mitchapalooza
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- Dec 16, 2012
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I'm planning a trip to New England the last week of Janaury M-F (4 nights, 3 days skiing) with my family and looking for advice. I'm a solid intermediate skier that will venture onto the blacks at times but not look good doing it, my wife is a solid beginer that may venture onto the blues at times, and my kids have never been before. I have a 4 1/2 year old that will be in beginer lessons and 2 1/2- year old twins that will just do full day child care. I've never skied New England (mostly just Snowshoe, WV) but I get the impression that many advanced skiers look down at Stratton for not being challenging enough. However, for our skill level I think that may be a good thing?
My main goal for this trip is to make it enjoyable for my wife and kids and create a trip that will make everyone want to go again. I'm considering it an investment into furture trips while also trying to have a little fun myself. We're driving up from Virginia so proximity is a big factor (less time in the car with the little ones the better). Also, kids programs/facilites and convenience getting them there is HUGE for us. I also really want the ability to ride the lift with my wife, take seperate trails down (greens for her blues/blacks for me), then meet at the same lift without getting totally separated. I also want to be able to have breakfast and lunch slopeside with my wife during the day without losing a ton of mountain time. We plan to stay in a condo and eat dinners in with the kids. I think the fact that we'll be skiing mid-week will liekly aleviate a lot of the crowds that time of year as well?
I've narrowed it down to Stratton as what looks like the best fit for what we want for the best value; their mid-week prices are so much more affordable than weeknds (lodging, for example, more than doubles on wekends and holidays). Anyone been to Stratton with young kids that can offer any feedback? Any advice would be welcomed and greatly appreciated.
I also considered Killington, Okemo, Smuggs and Sugarbush. Smuggs seemed like the obvious family choice at first but it's about 1 1/2 hour further each way and those slow lifts scare me away. Okemo lodging was just too expensive compared to the others. Killington and Sugarbush both seem like great moutains but they also seem too spread out for needs on this trip. In a few years when the whole family is able to ski together at similar levels they may make more sense?
My main goal for this trip is to make it enjoyable for my wife and kids and create a trip that will make everyone want to go again. I'm considering it an investment into furture trips while also trying to have a little fun myself. We're driving up from Virginia so proximity is a big factor (less time in the car with the little ones the better). Also, kids programs/facilites and convenience getting them there is HUGE for us. I also really want the ability to ride the lift with my wife, take seperate trails down (greens for her blues/blacks for me), then meet at the same lift without getting totally separated. I also want to be able to have breakfast and lunch slopeside with my wife during the day without losing a ton of mountain time. We plan to stay in a condo and eat dinners in with the kids. I think the fact that we'll be skiing mid-week will liekly aleviate a lot of the crowds that time of year as well?
I've narrowed it down to Stratton as what looks like the best fit for what we want for the best value; their mid-week prices are so much more affordable than weeknds (lodging, for example, more than doubles on wekends and holidays). Anyone been to Stratton with young kids that can offer any feedback? Any advice would be welcomed and greatly appreciated.
I also considered Killington, Okemo, Smuggs and Sugarbush. Smuggs seemed like the obvious family choice at first but it's about 1 1/2 hour further each way and those slow lifts scare me away. Okemo lodging was just too expensive compared to the others. Killington and Sugarbush both seem like great moutains but they also seem too spread out for needs on this trip. In a few years when the whole family is able to ski together at similar levels they may make more sense?