What resort exceeded your expectations in the most positive way?

[highpeaksdrifter]

For me it was Tremblant. I went there because my wife saves Starpoints from our Amex card that we used them for a free stay in a suite at the Sheraton there. I was expecting lameo terrain, unbelievable crowds (Pres. Week) and filled with snobby wealthy posers.

I thought the terrain was pretty good. They have some nice glade skiing and some steeps on the North side, it was crowded but not as bad as I was led to believe, and the people where very nice. It wouldn’t be in my top 10 Eastern areas to rip it up with friends, but for a family ski vacation it’s a cool place, my wife loved it.

 

[JimG.]

Portillo, Chile

Amazingly beautiful place, the most beautiful alpine scenery I've ever seen anywhere. Superior accomodations and food. Outstanding snow and terrain. Hair-raising hike-to terrain that is easily accessible, helicopter service on location. Wonderful staff, helpful and friendly. All this and a great, old school european vibe to boot. I highly recommend Portillo to any serious skier.

Once I've saved enough money I'm going back.

 

[Vortex]

I have to go with my usual homes SR and Loon. This year no snow lots of rain, but the conditions were well ahead of what I expected.
Excellent snow making and Grooming. Some of my mid week days at the River in April this year were amazing. Airglow and Northen lights still bring smiles to me.

I would give Bretton woods an honoable mention, by making snow in late April .... it kept me skiing. I don't lodge often so trail conditions are my major considerations.

 

[riverc0il]

for customer service and friendly people, burke... hands down.
for terrain, mad river glen continues to humble.
for the sheer "wow, why haven't i been here yet" all around great place factor, saddleback.

 

[ALLSKIING]

I am going to sound like a broken record but the bush always exceeds my expectations. Sugarloaf I knew was good and well it was real good. I would also say Catamount...For a small local hill just ouside of CT and Lower NY its a great Mt to ski.

 

[shwilly]

Shawnee Peak

Shawnee Peak, ME. I didn't expect much at all, but found a decent little hill with a couple nice natural/ungroomed trails.

That's not to say it's the greatest area ever, just the one that exceeded my expectations the most. I expected Cannon, Jay, and Saddleback to be great before I went.

Honorable mentions:
Sugarloaf: I didn't know what to expect as a begintermediate gaper but it has become my favorite New England area.
Whistler-Blackcomb: I expected it to be great and it was TOTALLY MIND-MELTINGLY AWESOME.

 

[salida]

Le Massif, Quebec. Superior lifts, awesomly helpful staff, excellent food.

Wolf Creek, CO. Simply the most laid back place in CO with the most snow.

 

[andyzee]

Solitude, UT. Went out to Utah expecting to ski Alta/Snowbird a majority of the time and Solitude/Brighton on the weekend to avoid crowds. Well Solitude got more than twice as much snow than the Alta/Bird combo while we were there. As a result we wound up at Solitude three out of five days. Really nice uncrowded mountain.

 

[Greg]

I would also say Catamount...For a small local hill just ouside of CT and Lower NY its a great Mt to ski.

Catamount has gotten a lot better the past few years. It's a really cool little hill; kind of has an old-school Beast/Magic/MRG vibe. Some decent pitch and I like that they consistently leave bump lines along the sides of the blacks; and have some dedicated bumps on Off Stage. The new summit quad which is replacing the double should relieve the lift lines on busy days this season. Don't get me wrong; I love double chairs, but when that's your only way to the true summit, on crowded days with a liftline, it's a drag to wait that long to ski 1K vert. A FGQ is a good solution. Looking forward to hitting Catamount this season with you Dave, hopefully when Catapult is open.

 

[ALLSKIING]

Looking forward to hitting Catamount this season with you Dave, hopefully when Catapult is open.

Likewise, looks like a fun trail.

 

[Grassi21]

Likewise, looks like a fun trail.

Keep me posted. I just picked up a pass. But I'll leave Catapult for you guys... at least until the end of the season.

 

[Greg]

Keep me posted. I just picked up a pass. But I'll leave Catapult for you guys... at least until the end of the season.

Nice! Dave and I skied there on a weekday last December. It was dead and the skiing was great. We'll have to do a repeat a few times this season.

 

[ALLSKIING]

Nice! Dave and I skied there on a weekday last December. It was dead and the skiing was great. We'll have to do a repeat a few times this season.

Looking at the pics and vid again really get me in the skiing mood.

 

[AdironRider]

Ive actually always been pretty impressed with Waterville. I had the threedom pass this past winter, and Waterville was consistently leagues ahead of either Loon or Cranmore. Cranmore sucks, and while that cool old old double on the backside is fun as a novelty, there isnt anything nice about the place really terrain wise, and it feels wicked small with the N Conway crowds and a high speed quad that has you making full laps including a chair in like 7 minutes, possibly even less I cant really remember. Loon was always crowded and had crappy snow it seemed, and there gondola is just plain awful. Cramped, seemed to always trap tons of moisture, and always had a long wait.

Waterville on the other hand has a solid lift system that spreads the crowds pretty well, and the lifties always seemed to keep things running quickly. I didnt mind the cute foreign girls scanning my pass every run even! Trails are pretty run of the mill, but the double black is legitimately steep (not a double black as its about a football field wide). Trails to skiers right off the quad are also pretty fun when linked together. Snow was always pretty decent, and lodge had enough areas to spread out.

 

[Grassi21]

Nice! Dave and I skied there on a weekday last December. It was dead and the skiing was great. We'll have to do a repeat a few times this season.

I definitely want to do some weekday stuff at Cata. But I will have to wait until January. I was gung-ho on finding a new job last January and dropped more than a few vacation days on day trips. So here I sit at the same job with just 3 vacation/sick days for the rest of the year. I hope that any big mid-week dumps happen in January.

 

[SkiDog]

I definitely want to do some weekday stuff at Cata. But I will have to wait until January. I was gung-ho on finding a new job last January and dropped more than a few vacation days on day trips. So here I sit at the same job with just 3 vacation/sick days for the rest of the year. I hope that any big mid-week dumps happen in January.

wow that stinks...looking for a new gig, using up your vacation time and still not changing jobs...

sorry man....never like to hear that kinda stuff....

M

 

[Grassi21]

wow that stinks...looking for a new gig, using up your vacation time and still not changing jobs...

sorry man....never like to hear that kinda stuff....

M

It was my own doing. You live, you learn. But with the start of the New Year comes my full compliment of vacation days. Let it snow!

 

[thetrailboss]

I have not replied to this thread, so here goes.

Burke: Has always been good. Friendly place and it was home...so the bar was set very high.

Sunapee: Their snowmaking, grooming, and service has been good, but you pay for it....

Pats Peak: Wow. Simply impressed. Small place, but big heart. They've been very, very responsive to their customer needs and have taken lots from the AZ Challenge. Don't believe it? Read the past challenges and then ski the place. You'll see what I mean.

Stratton: We were treated well this past March. I know people bit%^ about the place, so I wasn't sure what to expect, but the service was great. Guy even gave back my coupon so we could come again (it was Vermonter day...so we got in free as it was).

Jay: Hype aside, their service is good. I will not forget going to get my pass in November 2002 and seeing the long line for photos (it was a VERY early opening). So I took Bill Stenger's offer to take a ticket for the day and come back later. Most places would not think of doing that...he just verified I was a passholder and handed me a ticket.

 

[snowmaker4191]

Crotched had it this year the two times I was there the snow was amazing. the people were nice, no lift lines, good price. all around win win trips. i'll be back