Ian M Posted October 12, 2009 Report Share Posted October 12, 2009 Hey Everyone! Welcome to another season of snow, trenches, and smiles :D I'm planning a February trip to the North-East, and would really appreciate some resort suggestions. There look to be so many great choices! Where do you guys and girls love to carve it up down there? Bonus points for: outstanding value, consistent snow conditions, and terrain variation ;) Many Thanks, Ian M Ottawa, ON Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobdea Posted October 12, 2009 Report Share Posted October 12, 2009 Hey Everyone! Welcome to another season of snow, trenches, and smiles :DI'm planning a February trip to the North-East, and would really appreciate some resort suggestions. There look to be so many great choices! Where do you guys and girls love to carve it up down there? Bonus points for: outstanding value, consistent snow conditions, and terrain variation ;) Many Thanks, Ian M Ottawa, ON sunday river, sugarloaf, stowe and sugarbush are the ones that offer both varied terrain and good grooming. the rest are either small offer only one or the other or in the case of killington and to a lesser extent loon have bad trail layout with lots joeys all over the place. best value I know of is wildcat we got ski and stay last year for $50 per person midweek wild cat is small but a great little hill. cannon is similar in that respect. depends on what time of year you go too, sugarloaf, sunday river and killington are the areas that get good coverage early on due to all three claiming the best snow making systems in the country. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian M Posted October 12, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 12, 2009 sunday river, sugarloaf, stowe and sugarbush... Awesome - thanks very much for your suggestions Bobdea! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave ESPI Posted October 12, 2009 Report Share Posted October 12, 2009 Obligitory JIMINY PEAK post,.... and Windham I like. Stratton, Berkshire East, Gunstock, Sugarloaf, good places too. I avoid Killington on a carver. Toomany straight liners and not very wide trails and tons of ice with powder over it if there is a fresh storm, and can be brutaly cold n windy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian M Posted October 12, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 12, 2009 Obligitory JIMINY PEAK post,.... and Windham I like. Stratton, Berkshire East, Gunstock, Sugarloaf, good places too. Thanks Dave ESPI! Gunstock looks rather different...it's almost all blue squares. Cheers! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobdea Posted October 12, 2009 Report Share Posted October 12, 2009 gunstock is tiny and is just not that good. jiminy is in MA, enough said, berkshire east the same. I love berkshire east but the place is so small it's a day trip place for locals not a destination I'd reccomend for someone visiting the east stratton is great if you don't mind flat and no terrain. stratton is a great place to carve but did not make the cut because it's not challenging, there's next to nothing interesting other than intermediate groom. killington does suck, bad lay out and too many jackasses BUT when no one is there it's awesome, there ARE tons of wide trails and tons of narrow trails too there's actually lots of everything there except good trees it is quite large. the place is so hit or miss though. both figuratively and literally. you mention wind at killington, have you been to sunday river, cannon, wildcat, loon or sugarloaf? all are cold and windy, that happens at ski resorts in the north east particularly the ones in northern NH and in ME. ski resorts are generally cold though, that's how they become ski resorts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jtslalom Posted October 12, 2009 Report Share Posted October 12, 2009 I'm sure not too many people would agree but I personally prefer White Face for carving over most Vt. resorts. The place is normally empty and it has the longest sustained steep slopes in the North East. It is also great if you plan on traveling with others that do not ski or ride. Lake placid is the mecca for off slope activities. Good Luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobdea Posted October 12, 2009 Report Share Posted October 12, 2009 white face is awesome, can be scary in regards to conditions but is a very challenging hill. I likes! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian M Posted October 12, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 12, 2009 Thanks again bobdea...the terrain variation is very important. I spend lots of time on both blue cruisers and steeper blacks. Jtslalom - thank you also. I'm quite curious about Whiteface, and am glad to hear it recommended. It'd be a pretty quick drive from Ottawa :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seraph Posted October 12, 2009 Report Share Posted October 12, 2009 Since we are on topic how is Waterville Valley? Too much black and bumps? Used to go there to ski and it was a lot of fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ernie00 Posted October 12, 2009 Report Share Posted October 12, 2009 We did a trip last year to NH with my wife and baby boy. I'm in Montreal. Really loved it. We stayed at Attitash mountain condo, right next to Attitash from there it's a good base and you can hit many different mountains within the 20-30 min drive. Indoor pool, spa and everything. Nothing fancy, 80's build but very clean and super affordable. Check your dates, last week of feb is their school break. I did Attitash and loved the bear peak. Wildcat was fun also, we were there on the sunday. 20$ starting noon. Cranmore, smaller but really enjoyed it. empty, nice grooming and fast chair. Bretton woods. I know there are more loon or cannon also that is not too far from there but I don't remember. I'm sure some locals could help you. So in a week you could be able to visit 4-5 different mountains. From attitash you can go to north conway, nice town, lots of shopping and restaurants. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeoffV Posted October 12, 2009 Report Share Posted October 12, 2009 ranked in order by state for grooming and carving NH Sunapee Loon Bretton Woods Attitash VT: Stratton Okemo Bolton Valley (family mt) Killington/Pico Stowe (but warning grooming is below par) ME: Sugarloaf Sunday River Shawnee Peak (family mt) If you are looking for ski in ski out resorts look at Loon in NH any VT resorts listed will have that The family mountain ones will be the cheaptest and least crowded. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian M Posted October 12, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 12, 2009 Hey Ernie00! That's a nice area of New Hampshire that you pointed out. If pressed, I think I could even spend more than a week there :rolleyes:. Did we meet at SQS last year? I was the guy un-wrapping the Stubby in the parking lot. Boy am I keen to get to know that board better! (Only one day on snow so far...) GeoffV - thanks for the great list! While there will always be differences in opinion, so far I've only heard positives about Sugarloaf and Sunday River in Maine. If you guys keep this up I might have to plan more trips! SWEET... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davekempmeister Posted October 13, 2009 Report Share Posted October 13, 2009 +1 OKEMO - place is great and the proximity to Killington/Pico is perfect. Okemo is a beautifully run operation (family run, I think). Good grooming, good facilities, good terrain, great lifts. I can't think of anything bad to say about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobdea Posted October 13, 2009 Report Share Posted October 13, 2009 +1 OKEMO - place is great and the proximity to Killington/Pico is perfect. Okemo is a beautifully run operation (family run, I think). Good grooming, good facilities, good terrain, great lifts. I can't think of anything bad to say about it. like stratton, flat and the furthest thing from challenging, sunnapee is the same Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dirk109 Posted October 13, 2009 Report Share Posted October 13, 2009 It's rep for being flat for carving? Upper Liftline and Standard are pretty steep. Throw in Spruce and I would say Stratton is more then fine for 95% of the carvers on this board. The grooming is 2nd to none. I mean Stowe and the Loaf are steep, But the grooming sucks. And I would be hard pressed to find another area in the NE, that on a regular basis you will have between 5 to 10 carvers mid week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeoffV Posted October 13, 2009 Report Share Posted October 13, 2009 like stratton, flat and the furthest thing from challenging, sunnapee is the same ok, so it might not have a ton of steeps, but it has enough blacks to have some fun on. At some point quality grooming will surpass steeps . Bob have you been on Goose Bumps at Sunapee? It's a double black steep and narrow trail, you take up the whole trail edge to edge. It's do or die turns all the way down. Dirk, Sugarloaf has far better grooming than Stowe. My all time fav mountain in NE is Sugar Loaf hands down. Nothing else comes close to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steph Posted October 13, 2009 Report Share Posted October 13, 2009 like stratton, flat and the furthest thing from challenging, sunnapee is the same I realize that it may not be one of your top choices Bob. But, I would have to say that we've got some challenging terrain that will keep everyone entertained. I'm so tired of comments like this from people that I have no idea of their skill set, that I'm willing to throw down the carve challenge! Come to Stratton anytime Bob, and you can follow me down any trail. I'd love to finally see if you can put your money where your mouth is! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeoffV Posted October 13, 2009 Report Share Posted October 13, 2009 I'm so tired of comments like this from people that I have no idea of their skill set, that I'm willing to throw down the carve challenge! Come to Stratton anytime Bob, and you can follow me down any trail. I'd love to finally see if you can put your money where your mouth is! oh, I like this:eplus2:"][/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack M Posted October 13, 2009 Report Share Posted October 13, 2009 I mean Stowe and the Loaf are steep, But the grooming sucks. Heh, you obviously haven't been to Sugarloaf in about... 20 years. Steph, we will not be seeing bobdea at the ECES. He has said here before, he deliberately avoids it. I think he's afraid of something. :p Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ear dragger Posted October 13, 2009 Report Share Posted October 13, 2009 this is good!! i don't know what anyone is thinking calling stratton a yawn. It is quite challenging and the grooming is outragous! there are enough different trails to keep me happy every time i ride there. i would love to see a carve off with anyone!! never seen that other guy ride, but i cant turn as hard as steph can, no doubt!! the beast was a great little mountain. for the money and the hominess of the place, it has good trails! as far as okemo and killington, they are not for a carver in my mind. If you plan on driving further north, go for it. hit up stowe, it's nice and steep. sugarbush is cool too. and if you can deal with the long haul head on up to sugarloaf:lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigBump Posted October 13, 2009 Report Share Posted October 13, 2009 I'm suprised no one from Maine has put a vote in for Saddleback. I went there last year for an AASI event and wish I had brought my carving gear. 2000ft vertical drop, the definition of uncrowded, overlooks Rangely Lake. It has a great mix of terrain from runs straight down the mountain to twisty, turny trails. It's not a resort, so you don't get the resort ammenities and village(which I am content without). http://www.saddlebackmaine.com/winter/html/trailmap.php?s=249 Also, I'd like to say that any mountain is fun and challenging, just sometimes you have to be more creative....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobdea Posted October 13, 2009 Report Share Posted October 13, 2009 I guess I have missed goosebumps at sunnapee. I like both sunapee and stratton they are not the most varied ski areas though. I actually hit stratton fairly often when I'm living in MA because it's a fun place to ride and is close by. the other close option is MT snow and I like stratton better. I'm not talking only carving either, the OP seemed to put forth that he was looking for "Bonus points for: outstanding value, consistent snow conditions, and terrain variation " stratton is pricey and offers little other than good carving. great for a day trip. if I had to plan trip to the east I have criteria that has other things in mind steep bumps, trees and good groom. Magic has as much if not more challenging terrain than stratton and is about 1/3 the size. I'm not a incredible rider but I have never felt challenged by the terrain at stratton. I did puncture a lung there riding in the woods though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erik J Posted October 13, 2009 Report Share Posted October 13, 2009 Sugarloaf rocks for carving. I've only ridden there a handful of days but it was great. Sugarbush is another favorite for me. Great snow, views, trees, etc. I don't know much about lodging though. Another fun mountain is Jay Peak. I guess it's not really a carvers mountain but it gets the most snow on the east coast. When it's snowing, the trees are amazing! There are a few challenging lines off the front as well (not groomed) as well as a few longer, really nice groomers for a carving fix. It's inexpensive (relative to other resorts) and you'll find a nice mix of terrain. It's not a big mountain (they are expanding though) but when the snow is good almost the entire mountain is rideable. If you have a wider board, bring it for their epic powder days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
queequeg Posted October 13, 2009 Report Share Posted October 13, 2009 Bob have you been on Goose Bumps at Sunapee? It's a double black steep and narrow trail, you take up the whole trail edge to edge. It's do or die turns all the way down. I assume you're talking about Flying Goose? I remember when I first started gaining some proficiency on hardboots on my PJ6 this was the trail I really wanted to be able to nail top to bottom without a mistake. Don't think I ever did but I had fun trying. we've got some challenging terrain that will keep everyone entertained. I'd pay good money to see anyone on an alpine deck nail it down Bear Down. I get my ass handed to me each and every time I dare to venture. (Not that I think I'm all that great). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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