What's up with Waterville? Waterville Vs. Loon

[SnoDevil97]

I agree WV has a solid terrain layout for Intermediates. Bobby's and Ciao are fun (I think they're more "blue black" than true black diamond, especially when not bumped up), and I like Tommy's and Tippecanoe also.

However, I think competing ski areas do a much better job providing an overall experience to these types of skiers. WV's lodge is dumpy, the food/après scene isn't that great, and the snowmaking/grooming has been marginal the past few years (which I attribute to lack of finances). I'd ski there if I got a good deal, but IMO other places have much more to offer if I'm looking for an advanced-intermediate ski day.

Plus that road off 93 to get there - what a nightmare. I think I've been lucky to never get a ticket there.

 

[deadheadskier]

The access road from 93 should be 50 mph almost the entire way. The fact that it is lower in spots and pretty much always has speed traps is annoying for sure.

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[Jully]

WV has great blue groomers, the only place in NH that has more interesting blue trails, IMO, is Wildcat. That said WV is ONLY blue groomers. It is great for my father who started skiing in his early 40s and is now just below an advanced skier, but only skis groomers. He gets bored at almost every other mountain in NH except WV because of a lack of challenge hes found on groomers.

Problem is NE skiing seems to have shifted away from that market in recent years to some degree and now a plethora of above average difficulty blues is boring to many skiers or too challenging for true intermediates!

 

[dlague]

I think Cannon has a bunch of more interesting blues IMO. We have skied WV on the cheap every year and we find it rather boring. Tippecanoe, And Tyler Too are wide open cruisers and not that exciting. Tommy's and Lower Sel's ski like a more challenging blue trail. In fact, that is one of the places that I convinced my wife she could ski black diamonds. Not really at the time but it got her convinced enough to start skiing the front five at Cannon. Lower Bobby's when bumped is solid and the head wall on True Grit at best I'd a black. Oblivion has one very short drop then is pretty green.

I can say I enjoy skiing there on the cheap but never ever for full fare. And I would never buy a pass there.

I do like the valet parking though.

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[Jully]

Fair point on Tippie and Tyler. Maybe I just haven't spent enough time on Cannon's blues!

 

[Smellytele]

Fair point on Tippie and Tyler. Maybe I just haven't spent enough time on Cannon's blues!

The upper blue's at Cannon are classic New England twisting runs. Love them.

 

[dlague]

Fair point on Tippie and Tyler. Maybe I just haven't spent enough time on Cannon's blues!

Try Upper Cannon, Vista Way, Upper Ravine, Baron's, Rock Garden, Big Link. Any of these can be very interesting blues.

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[xlr8r]

I would take the blues at Cannon, Loon, Wildcat, Gunstock, Sunapee, and Attitash over Waterville any day. Oblivion is the only interesting run, all the others are too wide, and very characterless. Loon and to a certain extent Sunapee really have killed them over the last 2 decades. When Booth Creek owned both Loon and Waterville, they were about equally sized and did about equal with skier visits. But Loon must get double the skier visits of Waterville nowadays. Sunapee has nailed down the family day trip market from Boston in the mean time as well.

Does anybody know the status of the triple on Green Peak. Is it finished and just waiting for natural snow, as they did not put much snowmaking there yet.

 

[dlague]

I would take the blues at Cannon, Loon, Wildcat, Gunstock, Sunapee, and Attitash over Waterville any day. Oblivion is the only interesting run, all the others are too wide, and very characterless. Loon and to a certain extent Sunapee really have killed them over the last 2 decades. When Booth Creek owned both Loon and Waterville, they were about equally sized and did about equal with skier visits. But Loon must get double the skier visits of Waterville nowadays. Sunapee has nailed down the family day trip market from Boston in the mean time as well.

Does anybody know the status of the triple on Green Peak. Is it finished and just waiting for natural snow, as they did not put much snowmaking there yet.

Oblivion only has a section along the cliff and a short drop then gets pretty flat.

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[xlr8r]

Oblivion only has a section along the cliff and a short drop then gets pretty flat.

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its not steep,but atleast its narrow and has some turns

 

[4aprice]

I would take the blues at Cannon, Loon, Wildcat, Gunstock, Sunapee, and Attitash over Waterville any day. Oblivion is the only interesting run, all the others are too wide, and very characterless. Loon and to a certain extent Sunapee really have killed them over the last 2 decades. When Booth Creek owned both Loon and Waterville, they were about equally sized and did about equal with skier visits. But Loon must get double the skier visits of Waterville nowadays. Sunapee has nailed down the family day trip market from Boston in the mean time as well.

Does anybody know the status of the triple on Green Peak. Is it finished and just waiting for natural snow, as they did not put much snowmaking there yet.

Best trail at Waterville is a bumped up True Grit on a Blue Bird spring day.

I've had some fun days there but would only go back if it became part of a package I was interested in.

Alex

Lake Hopatcong, NJ

 

[deadheadskier]

Agreed on True Grit. If I saw a deal, knew it was bumped and temps in the 40s in March, I'd head back to WV to lap True Grit all day. Outside of that, it's pretty far down on my list of places to visit. I suppose once they get the new peak fully open next year I may make a visit to check it out.

 

[machski]

Ahh, I like lower Bobby's better, more sustained pitch than Grit. When I had the Threedom pass I skied there to change it up. But we honestly skied more at Loon and Cranmore. I thought even Cranmore had more variety and character, though less vert.

 

[dlague]

Ahh, I like lower Bobby's better, more sustained pitch than Grit. When I had the Threedom pass I skied there to change it up. But we honestly skied more at Loon and Cranmore. I thought even Cranmore had more variety and character, though less vert.

Bobby's is a better bump run when it is open. True Grit often has nice bumps under the lift. On the steeper section it is generally not that bumped up.

Yup lapping the Sunnyside triple is the way to go - avoid the express lift line and there are generally fewer people in that area.

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[KD7000]

WV is my least favorite ski area on the planet. I think it is the worst ski are in NH maybe in NE. I honestly think Cranmore is better. The terrain absolutely sucks. The snow sucks. The liftlines suck. The walk up that freakin hill from the parking lot sucks. The lodge sucks. The names of their trails suck. Tippy canoe. Come on. The quad does not go to the Top. That's kind of stupid. The drive from 93 sucks. The "village" is not accessible to the mountain. That was smart. It's worn down dirty and it sucks.

Wow. Will it suck that much if I'm skiing for free on a comp pass? 'Cause I got one with this year's Ride n' Ski card.... Or is it so bad that even not paying won't alleviate the suckiness?

 

[dlague]

Wow. Will it suck that much if I'm skiing for free on a comp pass? 'Cause I got one with this year's Ride n' Ski card.... Or is it so bad that even not paying won't alleviate the suckiness?

I think it is worth skiing even on a 2 for 1 which is available with the help Ride and Ski Card on Sundays. So skiing there for free is worth it for sure even if it is your first and only time. At least you will develop your own opinion.

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[Jully]

I think it is worth skiing even on a 2 for 1 which is available with the help Ride and Ski Card on Sundays. So skiing there for free is worth it for sure even if it is your first and only time. At least you will develop your own opinion.

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This.

 

[KD7000]

I was mostly kidding. I'll ski anywhere if it's free. I was just really impressed with that review.

 

[gregnye]

Waterville is basically the Okemo of New Hampshire. They have nice intermediate trails but they all mostly feel the same. Still I like the vibe at Waterville better than Loon. They also have a better terrain park lift setup than Loon (you have to ride the gondola).

 

[dlague]

Waterville is basically the Okemo of New Hampshire. They have nice intermediate trails but they all mostly feel the same. Still I like the vibe at Waterville better than Loon. They also have a better terrain park lift setup than Loon (you have to ride the gondola).

Never been to Loon but reports on Saturdays and early Sunday are of lots of people. Since I was a weekend skier Loon was never a real option. Waterville was feasible and only had bad lift lines a couple times but that was only on White Peak.

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