# National Geographic lists out Top 25 Ski Towns



## Nick (Aug 21, 2014)

http://adventure.nationalgeographic...tos/#/girdwood-alaska-skier_47305_600x450.jpg

With excellent photos, as you'd imagine from NatGeo. In the Northeast, North Conway and Stowe made the list. Not sure if I'm surprised on Stowe, considering it's dedicated to one resort? I've never skied it so I don't know what the town is like. 

I'm also sort of surprised not to see any eastern Canadian resorts on the list. You would think Mont Sutton or something might get the nod for the european style ski town. 

Anway, here is the rundown: 
[h=1]_TOP 25 SKI TOWNS IN THE WORLD:_[/h]#1 – Girdwood, AK, USA
#2 – Fernie, Canada
#3 – Zermatt, Switzerland
#4 – Bozeman, MT, USA
#5 – Chamonix, France
#6 – Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy
#7 – Whitefish, MT, USA
#8 – Crested Butte, CO, USA
#9 – Aspen, CO, USA
#10 – Niseko, Japan
#11 – Kitzbühel, Austria
#12 – Bend, OR, USA
#13 – Mont Tremblant, Canada
#14 – Taos, NM, USA
#15 – Park City, UT, USA
#16 – Truckee, CA, USA
#17 – Whistler, Canada
*#18 – North Conway, NH, USA*
#19 – Banff, Canada
#20 – Steamboat Spring, CO, USA
#21 – Telluride, CO, USA
#22 – Jackson, WY, USA
#23 – Wanaka, New Zealand
*#24 – Stowe, VT, USA*
#25 – Ketchum, ID, USA


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## Domeskier (Aug 21, 2014)

East Rutherford, NJ will be topping this list soon.  Unfortunately, I think the attention will only spoil my secret stashes.


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## skiNEwhere (Aug 21, 2014)

I didn't see a link. What was their criteria on determining what comprises a "ski town"?


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## Nick (Aug 21, 2014)

The link is at the very top. Here again: http://adventure.nationalgeographic...tos/#/girdwood-alaska-skier_47305_600x450.jpg


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## skiNEwhere (Aug 21, 2014)

I just show a broken pic. Maybe cuz I'm on my phone


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## MadMadWorld (Aug 21, 2014)

Glad to see Fernie getting some love. It's beautiful


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## skiNEwhere (Aug 21, 2014)

Not sure if you want to ski fernie with their questionable avalanche response methods


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## MadMadWorld (Aug 21, 2014)

Awe how can you hate on them?


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## trackbiker (Aug 21, 2014)

Nick said:


> I'm also sort of surprised not to see any eastern Canadian resorts on the list. You would think Mont Sutton or something might get the nod for the european style ski town.
> 
> #13 – Mont Tremblant, Canada



As far as I know Mont Tremblant is still in eastern Canada. :wink:


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## Nick (Aug 21, 2014)

Oops. I read it three times looking for it!! 

Weird I also see the link on my phone as a broken pic


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## mbedle (Aug 22, 2014)

LOL, I'd vote for it. 



Domeskier said:


> East Rutherford, NJ will be topping this list soon.  Unfortunately, I think the attention will only spoil my secret stashes.


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## 4aprice (Aug 22, 2014)

How do towns like Taos, NM, Bend Or, and Ketchum ID which (correct me if I'm wrong) are quite a distance from their respective ski areas, beat out Jackson, Telluride, and Steamboat which are right there?  Salt Lake City could be on that list IMO.  Aspen is the best ski town I've ever been to in large part because the slopes are right there. 

Alex

Lake Hopatcong, NJ


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## abc (Aug 22, 2014)

Yet another lame list...


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## thetrailboss (Aug 22, 2014)

skiNEwhere said:


> Not sure if you want to ski fernie with their questionable avalanche response methods



I bought the DVD a few years back....hilarious!

As to the list, some good ones there.  

Zermatt: it's awesome.  Isolated because of the location.  You can't drive there.

Jackson:  good one as well.  

North Conway:  ditto.

Park City:  three ski areas in one town.  Need I say more?

Aspen:  went last month.  Love the ski areas.  Hate the lack of parking downtown.  Damn expensive.  

I'm surprised that Stowe was not higher.  It is dubbed "Ski Capital of the East" for a reason.  Pretty idyllic town.  

As to "ski cities", I'd nominate SLC.  Love living out here...lots going on, awesome access, good career options, and incredible vistas.


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## BenedictGomez (Aug 22, 2014)

Lake Placid is my favorite ski town in the east, and it didn't even make the list = yet another crappy ski list.


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## MadMadWorld (Aug 22, 2014)

BenedictGomez said:


> Lake Placid is my favorite ski town in the east, and it didn't even make the list = yet another crappy ski list.



I didn't even think about that. That's very surprising.


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## ss20 (Aug 22, 2014)

Can we give an honorable mention to Ludlow VT?  Say what you want about the mountain, but the town is really, really nice.


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## Savemeasammy (Aug 23, 2014)

Most of these I am familiar with, so I am surprised that Girdwood, AK is #1.  I had never even heard of it until now.  

Although it's not very big, I prefer Tahoe City to Truckee. 


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## mbedle (Aug 23, 2014)

I'm not really sure I would consider some of these "ski towns". Bend, OR as a ski town is like calling Kingston a ski town for Hunter.... or Rutland a ski town for Pico and Killington. Just doesn't make sense to me.


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## ScottySkis (Aug 23, 2014)

mbedle said:


> I'm not really sure I would consider some of these "ski towns". Bend, OR as a ski town is like calling Kingston a ski town for Hunter.... or Rutland a ski town for Pico and Killington. Just doesn't make sense to me.



That is funny because my dad moved to Kingston in the late 1970s so he could be closer to Hunter. But you are correct it not a all a ski town it nice being a little less then an hour to the Catskills and Catamount from their.


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## skiNEwhere (Aug 23, 2014)

thetrailboss said:


> As to "ski cities", I'd nominate SLC.  Love living out here...lots going on, awesome access, good career options, and incredible vistas.



If we are going that route, then I nominate Denver. Everything you said, plus tons of ski shops and ski related businesses. When you go to the bar you hear people talking about their epic pass for the next season, how skiing was that weekend, etc.

Ski resorts aren't as close to Denver as they are to SLC, but still within day tripping range.


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## MadMadWorld (Aug 23, 2014)

mbedle said:


> I'm not really sure I would consider some of these "ski towns". Bend, OR as a ski town is like calling Kingston a ski town for Hunter.... or Rutland a ski town for Pico and Killington. Just doesn't make sense to me.



I don't know about Kingston but Rutland sees a crap load more traffic in the winter and a lot of skiers stay, dine, and shop there.


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## BenedictGomez (Aug 23, 2014)

MadMadWorld said:


> I don't know about Kingston but Rutland sees a crap load more traffic in the winter and a lot of skiers stay, dine, and shop there.



True, but Rutland isnt making a top-100 ski towns list.


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## thetrailboss (Aug 23, 2014)

MadMadWorld said:


> I don't know about Kingston but Rutland sees a crap load more traffic in the winter and a lot of skiers stay, dine, and shop there.



Yeah but Rutland doesn't really feel like a ski town. 


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## thetrailboss (Aug 23, 2014)

skiNEwhere said:


> If we are going that route, then I nominate Denver. Everything you said, plus tons of ski shops and ski related businesses. When you go to the bar you hear people talking about their epic pass for the next season, how skiing was that weekend, etc.
> 
> Ski resorts aren't as close to Denver as they are to SLC, but still within day tripping range.



Everyone says that about Denver but that was not our experience. 


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## Cornhead (Aug 23, 2014)

Ellicottville, NY, awesome ski town, emphasis on "town". I met a lot of people from Ohio at Holiday Valley, it's their ski Mecca, sucks to be them. Actually, Holiday Valley is not terrible, they do get lots of Lake Effect off Erie. There are some cool lean-tos along some trails with a picnic table within, fire rings in front with supplied wood to burn, cool spots to take a break and enjoy "Nature". Never skied Hollimont, it's semi private, open to the public only on weekdays.

The only reason I have been there is because I have a bud who lives halfway there. I could be at Whiteface, or southern VT, for the same drive time. Lake Placid is very cool, hard to imagine two Winter Olympics being held there, it's pretty small. I think of the "Miracle on Ice" every time I drive past the Arena, I bet LP was hopping that night.

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## skiNEwhere (Aug 23, 2014)

thetrailboss said:


> Everyone says that about Denver but that was not our experience.



What aspects? Please elaborate.


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## AdironRider (Aug 23, 2014)

skiNEwhere said:


> If we are going that route, then I nominate Denver. Everything you said, plus tons of ski shops and ski related businesses. When you go to the bar you hear people talking about their epic pass for the next season, how skiing was that weekend, etc.
> 
> Ski resorts aren't as close to Denver as they are to SLC, but still within day tripping range.



Not on a powder day with 5-7 hour drives each way. You know this is true.


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## Domeskier (Aug 23, 2014)

Hartford?


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## skiNEwhere (Aug 23, 2014)

AdironRider said:


> Not on a powder day with 5-7 hour drives each way. You know this is true.



I don't live in Denver so I don't know this to be true, I live in the mountains so I got a 45 minute jump on everyone.  I can vouch for the atmosphere though.

Maybe I haven't lived here long enough but I've yet to see a 5-7 hour delay for traffic. Maybe it's a really big storm and their are multiple accidents. Depends where you are going too. I consider Loveland the beginning of the Denver ski region and Beaver Creek the end. Maybe if they were going to Beaver Creek, with a really big storm, that affected Vail pass I could see it.

Regardless, what does traffic have to do with whether or not it's a "Ski City"?


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## thetrailboss (Aug 23, 2014)

Denver is surprisingly further from the mountains than we thought. Sure it's an hour or so to Loveland, but an hour here gets you to 8-9 major resorts easily. Other than that it felt more like Kansas than Colorado being so relatively flat. I pictured it to be like SLC with the mountains right nearby but that's just not the case. Sure it's where folks fly into and where they start from but it's not a good base for skiing. 


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## skiNEwhere (Aug 23, 2014)

thetrailboss said:


> Denver is surprisingly further from the mountains than we thought. Sure it's an hour or so to Loveland, but an hour here gets you to 8-9 major resorts easily. Other than that it felt more like Kansas than Colorado being so relatively flat. I pictured it to be like SLC with the mountains right nearby but that's just not the case. Sure it's where folks fly into and where they start from but it's not a good base for skiing.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using AlpineZone



How often are you affected by road closures though? I'm sure it's great to be at Alta when you are interlodged, but sucks if you are not there. Not sure of how much snow it takes for interlodging to take effect, maybe we don't have that "problem" due to less snow. How many ski areas does interlodging normally effect? Just trying to figure out if a lot of snow means you can't ski anywhere in the state until roads clear.


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## AdironRider (Aug 23, 2014)

Dude you have blinders on if you haven't seen the I70 traffic issues or are one of the causes of the problems there. 

Denver isn't really a ski city, considering at best the closest areas are almost an hour away and 50+ miles. Boston is more of a ski city than Denver in that sense.


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## skiNEwhere (Aug 23, 2014)

I've seen the I-70 traffic issues, not to the level you describe, you make it sound as if it's like that every weekend. Plus they've been expanding the twin tunnels in Idaho Springs to 3 lanes, that should help the some of the issues.


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## ScottySkis (Aug 23, 2014)

skiNEwhere said:


> How often are you affected by road closures though? I'm sure it's great to be at Alta when you are interlodged, but sucks if you are not there. Not sure of how much snow it takes for interlodging to take effect, maybe we don't have that "problem" due to less snow. How many ski areas does interlodging normally effect? Just trying to figure out if a lot of snow means you can't ski anywhere in the state until roads clear.



The interlodge happens a few times at only Alta and snowbird in a snowy season. 
The other 2 places that get SLC magic snow dont really have road closed to often. Even just being on the mountain when it puking snow and the road closes for few hours is pretty awesome powder powder and more powdeer.


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## thetrailboss (Aug 23, 2014)

ScottySkis said:


> The interlodge happens a few times at only Alta and snowbird in a snowy season.
> The other 2 places that get SLC magic snow dont really have road closed to often. Even just being on the mountain when it puking snow and the road closes for few hours is pretty awesome powder powder and more powdeer.



Exactly. I80 rarely closes to PC. 


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## skiersleft (Aug 23, 2014)

Cornhead said:


> Ellicottville, NY, awesome ski town, emphasis on "town". I met a lot of people from Ohio at Holiday Valley, it's their ski Mecca, sucks to be them. Actually, Holiday Valley is not terrible, they do get lots of Lake Effect off Erie. There are some cool lean-tos along some trails with a picnic table within, fire rings in front with supplied wood to burn, cool spots to take a break and enjoy "Nature". Never skied Hollimont, it's semi private, open to the public only on weekdays.
> 
> The only reason I have been there is because I have a bud who lives halfway there. I could be at Whiteface, or southern VT, for the same drive time. Lake Placid is very cool, hard to imagine two Winter Olympics being held there, it's pretty small. I think of the "Miracle on Ice" every time I drive past the Arena, I bet LP was hopping that night.
> 
> Sent from my DROID X2 using Tapatalk 2



Agree with this. Eville is one of the nicest ski towns in the East. I would list the top ski towns in the East as follows:

(1) Lake Placid
(2) Stowe
(3) Ellicottville
(4) North Conway
(5) Mont Trembant

I really like Mont Tremblant, but it doesn't feel authentic to me. Feels more Disney-esque. That's why I rated it fifth on the list. To clarify, I'm only rating the town itself, not the skiing. As cool as Holiday Valley is for what it is, it's not in the same ballpark as WF, Stowe, NH resorts close to Conway and Tremblant. But as a town, Eville is right up there with the other quintessential eastern ski towns.


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## snoseek (Aug 23, 2014)

If you're a weekend skier that I-70 traffic is REAL. I was based out of golden and skied weekdays so Summit was an even hour. If you are just about the skiing the front range is an ok choice I guess, but its more about the big picture (work, other activities, social scene) that makes Denver shine. Much rather live on the Western Slope personally, but that just me.


I drive past ellicotville twice a year and am told the MTB scene there is pretty good. May have to give it a try this fall....beautiful area for sure


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## Cornhead (Aug 23, 2014)

Funny, when I skied A-basin in May my Son and I stayed overnight at a motel across the road from Keystone, it snowed a little Sunday night, Monday morning we had the local news on the TV, they were showing footage of bumper to bumper traffic on I70 commenting on how bad the road was. When we got to A-basin I realized the traffic wasn't due to bad road conditions, it was due to everyone in Denver playing hooky to grab the last powder day of the year. Sunday was Mother's Day, so that probably kept a lot of people from hitting the slopes. I heard they were actually parking in the Keystone lots as A-basin's lots were full.

Another advantage of late season skiing, Keystone had been closed for a while, I stayed for $59 per night, Temperpedic bed, flat screen TV, hot tub, sauna, continental breakfast. I asked the owner what their peak rates were, $255 per night Christmas week. I bought a season's pass to A-basin for $24 more than that.

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## steamboat1 (Aug 24, 2014)

Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupre


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## deadheadskier (Aug 24, 2014)

4 pages in and no one stumping for Warren/Waitsfield.  That's surprising given the long love affair with Bush/MRG on AZ.  

If I were to rank New England ski towns, my list would go

Stowe
North Conway
Warren/Waitsfield
Lincoln/Woodstock, NH
Ludlow VT & Bethel ME tied for 5th
Manchester, VT 6th


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## jimk (Aug 24, 2014)

steamboat1 said:


> Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupre


Especially if you need a miracle:smile:


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## xwhaler (Aug 24, 2014)

While not as ski town centric as some others on this list, Rangeley ME is very nice and should at least make top 10 in the East. As has been mentioned before Saddleback is a 10 minute ride from town which keeps the 2 a bit disconnected


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## Smellytele (Aug 24, 2014)

jimk said:


> Especially if you need a miracle:smile:



I actually went to see that chapel for some reason as a kid with my parents.


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## WWF-VT (Aug 24, 2014)

deadheadskier said:


> 4 pages in and no one stumping for Warren/Waitsfield.  That's surprising given the long love affair with Bush/MRG on AZ.
> 
> If I were to rank New England ski towns, my list would go
> 
> ...



A while ago Outside Magazine rated Waitsfield as the best ski town in the East.  Fayston is home to both Mt Ellen and Mad River Glen


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## BenedictGomez (Aug 24, 2014)

deadheadskier said:


> 4 pages in and *no one stumping for Warren/Waitsfield.  That's surprising *given the long love affair with Bush/MRG on AZ.



You can see from the various list of responses that "ski town" means different things to different people when Denver & Ellicotteville are both suggested.   In that vein, I personally don't put Warren/Waitsfield on a "best ski town" list, because they're just too small.


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## ss20 (Aug 24, 2014)

White River Junction is great.  Nearly ever mountain in the NE is within 2 hours.  Jay and Killington in 1 hour.  The North Conway mountains clock in at 2 hours.  MRG/ Sugarbush in 1 1/4 hours.  Magic in 1 hour as well.


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## Savemeasammy (Aug 24, 2014)

ss20 said:


> White River Junction is great.



Geographically, yes.  Otherwise, no.  

IMO, the upper valley is a great place to live if you ski/ride, but, unfortunately, none have much of a ski town vibe..


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## steamboat1 (Aug 24, 2014)

Smellytele said:


> I actually went to see that chapel for some reason as a kid with my parents.


That Basilica is absolutely beautiful inside. All the different types of marble used & the stain glass work is amazing. The tile work in the lower chapel is pretty cool too. It's a must see for anyone who finds themselves in that area.


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## steamboat1 (Aug 24, 2014)

xwhaler said:


> While not as ski town centric as some others on this list, Rangeley ME is very nice and should at least make top 10 in the East. As has been mentioned before Saddleback is a 10 minute ride from town which keeps the 2 a bit disconnected


It's a nice town but more of a snowmobiler town than a ski town.


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## skiersleft (Aug 24, 2014)

BenedictGomez said:


> You can see from the various list of responses that "ski town" means different things to different people when Denver & Ellicotteville are both suggested.   In that vein, I personally don't put Warren/Waitsfield on a "best ski town" list, because they're just too small.



Denver was not suggested as a ski town, it was suggested as a "ski city" like, say, SLC, Boston, Montreal, Seattle, Vancouver, etc. A big city with all of the big city amenities that can serve as a good base to day trip top notch ski areas. Denver was not suggested as a "ski town" that can be compared to Crested Butte, Aspen, Stowe or Lake Placid.  

Ellicottville is without a doubt a ski town. Do you disagree?


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## thetrailboss (Aug 24, 2014)

Yeah, SLC and Denver were not on this list.  

As to Waitsfield/Warren: as much time as I spent at Sugarbush, I never really considered them to be in the same league as Stowe, Aspen, or Park City when it comes to amenities.  Hell, there have been many threads here and on the SkiMRV forum that point out how night life in the MRV really sucks.  And Fayston?  Really?  

Don't get me wrong...I love them.  Reminds me of my home in the NEK with dirt roads, some farms, etc.  But I would not say great "ski towns" in the sense that most folks think of ski towns.


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## steamboat1 (Aug 24, 2014)

In all the years I've skied Sugarbush I've never even driven down into Warren.


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## 4aprice (Aug 24, 2014)

ss20 said:


> White River Junction is great.  Nearly ever mountain in the NE is within 2 hours.  Jay and Killington in 1 hour.  The North Conway mountains clock in at 2 hours.  MRG/ Sugarbush in 1 1/4 hours.  Magic in 1 hour as well.



We will be using WRJ this winter as its not only near the skiing you list but smack between Castleton State and Plymouth State.  Ski Town? not so much.  More like a good central location on the interstates.  W Leb has pretty good shopping (especially compared to Vermont) and Hanover is a good place to eat, and catch a hockey or b-ball game if they are being played.  If your willing to get out early and drive the choices are almost  unlimited.

Alex

Lake Hopatcong, NJ


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## Edd (Aug 24, 2014)

xwhaler said:


> While not as ski town centric as some others on this list, Rangeley ME is very nice and should at least make top 10 in the East...



Very nice? Top 10? Dude....


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## gmcunni (Aug 24, 2014)

New Hartford, CT


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## thetrailboss (Aug 24, 2014)

ss20 said:


> White River Junction is great.  Nearly ever mountain in the NE is within 2 hours.  Jay and Killington in 1 hour.  The North Conway mountains clock in at 2 hours.  MRG/ Sugarbush in 1 1/4 hours.  Magic in 1 hour as well.



1 hour to Jay from WRJ? I'd say more like 2.


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## Savemeasammy (Aug 24, 2014)

thetrailboss said:


> 1 hour to Jay from WRJ? I'd say more like 2.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using AlpineZone



And I thought N. Conway was closer to 2.5. 

Still, it's in a great geographic location.  


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## thetrailboss (Aug 24, 2014)

Savemeasammy said:


> And I thought N. Conway was closer to 2.5.
> 
> Still, it's in a great geographic location.
> 
> ...



Yeah I agree. It's not an easy nor direct drive. I lived in WRJ and liked it but got sick of having to drive an hour to go skiing. It sounds lame I know but the places I'd want to go were all at least 50 miles or an hour away. It's good for going to places on 89 or 91 or US 4. You couldn't easily get to much of NNH or the MRV. Burke was a breeze--but it was 80 miles one way. Killington/Pico was a short distance but Route 4 sucks. Always at least an hour drive for like 30 miles.


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## HowieT2 (Aug 25, 2014)

BenedictGomez said:


> You can see from the various list of responses that "ski town" means different things to different people when Denver & Ellicotteville are both suggested.   In that vein, I personally don't put Warren/Waitsfield on a "best ski town" list, because they're just too small.



How is that?  I mean the valley is small but why does that disqualify it from this list.


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## skiNEwhere (Aug 25, 2014)

As far as ski megalopolis', I'd have to go with the BosWash megalopolis


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## HowieT2 (Aug 25, 2014)

thetrailboss said:


> Yeah, SLC and Denver were not on this list.
> 
> As to Waitsfield/Warren: as much time as I spent at Sugarbush, I never really considered them to be in the same league as Stowe, Aspen, or Park City when it comes to amenities.  Hell, there have been many threads here and on the SkiMRV forum that point out how night life in the MRV really sucks.  And Fayston?  Really?
> 
> ...




true, not much in terms of nightlife after one is done with the restaurants which are great


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## HowieT2 (Aug 25, 2014)

steamboat1 said:


> In all the years I've skied Sugarbush I've never even driven down into Warren.



maybe not your scene, but the general store has great breakfast, sandwiches, lawson's and the pitcher inn is a really nice restaurant with an awesome bar downstairs.


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## Savemeasammy (Aug 25, 2014)

I haven't spent time there, but Montpelier is situated in a good spot.  Most of the northern vt - and even N NH mts - are easily accessible. 


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## thetrailboss (Aug 25, 2014)

HowieT2 said:


> true, not much in terms of nightlife after one is done with the restaurants which are great



Yeah I don't know.  There just did not seem to be much variety.  Maybe it's deceiving because they are all spread out.  



HowieT2 said:


> maybe not your scene, but the general store has great breakfast, sandwiches, lawson's and the pitcher inn is a really nice restaurant with an awesome bar downstairs.



True, but those are two places.  You can't even compare the MRV to Park City.  

And nobody is saying Killington?


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## xwhaler (Aug 25, 2014)

Edd said:


> Very nice? Top 10? Dude....


Are you suggesting Rangeley is not very nice? Or do you have it ranked outside the Top 10? Or both?

Rangeley typically doesn't get the press it deserves I dont think or its snowmobile centric reputation holds skiers back from making a trip up...theres more going on there one would think. Movie theatre, bowling alley, restaurants, hotels etc. all right downtown and the little village of Oquossoc also nearby.


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## WWF-VT (Aug 25, 2014)

thetrailboss said:


> And nobody is saying Killington?



Killington isn't a town....it's an Access Road


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## skiNEwhere (Aug 25, 2014)

What makes a ski town? Apres-ski? A ski culture? Trying to secede from the state? If so, I'd say Killington could make the cut.


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## thetrailboss (Aug 25, 2014)

WWF-VT said:


> Killington isn't a town....it's an Access Road



Perhaps that's why it is not on the list.....


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## steamboat1 (Aug 25, 2014)

WWF-VT said:


> Killington isn't a town....it's an Access Road


http://www.killingtontown.com/

Forget when but not to long ago the town of Sherburne changed it's name to Killington.


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## dlague (Aug 25, 2014)

steamboat1 said:


> http://www.killingtontown.com/
> 
> Forget when but not to long ago the town of Sherburne changed it's name to Killington.



In fact, Killington is a town!



> Killington is a town in Rutland County, Vermont, United States. The population was 811 at the 2010 census. Killington Ski Resort and numerous vacation lodges are located here. The town was previously named Sherburne, but was renamed to its original name, "Killington", in 1999.



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Killington,_Vermont


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## Edd (Aug 25, 2014)

xwhaler said:


> Are you suggesting Rangeley is not very nice? Or do you have it ranked outside the Top 10? Or both?



I would not call it nice. I'd call it a typical bum-you-out (bleak) Maine rural town. 

Be that as it may, you did say the east, so I should back off on the top ten thing. I might agree with you about that.


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## thetrailboss (Aug 25, 2014)

dlague said:


> In fact, Killington is a town!
> 
> 
> 
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Killington,_Vermont



It was Killington, then Sherburne, then back to Killington.


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## HowieT2 (Aug 25, 2014)

thetrailboss said:


> Yeah I don't know.  There just did not seem to be much variety.  Maybe it's deceiving because they are all spread out.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



apples and oranges.  personally, im not looking for park city.


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## xwhaler (Aug 25, 2014)

Edd said:


> I would not call it nice. I'd call it a typical bum-you-out (bleak) Maine rural town.
> 
> Be that as it may, you did say the east, so I should back off on the top ten thing. I might agree with you about that.



Fair enough. I happen to think Rangeley is quite nice.....certainly better than Rumford, Skowhegan, Madison, Kingfield, etc.
Nestled in amongst the lakes and mountains, there are some very impressive properties on both Rangeley and Mooselookmeguntic. 2 golf courses in town as well.....to me Rangeley is the nicest pure town (ski town or otherwise) North of Portland and west of the coast.


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## BenedictGomez (Aug 25, 2014)

HowieT2 said:


> How is that?  I mean the valley is small but why does that disqualify it from this list.



Lack of restaurants, lack of shopping, lack of bars and nightlife, lack of ancillary activities (compared with many other ski towns), etc....  It's just way too small to be a top-25 ski town.


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## bobbutts (Aug 25, 2014)

Girdwood appears to be a few houses and hotels, seems insane to rank it #1.
Whistler, Jackson, Chamonix, Zermatt, Kitzbühel, Park City, Banff all make more sense to me.


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## Edd (Aug 25, 2014)

xwhaler said:


> Fair enough. I happen to think Rangeley is quite nice.....certainly better than Rumford, Skowhegan, Madison, Kingfield, etc.
> Nestled in amongst the lakes and mountains, there are some very impressive properties on both Rangeley and Mooselookmeguntic. 2 golf courses in town as well.....to me Rangeley is the nicest pure town (ski town or otherwise) North of Portland and west of the coast.



The geography is very nice, I agree. If we ever ski together, I'll tell you a funny story about a time I stayed there. Not something I'd post. 

Do you have an eatery recommendation there?  I've tried a few places but nothing has wowed me.


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## xwhaler (Aug 25, 2014)

Edd said:


> The geography is very nice, I agree. If we ever ski together, I'll tell you a funny story about a time I stayed there. Not something I'd post.
> 
> Do you have an eatery recommendation there?  I've tried a few places but nothing has wowed me.



Best place is actually over in Oquossoc on the shores of Mooselook. Bald Mountain Camps does a very nice job in a great setting if you are there for a sunset dinner. Gingerbread House is decent. 
I'm actually going to be in Rangeley this Sunday. Looking at 45th Parallel which is a new BBQ joint attached to the Saddleback Inn.
Forks in the Air Bistro is also new, I haven't been but reviews are solid.


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## thetrailboss (Aug 25, 2014)

BenedictGomez said:


> Lack of restaurants, lack of shopping, lack of bars and nightlife, lack of ancillary activities (compared with many other ski towns), etc....  It's just way too small to be a top-25 ski town.



I love the MRV...but I only drove there to ski and left because I was a local.  When folks would ask me for advice on where to eat or have fun besides the slopes and it was tough.  Yes, PC is different than the MRV, but that is a big difference. PC has a lot more going on than the two towns in the MRV combined with Waterbury.


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## Edd (Aug 25, 2014)

xwhaler said:


> Best place is actually over in Oquossoc on the shores of Mooselook. Bald Mountain Camps does a very nice job in a great setting if you are there for a sunset dinner. Gingerbread House is decent.
> I'm actually going to be in Rangeley this Sunday. Looking at 45th Parallel which is a new BBQ joint attached to the Saddleback Inn.
> Forks in the Air Bistro is also new, I haven't been but reviews are solid.



Thanks. I posted this in another thread recently, but I've never been there in the summer. I'm guessing that makes the town pop a bit more.


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## jimk (Aug 25, 2014)

xwhaler said:


> Fair enough. I happen to think Rangeley is quite nice.....certainly better than Rumford, Skowhegan, Madison, Kingfield, etc.
> Nestled in amongst the lakes and mountains, there are some very impressive properties on both Rangeley and Mooselookmeguntic. 2 golf courses in town as well.....to me Rangeley is the nicest pure town (ski town or otherwise) North of Portland and west of the coast.



I absolutely loved the aesthetics around Saddleback/Rangeley and would greatly enjoy skiing Saddleback again.  Had a sensational couple of days there in Mar 2012, but I'm not sure Rangeley makes the cut for this discussion.

I've been at or very close to almost half the towns on the list and a number of nice places not on the list.  Let's face it, the whole concept is very subjective and a reasonable person/avid skier could make a fantastic life at any of these places.   I've not been to many of the top North American list makers like Whistler, Banff, Jackson, Ketchum, Telluride, Whitefish, etc, but OF THE PLACES I'VE VISITED, on the list or off, here are the standouts.  

Breaking places down to three groups:

a. Towns with immediate proximity to slopes (within ~1 mile), 
Aspen, Vail, Park City, Steamboat, Stowe, North Conway, South Lake Tahoe.  Of those Aspen is my fav because of killer ski terrain and a very cool if trendy/expensive town. 

B. Towns with close proximity to slopes (within ~30 minutes):
Bend, Santa Fe, Taos, Lake Placid, Frisco, Burlington.  Probably would pick Taos from this group, again great ski terrain, very unusual culturally.  The population threshold between a town and a city gets fuzzy for this discussion.

C. Cities with close proximity to slopes (~30-60 minutes);
SLC, Quebec City, Reno, Denver, Ogden.  It's hard not to pick SLC because of the extreme proximity of great terrain to a major city, but I really like the others for various reasons such as QC and Burlington for their beautiful settings and history.  

The friggin' Alps is a whole other category.  Absolutely packed full of nice towns and big time ski areas around every bend of the road.  You could spend a lifetime exploring Alpine ski towns/areas.  There are so many and often very historic.  For Alpine towns on the list, I have been to Zermatt and Saalbach (similar and very near Kitzbuhel).  I also spent a week in Salzburg skiing nearby mtns.  Salzburg, although much smaller, is on par with QC and other big cities for culture and history.  I've also been to Interlaken/Grindelwald (not on list) in the famously beautiful Jungfrau region of Switzerland.  Garmisch is also epically gorgeous and I love German meat and potatos food. Besides some shorter ski or business trips, my wife and I took the trains around much of the Alps back in the summer of 1983 for 25 days.  Insane amount of great skiing and cool towns in the Alps with scenery that blows away the Lower 48.  Absolutely insane.


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## xwhaler (Aug 25, 2014)

Yea, I was only making the point that among Eastern Ski towns I think Rangeley at least deserves a mention in the Top 10.
Realistically, there are not that many Eastern ski towns (I'm only familiar with New England so not considering NY or anything in PA or Mid Atlantic)

Off the top of my head on what the Eastern ski towns are. I used 10 min drive to skiing as a barometer and town must have food/lodging and some type of downtown area.
NH
N Conway, Lincoln, Waterville Valley (though this may get muddied between resort vs town), Jackson, Henniker

ME
Rangeley, Kingfield, Camden, Bethel

VT
Ludlow, Burlington, Burke, Newport, Manchester

I've probably missed a bunch too.


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## Savemeasammy (Aug 25, 2014)

xwhaler said:


> NH
> N Conway, Lincoln, Waterville Valley (though this may get muddied between resort vs town), Jackson, Henniker



For me, the only ski-towns we have in NH are Lincoln and N Conway.  Jackson is more of a beautiful town with access to skiing.  Henniker is just a college town that has a ski area there.  There is no ski-vibe in the town...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## witch hobble (Aug 25, 2014)

Ski town = beautiful setting, quick access, dangerous lack of diversity in the economy, laughable lack of racial diversity, horrendous male/female ratio.  You know.....paradise!


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## Smellytele (Aug 25, 2014)

Savemeasammy said:


> For me, the only ski-towns we have in NH are Lincoln and N Conway.  Jackson is more of a beautiful town with access to skiing.  Henniker is just a college town that has a ski area there.  There is no ski-vibe in the town...
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk



I agree on all but Jackson is a ski town just happens to be a cross country ski town


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## HowieT2 (Aug 25, 2014)

BenedictGomez said:


> Lack of restaurants, lack of shopping, lack of bars and nightlife, lack of ancillary activities (compared with many other ski towns), etc....  It's just way too small to be a top-25 ski town.



There are plenty of restaurants/bars but agree there is little shopping and nightlife.  Don't know what u mean by ancillary activities, but I guess that's true. Mrv is for skiing.  Isn't that what it means to be a ski town?  If you want shopping go to Stratton.


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## Edd (Aug 25, 2014)

witch hobble said:


> Ski town = beautiful setting, quick access, dangerous lack of diversity in the economy, laughable lack of racial diversity, horrendous male/female ratio.  You know.....paradise!



Good post!


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## BenedictGomez (Aug 25, 2014)

HowieT2 said:


> *Mrv is for skiing.  Isn't that what it means to be a ski town?*



By that definition there are well over 1000 ski towns in the world.  You honestly believe that by some definition Waitsfield/Warren makes a top-25 on the planet list?  

I'm not even certain it's a top-5 in ADK/New England, but I'll leave that judgement to those who've skied the east in its' entirely more than I have.


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## HowieT2 (Aug 25, 2014)

For skiing, vibe, and eating, yeah I do.  Don't really think of much else in winter and the other stuff attracts the unwanted masses.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


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## AdironRider (Aug 25, 2014)

xwhaler said:


> Are you suggesting Rangeley is not very nice? Or do you have it ranked outside the Top 10? Or both?
> 
> Rangeley typically doesn't get the press it deserves I dont think or its snowmobile centric reputation holds skiers back from making a trip up...theres more going on there one would think. Movie theatre, bowling alley, restaurants, hotels etc. all right downtown and the little village of Oquossoc also nearby.



Whoa a movie theater AND a bowling alley. People really don't know what they are missing. 

Oh wait yeah they do, facilities you can find anywhere.


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## steamboat1 (Aug 25, 2014)

xwhaler said:


> Yea, I was only making the point that among Eastern Ski towns I think Rangeley at least deserves a mention in the Top 10.
> Realistically, there are not that many Eastern ski towns (I'm only familiar with New England so not considering NY or anything in PA or Mid Atlantic)
> 
> Off the top of my head on what the Eastern ski towns are. I used 10 min drive to skiing as a barometer and town must have food/lodging and some type of downtown area.
> ...


Maybe 3 of them are within 10 minutes


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## deadheadskier (Aug 26, 2014)

liftopia just put out their list of the top 3 most livable ski towns in the West

http://www.liftopia.com/blog/wests-...&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=20140825_blog

I had know idea there was a town at the base of Alta.


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## gmcunni (Aug 26, 2014)

deadheadskier said:


> I had know idea there was a town at the base of Alta.



+1


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## steamboat1 (Aug 26, 2014)

xwhaler said:


> I'm actually going to be in Rangeley this Sunday.



http://www.therangeleyinn.com/tavern/

Lobster sounds good.


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## snoseek (Aug 26, 2014)

deadheadskier said:


> liftopia just put out their list of the top 3 most livable ski towns in the West
> 
> http://www.liftopia.com/blog/wests-...&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=20140825_blog
> 
> I had know idea there was a town at the base of Alta.




Alta? What are they thinking?

Durango would be pretty nice though.


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## Smellytele (Aug 26, 2014)

steamboat1 said:


> Maybe 3 of them are within 10 minutes



The NH ones are all with 10 mins of skiing -
N Conway, Lincoln, Waterville Valley (though this may get muddied between resort vs town), Jackson, Henniker


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## Smellytele (Aug 26, 2014)

snoseek said:


> Alta? What are they thinking?
> 
> Durango would be pretty nice though.



Durango isn't bad town wise but the ski area is nothing great compared to the other areas in the state


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## snoseek (Aug 26, 2014)

Smellytele said:


> Durango isn't bad town wise but the ski area is nothing great compared to the other areas in the state




Oh I hear you there. Just like that area for other reasons....closest real deal skiing would be Silverton or Telluride. 

Honestly if I was loaded I think Telluride would be the one, that place is perfect year round.


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## thetrailboss (Aug 26, 2014)

snoseek said:


> Alta? What are they thinking?
> 
> Durango would be pretty nice though.



Alta.  Funny.  :lol:  The author has never been there and has only looked at it online.  I say that because Alta has less than 400 people living there year round.  And the median home price is in the seven figures easily.  A bedroom community for SLC?  Really?  Granted that some folks work up there and live in dorms, but to expect to live there is not realistic.  A good example of knowing what you're talking about before posting an article.


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## snoseek (Aug 26, 2014)

thetrailboss said:


> Alta.  Funny.  :lol:  The author has never been there and has only looked at it online.  I say that because Alta has less than 400 people living there year round.  And the median home price is in the seven figures easily.  A bedroom community for SLC?  Really?  Granted that some folks work up there and live in dorms, but to expect to live there is not realistic.  A good example of knowing what you're talking about before posting an article.


I did three winters up there and besides the great skiing was always a little relieved when spring came. Someone should build a strip bar/brothel/check cashing place up in LCC. They'd own that town


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## thetrailboss (Aug 26, 2014)

snoseek said:


> I did three winters up there and besides the great skiing was always a little relieved when spring came. Someone should build a strip bar/brothel/check cashing place up in LCC. They'd own that town



As you know, back in the mining times there were like 7 brothels up there! :lol:

Where did you work?  Alta or Snowbird?


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## skiNEwhere (Aug 26, 2014)

deadheadskier said:


> liftopia just put out their list of the top 3 most livable ski towns in the West
> 
> http://www.liftopia.com/blog/wests-...&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=20140825_blog
> 
> I had know idea there was a town at the base of Alta.



Most casual skiers will read this and take their word without challenging it whatsoever. 

I bet this was a case of an editor assigning a story to a writer with a tight deadline, because this is asinine.


Sent from my iPod touch using AlpineZone


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## BenedictGomez (Aug 26, 2014)

thetrailboss said:


> *A good example of knowing what you're talking about before posting an article.*



The internet has made it possible for anyone to be an author, journalist, writer, etc....


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## mbedle (Aug 26, 2014)

I got to agree with you guys, no one would ever consider Alta a ski town (although it does have a post office!). Nothing like driving 25 minutes to fill up your tank or buy some food. And Durango, hell its 30 minutes to get to the resort from the town. When I think of ski towns, places like East Burke, Waitsfield, Stowe, and Ludlow all come into mind.


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## WWF-VT (Aug 26, 2014)

At least Waitsfield is on  National Geographics Top 10 Emerging Ski Towns list.

_Deep in the Green Mountains of northern Vermont sits the Mad River Valley, a woodsy skier’s paradise that is establishing itself as the quietly humming soul of eastern skiing. No frills Mad River Glen is the nation’s only cooperatively owned ski area; ever-improving Sugarbush offers some of the finest under-the-radar expert runs in the East; and backwoods telemarkers here quietly rack up hundred-day seasons without chairlifts.

The steepled village of Waitsfield, population 1,719, is the valley’s focal point. In classic Vermont style, it has the 19th-century architecture, red barns, and covered bridges seemingly plucked from postcards, but this is no museum—the people here have dirt under their fingernails. This is a working town of artisans, bakeries, farmers, and local food. Think Stowe 30 years ago. With its country inns and relaxed taverns, you don’t come here to party, you come here to ski._


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## skiNEwhere (Aug 26, 2014)

What is the acceptable male:female ratio of a ski town?


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## thetrailboss (Aug 26, 2014)

WWF-VT said:


> At least Waitsfield is on  National Geographics Top 10 Emerging Ski Towns list.
> 
> _Deep in the Green Mountains of northern Vermont sits the Mad River Valley, a woodsy skier’s paradise that is establishing itself as the quietly humming soul of eastern skiing. No frills Mad River Glen is the nation’s only cooperatively owned ski area; ever-improving Sugarbush offers some of the finest under-the-radar expert runs in the East; and backwoods telemarkers here quietly rack up hundred-day seasons without chairlifts.
> 
> The steepled village of Waitsfield, population 1,719, is the valley’s focal point. In classic Vermont style, it has the 19th-century architecture, red barns, and covered bridges seemingly plucked from postcards, but this is no museum—the people here have dirt under their fingernails. This is a working town of artisans, bakeries, farmers, and local food. Think Stowe 30 years ago. With its country inns and relaxed taverns, you don’t come here to party, you come here to ski._



Emerging ski towns?  :lol:


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## BenedictGomez (Aug 26, 2014)

mbedle said:


> I got to agree with you guys, no one would ever consider Alta a ski town (although it does have a post office!).



Why does nobody live there.  Too remote?  All land owned by government?



thetrailboss said:


> Emerging ski towns?  :lol:



Beat me to it.


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## thetrailboss (Aug 26, 2014)

BenedictGomez said:


> Why does nobody live there.  Too remote?  All land owned by government?



Both.  Add to the fact that the amount of developable land due is very small due to avalanche.


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## AdironRider (Aug 26, 2014)

skiNEwhere said:


> What is the acceptable male:female ratio of a ski town?



A whole bunch of dudes and xvideos.com


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## catskills (Aug 28, 2014)

Very very lame list.  They left out _St_. _Anton_ am Arlberg where skiing all started_.  Give me a break. 

North Conway, NH and not Lake Placid, NY with a long long skiing history that hosted two Winter Olympics. Really!  

If you like old trains North Conway, NH  should be on the train list.  
_


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## dlague (Aug 28, 2014)

I was thinking about time I spent in Garmisch-Partenkirchen and thought that was a very cool town with several bars and guesthouses as well as plenty to do in the area!  A hell of a lot better than North Conway.


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## AdironRider (Aug 28, 2014)

Yeah North Conway is just a bunch of gapers. Heard that last time I was in IME....

Still don't really get Girdwood, but I wouldnt mind living there either.


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## Old Duderino (Aug 30, 2014)

Of the towns I'm familiar with on that list I'd have to say Aspen is the most overrated.  Don't get me wrong, it's a great ski town but the problem with it is the skiing itself is overrated, at least by western ski resort standards.  I may be somewhat biased against it because it's the go to ski town I married into rather than the one I would have picked (father in law has condo there).  The best actual skiing mountain there by far is Highlands.  You'll find a lot to like at Snowmass, and I'm sure there's a ton there that I don't even know about, but it otherwise reminds me of a western version of Killington, and I mean that more as a knock on Snowmass since god gave them a lot more to work with.  Ajax only has 750 acres and no bowls and one would probably enjoy a day at Stratton as much as they would Buttermilk.

I still think towns like Park City get underrated on lists like these just because you have to actually pour your own alcohol into your cocktail (haven't been in awhile so I don't know if they still make you do this).  Back in the day Jackson Hole had a reputation for being hostile to locals so if you lived in Jackson you'd most likely drive around the canyon to Targhee than ski there.  I don't know if this is still true but I'd want to know something like that before I declared Jackson my dream ski town to live in.  Telluride, Crested Butte and Whitefish are two towns on my bucket list if I can ever break my family of it's Aspen addiction.


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## Edd (Aug 30, 2014)

Old Duderino said:


> Of the towns I'm familiar with on that list I'd have to say Aspen is the most overrated.  Don't get me wrong, it's a great ski town but the problem with it is the skiing itself is overrated, at least by western ski resort standards.  I may be somewhat biased against it because it's the go to ski town I married into rather than the one I would have picked (father in law has condo there).  The best actual skiing mountain there by far is Highlands.  You'll find a lot to like at Snowmass, and I'm sure there's a ton there that I don't even know about, but it otherwise reminds me of a western version of Killington, and I mean that more as a knock on Snowmass since god gave them a lot more to work with.  Ajax only has 750 acres and no bowls and one would probably enjoy a day at Stratton as much as they would Buttermilk.
> 
> I still think towns like Park City get underrated on lists like these just because you have to actually pour your own alcohol into your cocktail (haven't been in awhile so I don't know if they still make you do this).  Back in the day Jackson Hole had a reputation for being hostile to locals so if you lived in Jackson you'd most likely drive around the canyon to Targhee than ski there.  I don't know if this is still true but I'd want to know something like that before I declared Jackson my dream ski town to live in.  Telluride, Crested Butte and Whitefish are two towns on my bucket list if I can ever break my family of it's Aspen addiction.



As problems go, needing to break in-laws of an Aspen addiction is a great problem to have. Settle into that problem, my friend. Sounds like a warm blanket to this guy.


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## skiNEwhere (Aug 30, 2014)

Old Duderino said:


> Of the towns I'm familiar with on that list I'd have to say Aspen is the most overrated.  Don't get me wrong, it's a great ski town *but the problem with it is the skiing itself is overrated*, at least by western ski resort standards.  I may be somewhat biased against it because it's the go to ski town I married into rather than the one I would have picked (father in law has condo there).  The best actual skiing mountain there by far is Highlands.  You'll find a lot to like at Snowmass, and I'm sure there's a ton there that I don't even know about, but it otherwise reminds me of a western version of Killington, and I mean that more as a knock on Snowmass since god gave them a lot more to work with.  Ajax only has 750 acres and no bowls and one would probably enjoy a day at Stratton as much as they would Buttermilk.



*BLASPHEMY!!!!*


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## Old Duderino (Aug 30, 2014)

D'OH!  Now this forum newb has gone and done it.  

Edd, if you didn't give me such good advice on my ski re-gearing thread I'd swear you were really my wife in disguise.  I certainly didn't mean that I'm unhappy with my skiing/riding/marriage fate, just suggesting that there may be better or at least different options out there.  Not with my wife though, I married way out of my league on that front.


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## Edd (Aug 30, 2014)

All good, man.


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## LiquidFeet (Sep 1, 2014)

4aprice said:


> How do towns like Taos, NM, Bend Or, and *Ketchum ID *which (correct me if I'm wrong) are quite a distance from their respective ski areas, beat out Jackson, Telluride, and Steamboat which are right there?  Salt Lake City could be on that list IMO.  Aspen is the best ski town I've ever been to in large part because the slopes are right there.
> 
> Alex
> 
> Lake Hopatcong, NJ



Ketchum sits right at the base of Sun Valley Resort.  Nice town.  Expensive groceries.


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## jimk (Sep 2, 2014)

Old Duderino said:


> Of the towns I'm familiar with on that list I'd have to say Aspen is the most overrated.  Don't get me wrong, it's a great ski town but the problem with it is the skiing itself is overrated, at least by western ski resort standards.  I may be somewhat biased against it because it's the go to ski town I married into rather than the one I would have picked (father in law has condo there).  The best actual skiing mountain there by far is Highlands.  You'll find a lot to like at Snowmass, and I'm sure there's a ton there that I don't even know about, but it otherwise reminds me of a western version of Killington, and I mean that more as a knock on Snowmass since god gave them a lot more to work with.  Ajax only has 750 acres and no bowls and one would probably enjoy a day at Stratton as much as they would Buttermilk.
> 
> I still think towns like Park City get underrated on lists like these just because you have to actually pour your own alcohol into your cocktail (haven't been in awhile so I don't know if they still make you do this).  Back in the day Jackson Hole had a reputation for being hostile to locals so if you lived in Jackson you'd most likely drive around the canyon to Targhee than ski there.  I don't know if this is still true but I'd want to know something like that before I declared Jackson my dream ski town to live in.  Telluride, Crested Butte and Whitefish are two towns on my bucket list if I can ever break my family of it's Aspen addiction.



The grass is always greener, err...whiter:razz:
I know a really strong skier with a place in Aspen who prefers Aspen Mtn over any of the other three.  Aspen Mtn has a lot of good challenging skiing in between the designated trails.  It strikes me as the kind of hill that gets better the more you know it.  But I'll agree that Snowmass and Aspen Highlands are awesome.  Highlands might be my number one favorite anywhere.  Something about the challenge, much of it over my head, and the scenic beauty, and that fact that the mtn still feels like an overgrown day trip area just really does it for me.  It's like MRG's big brother with better snow.  And though you'll see the Bogner crowd, you'll also not feel totally out of place brown bagging it on a table outside Cloud Nine restaurant.


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## deadheadskier (Sep 2, 2014)

Highlands is definitely my favorite ski area in Colorado that I've been to.  Ajax maybe small by western standards, but as jimk says, it packs a punch.


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## skiNEwhere (Sep 2, 2014)

Never been to Ajax, but will get there this year. Highlands just has a vibe that can't be described that makes it great in addition to the terrain. It's just kind of like, people there are passionate about the skiing. They enjoy it. And like jimk said, there is the Bogner crowd, but you have the people there who ski from open to close. I talked to some guy in his 60's while hiking up the highlands bowl and he was telling me that was like the 50th time he's hiked up to the top this season. 

The fact that there is duct tape hanging from a dispenser (like TP) to "fix" your ski clothes gives you a rough idea of what there customers are like.

I would imagine Ajax is similar


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## Edd (Sep 2, 2014)

skiNEwhere said:


> Never been to Ajax, but will get there this year. Highlands just has a vibe that can't be described that makes it great in addition to the terrain....
> 
> I would imagine Ajax is similar



Really not much to Ajax, as I recall, in terms of facilities. It's proximity to town (it's practically downtown) sort of gives it this aura that it's nicer than it actually is. Certainly, both places have seriously challenging terrain, and I didn't even make it to Highland bowl. 

Shut up, Deadhead.


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## jimk (Sep 2, 2014)

skiNEwhere said:


> Highlands just has a vibe that can't be described that makes it great in addition to the terrain. It's just kind of like, people there are passionate about the skiing.  I talked to some guy in his 60's while hiking up the highlands bowl and he was telling me that was like the 50th time he's hiked up to the top this season.
> 
> The fact that there is duct tape hanging from a dispenser (like TP) to "fix" your ski clothes gives you a rough idea of what there customers are like.



To continue thread hijack...that is one tough 60 year old, but doesn't surprise me.  Here's another old guy story from Aspen Highlands:  so I'm riding the free, but very full snowcat up to Highland Bowl at about 2pm last New Year's Eve.  I'm a little nervous, not so much about the skiing, but about the ~600' vertical hike required after the cat ride to get to the 12,392' oxygen starved summit of the Bowl:-?  I'm looking around the cat to see if there is anyone older than me (age 60) riding it.  Don't think so and I decide then I'm probably going to bail out and drop-in early right after the cat ride.  But then I spy a ski patroller on skis hanging onto a tow rope off the back of the cat.  I guess he's there in case anyone drops something or falls out?  Or maybe he's just using that as a way up so as not to take a seat from a customer?  Anyway, he's age 75 if he's a day.  Face full of wrinkles.  I still chicken-out on the hike and take an early drop-in to the Bowl, but that patroller sure got my mind right about what it means to be "old" in Colorado.


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## Edd (Sep 2, 2014)

jimk said:


> To continue thread hijack...that is one tough 60 year old, but doesn't surprise me.  Here's another old guy story from Aspen Highlands:  so I'm riding the free, but very full snowcat up to Highland Bowl at about 2pm last New Year's Eve.  I'm a little nervous, not so much about the skiing, but about the ~600' vertical hike required after the cat ride to get to the 12,392' oxygen starved summit of the Bowl:-?  I'm looking around the cat to see if there is anyone older than me (age 60) riding it.  Don't think so and I decide then I'm probably going to bail out and drop-in early right after the cat ride.  But then I spy a ski patroller on skis hanging onto a tow rope off the back of the cat.  I guess he's there in case anyone drops something or falls out?  Or maybe he's just using that as a way up so as not to take a seat from a customer?  Anyway, he's age 75 if he's a day.  Face full of wrinkles.  I still chicken-out on the hike and take an early drop-in to the Bowl, but that patroller sure got my mind right about what it means to be "old" in Colorado.
> View attachment 13541



Are you the same guy that posted CO trip reports with your son on Epicski?  With the road trip from the east coast?


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## jimk (Sep 3, 2014)

Edd said:


> Are you the same guy that posted CO trip reports with your son on Epicski?  With the road trip from the east coast?


Yes Edd.  Same internet pest.  Worse than a cockroach.


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## deadheadskier (Sep 3, 2014)

One of the times I hiked up the bowl when I was out there, I got passed on the hike by some dude in his 60s.  I was only 25 at the time.  :lol:


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## MadMadWorld (Sep 3, 2014)

deadheadskier said:


> One of the times I hiked up the bowl when I was out there, I got passed on the hike by some dude in his 60s.  I was only 25 at the time.  :lol:



If no one else saw it then it doesn't count.


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## deadheadskier (Sep 3, 2014)

Don't have pictures of that, but do have one of me standing next to the sign for Ozone.  I'll need to scan sometime.  Also got a pic of an avalanche happening across the valley to the west.  Seeing that during my first hike up made very a pretty exhilarating accent.


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## skiNEwhere (Sep 3, 2014)

deadheadskier said:


> One of the times I hiked up the bowl when I was out there, I got passed on the hike by some dude in his 60s.  I was only 25 at the time.  :lol:



Wouldn't feel TOO bad. Some of The locals are hardcore and get 100+ days a season. At least that's what I tell myself


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## deadheadskier (Sep 3, 2014)

skiNEwhere said:


> Wouldn't feel TOO bad. Some of The locals are hardcore and get 100+ days a season. At least that's what I tell myself



I was a ski bum living in Stowe that winter and already had 80 days in myself that season before I headed out there :lol:


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## Edd (Sep 3, 2014)

jimk said:


> Yes Edd.  Same internet pest.  Worse than a cockroach.



Great TR you posted over there. Well done.


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## Old Duderino (Sep 3, 2014)

deadheadskier said:


> I was a ski bum living in Stowe that winter and already had 80 days in myself that season before I headed out there :lol:



There is a huge difference between hiking up a mountain with ski gear at 4,000 feet vs 12,000 feet.  The last time I hiked up Highlands bowl was on a bluebird powder day so everyone was kinda in a hurry to get to the top and as I'm sucking wind on the last few steps I get a strong whiff of something now legal but then illegal in CO and look up to see what looks like a guy in his mid-50's sharing a doob with a couple of guys that looked old enough to be his sons.


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