Stowe/Smuggs vs. Sugarbush/MRG

[RISkier]

Gee, what gave you the idea for this thread?

Stowe and Smuggs are 5 miles apart, but you can't drive through the Notch in the winter. You have to drive around through Morrisville and it takes about 45 minutes.

Yep. We've skied Stowe quite a bit. Even though they are geographically close as the Yeti travels I don't think of them as being related in any way, shape, or form.

 

[madskier6]

I have experienced it 5 times. I dont see any better terrain there than at SB or Stowe. Have been on the hills with people that know there way around so to say i did not get to the good is not correct.

Are you trying to say that there is better terrain at MRG than there is at SB or Stowe? If so I would say your are biased.

IMO I can hit the same level of terrain(with all natural snow) at SB/Stowe by noon that it would take all day to get at MRV.

I am a huge Sugarbush fan. I also like the terrain at Stowe a lot (just not the prices). Nevertheless, MRG is unique & all things being equal on a powder day, I'd take MRG over Stowe & Sugarbush. There's just no experience quite like it in the East on a powder day IMHO.

I'm not necessarily saying the terrain is better at MRG than SB or Stowe but the experience is unique there. And to me, avoiding that unique experience just because the lifts are slow is misplaced. But, as I said before, you're entitled to your opinion. We'll just have to agree to disagree, that's all.

 

[madskier6]

I think we figured out we skied a total of 9 whopping runs at MRG on Good Friday, Jeff. I certainly didn't leave unfulfilled. Did you?

No way, Greg. That was one of the best ski days of my life!

 

[kingslug]

Having only been to Stowe twice and Smuggs once I haven't really seen all sides of them. But they are hugely different. Smuggs wasn't in very good shape when we got there after bailing out of Jay but had some interesting terrain . Slow old lifts (which aren't a bad thing) and some very steep but closed slopes gave it an old school feeling, nothing mega resort about it at all. I would really like to hit it after a good dump to see what it's really all about. Stowe is way more upscale and had better conditions and therefor terrain to hit. We really liked the place and the several feet of powder made it a blast. I couldn't get enough of the place. Expensive but worth it.

 

[riverc0il]

All I am going to say about this is the only people that have much credibility posting in this thread are those that have skied all four mountains. The rest of you all are just plain old blowing smoke if you start factoring in the terrain and making stating an opinion without having experienced all the mountains. You can make a score card up of other various aspects but when it comes down to it, you need to ski them all in order to fairly compare.

For me, MRG trumps all for non-earned turn terrain (excepting Smuggs since I haven't skied it for which I shall reserve judgment) but I would take Stowe over Bush all things being equal. Bush just doesn't do it for me. Having never skied Smuggs, I can not comment on how the Stowe/Smuggs pair work in tandem compared to the MRV. Ski them all then decide for yourself.

 

[Greg]

All I am going to say about this is the only people that have much credibility posting in this thread are those that have skied all four mountains. The rest of you all are just plain old blowing smoke if you start factoring in the terrain and making stating an opinion without having experienced all the mountains. You can make a score card up of other various aspects but when it comes down to it, you need to ski them all in order to fairly compare.

Whoa. Whoa. Whoa! :???: Easy there, killer. I re-read this thread and I don't see any indication of anyone here that hasn't skied all four passing specific judgment regarding the initial topic (Stowe/Smuggs vs. Sugarbush/MRG). Sure, there are a few secondary discussions, but nothing posted in this thread warrants the questioning of anyone's "credibility". I often times respect your opinion Steve, but this truly is a pretty arrogant and overall lame paragraph. I expect better from you.

For me, MRG trumps all for non-earned turn terrain (excepting Smuggs since I haven't skied it for which I shall reserve judgment) but I would take Stowe over Bush all things being equal. Bush just doesn't do it for me. Having never skied Smuggs, I can not comment on how the Stowe/Smuggs pair work in tandem compared to the MRV. Ski them all then decide for yourself.

Based on your first paragaph and due to the fact that you haven't skied Smuggs, you're just blowing smoke and you have no credibility in regards to this discussion so perhaps you should not have replied at all.

 

[Zand]

I've skied both.

As many have said, Stowe and Smuggs aren't really a pair in the way Sugarbush and MRG are. Not including that factor, here is my opinion:

Stowe and Smuggs are both great for off the map stuff and on the map glades. They both have good hard double blacks (Liftline, Freefall, Robins at Smuggs; Starr, Goat, and Lookout at Stowe). But past that, they kinda lack. Stowe has some steep cruisers and mediocre bump runs on the map that tend to get crowded on weekends. Smuggs barely has any non-double black bump runs. Maybe a couple over on Sterling.

MRG has everything. On map and off map... steep bumps, not so steep bumps, long cruisers. Sugarbush doesn't have a ton of off map, but it has everything else. Both need less snow to open the good natural stuff than Smuggs and Stowe seem to.

All in all, I love all 4... all of them are in my top 5 ski areas, but I'd have to say Sugarbush and MRG as a duo beat out Stowe and Smuggs.

 

[riverc0il]

Whoa. Whoa. Whoa! :???: Easy there, killer. I re-read this thread and I don't see any indication of anyone here that hasn't skied all four passing specific judgment regarding the initial topic (Stowe/Smuggs vs. Sugarbush/MRG). Sure, there are a few secondary discussions, but nothing posted in this thread warrants the questioning of anyone's "credibility". I often times respect your opinion Steve, but this truly is a pretty arrogant and overall lame paragraph. I expect better from you.



Based on your first paragaph and due to the fact that you haven't skied Smuggs, you're just blowing smoke and you have no credibility in regards to this discussion so perhaps you should not have replied at all.

Not really. My first paragraph referenced comparing MRG/Bush to Stowe/Smuggs. I never attempted to do that but rather gave my individual assessment of the individual mountains, noting that I could not make a fair comparison because I had not skied Smuggs.

Seems like this thread was priming the pump a bit. You expect better of me? Maybe that was an arrogant statement, but people throw a lot of smack down around here based on mountains they have not skied and it is tiring. Perhaps my remark was premature and based on the history these threads tend to take, definitely not directed at any one but suggesting if any one wants to pick one or the other they better have skied all four. I certainly haven't so I can not make that claim as I already stated. But hey, whatev.

 

[Greg]

Not really. My first paragraph referenced comparing MRG/Bush to Stowe/Smuggs. I never attempted to do that but rather gave my individual assessment of the individual mountains, noting that I could not make a fair comparison because I had not skied Smuggs.

Seems like this thread was priming the pump a bit. You expect better of me? Maybe that was an arrogant statement, but people throw a lot of smack down around here based on mountains they have not skied and it is tiring. Perhaps my remark was premature and based on the history these threads tend to take, definitely not directed at any one but suggesting if any one wants to pick one or the other they better have skied all four. I certainly haven't so I can not make that claim as I already stated. But hey, whatev.

Hey, whatev? Maybe that was an arrogant statement...

Thank you for qualifying your remark. It seems it was made as a pre-emptive strike against uninformed "smack downs" as you call them. I guess what I took issue with was the questioning of anyone's credibility here. Not many of us (AFAIK) make a living off their skiing ability or knowledge so we're all entitled to post our opinions. To that end, we're all intelligent adults (okay, maybe I give some of you too much credit... ) so we all should be able to extrapolate the facts out of each others' posts within reason.

Priming the pump? Of course. I like to try and stimulate discussion. I've been doing that since it was just you and me posting in this forum, Steve.

Tiring "smack down" based on mountains folks have not skied? I'd like to see some specific examples of this. Feel free to PM if you prefer.

 

[ski63]

Intersesting thread. We are considering going to Stowe this winter because of the proximity to MRG, Sugarbush, Jay and Smuggs. Is it true you can not drive directly to Smuggs from Stowe? The maps I look at seem like such a short distance.

Thanks,

Kurt

 

[wa-loaf]

Is it true you can not drive directly to Smuggs from Stowe? The maps I look at seem like such a short distance.

You can in the Summer, but they close the pass in the winter and you have drive around which is like 45mins.

 

[56fish]

I like to consider the MRV a single destination to ski. End to end, Sugarbush and MRG are within 6 linear miles. Stowe and Smuggler's Notch are within 5 linear miles, end to end. I've never skied the Stowe area, but I'd like to see some comparisons. Which area do you prefer? Why do you like one over the other? Are they equivalent?

Consider:
Stowe & Jay. Stay in Morrisville/Eden. 1/2 hour +/- or , so to either north/south on Rt. 100 (very nice drives). Reliable variety of terrain, ambiance & snow.
Not that I'm lookin' for any company!:wink:

sel'fish56:beer:

 

[kcyanks1]

Sugarbush doesn't have a ton of off map, but it has everything else.

I'm not an expert on SB's off-piste, but Slidebrook, woods off Paradise, and woods off Castlerock trains have to put it up there for off-piste?

Edit: It has nothing like The Chin, but then what mountain in the east does? Whiteface's Slides and Sugarloaf maybe (never been to Sugarloaf)? Stowe might win for other off-map areas (I've been up the Chin once but haven't done much else), but from everything I've heard, Stowe might be #1 for off-piste.

 

[Zand]

I don't really consider Slidebrook off the map since A. It's mentioned on the map and B. They give tours anyway... I'm talking "off the map and no pros to help you find it".

Other than that and Church, I never hear much about people going off map at Sugarbush. Maybe it's because the on-map is so good there.

And Stowe's offmap is amazing and I never even left any lift serviced areas to say that.

 

[kcyanks1]

I don't really consider Slidebrook off the map since A. It's mentioned on the map and B. They give tours anyway... I'm talking "off the map and no pros to help you find it".

Other than that and Church, I never hear much about people going off map at Sugarbush. Maybe it's because the on-map is so good there.

And Stowe's offmap is amazing and I never even left any lift serviced areas to say that.

I'd still think Slidebrook has to be considered off-map, but I see what you are saying. If your only comparison is to Stowe, you are probably right that Stowe is a clear winner, though I'm saying this based on reputation as much as experience. I do believe though that there is more at Sugarbush than you realize...look around on Castlerock trails next time you are up there. (I'm afraid to say more because some people don't like when others give directions, and also because I've only skied the woods there a couple times and can't give great directions anyways. If you PM me I'll do the best I can.)

Edit: I guess the whole point of the thread was comparing SB (& MRG) to Stowe (& Smuggs), not to all the other ski areas out there. So maybe I took this too far already.

 

[tjf67]

I don't really consider Slidebrook off the map since A. It's mentioned on the map and B. They give tours anyway... I'm talking "off the map and no pros to help you find it".

Other than that and Church, I never hear much about people going off map at Sugarbush. Maybe it's because the on-map is so good there.

And Stowe's offmap is amazing and I never even left any lift serviced areas to say that.

Sugarbush has a lot. As much as Stowe? Its close could be

 

[skibum1321]

I've skied both.
Smuggs barely has any non-double black bump runs. Maybe a couple over on Sterling.

That has been my major gripe with Smuggs. When the double blacks/woods aren't open or good then there isn't much to do. Sometimes FIS will bump up but then it seems to get groomed a week later. This is especially an issue in the spring when a signature bump run would really be great to just rip all day.

 

[skibum1321]

All of the areas in question have a ton of slackcountry. They all have some fairly unique stuff and some sick lines. You just need to know where to look at all of them...

FWIW, Slidebrook should definitely be considered off-map, as there are tons of lines in there, not just the ones that they give tours of.

 

[JimG.]

All I am going to say about this is the only people that have much credibility posting in this thread are those that have skied all four mountains. The rest of you all are just plain old blowing smoke if you start factoring in the terrain and making stating an opinion without having experienced all the mountains. You can make a score card up of other various aspects but when it comes down to it, you need to ski them all in order to fairly compare.

For me, MRG trumps all for non-earned turn terrain (excepting Smuggs since I haven't skied it for which I shall reserve judgment) but I would take Stowe over Bush all things being equal. Bush just doesn't do it for me. Having never skied Smuggs, I can not comment on how the Stowe/Smuggs pair work in tandem compared to the MRV. Ski them all then decide for yourself.

I've skied all 4...all 4 have their bright spots.

I'm easy...I wouldn't turn down a free pass to any of the 4.

 

[from_the_NEK]

I've also skied all 4. However, it is rather hard to make a total commitment to which pair win this battle. Even though I have skied them all, I'd have to really redo them all at a time when conditions were similar.

Sugarbush = 4 visits (two during the spring and therefore not everything was open/not shaded ice, one powder day my first year skiing and therefore wasn't skilled enough to test out all of terrain, one Ice Fest day in January after a torrential rainstorm the night before which led to rather poor conditions)

MRG = 3 visits (all during my forst year of skiing. this is where I really learned the meaning of challenging, I need to go back there now that I can ski better)

Stowe = 2 visits (both in spring conditions and with people who didn't want to go into the trees)

Smuggs = 1 visit (again in the spring during my first year skiing, I need to go back and check it out now that I can ski the more difficult terrain better)

All things considered, If Stowe and Smuggs still had a universal pass that allowed you to ski both mtns and there was an easier way to get back and forth, the two mtns win the battle. for now it is a heated competition. If SB ever expands to the Inverness peak the distance between SB and MRG would be rather short with relativiely easy hike between options. The slidebrook area is huge which keeps in in the running with Stowe's back Country.
Some questions will never have a diffinitive answer (unless you're a snowboarder in which case the Stowe/Smuggs combo wins every time).