 Poster: A snowHead
|
Fellow skiers,
I have spent my entire life skiing on the west coast, and in europe and my pasion is technical skiing, weather it be off the trail or in tha back country. The question I have for all of you is, what resorts or areas would you recomend on the east coast? Are there any within five hours or so of Boston? And are there any that are more advanced? I really appreciate all your help.
Thank you everyone
Slmlax11
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
slmlax11,
welcome to Snowheads
I would have thought that almost all in New England are with 5 hrs of Boston but that is just by recalling a map of New York State etc.
I am sure there will be someone along with in-depth knowledge to help out. Most skiers from Europe would tend to go to the Rockies if they were crossing the Atlantic unless it was an extention of a business trip to NY or in the region of..
The general perception, IMV, is that NE is very cold and icy with smallish - for Europe- resorts with a low altitude and lower vertical But if you handle NE boiler plate that should carry you in good stead elsewhere, I imagine
|
|
|
|
|
|
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
|
I used to live near NYC and skied a lot of the East Coast mountains.
They were great for a weekend, no need to plan ages in advance, just look at the weather and snow and decide a day or two before and then just drive.
There are none that are worth it as a "destination trip". From Illinois it would take you just as long to get to any of them as it would to go west or north west into Canada where the skiing is much more extensive.
However if by your question you mean that you are moving to Boston then you will have a lot of weekend (even day-trip) places on your doorstep....some of them with some quite hard skiing, but all of them limited in scope.
You could probably have a really fun week long trip if you moved a few times, but a week in any one place would be too long.
Killington, Stratton, Okemo, Stowe, Sunday River all worth a go.
For the real place-by-place informed opinion ask your question on www.epicski.com
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
I'd second the epicski.com suggestion for information. Another web site that you might find useful is www.alpinezone.com. New England is quite compact and there are tons of ski areas within 5 hours of Boston. I also concur that if I was planning a destination trip from the UK to the states, I'd keep flying and head west. While none of the areas are individually extensive, certainly not by European standards, NE is relatively compact and with a car you could easily try several from the same base. Some areas and approximate drive times from Boston:
Loon, NH: 1.5-2 hours
Waterville Valley, NH: 1.5-2 hours
Cannon, NH: 2.5-3 hours
Wildcat, NH: about 3 hours
Bretton Woods, NH 3.5 hours
Sunday River, ME: 3-3.5 hours
Sugarloaf, ME, 4.5-5 hours
Southern Vermont areas like Okemo, Stratton, and Mt. Snow would all be about 3 hours or a little less.
Killington, Sugarbush, and Mad River Glen in Vermont would probably be a little over 3 hours.
Stowe, VT: 3.5-4 hours
Jay Peak, VT: 4.5-5 hours.
I'm leaving out lots of smaller areas. So lots of options.
Where to go depends on what you're looking for. In no particular order areas that by reputation tend to offer some of the most challenging terrain would be Cannon and Wildcat in New Hampshire, Mad River Glen, Sugarbush, Stowe, and Jay Peak in Vermont, and Sugarloaf in Maine. Places like Okemo, Stratton, and Bretton Woods are renowned for snowmaking and grooming but don't offer much challenging terrain. Many of the areas are better thought of as "ski areas" rather than destination resorts with developed villages. If you're looking at a "destination" my wife and I are biased towards Stowe. Stowe village has lots of interesting shops and very good selection of dining options. The village is about 8 miles from the skiing, however. Indeed, there is very little slopeside lodging in Stowe. Not much late night action in Stowe if you're into that. We also like the the area around North Conway, NH and have stayed in Jackson, NH. Jackson is small but quaint and you can drive into N. Conway for other activities. Ski areas nearby include Wildcat, Black Mountain, Attitish, and I'm missing one. Cannon and Bretton Woods would be 45 minutes or so from Jackson, Sunday River would be about an hour or so.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
slmlax11, welcome to snowHeads 
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
|
I live in New York, but my average is to ski only about 2-3 days a year east coast and 7-10 days a year elsewhere (Rockies, Sierra Nevada, Italy, France). Vermont and New Hampshire areas tend to be crowded, expensive, and with unpredictable conditions (sometimes really great, but other times they suffer from thaw and freeze cycles). If I lived in the midwest and planned on traveling somewhere for skiing, the east coast would not be my choice. If you want to try it once for the atmosphere, though, then Stowe, Lake Placid, and Tremblant all offer nice atmosphere of different sorts (or Killington if you want to party hearty).
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Don't know if original poster is still paying attention to this thread, but assuming he must come to Boston anyway, the ski areas in the northeastern US that are most renowned (in relative terms) for challenging off-piste ski opportunities are (in my opinion):
1. Mad River Glen, VT
2. Jay Peak VT
3. Tuckerman's Ravine on Mt. Washington NH,
First two have ski lifts, the last is not lift served, and not a formal ski area. It is a well known "backcountry" area and is primarily skied only in spring time when conditions are favorable.
There are a number of other nearby ski areas that also offer a small measure of challenging off-piste terrain including Sugarloaf ME, Cannon Mtn NH, Whiteface NY, Stowe VT, Magic Mtn VT. It should be noted that all ski areas in the northeastern US rely heavily on man-made snow. Therefore, snow conditions for off-piste skiing are very spotty and off-piste activities should be attempted when mother nature has provided a good dose of natural snow.
Cannon Mtn NH has some challenging terrain underneath the aerial tram line and it may be the most accessible from Boston (~3 hrs) of the areas of interest mentioned above.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
slmlax - The simple answer to your original question is 'yes'. If you're looking for advanced, I would recommend Sugarloaf/USA.
Sugarloaf has over 1400 acres of skiable terrain(130+ trails), the most in the East. It has the only above treeline skiing in the East, and has a continuous vertical drop of 2,820 feet (more than many western resorts). The mountain offers boundary to boundary skiing, so if trees, powder stashes and frozen waterfalls are your thing, then you'll have a blast. You can also try your hand on the FIS downhill course.... frequent training ground for the US ski team.
Depending on what time of year you're thinking, if the snowfields and backside of the mountain are open, then that opens up a whole load more advanced terrain. The best description of which was given in 'Skiing Magazine' article by H.Ollsen; "The top station of Sugarloaf's ancient gondola has all the character of a meat locker. On one hoarfrosted, snow-splotched wall, a sign reads: If you go through this gate, you need to know: This terrain is unlike anything you have skied in the East" The snowfields are not groomed, not marked and are pretty steep.
The only bad thing about going to Sugarloaf, is that you may get hooked........ and like me, you may start to get comfort from hearing your skis on that boiler plate!
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
|
Sugarloaf, Maine is an easy five hour drive from Downtown Boston. Big mountain, great steep snowfields (Whn Open), relaxed atmosphere.
Sunday River, Maine 3.5 hours from Boston: Fantastic skiing, great lift system, huge number of trails, frightening mogul fields, excellent run operation. Probably better skiing overall than Sugarloaf, but more people and not as low key.
Killington, Vermont: 3-4 hours from Boston--just huge, takes a few days to ski it all. Not much of a "souil", big corporate mountain, but great skiing, opens early, closes late May. Great nightlife, massive options.
Sugarbush, Vermont, 3 hours drive, fantastic skiing, look at the website.
Cannon or Wildcat Mountains in New Hampshire, 3 hours: steep, cold, fast, tarditioanl New England Skiing. Dress really warm.
Stowe: 5 hours: very good skiing, charming place, lot's of reputation and history (not my first choice)
If it is your first trip out this way, go to Sunday River, Killington or Sugarbush.
I hope this helps.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Stowe, Smuggs, Jay peak, Sugarbush, Mad River, and Whiteface all have sidecountry access if conditions are right. technical east coast tree skiing, route finding type stuff.
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
@taisun, welcome to Snowheads. I think the OP might have moved on by now though. 
|
|
|
|
|
|
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
|
This is one of the earliest threads on SH ever to be resurrected, after ~15 years 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
hahaha, change my name to Ripper Van Winkle!
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
|
Keep the thread(shred?) alive!!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
|
Not Great Yarmouth
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
