Some thoughts on Stratton...

[Greg]

But for those of us with family obligations (such as a 15 month old daughter), even day trips can be hard to come by. When they succeed in moving the northern moutains about two hours closer to CT, I'll be very happy to ski them with greater frequency.

In the meantime, I'll happily ski the bump runs and pleasant, if unchallenging, cruisers down south, and count the months/years until my daughter is old enough to ski (and can show me how to properly mash the moguls on National).

I hear ya. Got two little ones myself, but the oldest will start joining me next year...

 

[Jean-Pierre Skier]

At one time, this thread was about thoughts on Stratton, rather than the comparison of N. Vermont to S. Vermont ski areas. I'm truly interested in your impressions about Stratton since I am toying with the idea of switching from an ASC pass to a Stratton-Okemo Pass.

One of the things I like is that Stratton and Okemo are as close or closer to me than Mt. Snow and Killington, respectively. I also don't know the trees at Killington very well so I may not be giving the Big K enough credit, but I do like the bump runs. The biggest downside to K-ton is that I spend half my day traversing the mountain in order to get a couple of runs somewhere before moving to another section of the mountain. That being said, Needle's Eye and Bear are superb (for Southern Vermont).

So what are the good points about Stratton? How are the glades and bumps? I only skied it once this year and I thought the conditons were really good. Are conditions generally good at Stratton? How are the crowds compared to other mountains in vicinity? Are they really as snooty as people say, or is that more an issue with the Stratton Mountain Club and the covered-valet parking that costs more than my mortgage?

 

[tekweezle]

all opinions are generally subjective. it;s hard to say which one is "better" because what's good for some isn;t good for others. I want to refrain from bashing any mountain specifically as I know that can incite some strong opinions. Personally, I think they all have their strong and weak points. They are certainly different and you got to hit the resort when the weather cooperates. it is one of the southern most resorts in VT afterall. that can be good and bad.

For the most part, Stratton grooms everything flat. They have a few bump runs but nothing long and sustained like OL or Superstar at Kton. of course the "blacks" that are really blues elsewhere are great for up and coming skiers.

I think the high lift ticket prices keep the crowds down. not as many day trippers. The parking lots don;t seem overly full but then again, I;d avoid going anywhere on a holiday weekend. Stay away from the gondola and it;s fine. use the singles line if you can ven if you are with a small group. the Ursa express has 3 singles lines.

I don;t think the people are snooty at all. the workers all seemed to be nice. someone commented that there were alot of older folks last sunday.

my perception is that the mountain is generally "smaller". But atleast it is a mountain. somebody told me that they are actually higher in elevation than Okemo.

funny thing is that with all my replies to this thread, I must come off as a big Stratton fan which is not my intention. I just like to ski. I have had average to below average icy, rainy days at stratton. I have also had awesome powder days too. could be true for any mountain out there.

 

[win]

"Corporate" is an attitude more than a legal definition. We are a Limited Liability Corporation that is owned by three people who love to ski and want to make Sugarbush an even better place than how we found it. We live here and only want to own one mountain, so that means we try to be accessible and open to suggestions from our guests. One of us is normally on the Mountain every day. Because we are privately held we also do not have to report quarterly earnings and worry about what Wall Street analysts say. We have the flexibility of doing what we think is right for the long-term health of the Resort.

AIG and Intrawest are larger and public, but they are successful enterprises and employ good people too. Okemo is larger but privately owned and an excellent organization. We are different, but that that alone doesn't make us better or worse. We have to prove ourselves to our guests each day. In the end it is how we do our job rather than what corporate form we take or how large we are.

Win

 

[tekweezle]

Wow! it's awesome that someone who runs/owns a ski resort can take the time to check message boards like this.

 

[Greg]

Wow! it's awesome that someone who runs/owns a ski resort can take the time to check message boards like this.

Indeed! Win seems to understand there is some valuable feedback to be garnered from forums like this. Welcome again, Win!

 

[Jean-Pierre Skier]

I am duly impressed by Win's resonse to this thread. Sugarbush has just shot through the roof on my "must ski more often" list.

 

[smootharc]

Was going to suggest....

I am duly impressed by Win's resonse to this thread. Sugarbush has just shot through the roof on my "must ski more often" list.

....thinking about just a bit further North in VT if you were already in the Okemo region.....and if the quality of terrain was high on your list of considerations driving your decision.

 

[Jean-Pierre Skier]

....thinking about just a bit further North in VT if you were already in the Okemo region.....and if the quality of terrain was high on your list of considerations driving your decision.

I hear you. But one key requirement for me to buy a season pass is that I can make it to the liftline from my garage in less than one hour. I try to ski every weekend (both days) during the winter (at least for a few runs), and Sugarbush is a tad too far to be my regular mountain. Though it is very, very tempting. But, I'll definitely ski at Sugarbush a few times next year. No question.

 

[skibum1321]

From Boston, it doesn't take much longer to get to the Bush than it does to get to Stratton. It is less than a half hour extra. Time well spent IMO.

 

[smootharc]

As a 5 hour guy each way....

I hear you. But one key requirement for me to buy a season pass is that I can make it to the liftline from my garage in less than one hour. I try to ski every weekend (both days) during the winter (at least for a few runs), and Sugarbush is a tad too far to be my regular mountain. Though it is very, very tempting. But, I'll definitely ski at Sugarbush a few times next year. No question.

....I pay a "Mad River Valley" premium, as I could shorten the time to my ski destination of choice by 10-50% if choosing Gore, Whiteface, Stratton, Mount Snow, or Killington. But I hear you, too. Less than an hour from my garage gets me 500 vertical.....and mind numbing repetition (though just 90 minutes gets me Snow Ridge. Tiny, but pounded with Lake Effect and with sweet trees and some attention grabbing steeps).

And, I wish it was an April Fool's joke, I am probably the closest AZ'er to the officially smallest/shortest ski resort in America, Four Seasons. 10 minutes from my door. It's basically a driving range with a chairlift.

 

[ChileMass]

Most everything has been touched on elsewhere, and these are my personal opinions -

Stratton is a cruising hill for people who want an easy, repeatable and clean ski experience. Basically, there's nothing money can't buy at Stratton (wonderfully-groomed snow, 4-star dining, lessons for the kids, a really nice slopeside condo, Starbucks coffee), and you will pay TOP prices. If that's what you want, it's definitely all available at Stratton. For me, it's like skiing at my home office. There's a corporate, sterile feel. OK - I'll 'fess up to the fact that I really dig zoooooooming down some of the long, wide blue trails on the Sun Bowl side, but I HATE paying the cost of skiing at Stratton. The last time I was there it cost me $300 for my family of four to ski a single day (with lunch and afternoon lessons for the kids). That's fkg ridiculous.

If you like Deer Valley, Disneyworld, Orlando in general, or think your local strip mall is "cute", you'll like Stratton. If you require modern facilities and can't get along without name brand amenities, go to Stratton. Personally , I went to Mickeyville last year with my kids and THANK GOD it's off the list and I never have to go back there.

Stowe, Sugarloaf and Whiteface BLOW AWAY Stratton. MUCH more diverse terrain, much more local character, much better overall vibe.

Sorry, Win - I have been skiing since 1968 and have never gotten to Sugarbush, but I fully intend to next year (if there's any !@$#$#! snow)........

My 2 cents - Chile

 

[Newpylong]

Stratton doesn't pretend to be a Sugarbush or a Smuggler's Notch, I don't know why anyone would compare the two. The place is expensive, but they produce a great product. The lift system is phenomenal, so is the snowmaking. The trails have more character than Pokemo, but then again, what doesn't. I haven't been there in a while but I intend to go next year.

 

[maplevalleymaster]

Yeah I understand what you mean about it. Personally, I love the mountain, but it is way too over-populated with older people holding their children by ski leashes.

 

[deadheadskier]

It's all about expectations. Stratton has a goal of being the Aspen of the east and market themselves in such away in terms of price and services offered. You know going in that you are going to pay an arm and a leg for well groomed cruising terrain and efficient lifts. If you know and accept that going in, then it should be relatively easy to have a good time. If you go in with the expectation that you're going to ski terrain and have locals around you similar to say Sugarbush, you'll end up being dissappointed.

For the most part, I think ski resorts do a pretty darn good job at establishing an identiy and desired client base and marketing to them accordingly.

It sounds to me that the original poster for this thread simply chose the wrong place to fulfill what they are looking for on the hill. A little bit of research and they may have traveled up the road to Magic and been far more pleased.

 

[skibum1321]

Stratton doesn't pretend to be a Sugarbush or a Smuggler's Notch, I don't know why anyone would compare the two. The place is expensive, but they produce a great product. The lift system is phenomenal, so is the snowmaking. The trails have more character than Pokemo, but then again, what doesn't. I haven't been there in a while but I intend to go next year.

Stratton and character are two words that don't even belong in a paragraph together. I'm no Okemo fan, but it's a much better mtn than Stratton IMO.

The lift system being phenomenal is totally subjective. IMO a phenomenal lift system would be one that doesn't lead to the overcrowding of slopes, which is a major problem at Stratton. There is too much lift capacity going to one point. Most of the lifts dump you out on the summit along with 100 of your closest friends.

 

[Geoff]

Stratton wasn't exactly Jackson Hole in the '80's, it was a fairly flat mounatin with really wide trails by then. I remember faux Austrian architecture was rife at Stratton and other NE ski area in '60's and '70's but putting a dolled up strip mall at the base of ski area was too tasteless then. Stratton was more fun to me when it had narrow trails, the upper mounatin had no snow making and being a poseur hadn't become a skiing pass time.

I grew up skiing Stratton in the 60's and 70's. Back when they only had double chairs and no snowmaking on the upper mountian, the terrain was quite interesting with narrow twisty medium-pitch trails and minimal grooming. The original trail cutting job was superb and they took advantage of what terrain features they had.

Stratton was always corporate. The place got funded by a fairly large group of the lower Fairfield County affluent. There was a stockholder/bondholder parking lot next to the base lodge. Stratton had trophy homes with restrictive covenants on what you could build long before that was seen at any other ski resort.

I haven't skied Stratton in 25 years. If there had been an epic midweek powder day where it would have been worth using my free pass, I would have caught a day there. I have no interest in going there to ski on groomers.