Recommend A Ski Area

[RISkier]

The family is willing to drive up to about the tip of Vermont. There does not need to be a lot of night life. They don't want a large mountain that is very crowded. Dad and kids would like some nice glades...

SnoRider

I think this will help people make recommendations. I basically responded as a hypothetical question: "Where would be the best place...?" I think specifying a geographic area and talking about some other wants or needs will help people make thoughtful recommendations. My wife and I love Alta but I'm not sure we'd want to stay there more than a few days. We love Stowe but partly because of the restaurants and bars. And it might depend on when you're planning to visit. We've been spending a week in Stowe in January, and the crowds are small, yet I here horror stories about crowds at Stowe at various times of the year.

 

[kcyanks1]

Sugarbush. Has the challenge and also has terrain for all levels. It's probably not as good for the intermediates and beginners as Okemo or Stratton, or Killington for that matter, but it has much more variety than Okemo or Stratton, and it's less crowded than Killington.

 

[ga2ski]

Sunday river .. pretty much every peak has a trail for all abilities

and I'm not just saying this because I'm a moderator on their board.

 

[riverc0il]

The family is willing to drive up to about the tip of Vermont. There does not need to be a lot of night life. They don't want a large mountain that is very crowded. Dad and kids would like some nice glades...

SnoRider

That helps. Burke hands down. No crowds, plenty of steep groomers, great trees, great family mountain, mellow stuff off the Sherburne Quad though any intermediate can ski any blue square on the mountain from the summit, great place for a family and since the family in question is looking to avoid crowds and does not need night life, off mountain activities, and the like and does not need a huge mountain, Burke meets every requirement.

 

[thetrailboss]

Yeah, I'd say look to Burke if you want an uncrowded experience. As for other junk to do, you're going to have to be creative. The Kingdom has some cool things, but you have to look for them.

 

[SnowRider]

I hear a lot of Burke. What are the glades like there compared to Jay? Open as much? Just as steep? Trying to compare to a mountain I have been to before.

SnowRider

 

[thetrailboss]

I hear a lot of Burke. What are the glades like there compared to Jay? Open as much? Just as steep? Trying to compare to a mountain I have been to before.

SnowRider

Best thing to do is to PM me. :wink:

Burke's glades are pretty much as good as Jay's. No windholds either. A bit less snow, but in a normal winter great natural cover. Remember, less traffic = better conditions. Jay is a zoo as of late. Burke is not. A bit more folks, but not really that noticeable. Go midweek and you'll practically own the place. Great official and unofficial glades. Unlike Jay, the glades are longer and more sustained pitch. No skiing a short glade, hiking over, and skiing more. The East Bowl is sweet--about 1200 vert of uninterrupted glades give or take. Lower Mountain has a nice intermediate glade as well. New HSQ on lower mountain.

Here are my pics from last season's visit with AZ.

 

[ski_resort_observer]

Sorry for the poor resolution...not sure if this is any help in comparing the two.

 

[SnowRider]

Thanks Thetrailboss and Ski Resort Observer. It helped me sort that out. Trailboss, when you said normal season what did you mean? Did Burke not get a lot of snow this season?

SnoRider

 

[riverc0il]

I hear a lot of Burke. What are the glades like there compared to Jay? Open as much? Just as steep? Trying to compare to a mountain I have been to before.

SnowRider

TB covered it very well, i would like to add just a little bit. first, if you are not skiing glades (and it sounds like the mrs. and one of the kids will not), burke is a much cooler mountain for cruising than jay. jay has a flat run out and is very blah on cruising terrain. the jay cruisers also get scortched by wind. burke beats jay on cruising and sustained vertical hands down.

in the trees, you really can't beat jay for trees. they reliably have great coverage due to lots of snow and the cuts are very nice. burke on average has tighter trees than burke so burke's glades are on average harder than jay's. some glades are comparable. as TB mentioned, in a good snow year, the burke glades fill in well. on average, burke's glades are slightly steeper and generally tighter. steeper, tighter, and harder does not make them better, but the pow can last longer so your milage may vary.

the biggest difference in glades between jay and burke is you really need to stay on maintained glades at burke (official or unofficial ) whereas at jay, you can go where ever you can squeeze your skis.

burke was definitely below average this year. i think they only opened one glade all year but every place except for the northern green mountains and tuckerman ravine had below average season. cannon is comparable for snow, a little less annually i think, and they didn't open any glades either.

 

[thetrailboss]

No, this season was not at all a normal ski season at Burke. Sasqwatch was the only trees. I did ski Ledges twice and Doug's once. Not normal at all.