Member of the Month

JalmarKalmar
April, 2024

Online

Welcome to the Newschoolers forums! You may read the forums as a guest, however you must be a registered member to post. Register to become a member today!

The Grand Tour of New England Skiing.

profile picture
NH_OPERATOR
Posts: 1070 - Karma: 2,883
Hey guys,
This winter, I have decided that I am going to hit every 'major' mountain in New England, in one season. I figure that this will probably be my last winter I will have the chance to do this before I end up with a real full time job, and I might as well abuse the ski-instructor reciprocity program we have out here anyway.
Here is my list so far.

NEW HAMPSHIRE CANNON WILDCAT LOON WATERVILLE VALLEY ATTITASH SUNAPEE BRETTON WOODS GUNSTOCK RAGGED MOUNTAIN CRANMORE BLACK MOUNTAIN CROTCHED MOUNTAIN PATS PEAK MAINE SUGARLOAF SUNDAY RIVER SADDLEBACK VERMONT KILLINGTON SUGARBUSH SMUGGLERS NOTCH STOWE JAY PEAK OKEMO STRATTON MAD RIVER GLEN BURKE PICO MOUNT SNOW BOLTON VALLEY

What do you guys think? Did I miss anyplace major? Do you think I will pull it off? I am in central NH, so my plan is to hit ME and VT with buddies on Sundays, and the NH mountains during the week. Has anyone else ever tried something like this either here or out west?
Oct 14 2013 6:06AM
129 27
profile picture
NH_OPERATOR
Posts: 1070 - Karma: 2,883
Alright guys, I put together a map of the now 30 mountains. I will admit seeing it laid out like this gives me worry, and a few of the mountains (Like mont-treblant) are definitely stretch goals here. I am going to need to do some serious car camping here. I really hope that I can have enough free time between work and school to really pull this off.

Heres the map link, let me know if it doesn't work.
https://mapsengine.google.com/map/edit?mid=zLPCRBx3i_3Y.k1Sf6qsq2-os

So what would you guys like to see in my blog/webcolumn/vlog/whatever this is going to be?
I havent sat down and put a ton of thought into it yet (Ill be doing that next week when I have a long ass double to work). These are some basics of what I got so far.
-Pic of me with Mousseaus NS flag at summit, and base of every mountain.
-Pics of the most interesting features in each mountains park.
-POV tour of every mountains parks
-POV of each mountains most challenging trails
-Some kind of mini-review of each mountain.
-Any shenanigans that occur on the trip (seeing as about half of these I will probably be doing solo, these might not occur too often.

Any suggestions would be great, nothing is too stupid for NS!

Oct 18 2013 7:01PM
1 0
profile picture
Bittner
Posts: 3675 - Karma: 1,573
I can see you like northern vermont,
It is also nice to like other places as well. NH VT and ME all have great terrain.


and to the OP
I dont know if i just didnt read it on your list but hit up Wildcat! Some of NH's best terrain IMO
Oct 18 2013 7:32PM
1 1
profile picture
Bogs
Posts: 4296 - Karma: 1,361
I mean, if you're talking about "where it's at" in terms of new england skiing, central/northern vt has to be the place.
Oct 18 2013 8:07PM
1 0
profile picture
Bittner
Posts: 3675 - Karma: 1,573
Arguable, but I'm not going to waste too much time.
Yes northern VT has some of the best skiing New England has too offer, but it isn't the best.

Nowhere is really the best. It is all based on the skier, how well they know the mountain and where they have the most fun.

Ndye, (Hey Dad! :)) obviously knows Sugarloaf better, and knows more people there. So wouldn't it make sense that Sugarloaf is the best NE skiing for him?

If that's northern VT for you, congrats! I guarantee you that isn't the same for everybody on this site, so why purposely make an post to induce an argument?
Oct 18 2013 8:14PM
3 2
profile picture
cmer
Posts: 24 - Karma: 60
Mt. Washington - if your backcountry trained.. nothing beats it.. except maybe Jay sidecountry
Oct 18 2013 8:27PM
1 0
profile picture
Bogs
Posts: 4296 - Karma: 1,361
Favorite and best are two different things. You are thinking of favorite, not best. For example, Sugarbush is my favorite mountain to ski in new england, but that doesn't mean it's the best. One could easily come up with a set of categories and then, based on these categories, objectively decide which mountains are better than others.

I would assume, when someone says Sugarloaf is "where it's at" they are referring to how good/difficult the terrain is. If you are looking at it this way, you have to say that northern vermont has a higher concentration of mountains with good/difficult terrain than anywhere else in new england, and is therefore the best in this respect.
Oct 18 2013 11:48PM
1 1
profile picture
coldcuts69
Posts: 3718 - Karma: 1,890
Titcomb mountain in Maine, hands dwon best park and pow in the east, fuck northern VT.
Oct 19 2013 4:13PM
0 0
profile picture
Bittner
Posts: 3675 - Karma: 1,573
Yeah it has a higher concentration of mountains with difficult terrain. I wont deny that, I cant. No matter what though, somewhere being referred to as "The Best" stems from an opinion. Whatever way you break it down.

There just isn't a point in trying to prove somewhere is the best, its a time wasting argument that is subjective no matter how you look at it. Make your recommendation and leave it. OP obviously knows Northern Vermont has awesome skiing, why try to prove it is better than anywhere else?

It doesn't even matter! .
Oct 19 2013 4:51PM
1 2
profile picture
Bogs
Posts: 4296 - Karma: 1,361
You literally just admitted northern vt has a higher concentration of mountains with better terrain than anywhere else in new england and said you "cant" deny it. Therefore, from an objective viewpoint, it's the best.
Oct 19 2013 5:35PM
1 1
profile picture
ndye
Posts: 3756 - Karma: 7,088
meh, have you ever been up here to northern Maine? Skiing Mag is one of the only mags that actually shows rankings of mountains in specific categories so i will use their ratings despite m

Sugarloaf got #2 in challenge and terrain, ahead of many of the gems from northern VT.. Saddleback also was in the top 10 for all three of those categories. So from an "objective viewpoint" youre wrong.
Oct 19 2013 5:47PM
3 1
profile picture
Bittner
Posts: 3675 - Karma: 1,573
I didn't say this, you are changing my words. I said Northern VT has the largest amount of mountains with difficult terrain, I didn't compare the terrain to anywhere else, because that is opinionated.

Just Stop, your argument is stupid. Why keep insisting the place you ski is the best? What do you gain? Internet points? Your pathetic.
Oct 19 2013 5:50PM
1 2
profile picture
Bogs
Posts: 4296 - Karma: 1,361
Same thing.

You're the one who continued the argument, not me. If you want to drop it, go ahead.
Oct 19 2013 5:59PM
1 2
profile picture
Bogs
Posts: 4296 - Karma: 1,361
I've skiied northern maine almost exclusively the past 3 years, so yes, I have. I know Sugarloaf is hard, i know Saddleback is hard. Both are great mountains. But do those two do enough to outdo Smuggs, Stowe, Jay, Sugarbush and MRG? I don't think so, personally.

What are the rest of the rankings? Sugaloaf is 2, Saddleback is in the top ten, that doesn't prove i'm wrong unless none of the other places I'm talking about are in the top ten, which I highly doubt.
Oct 19 2013 6:03PM
1 0
profile picture
Bittner
Posts: 3675 - Karma: 1,573
I plan on it. You are obviously too arrogant to see a point besides your own.
Oct 19 2013 9:28PM
1 2
profile picture
At0micski
Posts: 256 - Karma: 169
I don't mean to continue an argument but smuggs, stowe, jay and MRG are all top ten.

Id also like to point out that he never said that it was "the best." He said it had the best mountain concentration which you said yourself was true.
Oct 19 2013 11:52PM
0 1
profile picture
NH_OPERATOR
Posts: 1070 - Karma: 2,883
Guys Id really love some ideas for my blog series on this, the fighting is entertaining and all, but not exactly productive lol.
Oct 19 2013 11:59PM
2 0
profile picture
At0micski
Posts: 256 - Karma: 169
sorry about that, I think reviews would be cool because Id like to visit a lot of these mountains. And videos are always nice.
Oct 20 2013 12:04AM
0 0
profile picture
NH_OPERATOR
Posts: 1070 - Karma: 2,883
Those are definitely on the list. A review is a tough thing to write when your only at a mountain for one day though. I figured I would focus firstly on a park review, to the best of my ability (which I am unfortunately not that great at park, but I am working on it.Should get some major progression done by the end of the season) My second priority when there will be to find the gnarliest trails on the mountain and ski all of them. Ill be spending very few runs carving up groomers, that shit is just a waste of my travel time as I can do that same thing much closer to home.

Im looking for any unique Ideas for an article. Reviews, pics and vids are the easy to come up with stuff, Id really like to find something to write about that makes my blog articles on each mountain really stand out from the others. Ive been wracking my head all week thinking about it and Im not making much headway.
Oct 20 2013 12:12AM
0 0
profile picture
ndye
Posts: 3756 - Karma: 7,088
Ill show you around the loaf once you get up here!

As for a blog, tell it as a story, like where you went, what snow conditions were like, how it all happened. Basically a journal entry of your travels. Unfortunately living on the east, we are often affected by marginal snow, a really good conditions day at a shitty mountain could be a lot more fun than a day with terrible conditions at a top tier mountain. Its almost impossible to truly rate/review resorts from spending a day at any mountain in my opinion.
Oct 20 2013 12:16AM
0 0
profile picture
NH_OPERATOR
Posts: 1070 - Karma: 2,883
Yeah I am going to try to time the hardcore mountains to have fresh snow when I hit them like Mad River Glen and shit like that.
Oct 20 2013 12:23AM
0 0
profile picture
Bogs
Posts: 4296 - Karma: 1,361
And you're obviously too stupid to recognize that i'm right. Or too prideful. I dunno which; I'll let you decide that,

Point is, i'm right and we both know it. Hell, you even admitted it.
Oct 20 2013 2:33AM
0 1
profile picture
NH_OPERATOR
Posts: 1070 - Karma: 2,883
STAHP.
Oct 20 2013 8:09AM
2 0
profile picture
Benson.
Posts: 2739 - Karma: 3,787
This sounds really cool OP, I've been wanting to do a similar thing, just not all in one season haha

I'll definitely follow it if you make some sort of a blog out of it!
Dec 2 2013 9:59PM
0 0
profile picture
NH_OPERATOR
Posts: 1070 - Karma: 2,883
Its currently on the home page in the news section my man. Ill be doing the blog all winter.
Dec 2 2013 10:16PM
1 0
profile picture
Benson.
Posts: 2739 - Karma: 3,787
Nice, good luck with your travels!
Dec 2 2013 10:33PM
0 0
profile picture
NH_OPERATOR
Posts: 1070 - Karma: 2,883
Thanks a lot man.
Dec 2 2013 10:34PM
0 0
profile picture
brizz
Posts: 1051 - Karma: 74
one of the best parts of traveling is meeting people so pics or descriptions of conversations with the interesting people, gapers, rippers, eccentric locals, ski bums, hippies, rich bankers, lifties, dogs....
Dec 3 2013 9:47AM
2 0
profile picture
NH_OPERATOR
Posts: 1070 - Karma: 2,883
Ill keep that in mind! Thanks for the suggestion.
Dec 3 2013 1:02PM
1 0
profile picture
LiquorLanch
Posts: 1909 - Karma: 1,046
Nashoba Valley in MA has a pretty sick park, plus the park lift tends to not check tickets ever
Dec 3 2013 2:18PM
0 0
profile picture
snwbrdmilf
Posts: 22441 - Karma: 2,805
I'd go to Magic before I went to Okemo.
Dec 3 2013 4:09PM
2 0
profile picture
yelsel
Posts: 12967 - Karma: 3,451
i second this.
Dec 3 2013 4:52PM
2 0
profile picture
NH_OPERATOR
Posts: 1070 - Karma: 2,883
Update! Ill be hitting up Crotched Mtn tomorrow as they are predicted to have the most snow. Im doing some early season powder chasing hopefully and busting out the phat skis! If anyone is going to be there let me know and we can ride together!
Dec 14 2013 7:49PM
0 0
profile picture
Snowbile
Posts: 5 - Karma: 11
Great idea, definitely ski sundown in connecticut
Feb 10 2014 2:30PM
0 0
All times are Eastern (-4)