The Five Toughest Runs in the East

[MadPadraic]

Wee Thomas and I wish to share what we believe are the 5 toughest runs in the East, with a guide.

5. Clusterfuck corner at Sunday River. Worse than the dreaded Kansas trail, and worse than anything that WaWa can serve up.
4. Ripsaw, Loon. Yes, White Heat (SR), Gondi and White Nitro (SL), Avalanche (Cannon) and many others are steeper. However, all those provide surfaces that are occasionally edgable.
3. Super, Mt Orford. Steep with a double fall line and directly under the lift. However, what sets this run apart is the lack of trees and other visual cues to its steepness. It is a bit like riding on steep terrain in the Alps in flat light.
2. Tramline, Cannon. The obvious one.
1. Heaven's gate dismount, Sugarbush. Narrow, steep, bumpy, and the only truly mandatory air in New England.

 

[urungus]

Wee Thomas and I wish to share what we believe are the 5 toughest runs in the East, with a guide.

5. Clusterfuck corner at Sunday River. Worse than the dreaded Kansas trail, and worse than anything that WaWa can serve up.
4. Ripsaw, Loon. Yes, White Heat (SR), Gondi and White Nitro (SL), Avalanche (Cannon) and many others are steeper. However, all those provide surfaces that are occasionally edgable.
3. Super, Mt Orford. Steep with a double fall line and directly under the lift. However, what sets this run apart is the lack of trees and other visual cues to its steepness. It is a bit like riding on steep terrain in the Alps in flat light.
2. Tramline, Cannon. The obvious one.
1. Heaven's gate dismount, Sugarbush. Narrow, steep, bumpy, and the only truly mandatory air in New England.

LOL @ #1 … here’s mine (couldn’t quite cut it down to 5)

7. Paradise, Mad River Glen
6. Madonna Liftline, Smuggs
5. Face Chutes, Jay
4. Backside Snowfields (High Rigger), Sugarloaf
3. The Slides, Whiteface
2. DJs Tramline, Cannon
1. (tie) Long John, Mt Snow / Belt Parkway, Hunter

 

[kingslug]

Goat from the top when its nice and icy..but patrol feels its possible..at least for them.

 

[ceo]

I think I'd rate Kinsman Glade over DJ's Tramline.

 

[2Planker]

When Open, SR's All natural - Locke Line - CrossBow - Tightwire
A different kind of Tough....

 

[ss20]

Poma line at Pico is the most challenging thing I skied back east.

 

[2Planker]

When it was Open, SR's All natural - Locke Line - CrossBow - Tightwire
A different kind of Tough....

 

[chuckstah]

Poma line at Pico is the most challenging thing I skied back east.

Love that line-when it's not one big ice flow

 

[urungus]

Poma line at Pico is the most challenging thing I skied back east.

It’s a toughie for sure but not an official trail, that would open up a whole new can of worms

 

[deadheadskier]

Hairball at Wildcat while short, is definitely one of the tougher EC trails.

 

[2Planker]

Hairball at Wildcat while short, is definitely one of the tougher EC trails.

Hasn't been open in years but YES

 

[BenedictGomez]

1) Intermediate trails on Saturday at Hunter.
2) Intermediate trails on Saturday at Hunter.
3) Intermediate trails on Saturday at Hunter.
4) Intermediate trails on Saturday at Hunter.
5) Intermediate trails on Saturday at Hunter.

 

[SkiingInABlueDream]

I skied Hairball 2 years ago. On that day it was filled in thicker than I'd ever seen, almost to the point that you didn't have to work to avoid any of the boulders. I agree it's a great trail.

 

[Zand]

1. Downspout
2. Bypass (Cannon)
3. Bittersweet on a Saturday
4. Long John
5. Goat (but the old one...like...the one at Jay)

In all seriousness... I think the toughness of some of the more notorious Eastern trails is overdone, but may be underdone on some less notorious trails. For example, I think CR Liftline is much more difficult than Rumble. Lookout at Stowe more than National and Liftline. Some IMO don't really live up to their notoriety (not saying they're not great trails) such as Paradise, Tux Chutes at Jay, Kinsman, etc. And then some are just as tough as they say, like the tops of Goat and Starr (which are not much unlike Poma Line at Pico, and Pico does not feel should be on the trail map), Liftline at Smuggs, Tramline at Cannon, Face Chutes, and Yodeler.

My real top 5 is probably...

1. Smuggs Liftline
2. Face Chutes
3. Tramline
4. Goat
5. Castlerock Liftline

Poma Line would probably slot in at #3 if it were on the map. And honorable mention to the Bailey Falls Liftline at Middlebury, that cliff is pretty hairy too.

 

[parahelia]

When Open, SR's All natural - Locke Line - CrossBow - Tightwire
A different kind of Tough....

I used to love Crossbow - it was a casualty of the new T-bar and is no more. Locke Line, Tightwire, Uppercut - all that stuff is so fun. Those old narrow trails hold their snow so well, too.

Bubblecuffer and Misery Whip are always good for a challenge at Sugarloaf.

 

[MadPadraic]

I think I'd rate Kinsman Glade over DJ's Tramline.

I disagree. Kinsman is a much more fun trail, but Tramline is much harder. BTW, if you like Kinsman, I found a few tails at Mt Sutton with a very similar feel (though not nearly as long).

I think CR Liftline is much more difficult than Rumble.

I completely agree. However, let's face it, neither one is as tough as the Heaven's gate dismount ramp.

 

[Zand]

I don't think Kinsman is even close to Tramline in terms of difficulty. If you hit it on a bad day, it's long as hell with no bailouts so maybe that can be a problem for someone who's not ready for it. But none of it gets problematically steep and there isn't anything super technical in it.

When the snow is good, it's probably my favorite glade in the east. But definitely not nearly as difficult as Tramline.

 

[Edd]

When Open, SR's All natural - Locke Line - CrossBow - Tightwire
A different kind of Tough....

Super fun line. When that’s in good shape you’re having a good day at SR.

Honestly, few trails make me more nervous than Big Link at Cannon from the top of Peabody to the base of Cannonball Quad .

 

[MadPadraic]

Honestly, few trails make me more nervous than Big Link at Cannon from the top of Peabody to the base of Cannonball Quad .

This is a similar experience to the HG dismount in terms of crowding and ice, except at HG you only have one foot strapped in and it is steeper.