New to the East

[skimore]

You can never find lift access like that, or anything you can skin to, in the EAST.

You ain't looking hard enough

 

[icelanticskier]

ah! quebec!

i've done 7 years in and around the massif that is your pow skiing backdrop in both pics and beyond. by far the best corn snow and terrain that i've skied EAST OR WEST......ever. the access is so easy and in late april/early may-deserted. may have to get back up there this coming snowy season.

rog

 

[rfarren]

One of these years I'm going to hit the gaspesie peninsula. I just got to get my act together.

I recently went onto to YouTube and looked at some vids of off piste skiing at JH and it reminded me of the terrain that I love so much (Hobacks, Rock Springs). You can never find lift access like that, or anything you can skin to, in the EAST.

Heh, you have to admire this guy's persistence.

No kidding.

 

[Tony Crocker]

What fun I've missed in the past 3 weeks here!

I personally think that a lot of useful advice has been provided here, with only a moderate amount of noise. Perhaps the most constructive summary was this one:

As someone who skied 25+ days a season while living in NYC (six years based out of Park Slope, Brooklyn), I can say that it’s hardly an optimum situation for a skier, but it is doable. Here are four wrong-headed clichés I had to disabuse yourself of:

I Want To Do All My Skiing Out West
Due to the direct flights everywhere, the two-hour difference in our favor (allows you to ski a good portion of the arriving and departing days in Utah), and the fact that the closest ski areas (third-tier EC hills by most people’s standards) are two hours away, some will claim that you may as well do all of your skiing out west. Unless you’ve got lots of discretionary income, unlimited frequent flyer awards (that allow you to storm chase by booking a flight a day or two before departure) and a completely flexible work schedule, it’s unreasonable to expect that you’ll do all your skiing out west. A more realistic prospect is how I split my annual ski days: 65-70% in the northeast and 30-35% in the West or the Alps.

If I Have To Ski In The Northeast, I’m Only Going Do It In Northern VT
A nice goal, but once again, unless money isn’t an issue, and you’ve got a completely flexible work schedule to drive five-ish hours in each direction, not always realistic. Sometimes you’ll only have time to go to southern VT or the southern ADKs. Many will disagree with me, but the Catskills (1,400-1,600 verts), at two hours away, while not anyone’s idea of ski paradise, are a relatively cheap daytrip and, in my book, better than staying home. While not a frequent event, decent powder days can happen at Belleayre and Plattekill in the western Catskills and the trees at both are great. Hardcores will say that they’d rather stay home than go there, so I guess that’s their prerogative. At the very least, you can consider them as a gym visit to work on your groomer or bump steeze in between trips to more high-profile mountains.

I Won’t Need A Car
There are ski buses to the Catskills and southern VT, but those should only be used as a last-resort desperation move. Everyone else has mentioned the micro-climates here and the significance of flexibility – sometimes a storm will hit the Adirondacks, sometimes northern VT, sometimes the Catskills and southern New England. Not having a car can be the difference between ice and powder. And it’s not only a winter thing… mountain biking, hiking, and the ocean aren’t that far away, and you’ll lose your mind during the warm weather if you can’t get out of town.

I Want To Live In Manhattan
Since I’ve already explained why you need a car, unless money isn’t an issue and you can afford a private parking space, living in one of the other boroughs is a necessity. Alternate-side parking rules mean that you’ll need to move your car twice a week, less if it’s a holiday week. Parking on the street in NYC is an art that needs to be mastered quickly (google it). Buy an inexpensive used car, as it’ll get bumped up and scratched. Another tip: register the car in a county outside the city or you’ll pay sky-high insurance rates.

Some advice, while factually correct (JSpin and Rivercoil) is valid for those within convenient reach of the northern Vermont snowbelt but not practical for someone in NYC. Also there's icelantic with his super flexible schedule. And note that he said if he lived in NYC and was not flexible he would do most of his skiing in the West.

With regard to james' 5 points above, I'll just comment on the interrelation of the first and last points. With a car, he recommends that about 1/3 of ski days should be in the West. Without a car I believe it should be at least half West (or Alps) from NYC. Figure out the cost of having the car; I'll bet it would pay for several trips to SLC. I'm presuming the move to NYC was sudden and unexpected, otherwise why renew the Mammoth MVP? Mammoth is a PITA to reach from NYC, though might be easier this year with the expanded Horizon connections in LA, San Jose and Reno. But I suspect cheaper airfare and less travel time will tip the balance to SLC even paying for lift tickets (which remember average ~$60 in SLC ski shops).

The East vs. West :snowball fight: IMHO come from this being a ski forum, and my opinions are mostly formed based upon the reports I read here. But there is more to life than skiing, and no question NYC is to culture, restaurants, etc. what SLC is to skiing. So take advantage and enjoy those.

 

[CWHappyRN]

Something we don't have out West!
Very awesome I hear from the locals there! Also, summer is not bad, check this out, though not N.E., they are in the N.E. too!


http://adventure.nationalgeographic.com ... wells-text

Moose captured in rare footage: Be sure you turn the sound on! I loved to see then in NH while on assignment at Dartmouth-Hitchcock! Mammoth has Elk, but, I have never seen one! I did see moose at Jackson Hole, however, on the runs, enjoying a few runs! Perhaps they do the same in the East!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yNy9jTeolUk

 

[asland]

Easy Answer: Whiteface

Train from NYC to Westport and shuttle to Lake Placid - where it is easy to catch free shuttle bus to the Mountain. Beautiful Big Mountain Skiing with a great town and great history. Well worth a trip.

From whiteface.com -
Rail Travel
Amtrak operates between New York City and Montreal - local stop in Westport, N.Y. (40miles from Lake Placid). For information call 1-800-888-8478. Shuttle bus service to Lake Placid must be arranged with a reservation: 518-523-4431.