Realistic Day Trip Drive Times

[Cannonball]

I live south of Boston (Marshfield) and have routinely done day trips to Jay, Sugarbush, Wildcat, and (once) Sugarloaf. These are all in the 4-5 hour range. I have also done day trips two days in a row when there was a need to be back home for the evening. I almost always make first chair on these trips. So the drive doesn't cut into ski time but sure does cut into sleep time.

Worst case was last year in an early season trip to Cannon.....which was on wind hold....so we headed for Bretton Woods....which had lost power....so we drove across to Sunday River.

But those trips have always been driven by conditions, deals, or partners. If it's just a typical trip north I try to keep it at 3hrs or under. Cannon is 2.5 and makes for the best day trip locale for me.

We call it the Marshfield ski-and-stay package. Not to be confused with the Subaru ski-and-stay....which is self explanatory....

 

[dmc]

You are a smart man.

beloved

 

[snowmonster]

I live south of Boston (Marshfield) and have routinely done day trips to Jay, Sugarbush, Wildcat, and (once) Sugarloaf. These are all in the 4-5 hour range. I have also done day trips two days in a row when there was a need to be back home for the evening. I almost always make first chair on these trips. So the drive doesn't cut into ski time but sure does cut into sleep time.

What is it about Bostonians that makes us think that Jay and the Loaf are within day trip range? Props to you. I admire your dedication!

We call it the Marshfield ski-and-stay package.

I guess my version would be the Brighton ski-and-stay package. Did it once to ski Sunapee Saturday, back in Boston for dinner then Pico the next day. Never to be repeated.

 

[WakeboardMom]

Two hours one-way in a day is plenty. I've done with kids a million times and it's never been a problem.

Now that I'm older, the drive home is a killer if it's longer than that. We did SR as a day trip from Pelham a couple of years ago and that was un-fun at the end of the ride home. Now that we can do Loon in 45 minutes and SR in 2 hours, we feel lucky.

My kids would routinely do SR or K as a day trip when they were in college; but usually there was a bunch of them sharing the driving.

 

[bigbog]

Fwiw Cannonball, SR...to my best recollection was about 2+ hrs from Waltham #128 exit to the SR Access Rd. Midweek crowd @SR, even with overnight snow, can often be non-existent till mid-afternoon...if you can swing it once in a while....but Cannon and So. VT must be tempting too. Choice was simple for me in 80s/90s = couldn't ski well enough so blue/green trails @SR were perfect..LOL.

The old Turn of the River Lodge.....what a location eh'?......was going strong in early 80s...can't see it being any different today(without issues).
_______
SL is ~95, ~100 to Saddleback.......a ways but not too bad as there are back roads to choose...that, thank god, are plowed regularly. Will have a little time @beginning of week to play with, anywhere, as well.

 

[Cannonball]

Fwiw Cannonball, SR...to my best recollection was about 2+ hrs from Waltham #128 exit to the SR Access Rd. Midweek crowd @SR, even with overnight snow, can often be non-existent till mid-afternoon...if you can swing it once in a while.

I like SR a lot and have day tripped there many times. On a good day it's 3.5hrs, but damn there is a lot of potential to get stuck behind slow drivers (tanker trucks seem unusually plentiful).

 

[Huck_It_Baby]

You are a smart man.

I would live at Turn of River if they let me. Best lodge. Eva

 

[neil]

Sleeping bag with the car seats reclined. Problem solved

Driving from Boston, I only pull out the 3+ hour there and back day trips towards the end of the season when if you want it you gotta go drive for it.

If the drive is 4+ hours then I need to nap at some point. Hell, I drove back from Killington with a broken collarbone last season.

 

[SKIQUATTRO]

me and a buddy : 4 hr max (gets us to snow, bromley, magic, okemo, plattekill)
me and the fam: 2hr max

if the fam is doing a day, we'll drive to my folks the night before, wake up and hit mohawk, jiminy, sundown etc for the day and drive home (2hrs)

 

[Zand]

I did home to Sugarbush on a 90 degree day once. 8 hours of driving total for 4 hours of skiing in 90 degree sunshine. Fun stuff. Otherwise, I've done Killington frequently from home which was 3 hours each way.

From here, 2 hours to Sunday River for early season skiing has been my max so far, but I have no proble going further. Just don't need to though lol.

 

[Liv 2 Ski]

2 hours is about the limit.
I have two teenagers and a 10 yr old. Also like others have stated a dog at home.
Don't like to have her cross her legs too long.
When I'm traveling by myself I have done 3-1/4 but that starts to get difficult. If the mountain /conditions are worth it more can be done.
The drive there is always easier than the drive home.

 

[Cannonball]

Also like others have stated a dog at home.
Don't like to have her cross her legs too long.

We solved that one by always taking the dog with us. Although that's also the reason we frequently do day trips instead of staying. We know all the dog-friendly lodging options but they are still somewhat limited and usually a little more expensive. Plus she loves the chance to get out in the snow and is a huge fan of late season apres ski on the decks.

 

[riverc0il]

3+ for my max though I think it is about 3.5 for me to get to Saddleback in good conditions and I have done that. I prefer to keep it in the 2-2.5 range or less if possible.

 

[Sky]

3.5 (like so many others).

Okemo and Stratton from the MA/RI/CT Nexus border. Cannon. Wildcat is just a tad too far for the day.

 

[x10003q]

Two hours brings me to Plattekill. That is generally the limit. I can get to Gore in a little over 3hrs, but I will not do it for the day anymore.

 

[ERJ-145CA]

I'd say 2:15, that will get me to Belleayre for early and late season. I did do 3.5 to Mt. Snow twice in one season though for my first day of the season because I was jonesing hard and also for the last day of that season because I had to get one more day in.

 

[HowieT2]

2 hours, except on thanksgiving weekend when I'm super jonesing and stuck at the inlaws. then 4 hours.

 

[abc]

So it's not as personal as one think. It's mostly where you're located and how far the ski area is.

The Bostonians have a bit more varied choices. Basically resorts spanning the drive-time spectrum from 2 to 5 hrs. Though since there's a cluster of big mountain resorts at about 3-3.5 hrs distance, I see quite a few willing to drive that much for a day of skiing.

But for us in the lower Hudson Valley, there're just two big cluster of resorts. The Catskills, at about 2-2.5 hr for most of us. Then, there's ADK & Vermont, both are about 4+ hrs away. Since there's not much to be gain by driving 3-3.5 hr over the mountains of the Catskills, we don't bother.

Therer're a few who would drive the 4+ hr each way to VT or ADK park. The rest of the majority just stick with the 2 hr norm.

 

[Terry]

2.5 hours. That will get me to Sugarloaf or Saddleback easily depending on the road conditions.

 

[Skimaine]

2 hours one way on a "normal" ski day (Sugarloaf)
3 hours if epic conditions and mid-week (Sunday River, Saddleback)