Skiers

[bassballer]

Originally Posted by blondterror

this one is for Nightfighter...

we went out to Steamboat many moons ago with Ted & Dave Cooke (Marblehood ski/sail family) and Eric Leafquist (A Laser sailing friend) and this was taken during a great day on the hill..


Nothing like a cold brewski after a day of skiing... they go down real smooth...

Look at those sweaters! Vintage. I like it.

[MikeD]

Hahahaha, the Stowe vs. Jay debate. I agree with Bass baller just becasue I know where to go at Stowe, but Jay has the goods. Their are lines under the Tram that are world class. Have heard people swear by sugarloaf in ME too. I've never been.

[bassballer]

Digging this mountain talk.

Ive been to the loaf once but the snowfields were closed.

Jay is my 2nd favorite mountain in the east. Ive just had alot of good pow days at Stowe, just getting lost in the woods. Man im itching to ride.

[blondterror]

few more pictures to keep the ski juices flowin...


me skiing Nosedive when I was @ UVM... some great woods skiing off Nosedive!


Top of Pallavicini at Arapahoe basin... great local area that is mostly above treeline... flat light and no trees make it hard to see the bumps!

View from Imperial lift @ Breckenridge... 13,000 feet at summit then hike up to get to the back country access... hike up slowly at that elevation ... you feel it in your lungs!

[blondterror]

Originally Posted by bassballer

Ive been to Jay. Tree riding at Jay was good. But i just think the hiking and backcountry at stowe is better.

The woods skiing off Nosedive and Goat can be excellent...

[MikeD]

That picture of your crew at Steamboat is a classic. The ski sweater really needs to make a comeback. I've got a great pair of old CB stretch pants with the padded shins that would look lovely with a sweater like that for a retro day.

You ever stay at the Brighton Lodge in Big Cottonwood, its right at the base next to Molly's. You can do it real cheap. We stayed there last year. Place is as bare bones as it gets but you ski, get wings and pitchers at Molly's, walk to your bed, roll out of bed right on to first chair. Its a great set up if your not looking for the Deer Valley experience.

[bassballer]

Most underated small mountain VT....Bolton valley. Great woods skiing, always gets pounded with snow, nice natural terrain for drops, and stuff. Good park too. We usually shoot sat morning hit bolton for the day, then head up and stay in stowe and ride stowe sunday.

We should start a whole different thread for apres!

[MikeD]

Again my stowe bias. I love the Matterhorn good drafts and good food. Rusty Nail can be fun as well. When I'm at Sugarbush we'll do a quick one at the Castlerock pub then head back to the pub at the hyde away. Good vibe in there. Play good tunes, can shoot pool, and chow wings.

[blondterror]

ah hah.. The Matterhorn and the rusty nail are booth great Stowe bars.. always remember plenty of Foxy babes at those bars... I also like both the Blue tooth at sugarbush (gone now) and Gallaghers in waitsfield (also gone). Gallaghers used to have dime beers on friday nights (and great Foosball) when I was in college... a few yrs ago.. we used to go night skiing at Bolton... they get a lot of snow there... we also used to XC ski between Bolton and Stowe in Feb (big snowpack)( on a perfect bluebird day... great trail and views...

We used to stay at Goldminer's daughter.. the least expensive place at the base of Alta... we were there 3-4 days before one of the wings blew up in a propane explosion.. I remember telling my wife... I smell propane.. blast was midday.. only one chambermaid hurt...

[bassballer]

Great nights at the rusty nail. Sat night get nuts there, and good bands. Matthorns at all the mountains are good. and of course the pickle barrel kicks ass too.

Theres a mexican place at stowe called ritas that is killer!

The moat in north conway is good too.

[tysdad115]

I would be up if time /finances allow. Tyler is real interested in learning to snow board. I haven't been on my skis in 13 years or so. I used to go a ton, 25-30 times a year all over Maine,VT,NH..then I did a 10 day trip to Lake Louise in Canada and followed that with 5 days at Snowbird/Alta.Those places totally ruined what skiing used to be. Real mountains ,unbelievable conditions. I haven't skied since then, couldn't stand the "Ski here/Dont ski here" attitude of the local mountains. Lost my lift ticket a few times and outran patrol a few more. Horrendous lift lines and general a-hole people ruined skiing for me in New England.

[MarshCappa]

I'm loving this thread!!!! great to see we got some die hards here on SB! Doesn't surprise me. IMO my favorite mountain is the one I'm skiing that particular day. I've ski'd 90% of the mountains mentioned in this thread and have had some great experiences. Here's my East vs West rankings:

West

1. Whistler/Blackcomb, I did a trip in 99' out there and almost didn't come home I liked it so much. Hit Mt. Baker in WA on the drive from Seattle and had an epic day. They broke the world record that year for measurable snowfall at a ski resort.

2. A-Basin
3. Copper
4. Snow Bird
5. Winter Park/Mary Jane
5. Park City
6. Steamboat
7. Park City
8. The Canyons


East

1. Jay Peak
2. Sugarbush
3. Cannon(it's my mountain and should be #1)
4. Wildcat
5. Sugarloaf
6. Sunday River
7. Stowe(should be higher I know but I've only ski'd it twice)
8. Magic(some sick stuff under the lifts if there's snow)

Tuckermans is really number 1 but it's not a resort or lift served so i didn't rank it. I used to do an anual pilgrimage in April/May and have ski'd the lip, left gully, and hillmans each a few times. I wouldn't consider it now unless I get in better shape.

I stay away from the Loons, Cranmor's, Attitash's, Killington's(not Pico),Mt. Snow's, and Bretton Woods of the worlds as there are generally just too many people there who don't know what's going on. Burke is on my to do list. My friend who I stay with in Lincoln went a couple of times last season and really liked it. No crowds and good terrain though he did mention the lifts are less to be desired. Sadly i have never ski'd Mad River and that is just a shame because I know I would love it.

Sounds like we have the makings for a decent crew. We should coordinate something this year. My soon to be 7 year old really made head way last year and we were skiing blue's together which blew me away!

[blondterror]

Speaking on the Matterhorn @ Stowe... here is a great family shot taken from Zermatt about 20 yrs ago... me, wife Martha, my BIL Jack, and my sister Betsy.... we had a blast no fresh snow but a week of sun...


And the Pickle Barrel keeps going strong after so many years... classic ski bar

[MarshCappa]

1st pic is me making a double chair look like a single at A-Basin 6 years ago. 2nd is my accomadations at Winter Park! I always manage to attract the dogs!!! 3rd is the Mary Jane mid mountain lodge! God I have to get back there!!! My friends own a condo out there and live in RI so if anyone wants a great CO rental let me know.

[MarshCappa]

Originally Posted by blondterror

Speaking on the Matterhorn @ Stowe... here is a great family shot taken from Zermatt about 20 yrs ago... me, wife Martha, my BIL Jack, and my sister Betsy.... we had a blast no fresh snow but a week of sun...


And the Pickle Barrel keeps going strong after so many years... classic ski bar

GREAT PICS!!!!!!!!

[blondterror]

need to add a few to your Western ski areas:

Beaver Creek (Birds of Prey is amazing)
Vail (incredible variety and the back bowls are huge)
Jackson Hole..(plenty of steep and cool chutes)
Alta similar to Snowbird but like MRG ... no snowboards allowed
Aspen the original ski town... great terrain and even better nightlife

[tysdad115]

How about a Longest/Coldest lift ride...mines easy. The olympic double chair at Lake Louise in Banff. The absolute coldest half hour ride of my life, but it took us to a great spot where another half hour hike brought you to the top of some nice steep drops.

[MarshCappa]

Originally Posted by blondterror

need to add a few to your Western ski areas:

Beaver Creek (Birds of Prey is amazing)
Vail (incredible variety and the back bowls are huge)
Jackson Hole..(plenty of steep and cool chutes)
Alta similar to Snowbird but like MRG ... no snowboards allowed
Aspen the original ski town... great terrain and even better nightlife

Oh I'm sure of that! So many I haven't been too. When I was at Park City following the olympic year Brighton was on my to do list but never got checked off. I opted for another day at Snow Bird instead which I don't regret.

Anybody here ever ski in Alaska?

[blondterror]

Lake Louise & Sunshine are 2 areas that I want to check out... I went on my (summer) honeymoon to that area and Jasper and it is so beautiful... we did stay one night at the Lake Louise hotel... the mountains ... 30 minute chairlift ride is a friggin long ride... if it was cold and windy I can see that would be wicked ... I bet you were glad to hike to warm up...

I remember some very cold chairlift rides at both Stowe (when they had the single chair and blankets) and Mad River... I miss the chair blankets

[MikeD]

the Zermatt photo looks like an ad for Vuarnet Cateye Sunglasses! Thats an awesome shot.

Love the rankings MarshCappa, I need to see Jackson Hole on that west coast list. But everyone has had experiences at different mountains that make them feel a certain way. I need to get to A-Basin. I've heard Magic is an excellent mountain with a good core group of diehards. I fell in love with Cannon last season. Got up there right after both big NorEasters. Wish they hadnt opened that Mittersill chair. That hike was a piece of cake and you could just lap soft snow and cut out early back to the lifts. Now it seems to get chopped up early and some people shouldnt have access to natural terrain. Also a great call by Bassballer on Bolton, place is way underrated.

I'm way to giddy right now. I'm putting my ski boots on when I get home.

[Rockport24]

don't do too much skiing anymore, but always do two weekends a season and one is always at Sugarloaf, which is a great mountain. the snowfields are never open, but we got on them this past year for the first time in like 6 years and it was pretty damn cool, but I am just so spoiled by groomed terrain it was a challenge for sure.

[tysdad115]

I recommend checking out LL and Sunshine Chris. There is a reason why its usually voted #1 in scenery. Absolutely beautiful out there. I never hit the hot springs, as we opted for a night out in Calgary..but we wont talk about that.

[Sea Dangles]

Bolton is a lot of fun,great little mountain.
Put Smugs on that list too,Robins Run makes a day,under the ropes for that one.
Saddleback in Maine is also worth the trip,Doc Dempseys is memorable.

[HanoverStriper]

I went to Norwich (for a year) and skied Sugarbush and Stowe a lot. Later in life I taught full time at a resort in WV for 3 years (Snowshoe), and then 2 years at Okemo. Blew out my ACL and MCL in 2000, and made a lifestyle change. Don't get out as much as I would like to now, but would love to do a day trip or two.

Been to A-Basin, Breck, Vail, and Copper. Got to get back out west at some point.

[l.i.fish.in.vt]

Blood terror,spent a few dollars on dimies at the blue tooth back in the day.little jealous of those that can get out west,in 45 years of skiing only skied out west 2 times,both at Squaw .as far as the east i am partial to the MRV,Sugarbush and Mad River.when the kids raced i skied most of the areas in northern Vt and i have to say that conditions are usually better in the Vall;ey than any were else other than Jay.plus i think the layout at Sugarbush and MRG are the most user freindly.i hate to say it but tree skiing as gotten to the point that there are more tracks to be had on the trails than in the woods.skied at Smuggs in 74 and 75 when i was at St Mikes, gets a little crowded for my taste,don't like waiting in lines.that is the great thing about coaching on the weekends,can use the ski school line with no waiting and just no spot burning,seeing people sliding down your line in the woods is as bad as people casting over your line fishing.

[blondterror]

the Zermatt photo looks like an ad for Vuarnet Cateye Sunglasses! Thats an awesome shot.


My sister Betsy lived in Paris for about 5 yrs in the early 80s back when the Vuarnet's were hot and the exchange rate for the $ vs the Franc was great...

I still have pair of Cateyes... they are wicked good on the water... clouds look great and no glare..

I bought a pair of race grade Rossi (ST650s) for $100 US in Paris went out to lunch at a Vietnamese place and then picked up skis with bindings already mounted .. we took a train from Paris to Zermatt that night... Those were the days when the $ was worth something... but the Swiss/US currency exchange was not as good

[nightfighter]

Family did a Zermatt christmas in 1971, because my sister was an exchange student in England. Awesome time. Free reign of the mountains all day, clubbing at night, 14 years old and could drink...First memories of being buzzed. I would take off in the morning with lunch in a pack and come ski back into town at dark. Can't believe my parents let me do that.... Lifts there could have you almost ten miles from town. I went everywhere I could find on the maps. Some locals in their late teens or twenties took me to some of their favorite areas. All I could do to keep up, but I thought I was the catsazz... Met a lot of people, none were American. No cars or trucks in town back then. All horse drawn sleighs. Played a game for the local youth hockey team while I was there too. Thanks for posting that pic, Chris. It jarred a lot of forgotten stuff. Some of my best memories of time with my father from that trip. Good times. Simpler times.

[bassballer]

Originally Posted by Sea Dangles

Bolton is a lot of fun,great little mountain.
Put Smugs on that list too,Robins Run makes a day,under the ropes for that one.
Saddleback in Maine is also worth the trip,Doc Dempseys is memorable.

Yup. Took the trip to saddleback last year. Top ten riding day I've ever had. Hiked to muleskinner from the top with a foot of fresh. Tough trail lots of rock drops.
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

[bassballer]

Oh and this thread kicks ass
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

[blondterror]

Ross- we have some great memories from our spring ski trip to Zermatt... my sister brought her Fox terrier.. in Europe people bring dogs to restaurants all the time... he would get bones brought to him from the wait staff... he left and went bar hopping ... we found him down the street in a bar about an hour later... we would stop at an on mt pub called Otmars on our last run and drink and sing till it was dark.. then you put your skis back on and ski down bobsled like trails into the village laughing the whole way down.. here is a pic of what may be Otmars or a lunch spot on the mt... we also skied over to Cervenia (Italy) for lunch one day