Your Top Five Ski Areas?

[thetrailboss]

OK, I'm bored here at work...still sore from skiing all last week and dreaming of the great snow that we had.

What are your top five ski areas? Why? Here is my list:

5. Pat's Peak: Henniker, NH: This smaller hill is our new home...it's close to where we now live and is friendly. Nice people, nice facilities, and steeper upper mountain terrain that Trailboss likes. Their glades are also decent, but don't expect any face shots :wink: .

4. Sugarbush: Waitsfield/Warren, VT: My secret hideout during college. Love the views from Ellen and the variety of terrain. FIS, Ripcord, and Exterminator are all favorites. The Slide Brook makes the place so easy to ski all of it. Good vertical drop.

3. Zermatt, Switzerland: I visited in May 2002 and still dream of it...the glacier skiing was great. The views were amazing. A completely different experience.

2. Sunday River: Newry, Maine: We just got back from skiing here for five days and I never got bored...what I remember from my treks there in 2001. Big, wide, well groomed, great snow and friendly folks. Excellent variety of terrain with different areas that are easy to ski to and from. Fast lifts, great snowmaking. I just wish Oz was not as bad as it is when I visit (though a local told me it is always bad :-? ).

1. Burke Mountain: East Burke, VT: It's how I was brought up: Baseball = Red Sox and Great Skiing = Burke. This was where it all started for me 15 years ago...on the J-Bar thanks to a school program. I still go back and find plenty of variety and challenge. My uncle is lucky enough to get first tracks here ALMOST EVERY DAY . Lucky Duck :wink: . East Bowl is my all time fav, but who doesn't like the steeps of Willoughby or the bumps on Wilderness? The glades are nice.

Honorable Mention: Lyndon Outing Club, Lyndonville, VT: My other home when growing up...all 480 vertical feet with au naturale conditions, night skiing, a rope tow, and a former Stowe T-Bar. Did I mention cheap night skiing? A volunteer run hill with some gnarly terrain and friendly folks. Skiing still costs $15 per adult for a full day. Season tickets are $50. The Outing Club was one of the first in the nation. Different experience and skiing how it used to be. With classic trail names such as "Suicide," "The Face," "Lion's Den," "Bunny Hop," and "Apple Orchard," this place is an off-the-beaten path experience!

 

[ftrain]

Chamonix
St Anton
Tuckerman (and other less known areas near there)
Sugarloaf
Mad River

 

[ChileMass]

1 - Zermatt (Switz) - skiing there is equivalent of golfing at St. Andrews

2 - Copper Mountain (CO) - a great destination with fabulous terrain, snow, weather, accessibility and a new village. Who needs Vail?

3 - Snow Basin (UT) - another hidden gem with tons of snow.

4 - Stowe (VT) - classic New England hill.

5 - Sugarloaf (ME) - when the sun's out and the snow is deep, it's the best in the East.


Honorable Mention - Whiteface (NY), Loon (NH), Snowbird (UT), Ascutney (VT)

 

[RossiSkier]

Zermatt Switzerland! Man!

I'm lucky I can get a day off to go to Killington or Mount Snow. Must be nice to ski the freaking Matterhorn. My goodness. Adopt me, please.

 

[thetrailboss]

Zermatt Switzerland! Man!

I'm lucky I can get a day off to go to Killington or Mount Snow. Must be nice to ski the freaking Matterhorn. My goodness. Adopt me, please.

Hey, somebody's gotta do it :wink:

 

[awf170]

I think you have to break up the east and the west into to seperate catagories becaues there really is no comparision. So this is the only place i went in the west and here is the order

1. Blackcomb
2. Sunshine Village
3. Whistler
4 Lake Loius

Next week though i get to try alta snowbird brighton and maybe canyons

For the east

1. Wildcat
2. Sugarloaf
3. Sugarbush
4. Cannon

I dont really like anywhere else or didnt get to ski them many times. MRG looks awsome though

 

[David Metsky]

If we do the east/west thing:

East:
1) MRG - No comparison
2) Jay - Best snow in the east, amazing glades
3) Stowe - Great backcountry options
4) Sunday River - Huge and often crowded, but lots of great terrain
5) Cannon - Old style NE skiing

West:
1) Alta, UT - The snow, the terrain, everything
2) Crystal Mt, WA - Best view, great place
3) Arapahoe Basin, CO - Best above treeline skiing, excellent atmosphere
4) Aspen Highlands, CO - Before it joined the Aspen Company it was better
5) Sugarbowl, CA - Great backcountry access, right by a cabin I can stay at

 

[thetrailboss]

I think you have to break up the east and the west into to seperate catagories becaues there really is no comparision. So this is the only place i went in the west and here is the order

OK, I guess the intent of the thread was YOUR PERSONAL top five places regardless of where they are :wink:

 

[awf170]

Then it would be

1. blackcomb( i seperated whistler and blackcomb cause they are so huge and pretty much different ski areas IMO.
2. sunshine village
3 whistler
4. wildcat
5. sugarloaf

 

[riverc0il]

1. cannon (largely due to OB options)
2-4. three way tie between MRG, burke, and magic
5. wildcat (spring skiing)

of note, i have never skied stowe or smuggs and have only skied jay once on a crappy day (before i skied powder and trees too, fwiw) so any of those three could eventually pop into my top 5. i think sugarloaf would be up there, but last time i skied there i was about 12 years old and barely able to parallel turn.

 

[ctenidae]

Sunapee
Snow
Gunstock
Ragged
Killington

(Entirely because that's where I've skied, and in order of how often.)

 

[dmc]

Kicking Horse - In bounds heli terrain... sick sick sick Basically two huge ridges with steep rock chutes off either side ...
Fernie - When they get good snow your options for crazy terrain are endless - powder stash everywhere. Steep and deep!
Kirkwood - crazy, funky little area!! Great snow!! Choose your chutes- Rock or tree? The whole place rocks..
Las Lenas - Above treeline(or no treeline) area - lots of hiking into crazy steep chutes. Endless bowl flled with corn.... Dropping cornice which we could watch from our hotel deck..
Jackson Hole - Huge... Great bowl skiing... Chute Skiing thats great and easily accessible.. Huge open terrain on the Hoebacks.. BC gates open up incredible(!!!) terrain.

 

[Zand]

5. Jiminy Peak- Great place when it isn't too crowded. The steeps off the summit, though short, are great trails. The views from the summit are amazing. The high-speed six gets you up fast. The beginner area is pretty nice with plenty of places to learn.

4. Mount Snow- The North Face has some nice steep trails. The main mountain has a bunch of fast blue cruisers and a few steeps. The Sunbrook area has less crowds and has soft snow on warm days. Carinthia has some good parks and good intermediate terrain. They have a ton of beginner lifts so it's a nice place to learn.

3. Cannon- Nice old-fashioned ski area. Hardly ever a problem with crowds and the price is good for what other area resorts offer. The terrain is great. If it wasn't so windy, the conditions would be almost perfect a lot in that little snowbelt. The tram is unique and only Jay Peak has one more in NE. The front face has awesome steeps.

2. Sugarbush- Huge mountains and tons of terrain. Gatehouse has some good intermediate trails and sleeper. Super Bravo and Valley House have great blue and a few steep blacks. Heaven's Gate has some nice steeps. Castlerock has legendary expert terrain and Castlerock Run is a must for an up-and-coming expert. North Lynx has some nice morning trails in the sun. Mt. Ellen peak has some insane steeps and great views. North Ridge has some fun blue cruisers and some fun blacks. GMX has nice blues and blacks like North Ridge. The beginner area isn't the biggest, but it works well.

1. Okemo- I love that mountain. It is full of fun cruisers and great bump runs. South Face has a few steeps and more cruisers. The beginner area is big and has plenty of trails for an up-and-coming skiier. Jackson gore is growing into a great advanced mountain and at the same time, beginner area. It's my kind of mountain and I'm sure to hit it AT LEAST once a year.

 

[Greg]

5. Jiminy Peak: Probably could consider it my "home" mountain, at least early or late season. For a smallish hill you can get in a ton of vertical off the six-pack. The line for it rarely is beyond 7 minutes and there are times it's less than 5. With a 5 minute ride to the summit, you can ski a lot here. Some of the steeps lack character, but are great for cruising. Jericho has been in great shape this year and there are some other fun trails like the Foxes and Wild Turkey. Jiminy gets trashed so much, but it's a great day trip option for me if I want to rack up the vert.

4. Berkshire East: A totally different vibe than the resorty Jiminy which is why I like it. I've only been a handful of times, but find more to like each time I visit. It has a great trail layout and a throwback ski area feel.

3. Loon: Another area that gets trashed a lot due to the crowds. I've only skied there once on a Saturday and found it to be manageable. I've been doing a mid-week stay the past few years and it's a great place to ski on weekdays. The manmade bumps can't be beat.

2. Mad River Glen/Sugarbush: Only been to each of the three areas (North, South, MRG) once. I liked all equally and being in the same vicinity I'm going to lump them together. However, MRG is about as different from SB as Beast is to Jiminy. I hit the MRV last week during prime conditions and I'm looking forward to revisiting to experience more that each area has to offer.

1. Sugarloaf/USA: Only been once, but will be back for Reggae Fest again this April. Just an awesome vibe and a great layout. It's one big hill.

 

[ssusca]

5. Aspen -Lots of vertical and incredible views.

4. Heavenly - Huge amounts of inbound terrain and Casinos at night!

3. Crested Butte - Some of the sickest inbounds terrain I've skied, really cool village.

2. Whistler/Blackcomb - Great Bowls and chutes

1. Vail - You just can't beat those back bowls


These are currently my top five but I must add that I'm headed to Zermatt next week so my choices may change.

 

[Vortex]

I have a limited amount of resorts I have been to, but


5. Cranmore. I love the view from the top hut. The old time lifts and winding runs remind me of skiing as a kid. My kids get a rush there also.

4. Mt St. Anne. Only went for a week a few years back. Stopped on the side of a run and had Sugar on snow. The view of the River is beautiful. The night skiing was awesome. The back side was quiet and nice diversity of runs.

3. Loon . My home mountain. I get 35 to 40 days a year in here. Its like a local pub, everyone gets to know eachother. Kind of like a country club. Angel Street, Flume and Walking Boss are the right challenge for me. They do make alot of snow.
It's affordable!!!! when you get a season pass. Lines are Long, most of us mangage and work the lines well.

2.SugarLoaf. I will be at Reggae weekend again. Just the Best set up. Lodging dining, bars all at the base no car needed. Upper White Nitro, Wow
my 1st run down that was a rush. Gondi Line was great. Last year's reggae weekend was my best ski weekend ever.

1.Sunday River. I grew up with small mountain skiing. This was culture shock at 1st. It opens early closes late, grooming and snow making are the best I have seen. I love Obsession, Amercan Express, Sunday Punch, the list goes on. I use the term Hero snow they almost always have it.

 

[Greg]

Upper White Nitro, Wow
my 1st run down that was a rush.

You mean this?


That was taken last year during Reggae.

 

[Vortex]

Yes greg, I saw that picture in the Gallery I think. I hit it about 10.30 on Sat last year and am still talking about it. I was scared at the top, psyched at the bottom. The snow fields were not open as I remember, I started where I could.

 

[pepperdawg]

Top 5 not in any order, as they vary depending on conditions, mood etc.........I love all for different reasons....

Wolf Creek CO - best "Non Resort" Ski Area I've ever ridden....great snow and even better vibe. Can't get there from here.

Vail - Back Bowls and Blue Sky - can't say anything else.

Alpine Meadows - terrain, terrain, terrain.

Squaw - see Alpine's reasons above, but add a resort and many hi-speed lifts to it.

Rounding it out is a tie for Jackson Hole and Snowbird......cant loose by picking one over the other, although Jackson can suck if it hasent snowed in a while.....


Honorable mention - Canyons, Smuggs, S'Bush and Whistler/BC.

 

[Skimaine4ever]

5.) Hermon Mountain- 10 min from my house, very small but fun.
4.)Eaton Mountain- About 700 vertical 40 min away, the lodge is a wreck but the mountain is actually pretty steep at the top, some interesting terrain.
3.) Sugarloaf- How can you not love The loaf?
2.) Sunday River- Great Terrain variety, awsome snowmaking and grooming, no matter the weather you can always count on there being at least a couple good trails.
1.) Big Squaw- I ski at Squaw the most and truely love it. Its true New England skiing with almost no snowmaking and about 1 snowcat (groomer). I ski there the most and love the old Narrow NE trails. And the best part is no crowds or lift lines ever, even on weekend powder days.