# Most over and underrated ski resort in NE?



## skiNEwhere (Oct 10, 2012)

Overrated: 
3rd.
Killington - Especially on the weekend, it is way too crowded and it's pretty damn expensive too!
2nd.
I know this will cause a little controversy but.............Stowe. The terrain is good but it's too expensive to ski there! Not worth the price to ski every year, more like every other year
1st. Why do people like Loon so much? I've NEVER understood the facisination with Loon. On the weekends the crowds are the WORST. The terrain qucikly gets icy due to the volume of people, the trails are really crowded so you can't enjoy the groomers, and the terrain is not that challenging! With me, I'm not really having fun unless I'm being challeneged, and that's not happening there. I will be honest though and admit I've not skiied there since the expansion

Underrated
Mad River Glen - Cheap and challenging. Unless there was a lot of snow the day before, but still, it's not widely known by tourists like other resorts such as Killington. Plus since it's more concentrated with locals, people tend to be nicer, and it's a great place to meet other tele skiers.


----------



## 4aprice (Oct 10, 2012)

Underrated - Magic  Great mountain especially when the snow is good.  

Not sure if your NE stands for just New England or the entire Northeast.

My overrated (and I hate this because I don't want to offend or get in any arguments)  Whiteface NY.  The place has spectacular vertical but the several times that I've been there the conditions were just not so hot.  I keep on wanting to get back on that elusive 50 degree spring day that would probably change my whole attitude about the place.

Alex

Lake Hopatcong, NJ


----------



## ScottySkis (Oct 10, 2012)

4aprice said:


> Underrated - Magic  Great mountain especially when the snow is good.
> 
> Not sure if your NE stands for just New England or the entire Northeast.
> 
> ...


I always thought maybe NY state ownership , means less snowmaking that might make conditions worse there.


Sent from my ADR6410LVW using Tapatalk 2


----------



## Big Game (Oct 10, 2012)

Overrated:killington. All said, maximum real vert is 1500 and it involves traverses and run outs. 

Unnderrated: Stratton. It is generally hated by 'purists.' Yes, it's loaded with pomp. But even hidden stuff doenst require much schlepping.  It has woods that most Stratton-goers avoid. And there's a variety of woods. The loads of park junk keep the riff raff at bay.  The few trails they do let go ungroomed get littile traffic. Again, for all the s-talk about Stratton, it is a great hill to ride.

MRG may be a great hill, but I think everyone knows that so I don't think you can count that as underrated.


----------



## Tin (Oct 10, 2012)

Overrated: Killington, Mt. Snow, Loon, Sunday River, Okemo
Underrated: Berkshire East, Stratton, Pico


----------



## ScottySkis (Oct 10, 2012)

Tin said:


> Overrated: Killington, Mt. Snow, Loon, Sunday River
> Underrated: Berkshire East, Stratton




North east under rated in NY Platty but do not go so crowed on weekends and no glades at all.


----------



## andrec10 (Oct 10, 2012)

Overrated: Windham...Aspen of the east my @ss!!!


----------



## deadheadskier (Oct 10, 2012)

Overrated or Underrated by whom?

Ski Magazine?  Alpinezone members?  Water cooler talk at work?

I've never really cared all that much about what others think of a particular area.  I enjoy skiing just about everywhere. I just adjust my expectations towards whatever the particular ski area or that days conditions have to offer and have as much fun as I can while I'm there.  Sometimes I'll get a little bored of what I'm skiing and cut a day short, but I'm always glad I went.

What I don't understand in skiing message bored land is the perpetual urge by certain people to tell others how much better their mountain is than where others ski.  If not that, just blanket statements about how they think a place sucks.  Think a place sucks?  Don't ski there.  If other people like a place that you think sucks?  Who cares?


----------



## Sugart (Oct 10, 2012)

deadheadskier said:


> Overrated or Underrated by whom?
> 
> Ski Magazine?  Alpinezone members?  Water cooler talk at work?
> 
> ...



Agree 100%. People shit on the Poconos because its not Vermont or NH like people shit on Vermont/NH because its not out west. Who cares. Some of my fondest memories growing up was when my family and I would stay at Brodie in western Mass for a week. It was great, all of my friends were there along with their family, there were seriously around 50 people from south jersey who stayed there for the week. I mainly ski the Poconos, if I am lucky I get up north for a weekend once a year, but I still love it. Ill ski Alpine in the Poconos if it just meant that Id be skiing for the day.


----------



## BenedictGomez (Oct 11, 2012)

New York is not New England

Now that that public service message is out of the way.....


Overrated: Killington
Underrated: Bolton Valley


----------



## skiersleft (Oct 11, 2012)

I don't care if NE meant New England, I'm going to take it to mean Northeast. In the northeast, the most underrated hill for me is Gore. Hands down. All things being considered, Gore is better than Whiteface. It's also better than most big hills in Vt and NH. 

The most overrated is Tremblant. Continuosly earns top honors in Ski Magazine, but it's mostly because of the village. In terms of skiing, Tremblant is a second tier mountain behind the real eastern big dogs like Stowe, Sugarloaf, Killington, Sugarbush, Jay Peak, etc. 

I also agree that Stratton is generally underrated. It's not as bad as "hardcore" skiers allege it is. While it's not challenging, it has very solid and extremely fun cruising terrain. And the lift system may very well be the best in the east. Very decent tree skiing, albeit not challenging and a pretty big hill. It's not Jay Peak, but it ain't bad either. And certainly not as bad as the so called experts allege it is.


----------



## riverc0il (Oct 11, 2012)

skiersleft said:


> I also agree that Stratton is generally underrated. It's not as bad as "hardcore" skiers allege it is. While it's not challenging, it has very solid and extremely fun cruising terrain. And the lift system may very well be the best in the east. Very decent tree skiing, albeit not challenging and a pretty big hill. It's not Jay Peak, but it ain't bad either. And certainly not as bad as the so called experts allege it is.


I don't see to many people knocking Stratton. I often see it juxtaposed to Magic since they are near each other and very different mountains. But Stratton has good skiing, surprisingly so actually, so in that sense it may be underrated for skiing quality. I can't stand the place for other reasons but as far as trail quality goes, the trails actually have some character and as noted there is some nice glade skiing to be had.

I agree with DHS in the sense that this thread needs some parameters in terms of over or under rated by which demographic or crowds. But I don't think saying over or under rated (as long as properly defined) is a put down. I see it as more of "which areas are people over looking by sticking with their old stand bys". Invariably, this discussion topic is going to sprout to arms, one suggesting the big resorts are over rated and another suggesting the well known challenging "skier's mountains" are over rated, both because people get locked into them and end up missing other interesting areas.

I'm all for a thread that's ultimate goal says: you should try skiing other mountains, perhaps these one's that you might not have considered.

Having been there done that, I'd say not enough expert level skiers get to Smuggs. The place is amazing and worth the extra drive and I can pretty much guarantee any expert level skier will be kicking themselves for not getting there sooner once they finally do.

The only places I can think of that are over rated are over rated by the press. Ski magazines get paid to say that the places that pay them the most money are the best. So that is being rated higher than other mountains that may be better overall for most skiers. But the big resorts do work very well for large volume of skiers. I just wish people would try out other areas... especially families that might prefer a quieter more low key experience which can be had at many places for less money and less hassle.


----------



## Cheese (Oct 11, 2012)

skiersleft said:


> I also agree that Stratton is generally underrated. It's not as bad as "hardcore" skiers allege it is. While it's not challenging, it has very solid and extremely fun cruising terrain. And the lift system may very well be the best in the east. Very decent tree skiing, albeit not challenging and a pretty big hill. It's not Jay Peak, but it ain't bad either. And certainly not as bad as the so called experts allege it is.



Maybe I've been there on the wrong days but I thought Stratton was a lousy cruising mountain.  Many dangerous trail merges that actually had mountain ambassadors posted at them making everyone slow down.  I won't knock their lift systems though, certainly top notch.  Personally, I like Okemo over Stratton.


Overrated: Killington
Underrated:  Like others have stated, need more specific criteria.


----------



## Smellytele (Oct 11, 2012)

Cheese said:


> Maybe I've been there on the wrong days but I thought Stratton was a lousy cruising mountain.  Many dangerous trail merges that actually had mountain ambassadors posted at them making everyone slow down.  I won't knock their lift systems though, certainly top notch.  Personally, I like Okemo over Stratton. Okemo trails are what I don't like about about Okemo. You could plop me down on any trail and i would not be able to tell it from the one next to it in most cases.
> 
> 
> Overrated: Killington
> Underrated:  Like others have stated, need more specific criteria.



Actually I have only skied Stratton on weekdays, there was some fun to be had while there. The lift system was great and never saw an Ambassador. As I have said before and others have said it is the general vibe of the place that is creepy. I would take Stratton over Okemo.


----------



## dmc (Oct 11, 2012)

deadheadskier said:


> What I don't understand in skiing message bored land is the perpetual urge by certain people to tell others how much better their mountain is than where others ski.  If not that, just blanket statements about how they think a place sucks.  Think a place sucks?  Don't ski there.  If other people like a place that you think sucks?  Who cares?



Thank you..

I will say that if a place gets a really bad rap it makes me more interested to go...
Like Hunter, Whiteface and Cannon take a lot of abuse from some but get mad props by others...

The very thing that intermediate skiers/riders complain about may be what draws me there...


----------



## Cornhead (Oct 11, 2012)

I don't know if it's underrated as much as it's below the radar, but Bolton Valley is a great local's hill in VT.  I never heard of the place, and wouldn't have, if I didn't ask a lady working the counter of a ma and pa store on my first visit to VT. It was funny because when I asked her where she liked to ski, she was almost embarassed when she said, " Well, I like Bolton Valley." To which my reply was, "Bolton Valley?, where the hell is that?". Glad I asked. Another nice thing about BV, is they have night skiing, a rarity in VT. I once left NY at noon, skied BV at night, then hit Stowe the next day. It was nice not having to get up at 3 am to start my trip.


----------



## Cheese (Oct 11, 2012)

Smellytele said:


> Actually I have only skied Stratton on weekdays, there was some fun to be had while there. The lift system was great and never saw an Ambassador.



My comment was only in reference to "cruising".  If I'm going to wick it up to 80% of my ability, I want to do it without endangering others and that just didn't seem all that possible at Stratton.  Another example would be Sunny Side at Waterville Valley.  4 great black or double black trails where you can wait for a clearing, then safely rip down the steeps.  Unfortunately they all dump out onto Valley Run which is a beginners area and many forget to throttle back through this zone as they're speeding back to the main lift.

My comment wasn't to trash Stratton for all types of skiing or skier abilities, just to state that I didn't feel their merges mixed well with "cruising".


----------



## 4aprice (Oct 11, 2012)

deadheadskier said:


> Overrated or Underrated by whom?
> 
> Ski Magazine?  Alpinezone members?  Water cooler talk at work?
> 
> ...



I don't know DHS I think its just grist for the ever grinding mill. I agree that telling people an area they like sucks because its not their cup of tea is not cool.  I personally don't like slamming ski areas but I see no harm in having opinions on what one likes and doesn't like and the reasons for that.  

Alex

Lake Hopatcong, NJ


----------



## WWF-VT (Oct 11, 2012)

riverc0il said:


> Having been there done that, I'd say not enough expert level skiers get to Smuggs. The place is amazing and worth the extra drive and I can pretty much guarantee any expert level skier will be kicking themselves for not getting there sooner once they finally do.



+1 on Smuggs.  It's promoted as a family mountain but has some of the best terrain in VT.


----------



## Smellytele (Oct 11, 2012)

Cheese said:


> My comment was only in reference to "cruising".  If I'm going to wick it up to 80% of my ability, I want to do it without endangering others and that just didn't seem all that possible at Stratton.  Another example would be Sunny Side at Waterville Valley.  4 great black or double black trails where you can wait for a clearing, then safely rip down the steeps.  Unfortunately they all dump out onto Valley Run which is a beginners area and many forget to throttle back through this zone as they're speeding back to the main lift.
> 
> My comment wasn't to trash Stratton for all types of skiing or skier abilities, just to state that I didn't feel their merges mixed well with "cruising".



I guess all I was saying is that on weekdays it never came into play but I guess I can see it happening on a crowded weekend. Also the last time I went last year it was snowing (the 1 storm we had last year) and it was a ghost town.


----------



## fbrissette (Oct 11, 2012)

Taking NE as north-east:

Overrated - Tremblant - Lots of interesting trails, but it is way too crowded and the mid mountain false flats on each side kill the fun out of it.   The village is what makes Tremblant such a hit, not the skiing anymore.

Overrated -Killington - A bunch of smaller mountains put together. Overcrowded.  It needed the bear mountain mogul challenge and the longest season in the east to overcome its shortcomings. 

Underrated -MRG, Smuggs


----------



## SKIQUATTRO (Oct 11, 2012)

overrated: killington for a host of reasons
underrated: Burke and Bolton Valley ( i was blown away by the size and amount of glade skiing there)


----------



## summit62 (Oct 11, 2012)

4aprice said:


> Underrated - Magic Great mountain especially when the snow is good.
> 
> My overrated (and I hate this because I don't want to offend or get in any arguments) Whiteface NY. The place has spectacular vertical but the several times that I've been there the conditions were just not so hot. I keep on wanting to get back on that elusive 50 degree spring day that would probably change my whole attitude about the place.
> 
> ...




I would put Whiteface on my underrated list.  Incredible vert, tree skiing is excellent, Lake Placid is probably the best ski town in the east.  With the level of many skiers/riders that we have on AZ, I am surprised that I don't hear people talk about Whiteface more.  However, I always plan my annual Whiteface trip in mid-March (by design), and have never experienced the mid-season ice sheet that I continually hear about.  

Most underrated:  Gore.  I know, clearly I am a fan of NY skiing.  No matter what type of skier you are and what gets you going, Gore has it.  A large mountain with little to no slopeside development.  Bigger than many of the mega-resorts but without all of the fluff.    

Also underrated:  Smuggs.  Surprises me when I hear people say its not worth the drive.  I usually only hear that from people who haven't been yet.  

Most overrated:  Killington.  



Alex (also)


----------



## The Sneak (Oct 11, 2012)

overrated: loon. i can't stand that place.
underrated: magic, BEast, Burke, Ragged....all depends on the snow though


----------



## xwhaler (Oct 11, 2012)

UnderRated: Pico, Black Mtn (NH), Smuggs, Bolton Valley, Whaleback, Saddleback. Pico has some great trails that can satisfy any level of skiier and the trails are usually quiet with Pico being forgotten next to big brother K.
BV is pretty cool---they get a lot of snow and while the pitch leaves something to be desired the glades are fun. It's also a great place to bring a family.

Saddleback has some of the best glades in all of New England in my opinion.

For folks who like old school, classic New England terrain give Whaleback a shot. Folks are super friendly, its a great value and I put the terrain up against any other mtn its size in New England.

OverRated: Waterville Valley---never have been that into WV....it skis smaller than its vertical would suggest in my opinion.

I would like to try Stratton this season. I generally shy away from mega resorts and the fake vilage type places but the comments on the terrain being interesting do make me want to try it.


----------



## The Sneak (Oct 11, 2012)

Totally agree on Black Mtn NH. In fact, I'm listed as a testimonial on their site:

"Great Mountain! Terrain has real character, classic fall line, real New  England trails. Had more fun in four hours than a full day at Someday  Bigger"


----------



## skiberg (Oct 11, 2012)

Overrated: How about Sunday River. Very enjoyable cruisers but bad natural snow history and very limited expert terrain.


----------



## skiersleft (Oct 11, 2012)

riverc0il said:


> I don't see to many people knocking Stratton. I often see it juxtaposed to Magic since they are near each other and very different mountains. But Stratton has good skiing, surprisingly so actually, so in that sense it may be underrated for skiing quality. I can't stand the place for other reasons but as far as trail quality goes, the trails actually have some character and as noted there is some nice glade skiing to be had.



I have seen many people here knock Stratton. Last time I saw it was in a recent thread about where to go for a ski vacation in NE. I suggested Stratton and the slew of negative comments started. Some obviously had to do with the village, but others had to do with the terrain.

In any case, I agree that Stratton has surprisingly good skiing and it may thus be underrated. Also agree that trails have some character and there's nice glad skiing. It's a place I think I also underrated. I first visited last year and wasn't expecting much from the terrain because of what I had heard. Turns out I had a blast. As I said, not terribly challenging, but really fun. It's big enough for exploring, has enough character for you not to be bored and glades are fun. Much better than I expected. Again, it's not Stowe, Sugarloaf or Kton, but it's good.

BTW, replies here reveal that Gore is really underrated. Only two of us have found it to be so. No comments from the rest. I take most here haven't skied there. Which is interesting, because it is better than most big hills in the east. I think it's better than Stratton, for example, and as you can seem I like Stratton. I also think its better than Tremblant. 

Actually, Riv, I think I recall you writing in your blog some time ago that you visited Gore with Harv and being pleasantly surprised. When I read your post it seemd like the hill had exceeded your expectations. Which is what "underrated hills" do. 

Perhaps that's a good way of defining overrated and underrated. A hill is underrated if based on what you hear from people here, mags and elsewhere, you were pleasantly surprised when you skied it for the first time. The hill exceeded expectations based on what you had heard. In contrast, a hill is overrated if after you skied it for the first time it failed to live up to expectations.


----------



## Nick (Oct 11, 2012)

For those guys that say you need some constraints around what it meants to be under or overrated, just qualify your answer with those constraints  <-- that's the project manager in me coming out.  Fill your gaps with assumptions :lol: 

I have to expand my horizons a bit but based on what I've read here it sounds like in terms of "not well known for expert skiers" Smuggs is a big one. It seems that it is identified as a family mountain but the steeper, more technical stuff gets missed.


----------



## snowmonster (Oct 11, 2012)

WWF-VT said:


> +1 on Smuggs.  It's promoted as a family mountain but has some of the best terrain in VT.



+2 on Smuggs. When I first saw their ads, I thought it was a family learning mountain and didn't pay it much attention because I was looking to progress. I only found out about its rep after hanging out on this board. It is very legit and can kick anybody's butt.


----------



## skiNEwhere (Oct 11, 2012)

Nick said:


> For those guys that say you need some constraints around what it meants to be under or overrated, just qualify your answer with those constraints  <-- that's the project manager in me coming out. Fill your gaps with assumptions :lol:
> 
> I have to expand my horizons a bit but based on what I've read here it sounds like in terms of "not well known for expert skiers" Smuggs is a big one. It seems that it is identified as a family mountain but the steeper, more technical stuff gets missed.



I agree, I wasn't trying to get people to bash each others ski area when I made this thread. I just wanted people to explain what makes a ski area over or underrated in their own eyes, vs. what ski magazines or the public says we SHOULD like. My intent was not to get people to put each other down.


----------



## Nick (Oct 11, 2012)

skiNEwhere said:


> My intent was not to get people to put each other down.



Well you probably can't stop that :lol:


----------



## Smellytele (Oct 11, 2012)

skiersleft said:


> BTW, replies here reveal that Gore is really underrated. Only two of us have found it to be so. No comments from the rest. I take most here haven't skied there. Which is interesting, because it is better than most big hills in the east. I think it's better than Stratton, for example, and as you can seem I like Stratton. I also think its better than Tremblant.



I plan on hitting Gore the 1st of March for the first time. After spending a few days at Whiteface for the first time. I hope both pan out to be good.


----------



## Warp Daddy (Oct 11, 2012)

There. Is no such thing as a bad mountain or poor skiing experience IMHO , JUST some better than others ! they are all a great day outside and beat the hell out of the alternative . I do feel that Gore now especially with the latest expansions of the past couple of years is basically an under rated and relatively modestly know  venue . Tremblant is glitzy the skiing is fine but can be overcrowded and cold and now with upside down exchange rates will be pressed to compete with other Eastern big boys . I too like others have suggested love some lesser known , retro , family oriented local regionals . they are not only the backbone of the sport and feed the big boys but provide an outstanding product and experience for the price ,

BUT in the end it is ALL good dammit


----------



## skiersleft (Oct 11, 2012)

Smellytele said:


> I plan on hitting Gore the 1st of March for the first time. After spending a few days at Whiteface for the first time. I hope both pan out to be good.



You won't be disappointed. By either hill. I prefer Gore over Whiteface, because Whiteface skis small in spite of its massive vertical. The reason for this is that Whiteface is very narrow and most runs thus funnel into the same area. After a while, you feel as if you've skied it all. However, Whiteface's vertical is amazing and it's steep and challenging. Plus, Lake Placid is the best ski town in the East, IMHO. 

Gore, in contrast, is not as challenging as Whiteface and obviously not as much vertical. It skis much bigger, however. For two reasons. First, it simply is bigger. In terms of skiable acreage it is considerably bigger than Whiteface. It's also spread out, so you can do a fair bit of exploring. Feels like you don't ski the same area over and over again. Also, the tree skiing is excellent. Especially now with the burnt ridge area. 1400 of continuous vertical with several top to bottom tree runs. Simply amazing. And the blue cruiser under the lift called Sagamore is über fun. Downside: absolutely nothing to do at night. 

You will have lots of fun!


----------



## ScottySkis (Oct 11, 2012)

Gore beats all of south Vermont ski areas for sure.


----------



## steamboat1 (Oct 11, 2012)

Killington is underrated judging by all the bashing it gets here. I happen to love the place, especially during the week.

Haven't been to Gore in several years but skied there numerous times in the past. Maybe expansion made it better but I never liked the place. With the exception of a couple of relatively short decent drops off the top the mountain is flat.

Overrated is Okemo's snow making & grooming. Been there several times when they had issues with ice while other areas skied in the same time frame didn't. The mountain doesn't drain very well after a rain event which we all know is common in the NE. When it freezes there's ice.

Agree Stratton is better than some make it out to be. Who cares about a village, I go there to ski.

Smuggs is a great place to ski when they have good snow but when they don't their snow making ability is seriously lacking. Instead of putting all their money into condo's they should invest a little more in the mountain.

That's it for now. I'm sure I'll have opinions about other areas since I've skied just about all of them many times.


----------



## Downhill Threads (Oct 11, 2012)

I'm with those who have said "who cares... if there's snow, it's all good". But I'll chime in with an opinion anyway. 

Overrated: (by Ski Magazine... every year) Tremblant. Yes, village is amazing, but its almost impossible to plan a trip there in advance. SOO COLD! Last time I was there they had to close the mountain because it was -30 degrees F. The steam off your face would literally freeze to the inside of your goggles and make you blind going down the mountain. I'm sure that place is a lot of fun when the temps are in the positives, but I don't think it deserves a #1 ranking for the last 15 years or so in a row. 

Underrated: I'll go with the resorts in the middle of nowhere Vermont... Mad River Glenn and Jay Peak. (although I hear Jay Peak is or has been building the surrounding up a bit more). Those mountains are pure Vermont magic. Great snow, glades, bumps, people. Just make sure you have 4-wheel drive getting there and back when it snows.


----------



## skiNEwhere (Oct 11, 2012)

What's all the hype behind the village? I only ask because I've never been there


----------



## steamboat1 (Oct 11, 2012)

skiNEwhere said:


> What's all the hype behind the village? I only ask because I've never been there


Which village are you talking about? There really isn't much of a village at Stratton but people seem to talk about it alot. I haven't been to Tremblant since they built the new village so I really can't say.


----------



## skiNEwhere (Oct 11, 2012)

Tremblant


----------



## Downhill Threads (Oct 11, 2012)

here's a pic of the village in Tremblant. It's really unique and looks like it should be in Europe. Beautiful buildings. Cool little shops. Amazing food and atmosphere at the restaurants & bars. And the ski lift runs all the way through the village, so once you park you never have to go back to your car. You can ski down to any of the hotels in the village. Plus there's a great indoor pool/hot tubs building with a rock wall and a rope swing. (great for when the mountain closes)


----------



## C-Rex (Oct 11, 2012)

Most overrated:  Okemo.  The place is just boring.  There's no challenge at all to be found anywhere on that mountain. The lift system sucks.  There's no reason it should take 2 lifts to get from the lodge to the top of any eastern mountain. And they don't serve Jaeger in the lodge bar because it's a "family mountain".  However, I can have all the shots of whiskey I want.  I don't get it.  

Underrated is tougher.  I'd say Mount Sunapee is pretty underrated.  They have some pretty good glades and I like how the park is in it's own area with it's own lift.  Maybe I've just gotten lucky with conditions, but I always seem to have a good day when I go to Sunapee.

Pico is definitely another one.  A few years ago I went up with my ex wife and stayed at the Vermont Inn right up the road.  We were planning on hitting killington the next day but the inn keeper suggested we try Pico instead.  I'm so glad we did.  We ended up getting 13 inches in a freak storm over night.  We never waited more than a couple minutes in a lift line and the place never got tracked out.  The terrain was great and it never got crowded.  We talked to a couple that had come over in the afternoon from Killington and they said the place was jammed and tracked out by 11.


----------



## Nick (Oct 11, 2012)

Okemo does have a new waffle house though.


----------



## fbrissette (Oct 11, 2012)

skiNEwhere said:


> Tremblant



About 50 restaurants/bars all within a pedestrian zone (+ casino, movie theater).  A year-round activity center where they will book you to one of about 70 activities (you will be picked on site).

You can spent a few weeks there and do a different activity every day, eat in a different restaurant every night, without the need of  a car.

Having said that, I hate what they did to the mountain of my youth.  If you are a tourist, yes, it can be a fabulous place to spend a week, but being part of that madness every ski week-end is of no interest to me.


----------



## mriceyman (Oct 11, 2012)

those waffle houses sure do smell good lol


----------



## Downhill Threads (Oct 11, 2012)

I just realized that Killington has been probably the most bashed on here for being overrated, and there's a big "THE BEAST" banner ad on the top and bottom of this site. not sure if that's just targeted advertising or if everyone sees it, but just thought that was funny. 

btw... had one of the best ski weekends 2 seasons ago at Killington. powder galore and great on-mountain condo.


----------



## riverc0il (Oct 11, 2012)

skiersleft said:


> I have seen many people here knock Stratton. Last time I saw it was in a recent thread about where to go for a ski vacation in NE. I suggested Stratton and the slew of negative comments started. Some obviously had to do with the village, but others had to do with the terrain.


The negative comments weren't about Stratton, they were about your recommendation itself. Most posters agreed North Conway or Lake Placid would be best and you took issue with that. No one agreed with Stratton being the best option because they didn't feel like Stratton met the OP's preferences and request. I don't recall any one in that thread saying that Stratton wasn't a good option because it sucks but rather because it didn't meet the OPs needs of having a lot of stuff to do to entertain a non-skiing for an extended stay. You may disagree but the comments weren't negative against the mountain itself.



skiersleft said:


> Actually, Riv, I think I recall you writing in your blog some time ago that you visited Gore with Harv and being pleasantly surprised. When I read your post it seemd like the hill had exceeded your expectations. Which is what "underrated hills" do.


I disagree regarding your definition of underrated. You are equating underrated with individual opinion. But being over or under rated has nothing to do with a singular experience but rather the general consensus of a large population. I don't see a large segment of the population panning Gore. I think most people would agree that it is the second best ski area in NY (many might prefer it more than Whiteface, if both were fully open, I would prefer Gore over Whiteface unless the slides were open due to Gore's extensive glade system and more pod orientation). Any ways, I don't see Gore as being underrated. It certainly isn't rated at all by many New England skiers because it is difficult to drive twice as far as closer mountains that are as good or better. I like a little variety but crap, it is a five hour drive and I can get almost any where in New England except the Loaf in 2.5 hours from where I live.


----------



## riverc0il (Oct 11, 2012)

Scotty said:


> Gore beats all of south Vermont ski areas for sure.


*cough* Magic *cough*



Otherwise, I agree.


----------



## bobbutts (Oct 11, 2012)

The board almost always likes the more challenging and rugged choice in a region while the public strongly prefers the more developed.
Cannon over Loon, Bretton Woods, Waterville
Magic over Stratton, Okemo, Sunapee
Some places appeal to both crowds.
Stowe, Sugarloaf, Sugarbush, Killington, etc

For underrated here, I'll have to go with Whaleback and if it were still alive, Ascutney.  More rugged and challenging than their nearby competitors and nobody going to either very often.


----------



## HowieT2 (Oct 11, 2012)

C-Rex said:


> Most overrated:  Okemo.  The place is just boring.  There's no challenge at all to be found anywhere on that mountain. The lift system sucks.  There's no reason it should take 2 lifts to get from the lodge to the top of any eastern mountain. And they don't serve Jaeger in the lodge bar because it's a "family mountain".  However, I can have all the shots of whiskey I want.  I don't get it.
> 
> Underrated is tougher.  I'd say Mount Sunapee is pretty underrated.  They have some pretty good glades and I like how the park is in it's own area with it's own lift.  Maybe I've just gotten lucky with conditions, but I always seem to have a good day when I go to Sunapee.
> 
> Pico is definitely another one.  A few years ago I went up with my ex wife and stayed at the Vermont Inn right up the road.  We were planning on hitting killington the next day but the inn keeper suggested we try Pico instead.  I'm so glad we did.  We ended up getting 13 inches in a freak storm over night.  We never waited more than a couple minutes in a lift line and the place never got tracked out.  The terrain was great and it never got crowded.  We talked to a couple that had come over in the afternoon from Killington and they said the place was jammed and tracked out by 11.



I agree with you about Okemo, but the two lifts to the summit system works really well at sugarbush.  Unlike Okemo, where the base lift doesnt get you anywhere except to another lift, the base quads at SB take you 2/3rds of the way up the mtn.  this provides plenty of terrain off the base quads and keeps the the beginners/novices on those lifts.  This reduces the traffic on the upper mountain lifts and limits the skier traffic on the upper mountain.  The system allows me to take a base quad in the morning before there is any line whatsoever and then I can do laps on the upper mtn without having to go all the way down to the base.


----------



## ScottySkis (Oct 11, 2012)

riverc0il said:


> *cough* Magic *cough*
> 
> 
> 
> Otherwise, I agree.





I have to try Magic this season.


----------



## MadMadWorld (Oct 11, 2012)

Overrated - 
Mt. Snow - terrain options are few and far between. Trails have no character whatsoever. Unfriendly and very crowded.
Gore - always crowded and gets skied off every weekend. Unless you are lucky enough to go midweek it's just not fun.
Killington - takes too much from it's customers and doesn't give enough back in recent years.
Stowe - terrain access is the best in the east but price gauging is ridiculous. don't bother going on a long weekend or holiday vacation
Attitash - terrible conditions and weather. terrain variation is boring as well.

Underrated
Berkshire East - great value. friendly people. lots of terrain variation for all levels of skiers. 
Magic - terrain that gives the mountain tons of character. atmosphere is the best of any mountain I have ever skied....If you are new to the mountain or skiing alone it is very easy to find others to ski with or someone to show you around. Prices for day and season passes are some of the best deals out there.
Smugglers Notch - Just a short drive around Stowe, you can find a place to stay for half the price of places in Stowe. Lift prices are very good. Podded off beginner area and great kids program makes this a great learn to ski mountain. Terrain has plenty of character and have a handful of trails that are as hard (if not harder) then the Front Four at Stowe.


----------



## ScottySkis (Oct 11, 2012)

MadMadWorld said:


> Overrated -
> Mt. Snow - terrain options are few and far between. Trails have no character whatsoever. Unfriendly and very crowded.
> Gore - always crowded and gets skied off every weekend. Unless you are lucky enough to go midweek it's just not fun.
> Killington - takes too much from it's customers and doesn't give enough back in recent years.
> ...



Gore is crowded not compared to any resort in Southern VT.

Sent from my ADR6410LVW using Tapatalk 2


----------



## steamboat1 (Oct 11, 2012)

bobbutts said:


> For underrated here, I'll have to go with Whaleback and if it were still alive, Ascutney.  More rugged and challenging than their nearby competitors and nobody going to either very often.


I agree about the challenge. Problem with both areas is low elevation & lack of natural snow. When they are good they both were/are very good.


----------



## Madroch (Oct 11, 2012)

Over- okemo

Under- smuggs and sundown.  - someone had to say it- season long bumps on a small hill that gets no natty


----------



## steamboat1 (Oct 11, 2012)

MadMadWorld said:


> Overrated -
> Killington - takes too much from it's customers and doesn't give enough back in recent years.
> Stowe - terrain access is the best in the east but price gauging is ridiculous. don't bother going on a long weekend or holiday vacation
> 
> ...


Killington - Can't argue if you pay walk-up prices, as far as giving back between there extended season on both ends & competitive season pass prices is a good deal. I've been getting my daily pass price down to roughly $20 for a few years already, when ASC owned the place I could get it down to $12 with a lot more ski area options. 2 for 1's early season are a bargain for the general public. They give me a floating weekend day on my mid-week pass this year. End of season last year I was able to get discounted tickets for my friends in addition to a free weekend day pass for myself. I'd say they gave back.

Stowe - I can ski there for 10 days this season for $33 a day with a ski club membership discount not to mention a couple of $40 days with a VT. Pass any other time except holiday periods. Again if you pay walk up prices you're screwed.

Smuggs is not around the corner from Stowe. Yes they are adjacent to eachother but it's an hour drive between the 2 during winter. Smuggs isn't a bargain with pricing either.


----------



## x10003q (Oct 11, 2012)

MadMadWorld said:


> Overrated -
> 
> Gore - always crowded and gets skied off every weekend. Unless you are lucky enough to go midweek it's just not fun.
> 
> ...



Delusional on Gore. Your description of Gore tells me you have not been there since before 1992. 

As for Smuggs you forgot to add the wonderfully long weekend liftlines on those freezing slow double chairs. 

Maybe you just switched these 2 in your post. ;-)


----------



## MadMadWorld (Oct 11, 2012)

x10003q said:


> Delusional on Gore. Your description of Gore tells me you have not been there since before 1992.
> 
> As for Smuggs you forgot to add the wonderfully long weekend liftlines on those freezing slow double chairs.
> 
> Maybe you just switched these 2 in your post. ;-)



Here comes the angry NY/NJ people! Gore hasn't gotten less crowded, the lines have just gotten shorter because of faster lifts. The trails are still crowded and still get skied off all the time. Smuggs does have long liftlines but it keeps the crowds down on the actual trails. Plus, it's the only mountain that I know that offers coupons (at local ski shop) that not only offers buy one get one free lift tickets but also allows you to use them on weekends (as long as its not school vacation or holiday). Two adults can ski a Saturday for a grand total of $66! Lastly, Gore can't even come close to the terrain off of Madonna


----------



## MadMadWorld (Oct 11, 2012)

steamboat1 said:


> Killington - Can't argue if you pay walk-up prices, as far as giving back between there extended season on both ends & competitive season pass prices is a good deal. I've been getting my daily pass price down to roughly $20 for a few years already, when ASC owned the place I could get it down to $12 with a lot more ski area options. 2 for 1's early season are a bargain for the general public. They give me a floating weekend day on my mid-week pass this year. End of season last year I was able to get discounted tickets for my friends in addition to a free weekend day pass for myself. I'd say they gave back.
> 
> Stowe - I can ski there for 10 days this season for $33 a day with a ski club membership discount not to mention a couple of $40 days with a VT. Pass any other time except holiday periods. Again if you pay walk up prices you're screwed.
> 
> Smuggs is not around the corner from Stowe. Yes they are adjacent to eachother but it's an hour drive between the 2 during winter. Smuggs isn't a bargain with pricing either.



Well, you are making the assumption that someone is coming from Stowe to get to Smuggs (in reality it's more like 40-45 minutes). But if someone is coming from the South, it's only about 20 min further than Stowe.


----------



## HowieT2 (Oct 11, 2012)

MadMadWorld said:


> Here comes the angry NY/NJ people! Gore hasn't gotten less crowded, the lines have just gotten shorter because of faster lifts. The trails are still crowded and still get skied off all the time. Smuggs does have long liftlines but it keeps the crowds down on the actual trails. Plus, it's the only mountain that I know that offers coupons (at local ski shop) that not only offers buy one get one free lift tickets but also allows you to use them on weekends (as long as its not school vacation or holiday). Two adults can ski a Saturday for a grand total of $66! Lastly, Gore can't even come close to the terrain off of Madonna



I havent skied smuggs in years.  I know the terrain is great but ive heard horror stories about the lift lines on weekends and holidays.  Whats the deal?


----------



## Boston Bulldog (Oct 11, 2012)

Madroch said:


> Over- okemo
> 
> Under- smuggs and sundown.  - someone had to say it- season long bumps on a small hill that gets no natty



OMFG, Sundown is freaking amazing. Temptor bumps all freaking day. Gunbarrel has decent bumps too. When I go there with my buddy that lives in New Hartford, I get in maybe 25-30 runs a day. No lines!


----------



## MadMadWorld (Oct 11, 2012)

HowieT2 said:


> I havent skied smuggs in years.  I know the terrain is great but ive heard horror stories about the lift lines on weekends and holidays.  Whats the deal?



HowieT2 - Their are a few reasons. They deal with a good deal of wind on the top of Madonna and in the past 10 years they lowered the cable on the lift tower. The upside is that when Stowe is on wind hold, Smuggs is always open now. The downside is that they really can't run a HSQ at that height. The other reason they keep the double on Madonna is to keep the skier traffic down on it's more technical terrain in the same way Sugarbush has kept the Castlerock double. If they put a HSQ on top of Madonna - Lift Line, Robin's, Free Fall and Blackhole would rarely be open. They are however considering putting a HSQ on Sterling but we shall see. I don't mind waiting in lines when the lift tickets are so inexpensive.


----------



## x10003q (Oct 11, 2012)

MadMadWorld said:


> Here comes the angry NY/NJ people! Gore hasn't gotten less crowded, the lines have just gotten shorter because of faster lifts. The trails are still crowded and still get skied off all the time.



In the last 12 years Gore's terrain has more than doubled to 437 acres while they have added only 1 high speed lift. If you actually skied Gore you would see uncrowded trails every weekend and most holidays. The real limiting factor at Gore is the parking. This is why it is not crowded. By the way I have been skiing Gore 1-2 weekends a month since 1986. 



MadMadWorld said:


> Lastly, Gore can't even come close to the terrain off of Madonna



Who compared Gore terrain to Smuggs terrain?

I might be angry but anybody who lives where you live and drives to Gore can't be that bright.:dunce:


----------



## wintersyndrome (Oct 11, 2012)

Scotty said:


> Gore beats all of south Vermont ski areas for sure.


agreed when you exclude Magic.


----------



## MadMadWorld (Oct 11, 2012)

x10003q said:


> In the last 12 years Gore's terrain has more than doubled to 437 acres while they have added only 1 high speed lift. If you actually skied Gore you would see uncrowded trails every weekend and most holidays. The real limiting factor at Gore is the parking. This is why it is not crowded. By the way I have been skiing Gore 1-2 weekends a month since 1986.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I have family from NY with a time share not far from the mountain so I ski 2-3 days a season there on a long weekend or school vacation. You can't possibly know what I have experienced when I have been at the mountain so what's the point in arguing whether I am right or wrong? I'm giving my opinion based on my own experiences and not trying to speak for everyone else.


----------



## steamboat1 (Oct 12, 2012)

MadMadWorld said:


> Well, you are making the assumption that someone is coming from Stowe to get to Smuggs (in reality it's more like 40-45 minutes). But if someone is coming from the South, it's only about 20 min further than Stowe.


LOL... Stowe is south of Maddona


----------



## MadMadWorld (Oct 12, 2012)

steamboat1 said:


> LOL... Stowe is south of Maddona



You're comment just proves you have no idea what you're talking about. Second of all, if you skied Vermont on a regular basis, just because something is closer in miles doesn't mean it's closer in drive time. I can get to Jay faster than I can get to MRG


----------



## Sugart (Oct 12, 2012)

I dont see how price should be a deciding factor on whether a place is over rated or not. Skiing is a pure luxury, you dont have to ski and resorts can charge whatever people will pay.


----------



## WWF-VT (Oct 12, 2012)

MadMadWorld said:


> You're comment just proves you have no idea what you're talking about. Second of all, if you skied Vermont on a regular basis, just because something is closer in miles doesn't mean it's closer in drive time. I can get to Jay faster than I can get to MRG



Take a look at a map.   Stowe is *south *of Smuggs and the only way you can get from Stowe to Smuggs in (optimistically) 20 minutes is in the summer when Rte 108 is open, otherwise you are driving around on Rte 100 and that's 45 minutes to an hour drive.


----------



## Smellytele (Oct 12, 2012)

WWF-VT said:


> Take a look at a map.   Stowe is *south *of Smuggs and the only way you can get from Stowe to Smuggs in (optimistically) 20 minutes is in the summer when Rte 108 is open, otherwise you are driving around on Rte 100 and that's 45 minutes to an hour drive.



You are missing his point. He is not talking about driving from Stowe to smuggs - He is speaking about driving from the South to both.


----------



## deadheadskier (Oct 12, 2012)

Smellytele said:


> You are missing his point. He is not talking about driving from Stowe to smuggs - He is speaking about driving from the South to both.



What route would make it only 20 minutes further to Smuggs than Stowe?  Going all the way up to St. Johnsbury on 93 and taking routes 2 and 15 across to Smuggs?  I haven't done that route, but if you're going 89 to 100, Smuggs is definitely 40 minutes or so further than Stowe.


----------



## WWF-VT (Oct 12, 2012)

deadheadskier said:


> What route would make it only 20 minutes further to Smuggs than Stowe?  Going all the way up to St. Johnsbury on 93 and taking routes 2 and 15 across to Smuggs?  I haven't done that route, but if you're going 89 to 100, Smuggs is definitely 40 minutes or so further than Stowe.



Even if you go on Rt 89 to Exit 11 it's still 40+ minutes longer to Smuggs


----------



## Smellytele (Oct 12, 2012)

South in NY?


----------



## deadheadskier (Oct 12, 2012)

Smellytele said:


> South in NY?



good point.  Guess I was just thinking the Boston area as Madmadworld is from Leominster.


----------



## summit62 (Oct 12, 2012)

MadMadWorld said:


> Here comes the angry NY/NJ people! Gore hasn't gotten less crowded, the lines have just gotten shorter because of faster lifts. The trails are still crowded and still get skied off all the time. Smuggs does have long liftlines but it keeps the crowds down on the actual trails. Plus, it's the only mountain that I know that offers coupons (at local ski shop) that not only offers buy one get one free lift tickets but also allows you to use them on weekends (as long as its not school vacation or holiday). Two adults can ski a Saturday for a grand total of $66! Lastly, Gore can't even come close to the terrain off of Madonna




This is the first time I ever heard someone describe Gore as being crowded.  One of the least crowded big mountains that I know.

I agree that the terrain off Madonna at Smuggs is better than anything at Gore, Madonna provides top 3 terrain off any lift in the East in my book and is one of my underrated resorts.  But Gore gets pretty darn close with the steeps on Rumor and Lies and some of the longest uninterrupted glades in the East (Cirque) and has way more variety in general.  As far as the slow doubles at Smuggs, I commend them for keeping it old school.  And yes, it makes for a much less crowded skiing experience on the trails.  Personally, my skiing time is more limited than I would like it to be and I would rather a resort where I can choose between different trail pods (some with high speed lifts, some with fixed grips) depending on how busy a resort is, conditions, and what kind of mood i'm in.


----------



## steamboat1 (Oct 12, 2012)

Smellytele said:


> South in NY?



That would be coming from the west, not south. I agree from Burlington they would be about equidistant.


----------



## steamboat1 (Oct 12, 2012)

MadMadWorld said:


> You're comment just proves you have no idea what you're talking about. Second of all, if you skied Vermont on a regular basis, just because something is closer in miles doesn't mean it's closer in drive time. I can get to Jay faster than I can get to MRG


Lol, I've been skiing VT. since the early 60's. I think I have a grip on what I'm talking about.


----------



## Smellytele (Oct 12, 2012)

steamboat1 said:


> That would be coming from the west, not south. I agree from Burlington they would be about equidistant.



That statement would also make Boston East not South?

The two are not mutually exclusive


----------



## steamboat1 (Oct 12, 2012)

MadMadWorld said:


> Underrated
> Smugglers Notch - Just a short drive around Stowe,


This is the statement I originally responded to. He didn't say anything about coming from NY or MA. With that statement I think my response was correct.


----------



## bobbutts (Oct 12, 2012)

take a left at the retaaded kid


----------



## MadPatSki (Oct 12, 2012)

fbrissette said:


> Having said that, I hate what they did to the mountain of my youth.  If you are a tourist, yes, it can be a fabulous place to spend a week, but being part of that madness every ski week-end is of no interest to me.



I'm the last person to defend big corporate ski areas, however Intrawest has done some good things to the mountain (not talking village) since they bought 20 years ago). The Old Tremblant lacked even more expert terrain and glades. There wasn't any top-to-bottom lifts (it happened just before IW came in the picture). A lot of lost of the old Tremblant, but some changes were good.


----------



## fbrissette (Oct 12, 2012)

MadPatSki said:


> I'm the last person to defend big corporate ski areas, however Intrawest has done some good things to the mountain (not talking village) since they bought 20 years ago). The Old Tremblant lacked even more expert terrain and glades. There wasn't any top-to-bottom lifts (it happened just before IW came in the picture). A lot of lost of the old Tremblant, but some changes were good.



It all depends on your perspective.  What you say is correct.  From my point of view however, the best way to ruin my skiing experience is to put to many people on the hill at the same time.  They committed the cardinal sin of putting way too many high speed lifts all over the mountain.  It minimizes lift lines, but new snow gets tracked in record time, the ice appears in record time, and collectors are crazy crowded.  The south side is an absolute zoo near the lifts.  All of that for 90$ a day.  No thanks.


----------



## MadPatSki (Oct 12, 2012)

fbrissette said:


> It all depends on your perspective.  What you say is correct. From my point of view however, the best way to ruin my skiing experience is to put to many people on the hill at the same time.  They committed the cardinal sin of putting way too many high speed lifts all over the mountain.  It minimizes lift lines, but new snow gets tracked in record time, the ice appears in record time, and collectors are crazy crowded.  The south side is an absolute zoo near the lifts.  All of that for 90$ a day.  No thanks.



I agree...I said all wasn't perfect. The ski trail design (or redesign, widen, blasted) became traffic flow priorities and not fun runs. 

Example of a redesigned run for traffic flow...Grand Prix. 

The good things: adding steep double diamond runs like Vertige, ZigZag, Dynamique.

Looking for slope with more long fall line skiing : Versant Soleil.

Tremblant was my main mountain and I had a season pass as a kid in the late 1970s. Mom's is from the area, her dad groomed the runs with showshoes back in the 1940s. My dad was a ski instructor in the region for Gray Rocks, Villa Bellevue and Tremblant...so Tremblay is my roots. That being said, I haven't skied since March 2010. You'll see my correct perspective on the place on that TR. It is somewhat emotional due to the circumstances of what would happen that day.

I agree on what was lost. Many places have lost part of their soul and mystic that the mountain carried with their "improvement" (sic), Tremblant is definitely one of them.


----------



## MadMadWorld (Oct 12, 2012)

steamboat1 said:


> Lol, I've been skiing VT. since the early 60's. I think I have a grip on what I'm talking about.



Then you must be losing your mind.....Smuggs is in Jeffersonville. And if you are talking about the mountain, it's Madonna not Maddona


----------



## Highway Star (Oct 12, 2012)

Killington, overrated?  You guys suck.



> SATURDAY OCTOBER 13, 2012
> 
> KILLINGTON SEASON PASS APPRECIATION EVENT
> Exclusive  to Killington Season Pass and Express Card holders, we will be running  two lifts and one trail for Saturday October 13, 2012. Killington  Express Card holders will be charged $25 for use of the Express Card. No  day tickets will be sold.
> ...


----------



## steamboat1 (Oct 12, 2012)

MadMadWorld said:


> Then you must be losing your mind.....Smuggs is in Jeffersonville. And if you are talking about the mountain, it's Madonna not Maddona



Excuse the misspelling, didn't think I was in a spelling bee. I'll be more careful next time (not). If you knew anything you'd know the ski area was named Madonna (Maddona for those with spelling problems) long before it became known as Smugglers Notch. Jeffersonville is north of Stowe no matter what you call it. Such a winer, don't get your tidy whiteys all in a bunch.


----------



## MadMadWorld (Oct 12, 2012)

steamboat1 said:


> Excuse the misspelling, didn't think I was in a spelling bee. I'll be more careful next time (not). If you knew anything you'd know the ski area was named Madonna (Maddona for those with spelling problems) long before it became known as Smugglers Notch. Jeffersonville is north of Stowe no matter what you call it. Such a winer, don't get your tidy whiteys all in a bunch.



Hey old man Rivers, sit down or I'll break your hip!


----------



## steamboat1 (Oct 12, 2012)

If they ever rename the mountain again they should call it smuck after you.


----------



## MadMadWorld (Oct 12, 2012)

steamboat1 said:


> If they ever rename the mountain again they should call it smuck after you.



You are the worst speller ever!


----------



## ScottySkis (Oct 12, 2012)

MadMadWorld said:


> You are the worst speller ever!





I tnaw the reward for that, lol.


----------



## skiNEwhere (Oct 12, 2012)

"Alright folks, nothing to see here, lets move along" in my best impression of Officer Barbrady


----------



## MadMadWorld (Oct 13, 2012)

skiNEwhere said:


> "Alright folks, nothing to see here, lets move along" in my best impression of Officer Barbrady



Yes i suppose it's best to end this discussion lol


----------



## Smellytele (Oct 13, 2012)

Well we can go back to the if it opens only for the weekend then closes is it really opened conversation.


----------



## BenedictGomez (Oct 13, 2012)

SKIQUATTRO said:


> overrated: killington for a host of reasons
> underrated: Burke and* Bolton Valley ( i was blown away by the size and amount of glade skiing there*)



Yea, at least I'm not the only person in the thread to mention Bolton, lol.   Seriously, I think the problem is that so few people have ever actually skied there, which makes it a perfect "underrated" candidate.  It kind of reminds me of Plattekill in that regard, no one has ever been there.



Downhill Threads said:


> Underrated: I'll go with the *resorts in the middle of nowhere Vermont.*.. Mad River Glenn and *Jay Peak. (although I hear Jay Peak is or has been building the surrounding up a bit more)*. Those mountains are pure Vermont magic.



Yes, a big part of what makes Jay special will be ruined in 7 or 8 years (or so I fear).


----------



## rev bubba (Oct 14, 2012)

Underratted, Part 1: Easy, Hunter Mountain, NY. I'm surprised no one mentioned it. Yes, much too crowded on weekends but I have not skied there on a weekend in years. During the week, you respectable vert, fast lifts, great snow making, steeps, bumps and no people. 

Underratted, Part 2: I'll throw in Mountain Creek, NJ. Again, I usually only ski week days and frankly, when no one is there, it a great local hill for us people on the southern end of NE (North East). 

Overratted, Part 1: Wildcat. Yeah, the view of Mt. Washington is nice but the ice! Good God, the ice! 

Overratted, Part 2: Sunday River.

My favorite eastern mountain is MRG anyway and I don't think that is at all underratted. Somewhat unknown maybe, but not underratted.

But what do I know?


----------



## skiNEwhere (Oct 14, 2012)

rev bubba said:


> Overratted, Part 1: Wildcat. Yeah, the view of Mt. Washington is nice but the ice! Good God, the ice!



Wildcat and Cannon are the only resorts in New Hampshire I enjoy. Wildcat is colder than the average ski resorts, which seems to keep the crowds down to have their awesome terrain to yourself


----------



## HowieT2 (Oct 14, 2012)

rev bubba said:


> Underratted, Part 1: Easy, Hunter Mountain, NY. I'm surprised no one mentioned it. Yes, much too crowded on weekends but I have not skied there on a weekend in years. During the week, you respectable vert, fast lifts, great snow making, steeps, bumps and no people.
> 
> Underratted, Part 2: I'll throw in Mountain Creek, NJ. Again, I usually only ski week days and frankly, when no one is there, it a great local hill for us people on the southern end of NE (North East).
> 
> ...



Just because you love to ski and mtn x allows you to do that, doesnt make it underated.  Mtn creek?  Come on.  It is what it is.  Convenient.  When its not completely unbearably crowded, its schussable.  Not that theres anything wrong with that.  Ive had plenty of fun there and at hunter too, but underated, i think not.


----------



## rev bubba (Oct 14, 2012)

Ok, I'm new to this forum but I have no idea what you are talking about. It seems like you didn't read what I said after listing Hunter and Mountain Creek which seems to be a BIG problem with most sites like this. 

I love smaller mountains and MC is definitely a smaller mountain that gets lots of crap from people but when you compare it to others, it is underrated. Besides, I did say ".... what do I know?" As for Hunter, didn't someone say Killington is a bunch of poorly interconnected 1600 foot vert mountains? Hunter saves you the job of finding all those peaks. It is an honest 1600 foot vert.

Read on. You will also see that I don't ski weekends and I thought I made that pretty clear.


----------



## steamboat1 (Oct 14, 2012)

BenedictGomez said:


> Yea, at least I'm not the only person in the thread to mention Bolton, lol.   Seriously, I think the problem is that so few people have ever actually skied there, which makes it a perfect "underrated" candidate.  It kind of reminds me of Plattekill in that regard, no one has ever been there.


I don't know why but I never really cared for Bolton & I've been there several times. The chair to the left of the base lodge is long & flat. The main mountain was broken up into two short lifts making it hard to use the true vertical of the place. Looking at the new trail map it looks like they installed a top to bottom lift. I don't know haven't been there in 5 or 6 years. The main mountain does have decent terrain though. The other chair which is the 1st one you come to driving up has uninspiring terrain also. I will say the area has very good base elevation and does receive above average snowfall. The access road is a trip also & affords spectacular views of camel's hump when driving out.


----------



## BenedictGomez (Oct 14, 2012)

rev bubba said:


> Ok, I'm new to this forum but I have no idea what you are talking about. It seems like you didn't read what I said after listing Hunter and Mountain Creek which seems to be a BIG problem with most sites like this.
> 
> I love smaller mountains and MC is definitely a smaller mountain that gets lots of crap from people but when you compare it to others, it is underrated. Besides, I did say ".... what do I know?" As for Hunter, didn't someone say Killington is a bunch of poorly interconnected 1600 foot vert mountains? Hunter saves you the job of finding all those peaks. It is an honest 1600 foot vert.



If anything I'd put Hunter into the "overrated" category, simply because it's THE place that everyone in the city and NJ "know" about and where absolutely everyone goes.  Plus, people rave about the place like it's Chamonix or something (ok, not really, but you know what I mean ) which is for me the tip-off that they have no idea what they're talking about, but I think is another indicator of "overrated'ness".  

On MC, I dont know enough about it so I'd be interested in hearing more on why you call it underrated.  From the comments on this board, most people seem to absolutely HATE the place (some refuse to go there), but if those people are being unfair, than I definitely can see how it could be very underrated if it's actually a pretty decent hill, but gets slagged on unfairly.




steamboat1 said:


> I don't know why but I never really cared for Bolton & I've been there several times. The chair to the left of the base lodge is long & flat. The main mountain was broken up into two short lifts making it hard to use the true vertical of the place. Looking at the new trail map it looks like they installed a top to bottom lift. I don't know haven't been there in 5 or 6 years. The main mountain does have decent terrain though. The other chair which is the 1st one you come to driving up has uninspiring terrain also. I will say the area has very good base elevation and does receive above average snowfall. The access road is a trip also & affords spectacular views of camel's hump when driving out.



It's near always completely empty (unless you go night skiing, but that's mainly for the kiddies), the terrain is pretty good, and the tree skiing is well above average by anyone's standards.  And it's not a place people think to go (which to me is a substantial part of being underrated), because there are so many superior options relatively nearby (Stowe, Jay, Smuggs, Sugarbush, MRG).


----------



## ScottySkis (Oct 14, 2012)

BenedictGomez said:


> If anything I'd put Hunter into the "overrated" category, simply because it's THE place that everyone in the city and NJ "know" about and where absolutely everyone goes.  Plus, people rave about the place like it's Chamonix or something (ok, not really, but you know what I mean ) which is for me the tip-off that they have no idea what they're talking about, but I think is another indicator of "overrated'ness".
> 
> On MC, I dont know enough about it so I'd be interested in hearing more on why you call it underrated.  From the comments on this board, most people seem to absolutely HATE the place (some refuse to go there), but if those people are being unfair, than I definitely can see how it could be very underrated if it's actually a pretty decent hill, but gets slagged on unfairly.
> 
> ...





Well I can tell you my opinion on MC because I skied there a lot because my dad had Gf. that worked for the hill before Interwest own it in late 90s and got me free skiing a lot. When you have a home on the hill its nice to make runs especially mid hill think it was Granite peak. Mid week nights is nice too. But if your travelling an hour or more there just much better hills , most of the vertical at MC is almost all beginners flat with few steep sections that last for few seconds.


----------



## rev bubba (Oct 14, 2012)

It is obvious a lot of you don't have a clue what underrated means.

MC is not the same place you skied in the 90's and even more improvements were made last season by the new owners but didn't get going because of the poor winter. Pipeline was completely redone. However, all the negative comments on MC only prove the point that it is underrated. It is not as bad as everyone loves to say so all you negative people keep it up while I get my 70 or so days of skiing in every year at places so many seem just too good to visit (please refer to ski snob comment earlier). Your lose, my gain. Ski there during the week and you have the place to yourself. Night? Why the heck would I ski at night if I can ski all day? I'm not a kid any more.  

Don't dare ski Hunter during the week either. I hate it when more than 25 people show up. Damn, that is crowded. I see you live closer to the Catskills than me so you can go further north for a day trip but Hunter is quite far enough for me.

Since I don't live in Vermont, I'll just have to make do with what I have and "settle" for a couple week long trips to Vermont, a week or so in NH, maybe ten days out west and this year, a week in Europe. What you won't get from me is a waste of breath bashing any ski area. 

Doesn't anyone but me understand that skiing or riding is good no matter where you do it?


----------



## ScottySkis (Oct 14, 2012)

rev bubba said:


> It is obvious a lot of you don't have a clue what underrated means.
> 
> MC is not the same place you skied in the 90's and even more improvements were made last season by the new owners but didn't get going because of the poor winter. Pipeline was completely redone. However, all the negative comments on MC only prove the point that it is underrated. It is not as bad as everyone loves to say so all you negative people keep it up while I get my 70 or so days of skiing in every year at places so many seem just too good to visit (please refer to ski snob comment earlier). Your lose, my gain. Ski there during the week and you have the place to yourself. Night? Why the heck would I ski at night if I can ski all day? I'm not a kid any more.
> 
> ...


I think it is great that you can ski mid week. All hills are great midweek non holiday. MC is fine for that if your close by, and since this is the first year for back in Mid Hudson Valley in several years, I actually plan on hitting MC at night a few times this season because I'm only 40 minutes away.


Sent from my ADR6410LVW using Tapatalk 2


----------



## mlkrgr (Oct 14, 2012)

rev bubba said:


> Overratted, Part 1: Wildcat. Yeah, the view of Mt. Washington is nice but the ice! Good God, the ice!



Wildcat overrated? I think it's underrated. The ride up the mountain on the quad is nice and it's the fastest in the Northeast. I've never seen a line more than 5 minutes long, aside from extenuating circumstances or if they run a deeply discounted special. The character of the trails is second to none too. True, you have to stay 20 minutes from there in North Conway; ok maybe you can find something 10-15 away though. 

Wachusett is overrated with the crowding. The only way to escape it is to go before 4 pm during the day (which is the only time I enjoy that place. But it's understandably so because it's so close for many in MA.

Loon is overrated just as much with the crowding; but sometimes I can't resist but to go there.

MRG is also a bit overrated due to lines. When I go skiing, I want to ski, not wait in line. The all in price is a little high too due to lack of deals aside from a few select days (I know; the midweek price is pretty reasonable but there always seems to be a much more reasonable deal despite this available to me when I want to go skiing). I can let a bus due to driving work for me to another resort for $5-15 more than MRG's weekend price when you talk weekend skiing and get a ticket as part of the deal. Since there's no snowboards allowed, the people who run buses have no incentive to go to MRG. I think this is a factor why Sunday River has become such a big brand in the Greater Boston market.

Which brings me to Sunday River is rated just right. While there's overrated areas of the mountain like Barker, you can easily traverse to a good but underrated area of the mountain (biggest example is North Peak). They understand the most there's people like me out there that want to ski and want to meet others (skiing is a social sport after all) but not do the driving.

Killington is about right, but you have the gondolas which are good when it's cold. If it's not, I'd rather be elsewhere especially as Skye Peak Express can be the only way out of Bear. But SR still has a better vibe and if it's not ridiculously cold, I'd rather go to SR.


----------



## ERJ-145CA (Oct 14, 2012)

As far as MC being underrated I don't know but it does get a lot of hate on these boards.  What I do know is that aside from that annoying gondola it is a good experience mid-week and at night.  I'd say it is a similar experience to most Pocono mountains mid-week.  I've never been there on a weekend day but when I drive past it on my way to Hidden Valley on weekends the lots are all full by 9:30 so yes it is very crowded on the weekend.

For what it is, a 1000 vertical foot ski area in NJ they do a very good job, especially the last few years with the new owners.  During a good winter they even allow a few runs to bump up, which isn't always possible given the freeze-thaw cycle that NJ experiences frequently.  The area that I live in and that MC is in is also usually 10 - 15 degrees cooler than the rest of northern NJ and NYC.  Now that they replaced the bubble tents with an actual lodge (which is very nice BTW) and put in a new lift to connect South peak to the rest of the mountain it should be an even better experience.  As for me I enjoy a day of skiing anywhere and given that MC is 10 minutes from my house and I have a lot of weekdays off it's great to have such a "big" place so close to home.


----------



## HowieT2 (Oct 14, 2012)

rev bubba said:


> It is obvious a lot of you don't have a clue what underrated means.
> 
> MC is not the same place you skied in the 90's and even more improvements were made last season by the new owners but didn't get going because of the poor winter. Pipeline was completely redone. However, all the negative comments on MC only prove the point that it is underrated. It is not as bad as everyone loves to say so all you negative people keep it up while I get my 70 or so days of skiing in every year at places so many seem just too good to visit (please refer to ski snob comment earlier). Your lose, my gain. Ski there during the week and you have the place to yourself. Night? Why the heck would I ski at night if I can ski all day? I'm not a kid any more.
> 
> ...



Underated means its better than the general consensus gives it credit for.  The only positive thing you have pointed out about mc is that its not crowded midday midweek.  That does not make it underated.  Every ski mtn is empty midweek for the obvious reason that 95% of skiers are either at work or in school.  So while mc may be great for you (and yes id rather be skiing mc than sitting in my office) and convenient for many, what about it is undervalued?  Is it the terrain? Lifts? Apres? Food?  What improvements have made it a better mtn?
my experience there is that it is nothing special. so if someone from metro ny area asked my opinion where they should go skiing, it wouldnt be mc unless it was the only mtn within their travel radius.  Imho, there are better options in the catskills, poconos and berkshires which are only a little longer travel time.

But that doesnt mean its not a great place for you and like they say about pizza and sex, when its good,  its really really good.  And when its bad, its still good.


----------



## x10003q (Oct 14, 2012)

HowieT2 said:


> Underated means its better than the general consensus gives it credit for.  The only positive thing you have pointed out about mc is that its not crowded midday midweek.  That does not make it underated.  Every ski mtn is empty midweek for the obvious reason that 95% of skiers are either at work or in school.  So while mc may be great for you (and yes id rather be skiing mc than sitting in my office) and convenient for many, what about it is undervalued?  Is it the terrain? Lifts? Apres? Food?  What improvements have made it a better mtn?
> my experience there is that it is nothing special. so if someone from metro ny area asked my opinion where they should go skiing, it wouldnt be mc unless it was the only mtn within their travel radius.  Imho, there are better options in the catskills, poconos and berkshires which are only a little longer travel time.
> 
> But that doesnt mean its not a great place for you and like they say about pizza and sex, when its good,  its really really good.  And when its bad, its still good.



Well said and the 850 vertical feet Cabriolet sucks every day of the week.


----------



## BenedictGomez (Oct 14, 2012)

HowieT2 said:


> *Underated means its better than the general consensus gives it credit for.  The only positive thing you have pointed out about mc is that its not crowded midday midweek.  That does not make it underated.*  Every ski mtn is empty midweek for the obvious reason that 95% of skiers are either at work or in school.



I was about to post the exact same thing, hence why I specifically asked for reasons why IHO it was underrated.  I mean, my brother's backyard isn't crowded mid-week, but at about 78 foot vertical, I wouldn't call it an "underrated" ski area.  It's not even lift served for heaven's sake.


----------



## MadMadWorld (Oct 15, 2012)

mlkrgr said:


> Wildcat overrated? I think it's underrated. The ride up the mountain on the quad is nice and it's the fastest in the Northeast. I've never seen a line more than 5 minutes long, aside from extenuating circumstances or if they run a deeply discounted special. The character of the trails is second to none too. True, you have to stay 20 minutes from there in North Conway; ok maybe you can find something 10-15 away though.
> 
> Wachusett is overrated with the crowding. The only way to escape it is to go before 4 pm during the day (which is the only time I enjoy that place. But it's understandably so because it's so close for many in MA.
> 
> ...



I couldn't agree more. I have loved Wildcat since I was a kid. It has the same type of feel as Magic, MRG, and Smuggs. As I have said before, I love the character of mountains and Wildcat has plenty of it. They leave most expert terrain as natural as possible and I appreciate their willingness to leave expert terrain open when most mountains would shut it down. Lines are never long and the speed of the squad allows you to ski possibly the most vertical of any mountain in NE on a given day.

I taught at Wachusett for 8 seasons and midweek before 4pm and Sunday nights are really the best times to ski there. When school groups start the place is just a mad house especially when they close trails to groom. On holidays, you will easily spend 45 minutes in a line for a run that lasts only a few minutes.

I don't think MRG is overrated simply because it's terrain is unmatched but you make some great points about the buses. Then again, I had a midweek season pass for a number of years so maybe I am a little biased.

I haven't been to Sunday River in a number of years but I remember just being bored with it. Every run kind of felt the same and I got bored spending time bouncing from one mountain to the other. But that is just my own feeling about it and I think it has a lot to offer for the intermediate-advanced skier.


----------



## 4aprice (Oct 15, 2012)

Being a Jersey resident I have to put in my $.02.  I'm located really well and even with MC and Hidden closer timewise I opt for the Pa over NJ.  I have plenty of experience with NJ skiing as I started skiing a long time ago and skied the Original Great Gorge, the orignal Vernon Valley, the old Snow Bowl and taught a season at Hidden Valley. The Original Vernon Valley was probably my favorite out of those but changes they made to that mountain, don't do it any favors.  The Original Great Gorge is now a terrain park which is not my cup of tea.  There a couple of things that keep me away from NJ slopes including the drive is easier to Camelback, but the biggest is weather.  Quite frankly it's colder in PA.  Last year was a perfect example.  The difference in vertical 1000-800 ft means nothing to me down here, I like the better snow.  The base of Camelback is 1200 ft (Summit MC 1400 ft) Camelback Summit 2000 ft.  I've seen alot of times where Camelback was making snow and other mountains could not.  What natural snow they get is generally more then NJ and it preserves better.  This area is the banana belt of Northeast skiing and I just find the PA experience better.  If you want good snow and vertical your going to have to travel up north anyways.

Alex

Lake Hopatcong, NJ


----------



## SIKSKIER (Oct 15, 2012)

bobbutts said:


> take a left at the retaaded kid



Best quote of this thread.Oh,and even a retard like me knows how to spell it correctly.


----------



## poconovfr (Oct 15, 2012)

ski areas are like golf courses.....fire a 70........._ANYWHERE_.........and it's the best course ever.

Show up to two feet of pow.........._​ANYWHERE_......well you get the picture.


----------



## fbrissette (Oct 15, 2012)

poconovfr said:


> ski areas are like golf courses.....fire a 70........._ANYWHERE_.........and it's the best course ever.
> 
> Show up to two feet of pow.........._​ANYWHERE_......well you get the picture.



Have to disagree.  I have had my best golf score on a course I would never go back to.  While two feet of snow will make any average resort looks good, it will make the great ones even more awesome.


----------



## poconovfr (Oct 16, 2012)

fbrissette said:


> Have to disagree.  I have had my best golf score on a course I would never go back to.  While two feet of snow will make any average resort looks good, it will make the great ones even more awesome.




......................true 300 vert. ft. will do that to a person


----------



## SnowRock (Oct 16, 2012)

4aprice said:


> Being a Jersey resident I have to put in my $.02.  I'm located really well and even with MC and Hidden closer timewise I opt for the Pa over NJ.   There a couple of things that keep me away from NJ slopes including the drive is easier to Camelback, but the biggest is weather.  Quite frankly it's colder in PA.  Last year was a perfect example.  The difference in vertical 1000-800 ft means nothing to me down here, I like the better snow.  The base of Camelback is 1200 ft (Summit MC 1400 ft) Camelback Summit 2000 ft.  I've seen alot of times where Camelback was making snow and other mountains could not.  What natural snow they get is generally more then NJ and it preserves better.
> Alex
> 
> Lake Hopatcong, NJ



Agree and frankly I was amazed at how well Camelback managed in the disaster that was last year. Camelback is my local "hill" of choice. I'll get to MC a few times, the new lodge is very nice and the revamped base area a HUGE improvement, but I'll usually opt for Camelback over MC. On that note, while I am not sure I'd say its "underrated" I opted for Elk last year a time or two over Hunter. Slightly quicker and definitely easier drive for me.. less crowded and a much different vibe.  

Quick question on Stowe... is the price really all that different from most other places for the likes of people that are into snow sports enough to post on a message board? Does anyone here actually pay the full walk-up price? 

I run a trip with some friends and fam the past few years.. price out a few different options to give the illusion of choice before pushing Stowe on everyone because I love the mountain, and Sugarbush for the past 3 has been the priciest. That's lodging and passes, but Stowe with an advanced purchase is basically within a few bucks of everywhere else as far as I remember.


----------



## 4aprice (Oct 16, 2012)

SnowRock said:


> Agree and frankly I was amazed at how well Camelback managed in the disaster that was last year. Camelback is my local "hill" of choice. I'll get to MC a few times, the new lodge is very nice and the revamped base area a HUGE improvement, but I'll usually opt for Camelback over MC. *On that note, while I am not sure I'd say its "underrated*" I opted for Elk last year a time or two over Hunter. Slightly quicker and definitely easier drive for me.. less crowded and a much different vibe.



Welcome aboard SnowRock.  Maybe we'll see you up at CBK.  Just want to note that I did not say Camelback was underrated.  I was only explaining why I pick the Pocono's over NJ.  For that matter the only 3 I like skiing up there are Elk, Blue and Camelback.  I keep a pass at Camelback because of its location and the fact that my son skis on the Alpine Team.

Alex

Lake Hopatcong, NJ


----------



## SnowRock (Oct 16, 2012)

Thanks... and yeah I got that from your post. I meant the Elk comment more as a stand alone. I'm not sure any of the Pocono/NJ mountains can really be considered underrated. I'll look for you on 80 when the temps start staying low!


----------



## canobie#1 (Oct 11, 2014)

I don't get the hate with Killington.  It has such great terrain and it's huge.  Such a nice place for all abilities.  

Overratted:
Waterville Valley-the terrain is blah and overpopulated.  Very small place too.

Sunday River:
Boring and way too crowded.  The place deff has some great spots like Oz, Jordan Bowl and some of their glades.  But the rest is just crap.

Mount Snow:
Just awful.  The sunbrook and north face are pretty nice but the main mountain is just plain bad.

Attitash:
If this place didn't have Bear Peak, it would be my least favorite ski area.  The Attitash is so run down and crappy.  Bear Peak has some awsome runs though, including one of my favorite NH trails, Avenger!  Wander Skis and Illusion are a blast too.  But it's such a pain in the ass to get everywhere.  It's all walking.  And get rid of that damn summit triple already!

Stowe:
Bland and lots of walking on the base.  Extremly overpriced.  I really don't understand why people like this place.  Starr, Chin Clip, Lookout and goat are the only trails that stood out to me.  Everything else was just boring.  Atleast the hotel and town are really nice.

Bretton Woods:
Speaking of boring. It's like skiing on a golf course.  Not a fan.

Underratted:

Ragged Mountain:
Such an awesome place.  Great cruisers, awesome glades and very nice atmosphere. The place is really imroving with new trails, pinnacle peak, new spearmountain express and of course....WAFFLE CABIN.! You're missing out if you pass this place.


Mount Abram:
I'll take this over sunday river anyday.  Amazing glades, pow stashes and cruisers!  Mount Abram is my favorite in Maine.

Underratted to the ski enthusists:

Cranmore:
Such a fun little mountain, love all the trails and glades.  

Stratton:
If you want classic, windy New England cruising trails, go to stratton.  This resort is so well kept. And the glades are some of the best in VT.  There I said it.

Pat's Peak:
Best nightskiing in NH. 

Killington:
Enough with the haters. Killington is the best of the best in NE.


----------



## St. Bear (Oct 11, 2014)

canobie#1 said:


> I don't get the hate with Killington.  It has such great terrain and it's huge.  Such a nice place for all abilities.
> 
> Overratted:
> Waterville Valley-the terrain is blah and overpopulated.  Very small place too.
> ...



Of all the mountains I've been to, Stowe is the biggest "you have to ski between the trails to have the most fun".  Outside of the Front 4, I kind of agree with you, but when you throw in everything between the named runs, it's right up there with anyone.

Ragged is one of my favorites, but it needs snow.  If there are no woods or bumps, the trails don't have much character on their own and it's a very very boring mountain.

You are literally the only person I've ever heard compliment Stratton in that manner.  Every other time I've heard Stratton mentioned as a positive is about the village or grooming.


----------



## canobie#1 (Oct 11, 2014)

Just because stratton is popular to the public, doesn't mean we should hate it.  The place has some awesome terrain.


----------



## mlkrgr (Oct 11, 2014)

canobie#1 said:


> Just because stratton is popular to the public, doesn't mean we should hate it.  The place has some awesome terrain.



Stratton does have some interesting trails but it's just not much of a challenge to the real ski enthusiast. Great for families though, especially with kids that want to ski but don't want to wait in line as the 6 pack chairs really move people very well. Great for intermediates as well. Some pitches are indeed a challenge in isolated spots but it isn't much. If you can conquer those spots well, you might want to look toward other mountains.


----------



## BenedictGomez (Oct 11, 2014)

canobie#1 said:


> Just because *stratton *is popular to the public, doesn't mean we should hate it. * The place has some awesome terrain.*



It does? 

 I've never been there, but I didnt know this.  

Whenever I hear a mountain boast about their _"perfectly groomed corduroy"_, I make sure I don't go there.


----------



## VTKilarney (Oct 11, 2014)

I agree about the front of Mt. Snow.  Other than the fact that it is the closest big mountain to southern New England, I have never understood it's popularity.


----------



## benski (Oct 11, 2014)

VTKilarney said:


> I agree about the front of Mt. Snow.  Other than the fact that it is the closest big mountain to southern New England, I have never understood it's popularity.



I think it is popular because it is convenient.


----------



## deadheadskier (Oct 12, 2014)

Stratton has some seriously kick ass trees and very fun groomers.  There's a reason its so popular.


----------



## BenedictGomez (Oct 12, 2014)

benski said:


> I think* it is popular because it is convenient*.



Bingo.



deadheadskier said:


> *Stratton has some seriously kick ass trees* and very fun groomers.  There's a reason its so popular.



REALLY?   I honestly never knew that.  

Stratton is just the resort I hear everyone make fun of for about 847 different reasons, most of them revolving around wealth.  

I doubt it's more than 4 hours from where I live, perhaps I should give Stratton a whirl rather than listen to the gripes of others (assuming of course, I can find an affordable, SOTC, lift ticket deal).


----------



## steamboat1 (Oct 12, 2014)

How people can say Stratton & Okemo are similar is beyond me.


----------



## skiNEwhere (Oct 12, 2014)

I always thought Mt. Snow and Okemo were similar in the fact that there really wasn't any difference in pitch or "character" (ie bumps, rolling terrain, double fall line) between trails. 

And how can there be? Just look at the front side of Mt. Snow, there are way too many trail carved out. Sugarloaf is the same way with the bottom half of the Mtn, but the top half more than makes up for this and has character as well.


----------



## Savemeasammy (Oct 12, 2014)

steamboat1 said:


> How people can say Stratton & Okemo are similar is beyond me.



Is this sarcasm, or is there a glaring difference in your opinion?

I skied Okemo once upon a time.  It didn't stand out in any way.  I have yet to ski Stratton, but it seems inevitable.  It's only 1.5 hours from where I live, my 7 year old is dying to go (he is in love with the trail map), and my wife is an intermediate.  It seems to make sense.  Plus, what I'm reading about the trees, it sounds like it might be decent for a day.


Sent from my iPad using AlpineZone mobile app


----------



## Not Sure (Oct 12, 2014)

Savemeasammy said:


> Is this sarcasm, or is there a glaring difference in your opinion?
> 
> I skied Okemo once upon a time.  It didn't stand out in any way.  I have yet to ski Stratton, but it seems inevitable.  It's only 1.5 hours from where I live, my 7 year old is dying to go (he is in love with the trail map), and my wife is an intermediate.  It seems to make sense.  Plus, what I'm reading about the trees, it sounds like it might be decent for a day.
> 
> ...



Underrated , Overated?
Leads to a question about skier experience level , Who's doing the rating ?
Subjective thread but still interesting ,

What is the population makeup , novice, int, exp
Any stats ?


----------



## The Sneak (Oct 12, 2014)

I too was a "Stratton sux" guy until I spent a few days there over the last couple of winters.

Definitely good tree skiing there. Lifelines do suck, tho.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## St. Bear (Oct 12, 2014)

BenedictGomez said:


> Bingo.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Not gonna happen unless you use a Ski VT pass. 

It's not that Stratton is that bad, but the resort's strengths are not what I'm looking for. Kind of like Loon. I have nothing against it, just no reason to go there again.


----------



## xlr8r (Oct 12, 2014)

Out of the three,  Okemo is the most overrated by the general skiing public.  The trails at Okemo are all nearly the same width, there are no narrow trails, and no natural trails and most of the trails are straight.  Therefore everything skis the same there as the pitch is also very consistent.  The place is just too bland, there really is nothing unique about the place.  The closest example to Mcskiing IMO.

Mount Snow at least has the North Face which is the only steep section of any of these three mountains.  Mount Snow also has a couple of classic natural only trails which Okemo and Stratton do not have.  But it also has some of the widest trails anywhere so at least there is some variation in trail width.  But while the pitch of the North Face is good, the Main Face is too mellow.  It also skis short due to having a smaller vertical drop.  Mount Snow also at least in IMO has feels like the most crowded when skiing it, there are some trails that just get mobbed, while others are deserted.  

Stratton is the most underrated of the three by ski enthusiasts and people on this website IMO.  The trails have a lot of character, (Sel Hannah helped design the place), even if none of them have a real steep pitch.  While the name Flatton is appropriate, Okemo is just as flat and the Mount Snow front face is even flatter.  The glades are the best out of these three mountains, Test Pilot is unique and one of the longest glades in the east.  It has the best lift system and the people seem to get distributed well across the whole mountain, making it not seem really crowded when it is.  I used to not like the place mostly due to its clientele and attitude, but now I have a season pass there this year.  Skiing there a couple days last year with fresh  changed my mind on the place.  $299 for an under 30 unlimited pass was too good to pass up.


----------



## Cannonball (Oct 12, 2014)

Bretton Woods.  Seriously.  
All of the knocks on BW are true: flat, easy, far (compared to comparable mtns), etc.  But these things lend to a snow preservation that is pretty much unparalleled. It draws a beginner-intermediate demographic who don't ski long and don't ski trees/edges/etc.  As a result those aspects can hold powder for literally days and days.  On top of that it has low-angle, wide-spaced glades.  So 2-5 days after a storm you can be casually cruising through knee-deep untracked all by yourself lap after lap.  It's one of my favorite places to go solo.  Skiing in the woods solo demands dialing back a bit.  And BW automatically dials it back for you.  Some of my favorite powder days have started at Cannon fighting for a spot in line before the lifts open....and ended getting faceshots at 4pm at BW.


----------



## levy1 (Oct 12, 2014)

Thats why I am going!


----------



## steamboat1 (Oct 12, 2014)

steamboat1 said:


> How people can say Stratton & Okemo are similar is beyond me.





Savemeasammy said:


> Is this sarcasm, or is there a glaring difference in your opinion?


Stratton's trails have a lot more character & variety than the trails at Okemo which as many have said all ski the same. You don't feel like you're skiing the same trail all day at Stratton. I also feel that Stratton may not be the most challenging mountain but on average has much better pitch than Okemo. Unlike Okemo which in my opinion has zero fairly steep pitches on the mountain Stratton has several sections on the mountain that offer a decent challenge. Most of them are fairly short though but at least they're there. Okemo has zero tree skiing as far as I'm concerned even though they reference a couple of trails as being gladed. Stratton on the other hand has quite a few true glade runs & they are spread out all around the mountain. So to answer your question no I wasn't being sarcastic. To me there is a big difference between the two ski areas. On the one hand it would be a good thing if I never ski Okemo again while on the other hand I look forward to getting back to Stratton one day. I've been to both areas many times so my opinion doesn't come from only skiing them once or a few times at most. Only thing is I'm a little pissed off at Stratton because I got seriously hurt there two years ago. It was mostly my fault but I still fault Stratton to an extent. Besides the VT. Passes I think you can find some decent deals online for Stratton tickets. I really don't know but I know quite a few people from my club that ski there regularly & I know these people are not the type to drop a wad on lift tickets.


----------



## Harvey (Oct 12, 2014)

deadheadskier said:


> What I don't understand in skiing message bored land is the perpetual urge by certain people to tell others how much better their mountain is than where others ski.



This is about people convincing themselves they have made the right decision to invest their time and money correctly.  If I can convince you, then maybe I didn't f up.

Season pass is one thing, real estate a big step above, real estate in a down market... watch out.


----------



## BeefyBoy50 (Oct 12, 2014)

steamboat1 said:


> Okemo has zero tree skiing as far as I'm concerned even though they reference a couple of trails as being gladed.



I've never skied Okemo but its trail map seems to show at least a couple interesting runs, some near the summit and some on Jackson Gore. I figured I'd spend a day there sometime to see for myself. But if what you say is true I guess I'm better off avoiding the place.


----------



## steamboat1 (Oct 12, 2014)

BeefyBoy50 said:


> I've never skied Okemo but its trail map seems to show at least a couple interesting runs, some near the summit and some on Jackson Gore. I figured I'd spend a day there sometime to see for myself. But if what you say is true I guess I'm better off avoiding the place.


The two glades off the summit aren't really glades in my opinion. The trees are spaced out pretty far apart from eachother making it not feel like a glade, just trails with a few trees left on them. The glade off South Peak I never skied. Like the two near the summit they're rarely open because they're dependeant on natural snow. Okemo is not known for their abundant snowfall. I've had days that it snows all day at K but when I talk to people that skied Okemo or Stratton the same day say it didn't snow at all. I guess Blackhole over at Jackson could be considered a glade but it's fairly short. Take what I say with a grain of salt though because I really don't like Okemo so my opinion is likely skewed a little. I know a few people that rave about the place, I just shake my head.


----------



## Scruffy (Oct 12, 2014)

Holy crap! You guys need to get a life. A beautiful autumn weekend and you're all posting on the interwebs :-o

Unless you've spent many days in variable conditions at a mountain, you probably don't know the mountain ( or if you're just a groomer skier, well then...). It takes a while to get to know all the nooks and crannies of each mountain, and why so many love it, except for MC, of course, although I've never skied there, and why would I 8)


----------



## steamboat1 (Oct 13, 2014)

Scruffy said:


> Holy crap! You guys need to get a life. A beautiful autumn weekend and you're all posting on the interwebs :-o


Don't know bout you but I'm right on the ocean. Where am I supposed to go?


----------



## DoublePlanker (Oct 13, 2014)

Overrated is Killington.  It totally sucks for skiing.  It is NOT the best of the best in NE.  The fucking crowds are ridiculous.  Too many lifts crowd the trails.  You take your life in your hands when you ski as an expert among the beginner cones out there on the shared beginner trails that experts must go down to reach the terrain.  You have to take beginner connectors everywhere.  Beginners and experts fighting for trail space.  Yuck!  There is very little terrain for intermediate cruising.  The beginner slope Snowshed is a horror show for beginners with a double fall line.  

Killington does have a lot of cool bars, apres-ski and cougar hunting.  The long season is cool.  Some good experts.  But with much better skiing nearby at Stowe, Mad River, Sugarbush, etc.

Ragged is underrated.  For a small place, excellent lifts, great glades.


----------



## Ski Till I Die (Oct 13, 2014)

deadheadskier said:


> Overrated or Underrated by whom?
> 
> Ski Magazine?  Alpinezone members?  Water cooler talk at work?
> 
> ...



On board with this.

Although Hickory Ski Center is pretty damn amazing.


----------



## 4aprice (Oct 13, 2014)

Ski Till I Die said:


> On board with this.



I love reading this thread but also agree with DHS's response.  Like any human I have my own bias's but for the most part enjoy most of the places mentioned (good and bad) for a myriad of reasons not all of them the same.  Some I like for challenge, some for ambiance, some because the wife enjoys them.  I find each resort has its own distinct flavor and for the most part I enjoy them all.  Variety is the spice of life and it would suck if they were all the same.  I'll take a day on the slopes over a day at work anytime.

Alex

Lake Hopatcong, NJ


----------



## Scruffy (Oct 13, 2014)

A lot of Killington hate going on here. :lol:  Killington does not suck. Like a lot of places, you have to know how to ski it. Are there other places I'd rather ski? sure, but it depends on the snow. If k-town has the snow, I'm there. Lift lines on prime weekends? yeah, again know which lift to be at when. They've fixed a lot of the crossover crap that had beginners intersecting with experts, doesn't mean it perfect, but they're trying.


----------



## steamboat1 (Oct 13, 2014)

Scruffy said:


> A lot of Killington hate going on here.


What else is new?


----------



## Ski Till I Die (Oct 13, 2014)

Hey Scruffy- 

I love Killington and that's my home mountain... (insert hate from everyone here)

So you know what?? Who cares... less people in the lift line, more powder stashes for us, and Ill bet you Ill see you at Coopers Cabin at some point this season either way.


----------



## x10003q (Oct 13, 2014)

DoublePlanker said:


> Killington does have a lot of cool bars, apres-ski and cougar hunting.  The long season is cool.  Some good experts.  But with much better skiing* nearby at Stowe, Mad River, Sugarbush, etc.
> *



I wish the highlighted section was true.


----------



## BenedictGomez (Oct 13, 2014)

x10003q said:


> *I wish the highlighted section was true*.



One hour and 15 minutes to 2 hours, give or take.  That's_ "nearby"_ enough to avoid Killington in my book.

I thus FactCheck rate his statement, "mostly true".


----------



## Highway Star (Oct 13, 2014)

Highway Star said:


> Killington, overrated?  You guys suck.



Two years ago today!!!



> SATURDAY OCTOBER 13, 2012
> 
> KILLINGTON SEASON PASS APPRECIATION EVENT
> Exclusive  to Killington Season Pass and Express Card holders, we will  be running  two lifts and one trail for Saturday October 13, 2012.  Killington  Express Card holders will be charged $25 for use of the  Express Card. No  day tickets will be sold.
> ...


----------



## levy1 (Oct 13, 2014)

Come on, doesnt anyone like Sunday River?


----------



## Not Sure (Oct 13, 2014)

Originally Posted by Highway Star

"Killington, overrated? You guys suck."

New Signature line?


----------



## Quietman (Oct 13, 2014)

levy1 said:


> Come on, doesnt anyone like Sunday River?



I've had good days at SR, but have 2 main dislikes.  Wide boulevard trails and wind holds.  Ecstasy is about the only trail with any twists and turns, most others are basically straight and wide.  I have also experienced a lot of days when White Cap, Barker, Aurora, and Jordan are on hold in the morning, and never seem to open if the wind dies down after 12 or 1. I don't even bother going there if there is a threat of wind, as Mt Abram and Black Mtn of ME never have holds.


----------



## BenedictGomez (Oct 13, 2014)

Siliconebobsquarepants said:


> Originally Posted by Highway Star
> 
> *"Killington, overrated? You guys suck."
> *
> New Signature line?



I think deep down, in way suppressed places, he secretly agrees.


----------



## levy1 (Oct 14, 2014)

Quietman said:


> I've had good days at SR, but have 2 main dislikes.  Wide boulevard trails and wind holds.  Ecstasy is about the only trail with any twists and turns, most others are basically straight and wide.  I have also experienced a lot of days when White Cap, Barker, Aurora, and Jordan are on hold in the morning, and never seem to open if the wind dies down after 12 or 1. I don't even bother going there if there is a threat of wind, as Mt Abram and Black Mtn of ME never have holds.



Any month better then others. Going Jan 25 for a week.


----------



## deadheadskier (Oct 14, 2014)

It's a crap shoot everywhere in New England.  They will have plenty of terrain open then though.  They're one of the best at making snow.  Weather/natural snow amount is anyone's guess.


----------



## dlague (Oct 14, 2014)

Unfortunately for many (not all), tight glades, bumped out runs and super steeps are a requirement for fun or even considering a mountain worthwhile.  For those of you in that category, December must be depressing.  I approach each mountain with one goal in mind - "Take what the mountain gives you!".  I can go to Sunday River, Bretton Woods, Killington, Jay Peak, etc. and have fun and do not get bored - I am skiing!  

Are there resorts that are overrated?  Yes frankly, I think many of the bigger mountains are such as Killington, Stowe, and SR primarily due to the over marketing they do and considering the cost.  With the right deal, I still ski there and I do not hate on them.   There are others that are overrated like Loon, Attitash and Waterville - they have a tendency to get really crowded, or have something f'd up about them - Waterville is not as big or as challenging as marketed, Attitash has a very weird chair layout and it sucks going between the two peaks, Loon too crowded and over priced IMO.

Underrated - Saddleback, Magic, Mount Abram, Ragged, Burke, Bolton Valley


----------



## Smellytele (Oct 14, 2014)

dlague said:


> Unfortunately for many (not all), tight glades, bumped out runs and super steeps are a requirement for fun or even considering a mountain worthwhile.  For those of you in that category, December must be depressing.  I approach each mountain with one goal in mind - "Take what the mountain gives you!".  I can go to Sunday River, Bretton Woods, Killington, Jay Peak, etc. and have fun and do not get bored - I am skiing!


When conditions are not great for tight glades, bumped out runs and super steeps I'll ski what is in and have fun but to not judge whether an area has that or not is not judging the place correctly. I can enjoy skiing anything in good condition but I will still judge terrain.


----------



## BenedictGomez (Oct 14, 2014)

dlague said:


> Unfortunately for many (not all), tight glades, bumped out runs and super steeps are a requirement for fun or even considering a mountain worthwhile.



Pretty much.  

I live less than an hour to an hour to the Poconos resorts, and ski there 0 to 3 times per season.


----------



## mattchuck2 (Oct 14, 2014)

dlague said:


> Unfortunately for many (not all), tight glades, bumped out runs and super steeps are a requirement for fun or even considering a mountain worthwhile.  For those of you in that category, December must be depressing.



Yep, those things are pretty much required for it to be fun and yes, December is usually depressing. But not always.


----------



## Smellytele (Oct 14, 2014)

[FONT=arial,]*Prairie Hills Golf and Ski Club, Pleasanton, NE*[/FONT]


----------



## Domeskier (Oct 14, 2014)

Smellytele said:


> [FONT=arial,]*Prairie Hills Golf and Ski Club, Pleasanton, NE*[/FONT]



Definitely underrated - it doesn't even make the official list:

http://www.go-nebraska.com/Skiing/


----------



## Smellytele (Oct 14, 2014)

Domeskier said:


> Definitely underrated - it doesn't even make the official list:
> 
> http://www.go-nebraska.com/Skiing/



[FONT=arial,] 2 rope tows. Longest Run: 1300'. Night Skiing.  Rentals.  Snowmaking.[/FONT]
[FONT=arial,]*15 skiable acres on 120' vertical*[/FONT]


----------



## Domeskier (Oct 14, 2014)

Smellytele said:


> [FONT=arial,] 2 rope tows. Longest Run: 1300'. Night Skiing.  Rentals.  Snowmaking.[/FONT]
> [FONT=arial,]*15 skiable acres on 120' vertical*[/FONT]



Ok - maybe there's a good reason it's not on the official list...  Still not sure how NE resorts have garnered 17 pages of replies on this forum, but that's another question!!!


----------



## mbedle (Oct 14, 2014)

Alright, here is my two cents for what its worth. I got to agree with who ever made the comment that stating something is over-rated or under-rated is very subjective. One man's junk is another man's treasure! Given that I'm an alpine snowboarder, wide open groomed trails are what I look for at a resort. I could care less about how many glade or bump runs a resort has, its just not something I am interested in skiing. And maybe this is just my age, but I tend to rate resorts on everything they offer, both on and off the mountain. If I'm taking a weeks vacation, I want good food, good beer and a damn nice place to lay my head down at night.


----------



## Smellytele (Oct 14, 2014)

mbedle said:


> Alright, here is my two cents for what its worth. I got to agree with who ever made the comment that stating something is over-rated or under-rated is very subjective. One man's junk is another man's treasure! Given that I'm an alpine snowboarder, wide open groomed trails are what I look for at a resort. I could care less about how many glade or bump runs a resort has, its just not something I am interested in skiing. And maybe this is just my age, but I tend to rate resorts on everything they offer, both on and off the mountain. If I'm taking a weeks vacation, I want good food, good beer and a damn nice place to lay my head down at night.



i never stay at any place owned by a resort. Nor do I care about how great the food is at the resort because I chose to eat breakfast and dinner off the mountain. May grab a bowl of chowder or chilli or an app but that is about it for lunch. To me it is all about the skiing.


----------



## legalskier (Dec 29, 2014)

Conde Nast Traveler Readers' Choice  Awards: Belleayre one of the 12 most underrated in America:

http://www.cntraveler.com/galleries...sorts-in-america-readers-choice-awards-2014/9


----------



## ScottySkis (Dec 30, 2014)

It not a resort . I would never call any of Catskills a resort.


----------



## Domeskier (Dec 30, 2014)

ScottySkis said:


> It not a resort . I would never call any of Catskills a resort.



Maybe a "last resort"!


----------



## skiNEwhere (Dec 30, 2014)

Domeskier said:


> Maybe a "last resort"!



I see what you did there


----------



## bigbog (Dec 30, 2014)

levy1 said:


> Come on, doesnt anyone like Sunday River?



Have had some nice days after dumps back in the 90s.  Had a nice day last week...a little tough...hardened pp with some wind but great for getting one's butt out of the backseat after few days the last 6-7yrs...;-)  Managing without newly sharpened edges wasn't pretty the first two hours..lol.


----------



## jonhere (Dec 31, 2014)

IMO I've never had a bad day at any ski resort... except for those involving season ending injuries.   But even they were good days after a trip to the ER and the pharmacy. :beer:   

 I've skied all over North America and probably have logged over 150 days of skiing out west at all the best resorts.   Some of the most enjoyable days I've ever had on the slopes have been at the most overlooked resorts like Elk mountain and Pico.   

As far as the NE, I would be happy to be skiing at any of them right now.   However what makes an experience less enjoyable for me would be overcrowded slopes, narrow trails side cut on  a mountain, and lifts that stop every ten seconds to wait for challenged people to load and unload.

Having said that any resort in N. Vermont is underrated.   Especially Jay Peak and Smuggs.   Pico is my favorite south of them because of that I have not felt the need to ski at Killington in many years.   Stratton is a great midweek resort to bomb the groomers and get 25k vert all before lunch.


----------



## MadMadWorld (Dec 31, 2014)

I would vote for Smuggs but I am biased so I will vote for Wildcat because people hate on it for no reason. Where can you possibly ski that much vert on a given day? Tree skiing? Some of the best. Backcountry lovers? Have a blast skiing off the backside nevermind across the street. Lift lines? What's that. Not a mountain for beginners? As a kid I would ski Polecat over and over and never got tired of it. 

The only real downsides I see are absolutely no slopeside lodging and lack of steeps. The lack of slopeside lodging to me is a positive. It means no one has an unfair advantage on powder days! Wildcat does lack steep groomers. However, the technical challenge more than makes up for it. Tons of terrain that seem a heck of a lot steeper because falling means crashing into a giant boulder that takes up half the trail.


----------



## VTKilarney (Dec 31, 2014)

Wildcat also has one of the best views in all of New England.  Their biggest legitimate fault has been snowmaking.


----------



## BenedictGomez (Dec 31, 2014)

jonhere said:


> Stratton is a great midweek resort to bomb the groomers and *get 25k vert all before lunch.*



That's either a late lunch or some aggressive skiing (14'ish runs).


----------



## MadMadWorld (Dec 31, 2014)

BenedictGomez said:


> That's either a late lunch or some aggressive skiing (14'ish runs).



And when you say aggressive you mean straight lining it. 25,000 at Wildcat is definitely doable before lunch but exhausting.


----------



## deadheadskier (Dec 31, 2014)

I don't think my legs would handle a dozen runs off the Cat quad before lunch.  I typically don't ski much more than that in an average day there.


----------



## MadMadWorld (Dec 31, 2014)

deadheadskier said:


> I don't think my legs would handle a dozen runs off the Cat quad before lunch.  I typically don't ski much more than that in an average day there.



Definitely depends on what your skiing. Sometimes I think the groomers choose trails at night by throwing darts at a trail map. They really don't have a true bump run except maybe Tomcat Schuss in the spring.


----------



## Scruffy (Jan 1, 2015)

jonhere said:


> IMO I've never had a bad day at any ski resort... .




 I'm with you on this. If you have the *will *to go skiing and don't make the best of it, no matter what the mountain throws at you, then ask yourself why are you skiing at all. Skiing is a highly variable sport, no two days (heck, even runs ) are the same. If you're not finding a way to challenge yourself on the snow conditions, weather. crowds, etc... presented, then go hang out at the mall with all the other lost souls.


----------



## skiNEwhere (Jan 1, 2015)

I agree that wildcat is underrated. I think it's intimidating to beginners, and the cold and absolutely brutal wind scares away the typical, recreational skiers. Not to mention Loon (which I think I've been very clear about being overrated) is the exact opposite of all those categories, and much closer.

Of the 20 or so times I've skied there (usually Jan-Early March) I don't think it was ever above 10 degrees.


----------



## MadMadWorld (Jan 1, 2015)

Out west I would have to vote for basically everything in the Canadian Rockies. Especially the BC side. Take a trip out to Revelstoke, Kicking Horse, Fernie, etc. and you will be absolutely amazed that they don't get discussed more. Truly gorgeous place too in the middle of nowhere


----------



## Savemeasammy (Jan 1, 2015)

Scruffy said:


> I'm with you on this. If you have the *will *to go skiing and don't make the best of it, no matter what the mountain throws at you, then ask yourself why are you skiing at all. Skiing is a highly variable sport, no two days (heck, even runs ) are the same. If you're not finding a way to challenge yourself on the snow conditions, weather. crowds, etc... presented, then go hang out at the mall with all the other lost souls.



I once went to King Ridge (RIP) in the spring.  The place was flat, and the snow was slow.  I could literally make an entire run without making any turns other than those dictated by the trails themselves.  

I will say it:  there was no way to find any challenge, and it was not fun. 

Otherwise I agree.  There's usually a way to make a ski day enjoyable.  


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## AmmergauerTele (Jan 1, 2015)

Tough to beat Wildcat on a spring day in April.  Views of Mt. Washington, tons of vertical on the quad.  One day I had racked up 50K+ vertical from 9-2.


----------



## Brad J (Jan 1, 2015)

VTKilarney said:


> Wildcat also has one of the best views in all of New England.  Their biggest legitimate fault has been snowmaking.



Well they have really stepped up the snowmaking this year and it's paying off big. great terrain after a dump, no crowds, best lift in NH. way underrated


----------



## Brad J (Jan 1, 2015)

MadMadWorld said:


> Definitely depends on what your skiing. Sometimes I think the groomers choose trails at night by throwing darts at a trail map. They really don't have a true bump run except maybe Tomcat Schuss in the spring.



gondi line in spring isn't a bump run????


----------



## MadMadWorld (Jan 1, 2015)

Brad J said:


> gondi line in spring isn't a bump run????



No not really. It's a technical run with no real consistent bump line. That's not to say it's not a great run though. Catenary would be more of a traditional bump run.


----------



## andrec10 (Jan 1, 2015)

Windham is WAY over rated...By themselves! Aspen of the East my @ss!


----------



## Brad J (Jan 1, 2015)

MadMadWorld said:


> No not really. It's a technical run with no real consistent bump line. That's not to say it's not a great run though. Catenary would be more of a traditional bump run.



Can we wait to april and reevaluate, yes it does have two technical areas to it. Catenary fun but not enough pitch


----------

