What is your favorite ski area and why?

[skijay]

I did a forum search and did not see this question asked yet, so I think I will ask it.

What is your favorite ski area and why?

My favorite downhill area is Mont Shefford, Granby, QC, Canada. I have only skied here once, but I love retro ski areas. This place has 3 T-bars, 1000 Vertical Drop and NO snowmaking. It reminds me of when I started to ski in the mid 80's at the now defunct Hogback Ski Area in VT. The trails are classic trails, no super wide cruisers!

 

[Greg]

I did a forum search and did not see this question asked yet, so I think I will ask it.

http://forums.alpinezone.com/viewtopic.php?t=711

But hey, we can start a new thread...

 

[Skier75]

Sugarbush - weekday - not too crowded, lots of variety.
Saddleback - anytime - not too crowded, can ski pretty much the whole mountain.
Sugarloaf - lots of terrain, big mountain with lots to offer.
Sunday River weekday- less crowded - lots of variety.

Anyway these are my favorites any weekday, weekends on most of these get pretty crowded with long lift lines, which can be discouraging. Want to ski more not stand in line.

 

[RISkier]

I didn't participate in the earlier thread so... Really haven't been to that many, but of those I've visited, Stowe. Wide range of terrain served by the forerunner quad, very scenic, long trails with few connectors and crossovers. Plus, I really like Stowe village and did before we started skiing. Negatives: Not much slopeside lodging, lifts could use an upgrade, no direct connection between Spruce and Mansfield, my experience in the lodge cafes is that they are not only expensive but not very good. But I just find Stowe magical.

 

[GadgetRick]

Hmm...

If you're talking anywhere, I'd have to go with Whistler-Blackcomb (so far). Great mountains, lots of terrain, lots of different types of terrain, GORGEOUS views (when it's clear).

If you're talking in the Northeast, er, ah, New England () I'd have to say Whiteface although I haven't been to many of the resorts in Vermont yet though.

 

[Buckeye Skier 1330]

I just skied Whiteface for the first time last week and it's my number 1. I like the big vert , long runs and good lifts (the gondola 2400 vert.) . And all the chairs have a foot rest which for me is big bonus. Sugarloaf is right behind Whiteface. Those 2 mountains just give me an indescribable feeling. I haven't been to too many in the Northeast - Statton, Okemo, Sunday River, Wildcat , and Gore, besides Whiteface and Sugarloaf. I figure when I get to Sugarbush, MRG ,Stowe or Cannon the number 1 may change. I want to keep trying new places but I definitely need to go back to Whiteface and Sugarloaf.

 

[Greg]

Hitting Sugarloaf for the first time next month. I hope the snow cover holds up!

 

[57stevey]

Cannon! Variety of challenging trails, great scenery, friendly staff, no condos, uncrowded slopes shared with serious skiers, convenient to I-93, tram, ski museum, demo days, all this at bargain prices. RIP Old Man

 

[Tyrolean_skier]

My favorite is Killington for the variety of terrain that it has. I only get bored there when I have to stick to groomed trails on boiler plate days. I have yet to ski all the tree runs there and have never gone out of bounds yet.

 

[Buckeye Skier 1330]

Greg, you'll love Sugarloaf. There is just something about that place, a feeling in the air, the whole experience is awesome. I've only skied there one day. We were spending the week at Sunday River and our lift tickets were good at any ASC resort, so we drove the two hours to Sugarloaf. After skiing there I was wishing we had stayed at Sugarloaf and done one day at Sunday River instead. It was a windy day and the lift to the summit wasn't running so I didn't get to try the snowfields. I got to ride the Spillway lift which gets fairly close to the summit and accesses White Nitro, Gondola Line and several other black diamond runs. But that lift shut down after two rides because of the wind. The King Pine lift is pretty cool too. There are some steep runs off of it. I hope they get a good dumping before you get there so you can experience the whole mountain!!

 

[mrw]

(1) Stowe-- I have been skiing there since the single chair days.I like the old lifts,lack slope side lodging and generally antiquated feel.However, I don't like paying top $$ for that experience. I think they should cancel the upgrades and lower the price of lift tickets. A little Reganomoics would go a long way
(2) Jay Peak-- A treasure to be preserved not tamed
(3) Whiteface -- see Jay comments
and last but not least, Blue Mountain here in eastern Pa without which, I would never be able to ski one night a week. It's not the biggest or the best but it's the closest and thats just fine 8)

 

[severine]

Mad River Glen! I may be too green to truly experience it, but the trails I could ski were a lot more fun than anything I've skiied anywhere else. Plus there weren't any arrogant snowboarders there whipping by me to make me nervous. I also found that the skiiers who were there on the days we went seemed to be much more mature skiiers, and therefore more courteous as well. I can't wait to go back!

 

[goldsbar]

Well, I've been confined to NY, a few resorts in Vermont & a couple out West but here's my choices:

Overall - Jackson Hole. HUGE. Fairly steep. LOT's of different terrain. As extreme as you want it to be. Uncrowded. At least decent snow if not great snow. The only thing missing is great tree skiing. They have good tree skiing through the pines but I've seen better.

East - Sugarbush. Gnarly Mad River type of terrain on Casterock (oh, and MR is a couple of miles down the road!) combined with great cruisers for when your legs get tired. Good trees from what I've seen so far. Especially if your willing to ski down to the bus stop & take the bus back to the base (I'm not making this up!).

Honorable mention to Whiteface. Huge vertically. Could be huge overall if they expanded it horizontally (don't know the roadblocks...). One of those places that really depends on snow conditions.

Honorable mention to Plattekill. Daytrip range. Old style Mad River skiing. No snow, no skiing.

 

[GadgetRick]

Roadblocks

I don't know the totals at Whiteface but I do know, in the state of NY, a ski area cannot have more than 25 miles of trails. We have about 18 at Belleayre with plans to expand to 24.5 miles over the next 10 years or so. Maybe they're close?

 

[Greg]

Re: Roadblocks

...but I do know, in the state of NY, a ski area cannot have more than 25 miles of trails.

Really? Interesting tidbit there.

 

[GadgetRick]

Don't know...

I'm sure it's got something to do with protecting the enviroment although I don't know exactly how they came up with that amount. We're planning on keeping an extra half mile available in case we need to cut connector trails and other things like that.

How about just cutting ALL of the trees down and making one big bowl? I wonder if they'd approve...

 

[jimme]

How's this for a cop-out? The area that I would currently be skiing at the given time. :roll: But, to join in the fun I'll pick:

Mad River Glen

Plattekill
Pico Peak
Magic Mountain
Gore

It is really hard for me to pick just one. They all have their quailties, and MRG is 3.5 hrs away so I've been there only once.

Jimme

 

[bigbog]

re:...

.. :lol: .Can't disagree with you jimme...
Sugarloaf: is closest and my favorite.
Numerous top-to-near-bottom trails with pitch...I never get tired of that aspect. King Pine and White Nitro are great...and with more snow, the whole frontface "snowfields" as well as its backside is nice.
Its tree areas are nice too.
*Greg, the temps are looking pretty steady and it is supposed to get some snow later this week...let's hope the predictions for up to 10" pan out this time... :roll:

SundayRiver: a nice variety of trails and grooming.
Maine's been it for the last several years....
*Jimme...I grew up outside(N-NE) of Troy(Speigletown), on eastern side of the Hudson valley....DIDN'T ski until 80s(when in Boston;-), man the snow(& sm. drops!) that I shoveled in the 60s and hiked through just to get to little ponds where we'd shovel off & play a little hockey......SICK!!..to not ski that deep stuff...WE WERE TRULY SICK!! :x