# Most Gaperific eastern ski mountain?



## Highway Star (Aug 19, 2014)

What ski area has the highest concentration of gapers with the fewest experts?  I nominate Sunday River - the heavy marketing brings in the masses while the lack of snow keeps the experts away.  I bet Okemo is a close second.

Killington has plenty of gapers, but also its fair share of experts.  I've found Stratton to have some very good skiers especially on a powder day.


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## andrec10 (Aug 19, 2014)

Hunter One on a busy weekend....Gaper central!


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## skiNEwhere (Aug 19, 2014)

As far as local, WaWa gets my vote. Close to suburban boston reels them all in


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## Puck it (Aug 19, 2014)

skiNEwhere said:


> As far as local, WaWa gets my vote. Close to suburban boston reels them all in




+1.


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## Savemeasammy (Aug 19, 2014)

Highway Star said:


> What ski area has the highest concentration of gapers with the fewest experts?  I nominate Sunday River -



I've never been to SR because I suspect this is probably true.  The elevation is weak, and the photos of the place do nothing for me.  And frankly I've always been annoyed by the way they try to compare themselves to Killington.  Please stop.  


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## skiNEwhere (Aug 19, 2014)

SR does have some decent trails, I've always found their sprawling terrain to be kind of annoying though. I'd rank it somewhere in the middle of resorts if I ranked them from high to low


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## Not Sure (Aug 19, 2014)

Camelback !


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## Domeskier (Aug 19, 2014)

I suspect most will visitors will find themselves staring agape at the Dark Lord Satan's Awe-inspiring Staircase to the Abyss when Sundown opens this winter.  If they can manage to make any snow on it for all the hellfire!


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## Highway Star (Aug 19, 2014)

Siliconebobsquarepants said:


> Camelback !



Wow, that is brutal gaping....


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## octopus (Aug 19, 2014)

wawa and early season killington.


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## dlague (Aug 19, 2014)

Bretton Woods!  They attract masses as well.


.......


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## JFP (Aug 19, 2014)

I don't know if same category, but I always see my good bud 'Joey' at Mt. Snow.  Having traveled wide and far, I would vote a definite NO on Sunday River as the most gaperific.


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## Domeskier (Aug 19, 2014)

Apparently none of you have had the pleasure of skiing Mountain Creek in NJ.


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## dlague (Aug 19, 2014)

Domeskier said:


> Apparently none of you have had the pleasure of skiing Mountain Creek in NJ.



Nope too far south!


.......


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## octopus (Aug 19, 2014)

wawa just gets wayyyy overloaded with people, i've seen it have so many people they can't accept any more.
(wtf?) 

killington when the gondola first opens and theres one trail down, you better be on your A game because people are going down everywhere.


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## Domeskier (Aug 19, 2014)

dlague said:


> Nope too far south!
> 
> 
> .......



Here's to hoping your geographic privilege is never so infringed!


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## Rowsdower (Aug 19, 2014)

Any of the mountains closest to major urban areas:

Mountain Creek NJ
Camelback
Blue Mountain
Bear Creek
Wachusett 

Hunter is actually less bad since it has Hunter One for the learning crowd, and most of the gapers seem to stay down south at Mountain Creek and Camelback. 

I've never been to Mohawk Mtn. Does it get crowded as well?


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## 4aprice (Aug 19, 2014)

Siliconebobsquarepants said:


> Camelback !



That's pretty funny.  A lot of it taken on Honeymoon Lane probably the worst trail on the mountain on any day.  Don't you just love the roar of the snow guns, the roar of the skis on ice on Margies, and of course the "wall" of people at the bottom of Sullivan Quad.  It's all part of the Camelback experience especially during the holidays.  But in defense of the place, when its up and running at 100% (which to their credit they do get it all open every year) people are more spread out and its a much better time.  I would also say there are places that at least match it with the gaper population (Mountain Creek comes to mind and I know Blue has its share too).

Alex

Lake Hopatcong, NJ


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## MadMadWorld (Aug 19, 2014)

skiNEwhere said:


> As far as local, WaWa gets my vote. Close to suburban boston reels them all in



Wawa wins for the highest concentration of gapers who don't think they are actually gapers.


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## skiNEwhere (Aug 19, 2014)

MadMadWorld said:


> Wawa wins for the highest concentration of gapers who don't think they are actually gapers.



Or probably doesn't even know what "gaper" means.:dunce:


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## dlague (Aug 19, 2014)

Domeskier said:


> Here's to hoping your geographic privilege is never so infringed!



Thank you!


.......


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## andrec10 (Aug 19, 2014)

Rowsdower said:


> Any of the mountains closest to major urban areas:
> 
> Mountain Creek NJ
> Camelback
> ...



Except belt parkway......its like roller derby on skis for me


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## dlague (Aug 19, 2014)

Siliconebobsquarepants said:


> Camelback !



Wow that is loaded with a lot of boring straight putt putting along.  Lots of walrus scattered about the trails!  What is the deal with that?


.......


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## darent (Aug 19, 2014)

their would be no mountains without gapers!! you all started at the bottom!!


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## MadMadWorld (Aug 19, 2014)

darent said:


> their would be no mountains without gapers!! you all started at the bottom!!



The first time I ever skied was at King Ridge so I started at the top


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## dlague (Aug 19, 2014)

My kids a couple of years ago skied with hunting clothing at Jay Peak for the hell of it!  But they skied face chutes, tuckerman chutes etc.  however hunting jackets at Jay Peak might qualify as old school though.


.......


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## xlr8r (Aug 19, 2014)

Sunapee IMO.  Its for the weekend day trip gapers that think they need a better mountain than Wawa.


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## skiNEwhere (Aug 19, 2014)

xlr8r said:


> Sunapee IMO.  Its for the weekend day trip gapers that think they need a better mountain than Wawa.



I wonder if there is a hierarchy of gaping....WaWa, then sunapee, then.......


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## octopus (Aug 19, 2014)

never going to sunapee again, forgot about that place.


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## ss20 (Aug 19, 2014)

I've heard of the horror stories from the Poconos and Mountain Creek.  Never skied those places though.  Thunder Ridge maybe?  But its been years since I've skied there.  Its a shame, because its 20 minutes from my house.


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## Savemeasammy (Aug 19, 2014)

octopus said:


> never going to sunapee again, forgot about that place.



Not enough bump runs for you, right?


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## ss20 (Aug 19, 2014)

Rowsdower said:


> I've never been to Mohawk Mtn. Does it get crowded as well?



Never.  There's no terrain park, so that keeps the mouth breathers away.  Over the last 5 years all but one lift has been replaced.  On Friday nights there's a five chair wait, tops.  Same with Saturday's.  Its a laid back atmosphere.  You can always ride alone on the chairlift if you want to.  All the trails are empty, minus the greens and Mohawk.  When I get there at 4 on Friday's there's still fresh tracks on the sides of trails.


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## deadheadskier (Aug 19, 2014)

Low cost day trip areas.


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## WWF-VT (Aug 20, 2014)

Killington wins for gapers with attitude


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## WoodCore (Aug 20, 2014)

WWF-VT said:


> Killington wins for gapers with attitude




+1


Killington is my vote.


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## MadMadWorld (Aug 20, 2014)

I would add....wherever I am skiing. I tend to embarrass the people I'm with constantly. Mostly getting yelled at for ducking ropes.


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## ScottySkis (Aug 20, 2014)

Windham in the Catskills but I only been here twice.


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## skiNEwhere (Aug 20, 2014)

MadMadWorld said:


> I would add....wherever I am skiing. I tend to embarrass the people I'm with constantly. Mostly getting yelled at for ducking ropes.



The key is in areas with boundary to boundary skiing is to cut through the woods. Less risk of getting caught by ski patrol in the process and you have a  somewhat plausible story.


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## MadMadWorld (Aug 20, 2014)

skiNEwhere said:


> The key is in areas with boundary to boundary skiing is to cut through the woods. Less risk of getting caught by ski patrol in the process and you have a  somewhat plausible story.



Well in one particular case at a b2b mountain it would have required cutting across 3 closed trails, crossing a brook, bushwacking, and uphill climbing to get to said closed trail if I had indeed entered from an open trail. Not exactly a plausible excuse lol


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## skiNEwhere (Aug 20, 2014)

MadMadWorld said:


> Well in one particular case at a b2b mountain it would have required cutting across 3 closed trails, crossing a brook, bushwacking, and uphill climbing to get to said closed trail if I had indeed entered from an open trail. Not exactly a plausible excuse lol



Lmao. In that case you should've just went full gaper mode and played dumb "uhhhh, I'm lost, which way is the parking lot?"


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## Smellytele (Aug 20, 2014)

WoodCore said:


> +1
> 
> 
> Killington is my vote.


While K does have the most they also have a fair amount of good skiers so the % maybe lower than the feeder mtns people mention. If we narrowed it down to the larger mountains they still may have a lower percentage than say Loon or SR but only because the larger amount of good skiers. Now attitude they win hands down.


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## MadMadWorld (Aug 20, 2014)

skiNEwhere said:


> Lmao. In that case you should've just went full gaper mode and played dumb "uhhhh, I'm lost, which way is the parking lot?"



I also forgot to mention that it was a lift line haha. The skiing was awesome though!


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## skiNEwhere (Aug 20, 2014)

Wintergreen in western Virginia. My cousin went skiing there for the fist time and he told me about it. I checked it out online, and that place is it, big time.


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## BeefyBoy50 (Aug 20, 2014)

I agree on the places closest to big cities- in my personal experience I'd say Blue Mountain and Bear Creek are the worst that I've been to. I try to avoid Blue Mountain because it's like the Walmart of ski areas- sure you can get what you want (albeit in a low quality package) but a lot of the clientele makes me despair for humanity. Seriously, is it necessary to have a dumpster sized trashcan under the lift? And people still throw junk all over the mountain anyway. I wonder if the place would be better if they didn't have high speed lifts.

I'm not really sure I knew the term gaper last time I was at Windham but that place gets crowded for sure so i bet you can find a lot of them there.


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## spring_mountain_high (Aug 20, 2014)

BeefyBoy50 said:


> I agree on the places closest to big cities- in my personal experience I'd say Blue Mountain and Bear Creek are the worst that I've been to. I try to avoid Blue Mountain because it's like the Walmart of ski areas- sure you can get what you want (albeit in a low quality package) but a lot of the clientele makes me despair for humanity. Seriously, is it necessary to have a dumpster sized trashcan under the lift? And people still throw junk all over the mountain anyway. I wonder if the place would be better if they didn't have high speed lifts.
> 
> I'm not really sure I knew the term gaper last time I was at Windham but that place gets crowded for sure so i bet you can find a lot of them there.



perfect analogy for blue, and the reason i keep driving another hour to get to elk


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## Highway Star (Aug 20, 2014)

skiNEwhere said:


> Wintergreen in western Virginia. My cousin went skiing there for the fist time and he told me about it. I checked it out online, and that place is it, big time.



That's pretty fierce.....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AE8b3D1BtAY&feature=player_detailpage#t=280


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## Smellytele (Aug 20, 2014)

Highway Star said:


> That's pretty fierce.....
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AE8b3D1BtAY&feature=player_detailpage#t=280



That place looks like a field with a lift


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## dlague (Aug 20, 2014)

Gaper according to urban dictionary - http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=gaper

a couple of quotes from it



> a term used by dbags to degrade new skiers in an effort to boost their own self esteem.





> A fun game to play while skiing or riding behind a gaper is called "Follow the Gaper". The game is played by following the gaper's path and looking as bad as they are.



Came to the conclusion - we were one at one point or still are!


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## Highway Star (Aug 20, 2014)

Smellytele said:


> That place looks like a field with a lift



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hw_bBu-785c


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## Smellytele (Aug 20, 2014)

highway star said:


> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hw_bbu-785c



hahaha.


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## bobbutts (Aug 20, 2014)

xlr8r said:


> Sunapee IMO.  Its for the weekend day trip gapers that think they need a better mountain than Wawa.


Funny, I go there on weekdays and I'd say it's one of the highest concentrations of experts I see because there are usually a bunch of racers free skiing.  I went once this year on a Saturday and upon seeing the parking out for miles down the road, decided to hit Whaleback instead.


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## dlague (Aug 20, 2014)

Hey Wintergreen has a DD trail called lower cliffhanger!  Seriously that's is a joke!


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## legalskier (Aug 20, 2014)

WWF-VT said:


> Killington wins for gapers with attitude



Sometimes it's downright steezy.


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## SkiFanE (Aug 20, 2014)

Anyone using the word "gaper" is one.  Sorry folks.  According to my kids, term you should be using is "noob".  

Personally, I think anyone that needs more than one ski in a quiver is a "noob".  Bunch of sissies needing one for different conditions...what could be more 'gaper-y'?  And spending quality ski days demo-ing... c'mon...strap em on and head downhill.


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## Vortex (Aug 20, 2014)

Easy there.  I have 5 pairs I use.  I am bound to steal your rolling rock with that tude.


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## Highway Star (Aug 20, 2014)

SkiFanE said:


> Anyone using the word "gaper" is one.  Sorry folks.  According to my kids, term you should be using is "noob".
> 
> Personally, I think anyone that needs more than one ski in a quiver is a "noob".  Bunch of sissies needing one for different conditions...what could be more 'gaper-y'?  And spending quality ski days demo-ing... c'mon...strap em on and head downhill.



News flash - your kids are gapers.  Or just stupid.

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Noob


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## trackbiker (Aug 20, 2014)

Forget gapers. You haven't seen anything until you see the Bubba's in their Carhartt coveralls skiing in the mountains of N.C.


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## MadMadWorld (Aug 20, 2014)

Gaper is a state of mind that transcends ability. Even the experts have gaper moments


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## SkiFanE (Aug 20, 2014)

Bob R said:


> Easy there.  I have 5 pairs I use.  I am bound to steel your rolling rock with that tude.



REally?  Wow...you didn't strike me as a gaper...!


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## skiNEwhere (Aug 20, 2014)

Gapers are not all or none. There's a complicated formula used to determine the level of gapness.


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## spring_mountain_high (Aug 20, 2014)

legalskier said:


> Sometimes it's downright steezy.



reason #2 that i drive past blue mountain


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## SkiFanE (Aug 20, 2014)

Highway Star said:


> News flash - your kids are gapers.  Or just stupid.
> 
> http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Noob



Calling someone stupid is just plain mean.

And only gapers/noobs check urbandictionary.


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## spring_mountain_high (Aug 20, 2014)

Highway Star said:


> News flash - your kids are gapers.  Or just stupid.
> 
> http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Noob



unprovoked attack on his kids...classy


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## SkiFanE (Aug 20, 2014)

spring_mountain_high said:


> unprovoked attack on his kids...classy



I'm a HER


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## skiNEwhere (Aug 20, 2014)

There are females on this site? Stop the presses!


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## Vortex (Aug 20, 2014)

QUOTE=SkiFanE;852649]REally?  Wow...you didn't strike me as a gaper...!  [/QUOTE]

I would find it hard to classify you and won't try.  Not going to mess with you.


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## spring_mountain_high (Aug 20, 2014)

SkiFanE said:


> I'm a HER



haha my bad, ma'am


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## SkiFanE (Aug 20, 2014)

Bob R said:


> QUOTE=SkiFanE;852649]REally?  Wow...you didn't strike me as a gaper...!



I would find it hard to classify you and won't try.  Not going to mess with you.[/QUOTE]

You know I'm just joshing bob     Wow, I'm unclassifiable!


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## SkiFanE (Aug 20, 2014)

skiNEwhere said:


> There are females on this site? Stop the presses!



Yeah..and it's about time you guys did a little housekeeping in this dump.


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## Puck it (Aug 20, 2014)

SkiFanE said:


> I'm a HER



Wow, long time. No post.


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## SkiFanE (Aug 20, 2014)

Puck it said:


> Wow, long time. No post.


Life is nutz.  But I still get 60 ski days in


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## Vortex (Aug 20, 2014)

We are fine.  I am easy to bust.


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## hammer (Aug 20, 2014)

No votes for Okemo?  Although I think Wachusett has it beat.

Any ski area can be high on the gaper meter during holiday weeks.

Next question I have is which ski area is the least gaperific?


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## skiNEwhere (Aug 20, 2014)

hammer said:


> Next question I have is which ski area is the least gaperific?



MRG. Jay wasn't when I went, with all their changes and additions though I could see there to be a "gaper gentrification" of sorts.


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## Savemeasammy (Aug 20, 2014)

hammer said:


> Next question I have is which ski area is the least gaperific?



MRG.  Magic.  It's a toss up. 


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## hammer (Aug 20, 2014)

Never been to MRG but I can certainly agree on Magic.  Also quite accommodating to those of us with less than ideal skill sets.

On the one trip I made to Cannon I got the sense it was anti-gaper (which is a bit different from least gaperific).  Need to get back there sometime on a good day.


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## Highway Star (Aug 20, 2014)

SkiFanE said:


> Calling someone stupid is just plain mean.
> 
> And only gapers/noobs check urbandictionary.



You called me a sissy first.


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## MadMadWorld (Aug 20, 2014)

hammer said:


> No votes for Okemo?  Although I think Wachusett has it beat.
> 
> Any ski area can be high on the gaper meter during holiday weeks.
> 
> Next question I have is which ski area is the least gaperific?



MRG definitely puts out some of the best young skiers out there. Smuggs is known for its beginner program but a lot of folks can rip. Magic, Stowe, Jay all of have some great talent. A lot of the big resorts have lots of talent but on a gaper per capita I would have to say MRG followed by Magic.


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## steamboat1 (Aug 20, 2014)

Middlebury College Snowbowl. Yuppies yes, gapers no.


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## St. Bear (Aug 20, 2014)

hammer said:


> Next question I have is which ski area is the least gaperific?



Magic, Cannon, and Jay have already been mentioned.  Other areas off the top of my head are Wildcat and Black (NH).


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## ss20 (Aug 20, 2014)

Highway Star said:


> You called me a sissy first.



And you called her own offspring stupid...

If that's your reaction to being called a sissy you've got serious anger issues.


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## MadMadWorld (Aug 20, 2014)

Can we please just have a slap fight and get this shit over with?


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## skiNEwhere (Aug 20, 2014)

There is a perfectly logical resolution to this. Do I even need to state it?


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## dlague (Aug 20, 2014)

skiNEwhere said:


> There is a perfectly logical resolution to this. Do I even need to state it?



Ok I will - ski off!


.......


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## Savemeasammy (Aug 20, 2014)

Who is going to start the ski off thread?!


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## Highway Star (Aug 21, 2014)

ss20 said:


> And you called her own offspring stupid...



I chortled.


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## Puck it (Aug 21, 2014)

Highway Star said:


> I chortled.



I am impressed with your knowledge of the English language.


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## MadMadWorld (Aug 21, 2014)

Savemeasammy said:


> Who is going to start the ski off thread?!
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk



I need one just for myself.


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## skiNEwhere (Aug 21, 2014)

MadMadWorld said:


> I need one just for myself.



I don't think a thread is gonna cut it. I think you'd need a whole sub forum


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## MadMadWorld (Aug 21, 2014)

skiNEwhere said:


> I don't think a thread is gonna cut it. I think you'd need a whole sub forum



I like your thought process.


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## jimk (Aug 21, 2014)

skiNEwhere said:


> Wintergreen in western Virginia. My cousin went skiing there for the fist time and he told me about it. I checked it out online, and that place is it, big time.



Wintergreen is the anti-MRG 

I ski there at least once most winters.  1000' VD, among the lifts are two express chairs, one is a six pack.  It's on par with a place like Wawa.  Just avoid Saturdays.  Not far from Charlottesville/UVA where one of my kids goes to school. 
Wintergreen stoke:




Many of above pics from early April 2014.  Still open because they have an awesome, fully automated York snowmaking system that even you New Englanders would kill for.


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## Puck it (Aug 21, 2014)

MadMadWorld said:


> I like your thought process.



What if it rains the day of the ski off? How do we reschedule?


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## MadMadWorld (Aug 21, 2014)

It's rain or shine this year. We might need to move it indoors. In that case it will become a jousting match in full ski regalia


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## Puck it (Aug 21, 2014)

MadMadWorld said:


> It's rain or shine this year. We might need to move it indoors. In that case it will become a jousting match in full ski regalia



Poles as lances and what about the steeds?  I know snowmobiles.


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## hammer (Aug 21, 2014)

MadMadWorld said:


> It's rain or shine this year. We might need to move it indoors. In that case it will become a *slap fight* in full ski regalia


Fixed it for you...


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## mbedle (Aug 21, 2014)

spring_mountain_high said:


> perfect analogy for blue, and the reason i keep driving another hour to get to elk



An hour? Pushing 90 on the northeast express.... lol. Have to agree with the analogy, and the trash issues drives me nuts at Blue. But in all fairness, if you head up early on a Saturday or Sunday morning, and only ski for a couple of hours, its not that bad. If you are lucky enough to ski during the week, you will have Blue all to yourself. I will give credit to Elk, its the gem in PA with the least crowds, bed runs and snow.


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## Highway Star (Aug 21, 2014)

jimk said:


> Still open because they have an awesome, fully automated York snowmaking system that even you New Englanders would kill for.



It's easy to install automated snowmaking when your ski area is smaller than a golf course, and about the same pitch.


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## mbedle (Aug 21, 2014)

The vertical potential at this place is beyond me. Wold kick snowshoe's butt if they could get down to Route 751



jimk said:


> Wintergreen is the anti-MRG
> 
> I ski there at least once most winters.  1000' VD, among the lifts are two express chairs, one is a six pack.  It's on par with a place like Wawa.  Just avoid Saturdays.  Not far from Charlottesville/UVA where one of my kids goes to school.
> Wintergreen stoke:
> ...


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## skiNEwhere (Aug 21, 2014)

What's this dumpster that is being spoken of? Is it like the trash barrels that are stuck directly under the lift at big bear?


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## MadMadWorld (Aug 21, 2014)

Puck it said:


> Poles as lances and what about the steeds?  I know snowmobiles.



It will take some work to get them indoors but that could be mildly entertaining


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## MadMadWorld (Aug 21, 2014)

hammer said:


> Fixed it for you...



Thanks!


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## spring_mountain_high (Aug 21, 2014)

mbedle said:


> An hour? Pushing 90 on the northeast express.... lol. Have to agree with the analogy, and the trash issues drives me nuts at Blue. But in all fairness, if you head up early on a Saturday or Sunday morning, and only ski for a couple of hours, its not that bad. If you are lucky enough to ski during the week, you will have Blue all to yourself. I will give credit to Elk, its the gem in PA with the least crowds, bed runs and snow.



i am exactly 1 hour from blue and exactly 2 hours from elk...i get on the NE extension at Q-town, set the cruise on 78, drink my coffee and watch the sun rise...before i know it, i'm there


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## steamboat1 (Aug 21, 2014)

Highway Star said:


> It's easy to install automated snowmaking when your ski area is smaller than a golf course, and about the same pitch.


Spruce Peak at Stowe has a fully automated snowmaking system.


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## mbedle (Aug 21, 2014)

They are these huge wooden dumpsters they build under the lifts so people can throw their beer cans in when heading up the lift. Half the time they miss and the other half just throw their crap anywhere. Its looks like South Street in Philly moved in under the lift lines....



skiNEwhere said:


> What's this dumpster that is being spoken of? Is it like the trash barrels that are stuck directly under the lift at big bear?


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## steamboat1 (Aug 21, 2014)

skiNEwhere said:


> What's this dumpster that is being spoken of? Is it like the trash barrels that are stuck directly under the lift at big bear?


I remember years ago Vernon Valley had a large square metal cage under the main chair for throwing garbage into. Haven't been there in years so I don't know if they still have it.


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## mbedle (Aug 21, 2014)

I get a season pass at Blue and typically only ski an hour or two when I'm there. Elk is so much better, but driving 4 hours to ski only one or two hours is tough. I ski there on Fridays a couple times a year, and its like having the place to yourself. 



spring_mountain_high said:


> i am exactly 1 hour from blue and exactly 2 hours from elk...i get on the NE extension at Q-town, set the cruise on 78, drink my coffee and watch the sun rise...before i know it, i'm there


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## Highway Star (Aug 21, 2014)

steamboat1 said:


> Spruce Peak at Stowe has a fully automated snowmaking system.



I was there the first year it was in.  Have they learned how to use it yet?  AFAIK, it's on one trail over there, mainly a marketing gimmick.


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## spring_mountain_high (Aug 21, 2014)

mbedle said:


> I get a season pass at Blue and typically only ski an hour or two when I'm there. Elk is so much better, but driving 4 hours to ski only one or two hours is tough. I ski there on Fridays a couple times a year, and its like having the place to yourself.



for being as close as it is, i like blue's terrain and it's great on a weekday for a couple hours or until school lets out, but i've been relegated to mostly sunday mornings the past couple seasons, so elk has been my 'home hill'...when i've been able to swing it,  a weekday at elk is like skiing your own private mountain


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## mbedle (Aug 21, 2014)

spring_mountain_high said:


> for being as close as it is, i like blue's terrain and it's great on a weekday for a couple hours or until school lets out, but i've been relegated to mostly sunday mornings the past couple seasons, so elk has been my 'home hill'...when i've been able to swing it,  a weekday at elk is like skiing your own private mountain



You are correct with the weekday skiing at Elk. It is amazing.


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## dlague (Aug 21, 2014)

mbedle said:


> They are these huge wooden dumpsters they build under the lifts so people can throw their beer cans in when heading up the lift. Half the time they miss and the other half just throw their crap anywhere. Its looks like South Street in Philly moved in under the lift lines....



Largest number of beer cans are probably PBR!


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## catskillman (Aug 21, 2014)

andrec10 said:


> Except belt parkway......its like roller derby on skis for me


  Ski Patrollers call it the Bowling Alley


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## Newpylong (Aug 21, 2014)

Wachusett, enough said.


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## Rowsdower (Aug 21, 2014)

You can still have fun at some gaper mountains, don't get me wrong. 

Stay away from the "easiest way down" trails and the high speed lifts and you're usually good to go, even during the busiest days.


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## Highway Star (Aug 21, 2014)

mbedle said:


> The vertical potential at this place is beyond me. Wold kick snowshoe's butt if they could get down to Route 751



Solid 2500ft from the peak down to 751 to the west, steeps too......

https://maps.google.com/maps?q=Wint...esort,+Nelson+County,+Virginia&gl=us&t=p&z=15

Post it up as a ski area design contest on NELSAP forums.  Probably not cold enough for consistent snowmaking, right?


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## deadheadskier (Aug 21, 2014)

Highway Star said:


> I was there the first year it was in.  Have they learned how to use it yet?  AFAIK, it's on one trail over there, mainly a marketing gimmick.



I believe it is on Main Street only. I don't think it's a marketing gimmick though.  The trail was regraded to accommodate collegiate racing.  The advanced snowmaking system was installed to ensure optimum conditions.  The old Main Street didn't have snowmaking at all.  

Not that anybody cares about Wisp, but they've had a mountain wide fully automated snowmaking system since at least 2001-2002.  When I worked there during the 2003-2004 season I got to check out the control center.  It wasn't the touch screen system they have now, but you could literally mouse click on a trail map on a computer screen and the guns would fire up for that trail.  This was before their big expansion outlined below.  Really cool technology.  It was a crappy place to ski, but man could they churn out the snow.  It was about 100 acres of terrain back then and they opened the whole place in 72 hours to start the season.  

http://www.snowmakers.com/wisp.html


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## Highway Star (Aug 21, 2014)

deadheadskier said:


> I believe it is on Main Street only. I don't think it's a marketing gimmick though.  The trail was regraded to accommodate collegiate racing.  The advanced snowmaking system was installed to ensure optimum conditions.  The old Main Street didn't have snowmaking at all.



Snow conditions were always the worst on the mountain on Main Street when I was there, but it did build a base.  Like nobody was observing to see the (lack of) quality snow they were making.  I don't see how they would race on that trail, aside from a juniors super-G.  Though I recall the fencing in the lower half under the lift.


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## deadheadskier (Aug 21, 2014)

The trail has plenty enough pitch and vertical to host collegiate GS events; especially when you think about it compared to Middlebury and Dartmouth's venues.  Actually both St. Mike's venue over at Smuggs and Bate's venue at Sunday River probably don't afford more pitch and vertical than Main Street as well. There's a brief flats section in the middle, but the top and bottom of the course are fine. It's not Hayride, but a trail like Hayride isn't needed for such events.  It also has an extensive and exclusive racing base lodge right next to a lift that rarely has much of a lift line.  Perfect set up. Much better than using Hayride and having the racers base out of the MBL and deal with the Forerunner lift lines.


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## jimk (Aug 22, 2014)

Highway Star said:


> Solid 2500ft from the peak down to 751 to the west, steeps too......
> 
> https://maps.google.com/maps?q=Wint...esort,+Nelson+County,+Virginia&gl=us&t=p&z=15
> 
> Post it up as a ski area design contest on NELSAP forums.  Probably not cold enough for consistent snowmaking, right?



If you think it's a challenge to keep snow on Wintergreen now, it would be even much tougher if they ran trails down to the valley floor, big temperature drop in that 2000 extra feet of vertical.  But nice idea that many of us have pondered.  Here's a picture from April (fantastic amount of man-made snow base still on closing day) that shows the direction they have to go if they put in lower trails:





deadheadskier said:


> Not that anybody cares about Wisp, but they've had a mountain wide fully automated snowmaking system since at least 2001-2002.  When I worked there during the 2003-2004 season I got to check out the control center.  It wasn't the touch screen system they have now, but you could literally mouse click on a trail map on a computer screen and the guns would fire up for that trail.  This was before their big expansion outlined below.  Really cool technology.  It was a crappy place to ski, but man could they churn out the snow.  It was about 100 acres of terrain back then and they opened the whole place in 72 hours to start the season.
> 
> http://www.snowmakers.com/wisp.html



Besides the great snowmaking system, Wisp gets a decent amount of natural for our region.  I've have many good ski days there.  They have a few runs with solid upper intermediate pitch that are fun for about 600 vertical.
They were noted for an avalanche a few years back on The Face trail when super deep and wet man-made snow pack slide.  No one was hurt, but it could have been serious if someone was on the run at the time of the slide, about 50 yrds of snow, 6 feet deep slid down the hill. There was even a mini debris field at bottom of hill. Here's a picture from a few days after slide,  see left side of steep part of run in background, run cleaned up a bit by this point:


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## RENO (Aug 22, 2014)

Siliconebobsquarepants said:


> Camelback !


I've been to Camelback on a regular weekend and it was a gaper nightmare. Never did it again. Can't imagine a major holiday there! :-o 
I'll stick to midweek in the Poconos.


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## BenedictGomez (Aug 22, 2014)

Anyone posting in this thread that has never skied in the Poconos, is wrong.  Which is to say that most people posting in this thread, are wrong.

I assure you, you simply have no idea the horror.  A long, intermediate cruiser at Shawnee, Blue Mountain, or Camelback is far more dangerous than any eastern glade (no sarcasm).


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## neonleonbst (Aug 24, 2014)

Wawa but Sunapee is a bit of a dark horse. Had to tell a guy in a CB jacket and jeans his walk mode was on in his dolomite boots.


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## ss20 (Aug 24, 2014)

BenedictGomez said:


> I assure you, you simply have no idea the horror.  A long, intermediate cruiser at Shawnee, Blue Mountain, or Camelback is far more dangerous than any eastern glade (no sarcasm).



I believe you.  People move.  Trees don't.


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## Drewboy (Aug 24, 2014)

Jimney Peak in western Ma. Gaper central!!!


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## Puck it (Aug 24, 2014)

Drewboy said:


> Jimney Peak in western Ma. Gaper central!!!




Windham by far!


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## Smellytele (Aug 24, 2014)

neonleonbst said:


> Wawa but Sunapee is a bit of a dark horse. Had to tell a guy in a CB jacket and jeans his walk mode was on in his dolomite boots.



Hey I have a CB jacket!  It is an insulated layer soft shell arms with quilted body. I thought they were long gone after the 80's  but found one last year.


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## Not Sure (Aug 24, 2014)

Smellytele said:


> Hey I have a CB jacket!  It is an insulated layer soft shell arms with quilted body. I thought they were long gone after the 80's  but found one last year.



Wore mine at Tux this year, still fit from 85, been in my closet for years but is still mint! used to wear it with my Descante racing pants  Bought the pants to impress a chick that worked at the ski shop . Wore jeans too, No Dolomite boots though.


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## Judder (Aug 25, 2014)

Stratton and Mt Snow due to the heavy NY and Jersey factor.  I tell you the worst kind of gapers are the ones fully kitted out in the best gear with fancy BMW/Mercedes/Audis.  Those in Carhartts and Starter jackets are cool with me.  Take a look at Magic - aint no frills on those folk.

I can't even imagine what Mountain Creek or Windham is like…  Like a Westchester shopping mall?


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## Rowsdower (Aug 25, 2014)

Judder said:


> Stratton and Mt Snow due to the heavy NY and Jersey factor.  I tell you the worst kind of gapers are the ones fully kitted out in the best gear with fancy BMW/Mercedes/Audis.  Those in Carhartts and Starter jackets are cool with me.  Take a look at Magic - aint no frills on those folk.
> 
> I can't even imagine what Mountain Creek or Windham is like…  Like a Westchester shopping mall?



Windham moreso than MC. Mountain Creek has more of the crusty teenage snowboarder crowd.


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## BenedictGomez (Aug 25, 2014)

Judder said:


> *the worst kind of gapers are the ones* fully kitted out *in* the best gear with *fancy BMW/Mercedes/Audis.*



I can easily top this.  On separate trips to Whiteface last year I saw a Lamborghini.

Options:
A) Complete moron 
B) So rich he doesn't care
C) Both A & B


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## neonleonbst (Aug 25, 2014)

BenedictGomez said:


> I can easily top this.  On separate trips to Whiteface last year I saw a Lamborghini.
> 
> Options:
> A) Complete moron
> ...



"What this piece of junk? ...Psssh throw your skis in there that's what I've got the other Lambo for. Now just watch your legs"


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## Rowsdower (Aug 26, 2014)

BenedictGomez said:


> I can easily top this.  On separate trips to Whiteface last year I saw a Lamborghini.
> 
> Options:
> A) Complete moron
> ...



He wanted to get to the mountain fast.


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## skiNEwhere (Aug 26, 2014)

He got a lambo because its all wheel drive makes it good in the snow


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## MadMadWorld (Aug 26, 2014)

BenedictGomez said:


> I can easily top this.  On separate trips to Whiteface last year I saw a Lamborghini.
> 
> Options:
> A) Complete moron
> ...



I wish I had taken a picture but I was driving at the time....but some guy had a full roof mounted bike rack on his Porsche


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## skiNEwhere (Aug 26, 2014)

Here's some food for thought since its still summer.....if the guy in the Lamborghini was an amazingly good skier, would he still be a gaper?

I say if he pulled up to the resort all cocky and such but could ski, he would just be a dbag but not a gaper


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## BenedictGomez (Aug 26, 2014)

skiNEwhere said:


> I say* if he pulled up to the resort all cocky and such but could ski, he would just be a dbag but not a gaper*



Correct.

Anyone who shows up at a ski resort in a Lamborghini simply has an overwhelming desire to be seen in a Lamborghini.  

Low self-esteem + new money is the formula.


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## Highway Star (Aug 26, 2014)

BenedictGomez said:


> Correct.
> 
> Anyone who shows up at a ski resort in a Lamborghini simply has an overwhelming desire to be seen in a Lamborghini.
> 
> Low self-esteem + new money is the formula.



You jelly......


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## skiNEwhere (Aug 26, 2014)

What an a-hole! He didn't even offer that guy skinning a lift. 

I rest my case.


Sent from my iPod touch using AlpineZone


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