Vertical, pitch, terrain or snowfall?

[Greg]

Assume price, proximity, and infrastructure (lifts, amenities, etc.) are negligible, what's the most important component for you.

• Lots of vertical
• Steep overall pitch
• Interesting terrain (e.g. New England style trails, glades, etc.)
• Abundant natural snowfall

You can only pick one. Terrain here.

 

[deadheadskier]

Snowfall - hands down

I would say my three best days last season were at places that are somewhat lacking in terrain and on the smaller size: Mt. Abram, Black Mountain and Shawnee Peak. On a powder day, almost anywhere can be good and sometimes the smaller mountains a better bet due to lack of competition

 

[mister moose]

Snowfall - hands down

On a powder day, almost anywhere can be good and sometimes the smaller mountains a better bet due to lack of competition

+1. Soft is where it's at.

 

[Dr Skimeister]

Terrain.
Of course snowfall can have a make-or-break influence, but it's the variable that we have least control over.

 

[severine]

Terrain.

Then again, pitch scares me still at the moment. :lol:

 

[cbcbd]

I like them all but I really dig it when the pitch gets real steep, even if for just a short section of vert.


Vert would probably be last on the list, I'm not really a vert counter.

 

[Warp Daddy]

Snowfall

 

[Trekchick]

Terrain











no,










snowfall














no,

















pitch



















ARGH!!!!
I can't pick one!!

 

[Vortex]

As a constant it would be steepness/pitch. As a variable it would be snow.

 

[Beetlenut]

Interesting terrain (New England style glades, mogules, natural trails, etc.)

It's New England after all. The only constant you can count on!

 

[AdironRider]

Personally I think this question is flawed as snowfall, vert, and pitch all make up a mountains "terrain" if you will, but if its steep, I like it. So yeah, pitch for this guy.

 

[hardline]

snow

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

Assume price, proximity, and infrastructure (lifts, amenities, etc.) are negligible, what's the most important component for you.

• Lots of vertical
• Steep overall pitch
• Interesting terrain (e.g. New England style trails, glades, etc.)
• Abundant natural snowfall

You can only pick one. Terrain here.

All four but seriously..most places with lots of natural snowfall have lots of vert, steep terrain, and interesting terrain..Stowe and Jackson hole come to mind..

 

[snoseek]

Snow always for me, without much competition. I prefer not having to rush the day to get untracked. Terrain is a close second.

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

Storm skiing is my favorite whether at Blue mountain or Jackson Hole..skiing when it's dumping and the tracks are constantly being refreshed is so great. Visibility is over-rated when there's fresh Poe everywhere..mad Edgar Allen..

 

[madskier6]

I would have to say terrain first. Snow is definitely second though.

As an example, I skied one day last season at Stratton with 6 inches of fresh powder plus it was snowing on & off during the day. It was a very good day but IMHO not as good as if I was skiing on some good terrain. For me, the good snow didn't make up for the lack of challenging terrain. I'm not a big Stratton fan but I will ski there if the price is right, which it was that day ($32). When I do ski at Stratton, I expect to ski fast groomer zoomers & carve most of the day. I usually have fun doing that although I wouldn't want to do it every day out.

So my point is, good terrain is very important for me.

 

[skimore]

has to be snow....2 out of the other 3 can be accomplished with creativity where the snow is

 

[Geoff]

snowfall

At a mountain that gets plenty of snow, you can make your own terrain in the woods. It can be interesting even if it's not steep.

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

I would have to say terrain first. Snow is definitely second though.

As an example, I skied one day last season at Stratton with 6 inches of fresh powder plus it was snowing on & off during the day. It was a very good day but IMHO not as good as if I was skiing on some good terrain. For me, the good snow didn't make up for the lack of challenging terrain. I'm not a big Stratton fan but I will ski there if the price is right, which it was that day ($32). When I do ski at Stratton, I expect to ski fast groomer zoomers & carve most of the day. I usually have fun doing that although I wouldn't want to do it every day out.

So my point is, good terrain is very important for me.

I agree..deep powder is best in challenging/natural terrain. A run like Goat at Stowe in fresh powder is Sublime. Undalations and snow covered boulders are a heck of alot better than some Poe on top of a groomer although huge wide turns in powder which can be achieved on a McGroomer are fun as well but the extra traffic on runs like that makes it only possible for one or two runs. Wow I'm starting to miss skiing..

 

[Hawkshot99]

Snow