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Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!bonnie!wjh
From: wjh@bonnie.UUCP (Bill Hery)
Newsgroups: net.rec.ski
Subject: Re: Skiing New England
Message-ID: <563@bonnie.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 18-Sep-85 13:46:20 EDT
Article-I.D.: bonnie.563
Posted: Wed Sep 18 13:46:20 1985
Date-Received: Thu, 19-Sep-85 05:27:25 EDT
References: <1273@ihlpg.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories, Whippany NJ
Lines: 50

> 
> After skiing Colorado and Utah the past few years, we would 
> like to try the New England area this winter.
> 
> Larry McGuire


From your e-mail address, you seem to be from the Chicago area.  Unless
you are a lover of ice, damp cold air (which feels lots colder than dry
cold air) and crowds, I would stick to Western skiing.  As an Easterner
who grew up on Vermont skiing and who has gone skiing out west for
at least one week per year for the last ten years, I would take western
skiing hands down over eastern skiing every time if they were about the
same cost and effort (which they are for you).  Don't get me wrong, I
still ski Vermont 3-5 weekends per year (depending on snow conditions),
and enjoy it immensely, but ANY of the CO/UT/WY/MN areas I've been to are
much better than ALL of the VT areas.

If you do choose to come anyway (worth doing if you can arrange a
company paid trip to BTL in NJ), here are some suggestions:

The further north (and farther from NYC), the better the crowds.  

For challenging trails, try Stowe, Killington, Sugarbush.  Mt. Snow has
two toughies (debated by some). Stratton hasa  none (again, debatable).
These are the five biggest in VT, but are mid-size by western standards;
Some of the smaller VT areas have a little challenging terrain, and shorter
lift lines, but you might get bored after a few days.  (I often spend a
two day weekend at a smaller area, such as Pico to beat the weekend crowds.)

If the snow is good, there are long lines on weekends everywhere.  Weekdays
are somewhat better; Mon and Fri are variable.  Holiday weeks are the
worst.

Killington is a zoo--I avoid it.  This is purely personal opinion; some
of my friends swear by Killington.  I swear at it.

If you've never skied eastern hardpack, boilerplate and ice, start with
easier trails.  It's harder than it looks, and I've seen some really
good western skiers unable to handle the steep, icy trails.

Snow conditions are variable all year long.  I've had great fresh snow
skiing on Thanksgiving, and other years nothing natural until January.
Major skiu areas have snow-making, but they need help from nature to have 
enough terrain in good shape to handle crowds; also, the man-made snow
tends to ice up more easily than natural snow.  I personally will not
commit to skiing in VT until a few days before I go--too risky.


Good skiing, wherever you decide to go.


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