What new ski areas did you ski this season?

[alpinemorg]

Stowe
MRG
Bolton Valley (after the lifts closed)
Sunday River

Hope to hit next year:
Jay
Sugarloaf

 

[John84]

Got to drive 1400 miles roundtrip to ski Jay this past January. Also hit up a somewhat local hill in Virginia that I had never been to.

 

[andyzee]

Cannon
Alta
Snowbird
Solitude

And although I've been to Jay Peak before, it was only for half a day. This year I hit it 3x. Was a good year.

 

[hiroto]

Jay Peak.

My 20th in New England, 7th in VT.

 

[noski]

dare I write it down...Sugarbush. This one's tough. Looks like I'd love the place...but wife and daughter would not.

I am curious why you think they would not love it....? Distance from home? Terrain? No shopping mall or McDonalds? (kidding). Maybe you/they have a misconception about the Bush that long-timers can assist in alleviating so we see you here next season!

 

[thetrailboss]

New this year: Burke.

Absolutely loved it.

So now I hear they are going to change it. Faster lifts - which will make the trails too crowded, so they'll probably widen the trails. Then the wind will blow away all the snow, so they'll need to put in more snowmaking. Of course, this costs alot of money, so the lift ticket prices will need to go up. Should I continue?

SAB

Just stop. You're making me feel like uke:

 

[Sky]

I am curious why you think they would not love it....? Distance from home? Terrain? No shopping mall or McDonalds? (kidding). Maybe you/they have a misconception about the Bush that long-timers can assist in alleviating so we see you here next season!

Thanks for asking. My wife and daughter are extremely timid skiers. They like Wachusett's green trails...very familiar/comfortable. I credit them with attempting Killington last New Years. K is a terrible beginner stop. Easy trails are "carrying" trails...getting better skiers/riders from one lift to the next (Ramshead to Snowden etc) so the faster traffic is intimmidating.

When I look at SB's trail map...I shudder and can hear the complaints. I'm really trying to get my wife back into the sport. About five years ago...she was moving along pretty well. She hit a bad patch of experiences and lost her confidence. I started over again this year...upgraded the skis/boots. Finally got her to take a (private) lesson. She's ready to come back...but now we have to wait till next year.

So I'm looking for easy terrain to maintain the confidence/momentum. Bretton Woods is my current target. I don't expect she will ever be much more than a blue cruiser...and she may get there by the end of next season...if I'm very careful about terrain/conditions selection.

Daughter is probably not going to be much more than a green-trail skier. Ever. That's OK with me. I just want to keep her active and get her outdoors during the winter.

MY PERCEPTION is that SB is pretty tough. Temps, wind, terrain, conditions associated with the aforemantioned...OK for me on those points. Off-Piste (another perception of mine of SB)...not me.

SB is a long way to go for my wife and daughter to have limited terrain. (we went to K because we have a family connection there and the "weekend" non-skiing events were fun)

So...terrain would be the top reason. Green, non-carrying trails that don't criss-cross (another detractor with K).

So, I get a decent place to stay, terrain un-like K as discussed above, and I'm probably ready to launch...then all I have to do is start building the argument for SB vs BW.

 

[ALLSKIING]

Catamount was the only new mountain I skied this year. I hope to try a few more next year like.
Sunday River
Loon
Jay
Smuggs

 

[shwilly]

Sugarbush
Loon
Attitash
Whistler-Blackcomb

 

[Zand]

New Areas:

Waterville
Smuggs
MRG
Mt. Ellen

I loved Smuggs and MRG. Mt. Ellen was somewhat a problem due to lift closures, but I think I'd like it if I skiied it more. Waterville was just a typical close-to-Boston resort, like Loon. MRG was incredible. There was just barely enough snow to ski, but they were open. I was so happy just to finally get to ski there. SB South barely edges it out as my favorite area (for now!), but it really is an incredible place.Smuggs had awesome conditions and long, winding trails.

Next year:

Ragged
Burke
Stowe

 

[knuckledragger]

Okemo

 

[awf170]

New this year:
Nothing.

Hoping for next year:
Saddleback
Smuggs
MRG
Magic

 

[WWF-VT]

MY PERCEPTION is that SB is pretty tough. Temps, wind, terrain, conditions associated with the aforemantioned...OK for me on those points. Off-Piste (another perception of mine of SB)...not me.

SB is a long way to go for my wife and daughter to have limited terrain. (we went to K because we have a family connection there and the "weekend" non-skiing events were fun)

So...terrain would be the top reason. Green, non-carrying trails that don't criss-cross (another detractor with K).

It's true that Sugarbush has great expert terrain. For the family and new skiers there are plenty of options at Lincoln Peak at the Gate House Quad area. Easy greens, cruiser blues and designated as a "slow ski" area. Mt Ellen has a variety of greens off the Sunny Double. Wife and daughter will have fun.

 

[andyzee]

It's true that Sugarbush has great expert terrain. For the family and new skiers there are plenty of options at Lincoln Peak at the Gate House Quad area. Easy greens, cruiser blues and designated as a "slow ski" area. Mt Ellen has a variety of greens off the Sunny Double. Wife and daughter will have fun.

One thing SB does have is a lot of fun blues.

 

[Buckeye Skier 1330]

New this year were Cannon, Burke and Loon. We only got out 8 times this year but we hit 7 different areas.
Wish list: Stowe, Smugg's, Jay
Return list: Sugarbush, Sugarloaf, Whiteface, Cannon and Burke.

Sky521, there is a LOT of good easier terrain at Sugarbush. My wife is always intimidated by a new mountain. Our first trip to Vermont we pulled up to Stratton and she said " You're crazy if you think I'm skiing that." It was her first look at a real moutain. She ended up loving it. Same thing happened at Sugarbush. It was the first place we both liked a lot. She liked Gore and Stratton, I liked Whiteface and Sugarloaf. We gotta get back to the Bush, but this year we also fell in love with Cannon and Burke.

 

[RISkier]

Sky521,

No comments on Sugarbush since I've not been but Bretton would be a good choice for your wife. We loved BW our first couple of years skiing. Nice green cruisers off almost every lift and most of the blues are nice transitions. A couple are real blues. Great views. As to your wife improving. I can speak to being pretty timid as I was talked into starting this great sport at the ripe old age of 49. And I was a reluctant participant. Get her lessons from good instructors. We've done lots of lessons and they've helped tremendously. In four years we've gotten to the point we're relatively comfortable on relatively steep terrain (things like Haystack at Stowe) if the snow is in decent shape. I'm not yet comfortable on steep and scraped off and I suck in bumps, but I'm comfortable on stuff I never ever thought I'd ski when we started. I'd bet that with some good lessons, some mileage, and patience from you, your wife will progress beyond her imagination.

Didn't get to any new New England ski areas this year. Did go to Sallbach Austria, however. Still really want to go to Burke before it becomes too developed and I think we need to try Cannon next year. Berkshire East is also on my radar.

 

[riverc0il]

Saddleback, ME
Gulf of Slides tomorrow, w00t.

 

[vimbuza]

Fun thread. Here's mine:

Sunday River
Wachusett
Butternut
Sugarloaf
Wildcat
Copper Mountain

Next year I hope to get to Killington, Jay, Tucks (yeah right ), Winter Park and Aspen.

 

[Sky]

there is a LOT of good easier terrain at Sugarbush.

Let's see...RISkier, Noski, Andyzee...and erraaahhhh...Starbuck *sorry...WWF-VT?...lousy alzheimer's*

Thanks for the encouragement. As for lessons...I tried all season long to get Mrs Sky into a lesson. She took them five years ago and did well. She hit some lousy conditions the next year...lost her confidence, sort of gave up, got brought back into it this year. New boots and skis (a much better fit than her previous new gear thanks to Wa), and FINALLY a private lesson near the end of the year. It went extremely well as far as confidence building...not so much for skill-building. BUT...with confidence skills will come. She is (was) ready to jump back on skis next year AND take lessons...so I will carelfully select our opportunities to ensure success...which is why I was pushing for BW (once she gets a lesson or two @ Wa (where she is most comfortable)).

I will keep SB in mind for a future trip. Here's a question...how far is SB from Killington? It's likely we will get invited back to in-law's place for New Years. We won't ski there due to our previous experience described above. Was considering Pico instead (close, less $...more easy terrain). Would consider SB if the drive were reasonable.

 

[Geoff]

Termas de Chillan, Chile - We liked it so much we're going back this summer

Crested Butte - Too overdeveloped for my taste but some good skiing

Monarch - Added to our favorites list of obscure smallish ski areas with minimal skier traffic and superb skiing surface