebrate the US's President's Day :roll:. So it may not be as crowded as some more southerly resorts.
I have never been to Sutton so I can't really comment on the experience you would have there.
Burke is usually off of everyones radar and the crowds are small during holidays. Check out this trip report from MLK weekend if you don't believe me http://forums.alpinezone.com/showthread.php?t=89640. Mid-February they should be 100% open with all glades in full swing.

 

[mlctvt]

It's a weekend that people who only ski 5 days a year base their opinions of mountains on.

Exactly why it's one of the only weekends this ski season my wife and I don't ski!
Unless it's a powder day .

 

[St. Bear]

It's a weekend that people who only ski 5 days a year base their opinions of mountains on.

I'll have you know that I plan on getting out 7 days this year!

 

[BenedictGomez]

Jay will probably be pretty busy. But a good % of their clientelle is Canadian and they don't celebrate the US's President's Day :roll:. So it may not be as crowded as some more southerly resorts.

I have never been to Sutton so I can't really comment on the experience you would have there.

Burke is usually off of everyones radar and the crowds are small during holidays. Check out this trip report from MLK weekend if you don't believe me http://forums.alpinezone.com/showthread.php?t=89640.

I have heard SO many great things about Burke from SO many different people, that I will have to make a trip there.

But for PDW, my main goal is to simply avoid the suffocating crowds, which is why I was thinking of Sutton and Bolton, but I may have to throw Burke into the rotation as well. I'll be staying in St. Albans, so Bolton and Sutton will each be about a 1 hour drive, whereas Burke would be 2ish I think, but I dont mind a few extra hours drive for great (and uncongested) skiing.

 

[RichT]

Snowbasin UT, just my 15 year old daughter and I..........just before she begins to hate me for the next couple of years

 

[Black Phantom]

Heading up for an extended long weekend.

 

[from_the_NEK]

But for PDW, my main goal is to simply avoid the suffocating crowds, which is why I was thinking of Sutton and Bolton, but I may have to throw Burke into the rotation as well. I'll be staying in St. Albans, so Bolton and Sutton will each be about a 1 hour drive, whereas Burke would be 2ish I think, but I dont mind a few extra hours drive for great (and uncongested) skiing.

Burke's crowds will be light but there is no easy way to get there from St Albans. 2 hrs is the minimum with good road conditions.

 

[ERJ-145CA]

If I ski at all on Presidents week it will be at Hidden Valley where my son and I have our passes and it never really gets too crowded.

 

[riverc0il]

I have heard SO many great things about Burke from SO many different people, that I will have to make a trip there.

But for PDW, my main goal is to simply avoid the suffocating crowds, which is why I was thinking of Sutton and Bolton, but I may have to throw Burke into the rotation as well. I'll be staying in St. Albans, so Bolton and Sutton will each be about a 1 hour drive, whereas Burke would be 2ish I think, but I dont mind a few extra hours drive for great (and uncongested) skiing.

Burke will almost certainly be less crowded than Sutton or Bolton. But if you are staying in St. Albans, Burke is a bit of a haul. Two hours I think? Ya can't get there from here.

Other areas to consider for no crowds: Magic, Balsams, Middlebury, Whaleback, Dartmouth, Abram, Black (NH or ME), and Pico. Those who don't ski on holidays because of crowds are doing themselves a disservice. There are plenty of ski areas that are less crowded on a holiday than major ski areas on a regular weekend.