What is the furthest distance you will drive to go skiing for a single day?

[ScottySkis]

The answer to that question really depends on where you live. Where I live, the first decent skiing hill is about 2 hrs away! So you can guess my answers!!!

Will I drive 3-4 hrs for better skiing? Probably, except there isn't anything in between that's significantly "better" than the Cats. Sure, bigger mountains and more trails. But equally crowded. There was a time southern VT has more snow. But not the last few years. The Cats got just as much if not more! So why bother?

The really BETTER skiing is in northern VT, 4-6 hours away. And it's so much better I'd stay the whole weekend anyway!

So, day trip distance is 2 1/4 max, to Plattekill

I agree on everything and for first time in many years I live less then 2 hours away to Platty.

Sent from my ADR6410LVW using Tapatalk 2

 

[KD7000]

2.5 is my preferred max. But I've been eyeballing a few ~3 hour trips for this season. Anything longer than that is part of an overnight.

 

[Cornhead]

The farthest I've day tripped is Stowe. Doing so for me is like driving half way to Florida, and skiing all day, close to 700 miles total. I was slamming Mountain Dew on the return trip. I've done Whiteface as an unintentional day trip, it's almost as far as Stowe. I went last Thanksgiving weekend. They got 17" the day after turkey day. Little Whiteface was as far up as you could get. It was plenty, 2,000 ft of corn snow in November kicked my ass. I knew skiing the next day wouldn't be much fun, so I went home. I was sore for two days.

I drove to Saddleback and skied it the same day. I think I hit the road at midnight. Around 500 miles, or so. I slept well that night, crashed the AZ summit at the Loaf the next day.

The Cats are an easy day trip for me, about 100 miles. It's a nice change of pace from the local molehill without dropping lots of cash on fuel and lodging. Platty rules! Sorry I waited so long to give them a try.

 

[Smellytele]

When I was younger I worked 2nd shift. When we would get a dump, I would leave after work and sleep in ski area parking lots then ski that day and drive home after. I have done this at Sugarloaf, Mt Snow, Sugarbush, Sunday River, and Wildcat.

 

[ScottySkis]

The farthest I've day tripped is Stowe. Doing so for me is like driving half way to Florida, and skiing all day, close to 700 miles total. I was slamming Mountain Dew on the return trip. I've done Whiteface as an unintentional day trip, it's almost as far as Stowe. I went last Thanksgiving weekend. They got 17" the day after turkey day. Little Whiteface was as far up as you could get. It was plenty, 2,000 ft of corn snow in November kicked my ass. I knew skiing the next day wouldn't be much fun, so I went home. I was sore for two days.

I drove to Saddleback and skied it the same day. I think I hit the road at midnight. Around 500 miles, or so. I slept well that night, crashed the AZ summit at the Loaf the next day.

The Cats are an easy day trip for me, about 100 miles. It's a nice change of pace from the local molehill without dropping lots of cash on fuel and lodging. Platty rules! Sorry I waited so long to give them a try.

Of all the road trips I think you travel the most and that is great.


Sent from my ADR6410LVW using Tapatalk 2

 

[bdfreetuna]

I regularly do Killington for day trips which is 2 hours or so each way.

Once there is better snow Sugarbush will likely be in heavy rotation, which is a solid 3 hours.
Stowe, Bolton, and Smuggler's are also on the agenda, as they have in the past, for day trips during the snowy season (although I prefer to make this a weekend deal and stay overnight if it's in the budget).

I've been known to power up to Jay Peak on last second notice which is a good 4+ hours.

Only places in the northeast I consider beyond day trip distance: Sugarloaf, Saddleback, Whiteface.

I don't really ski in NH because it never seems worth the extra distance compared to VT and VT has better terrain IMO.

 

[skiberg]

Longest I ever drive to ski was from Spokane WA to Big Mt. Montana. 5.5 hrs each way. Left at 4:00 am and got back around 11:00 pm. Skiing was terrible.

 

[Scruffy]

I drove 3 hrs today to Kmart for limited open terrain and poor vis due to light freezing rain. The gondi closed at 12:30 :x

I have been known to do 4 hrs to MRG when the mood stikes me. My home hill is only 50 min. so I'm usuallu there, cept there is currently only 2 or 3 runs open.

 

[Madroch]

I will do 4 to 4.5or so if the skiing is good- Stowe- is about the limit- spring is easier- thought long and hard about 6.5 over a day and a half this morning- tonight to the loaf and back tomorrow. Wife killed it.

 

[billski]

I'm coming around to carpooling. Splitting the gas and getting a few z's along the way seems like a fair compromise. It also extends the range of travel I will commute

 

[billski]

Longest I ever drive to ski was from Spokane WA to Big Mt. Montana. 5.5 hrs each way. Left at 4:00 am and got back around 11:00 pm. Skiing was terrible.

Great point. I'd travel a lot further for a foot of pow, then corn mush.

 

[zyk]

I max at 2 1/4 which gets me to Gore. Otherwise its 45 mins to Platty or just over an hour to Hunter. Anything further I will make an overnight or 3 day trip. Its so much more relaxing to not have a long drive at the end of the day.

 

[steamboat1]

Haven't done a day trip in at least 20 years. Driving doesn't bother me. solo or not.

 

[skiNEwhere]

When I was a kid I never understood why my mother never wanted to drive further than Loon for a day trip (2 hours)

When I was at college at UMASS Amherst and the school day was called off because of a foot of pow, I took off solo immediately for Mount Snow, which was only a little over an hour away. Once I hit Vermont on I-91 (literally, the second I crossed the state line), there was no more salt laid down (I'm assuming VT prohibits road salt?) and I had to flip on my hyperfocused driving skills because of the snow on the road.. Had to take sideroads to Mt Snow from I-91, which had a good 6-8 inches of snow going uphill, I even came across a felled tree. I carry a towing chain in my car for such occasions (or if I get stuck), and I was able to pull it out of the road. Finally made it, skied the North Face all day, then left around 3:00 PM exhausted. Was not looking forward to driving back through the snow after how tired I was. I'm glad my Audi A4 came through with it's quattro, and I had blizzacks on it, otherwise I never would have made it.

That was only a little over an hour. In good driving conditions, I'll stretch that to 2, MAYBE 3 hours

 

[St. Bear]

In good driving conditions, I'll stretch that to 2, MAYBE 3 hours

Ironic, given your name.

 

[frapcap]

Driving is enjoyable to me, but 4-4.5 hours is the max.
The seasons pass is at Sugarbush so I regularly make a 4-4.25 hour drive from a little East of Providence.
Its funny to see folks frown at you for having a beer at 11am, but they don't really take into account that this is technically a lunch beer since we've already been up for 6+ hours.

However, most of the time I am not alone and will have a friend with me. It makes the drive easier, and 98% of the time, we get a hotel for the night and ski the next day. It makes all that spent gasoline a little easier to stomach. Thankfully I have a fairly fuel efficient beater.

Last year I did a really stupid move and drove from home to Providence (to get a friend) to Sugarbush, skied all day, drove back to Providence, then home. Woke up after nearly any sleep, grabbed another friend in New Bedford I promised a trip to during the season, drove to Smuggs, had an awesome day, drove back that night. BRUTAL WEEKEND. Its highly unlikely that I will ever day trip 4+ hours by myself, ski, and come back ever again. Unless someone else shares the driving duty.

The only time we did the AZ Summit, we drove from my home to Saddleback, skied all day, braved the awful, frost-heaved back road to Sugarloaf, and failed at getting our drink on. That day was exhausting- and totally worth it. But- we were no where near first chair on Saturday.

 

[skiNEwhere]

Ironic, given your name.

skiNEwhere, not driveNEwhere ;-)

 

[St. Bear]

skiNEwhere, not driveNEwhere ;-)

Touche.

 

[snowmonster]

Both Jay Peak and Sugarloaf are a 4.5 hour drive from my doorstep. I've been known to hit either of these places at least once a season. Daytrip. Solo. Fueled by coffee and a Sausage McMuffin. On the road by 5 am, on the slopes by 10 am, off it at 4 then home for a late dinner by 9. I should be a truck driver.

 

[snoseek]

^^^^He even has the shitkicking music going lol!

See you in the spring, in time for one of those Sugarloaf epic late season road trips!