Worst Ski Area Drives for Impatient People

[Newpylong]

Due to the valley Woodstock is in, it would be damn near impossible bypass it without going north or south quite a ways, which would likely be a non-starter. It took VT 30 years to finish the bypass of Bennington and that terrain was flat...

 

[BodeMiller1]

Yes.

I disagree, the signage, and other rules of the road are local. The Interstates are (were) the solution to this. For us skiers, in Vermont you can not have anything on your windshield to obstruct the view of the road. In N.H. you can have all of your paper work from the last 20 years, a doll and your coffee mug!

It appears N.H. has a new law. It seems you have to be on a cell phone and have a cup of coffee in your hand. I guess you can drive w/ your knee.

(I am not an attorney, if I was I'm pretty sure I'd remember.)

 

[BodeMiller1]

In New Hampshire it is against the law to drive with ski boots on.

 

[cdskier]

I disagree, the signage, and other rules of the road are local. The Interstates are (were) the solution to this. For us skiers, in Vermont you can not have anything on your windshield to obstruct the view of the road. In N.H. you can have all of your paper work from the last 20 years, a doll and your coffee mug!

It appears N.H. has a new law. It seems you have to be on a cell phone and have a cup of coffee in your hand. I guess you can drive w/ your knee.

(I am not an attorney, if I was I'm pretty sure I'd remember.)

I had to look back at what I said 3 years ago lol. I'm not sure what you're disagreeing with. My comment was confirming that I agreed with Zand that the speed limit applies anywhere that you're passing. I've never heard of any local laws that would allow you to exceed the speed limit simply to pass someone.

 

[Newpylong]

In New Hampshire it is against the law to drive with ski boots on.

There here is no statute that specifically addresses appropriate footwear for automobile drivers here in NH. That said, if you cause an accident because you're wearing ski boots. Well....

 

[Edd]

I disagree, the signage, and other rules of the road are local. The Interstates are (were) the solution to this. For us skiers, in Vermont you can not have anything on your windshield to obstruct the view of the road. In N.H. you can have all of your paper work from the last 20 years, a doll and your coffee mug!

It appears N.H. has a new law. It seems you have to be on a cell phone and have a cup of coffee in your hand. I guess you can drive w/ your knee.

(I am not an attorney, if I was I'm pretty sure I'd remember.)

A doll?

 

[BodeMiller1]

I had to look back at what I said 3 years ago lol. I'm not sure what you're disagreeing with. My comment was confirming that I agreed with Zand that the speed limit applies anywhere that you're passing. I've never heard of any local laws that would allow you to exceed the speed limit simply to pass someone.

Zand is always right.

 

[SkiingInABlueDream]

It appears N.H. has a new law. It seems you have to be on a cell phone and have a cup of coffee in your hand. I guess you can drive w/ your knee.

Wow that's, surprising! Years ago (like 10+) I got pulled over on 93 in NH for doing just that. Im cruising along with a sandwich in one hand, picking at fries with the other hand and my knee on the steering wheel. Suddenly I see a big SUV in my left peripheral. It drifted past me a bit then quickly slowed down, pulled behind me then bam, lights. I knew exactly why. Wasn't speeding. I still had the sandwich in my hand when the officer approached my window He was simultaneously angry yet amused. I got away with a lecture. The road was empty but as the officer argued, what if a deer runs out of nowhere?
Sometimes lessons -can- be learned the easy way...

 

[jaytrem]

A friend of mine ran into a "rock outcropping" a couple weeks ago and totaled his car. He was eating sushi while driving (using fingers not chopsticks). Some times lessons are learned the hard way!

 

[bigbob]

Wow that's, surprising! Years ago (like 10+) I got pulled over on 93 in NH for doing just that. Im cruising along with a sandwich in one hand, picking at fries with the other hand and my knee on the steering wheel. Suddenly I see a big SUV in my left peripheral. It drifted past me a bit then quickly slowed down, pulled behind me then bam, lights. I knew exactly why. Wasn't speeding. I still had the sandwich in my hand when the officer approached my window He was simultaneously angry yet amused. I got away with a lecture. The road was empty but as the officer argued, what if a deer runs out of nowhere?
Sometimes lessons -can- be learned the easy way...

You don't use your hand to work the brake pedal! I have hit deer in the past and they get in front of you so fast there is usually not enough time to evade them. Interstate highway during the day is a little better with more clearing on the sides, but your higher rate of speed would negate that advantage.

 

[jimmywilson69]

A friend of mine ran into a "rock outcropping" a couple weeks ago and totaled his car. He was eating sushi while driving (using fingers not chopsticks). Some times lessons are learned the hard way!

Earing Sushi while driving, thats a new one...

 

[jimk]

The three most significant interstate arteries in and out of Washington DC are I95, I66, and I270/70. They handle an insane amount of local and thru traffic. I66 and I270/70 are important for going to the numerous ski areas that are west of the city. I95 flows north-south and is not, thank God, because I95 gets the heaviest traffic of all and is where many folks including Sen Tim Kaine got stuck for 24 hours on Jan 3-4, 2022 due to a stinking little 10" snowstorm south of DC.

Over the decades I have endured numerous horrendous Friday evenings in ski season trying to head west out of Wash DC in heavy commuter traffic on I66 and I270/70.

Here's the best thing about my set-up in Utah in the last five years: I stay at a house that is 13 miles from entry 1 parking lot at Snowbird. 19 days out of 20 it takes me about 20 minutes to make that 13 mile drive (my son can do it in 15 mins). The 20th day might take longer, possibly a lot longer, but that's because those are the days the road is covered with 1-2 feet of new snow. I skied 40 days at Snowbird this winter, many weekdays, but also quite a few weekend days. The 2021-22 winter was not the snowiest in Utah. I believe Snowbird only got about 400" of snow by mid-May, but a lot of that came early and late season. I had some good powder days, but none were the "perfect traffic storm" type of ski days involving prime weekends and road closures (common for avi mitigation with really big storms). Also, I've learned to avoid the peak, most troublesome times to go up the hill, such as 8AM or 4PM on sunny Saturdays in mid-season. This past winter my longest one-way commute up Little Cottonwood Canyon was probably no more than 30 minutes.

For example, 3/20/22 I skied Snowbird from 9am to 3:15pm. We had a smooth drive up at 815am and down at 330pm. It snowed about 5-7 inches between 9am and 1pm. It was a fairly heavy snow and got clumpy and a little tiring in the PM, but I had a lot of fun. Rather light crowd on the mtn for a powder Sunday. Went to the car around 11am to switch to fatter skis

Same day, 20 March. The latter part of March is when visits from spring breakers tail off, but the mtn is often still very snowy :

 

[ss20]

Here's the best thing about my set-up in Utah in the last five years: I stay at a house that is 13 miles from entry 1 parking lot at Snowbird. 19 days out of 20 it takes me about 20 minutes to make that 13 mile drive (my son can do it in 15 mins). The 20th day might take longer, possibly a lot longer, but that's because those are the days the road is covered with 1-2 feet of new snow. I skied 40 days at Snowbird this winter, many weekdays, but also quite a few weekend days. The 2021-22 winter was not the snowiest in Utah. I believe Snowbird only got about 400" of snow by mid-May, but a lot of that came early and late season. I had some good powder days, but none were the "perfect traffic storm" type of ski days involving prime weekends and road closures (common for avi mitigation with really big storms). Also, I've learned to avoid the peak, most troublesome times to go up the hill, such as 8AM or 4PM on sunny Saturdays in mid-season. This past winter my longest one-way commute up Little Cottonwood Canyon was probably no more than 30 minutes.

For example, 3/20/22 I skied Snowbird from 9am to 3:15pm. We had a smooth drive up at 815am and down at 330pm. It snowed about 5-7 inches between 9am and 1pm. It was a fairly heavy snow and got clumpy and a little tiring in the PM, but I had a lot of fun. Rather light crowd on the mtn for a powder Sunday. Went to the car around 11am to switch to fatter skis

The traffic in LCC was one of my biggest concerns about coming here. I think it's been overhyped. As you know I did the drive 6-7 days a week. The worst ride down was 2.5 hours, the worst ride up from canyon staging-Albion lot was 1.75 hours, the worst ride down on a dry road simply due to traffic was 1.25 hours. That's fine with me given 80% of the time, as you say, it's 20 minutes or less. Now of course the thing is it wasn't snowy as you said, we'll see what next year brings! But even the dozen or so storm days we did have were never that bad, imo. An hour commute each way is worth the Greatest Snow on Earth!

 

[bigbob]

Wow that's, surprising! Years ago (like 10+) I got pulled over on 93 in NH for doing just that. Im cruising along with a sandwich in one hand, picking at fries with the other hand and my knee on the steering wheel. Suddenly I see a big SUV in my left peripheral. It drifted past me a bit then quickly slowed down, pulled behind me then bam, lights. I knew exactly why. Wasn't speeding. I still had the sandwich in my hand when the officer approached my window He was simultaneously angry yet amused. I got away with a lecture. The road was empty but as the officer argued, what if a deer runs out of nowhere?
Sometimes lessons -can- be learned the easy way...

Live free or die baby!

 

[raisingarizona]

Live free or die baby!

Unless you're eating a samwhich while driving.....than f that and f you. That's probably a 250 dollar fine in Mass or NY or Vermont. So yeah, live free or die but also, pay the tax man ya little bitch.

 

[BodeMiller1]

A doll?

Yes, a doll.

"As I rained down blows on the man trying to take the last doll (for for my son for Christmas) I realized there must be a better way" - The Republic of Plato

In N.H. it against the law to invert (flip) going forward or reverse. Not sure if the law applies to: Snow boarders, snowbikes nor the ones with loose heel bindings.

 

[BodeMiller1]

A friend of mine ran into a "rock outcropping" a couple weeks ago and totaled his car. He was eating sushi while driving (using fingers not chopsticks). Some times lessons are learned the hard way!

This is the thing about going to Sunday River from N.H. They have cut back the side of the bank on the right to keep rocks from falling on the roads. Most people don't realize how much traction you loose going over a crest of a hill. add in a turn and some ice and...

I believe you only use the sticks to eat sushi and your on a date. No one knows why?

 

[djd66]

I have absolutely no clue what is being talked about here. Is it just me?

 

[SkiingInABlueDream]

Unless you're eating a samwhich while driving.....than f that and f you. That's probably a 250 dollar fine in Mass or NY or Vermont. So yeah, live free or die but also, pay the tax man ya little bitch.

Lol. I don't know anyone who's never eaten drive thru food while driving. If you think police are gonna pull over every person they see driving with just one hand on the wheel then you're either crazy or stupid. I drive a manual transmission. I spend a lot of time with one hand off the wheel - quick better ticket me and fix the problem

 

[180]

Ever get stuck on the mountain road up to Hunter? Lots of impatient drivers in Saturday AM