Recommendation for Thurs 12/22 Southern Vt. daytrip?

B

billski

New member
I'm in a wandering mood. I plan go somewhere daytripping tommorrow, Thursday 12/22 and avoid the mobs, get my fix before vacation week wastes the resorts. Would like your advice.

Would like to try something new. Never been to Stratton, Magic, Bromley. Been to KMart, several times, don't care for it. Mt. Snow seemed to be all about fashion.

I don't care about "sustainable vertical" - I can go either way; I do enjoy old-fashioned, winding, narrow trails. Getting a bit too old for sustained bumps trails. I can have as much fun on the blacks at Stowe as I can at Berkshire east.

Anyone like to suggest an area within southern vt. worthy of a trip? Or an area to avoid?

Thanks!
 
Magic will not necessarily have the best coverage, but has a character all its own worth checking out. If you have rock skis, bring'm.

Bromley and Mt Snow will make plenty of snow.

Okemo will have a ton of McTrails meticulously groomed.

Magic and Bromley will not be $$$.

Okemo, Mt Snow and Stratton will be $$$$

Good luck and be sure to post a report on where you went and how it was.
 
A ski bud just sent me a note that he was at Mt Snow last weekend and in his opinion, the snow coverage was spectacular for mid december. He had no complaints at all. The last time I was there was 20 years ago.


I abandonded Okemo when they took the last poma lift out....
 
If you have rock skis, grab them and head to Magic as there is lots of winding, narrow and classic New England trails there. The natural snow base is thin so ski damage is just about certain. Last weekend I skied natural snow trails in So VT and there is enough snow for great skiing.

A back up plan would be to buy a single run ticket at Magic for $10 amd if it is no good head to Bromley or Stratton. I'm not a huge fan of Bromley (admitting this is like being mean to a puppy) as it doesn't offer much variety in my opinion and has crusty snow because of the Southern exposure but I think they have $25 midweek tickets this year, so that is hard to turn down If you have the cash Stratton has a lot of open terrain right and offers a little more variety than Okemo.

Enjoy!
 
Talisman":1spzaqvv said:
If you have rock skis, grab them and head to Magic as there is lots of winding, narrow and classic New England trails there. The natural snow base is thin so ski damage is just about certain. Last weekend I skied natural snow trails in So VT and there is enough snow for great skiing.

A back up plan would be to buy a single run ticket at Magic for $10 amd if it is no good head to Bromley or Stratton. I'm not a huge fan of Bromley (admitting this is like being mean to a puppy) as it doesn't offer much variety in my opinion and has crusty snow because of the Southern exposure but I think they have $25 midweek tickets this year, so that is hard to turn down If you have the cash Stratton has a lot of open terrain right and offers a little more variety than Okemo.

Enjoy!
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Hmm. That's a good point. I'm itching to run with my new skis, but not quite ready to etch them out. Maybe I'll save the natural stuff until a wee bit later in the season (pray for no rain....)

Maybe I'll try Stratton for once. If I don't go now,will it be pretty crowded in high season?
 
how far are you willing to drive? or is your SoVt preference based on where you will be lodging? magic would be rock ski mandatory this time of year with limited terrain (limited in the sense that most sane people won't be dropping red line and master yet :lol: ), but definitely up your alley.
 
how far are you willing to drive?
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If you are thinking about Stratton Burke is only an extra 10 minutes of driving. There are lots of interesting narrow trails there. East Bowl is officially now open. I guarantee that you will not have to wait in line, even this weekend. The mountain just got six inches yesterday and is expecting another six tonight. Many times this drive is actually much shorter than driving to central/southern VT since it is 98% interstate. Route 9 and 100 in Vermont can be torturously slow. You can make it here in roughly 2hrs 45 minutes from Lexington at 70mph. I know that from Lyndonville I can make it to my uncle's house in Winchester in 2 hours 30 minutes.
 
-T, took the words right out of my mouth. i couldn't remember where abous lexington was time wise compared route 2 vs. i93. if stratton, bromley, or magic are indeed in the 2:45 time frame, burke will definitely be similar and is your best bet. it has been snowing a lot up here and burke has a lot open for so early in the season. definitely will be way better coverage than magic.
 
The Northeast Kingdom ain't as far away from Boston as ya' might think. Yeah, Burke. I can make Jay Peak in 3-3.5 hours and I'm a conservative driver. So, within 2-3.5 hours, you can get to Cannon, Burke, Jay Peak which all are ski areas that register acceptable readings on the McScale.

Don't fret too much about time. Remember: ski now, drink caffeinated beverages on the interstate later.
 
boston to jay for speed limit drivers would be closer to 4 hours which pushes the day trip lmit for most people.
 
riverc0il":v1fs7ssw said:
boston to jay for speed limit drivers would be closer to 4 hours which pushes the day trip lmit for most people.
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I used to make it in 3h20m from where I lived in Swampscott each weekend I worked there. Admittedly that was with a very heavy foot, but 15m of that was just to get through Lynn on 129. of course, Burke would be 45m less, and it's nearly entirely on Interstate that follows a pretty straight line door-to-door, so 3h to Burke isn't out of the question.

Frankly, were I in Lexington I'd opt for Burke over SoVT right now, but then again, the original poster is surely fast asleep right now before his ski day tomorrow, so he won't likely read this before departing.

<gloat>
Even thinking about this anymore sure makes me appreciate my 25 min. Alta/Snowbird/Solitude/Brighton/Canyons/Park City/Deer Valley commute time. </gloat> :wink:
 
<gloat>
Even thinking about this anymore sure makes me appreciate my 25 min. Alta/Snowbird/Solitude/Brighton/Canyons/Park City/Deer Valley commute time. </gloat> Wink
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while certainly no comparison to your areas, having two of my favorite areas with a 25 minute drive (cannon and burke) is definitely enjoyable and has it's perks.
 
Admin":251zg975 said:
<gloat>
Even thinking about this anymore sure makes me appreciate my 25 min. Alta/Snowbird/Solitude/Brighton/Canyons/Park City/Deer Valley commute time. </gloat> :wink:
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I also have 4 areas within the 25-30 minutes range. :roll:
 
I'll still take my 5 hours to Mammoth. But admin proves that you can have your cake (quality) and eat it too (convenience).
 
riverc0il":3qvqe4o7 said:
-T, took the words right out of my mouth. i couldn't remember where abous lexington was time wise compared route 2 vs. i93. if stratton, bromley, or magic are indeed in the 2:45 time frame, burke will definitely be similar and is your best bet. it has been snowing a lot up here and burke has a lot open for so early in the season. definitely will be way better coverage than magic.
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Well kids, I'm back. Stratton it was, and it was worth it - separate thread tommorrow - gotta eat and catch up on the familial obligations now.

For those wondering, my ski hat now has 36 pins. Burke came last year. I had not been to stratton before, and one aim in my life is to check out nearly every area I can. So I hit up one or two new ones each year. I'm a wanderer and never would buy a mountain-specific condo or pass, even if I could afford it. I bore too quickly, my weakness...
Tommorrow comes quickly....
 
Glad to hear that you enjoyed your Stratton day. All worked out. :-)

I used to be a wanderer, too, even before creating FTO - logged 118 places and counting. However, and I mean nothing more by saying this than the words indicate, I think your sense of wanderlust comes from not finding the right place. I mean a place where you feel at home, where local knowledge is useful, and a place with enough diversity to keep you entertained. I seldom went anywhere else in the 8 years I patrolled at Jay, and even here...where I have many options literally next door...I'm almost always at two interconnected mountains.
 
I have to disagree with that one. I'm still a wanderer (115 areas and counting) even though I found one of the best (Mammoth, #3) early on.

But living 25 minutes from #1 (Alta/Snowbird) with a season pass might make me think differently. At least for a couple of seasons. But I suspect I would still try to add a few new areas each year.
 
Tony Crocker":97df3jmc said:
I have to disagree with that one. I'm still a wanderer (115 areas and counting) even though I found one of the best (Mammoth, #3) early on.

But living 25 minutes from #1 (Alta/Snowbird) with a season pass might make me think differently. At least for a couple of seasons. But I suspect I would still try to add a few new areas each year.
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You guys are sounding too high end for me. We don't have a Mammouth out east and with my family situation it doesn't look like I'll be moving/visiting west anytime. I don't have the kind of money or time to ski 118 areas, so I'll just have put up with wandering around this dump called the northeast.
 
billski":3fevkhzq said:
You guys are sounding too high end for me. We don't have a Mammouth out east and with my family situation it doesn't look like I'll be moving/visiting west anytime. I don't have the kind of money or time to ski 118 areas, so I'll just have put up with wandering around this dump called the northeast.
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Oh, p'shaw! Note my comments in my original reply regarding my 8 years of contentment at Jay (Peak, Vermont).

The Northeast has wonderfully varied quality skiing available, from the natural-only slopes of Le Valinouët, Québec to learner hills like Sundown, CT. In between, you've got the rugged grandeur of Cannon, the winding classics at Wildcat, the steep Front Four and nearly endless backcountry options at Stowe, and the retro-funk of MRG.

Don't downplay what you have available -- it's all good. It's just a matter of finding what you like, a place where you feel comfortable and at home. Sure, discovery is fun, but so is intimate knowledge. (Geez, I sound like a relationship counselor. :roll: )
 
Admin":3jzk988d said:
billski":3jzk988d said:
You guys are sounding too high end for me. We don't have a Mammouth out east and with my family situation it doesn't look like I'll be moving/visiting west anytime. I don't have the kind of money or time to ski 118 areas, so I'll just have put up with wandering around this dump called the northeast.
Click to expand...

Oh, p'shaw! Note my comments in my original reply regarding my 8 years of contentment at Jay (Peak, Vermont).

The Northeast has wonderfully varied quality skiing available, from the natural-only slopes of Le Valinouët, Québec to learner hills like Sundown, CT. In between, you've got the rugged grandeur of Cannon, the winding classics at Wildcat, the steep Front Four and nearly endless backcountry options at Stowe, and the retro-funk of MRG.

Don't downplay what you have available -- it's all good. It's just a matter of finding what you like, a place where you feel comfortable and at home. Sure, discovery is fun, but so is intimate knowledge. (Geez, I sound like a relationship counselor. :roll: )
Click to expand...

I was displaying a bit of sarcasm. At least you, "Admin" is displaying a bit of moderation. I thought I was in an eastern forum, as I was not interested in engaging in one-upsmanship. It is highly doubtful that I will find a suitable monogamous relationship with any northeast mountain, nor is that necessarily desirable for all comers.

I am afraid I need to go close the doors, it feels chillier in here now.
 
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