Snow, Stratton or Sunapee....

[MRGisevil]

These are my choices for Sunday. Going w/ a beginner snowboarder friend. Where would you take her?

 

[MarkC]

How about Magic? ;-) Between the three choices given I would have to say Snow. I dont know much about Sunapee but between strattion and snow there is no choice at all.

 

[SKIQUATTRO]

Magic is a good call...Bromley right up the road from Stratton is nice mtn for a beginner/some glades/bumps for you, classic new england charm...cheaper than Stratton....I'll be there both days...

 

[MRGisevil]

I didn't even think of Magic... thanks! Bromley sounds like a good idea, too.

 

[WWF-VT]

Sunapee has a separate South Peak Learning area intended for a beginner.

 

[Geoff]

Coming up I-91, you also have Ascutney with less drive time than Snow/Flatton/Magic since it's 100% highway driving. The lift ticket is $56 compared to Magic's $49 but the place makes much more snow and gets substantially more natural snow than Magic so you won't be rock dancing on anything with pitch to it. In a good snow year, Magic would be my personal choice but this has been anything but a good snow year.

I wouldn't pick Sunapee since it gets so much metro-Boston day tripper business.

 

[TwinTips21]

I vote for Ascutney-Bromley-or Sunapee. Bromley and Sunapee will be crowded, Ascutney won't. The only thing is Ascutney is an incredibly steep mountain with more vertical than both of those.

 

[ctski]

Sunapee is a good choice for beginners. Forget Stratton, try Snow if you must stick so SoVt.

 

[Sorcerer]

Coming up I-91, you also have Ascutney with less drive time than Snow/Flatton/Magic since it's 100% highway driving. The lift ticket is $56 compared to Magic's $49 but the place makes much more snow and gets substantially more natural snow than Magic so you won't be rock dancing on anything with pitch to it. In a good snow year, Magic would be my personal choice but this has been anything but a good snow year.

I wouldn't pick Sunapee since it gets so much metro-Boston day tripper business.

Ascutney makes more snow than Magic but Magic gets more natural snow than Ascutney. Ascutney is near the Connecticut river and it it runs warmer and results in less snow. Valentine's day Magic got 28 inches, most of which is still on the ground. Today, Friday 3/2, Magic has 11 inches at 11:00 am and it's still snowing. If the decision is based on snow, I'd go to Magic - more snow and cheap.

Magic also has no lines and few skiers on the slopes. Good for beginners because they don't have to worry about other skiers distracting them.

Magic slopes can be challenging so if your beginner friend is more than a first timer. (Magic has a beginner tow for "first timers", then you go to the top which, although there's an easy way down, is long (1.25 miles+) and sometimes very taxing for a beginner. Depending on what you think best, you might want to consider Bromely

 

[tree_skier]

I vote for MRG

 

[Sorcerer]

I vote for MRG

We should start her in Paradise

 

[madskier6]

In a good snow year, Magic would be my personal choice but this has been anything but a good snow year.

I have to disagree with you there. That may have been true earlier in the season but at this point, it is now a pretty good snow year. The conditions at Magic are very good. Things have turned around and even further north, some people are calling the conditions epic. Especially after this most recent storm.

 

[David Metsky]

I vote for MRG

You're evil.

I can respect that.

 

[MadPadraic]

For a beginner snowboarder? Stratton. No contest all. It is the cradle of snowboarding for crying out loud! People rag on Stratton for being spendy, but Mt Snow is nearly as bad. The Workroad, Wanderers, West Meadow complex is some of the best green terrain anywhere. Very scenic with bridges etc., But also some bridges. Stratton also has that faux village at the bottom which is a good place to take a break; regardless of how much we make fun of it.

Bromley's not a bad idea either.

Disclamer: I'll probably be at Sunapee on Sunday, so you could just read this post as crowd control.