Which eastern ski areas will open first?

[powderman]

My vote goes to Sugarloaf which I predict will open on October 31st.

The runner ups:

• Sunday River - Nov 1st
• Woodbury - Nov 4th
• Mount Snow - Nov 8th

 

[deadheadskier]

My vote goes for the river on the 1st. Boyne's focus was there early season last year, not Sugarloaf, so I don't see why they would change it up

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

Mount Snow November 1st...lets hope it's cold early this year..so we can get off to an early start...some seasons it's still a single white ribbon of death at Thanksgiving..

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

What complaining about the conditions already .. :razz:

Yup..by Thanksgiving I want lots of terrain in the North Country...perfect weather..and deeply discounted lift tickets...

 

[eastcoastpowderhound]

Snowshoe WV...tired of all these northeastern areas opening first, someone down south is going to make a statement...draped in a rebel flag!
Deadheadskier is on the mark, IMHO, when it comes to SL and SR...SR is closer to the population centers and short of a late october indian summer that stays south of Farmington, SR will open first...and they set the bar last year with skiing on Halloween...they're likely going to shoot for that again and try to create some noise and excitement.

 

[skiadikt]

not killington ...

 

[deadheadskier]

Snowshoe WV...tired of all these northeastern areas opening first, someone down south is going to make a statement...draped in a rebel flag!
Deadheadskier is on the mark, IMHO, when it comes to SL and SR...SR is closer to the population centers and short of a late october indian summer that stays south of Farmington, SR will open first...and they set the bar last year with skiing on Halloween...they're likely going to shoot for that again and try to create some noise and excitement.

Snowshoe if they wanted to, could pull it off. The year I worked there we got a foot of snow on Halloween. All of their terrain on the north facing basin side is higher in elevation than the summit of Sugarloaf

 

[powderman]

My vote goes for the river on the 1st. Boyne's focus was there early season last year, not Sugarloaf, so I don't see why they would change it up

I actually think Boyne may change it to please the Sugarloafers after opening SR before Sugarloaf last year.

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

I actually think Boyne may change it to please the Sugarloafers after opening SR before Sugarloaf last year.

I doubt it because Sunday River is much closer to Boston...

I have a feeling alot of places will open the same day..

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

I'd also expect Big Boulder PA to be among the first...they opened on November 10th...the same day as Mount Snow last season...their high elevation and excellent tower mounted snowguns are a big reason for that..along with lots of Jib-Honks within a 1-2 hour drive..

 

[deadheadskier]

I actually think Boyne may change it to please the Sugarloafers after opening SR before Sugarloaf last year.

maybe

wouldn't be the best financial decision, but then again first to open is about PR not money

 

[highpeaksdrifter]

Snowshoe if they wanted to, could pull it off. The year I worked there we got a foot of snow on Halloween. All of their terrain on the north facing basin side is higher in elevation than the summit of Sugarloaf

Deadhead, is Snowshoe the only skiarea worth skiing in WV or are there others?

What would you compare Snowshoe to in the East?

 

[ski_resort_observer]

I doubt it because Sunday River is much closer to Boston...

I have a feeling alot of places will open the same day..

plus SR does almost twice the business the Loaf does......remember it is all about the money and some braggin rights as a bonus.

 

[deadheadskier]

Deadhead, is Snowshoe the only skiarea worth skiing in WV or are there others?

What would you compare Snowshoe to in the East?

depends on how you define 'worth skiing'

Timberline I'm told has some cool glades when snow allows and is a Mecca for back country Telemarking with White Grass adjacent, which is an AWESOME wilderness. I only checked it out in summer

The resort at Snowshoe, I would compare to a mini - Tremblant. It's definitely got the Intrawest stamp. There is no area in NY/NE that has even close to as nice of a base village set up as Snowshoe. VERY nice accommodations and an overall great party atmosphere with good restaurants and clubs in a no driving self contained village at 4800 feet of elevation. Snowshoe is an upside down mountain with the base village at the top.

The skiing itself? meh You've got two separate areas, one with night skiing that are a 3 mile drive apart along the ridge. They used to be two separate competing areas. Both offer about 650 vert of terrain spread over 80 acreas each. Probably like having two Sundowns, only the Shoe gets 175-200 inches of snow a year.

On the back side of the Basin area lies two 1500 vert runs that are actually pretty decent with a detach quad. Cupp was designed by I think Stein Erickson or maybe Killy and Schays is a broad boulevard, but has a headwall at the bottom that is very similar to lower Ovation at Kmart.

Total, there is about 220 acres of terrain that sees 550K+ visits a season. CROWDED, CROWDED, CROWDED all the time...even mid-week non-holiday.

I honestly would say their isn't an area down south worth skiing compared to up north. Snowshoe and Seven Springs are worth a look if you're looking for apres ski vacations though

 

[highpeaksdrifter]

depends on how you define 'worth skiing'

Timberline I'm told has some cool glades when snow allows and is a Mecca for back country Telemarking with White Grass adjacent, which is an AWESOME wilderness. I only checked it out in summer

The resort at Snowshoe, I would compare to a mini - Tremblant. It's definitely got the Intrawest stamp. There is no area in NY/NE that has even close to as nice of a base village set up as Snowshoe. VERY nice accommodations and an overall great party atmosphere with good restaurants and clubs in a no driving self contained village at 4800 feet of elevation. Snowshoe is an upside down mountain with the base village at the top.

The skiing itself? meh You've got two separate areas, one with night skiing that are a 3 mile drive apart along the ridge. They used to be two separate competing areas. Both offer about 650 vert of terrain spread over 80 acreas each. Probably like having two Sundowns, only the Shoe gets 175-200 inches of snow a year.

On the back side of the Basin area lies two 1500 vert runs that are actually pretty decent with a detach quad. Cupp was designed by I think Stein Erickson or maybe Killy and Schays is a broad boulevard, but has a headwall at the bottom that is very similar to lower Ovation at Kmart.

Total, there is about 220 acres of terrain that sees 550K+ visits a season. CROWDED, CROWDED, CROWDED all the time...even mid-week non-holiday.

I honestly would say their isn't an area down south worth skiing compared to up north. Snowshoe and Seven Springs are worth a look if you're looking for apres ski vacations though

Great review, thanks

 

[Philpug]

Big Boulder in Pa opened 11/11 last year. earliest I recall a PA area ever opening.

 

[Terry]

Sunday River because they have the Locke Triple with a mid station so that you can ski the top of locke down to the midstation and load there to get to the top again. This allows them to make snow up top and open when it is to warm at the base to get snow down there.

 

[Vortex]

Sr first, Sugalroaf 2nd.(north east) The loaf will close last. Same as last year. Sr has a better snowmaking system. The loaf holds snow better late seaon. I would not be surprised by a Nc mountain getting open 1st. The down loading option off the locke tripple gives a little help with elevation. I plan of skiing on Oct 31st this year again.


Sr River needs to be going early to be able to use the new Chondola by mid DEC.


Terry beat me to it. Ya what he said.

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

Big Boulder in Pa opened 11/11 last year. earliest I recall a PA area ever opening.

Seven Springs opened 11/5 back in 1994 or 1995..

 

[Greg]

Outside of any wildly varying temperature differences in northern vs southern New England, what makes anyone think Mount Snow won't open first again?

To be fair, SR did open first on Halloween. But I agree I think it's between SR and Mount Snow. Depends on the temps, that's all.