The North Face at Mount Snow vs. Hunter West

[Greg]

I personally think these two areas ski pretty similarly. Perhaps TNF has a bit more pitch and vert, but they feel pretty similar to me. I have to give a slight edge to TNF in terms of amount of terrain and challenge, but I haven't given Hunter's West side a fair evaluation yet. In fact, I've only skied Claire's and Way Out. If you take the rest of the terrain at the respective ski areas into consideration, I think Hunter closes the gap greatly. Outside of TNF, the only run that can be considered for challenge at Mount Snow is Beartrap. Hunter has a number of great runs down the front including K27, Racer's, etc. For advanced skiers, I have to say overall they are pretty comparable. Snow is a better option for intermediate with a lot of nice terrain down the front face though. Thoughts?

 

[dmc]

We gotta get you on Westway and Anna Purna... Then you make up your mind...

 

[Greg]

We gotta get you on Westway and Anna Purna... Then you make up your mind...

I'll be there. Pray for snow. My estimation is based on terrain that I can see and TNF just seems steeper overall, but I'm open-minded and again will give an updated opinion once I get on more of the West runs.

 

[Marc]

I wish the terrain of TNF at Snow was facing the same side of the mt as Beartrap. I can't comment on the comparison though, never been to Hunter.

 

[Greg]

I wish the terrain of TNF at Snow was facing the same side of the mt as Beartrap.

If that was the case, it wouldn't be open nearly as long and the mountain would need to blow a ton of snow on it. Beartrap faces SSW. I understand your statement was rhetorical....

 

[MarkC]

My vote would go to Hunter West hands down. With wall to wall bumps on westway and a mean double fall line on purna Hunter West defiantly has some of the most challenging terrain in the east. Mt Snow may have more vert but defiantly lacks some of the terrain features that the west side possesses. With local knowledge there are some great lines to be had.

 

[marcski]

If HW got the same amount of snow as the TNF....hands down HW. TNF is very fun too. Gregg, there are some fun woods runs on the main face of MS that provide a challenge, but nothing steep to talk about. However, the Woods on the North Face are great. But, from what I hear, so are the ones off the HW....I just don't them as well.

 

[JimG.]

My vote would go to Hunter West hands down. With wall to wall bumps on westway and a mean double fall line on purna Hunter West defiantly has some of the most challenging terrain in the east. Mt Snow may have more vert but defiantly lacks some of the terrain features that the west side possesses. With local knowledge there are some great lines to be had.

You do know Hunter...I'm guessing from your location that you get to Plattekill a bit too.
Would be great to hook up for a day of ripping this season.

 

[Newpylong]

I don't even think there is a contest. With basically 4 trails ( one of them being as wide as Superstar) Hunter West doesn't offer anywhere near the terrain that the North Face does. Ripcord is steeper (but way shorter) than anything at Hunter. Hunter has nothing like Jaws of Death or Olympic over there as far as natural runs.

 

[catskills]

Many years ago before Mount Snow made even one flake of man made snow and Hunter had been in the man made snow making business for a number of years, Karl Plattner and Orville Slutsky drove up to Mount Snow to talk about Hunter Mtns snow making operation. While Orville and Karl explained their snowmaking operation, the Mount Snow area management said, "I am glad Mount Snow if far enough North that we don't have to make snow here in Vertmont". On the drive back to Hunter, Karl and Orville said to each other , the Mount Snow managers have no clue. :roll:

I have the video tape interview of both Karl Plattner and Orville Slutsky discussing this and many other interesting historical ski trivia. I need to get that tape transferred to a DVD for safe keeping.

 

[2knees]

i have no idea how nice hunter west can be, but i KNOW the north face is underapreciated. I read on message boards how easy Mt Snow is and i cant help but think, "can you really run jaws, plummet or free fall when they are wall to wall bumps? Internet warriors slay mtns without really skiing them. I'm sure hunter can be just as fun as the north face.

 

[highpeaksdrifter]

Internet warriors slay mtns without really skiing them.

Great Line. :-D

 

[AHM]

lots of skiers slay a lot of lines.........rippin' it up in your own mind............

And really, that's all that matters. It actually doesn't matter how good a skier you are. What matters is if you are enjoying it. Just listen to any number of skiers in the bar following a day on the hill, and everyone of them ripped it up, skied "sick" lines, hammered the bumps, threw monster air. It is what it is, and that is what makes skiing great. What's even funnier, is when you are in the company of a really good skier (like Coombs, Klammer, Zurby, Egan), you never hear them talk about rippin' the line. They just sit back, listen and.....................laugh.

Now to Hunter west: nice terrain there. Steep, icy bumps on Anna Purna, good pitch, it's excellent terrain. Snow's NF: without it, it is pretty much a groomer hill. It is also good terrain, but worth the drive from NYC and points south ?? Probably not, given that Hunter is a couple hours max..............unless of course, there is a southern Nor'easter coming, then Snow can be pretty nice.

Overall, I would view both sections as pretty equivalent.

 

[JimG.]

i have no idea how nice hunter west can be, but i KNOW the north face is underapreciated. I read on message boards how easy Mt Snow is and i cant help but think, "can you really run jaws, plummet or free fall when they are wall to wall bumps? Internet warriors slay mtns without really skiing them. I'm sure hunter can be just as fun as the north face.

I tried to get you over to Clair's the day you were at Hunter, but Ike bumps kept getting in the way for you.

You missed several impressive slides for life that afternoon (fortunately none in our group).

 

[JimG.]

And really, that's all that matters. It actually doesn't matter how good a skier you are. What matters is if you are enjoying it. Just listen to any number of skiers in the bar following a day on the hill, and everyone of them ripped it up, skied "sick" lines, hammered the bumps, threw monster air. It is what it is, and that is what makes skiing great. What's even funnier, is when you are in the company of a really good skier (like Coombs, Klammer, Zurby, Egan), you never hear them talk about rippin' the line. They just sit back, listen and.....................laugh.

Now to Hunter west: nice terrain there. Steep, icy bumps on Anna Purna, good pitch, it's excellent terrain. Snow's NF: without it, it is pretty much a groomer hill. It is also good terrain, but worth the drive from NYC and points south ?? Probably not, given that Hunter is a couple hours max..............unless of course, there is a southern Nor'easter coming, then Snow can be pretty nice.

Overall, I would view both sections as pretty equivalent.

I think this sums the whole thread up perfectly.

 

[2knees]

I tried to get you over to Clair's the day you were at Hunter, but Ike bumps kept getting in the way for you.

You missed several impressive slides for life that afternoon (fortunately none in our group).

one track mind.
I'll be back this year for sure and i'll force myself to check it out more thouroghly.

 

[Talisman]

With wall to wall bumps on westway and a mean double fall line on purna Hunter West defiantly has some of the most challenging terrain in the east.

I have never skied Hunter but do find some hubris in this statement when I think of the challenge offered by Tuckerman's Ravine, Gulf of Slides, the slides on White Face, the Chic-Choc's or some of the lines on Mt Mansfield.

I have skied the North Face at Mt Snow and there are some fun runs especially with natural snow but don't think there is anything I would categorize as 'some of the most challenging terrain in the east'. Not that the terrain is easy dodging all those people.

 

[JimG.]

I have never skied Hunter but do find some hubris in this statement when I think of the challenge offered by Tuckerman's Ravine, Gulf of Slides, the slides on White Face, the Chic-Choc's or some of the lines on Mt Mansfield.

I have skied the North Face at Mt Snow and there are some fun runs especially with natural snow but don't think there is anything I would categorize as 'some of the most challenging terrain in the east'. Not that the terrain is easy dodging all those people.

I think we are all limiting our comments to lift served terrain only.

If not, I totally agree with you.

 

[dmc]

I have never skied Hunter but do find some hubris in this statement when I think of the challenge offered by Tuckerman's Ravine, Gulf of Slides, the slides on White Face, the Chic-Choc's or some of the lines on Mt Mansfield.

I don't think it was anyones intention to includes Tuckerman Ravine(not Tuckerman's) et all in the thread..

I do think that the GOS is pretty easy.. Not really challenging but nice...

 

[Greg]

I think we are all limiting our comments to lift served terrain only.

If not, I totally agree with you.

Lift-serviced, on-piste probably. But I see Talisman's point. Even considering just in bounds, lift-serviced terrain, can Anna Purna really stack up to some of the most challenging runs in the East? This is a serious question. I've never skied it.