ducky
Active member
Ole's XC been open since Friday, btw. Groomed and all. Go get it.
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The "Sugarbush Thread"
- Thread starter thetrailboss
- Start date
MadPadraic
Active member
Why the hate for Stratton? It's definitely not my favorite hill, but I've never understood the severe negativity it receives here. Whatever trails they have open are certainly on par with (or a lot better than) what SB is planning on opening with.
KustyTheKlown
Well-known member
i am steered to stratton by logistics frequently.
THE BAD:
- it is boring and all the trails are just about the same pitch, length, vertical, width, etc. a few of them have a more meandering quality, but its just very STERILE, and not very challenging or interesting.
- they overgroom. once they are in season its basically a 90%+ nightly grooming plan.
- the typical stratton skier is not very skilled
- ease of access (distance + ikon) can make saturdays pretty brutal for crowds
- elevation advantage in southern vermont. no one else is nearly as high, and that matters more down south
- the snowmaking is pretty great, and they are a consistent option for running 1400 vertical foot groomers when that is the only option due to weather/conditions
- they have surprisingly good tree skiing and lots of it. nothing too hairy/crazy, but just lots of nice open tree skiing
- the good tree skiing is hardly ever touched by their unskilled skiers
urungus
Well-known member
The lack of steeps, the fake village, the bankers dentists and white fur trimmed jumpsuit clientele, overgroomed and crowded - especially now that it is one of only two IKON unlimited options in New England, even on the base pass. Still go there occasionally myself when Sunbowl is open (to avoid parking and gondola zoo around main lodge) and/or woods are open
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MadPadraic
Active member
These are perfectly good reasons to not label Stratton as your favorite, but neither one is close to "you couldn't pay me to ski there."
Newpylong
Well-known member
I think it's a pretty good place mid-week.
Not interested in the crowds and the trails are not as interesting as others that are not that far away
KustyTheKlown
Well-known member
i evolved from 'couldn't pay me to ski there' to begrudging quasi regular.
its all circumstantial. a lot of the times its just the best distance vs value vs conditions play for me. it is what it is. its better than not skiing.
HokieDave
New member
- Joined
- Dec 4, 2023
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- 3
- Points
- 3
Does anyone have any intel about why so many snow guns are off? You can tell by looking at the webcams. Even on the Gatehouse side, many are not making snow, while a couple are.
Ok sure pay me to drive 2+ hrs to ski there. I revise my statement.
And agreed: Skiing there beats not skiing...except if it's a weekend or holiday...
Maybe done and will let drain before pushing around for Wednesday? Hopefully we see things light up on SB/SF side, or on NL.
Sad looking at NR cam and seeing the chairs on the ground...
Based on the Mountain View cam from the golf course...looks like they have basically 1.5 routes off GH going right now (Pushover/Lower Pushover and Slowpoke). That may not leave them much excess to use anywhere else depending on what stage they're running at.
MadPadraic
Active member
I'll drop it after this--clearly I prefer Sugarbush as I'm active in this thread and have purchased a home here, but ...
Stratton has four different black runs (*) in their upper POD that are open today. They have 2000 vertical feet open. Sugarbush is going to open with a single greenish way down on something like 700 of vertical. I don't like Stratton enough burn a vacation day and make the drive from Waitsfield today, but I'd certainly take them over Sugarbush this week.
* Don't give us that crap about "a black at Stratton is only a green at Sugarbush" It isn't true. In terms of difficulty, It isn't Sugarbush or Sugarloaf, but it isn't Okemo or Sunapee either.
Stratton has four different black runs (*) in their upper POD that are open today. They have 2000 vertical feet open. Sugarbush is going to open with a single greenish way down on something like 700 of vertical. I don't like Stratton enough burn a vacation day and make the drive from Waitsfield today, but I'd certainly take them over Sugarbush this week.
* Don't give us that crap about "a black at Stratton is only a green at Sugarbush" It isn't true. In terms of difficulty, It isn't Sugarbush or Sugarloaf, but it isn't Okemo or Sunapee either.
I much prefer sugarbush but was at Stratton on Sunday. The skiing was great including some all natural trails.
Not only did they have all the trails open as mentioned above but they were blowing on another 5 or 6 runs. Sugarbush needs a snowmaking upgrade and more access to water to be able to open up faster like some of these other mountains. Blowing one trail at a time is time consuming.
Not only did they have all the trails open as mentioned above but they were blowing on another 5 or 6 runs. Sugarbush needs a snowmaking upgrade and more access to water to be able to open up faster like some of these other mountains. Blowing one trail at a time is time consuming.
drjeff
Well-known member
All the ski area forum "cool kids" told them they should hate it.
Obviously for many it works. Heck when I took the semi scenic way back from Okemo to my condo at Mount Snow and drove through the Stratton base area, they had the parking garage area full, lot 1 just down the street full, and lot 2, further down towards the road to the Sunbowl across the street from their mtn ops buildings, was easily 85/90% full for their opening day.
As long as folks are out enjoying themselves while sliding down a snow covered mtn, all good in my book
Except for one pitch it basically is Okemo and Sunapee.
I have no hate for any of these areas BTW.
I am not an early season guy and my first turns will be at Sugarbush the day after Christmas. But I can't help but wonder WTF is going on up there this season and why are they keeping so quiet? I'm starting to think about along the lines of should we cancel our rental while we still can and I don't like thinking that way.
nhskier1969
Active member
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- Feb 1, 2016
- Messages
- 434
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- 28
Loons opening tomorrow. Loons base is at 1000ft elevation
NYDB
Well-known member
You should be in Stratton marketing.
SkiTheEast
Member
- Joined
- Apr 9, 2019
- Messages
- 54
- Points
- 8
The Sugarbush account commented on an Instagram post that there is a Sugarblog post coming tomorrow with some operational updates. Perhaps we get the latest with HG and answers to the some of the questions being thrown around the last few days on opening day delays.
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