Small is Good

[gmcunni]

i don't think this is new but i hadn't read it before. couldn't help but think of all the bickering (for lack of better word) that goes on here with regard to "my mountain is better than your mountain" while i read this.

http://www.skinet.com/ski/gear/skis/2001/02/small-is-good

 

[billski]

Feeder hills are the lifeline of the industry. Most people are not going to pay $89 for a ticket, $35 for rentals and $46 for one lesson just to learn for one day, repeat maybe a dozen times..

Besides, think of the celebrity. "Everyone is famous in a small town" as the song goes.

 

[riverc0il]

You can turn right, turn left or go straight.

Ain't that just about the best quote I have ever read about skiing. It is just really that simple.

 

[orangegondola]

I love it!

 

[trackbiker]

I usually try to hit the smaller hills during the holiday periods. Last year I skied Ski Big Bear, Alpine Mountain, and Tanglwood for the first time. After checking out all of the trails and then sking for a while I start to get bored. But then after a break I usually find a groove or something to practice and find myself wanting to ski longer when it is time to go. I hate lines and all of those places were virtually ski right onto the lift. I consider it my small contribution to keeping them off of NELSAP and can recommend places for beginners and families to go at reasonable rates without the crowds and prices of the big areas.

 

[EPB]

I need to make a pilgrimage back to where it all started: Suicide 6 in December of 1992. I made a point to drive past the place once on the way back from Killington to Hanover. The place looked great, and even as an expert skier, it looked like a place worth checking out.

I know I've had a lot of numbers-related posts on this board, but the skiing is what it's all about. Would I prefer bigger vert? Sure. But that is by no means the only way to value a ski area. Good friends, good conditions and no crowds are what I hold paramount. Its tougher to measure that though. Interesting article. Good find.

 

[deadheadskier]

I share similar feelings as Warren, which were my reason for this thread:

http://forums.alpinezone.com/showthread.php?t=83994


Warren speaks a bit more eloquently than I though :lol:

"It doesn't matter which resort you are at when you start down the hill; the only thing that can hold you back is your attitude."

 

[dmc]

Good friends, good conditions and no crowds are what I hold paramount.

What I hold paramount is terrain.. Big area... Small area... Doesn't matter - just the terrain...

 

[Black Phantom]

What I hold paramount is terrain.. Big area... Small area... Doesn't matter - just the terrain...

This place looks sick and would certainly fit that description.

http://mtbohemia.com/

 

[dmc]

This place looks sick and would certainly fit that description.

http://mtbohemia.com/

It does look sick..

 

[Warp Daddy]

Totally agree and where i ski frequently is very near to that portrait .

WE always enjoy hitting the bigger resorts several trips per yr , but love my home hill because of the vibe and the price AIN"T too bad either

 

[4aprice]

The Pocono's are the definition of small mountain skiing. Modern snowmaking has made the conditions better then ever. The increasing interest in bump skiing has made them better and keeps the stoke factor up. Trips to big boys in New England/New York and the Rocky Mountains are a lot more fun when the muscles feel good and the timing is right. I feel lucky to have them in my backyard.

Alex

Lake Hopatcong, NJ

 

[jrmagic]

It does look sick..

I'm gonna have to remember that place for when work sends me out to the midwest.... Looks like lots of fun

 

[jrmagic]

Now that I had a chance to read the article I think Warren has summed it all up very nicely.

 

[zinger3000]

I like the smaller ski areas too, though I do visit the big boys from time to time.

The only con is that they can get boring quickly. Lots of pros, though:
Lower price
Short walk from car to lift, no village to walk through
90% of the time, the lifts are ski-on
No attitude / cool, laid-back vibe
Shorter lift rides
Often reasonably priced food

 

[Anklebiter]

The Pocono's are the definition of small mountain skiing. Modern snowmaking has made the conditions better then ever. The increasing interest in bump skiing has made them better and keeps the stoke factor up. Trips to big boys in New England/New York and the Rocky Mountains are a lot more fun when the muscles feel good and the timing is right. I feel lucky to have them in my backyard.

Alex

Lake Hopatcong, NJ

My only problem with the pocono's is the crowds. We pretty much stick to midweek and nights. Elk isn't that bad on weekends, so that's where we started going to last season. Though, nothings better or faster to get to, than midweek at Blue.

 

[4aprice]

My only problem with the pocono's is the crowds. We pretty much stick to midweek and nights. Elk isn't that bad on weekends, so that's where we started going to last season. Though, nothings better or faster to get to, than midweek at Blue.

The crowds are everywhere during the main (Christmas to Pres Day) season. I navigate them ok. Having a pass at Camelback I like to stay there when I think everywhere is gonna be mobbed and use the fixed grip chairs(safety meeting anyone?) and ski the moguls where you usually have a little elbow room. Also being a pass holder I can quit and go to the bar when it gets too much. On the flip side I can pile up mega runs on a weekday morning and be back in NJ for the afternoon. Springtime no crowds anytime.

I think the Pocono's are a tremendous training ground. It definately makes a difference when I get to the bigger areas. Blue and Elk supply a nice variety close by and make the season interesting.

Alex

Lake Hopatcong, NJ

 

[dmc]

I think the Pocono's are a tremendous training ground.

Well said and agreed.. I became a skier there.

Also spent a lot of time learning to snowboard there.

 

[skidmarks]

Small can be fun!
I miss skiing Mt Tom in Holyoke, Ma
The Ski School run by Adi Scheidle gave nearly a million lessons during his tenure.

 

[Anklebiter]

The crowds are everywhere during the main (Christmas to Pres Day) season. I navigate them ok. Having a pass at Camelback I like to stay there when I think everywhere is gonna be mobbed and use the fixed grip chairs(safety meeting anyone?) and ski the moguls where you usually have a little elbow room. Also being a pass holder I can quit and go to the bar when it gets too much. On the flip side I can pile up mega runs on a weekday morning and be back in NJ for the afternoon. Springtime no crowds anytime.

I think the Pocono's are a tremendous training ground. It definately makes a difference when I get to the bigger areas. Blue and Elk supply a nice variety close by and make the season interesting.

Alex

Lake Hopatcong, NJ

I'll be pulling my two kids out of school an hour early on the Dec 23rd to head up to Camelback. We did that last year and had a blast. I love weekday skiing, but with kids it hard to get many of them in.