rank new england resorts

[aeser]

i used to ski/snowboard when i was younger, and haven't really done it since i was about 14 (28 now) and was determined to start going again. the only mountain i've ever ski/snowboarded was crotched (which i guess just reopened so i'm psyched to see that again) but now i'd of course like to branch out a bit, i've heard people say killington is the best resort in this area, but other than a lot of the names i know absolutely nothing about the other mountains/resorts in new england and was wondering if people could give their 2 cents as to the better mountains/resorts in this area and what they like about them, etc.

thanks

 

[RISkier]

I'd suggest you tell us what you're looking for in a Mountain we might be able to give better suggestions. Some mountains are good for bumps, some for groomed crusing, some for tree skiing, etc. Killington is certainly the most extensive area but there'd be much less consensus describing it as the best.

 

[Greg]

Welcome aeser! All major Northeast ski areas are listed here:

http://skiing.alpinezone.com/resorts.htm

Different strokes for different folks. What type of skiing/terrain do you like? Will you need to take a lesson to get started again? Many will argue about Killington being the "best".

 

[aeser]

i plan on snowboarding, and basically just cruising. yea i checked that list of new england resorts out, making a list with distances and prices and such, just wanted to get an idea of what the better ones were as i can't really afford to go to all of them to determine which i like best. i was probably going to skip lessons. i used to do it a bit when i was younger, and my cousin snowboards often so he can help get me back on track.

 

[Sky]

Still not enough info to make a recommendation on. If you are familiar with Crotched, why not give them a shot? I've heard lots of good things about them...particularly, the lack of a crowd...which as a recent returnee to the sport, may be of interest to you.

You don't have to try ALL of them by any means...and at this point, are you looking for "best value" in a season pass or just day-tripping?

How far are you willing to drive? How much do you plan on spending for a lift ticket? Are you looking for the apres ski life or just being on snow? When are you going?

At this point, it's almost easier to say which resorts are terrible...and I suspect that would be a very short list...which wouldn't really help you either.

 

[dmo]

Opened: can of worms.

 

[aeser]

Still not enough info to make a recommendation on. If you are familiar with Crotched, why not give them a shot? I've heard lots of good things about them...particularly, the lack of a crowd...which as a recent returnee to the sport, may be of interest to you.

yea i was psyched to hit crotched again, perhaps i'll start there, but i also wanted to see/experience some of the other resorts

You don't have to try ALL of them by any means...and at this point, are you looking for "best value" in a season pass or just day-tripping?

day tripping, at least at first i don't imagine i'll be able to do it enough to justify a season pass

How far are you willing to drive?

depends, i mean i'd go as far as killington if it is as good as i've heard (and was planning to try to hit it at least once this winter). i don't know that i'd drive much further than that (i'm from boston btw) unless the mountain/resort was really THAT nice or something.

How much do you plan on spending for a lift ticket?

ideally under $50. i also like skiing/snowboarding at night too, which i noticed a lot of places had deals on night skiing. but i have no problem paying more on isolated trips like a weekend trip to killington or something (which i noticed is like $69 for a ticket, right?)

Are you looking for the apres ski life or just being on snow?

sorry for the ignorant noobness but i have no idea what apres means. i like just riding down a mountain, if by ski life you mean hanging out in the lodge or like local skiier/snowboarder nightlife or something, not as interested in that but certainly wouldn't be against it or anything either

When are you going?

well i thought i'd go and rent a board 1 time and possibly hit wachusett or nashoba as they're the closest, and in the meantime i'm saving up for a snowboard/boots/bindings, at which point i'll be going more often. i'd like to start soon. like within a month.

 

[dmo]

I am definitely not going to say that they are the best mountains or even that I love them all that much (two of the three anyway), but as you're coming from Boston, why not Ski 93?

(Waterville Valley, Loon, Cannon)

Drive times will be slightly shorter for you than the majority of the big name resorts in Maine and Vermont and for the most part, cheaper.

If you have a heavy foot and miss anything resembling traffic, you can hit Waterville Valley in two hours and some change. Tack on fifteen or so minutes to Loon and another twenty-ish past that to Cannon.

All three would definitely give you a bigger mountain feel than Crotched, Wachusett or Nashoba and all three are quite unique from one another. Plus, it's tough to get lost: Get on 93 North; drive straight.

 

[Rushski]

Also, I'm sure like most you'll be skiing weekends. If you were able to ski during the week, value would be easy to find with many discount days during the week...

 

[Phildozer]

I'm a big fan of Wachusett for short jaunts during the week.

For weekend-length stuff or a full day, I like Loon.

If you're feeling *really* brave, check out Valinouet in Quebec. Not the biggest place in the world but they *only* have natural snow, and lots of it. The prices are very reasonable, with a full day being $31 Canadian. The people are friendly and there's great glades too. http://www.valinouet.qc.ca.

 

[pwong313]

http://www.skihaus.com/haus/index_fr.htm (click on "ski trips" on the drop down site navigation menu in the top right corner, then click on the Ski Haus Bus Schedule.)

I've never personally done one of these bus trips, but my father-in-law has and says he really enjoys them every now and then. A good way to get out to see some of the mountains and you don't have to worry about getting lost, on the drive that is. Other than that, Loon, Waterville and Cannon are all great ideas. Mount Sunapee I like cuz it's pretty close to Boston, and Wildcat is another favorite of mine. If you want to do an overnight, I love Sunday River, not nearly as crowded as the bigger Vermont mountains, yet plenty of terrain to check out.

good luck,
pwong313

 

[Rushski]

Another option for you, being in the Cambridge area is Boston ski and Sports Club. For $60 you get a lift ticket and bus ride. Good organization, good people and very social.

http://www.bssc.com/index.cfm?page=dates_details.cfm&category=5&activity=35

Definitely geared more toward the younger singles, but everyone is welcome and almost all the members I've known are very friendly...

 

[molecan]

Hey Aeser,

Neat, sounds just like my story. I stopped skiing at about 16, started back again 3 years ago. (at 28 actually)

I would just relax and take my time rebuilding your skills and comfort level. And take some lessons.

(disclosure: I haven't taken a lesson since I was about 7-8. It took me about 10 days of skiing to really get my comfort level back. I doubt I'll ever be as good of a skiier as I was when I was young, but I do think lessons would have a positive impact.)

I think if you are going to be weekend day-tripping it, you will have a lot of options, and should probably check out a bunch of different places, as you are not pass-bound to a particular resort.

However, it only takes 5-7 days to come up to the cost of the ASC 'all for one' pass, or about 5 days for the Loon/Waterville/Cranmore 'threedom' pass.

Sunday River is a nice resort, especially for those getting their feet back. (3ish hrs from boston/camb)

Cranmore, Waterville, Shawnee Peak, Sunapee, all have good beginner terrain, some with a bit more for the intermediate, and are within 2-3hrs of boston. (Sunapee is probably the closest one)

Black Mountain, in Jackson is in my opinion one of the best beginner mountains in new england.
Really cheap mid-week deals as well.


Ski Market runs a few bus trips to Killington, Sunday River, etc as well. Around $60, including lift ticket and ride. They leave around 5:30-6 am as I recall.


Apres, is french for 'after'. Apres-ski is used as a reference to eating/drinking/socializing after skiing. Unless you don't drink, you will likely grow to love it, almost as much as skiing/riding.

If you want to talk skiing sometime over a beer PM me, I work/drink in Cambridge.

Oh, and Welcome to AlpineZone.

 

[kickstand]

Apres, is french for 'after'. Apres-ski is used as a reference to eating/drinking/socializing after skiing. Unless you don't drink, you will likely grow to love it, almost as much as skiing/riding.

If you want to talk skiing sometime over a beer PM me, I work/drink in Cambridge.

Oh, and Welcome to AlpineZone.

sometimes I think I kept skiing just so I could enjoy apres-ski that much more! :beer:

 

[riverc0il]

i've heard people say killington is the best resort in this area

any one who says a particular ski area is "The Best" is not to be trusted. perhaps they meant to say that they enjoy killington the most, but you will be hard pressed to find even 1 in 5 ski areas agree that one particular mountain is "the best." every ski area offers something different and folks need to find which ski areas best meet their needs.

from what you say, it sounds like you are looking for something cheap with decent intermediate cruising terrain that is day tripable from the boston area. night life not required is also factored into my suggestions. here are some places to put at the top of your list:

black mountain, nh
very inexpensive area that has a decent amount of vertical for a mid-size area. never crowded and has great beginner and intermediate terrain. really great place to get back into the sport. has classic trails, sunny southern exposure, and a very friendly vibe. highly recommended.

ragged mountain, nh:
fairly close to boston with decent rates and lots of nice cruising terrain. very family friendly, but don't let that scare you away if you are riding solo. a really fun mid-sized mountain and if you have ambitions of getting into bumps and trees, ragged has some relatively easy trees that are really fun to learn in.

tenney mountain, nh:
very cheap mountain for it's vertical. the trails don't retain much character or uniqueness and tend to merge often with lots of intersections. but you can't beat the vertical or the price. fairly uncrowded. a great cheap and uncrowded option compared to more resorty areas to it's north.

slightly more expensive, i can't leave well enough alone without tossing burke onto the list. at a three hour drive from boston and a just over $50 price tag, it may be pushing it. but uncrowded with fantastic terrain and lots of wide open cruisers. the mid-burke area isn't terribly snowboarder friendly though which may not be best. enjoy!

 

[kimbahleeee]

wow, thanks everyone for the great suggestions!

 

[from_the_NEK]

This is a terrible bump from 2005! :roll:. There is a lot of old out of date info in here (e.g. Tenney isn't even open anymore).

 

[Nick]

I didn't realize this was an old thread. I was actually confused, "Crotched just reopened??"

 

[jrmagic]

lol Nick. Maybe the thread bumper should look for the survey skeirsleft ran a couple of months back.

 

[Nick]

lol Nick. Maybe the thread bumper should look for the survey skeirsleft ran a couple of months back.

Exactly what I was thinking. 8)