Your favorite ski areas in the northeast

[AdironRider]

Im one of the few that actually likes Waterville. The trails are pretty decent on the skiers right side, plus True Grit (while about 2 football fields wide) has a legitimate pitch.

 

[Zand]

From what I've been to in no particular order:

Sugarbush
MRG
Cannon
Smuggs
Killington

Honorable Mention goes to Okemo and Sunapee. Not the most exciting terrain but great management and a good vibe.

Top 5 Areas I Want To Ski:

Stowe (planning on this year)
Sugarloaf
Jay
Burke
Saddleback (saw it while snowmobiling in Rangeley... looks nice)

 

[klrskiah]

1. tha LOAF
2. sugarbush
3. sundayriver
4. saddleback
5. le massif

 

[Birdman829]

OK I guess I didn't make an actual top five so here it goes.

1. Loaf
2. Bush
3. Stowe
4. Wildcat
5. Cannon

 

[thebigo]

1 year ago i posted:

#1 kmart
#2 sunday river
#3 cannon
#4 ragged (if i sleep too late)
#5 pats peak (best night skiing in nh)

at this time i would update the list as follows:

#1 kmart/pico (nothing else in the east is even close to the total package: terrain, accesabiltiy, lack of crowding, price, apres ski, friends; imo)
#2 sugarloaf (best terrain, cheap pass, period)
#3 cannon (i just love the place)
#4 burke (great terrain, never any crowds, snow lasts forever, unfortunatley i wont be back until they replace the quad, bad experience last year)
#5 ragged (best place close to home, on a powder day as good as the big resorts)
#6 bradford (five mins from the office, a blast to play in 6'' fresh after work)

Summary:
I mistakenly omitted burke last year, I grew up skiing there and always had fun but my one trip last year left me stranded on the quad and riding the poma. Great hill but they really need another upper mountain lift.
Finally got to check out sugarloaf last year and the place is unreal. It has somehow been sheltered from the asc fog that had eroded kmart. Would be #1 if it didnt take two weeks to get there.
Bradford replaced Pats as the weeknight destination, just a convenience issue.
Sunday River was a nostaglic choice last year, my first skiing was at pre-otten sr. Honeslty though I hit SR a few days a year and I always find myself wishing I was at kmart.

 

[Birdman829]

Waterville is okay. Never crowded, nice cruising terrain, a few nice steeps and bumps (Gemma, True Grit, Bobby's Run).

 

[JD]

Blandford! That place ROCKS. My Brother lives in Otis. Last winter we drove up to N. Adams and paddled the Dryway in 10 inches of fresh snow. Hitched a ride on the plough to get to the put in, made it back to his house to get my nephew and up to blandford for the opening (after school). Farmed pow from skiers left to right while at the kids hit the "Park". That place had a great vibe. Snow ended up getting a bit heavy, but still epic. Chased a red fox down a tree line first run. Couldn't believe I was in Mass. Great place.

 

[Jonni]

1.) Sugarbush
2.) Burke Mountain
3.) Jay Peak
4.) Sunapee
5.) Loon Mountain
6.) Mount Snow
7.) Crotched Mountain
8.) Ragged Mountain
9.) Waterville Valley
10.) Shawnee Peak, ME

 

[Vortex]

Waterville is nice. I go there early season a bit when there is limited terrain at Loon and Waterville to get a few more trails. The town square is nice. I go there alot at night. A lot of family fun activities. I do that many more times more than I ski Waterville. This is a great place for families.

 

[Boston Bulldog]

BUMP!

1. Magic
2. The Loaf
3. Jay
4. Whaleback
5. MRG

 

[gmcunni]

currently

1. sugarbush
2. sugarloaf
3. Magic

 

[gregnye]

1. Jay Peak
1.5 Killington
2. Wildcat
3. Cannon
4. Pico
5. Loon
5.5 Mt Snow
6. Waterville (gotta respect my "home mountain")


Places I want to go to really badly:

1. Stowe (gotta sell my house to be able to buy a ticket! )
2. Sugarbush
3. Sugarloaf
4. Saddleback

 

[riverc0il]

Wow, this IS a bump. I remember pizza, who started this thread...

1. Cannon
2. Mad River Glen
3. Burke Mountain
4. Tuckerman Ravine
5. Magic Mountain

Time for an update, I guess. I've skied a lot more areas since 2005. Tuckerman Ravine was obviously submitted tongue in cheek since this is clearly a ski area list and not inclusive of BC. I guess now I'd go with...

1. Cannon
2a. Mad River Glen
2b. Smuggs
4. Jay
5. Stowe

I think?

6-12 would probably include Burke, Magic, Saddleback, Dartmouth, Black NH, and Abram

13-15 would probably be places others love but don't tickle my heart strings despite the great terrain: Wildcat, Sugarloaf, Sugarbush

Obviously, that is "my favorites" not "best mountains". I'll admit Loaf and Bush are two great mountains. They just don't do it for me.

I'll need to do a top 20 list on my web site at some point. That might be an interesting summer project to roll out one area per week or something like that.

 

[St. Bear]

1. Sugarbush
2. Sugarloaf
3. Wildcat
4. Jay Peak
5. Cannon

Top places I haven't gone that would probably make list:
1. Stowe
2. MRG
3. Le Massif

 

[ALLSKIING]

BUMP!

1. Magic
2. The Loaf
3. Jay
4. Whaleback
5. MRG

You went digging for this!

1 MRG
2 Sugarbush
3 Sugarloaf
4 Killington
5 Magic

 

[Boston Bulldog]

You went digging for this!

1 MRG
2 Sugarbush
3 Sugarloaf
4 Killington
5 Magic

Haha, No this was just under the "Threads Similar to this" section for the "Seeded Bumps" thread

 

[ss20]

1. Mount Snow (mostly sentimental attachment and history).
2. Killington
3. Stratton (I know, but there are great glades).
4. Loon
5. Windham
6. Smuggs (would be #3 if they put money into their lifts)

 

[rocojerry]

1. Sugarloaf
2. Sugarbush
3. Jay Peak
4. Smuggs
5. Cannon
​

 

[snowmonster]

Funny, I just did a Boston.com poll similar to this. I answered:

1. Stowe
2. Sugarloaf
3. Mad River Glen
4. Jay Peak
5. Sunday River

 

[ScottySkis]

Ones I have been to.

1 Sugarbush
2 Stowe
3 Gore
4 Platty
5 Hunter( mid week)
6 Platty
7 Elk