Windiest ski area?

[skiNEwhere]

I'd like to ultimately make this a poll, but I want to get a few opinons first.

I have a few ski areas off the top of my head but I'll go with Wildcat and Waterville. I have not been to Waterville in a long time, in fact the last time I was there the HSQ went all the way to the top, but all together I've been there 5 to 6 times with half of those times the wind dictating which direction I would go.

 

[C-Rex]

I think Sugarloaf has some pretty mean winds. Haven't been to Whiteface yet but everyone tells me it's pretty nasty a lot of the time.

 

[SIKSKIER]

The Loaf and Jay are definately up there and Cannon aint too far behind.

 

[Riverskier]

The Loaf, end of discussion.

 

[Edd]

Loaf, Cat, and Jay are the ones that always spring to mind.

 

[Nick]

sugarloaf can definitely get very windy. last year's summit, man it was really really whipping.

 

[Quietman]

When I was younger, we skied Wildcat on an insanely windy day and only the Bobcat lift was open. If we held our jackets open, the wind would blow us back up the intermediate Bobcat Trail. Can't imagine what the winds were at the top.

Also rode the Cannon tram on another very windy day. As the swinging tram approached a 30+ degree angle, I asked the operator what the limit was for shutting down the tram. He calmly said "we just exceeded it by quite a bit, don't expect another ride up."

Some lifts we built to tolerate high winds, others (like many at SR) were not.

 

[timm]

Loaf, Cat, and Jay are the ones that always spring to mind.

These three, in this order, then Cannon.

 

[deadheadskier]

I would add Stowe to the list.

 

[ScottySkis]

Mountsnow, winds can be harsh here.

 

[Warp Daddy]

TREMBLANT. Skied it with minus 75 degree windchill , wind was soo effin strong you could hardly negotiate going downhill EVEN in a damn TUCK

And as some have said " the hawk is often out " at whiteface too

 

[dlague]

I think the point of reference here is important. If someone skied a mountain on a very windy day and that is their point of reference then it will seem like the windiest.

We ski many different ski areas thoughout the season and from my perspective I agrre with some that were mentione earlier. Jay Peak comes to mind first with Wildcat right behind it. Cannon would be another strong consideration. We have had some pretty windy days at Waterville too when winds come up Tippecanoe, And Tyler Too! Sugarloaf looks like it would be since it sits there out in the open. Lastly, from trip report that I have read - Whiteface.

 

[Riverskier]

To put Sugarloaf into persepctive, their low to the ground fixed grip quad to the summit only runs about 50% of the time due to wind.

 

[steamboat1]

Yes I'd vote for the Loaf as the windiest ski area.

 

[Smellytele]

I think ya'll have hit them - Cannon, Wildcat, Sugarloaf and Jay. Not in any particular order.

 

[MadMadWorld]

Whiteface and Wildcat are at the top for me.

Sent from my SCH-I545 using AlpineZone mobile app

 

[Domeskier]

Windy areas are overrated. How do you expect to hit tunaspeed on a trail that criss-crosses the mountain. We need to balance this out with a thread on the straightest ski areas forthwith!

 

[Cannonball]

Wildcat probably tops the list. But the HSQ at Wildcat is so prone to shutdowns from wind that it's hardly ever the case that you actually get to ski in the wind at Wildcat. I'd say 75% percent of my days at Wildcat have included some component of windholds, including several completely lost days.

Jay, Cannon, and Sugarloaf have enough different ways to get you up the mountain from various directions and lifts. So you actually get experience the brutal wind at these places unlike at Wildcat.

 

[Nick]

I think the point of reference here is important. If someone skied a mountain on a very windy day and that is their point of reference then it will seem like the windiest.
.

That's a good point, although I guess some mountains have more inherent wind protection than others. Sugarloaf is sort of a "convex" mountain. If you look at it many slopes are open and many of those seem to have their highest point mid-trail, so they are just very exposed. Sugarbush, on the other hand, to me seemed to have a lot of angles that probably provide more wind protection. Not that that is a uniform trait across the mountain.

 

[steamboat1]

That's a good point, although I guess some mountains have more inherent wind protection than others. Sugarloaf is sort of a "convex" mountain. If you look at it many slopes are open and many of those seem to have their highest point mid-trail, so they are just very exposed. Sugarbush, on the other hand, to me seemed to have a lot of angles that probably provide more wind protection. Not that that is a uniform trait across the mountain.

Not that I consider Sugarbush to be one of the windiest mountains but they sure do have a lot of wind holds.