Sugarbush or Sugarloaf

[deadheadskier]

Who likes Sundown? I here Mohawk has far steezier seeded bump runs and better snow

 

[SIKSKIER]

This guy votes for the Loaf overall.I just like the mt better even though the snowfall is not what the Bush gets.There is nothing at the Bush like the backside snowfields and the steeps at the top are just that.One thing I think is cool at the loaf is the steepest part in general is at the top and the mt gradually gets less steep right to the bottom.So when your legs are the freshest at the top where you need them to be,as you get lower and your legs start crying there is less demand on them.Makes for some great cruising.

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

Who likes Sundown? I here Mohawk has far steezier seeded bump runs and better snow

hahaha..he said Steezy...so do you guys want daily Blue mountain reports this next season????

 

[Tin Woodsman]

I'm not sure how Jay is even in the discussion. Yeah it gets great snowfall, but the fall lines peter out fairly quickly and the real backcountry requires you to leave a car or get lucky with your thumb. Most of the glades on the map get tracked out early b/c of Jay's promotion of them, so I just don't see the attraction.

I think Stowe is objectively the best mountain on the EC from a pure terrain perspective, though if you spend most of your time on trails, you may not agree with that assessment. Stowe has lost a lot of its character in recent decades, with egregious widening and softening of many classic runs like Nosedive, Liftline, and National. The real magic of Stowe is the easily accessed BC above the lifts, adjacent to the trail system, and on various faces going every which way from the top. The Mansfield Massif if the finest single piece of lift-accessed real estate on the EC, from the edge of Morse Mtn at Smuggs all the way to the Toll House and beyond.

Sugarbush is, IMHO, a reasonably close second. Not quite as much snow. Nothing close to the quasi-above treeline skiing. But tons of easily accessible BC amongst both the widely spaced trails/lift pods and of course Slidebrook and the backside. The one thing that SB has going for it ever more is that there is no secret about the goods at Stowe - quite simply the best skiers in the East call Stowe home for good reason. There is a large year-round community there plus a significant contingent of UVM/college rippers. SB doesn't get nearly that level of attention, with its primary base being weekend warriors from the Boston area and 2nd/3rd generation folks from the NY metro area. For the better skiers at SB, you generally have a lot more room to roam - most of the self-professed hard cores in the MRV are ripping it up at MRG. It's the same dynamic that Geoff speaks of with respect to Dear Valley. It's known for catering to one crowd, which assiduously sticks the the courduroy, leaving the quality terrain and the trees for the few expert skiers who know what's up.

 

[madskier6]

I'm glad you two joined AZ, along with powderfreak. For a couple of years when I first joined, I was pretty much the only Stowe 'homer' on here. I bet if you were to conduct a poll on here regarding 'best ski area in the east' Sugarbush would win hands down. I doubt Stowe would come in second, maybe not even the top five.

The reality is that most people have this image of Stowe as a place only for the 'rich' and that it's culture is stuck up. I think that's very true if your only snapshot of the place is a day trip on a Saturday. Spend 10 mid-week days there and you know that stereotype is far from the truth. You really have to give the mountain twenty tries and preferably with a knowledgeable guide to truly grasp how vast the skiing options are there and that there isn't a mountain in the east that can deliver such a 'western' like experience if you know where to go.

if i lived within 3.5 hours of stowe vs 3 of bush. i would be at stowe.

Here's my perspective. I love both Sugarbush & Stowe. I am within a 3 hour drive of Sugarbush & 3.5 of Stowe. I went to Sugarbush more due to economic reasons. Stowe is a great mountain & I haven't even been exposed to all the BC stashes. It is one of my favorite mountains in the East. I would go to Stowe more if daily lift tickets weren't $80 plus mid-season. I'm usually paying for me & at least 2 of my children when I go skiing. Other times I'm also paying for my wife and other 2 children as well. In those circumstances, those expensive lift tickets add up fast & make it unaffordable for me. Last season I went to Stowe early season & paid $52 & in March on a ski club day for $38. Those were both great days & I always look for savings days at Stowe when I can hit it affordably.

I don't really care about the "snobby, rich people" attitude at Stowe. I'm there for the skiing. If I were skiing by myself on a powder day with someone who knows the ins & outs of the mountain at Stowe, I would definitely go there. But when financial considerations enter the picture with my family, I go to Sugarbush instead. I realize SB is also somewhat expensive but it still is significantly less for me & my family than Stowe mid-season. Also, when I owned property in the MRV & was buying season passes at SB, I would get one free junior pass with every adult season pass I bought. That helped out quite a bit with making SB more affordable for me & my family.

When I was deciding where to buy a ski condo, I chose the MRV because property values were more affordable there, I liked the vibe of the MRV and I also got the benefit of MRG 5 miles away. For me that was an unbeatable combination. I also like the Town of Stowe so don't misinterpret my statement. On balance, however, the MRV was better for me & my family. Plus, I was only 45 minutes from Stowe. :lol: I wish I still owned my condo in the MRV.

 

[hardline]

i love how a Sugarbush or Sugarloaf thread has become sugarbush or stowe thread.