Pro-Okemo Comment Thread

[powhunter]

The pizza at wicked good pizza is wicked good

 

[KevinF]

I honestly like Okemo. As others have pointed out -- when Mother Nature has us in a thaw / refreeze cycle or it hasn't snowed in weeks... Well, Okemo will still have the goods.

As for the lack of challenge... Challenge is what you make of it. Make as many turns as you possibly can down a trail. Make as few turns as possible. Ski every run, non-stop. Hug the tree-line on your left. Hug the tree-line on your right. Practice getting air in the park. The possibilities are endless.

 

[Ski Diva]

Ten reasons why I like Okemo:

#1 -- It's 7 minutes from my house;

#2 - I know a lot of people there, so I always have someone to ski with;

#3 - I ski weekdays when it isn't crowded, so I don't have to hassle with the crowds that a lot of you have to. And it's really nice during the week;

#4 - They run most of the lifts during the week, unlike some mountains where many are shut down, making getting around the mountain difficult;

#5 -They gave me a free season pass there last year (okay, so I had to work for it.);

#6 - On same pass, I can go to Sunapee;

#7 -They take good care of the mountain;

#8 -They make a LOT of snow so you can get start skiing early;

#9 -I know it like the back of my hand.

#10- The people who work there are nice.

 

[hardline]

Okemo is Hannah Teter's (Halfpipe Gold Medal in 2006) home mountain and she still rides there.

Ross Powers (Halfpipe Gold Medal in 2002) is Okemo's ambassador and holds clinics for kids.

the halfpipe is all they really have to get really good at. if they had olympic tree boarding or extreme riding. you would have at least one competitor from the north and out west. the northern areas don't spit out medals because there is so many other options.
thant being said. early or after a freeze okemo will had good conditions andis a fun for the day.

 

[Sky]

I like Okemo.

I like that the upper mountain has separate lifts...so on those warmer March days you can stay away from the mashed potatos @ the bottom.

I like the terrain. I like Jackson Gore, Quantum Leap mostly.

I've got a great memory of me and my three boys coming down Upper Tomahawk side by side.

It's a realatively easy drive.

 

[ALLSKIING]

The pizza at wicked good pizza is wicked good

Is it? I have always wanted to stop in there...

 

[Trekchick]

I skied there two days in the spring of 07. Had tons of fun with all involved, and loved the prime rib sandwich!

 

[madskier6]

I always have fun when I ski at Okemo. It's not my favorite place nor is it the most challenging but I usually have a blast. The snow conditions are great, the high speed chairs allow for lots of ski time plus my wife & children enjoy various aspects of the ski product there.

As part of a ski club, I usually only pay $32 for a lift ticket when I go so it's hard to beat at that price for the quality of product they put out. Would I go there with a bunch of my buddies who are all expert skiers? Probably not. Would I go there on a powder day? Probably not. But I would go there when it hasn't snowed in a while because they'll have some of the best conditions in the area. All things being equal, I'd take Okemo over Stratton most days but then I've had fun at Stratton too.

BTW, I agree with 2knees' point about the snob aspect of looking down your nose at where people ski. Who cares? If you're having fun & enjoying the sport, more power to ya! I certainly have my mountain preferences but I'm not a snob about it nor do I think you're less of a skier because you like to ski at Okemo all the time.

 

[deadheadskier]

The one thing that hasn't been mentioned (or maybe it has and I missed it) that is probably the single greatest reason for the success that Okemo has enjoyed is that I know of no mountain in the east that has better both in quality and quantity, ski in ski out accommodations. That is something that is key for a HUGE majority of the skiing populous.

Lucky for me, my folks rented a condo on the Sachem trail every winter from age 9 to 12. It was great to be able to ski right out the door every morning, back to the condo for lunch and go sledding or build jumps on the trail at night. They later bought a small home off the mountain, which was also great, but those 4 winters we were on the mountain are full of incredible memories and really fueled my passion for the sport. I don't think I'd be into the sport the way I am if we were day trippers the whole time I was growing up.

Another thing about Okemo that I really enjoyed was that EVERY year they re-invested in the mountain. There isn't a single ski area in the east that has strived as hard as Okemo has to put a better product out there for their customers than Okemo over the past 25 years. There was and from what I've read, still is, always a new lift, trail, lodge, snowmaking improvement, something every year. Many mountains have seen a lot of investment over the years, but they seem to have lull periods. Okemo has never once rested on its laurels.

Okemo is far from my favorite mountain, but I don't think there is any question who is the best / most successful ski area operator in the country and that's the Muellers. Between what they've done with Okemo, Sunapee and Crested Butte they set the bar in my book. Nicest people you'll ever meet too. I went to college with their son at UVM, great guy and I'm sure when he takes over the reigns, he'll do equally as good of a job.

 

[Sasquatch]

I love Okemo! I wish more people would go there-and stay away from the places I like to ski at

 

[hardline]

The one thing that hasn't been mentioned (or maybe it has and I missed it) that is probably the single greatest reason for the success that Okemo has enjoyed is that I know of no mountain in the east that has better both in quality and quantity, ski in ski out accommodations. That is something that is key for a HUGE majority of the skiing populous.

Lucky for me, my folks rented a condo on the Sachem trail every winter from age 9 to 12. It was great to be able to ski right out the door every morning, back to the condo for lunch and go sledding or build jumps on the trail at night. They later bought a small home off the mountain, which was also great, but those 4 winters we were on the mountain are full of incredible memories and really fueled my passion for the sport. I don't think I'd be into the sport the way I am if we were day trippers the whole time I was growing up.

Another thing about Okemo that I really enjoyed was that EVERY year they re-invested in the mountain. There isn't a single ski area in the east that has strived as hard as Okemo has to put a better product out there for their customers than Okemo over the past 25 years. There was and from what I've read, still is, always a new lift, trail, lodge, snowmaking improvement, something every year. Many mountains have seen a lot of investment over the years, but they seem to have lull periods. Okemo has never once rested on its laurels.

Okemo is far from my favorite mountain, but I don't think there is any question who is the best / most successful ski area operator in the country and that's the Muellers. Between what they've done with Okemo, Sunapee and Crested Butte they set the bar in my book. Nicest people you'll ever meet too. I went to college with their son at UVM, great guy and I'm sure when he takes over the reigns, he'll do equally as good of a job.

they deffinatly do a good job. i don't understand why they dont put in a lift to get you right out of the base area.

 

[gmcunni]

they deffinatly do a good job. i don't understand why they dont put in a lift to get you right out of the base area.

At one time I heard there was a plan (or talk of a plan) to put in a gondola from the base of Jackson Gore to the top of the mountain. Don't know if that is still in the works or not.

 

[Philpug]

At one time I heard there was a plan (or talk of a plan) to put in a gondola from the base of Jackson Gore to the top of the mountain. Don't know if that is still in the works or not.

I think they want to get all the condos sold first.

 

[Greg]

they deffinatly do a good job. i don't understand why they dont put in a lift to get you right out of the base area.

My biggest gripe about the place. Those beginner FGQs are a brutal way to get started since they stop all the time. Once out of the base area, all is well as far as the lift system goes.

 

[WoodCore]

My biggest gripe about the place. Those beginner FGQs are a brutal way to get started since they stop all the time. Once out of the base area, all is well as far as the lift system goes.

Don't park there! Park over at Jackson Gore, much easier!!

 

[deadheadskier]

Don't park there! Park over at Jackson Gore, much easier!!

that or take the F-10 and then a quick skate to the Sachem Quad, which in years past never really got that crowded. For whatever reason, the base area Quads never really bothered me much growing up and I probably skied Okemo 700+ days. I did the Sachem thing on weekends though when it got super crowded at the Base around lunch.

 

[Philpug]

Hook up with Max Capacity from Epic when you go there, he skis with a yellow helmet. Max will show you around and tell you where to be when.

 

[gmcunni]

that or take the F-10 and then a quick skate to the Sachem Quad, which in years past never really got that crowded.

sachem quad kills me.. sooooooo sloooooow and only goes 1/2 way up. My son loves the sachem trail (he likes going off onto the sides by the houses) so we ride that lift when i go there with him. Yes it is empty, but for a good reason.

 

[deadheadskier]

sachem quad kills me.. sooooooo sloooooow and only goes 1/2 way up. My son loves the sachem trail (he likes going off onto the sides by the houses) so we ride that lift when i go there with him. Yes it is empty, but for a good reason.

It is dreadfully slow as is the Glades Peak Quad, but on weekends when it's busy, it's the better option than waiting 20 minutes for one of the base quads and then 30 minutes for the Northstar express.

Actually, I assume the lift lines are much improved over what they once were in High School when the Northstar was a triple and there was no South Face or Jackson Gore. I'd imagine those areas spread the crowds much better. 45 minute lift lines at the Northeast triple were commonplace in the late 80's, early 90's. On weekends back then I pretty much used the Sachem and Glades peak Quads and the Black and Green Ridge Triples exclusively from the hours of 10-2. Actually, pretty much road the Black Ridge 75% of the time no matter what and lapped Sel's Choice. Only time I'd ski much else on the mountain was if there was good natural I'd head for Double Diamond or Outrage and if the bumps on Sel's were rutted out or icy and the only option was to ride groomers then I'd bomb all over.