Mt. Snow or Okemo?

D

david pomerantz

New member
We are a "blue square" family from Cleveland, Ohio. We normally ski western New York (Holiday Valley, Holimont, Peek & Peak) and last spring we skied Smuggler's Notch. This January, we are going west for the first time, to Steamboat.
We are looking to do a weekend in February in Vermont. We will be driving, and it appears that southern Vermont is a sigificantly shorter drive than northern Vermont. Two resorts have caught my attention, Mount Snow and Okemo. We hate crowds, but realize either would be busy on a February weekend. Since we are already doing an expensive trip out west, we're looking for economy as well. Which resort do you recommend? And how long will it take to drive from Cleveland?
 
david pomerantz":uks8p3ou said:
We are a "blue square" family from Cleveland, Ohio. We normally ski western New York (Holiday Valley, Holimont, Peek & Peak) and last spring we skied Smuggler's Notch. This January, we are going west for the first time, to Steamboat.
We are looking to do a weekend in February in Vermont. We will be driving, and it appears that southern Vermont is a sigificantly shorter drive than northern Vermont. Two resorts have caught my attention, Mount Snow and Okemo. We hate crowds, but realize either would be busy on a February weekend. Since we are already doing an expensive trip out west, we're looking for economy as well. Which resort do you recommend? And how long will it take to drive from Cleveland?
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I recommend going back to Smuggs nNnotch (I have been barred from using that "C" word :roll: ), assuming ya' liked it.

You might wanna' go for the Mad River Valley - home of Sugarbush (which includes Mascara Mountain and Glen Ellen) and Mad River Glen. For an intermediate, there is a ton of interesting Blue Heaven and you don't pay $towe price$ and get in effect, 3 cool mountains just a few minutes away 8) . Don't worry about the drive time from Cleveland - it's worth it.

As for Mount Snow and Okemo ....ummm ......you can have those and I'm sure someone else will have something to say about the crowds :roll: .
 
Mark Renson":27kvld31 said:
I recommend going back to Smuggs nNnotch (I have been barred from using that "C" word :roll: ), assuming ya' liked it.

You might wanna' go for the Mad River Valley - home of Sugarbush (which includes Mascara Mountain and Glen Ellen) and Mad River Glen. For an intermediate, there is a ton of interesting Blue Heaven and you don't pay $towe price$ and get in effect, 3 cool mountains just a few minutes away 8) . Don't worry about the drive time from Cleveland - it's worth it.

As for Mount Snow and Okemo ....ummm ......you can have those and I'm sure someone else will have something to say about the crowds :roll: .
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While I'm at it, I'll give you some more info on the Mad River Valley. Here's some trails that should be on your Hit List:

Mascara Mountain (Sugarbush South/Lincoln Peak)
Jester
Murphy's Glade (not a tight glade - just a few trees here 'n there)

Glen Ellen (Sugarbush North/Mount Ellen)
Elbow-to-Cruiser (the Classic Cruiser for decades)
Brambles
Semi-Tough
Walt's Trail

*NOTE: you could get from Mascara Mountain to Glen Ellen 'n vice versa via a traverse lift and they are on the same ticket.

Mad River Glen
Upper Antelope
Porcupine
Snail

As for eats, try Egan's Old World Pub - yeah it's a family place even though you could get good 'n wasted there if ya' wanted to. It's run by John and Dan Egan who are real live famous extreme skiers, so it could be a lotta' cool fun for you and your family 8) .

Either way, provide us with a trip report, please.
 
Mr. Renson has some good advice. But David, for a blue square family on a budget, have you considered the Eastern Townships of Quebec? Places like Sutton and Owl's Head have a ton of intermediate terrain, and come at truly budget prices. That region of Quebec shouldn't take you much longer to get to than southern VT from Ohio, if at all.
 
If your main criteria are "Blue Square", family, southern Vermont, low crowds, and economy...then you have pretty much described Magic Mtn. However, its low-end style is not for everyone. It is very short on amenties, so your family better like ski, because they won't find a whole lot else to do. Long lift lines at Magic are a product of (painfully) slow lifts, not of crowds. So once you finally get up top you'll have some of the best "New England character" trails all to yourself.

All the spots described by others in this thread are also excellent choices...they just may not fit all of your criteria (esp. Southern).
 
If you are set on Mount Snow or Okemo, Okemo would be the better option of the two. The recently added Jackson Gore area is good for the begginer to intermidiate skier and tends to be less crowded than the rest of the mountain. But I agree that you should check out the mad river valley if you don't mind a little extra drive.
 
Hi David,
I'm from Akron and like to get a trip to the east in every year or so. Another option to consider is Gore and Whiteface in NY. Gore is the better choice for intermediate although they definitely have some steep stuff as well. Whiteface is worth it just because it skis so big top to bottom. It is limited on intermediate ways down but I really enjoy the views and the skiing. Whiteface is only 1-1/2 hrs north so you can stay in one place and ski both. It will save you several hours of driving over Vermont. Vermont does have the rep for better snow overall but as my luck would have it I've never really hit premium snow in the East in 8 trips there. For the best snow, Holiday Valley on a lake effect day is hard to beat even if its a bit small. I skiied Smuggs a couple of years ago and thought the trail variety was great- the lifts left a lot to be desired!

Have a great trip no matter what.
 
Everyone has given good advice.

If you go to So Vt...Okemo has the most for your family to enjoy on the slopes. Tons and tons of blue squares...Mt snow too, but not as much. I think Mt Snow may be a tad cheaper, but Okemo woudn't be that much more and would be worth it. Okemo has a cute town of Ludlow. Staying in town is cheaper than staying on mountain. If you call their reservation line, you can ask for off-mtn accomodations. But if you choose to stay on-mountain, they have a lot of ski-in/out condos and the brand new Jackson Gore which has all amenities. I think Okemo skis the best when it is a crowded holiday weekend than any other ski area in that region due to the lift layout and the top/bottom cruising without all the many traverses that other resorts have that cut the top/bottom in half.

If you want to explore and try other mtns, Magic is a 30 min drive, as is Bromley (another smaller, less expensive, resort).

While the Quebec provinces offer less expensive skiing, they will be much further for you to drive. So Vt is definitely closer if you don't wanna spend so much time in the car and more time on the slopes. Also, QC is MUCH colder than So Vt...which can be good (for snowfall) or bad (frostbite).
 
Sharon":bc2ft3cd said:
While the Quebec provinces offer less expensive skiing, they will be much further for you to drive. So Vt is definitely closer if you don't wanna spend so much time in the car and more time on the slopes.
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Cleveland, OH to Ludlow, VT (Okemo): 559.6 miles
Cleveland, OH to Sutton, QC: 609.7 miles

A whopping 50.1 miles difference. And with the mountain roads through southern Vermont, I dare say the drive time would be nearly identical.
 
It is about 8 1/2 hrs from Cleveland to Wilimington, VT (Mt Snow)

Add 30 min to get to Ludlow instead

Add 1 3/4 hr to get to QC...and that doesn't include border crossing time, and in Feb it will require passports.

Unless your family already has passports, going to QC could be a hassle and/or an expense (to get everyone a passport).

You can save the $ and time and go to Mt Snow. Once you are there, a side trip to Okemo may be worthwhile.

I'll still hold that a winter week in Ludlow/Okemo is more Vermonty and family-friendly than Mt Snow and it would be worth the extra 30 min.
 
You're assuming that you go to the Townships the same way you would go to SoVT. You don't. Life isn't linear - the two routes split at Syracuse. You then go up through Watertown and across 11, an easy road to make good time on if there ever was any. Again, 50 miles more. I know that you drive like a grandma ;-) but I can't imagine that you'd take 2.25 hours to drive 50 miles.
 
Just like to advise that the proposed passport legislation for Canadian and US Citizens crossing the border is scheduled for Jan. 1 2008 . Currently , both governments are looking at alternatives to official passports as fewer than half of the citizens from either country have passports and the fear is that cross border tourism will be hammered as it is a 2 billion dollar industry. Currently a photo ID drivers license is still valid on both sides of the border with the routine questions on the purpose of your trip.
 
From a previous poster who recommended Quebec's Eastern townships, on your route:

"...You then go up through Watertown and across 11, an easy road to make good time on if there ever was any...."

I'd agree, but one thing to keep in mind: That area is prime lake-effect territory and can be whited-out. So check the weather forecasts before leaving home and as you near Syracuse. If you're from northern Ohio, you probably are familiar with lake effect, but this can be way serious -- whiteout conditions. The state police regularly must close a stretch of I-81, which parallels Route 11. If it's clear, though, it is a great route. You could also consider entering Canada earlier and travel north of Lake Ontario.

As for the Mt. Snow/Okemo question: Yeah, go north for a better deal or hit Gore or Whiteface. But if you must choose between these two, avoid Mount Snow at all costs. Unless you score a significant discount on a package, it is a humongous ripoff, no matter your ability level.
 
Cannonball":3c3zxb5h said:
If your main criteria are "Blue Square", family, southern Vermont, low crowds, and economy...then you have pretty much described Magic Mtn. However, its low-end style is not for everyone. It is very short on amenties, so your family better like ski, because they won't find a whole lot else to do. Long lift lines at Magic are a product of (painfully) slow lifts, not of crowds. So once you finally get up top you'll have some of the best "New England character" trails all to yourself.

All the spots described by others in this thread are also excellent choices...they just may not fit all of your criteria (esp. Southern).
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Blue Square, at Magic? You are smoking crack! Much as I love the place, I'd say Bromley, Mount Sneauax or Stratton for Blue Squares in SoVT. Otherwise, the NoVT sugestions are a good bet.

Enjoy your trip!
 
Blue Square, at Magic? You are smoking crack!
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Well I knew it was only a matter of time before someone said that. Yes, yes, I know Magic has excellent challenging terrain...that's what I love about it! I wasn't trying to make the place sound whimpy. But the beginner and intermediate terrain at Magic is fantastic too! Very much like the way Mad River gets all it's press for hardcore/extreme turns, while it actually has some of the best areas to learn. But maybe that's just the crack talking.

(P.S. to Mr. Pomerantz: The sledhaulingmedic is right about blue squares at Stratton...but beware the $$$ )
 
If it was me driving from Cleveland for a weekend of uncrowded skiing in VT, I would head directly to the Mad River Valley. If the natural snow is abundant hit Mad River Glen one day and Sugarbush the next. With a well planned driving route there is a negligible difference in drive time going to Mt Sneax or Okemo versus the Mad River Valley.

The MRV will have more snow and fewer people than So VT. I routinely drive from Ludlow where i have a share in a ski house past 4 other ski areas and resorts to ski at Sugar Bush to enjoy natural snow and fewer people. I also ski MRG on occaision but I'm too impatient to wait in the line for the single chair on weekends.

FWIW I am also a fan of skiing in the Eastern Townships, particulalrly on the US three day weekends. Quebec can be a tad cool, but this keeps the snow fresh. Orford, Sutton and Owl's Head are all favorites and Sutton will allow you to try groomed sous-bois (glade skiing). I have never waited more than 4 cars crossing into or back from Canada by choosing the border crossing carefully.
 
I wouldn't even see any sense in factoring the border crossing in when making a decision about where to ski - I've crossed the US/CA border at least 150 times, maybe more, and the last 5 times or so they didn't even ask me for ID in either direction (even though I am in my mid 20s, traveling alone alot of the time, and I look like holy hell when I cross into the US usually after a ridiculous binge weekend in Montreal - in other words the archetypical gun toting drug smuggling psycho). I've had to wait at the border for 30 minutes plus only about 10 times out of all of those - usually I'd say its a 5-10 minute delay (and I usually cross at major crossings, i.e. I-87/Autoroute 15). If anything, its even more worth it to take the trip into Canada - you get to stop at duty free TWICE on your trip, stock up on cheap liquor, get a tax refund on alot of stuff if you're motivated enough, etc. Mt. Snow, in my opinion, is well, a pretty boring mountain anyway, the Eastern Townships have way more character & variety... It's always surprising to me that so many people in New York City or the northeast never visit Quebec or Montreal, even though its so close... But also, the Mad River Valley is great, and I would personally probably head there for a vacation instead (infact, I might be doing that in a few weeks) - although that is according to my own priorities in choosing where to ski rather than from the perspective of a family looking to plan a ski trip, and I think for someone who hasn't really been to Quebec it could be a good new experience. At any rate, good luck

Sven
 
Once in 1987, I was being grilled by a female border crossing guard who just happened to be female. After a while, I asked her for a date =P~ , which totally disarmed her and caused her to laugh and let me through. I have been since told that is not the thing to do :shock: .......hey, I admit it, I was indeed born yesterday :oops: .

I'm off to MRG in a few minutes as we are spinning lifts tomorrow for a non-McExperience. It's happenin' 8) .
 
Mark Renson":8nuwi1du said:
Once in 1987, I was being grilled by a female border crossing guard who just happened to be female. After a while, I asked her for a date =P~ , which totally disarmed her and caused her to laugh and let me through. I have been since told that is not the thing to do :shock: .......hey, I admit it, I was indeed born yesterday :oops: .

I'm off to MRG in a few minutes as we are spinning lifts tomorrow for a non-McExperience. It's happenin' 8) .
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Haha Mark, me and a buddy were once driving down from Montreal to VT for some skiing and we pull up to probably to a pretty good looking border patrol chick - i'd say shes among the hottest I've seen working on the US side - although I've seen some pretty cute ones working the Canadian side in Quebec for sure... She said "where are you going?" and of course the reply was "Skiing, you wanna join us?" - she laughed and said she would have if she wasn't working. Now does that mean I was shot down or just unlucky? Maybe she just didnt like the vibes she was getting from my friend.... hes a pretty "rough around the edges" guy ya know... or maybe 5 AM is just a bit too early for pickup attempts...

Sven
 
Thanks so much to everyone who responded to my inquiry. Actually, my kids are pushing for Whiteface instead of southern Vermont. My one son has the Whiteface trail map hanging on his wall! Does anyone know long it takes to reach Whiteface from Cleveland? I was under the impression that southern Vermont was actually closer. Also, I'm a little nervous about having enough intermediate runs there. I definitely could get into the vertical, though.
 
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