Anyone Skied Attitash or Wildcat?

Considering getting the Noreaster pass next year which includes Hunter, Mount Snow, Jack Frost, Big Boulder, Crotched, Attitash, and Wildcat.  Obviously Hunter would be the primary destination and I have skied Mount Snow and I like it a lot.

Have no interest in Jack Frost, Big Boulder, or Crotched as they are small, crowded, urban ski areas.  Too similar to Mountain Creek.

Attitash and Wildcat are relatively close to each other and could be skied in the same trip.  From what I've heard of, Wildcat has really good sustained vertical.  Attitash has narrow winding "New England style" runs on the Attitash side and wide open groomers on the Bear Peak side.  Are they worth the trip to possibly knock out some new mountains?

I liked Attitash. Wildcat is awesome.

http://nyskiblog.com/attitash-nh-groomers-and-trees/

http://nyskiblog.com/wildcat-nh-location-location-location/

What Harvey said. Reports from the same trip, from my perspective:

http://jonnyjay.blogspot.com/2012/02/nsbs-20-day-two-awesomeness-at-attitash.html

http://jonnyjay.blogspot.com/2012/02/nsbs-20-day-three-leap-day-at-wildcat.html

Unless something extremely crazy has recently happened to the Bennington/Francestown area, Crotched is definitely not "urban" lol. Though it is only 1000 vertical or so, it is serviced by a high speed quad and has solid cruising. I haven't been in a while but I don't think it would ever qualify as a crowded mountain. It competes with the Wachusett and Pat's Peak market but it doesn't do nearly the same volume.

You would appreciate Wildcat as you can get 2000 vert top to bottom with one of the fastest HSQs in the northeast. Grand views as well. Conditions deteriorate rapidly on the upper mountain due to the limited number of trails coming off the summit and high volume of skiers. Wildcat was once my favorite mountain many years ago. If any mountain can show off both the advantages and weaknesses of a HSQ at the same time, it is certainly Wildcat...

I suspect you may like Attitash more. Though be warned that the summit triple to Attitash's peak is one of the slowest and longest top to bottom lifts in the northeast. Bear Peak has a top to bottom HSQ with wide open cruisers, you'll love it. Attitash has steeper trails, Wildcat is on the mellow side for pitch. Attitash also has more options for a groomer focused skier though T2B at Wildcat is quite a rush on any of their half dozen or so groomed T2B routes.

Attitash has not been getting much love from the parent company lately as they moved early opening to Wildcat. But once they start laying down the man made (later than they used), they do go all out. Neither has fancy base lodges but many appreciate the old school charm. Excepting a few runs at Bear Peak, most of the trails at both mountains are narrower than average for New England areas. A pair of New England classics for sure.

Crowded or not, Crotched is too small for me to drive hours and hours to ski it.  

I do know about the Summit Triple being very long and slow.  Maybe Peak Resorts will take some of Hunter's revenue to replace it this summer.  I guess it limits the number of people on the trails though, which could be a good thing for narrow trails.

I'm well aware of the speed of the Wildcat HSQ.  It runs at 1,100 fpm every day it operates.  If it can't run full speed, they just shut it down.  They market it as the fastest lift in NH.  The Bluebird Express at Mount Snow runs the same speed.  Long runs off high speed lifts are always a good thing in my book.

snoloco wrote

Crowded or not, Crotched is too small for me to drive hours and hours to ski it.

If it's free though and on the way to where you are going it might be a cool stop for a half day. 1k vert of skiing is kind of my mark for possible quality.

If you were core you would stop there just to check it off some list and tell everyone about it.

RA:  Since it's free, if I pass by it I might have to stop by.  Plus, they have night skiing till 3am on Saturdays and Sundays.  That would make me really core to ski at 3am.  Would need to stay on-mountain to do that though.

I may just try to visit all the Noreaster Pass resorts since they're all free.  I have a few friends who've been to JFBB and liked it.  Just not easy to drive past Mountain Creek to ski an even smaller mountain that's likely just as crowded.

Rivercoil:  All Attitash pass products are valid at Wildcat and Crotched and the same is true with Wildcat pass products.  For Crotched, one can buy either the Crotched-only pass, Granite Pass (Crotched, Attitash, Wildcat) or the full Noreaster pass (all Northeast Peak Resorts ski areas).

Since Attitash and Wildcat are just down the road from one another, it makes sense to consolidate early/late season operations at one mountain and focus on quality over quantity.  Their lift tickets are also priced exactly the same and are valid at both mountains (similar to Whiteface and Gore).

Pitch a tent in the parking lot for extra GNAR points!

snoloco wrote

Crowded or not, Crotched is too small for me to drive hours and hours to ski it.  

I do know about the Summit Triple being very long and slow.  Maybe Peak Resorts will take some of Hunter's revenue to replace it this summer.  I guess it limits the number of people on the trails though, which could be a good thing for narrow trails.

I'm well aware of the speed of the Wildcat HSQ.  It runs at 1,100 fpm every day it operates.  If it can't run full speed, they just shut it down.  They market it as the fastest lift in NH.  The Bluebird Express at Mount Snow runs the same speed.  Long runs off high speed lifts are always a good thing in my book.

Dude is a skiing robot, I am now convinced.

Why do we even bother trying to be helpful? Harvey and I dug deep and sent you some good information. River clearly put some thought and time into his post. You're fucking welcome.

I was there one day, midweek so what do I know.

I just thought.. the views were awesome and I LOVED that long cruiser on skiers right.

Snow was marginal that year everywhere.

snoloco wrote

  Plus, they have night skiing till 3am on Saturdays and Sundays.  That would make me really core to ski at 3am.  Would need to stay on-mountain to do that though.

 
I don't think 3 AM skiing scores many GNAR points, it makes you sort of "soft core" which is ok I guess.

Now ski at 3 AM naked and on acid...well then kid you might just be on your way to becoming a legend.

God speed Sno....god speed.

raisingarizona wrote

snoloco wrote

  Plus, they have night skiing till 3am on Saturdays and Sundays.  That would make me really core to ski at 3am.  Would need to stay on-mountain to do that though.

 
I don't think 3 AM skiing scores many GNAR points, it make you sort of "soft core" which is ok I guess.

Now ski at 3 AM naked and on acid...well then kid you might just be on your way to becoming a legend.

God speed Sno....god speed.

The mind boggles. Post of the year, RA, well done.

Read all 4 reports.  Both places look great.  Thanks for digging them up and posting them.

My dad also wants to ski Bretton Woods.  It isn't on the Noreaster Pass, but is in the same general area.  Maybe I could get 4 new mountains on one trip.

snoloco wrote

Rivercoil:  All Attitash pass products are valid at Wildcat and Crotched and the same is true with Wildcat pass products.  For Crotched, one can buy either the Crotched-only pass, Granite Pass (Crotched, Attitash, Wildcat) or the full Noreaster pass (all Northeast Peak Resorts ski areas).

Since Attitash and Wildcat are just down the road from one another, it makes sense to consolidate early/late season operations at one mountain and focus on quality over quantity.  Their lift tickets are also priced exactly the same and are valid at both mountains (similar to Whiteface and Gore).

I am familiar with the pass/pricing options. Some history... when the parent company bought Wildcat, they kept early season focus at Attitash. Wildcat got quite shafted and didn't see much infrastructure improvements. It kind of made sense given the bed base was at Attitash. Two years ago, Wildcat blew out their snowmaking system and the parent company invested heavily into the Kitty's snowmaking system. Wildcat now has top notch snowmaking gear in addition to its already substantial elevation. Only problem is it doesn't have a mid-mountain lift to the summit so they need to open top to bottom. Last season, they knocked it out of the park and tied for first to open honors. This year... not so much. Hard to go top to bottom even with the best snowmaking tech when the weather doesn't cooperate. Of course it makes sense to consolidate early season at one mountain when guests are limited. It was surprising that they would move to the mountain that is a short drive from their bed base instead of trying to get ski in/ski option going ASAP. I am not complaining... I'd rather ski Wildcat than Attitash and Wildcat offered one of the best early season options I've ever skied last season. But again... they can't do that every year as even though they have a high base elevation for New England, they still need to go top to bottom on 2k vert which isn't easy without very favorable weather conditions.

Attitash doesn't have a summit lift that starts at mid mountain either.  That's why Killington and Sunday River will always win the early season race.  Attitash has the bed base because they were owned by ASC at one point and that's why they got all the hotels and condos.  Wildcat was open into May last year and they've said that their goal is to be the first to open and last to close in NH.

Thanks for the info in your previous post in this thread.  The opinion of both places seems pretty good.  Wasn't sure what everyone would think.

snoloco wrote

Read all 4 reports.  Both places look great.  Thanks for digging them up and posting them.

My dad also wants to ski Bretton Woods.  It isn't on the Noreaster Pass, but is in the same general area.  Maybe I could get 4 new mountains on one trip.

You just need to add Cannon and Loon and then you'll have skied all the good major areas in NH (Waterville slam fully intended). Bretton Woods is quite flat but is ideal for someone that wants easy laid back wide open cruising. Knock off 10-20% pitch off Mount Snow and remove the high quality north peak area, then add a few more glades, and you have Bretton. Unlike Mount Snow, the base area isn't a zoo, though. One of the better base lodges in the state. Just like Wildcat, amazing views of the Presidentials but more of a grand scale instead of the in yo' face of Wildcat. Probably a good place to learn to ski low angle glades but not my cup of tea. Long runs and low angle cruising paradise. Bretton seems to get the most natural snow in NH even though it is vertically challenged compared to many of NH's areas that hit 4k summit elevation (only 3k summit at BW).

If I'm in the area I'd just soon skip em all and hit my Washington

Attitash - yes
Wildcat - yes
Bretton Woods for your pop - yes
Stay in North Conway  and make sure you ski Black and Cranmore. They are worth it.

Sick Bird Rider wrote

raisingarizona wrote

snoloco wrote

  Plus, they have night skiing till 3am on Saturdays and Sundays.  That would make me really core to ski at 3am.  Would need to stay on-mountain to do that though.

 
I don't think 3 AM skiing scores many GNAR points, it make you sort of "soft core" which is ok I guess.

Now ski at 3 AM naked and on acid...well then kid you might just be on your way to becoming a legend.

God speed Sno....god speed.

The mind boggles. Post of the year, RA, well done.

raisingarizona wrote

I don't think 3 AM skiing scores many GNAR points, it make you sort of "soft core" which is ok I guess.

Now ski at 3 AM naked and on acid...well then kid you might just be on your way to becoming a legend.

God speed Sno....god speed.

I like your style, brother! Have you ever actually tried riding while tripping? I can't imagine it would go too well. I prefer gods own medicinal herbs myself. I have never tried night riding, open till 3 am sounds zany!