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Top 5 East Coast Spring Skiing Destinations

BeefyBoy50

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I really want to go spring skiing sometime in the next couple weekends. What do you guys think are the top 5 places to go between now and mid-April, given the conditions?
Tucks/other backcountry areas count as answers.
 

thetrailboss

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Killington
Sugarloaf
Tuckerman's
Mount Washington--Auto Road to the East Snowfields
Jay Peak (as of late)
 

abc

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I'm not sure the "next couple of weekends" qualify as spring skiing. It's still only mid-March. Practically all the mountains are still fully open. So it's a matter of what kind of condition you're looking for.

If it's soft bumps, I'd say Hunter.

If it's potential powder, I'd say Jay

If you want good variety and good mid-winter condition, well, I'm going to Stowe this coming weekend!
 

KevinF

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Well, you're going to get "skiing in spring" because winter ends in a few days, but actual spring conditions are a ways out yet. This is another week of cold and snow (in Vermont at least).
 

deadheadskier

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Yeah at this point, anywhere that gets good Sun exposure and the temps rise to 45+ degrees. I'd say keep an eye on a place like Bromley for the next few weeks.

When it gets into April

Sugarloaf - Killington goes longer, but the Loaf will have by far the most terrain late season

Killington has length of season

Sunday River goes to May, also large terrain open late, low elevation means it softens earlier in the day

Wildcat great snow retention and spring bumps. Usually last mountain standing in NH

Jay - usually second to close behind K. Often has good trees to ski still in mid-late April
 

deadheadskier

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It will be interesting to see if they push it beyond May 3rd. While I don't think anyone would complain if they closed up shop with plenty of snow on Lynx that weekend, staying open to the 10th would generate a lot of buzz.

Hopefully I can end my season where I started it.......and maybe my legs and skiing won't be so pathetic as they were in November!!
 

C-Rex

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Sugarloaf, Jay, Stowe all have great trees in the spring if that's your thing. It's definitely mine. :) Killington will have bumps for months yet and the umbrella bars are a great place to party on a sunny day. Mount Snow with Carinthia in particular, is excellent during the spring if you like park stuff. Those big jumps soften up and progression is the word of the day. For something closer to home for you, check out Berkshire East. They've been having an excellent year.
 

yeggous

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Wildcat is definitely trying to make a statement this year.


Sent from my iPad using AlpineZone mobile app
 

BenedictGomez

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Sugarloaf
Jay Peak
Sunday River
Smuggler's Notch
Stowe

NOTE: The above is NOT my ranking of "best glades", the above is a combination of snowpack, weather, and "tree-quality" driven metrics, with importance of those three factors in order for Spring trees (i.e. you need snow to ski, you need the right weather to have & keep snow, and you need nice glades to enjoy tree skiing).
 
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skiMEbike

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Sugarloaf
Sugarloaf
Sugarloaf
Sugarloaf
Sunday River

Aside from skiing Jay & Saddleback late season, these are the only places I've skied late in the season. Sugarloaf typically has the coverage, snowpack, and variety to make it the spring destination, however the first day of Spring @ the Loaf is "technically" the Friday of Reggae weekend (April 10). Sunday River makes my list due to amount of snowmaking thorughout the year & great work the groomers do, however come early April they begin to shutdown access to the East & West ends of the resort (which IMO is their best terrain).

Do yourself a favor & book a trip for Reggae weekend at the Loaf & don't worry about the crowds (they are usually in the bars & not on the slopes). Hands down my best days at Sugarloaf have been in April.
 

Scruffy

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Sugarloaf
Jay Peak
Sunday River
Smuggler's Notch
Stowe

NOTE: The above is NOT my ranking of "best glades", the above is a combination of snowpack, weather, and "tree-quality" driven metrics, with importance of those three factors in order for Spring trees (i.e. you need snow to ski, you need the right weather to have & keep snow, and you need nice glades to enjoy tree skiing).

I didn't think he was asking about tree skiing only, but thanks for your take on it.

I'll add:
MRG
Sugarbush
Get to MRG soon though, I don't think they'll hold out till mid-April. I was there last Wednesday and it was soft spring bumps all over the place, next day a cold front moved in and it was set up cement, same with the Bush. So it really depends on the day.
 

boston_e

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Echoing what many are saying, when I think of spring skiing I think of Killington and Sugarloaf. The mogulfest and reggae weekends are pretty great spring parties!
 

The Sneak

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The loaf is just insane in April. My April ski days there have ranged from 25 and dumping to 65 F and brilliant sunshine. Everything from 100% open to absolutely zero snow in King Pine area. It rules.
 

Grizzly Adams

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was at Jay for their spring fest and pond skim last year and it was a riot. Usually keep a decent amount of snow late in the season, and the trees stay nice later than most other mountains... I was up there last weekend and they had a ton of snow, with cool night temps and the possibility of another storm or two they will probably keep a good amount for many weeks to come, I'm planning on making at least one more trek up there before they shut down for the summer
 

BeefyBoy50

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Thanks for all the replies, guys! I love reading this stuff, it reminds me that winter isn't over. I was just out West last week in Jackson Hole, and even though they (at the beginning of last week) had had the most snow of any ski area in the US, it was like 45-50 degrees every day and spring was definitely showing. As far as I know, Jay Peak has now received more snow than anywhere in the US, including JHole and even Alyeska, so I guess winter definitely isn't over yet in the East!
Tree skiing is my favorite type of skiing so I appreciate that enthusiasm. I'm really stoked to potentially go to Tuckerman's, although I've never back country skied like that before.
I'm on the ski team at Penn and just sent a message to the rest of my group to see everyone's interest on going up for a weekend. I already got a couple responses so it looks like I'll be trying to go up in early or mid April and I'll definitely use your guys' input.
 

BenedictGomez

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I didn't think he was asking about tree skiing only, but thanks for your take on it.

Hmmm..... yeah, I think that was a complete & total reading comprehension failure on my part.

At this point I think my mind just equates Spring Skiing with, "where can I best get into the trees".
 

ceo

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I was at MRG Wednesday too, and was guessing it was going to be a frozen mess the next day.
 

Madroch

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Sb- castlerock before it melts out- soft moguls everywhere- after the rock goes- paradise, spillsville and ripcord- then (at least in prior years but not this year apparently)-steins...
 
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