Tops in ten categories

[highpeaksdrifter]

Who would you add or subtract?

NASJA MEMBERS VOTE "BEST OF..." IN 10 CATEGORIES

05-03-04

Vancouver, BC, CANADA (May 3, 2004)

NASJA members picked their favorites in ten categories ranging from "Best Ski Towns in America" to "Best Kept Secret Areas." The balloting concluded recently, with only press members of the organization eligible to vote.

Best Ski Town
West: 1) Telluride CO, 2) Aspen CO, 3) Breckenridge CO.
East: 1) Stowe VT, 2) Mt Tremblant QC, 3) Lake Placid, NY

Best Base Lodge
West: 1) Sun Valley ID, 2) Deer Valley UT, 3) Winter Park CO
East: 1) (3 way tie): LeMassif QC, Okemo, VT, Bretton Woods NH

Best Lift Network
West: 1) Whistler Blackcomb BC, 2) Vail CO, 3) Mammoth CA
East: 1) Stratton VT, 2) Mt Tremblant QC, 3) Sugarbush VT

Best For Cruising
West: 1) Deer Valley UT, 2) Snowmass CO, 3) (tie) Grand Targhee WY, Alta UT
East: 1) Okemo VT, 2) Stratton VT, 3) Mt Snow VT

Best Tree Skiing
West: 1) Taos NM, 2) Red Mountain BC 3) Whistler Blackcomb BC
East: 1) Jay Peak VT, 2) (tie) Sutton QC, Mad River Glen VT


Best Grooming:
West: 1) Deer Valley UT, 2) Vail/Beaver Creek CO, 3) Mammoth CA
East: 1) Okemo VT, 2) Bretton Woods NH, 3) Sunday River ME

Best Terrain Park/ Free Skiing
West: 1) Mammoth CA, 2) Whistler Blackcomb BC 3) Crested Butte CO
East: 1) Okemo VT, 2) Mad River Glen VT, 3) Waterville Valley NH

Best Apres Ski
West: 1) Whistler Blackcomb BC, 2) Vail CO, 3) Sun Valley ID
East: 1) Mt Tremblant QC, 2) Killington VT, 3) Lake Placid NY

Best For Families
West: 1) Steamboat CO, 2) Winter Park CO, 3) Beaver Creek CO
East: 1) Smugglers Notch VT, 2) Sugarloaf ME, 3) Cranmore NH

Best Kept Secret
West: 1) Schweitzer ID, 2) Wolf Creek CO, 3) Marmot Basin ALB
East: 1) LeMassif QC, 2) Sutton, QC, 3) Gore NY

I would add Loveland to best secrets in the West. It doesn't get any run as a destination area like so many of it's other Front Range neighbors. The place has bowls, steeps, trees ,trees, and more trees and I believe one of the top average snowfalls in Colorado. Never crowded and realitively cheap lift tickets. It remains me in some ways of A-Basin (old school), but it's not as good as The Legend.

 

[Treeliner]

whhaaat-

MRG #2 for best Terrain Park skiing? LOL, last time I checked Mad River Glen didn't even have a terrain park...

-and Alta isn't exactly what I think of when I hear 'Best for Cruising'

Interesting though, because you usually hear about and see polls where the general public is voting, rather than the press.

 

[riverc0il]

the absence of burke for cruising and tree skiing is a glaring omission.

the idea of combining "free skiing" and a terrain park in the same catagory is ludicrous. i hate the term "free skiing" -- skiing at ski areas isn't free! lame!

there are so many best kept secrets around new england it is not even funny. i find it hard to imagine gore is a true secret. burke, magic (to a lesser extent as it doesn't appeal to all), saddleback, and many more would merit consideration.

 

[andyzee]

Best Lift Network
East: 1) Stratton VT, 2) Mt Tremblant QC, 3) Sugarbush VT

As much as I like Sugarbush, I'd say Killington has them beat by a longshot here.

 

[deadheadskier]

I found the Sugarbush inclusion in the best lift network category quite puzzling as well.

Its good, but I hate the fact that there's no base to summit lift at either mountain. I'm surpised Sunday River wasn't on that list for lift networks.

Killington I would NOT vote as better than Sugarbush though

 

[awf170]

MRG should win best lift system... atleast you can get more than one run without everything being huge moguls.

 

[andyzee]

I found the Sugarbush inclusion in the best lift network category quite puzzling as well.

Its good, but I hate the fact that there's no base to summit lift at either mountain. I'm surpised Sunday River wasn't on that list for lift networks.

Killington I would NOT vote as better than Sugarbush though

I'm only talking in terms of the lift system.

 

[Starter Jackets Rule!]

whhaaat-

MRG #2 for best Terrain Park skiing? LOL, last time I checked Mad River Glen didn't even have a terrain park...

Now Hold on there babalouie..... MRG is a Terrain park!!!

 

[deadheadskier]

I found the Sugarbush inclusion in the best lift network category quite puzzling as well.

Its good, but I hate the fact that there's no base to summit lift at either mountain. I'm surpised Sunday River wasn't on that list for lift networks.

Killington I would NOT vote as better than Sugarbush though

I'm only talking in terms of the lift system.

I was referring to the lift system as well. I think the lift system at Killington is horrid outside of the K-1, Ramshead and Superstar chairs.

I think many of the faults though that I find in the lift system at Killington has more to do with the trail system than the actual lifts. There's just far too many intersections and connector trails at that mountain instead of true fall line skiing.

Some lifts just make absolutely no sense to me. I can't understand why they thought it important to make Needles Eye an Express lift instead of the Skye Peak Quad or the Snowdon Triple or Quad.

 

[teachski]

Best Base Lodge
East: 1) (3 way tie): LeMassif QC, Okemo, VT, Bretton Woods NH

OKEMO????, that lodge is horrible! Try Wilderness' lodge

Best Kept Secret
East: 1) LeMassif QC, 2) Sutton, QC, 3) Gore NY

Burke should clearly be in this one.

I agree with RC on Burke also belonging in the tree skiing best category.

I was really scratching my head about MRG in the park category. Maybe it was meant as a joke? Maybe there was some loose translation of free skiing.

 

[Zand]

Best Base Lodge
East: 1) (3 way tie): LeMassif QC, Okemo, VT, Bretton Woods NH

If they mean Jackson gore base, OK, but I hope they don't mean Okemo base. 2nd worse in NE right behind Sunapee's Spruce.

Best Ski Town
West: 1) Telluride CO, 2) Aspen CO, 3) Breckenridge CO.
East: 1) Stowe VT, 2) Mt Tremblant QC, 3) Lake Placid, NY

The east should have Waitsfield included. I mean, you've got Sugarbush AND MRG. 2 of the best areas in NE right in the same town.

Best Terrain Park/ Free Skiing
West: 1) Mammoth CA, 2) Whistler Blackcomb BC 3) Crested Butte CO
East: 1) Okemo VT, 2) Mad River Glen VT, 3) Waterville Valley NH

Yea, I love that invisible terrain park at MRG too. :roll:

 

[JimG.]

Categorizing MRG as one of the top areas for terrain parks is ridiculous for 2 reasons:

1) Most folks think of terrain parks as snowboarder terrain and MRG doesn't allow snowboarding.

2) MRG does not have a terrain park.

So I think the inclusion is under the "freeskiing" label. That term is vague, but it certainly does apply to MRG. Everywhere at MRG is fair game on a good snow day and that's what makes it such a great place.

 

[thetrailboss]

Who would you add or subtract?


Best Ski Town
East: 1) Stowe VT, 2) Mt Tremblant QC, 3) Lake Placid, NY

North Conway is not listed???? What about Killington??

Best Base Lodge
West: 1) Sun Valley ID, 2) Deer Valley UT, 3) Winter Park CO
East: 1) (3 way tie): LeMassif QC, Okemo, VT, Bretton Woods NH

LeMassif? Isn't that in the middle of nowhere and I think of it as having 'concrete bunker' like facilities? BW's lodge is better than it was...

Best Lift Network
West: 1) Whistler Blackcomb BC, 2) Vail CO, 3) Mammoth CA
East: 1) Stratton VT, 2) Mt Tremblant QC, 3) Sugarbush VT

No Sunday River??? Wow! Sugarbush's lifts are great when they're working...

Best For Cruising
West: 1) Deer Valley UT, 2) Snowmass CO, 3) (tie) Grand Targhee WY, Alta UT
East: 1) Okemo VT, 2) Stratton VT, 3) Mt Snow VT

No qualms here...but I would have added Sunday River.

Best Tree Skiing
West: 1) Taos NM, 2) Red Mountain BC 3) Whistler Blackcomb BC
East: 1) Jay Peak VT, 2) (tie) Sutton QC, Mad River Glen VT

Maybe tie Sutton with Burke.

Best Grooming:
West: 1) Deer Valley UT, 2) Vail/Beaver Creek CO, 3) Mammoth CA
East: 1) Okemo VT, 2) Bretton Woods NH, 3) Sunday River ME

Yep, consistent. :wink:

Best Terrain Park/ Free Skiing
West: 1) Mammoth CA, 2) Whistler Blackcomb BC 3) Crested Butte CO
East: 1) Okemo VT, 2) Mad River Glen VT, 3) Waterville Valley NH

Yeah, why combine these categories? 'Free-skiing' implies ski anywhere...woods, trails, etc. So MRG is a good choice, but it is not in the same camp as WV or Okemo who probably have good parks. :blink: I'd also say that SR has a good park as does Wachusett. Seems like these guys love Okemo :-?

Best Apres Ski
West: 1) Whistler Blackcomb BC, 2) Vail CO, 3) Sun Valley ID
East: 1) Mt Tremblant QC, 2) Killington VT, 3) Lake Placid NY

Tremblant? Placid? How about North Conway?

Best For Families
West: 1) Steamboat CO, 2) Winter Park CO, 3) Beaver Creek CO
East: 1) Smugglers Notch VT, 2) Sugarloaf ME, 3) Cranmore NH

Smuggs always wins this one and yet their lift infrastructure is OLD and decrepit. Great expert terrain...very under-rated place. Cranmore is a good choice, but SUGARLOAF? :blink: The kids will kill you on the ride up! Would have thought something like Loon or WV might have been better. Heck, Pats Peak is a good choice. :wink:

Best Kept Secret
West: 1) Schweitzer ID, 2) Wolf Creek CO, 3) Marmot Basin ALB
East: 1) LeMassif QC, 2) Sutton, QC, 3) Gore NY

Le Massif must have funded this survey as well :wink: I've heard good things. And where's Burke? Bolton Valley?

 

[bvibert]

Seems like these guys love Okemo :-?

You noticed that too? :blink:

 

[ozskier]

Sunday River's lift system used to be top notch. It has been lagging as of late IMHO. Something needs to be done about the staggering lines over at Barker and South Ridge.

Wait, this sounds like a perfect opportunity for me to go on my Barker basin to Spruce summit gondola/6 pack rant...

Ehh, I don't have the time to write that all out.


(Best tree skiing : Saddleback)

 

[thetrailboss]

Sunday River's lift system used to be top notch. It has been lagging as of late IMHO. Something needs to be done about the staggering lines over at Barker and South Ridge.

Wait, this sounds like a perfect opportunity for me to go on my Barker basin to Spruce summit gondola/6 pack rant...

Ehh, I don't have the time to write that all out.


(Best tree skiing : Saddleback)

Yeah, we noticed the lines even on midweek were pretty excessive at South Ridge, hence why we used Barker instead :wink:

 

[Bkroon9175]

Le Massif is wonderful. The lodge is nice and the food much better than anything you will experiencein New England. Don't knock it until you try it.

 

[thetrailboss]

Le Massif is wonderful. The lodge is nice and the food much better than anything you will experiencein New England. Don't knock it until you try it.

Not knocking it, but just being critical because like Okemo it appears listed numerous times in this 'rating article' and LeMassif is a place that is not well-known. From what I've seen and read it seems like quite a place.

 

[jamesdeluxe]

LeMassif? Isn't that in the middle of nowhere and I think of it as having 'concrete bunker' like facilities? BW's lodge is better than it was...

Wrong on both counts.

 

[riverc0il]

having my first sugarloaf experience as a 12 year old kid, i was blown away by sugarloaf and it remains one of my favorite family trips from my younger years. i completely agree with sugarloaf as a great family mountain.