# Your favorite area as a kid.



## Abubob (Jan 14, 2015)

I didn't want to hijack the kid's favorite thread because my step-kids are grown and have no interest in skiing or boarding.

So I only thought of MY favorite area when I was learning to ski. Long lost Berkshire Snow Basin was my favorite from late 60s to early 80s. It had herky jerky t-bars, loose stones in the lodge along with advanced intermediate terrain and all natural snow. Seemed like it snowed there every other day. It was just the best.


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## JDMRoma (Jan 14, 2015)

King Ridge was my favorite, would skip school and ski for $4.95 a day !



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## SkiFanE (Jan 14, 2015)

My parents did not learn to ski til I was a teen, but they put me on skis at 5yo (thanks Mom & Dad  ).  So our ski "trips" were after school on the bus to Nashoba Valley every half day all winter.  Then my older sis had a co-op thru Northeastern to Crotched Mt. School - and she was a ski instructor there.  She ended up being there 2 seasons.  She got us all free tickets both winters.  That's when my parents learned to ski.  So for 2 years we went every weekend to Crotched Mt (the old side, not the one that's still going) and then alot after that.  It was basically all I knew - I would get out with my older sibs and firend too other ski areas randomly - but I guess Crotched was my home for 2-3 winters.

Blitz...the big black diamond trail (blew out a binding tucking down the runout).  Dipsy Doodle...  45minute waits for the T-bar - and if you crashed on the way up - back to the bottom and back of the line.  Long waits for the chairlift too.  Every afternoon for apres they'd have the german/swiss band with old skis they used as an instrument.  lol.  They had weekly Nastar races, $5 I think.

Have to say..when I complain about 10 minutes waits on the chairlift on holiday weekends I have to remember how bad it used to be.  They had corrals - like Disney world... crazy...  Basically one quick run every hour at peak times.  

Ah....memories.


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## Angus (Jan 14, 2015)

For the short # of years that my family skied together (mid-late '70's), we'd drive from S. Shore of Boston to King Ridge for day trips. It was a great little ski area. I would ski the trails on skiers left which was a bit steeper and serviced by t-bar. Reflecting back on it, I think the trails were spread out enough that things stayed interesting as you moved around from one part of area to the other. My other area was Attitash (pre-bear mountain) which I would get too on school ski trips...that was the big time. Doubt I've been back in winter since late 70's. Other than that I skied at Big Blue!

As I drive up/down 89 now, I always crane my neck to try and catch sight of the old trails at King Ridge.


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## Puck it (Jan 14, 2015)

Big Tupper, we used to go the areas behind Ottawa to like Camp Fortune, Edlweiss and Vorlage.


Titus Mtn. and Snow Ridge were up there in high school.


This is for Warp Daddy,  the old J-bar at the country club was the place where I did most of my skiing.  I learned at Ace and Ann's on Black Lake at the rope tow.


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## Tin (Jan 14, 2015)

Catamount and Berkshire East. Hit them one some crazy 20"+ days. Catapult and Liftline were so intimidating when I was 10-12 years old. I love them both because the trails and lodges have so much character. Both hills are nestled into these little corners and you never expect to see a ski area where they are. Then you come around a corner or over a river and there it is.


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## gmcunni (Jan 14, 2015)

my parents were not skiers. i didn't start skiing until i was 13 or 14.  my favorite place was any place i could get to.

a lot of visits locally to Big Birch (now thunder ridge).  it was a "treat" to ski MT snow.  Okemo sucked, not because of the terrain but back in late 70s early 80s the top half of the mountain was never open when we were there.


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## Nick (Jan 14, 2015)

Killington. We were there every, single, weekend.


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## wa-loaf (Jan 14, 2015)

Sugarloaf, my dad was an instructor there for a period. Also Eton Mtn in Skowhegan was fun time for night skiing especially in Jr High.


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## freeski (Jan 14, 2015)

JDMRoma said:


> King Ridge was my favorite, would skip school and ski for $4.95 a day !


I remember skiing at King Ridge on a spring day the mountain was bare and there was a 4" storm the night before. I went with my dad and neighbor. Yep they opened with 4". It was great for the first half of the day. King Ridge was great as a kid. 
My favorite was Pat's Peak. I used to go over on Thursday afternoons with my sister and neighbor (same as above) and his sister. We'd have a lesson and ski under the lights for a couple of hours. We skied on the Valley runs and the T-bar that went up the FIS trail. They had good french-fries. I haven't been back in 30 years. Around 14 started going to Loon, Cannon and Waterville Valley and Pat's was not an option anymore.


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## SkiFanE (Jan 14, 2015)

gmcunni said:


> my parents were not skiers. i didn't start skiing until i was 13 or 14.  my favorite place was any place i could get to.
> 
> a lot of visits locally to Big Birch (now thunder ridge).  it was a "treat" to ski MT snow.  Okemo sucked, not because of the terrain but back in late 70s early 80s the top half of the mountain was never open when we were there.



My childhood friend had a place at Okemo.  I remember going when I was about 8yo.  All I remember is a freezing day, my toes had frozen and I had to wait forever for a poma lift that was halfway up the mountain.  If it weren't for the frozen toes, I'd probably have no memory lol.  Haven't been there since.


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## MadMadWorld (Jan 14, 2015)

Wildcat. We made a week long pilgrimage every year. I had many a skiing firsts there....

First Gondola ride

First time skiing a black diamond (Wildcat trail I believe)

First time my parents let me ski alone with friends

First time I had to wait for my dad at the bottom of the trail instead of the other way around

First time breaking a bone (skiing the old lift line which is now Hairball)

So many great memories....


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## Tin (Jan 14, 2015)

MadMadWorld said:


> Wildcat. We made a week long pilgrimage every year. I had many a skiing firsts there....
> 
> First Gondola ride
> 
> ...




Did you pull a Squirrel in the gondola?


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## MadMadWorld (Jan 14, 2015)

Tin said:


> Did you pull a Squirrel in the gondola?



I'm lost...


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## gmcunni (Jan 14, 2015)

Tin said:


> Did you pull a Squirrel in the gondola?





MadMadWorld said:


> I'm lost...


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## jimk (Jan 14, 2015)

Blue Knob, PA.  It had the toughest terrain around.  I can't believe my Dad, a terminal intermediate who took up skiing at age 49, made it our primary destination over closer, easier hills.


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## SIKSKIER (Jan 14, 2015)

JDMRoma said:


> King Ridge was my favorite, would skip school and ski for $4.95 a day !
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using AlpineZone


Ah yes,King Ridge,the upside down mt was my first "big" mt so I thought at the time.My mom would bring us to Tilton Highlands on Monday for $1.


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## dlague (Jan 14, 2015)

Jay Peak - I did not start skiing until I was a teenager and that was my home mountain and the only mountain I skied at.  Even worked there for a season.  

However, during my first year of college - Brodie and Mount Snow were the go to spots for us!

While in the military - Garmisch-Partenkirchen region.

Back in college post military - it was Burke.

So I guess it depends a lot on where you are in the world.


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## MadMadWorld (Jan 14, 2015)

SIKSKIER said:


> Ah yes,King Ridge,the upside down mt was my first "big" mt so I thought at the time.My mom would bring us to Tilton Highlands on Monday for $1.



Big mountain? Where the heck were you skiing before?


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## Smellytele (Jan 14, 2015)

JDMRoma said:


> King Ridge was my favorite, would skip school and ski for $4.95 a day !
> 
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using AlpineZone



I really enjoyed King Ridge as well.


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## deadheadskier (Jan 14, 2015)

King Ridge was my favorite as well.  

1st year skiing was strictly at Ward Hill.  2nd & 3rd we spread it around to Wachusette, Crotched (East), Sunapee, Cranmore and King Hill.  I liked King Hill the best.  I thought it being upside down was really cool.


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## Smellytele (Jan 14, 2015)

deadheadskier said:


> King Ridge was my favorite as well.
> 
> 1st year skiing was strictly at Ward Hill.  2nd & 3rd we spread it around to Wachusette, Crotched (East), Sunapee, Cranmore and King Hill.  I liked King Hill the best.  I thought it being upside down was really cool.



I guess a lot of us liked King ridge but not many others because they went the way of NELSAP.


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## deadheadskier (Jan 14, 2015)

Good area for kids.  Easy terrain, not that cold compared to other areas, short car ride and nice comfortable lodge.   All things I really don't care too much about as an adult. :lol:


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## HD333 (Jan 14, 2015)

The Mighty Jericho Hill of Marlborough Ma.

For a real mountain I would have to say Wildcat, my Mom didn't ski and my Dad skied once a year on our annual week long  trip to the North Conway area.  Looking back I realize that they did this all for us kids.


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## AmmergauerTele (Jan 14, 2015)

dlague said:


> While in the military - Garmisch-Partenkirchen region.



Just moved back from there.  Really liked Lermoos just over the border in Austria.  My kids loved it there near the top in the area we called the Mushroom Forest - just bouncing off everything. Erhwald was good too.


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## rocks860 (Jan 14, 2015)

Sugarbush. My parents started me skiing there when I was 2 or so and I took lessons there every year. Still my favorite place and try to get there for a week every year (we have a timeshare there).


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## podunk77 (Jan 14, 2015)

I grew up in the Merrimack Valley so Methuen Ski Area and Boston Hills Ski Area in North Andover (both Nelsap) were the regulars.  Memorable trips to bigger places include Ragged Mountain and Cranmore when they still had the skimobile lift.  I'm still trying to figure out whether Blueberry Patch at Ragged has been significantly widened and flattened or whether my childhood memory of the top of it being fairly narrow and bumpy is just wrong.


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## Powda (Jan 14, 2015)

I always had fun at Brodie Mtn as a kid.


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## WoodCore (Jan 14, 2015)

Grew up at mighty Mount Southington and nothing can compare with the fun and hijinks that went down. Other than that always enjoyed the skiing at Brodie and the Southern VT areas in the early 80's.

Kudo's to my parents for taking me to so many different areas as a kid.


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## bdfreetuna (Jan 14, 2015)

JDMRoma said:


> King Ridge was my favorite, would skip school and ski for $4.95 a day !



One of my favorites as well. They were a client back in the day, we went there many times.

Berkshire East would be the easy answer... and continues to be one of my favorite mountains as long as there's enough snow )


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## dlague (Jan 14, 2015)

AmmergauerTele said:


> Just moved back from there.  Really liked Lermoos just over the border in Austria.  My kids loved it there near the top in the area we called the Mushroom Forest - just bouncing off everything. Erhwald was good too.



My son is skiing that area now.  He has skied Lermoos and Zugspitz as well as others in the Alps.  He is going to northern Italy this weekend.


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## Savemeasammy (Jan 14, 2015)

I grew up skiing whaleback, and I will always remember going to Mt. Sunapee for the first time.  My cousin and I were awestruck by how big we thought it was!

My favorite as a "kid" (more like teenager since I started when I was 12) was Killington.  


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## ScottySkis (Jan 15, 2015)

When I was growing up I lived in long island so my dad took us to Hunter and mountain creek a few times in a winter and one week vacation in north . I remember loving Smuggs not wanting to leave it snowed a lot that weekm


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## SIKSKIER (Jan 15, 2015)

MadMadWorld said:


> Big mountain? Where the heck were you skiing before?


You probably never heard of them.Derryfield rope tow(actually the Derryfield golf course in Manchester),the Elms(another rope tow in Manchester that is now almost part of the Manch Airport) and Twin Tows(more rope tows) in Milford NH(located behind where the Shaws is).


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## Krikaya (Jan 15, 2015)

Growing up in Boston metro area, I learned my snowplow and stem christie turns at Blue Hill but even as a kid I disliked it. Too damn small and local. When my father took me to Mt. Tom(NELSAP) in Holyoke I thought I had reached nirvana. Sunapee was a step up from Mt. Tom. And then after a trip in high school to Killington I realized that bigger was better. Flatlanders are easily impressed. I still am.


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## Newpylong (Jan 15, 2015)

Brodie


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## SkiingInABlueDream (Jan 15, 2015)

Jay Peak.  Not because it was where I went most frequently (that would be Killington & Pico) but because at the time (early 80's when I was <10) it felt like the coolest place in the world. The drive from home (Hartford CT) was probably double that of S. VT. It was right next door to Canada - a whole other country!   It had a Tram and faux Bavarian architecture. Signs in _French?!  _It like was transporting to Europe!   It seemed like a blizzard was always howling and the mountain was always empty. It was like the North Pole, but not in a cheesy mall-Santa Clause-y way, but rather a French Canadien, Klondike Kat sort of way (if anyone remembers that cartoon


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## dlague (Jan 15, 2015)

Newpylong said:


> Brodie



That was shocking! :beer:


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## SkiFanE (Jan 15, 2015)

By the looks of it - half of us got our starts at NELSAP places.  My start (Nashoba Valley) is still alive - but if it wasn't for that tiny hill I probably wouldn't be a skier.  Or I would have started in my teens or after college when I could afford it.  So I think about all the kids nowadays that don't get into the sport b/c it's not as easy to start as it used to be.  Tis a shame.  But it's very cool my HS kid is having a race today at Nashoba...serves it's purpose.  But when I looked at season pass prices there - OMG....crazy expensive for a 200' of vertical lol...I think my SR pass was only $2-300 more.  Such is business in the city 'burbs I suppose.


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## 4aprice (Jan 15, 2015)

Madonna Mountain Ski Area (aka Smugglers).  My dad was introduced to the mountain by a co-worker. (circa 1967-68)  Morse was new, the village just starting to be constructed.  We ended up renting a condo for several seasons and traveling up there every other weekend and school breaks, a 7 1/2 hour drive in those days.  Basically, walked out the door, to the lift (seemed like a haul in those days) ski back the end of the day. Started racing there with the Smuggler's Notch Ski Club (called the Bumble Bees for the hats we wore).  Remember that other kids that skied in my school back in NJ always praised Mt Mansfield and at that time the view of Mansfield from the Madonna Chair on the last rise made me a little envious. Can remember my dad ranting about the Stowe ticket costing $10/day (smuggs @ 7 or so) so I took a while before I got over there. (took the skiing way too)  Was up there for 64" in 4 days.(Dec 1969, I believe)  People were having trouble getting to the mountain as we walked to the lifts.  Still have a wonderful brochure from that era that's a fun show piece.

Alex

Lake Hopatcong, NJ


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## skiNEwhere (Jan 15, 2015)

My very first memory of skiing was riding the old orange gondola at Killington. Always loved skiing there.

Although I think I liked pats peak the most as a kid, since it was a lot easier to convince my mom to day trip there (coming from Boston). I also think that was the first place I skied a double black (may have been hurricane?)


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## Warp Daddy (Jan 15, 2015)

Puck it said:


> Big Tupper, we used to go the areas behind Ottawa to like Camp Fortune, Edlweiss and Vorlage.
> 
> 
> Titus Mtn. and Snow Ridge were up there in high school.
> ...




 Yo Puck        ROLFMAO about the J bar , my adult kids and i used to race on our XC's down that sucker .....loved the jump half way down....best memory ever was when Phil Lord decided it would be cool to take his friggen Kayak  at full speed over that jump .....landed in da woods .below ..we're talkin CARNAGE ..:dunce:. That old kayak splintered like a bunch 'o toothpicks ..Me n Phill still laff bout that one today .

lots of serious Burgy characters got started on that puppy 



we also loved Tupper , specially on wed nite free lesson with lift ticket   Vorlage and Edelweiss and CF were also on the circuit


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## chuckstah (Jan 15, 2015)

Klein Innsbruck in Franklin, MA. Close to where I grew up. As soon as my high school crew got questionable I'D's we hit the bar there couple nights a week. Good scene in the day. Anyone remember the bars name?


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## Mapnut (Jan 16, 2015)

It's interesting that so many people cite lost King Ridge as their favorite. I remember seeing it from I-89 on my way to Killington while it was still operating (1973?), and thinking it looked like a substantial area. NELSAP says it failed due to just one bad winter, 1994-95. For me it was Eaton Mountain, Skowhegan, ME for fun times and that memorable early-days atmosphere. The rope tow, the squeaky one-of-a-kind double chair, which I had no idea was unusual. And the nice range of trails on which I worked my way up. They were open when there was snow, and it never occurred to me that they'd have trouble as a business if it didn't snow. After a couple of seasons I started going to Sugarloaf and never looked back. Hey Warp Daddy, I never made a Maine connection with you, but we may have crossed paths. 1968-1973?


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## Warp Daddy (Jan 16, 2015)

Mapnut :how so??  Did you go  to school here in NNy at either SUNY Canton , Clarkson or SLU or work up here ?


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## Mapnut (Jan 16, 2015)

Oops, I meant to name Wa-loaf, although I don't know whether he could have been at Eaton or Sugarloaf in 1969-1973.


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## steamboat1 (Jan 16, 2015)

Pretty much learned to ski at Dutch Hill.


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## xlr8r (Jan 17, 2015)

Sunday River just seemed so awesome when I was young.  In the ASC glory days they added something new every year, new lifts, new hotels, etc...  We usually stayed at the Grand Summit, so going from there all the way to Jordan made the place feel huge.  I specifically remember going there the first time, arriving at the Grand Summit and opening the trail map, and seeing the trail map continue to open wider and wider opening each fold.  It first looked like it had 2 peaks, then 4, then 6, finally opening up to reveal 8 peaks blew my mind at how big it was.


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## hrstrat57 (Jan 17, 2015)

Pinetop


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## Brad J (Jan 18, 2015)

Hamilton, Ski Slopes, Seaview in Rowley, Wildcat when we went North


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## splunge (Jan 18, 2015)

When we used to actually go up country, we went to either Burke or Jay, because they are close to my Grandfathers house. All the skiing I have done in the last 8 years has been at nashoba, where I ski for free because my highschool races there. My dad has been the coach at my school for a long time, so I used to practice with the team long before I was actually of age. Now I'm in my junior year.


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