# Best Glades



## awf170 (Feb 6, 2005)

I was wondering what people thought were the best glades in the east.  My picks are cant dog and the glade between white nitro and bubblecouffer(I forget what it is called) at sugarloaf and the creeks at wildcat.
       Any i think sugarloaf is really underrated for thier glades, i think they have some of the nicest glades in the east now and every year they seem to make a few more.


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## riverc0il (Feb 6, 2005)

although i haven't skied many in the state, i think vermont defintiely has the best glades in new england.  i think VT's trees generally allow for better cut glades than the whites which tend to have more hard woods.  mad river glen and magic come to mind right away.  though my heart is in the woods over on mittersill.


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## JD (Feb 7, 2005)

I thought hardwoods was what you wanted.  I sure enjoy skiing birch and maple glades over the tight soft wood (pine schrbb) up high.


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## highpeaksdrifter (Feb 7, 2005)

Many will say Jay and you certainly can make a strong argument for them, but I'm going to say Smuggs. When they have the snow they have great glades and lift serviced backcountry for a Northest mt.

When open nothing in the Northeast can compete with the Slides at Whiteface IMHO, but they are almost never open. 1 day last year, 2 days the year before.


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## beswift (Feb 7, 2005)

riverc0il said:
			
		

> although i haven't skied many in the state, i think vermont defintiely has the best glades in new england.  i think VT's trees generally allow for better cut glades than the whites which tend to have more hard woods.  mad river glen and magic come to mind right away.  though my heart is in the woods over on mittersill.


  That's preposterous!!!  Bretton Woods and Wildcat have great glades.  Since there's no way to draw a clear line between Tree skiing and Glades, it would be hard to state the best area.  MRG has Antelope and sections of Paradise which one can call Glades.  Killington bulldozed some of their best glades, but they do have one of the steepest gladed areas (offhand I can't remember the name of it).  Antelope can be very bumpy so it is also a bump run.  If you are looking for a glade without a radical slope, Bretton Woods has the best.  (again, I can't remember the name)  It can be tons of fun in a good snowstorm.  I also like that small gladed area which runs out directly to the Tram at Cannon.   By the way, a N.Y. lawyer once told me that the White Mtn/'s got their name from the number of birches there.  However, I have seen a lot of Birch in the Green Mountains.  Vermont derived it's name from the French explorers and trappers who were familiar with Alpine terrain.   They found mountains with no tree line (green top to bottom) rather exceptional.  However, in the winter it isn't so much green as brown.  The Whites, I believe, were named because they were snow capped and had a tree line.


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## JD (Feb 7, 2005)

Killington has the best glades in N.E.  Jay is second.  However, there is no reason to drive any farther then N.H. if you're coming from the Boston area.   8)


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## Greg (Feb 7, 2005)

beswift said:
			
		

> By the way, a N.Y. lawyer once told me that the White Mtn/'s got their name from the number of birches there.


I've heard a few explanations for how the Whites got their name - they are often snow-capped or shrouded in fog, or more commonly - the mountains many ledges and rock faces often shine white from sunlight when wet. I've never heard the birches explanation.


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## beswift (Feb 7, 2005)

JD said:
			
		

> Killington has the best glades in N.E.  Jay is second.  However, there is no reason to drive any farther then N.H. if you're coming from the Boston area.   8)


  I consider Jay as a tree-skiing area, not a glades area.  Burke has some excellent quasi-gladed areas.


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## beswift (Feb 7, 2005)

Greg said:
			
		

> I've never heard the birches explanation.


   There are a lot of Birch on the northern facing slopes of the White's.  I forget the name of the village, but if you travel out of Gorham into Me. you pass through a forest of Birch.  More than likely the first views of the mountains were from this side by traveller's up the Conn. R.    The Birch Bark canoe was the main vehicle of river travel then.   Since N.H. had been almost fully deforested and farmed in the 19th century, it is hard to say what it looked like when first approached by Europeans.


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## ftrain (Feb 7, 2005)

beswift said:
			
		

> consider Jay as a tree-skiing area, not a glades area.  Burke has some excellent quasi-gladed areas.



What is the difference between glades and tress skiing?


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## JD (Feb 7, 2005)

I think he's trying to say glades are open areas with scattered trees, and tree skiing is wooded areas that are fairly open, enough to ski, anyway.  I think for most of us on the east coast, they are synonomous.  I think the question was meant to be, in Beswifts purist vernacular, who has the best trees in N.E.

I still say killington and Southern N.H. and in Norhtern VT, Jay by FAR.  :-?


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## JimG. (Feb 7, 2005)

Personally, the glades/trees at Stowe are hard to beat. The riverbed is awesome!


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## JD (Feb 7, 2005)

Stowe sucks.  I her they are pulling passes if they catch you in the woods.


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## JimG. (Feb 7, 2005)

JD said:
			
		

> Stowe sucks.  I her they are pulling passes if they catch you in the woods.



Figured you might say that :lol: ! You must be a fly fisherman too.


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## highpeaksdrifter (Feb 7, 2005)

JD, I’ve probably been to Kmart no more then 12 times my whole life. It’s just not my cup of tea. I have a bud who is a pass holder and he tells me the glades at Kmart suck. He says the best one is what the locals call Toilet Bowl. Educate me, I’d like to know. Compare to Jay Peak for instance.


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## ftrain (Feb 7, 2005)

Jay is by far the best glade skiing. You could hit 3 different glades on 1 run alone.


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## David Metsky (Feb 7, 2005)

Greg said:
			
		

> beswift said:
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The White Hills (or Cristall Hills) were first sited by Europeans in 1524 by Verrezano as he was sailing up the East Coast.  The name either from snow covering or water reflecting off the bare rocks, as seen from the ocean.


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## Greg (Feb 7, 2005)

David Metsky said:
			
		

> Greg said:
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Thanks Dave. You *are *the authority, after all!  8)


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## dmc (Feb 7, 2005)

Greg said:
			
		

> David Metsky said:
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I always hear that on certain days you can see the ocean from the top of Mt Washington..  But everytime I've climb to the top - I can't...
I always attribute it to haze...


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## Skimaine4ever (Feb 7, 2005)

Big Squaw has some sweet glades and the best part is that i have them all to myself


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## awf170 (Feb 7, 2005)

When I was at castlerock last year I saw this little glade that looked really cool of middlearth but i didnt do it because it was late in the day and my father wouldnt do so i didnt want do it by myself, but anyway it looked really cool so i was wondering if  anyone has done it before


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## JD (Feb 7, 2005)

The goods are off the back...just follow the tracks.  I hear Cat Walk is sick too.


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## David Metsky (Feb 7, 2005)

dmc said:
			
		

> I always hear that on certain days you can see the ocean from the top of Mt Washington..  But everytime I've climb to the top - I can't...
> I always attribute it to haze...


It's best in the fall when the air is cooler, or at night when you can see the lighthouses on the shore, or just around sunset when the sun reflects off the water.  It's a really neat sight.

 -dave-


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## riverc0il (Feb 7, 2005)

JD said:
			
		

> I thought hardwoods was what you wanted.  I sure enjoy skiing birch and maple glades over the tight soft wood (pine schrbb) up high.


sorry, i may have misused the words here.  what i was referring to is that VT has lots of low diameter trees in a lot of their glades whereas i noticed NH glades tend to have older trees with a much larger diameter.  i am not familiar with name identification, so i can't cite specific tree varieties.  but i prefer the VT woods much better.



			
				beswift said:
			
		

> That's preposterous!!!


you're entitled to your opinion, i am entitled to mine.  just because mind differs from yours does not make it preposterous.  that statement was preposterous.

regarding the difference between "trees" and "glades", in bounds the resorts will use them interchangably (most skiers do too).  my understanding is that a "glade" is an open area surrounded by woods with trees spotting the trail.  goniff glade and twilight zone at magic for example are two of my favorite "glades."  where as i like to define a tree run when the trees are tight and demand quick turns.  glades generally do not require quick turning ability since the trees are so spread out.  but every trail varies and resorts use "glades" to indicate all sorts of varieties of trails.


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## beswift (Feb 7, 2005)

quote="Greg"]





			
				David Metsky said:
			
		

> The White Hills (or Cristall Hills) were first sited by Europeans in 1524 by Verrezano as he was sailing up the East Coast.  The name either from snow covering or water reflecting off the bare rocks, as seen from the ocean.


Is that a legend or substantiated in an Italian written record?  I'm serious, if there is a source I want to read it.  I get into old journals with references to New England.  





			
				dmc said:
			
		

> I always hear that on certain days you can see the ocean from the top of Mt Washington..  But everytime I've climb to the top - I can't...
> I always attribute it to haze...


  I've been very fortunate in that my one climb to the summit was on a perfectly clear day, and I did see the Ocean.  However, I am skeptical about a sighting by Verrezano from the Ocean.  More than likely he saw the Camden Hills or those near Bar Harbor which are glacially polished and could easily reflect the sun.


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## David Metsky (Feb 7, 2005)

beswift said:
			
		

> Is that a legend or substantiated in an Italian written record?  I'm serious, if there is a source I want to read it.  I get into old journals with references to New England.


Verrazano wrote to the King of France on July 8, 1524, mentioning the "high mountains back inland" (translated) which, based on the rest of what he wrote, are universally accepted to be the White Mountains.  I've never seen the actual letter or journals, but Guy and Laura Waterman quote it in "Forest and Crag" and cite several other works in the bibliography.  I'd start there.  I don't think there's any real question that what he saw was the Whites.

There is also the claim that John Sebastian Cabot spotted Mt Washington in 1497 while exploring the coast, but I don't think that is as well accepted.

 -dave-


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## hiroto (Feb 24, 2005)

*Kinsman at Cannon*

Yesterday I skiied Kinsman Glade at Cannon for the 1st time.   What do people
think of that trail?   I thought  it was pretty comparable to Paradise at MRG
but it was more than 10 years ago I skiied there so I don't remember that well.
It  doesn't have anything like the chute at the top of  Paradise but  I felt overall 
steepness and the length were about the same.  

They had just opened it Monday and  had 6 inches of new snow Tuesday
night so it was in a great shape with no ice.  Me and my 8 years old son
had a great time skiing down there.


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## thetrailboss (Feb 24, 2005)

Good beginner glades:  Pat's Peak.  

Best Glades:  Burke and then Jay.  People rave about Jay but they can get tracked out.  Many of the pics you see were taken out of bounds, which is incredible up at Jay.  

Beswift's point about the origin of the White's name is incorrect (surprise)...it had to do with the snowcapped summits.  Yes, there are lots of Birches in MILAN, NH, but there are many more softwood trees and other hardwoods on the slopes of the Whites.

People rave about the tree skiing at Bretton Woods...but they are flat and pretty wide open...some are even groomed.   :-?  Not the same kind of experience as, say, the tight Birches Run at Burke.  :wink:


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## skintowin (Feb 24, 2005)

Mad River has the best glades,  no contest.  Jay's are pretty good, but get tracked out in a hurry. Some other areas have lots of gladed areas, (smuggs, stowe, sugarloaf), but they are a bit too 'sterile' for the true woodsman. Not very steep, and the lines are too obvious.  If it's on the trail map, it's generally a pretty weak glade.


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## thetrailboss (Feb 24, 2005)

skintowin said:
			
		

> Mad River has the best glades,  no contest.  Jay's are pretty good, but get tracked out in a hurry. Some other areas have lots of gladed areas, (smuggs, stowe, sugarloaf), but they are a bit too 'sterile' for the true woodsman. Not very steep, and the lines are too obvious.  If it's on the trail map, it's generally a pretty weak glade.



Yes, I'd have to agree that MRG is up there.  I have not experienced them personally.


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## JD (Feb 24, 2005)

Yea, Mad River is the best.  No reason to drive any further north.


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## JimG. (Feb 24, 2005)

JD said:
			
		

> Yea, Mad River is the best.  No reason to drive any further north.



That's your story and you're sticking to it  :wink: .

I'll be at MRG starting next week, and I thought I might drive an hour north and spend a day at Stowe...not worth it, huh?


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## smootharc (Feb 24, 2005)

*Sugarbush "New" Glade question....*

....this years trail map mentions 40 acres of new gladed terrain.  Anyone have thoughts on the new terrain (much of it previously skied) from direct experience ?

I'm curious....


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## bvibert (Feb 24, 2005)

JimG. said:
			
		

> JD said:
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IIRC its less than an hour to Stowe with decent road conditions...  If you've never been to Stowe I'd say check it out if you have an extra day.  Its kinda pricey but I think some of the inns/lodges in the MRV offer discounted tickets to Stowe as well as the Bush and MRG...


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## David Metsky (Feb 24, 2005)

JD said:
			
		

> Yea, Mad River is the best.  No reason to drive any further north.


While I love MRG, and it's my favorite ski area, for pure glade skiing I prefer Jay Peak.  Lots of variety, less insane terrain, more fun, better snow.


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## JD (Feb 24, 2005)

I agree, Jay is where it's at.


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## JimG. (Feb 24, 2005)

bvibert said:
			
		

> If you've never been to Stowe I'd say check it out if you have an extra day.  Its kinda pricey but I think some of the inns/lodges in the MRV offer discounted tickets to Stowe as well as the Bush and MRG...



Been to Stowe many times, one of my favs in VT. I was just giving JD a hard time because he downplays the excellent glade skiing there. If I can get the time to go I probably will, I can still get a Hunter employee discount there that makes the lift tic expense bearable.

Too bad JD blew out that knee cause it would have been a blast to ski with a local.


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## bvibert (Feb 24, 2005)

JimG. said:
			
		

> Been to Stowe many times, one of my favs in VT. I was just giving JD a hard time because he downplays the excellent glade skiing there. If I can get the time to go I probably will, I can still get a Hunter employee discount there that makes the lift tic expense bearable.
> 
> Too bad JD blew out that knee cause it would have been a blast to ski with a local.



Ahh, I was surprised that you hadn't been to Stowe before... 

How much of a discount do they give to employees from other mountains?  I always forget about that perk, it doesn't help that they took down the list at work...


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## JimG. (Feb 24, 2005)

Stowe is weird with the discounts, either feast or famine. I think it depends on who is running the ticket sales area. One year, they argued with me and refused to give me any discount. The next year they gave me half off but I was smart enough to bring a letter of intro from Hunter because it would have been full price without it. Then, a year later, I forgot the letter but they comped me on a 2 day pass.

Go figure.


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## hiroto (Mar 7, 2005)

What is a chance of Jay still having decent glade
skiing at the end of March this season?


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## JD (Mar 7, 2005)

really good.


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## deadheadskier (Mar 7, 2005)

I think arguements can be made for all the Northern Vermont ski resorts for great glade skiing.

Jay is reknown for its cut glades

Stowe and Smuggs have hundreds of acres of tree skiing that are not on the traip maps, perhaps more acreage than their actual trails that are  on the map.


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## Vortex (Mar 7, 2005)

Welcome DeadHeadSkier.  There are a few heads on this board check out the Misc. discussions.


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## hiroto (Mar 7, 2005)

deadheadskier said:
			
		

> I think arguements can be made for all the Northern Vermont ski resorts for great glade skiing.


That sounds great.  How about Sugarbush?  I really wanted to go to 
Jay but after comparing accomodations (condo for family of 4 with indoor pool), 
I'm leaning toward Bush.


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## Tyrolean_skier (Mar 7, 2005)

highpeaksdrifter said:
			
		

> JD, I’ve probably been to Kmart no more then 12 times my whole life. It’s just not my cup of tea. I have a bud who is a pass holder and he tells me the glades at Kmart suck. He says the best one is what the locals call Toilet Bowl. Educate me, I’d like to know. Compare to Jay Peak for instance.



I ski the trees at Killington and Toilet Bowl is one run that gets very tracked out because everyone knows about it.  I would not call it the best tree run at Killington.  The best tree runs are those that are not marked on the trail map and see little traffic. I cannot compare it to Jay since I have not been lucky enough to get up there so far.  My friends that have been to Jay rave about the tree skiing there especially recently with the new snow that has fallen.


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## Bumpsis (Mar 7, 2005)

I'll concur with Tyrolean on the "least known" glades as being the best.

Although I have not had the chance to check out Jay's tree terrain, I'll vote for Sugarloaf, mainly because quote a few of their glades have less than obvious places of entry so the crowds stay away.

As a consequence, one can still find almost untracked stashes of the fluff long after the rest of the mountain has been firmly packed down after a dump.

For me, the main reason to risk some possible bark eating is to catch some fluff. Otherwise, if I want to ski among trees, I happily step into my XC gear.


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## deadheadskier (Mar 7, 2005)

Bob R said:
			
		

> Welcome DeadHeadSkier.  There are a few heads on this board check out the Misc. discussions.




thank ya'

pleased to be here


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## JD (Mar 8, 2005)

Jay=beginner woods.


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## whitestuff (Mar 24, 2005)

My vote goes to Sugarloaf - as there are not only plenty, but they are largely ignored by the masses. Pipe cleaner is my favourite; it's not marked on the map, and has a tricky entrance. It takes you the whole way down timberline, and a couple of weeks ago the powder was upto your waist in parts. 

As for the difference between 'glades skiing' and 'tree skiing'.......... is there one? I've never heard anything so anally retentive in my whole life! You either like to ski in the trees or you don't. Some glades are really open, and others are really tight. Some have no pith, some are very steep. Glades/trees...... moguls/bumps........ tomato/tomarto  :wink:


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## Ig ODC (Mar 24, 2005)

Yeah, there the term "glades" "trees" "woods" are synonymous, there is no difference.  

Jay's trees are great, there is just something about Mad River, I think MRG's are a little steeper, not saying Jay's aren't steep, but just that MRG's are a little more so difficult.  I don't know, a lot of it probably just has to do with the conditions on the day you are there.  What makes Jay's so good though is that they get the most snow, and trees are the best in the fresh.  Out West, I'm a big fan of Alta's trees.


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## awf170 (Mar 24, 2005)

whitestuff said:
			
		

> My vote goes to Sugarloaf - as there are not only plenty, but they are largely ignored by the masses. Pipe cleaner is my favourite; it's not marked on the map, and has a tricky entrance. It takes you the whole way down timberline, and a couple of weeks ago the powder was upto your waist in parts.
> 
> As for the difference between 'glades skiing' and 'tree skiing'.......... is there one? I've never heard anything so anally retentive in my whole life! You either like to ski in the trees or you don't. Some glades are really open, and others are really tight. Some have no pith, some are very steep. Glades/trees...... moguls/bumps........ tomato/tomarto  :wink:



where is pipe cleaner?


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## whitestuff (Mar 26, 2005)

You'll find pipe cleaner to your left as you come down Timberline - it's quite near the top. You can't see into it, and once you're in you're in - there's no hiking back. It's tight getting in there, but  then it opens up a bit. You can't get lost and it isn't very steep.


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## thetrailboss (Mar 26, 2005)

whitestuff said:
			
		

> You'll find pipe cleaner to your left as you come down Timberline - it's quite near the top. You can't see into it, and once you're in you're in - there's no hiking back. It's tight getting in there, but  then it opens up a bit. You can't get lost and it isn't very steep.



Welcome to the boards, Whitestuff!


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## whitestuff (Mar 28, 2005)

Thanks Trailboss, I did think after I'd posted, that it would have been polite to introduce myself first    

Anyway, this seems like a great site. And I thought joining might ease the stress of loving skiing in the east, but living accross the pond in England   I've only ever skied Sugarloaf, but maybe I'll get to visit some other mountains eventually


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