Most western skiing in East

When my son and I were skiing in the woods at Smuggs earlier this week we both had fekt us reminded us of Steamboat.  The trees there are a mix of pine and birch that was similair to the Boat.



Certainly the Slides feel very Western especially when you need your Avalanche gear.

What other trails or areas feel western to you?

Jay is the only one that comes to mind.

Coach Z wrote

When my son and I were skiing in the woods at Smuggs earlier this week we both had fekt us reminded us of Steamboat.  The trees there are a mix of pine and birch that was similair to the Boat.

Certainly the Slides feel very Western especially when you need your Avalanche gear.

What other trails or areas feel western to you?

I remember a time about 20 years ago when I first visited WF, I was driving up through Keene and Upper Jay and when I got to the point where I could see the mountain I almost slammed on the breaks, what I saw was what looked like a western peak stuck in the middle of NY. That is a memory burned into my mind. However, I would not compare anything in the east to the best of western skiing, there is just no comparison - apples & oranges. Each has their own draw.

I don't have a ton of western experience, but nothing I've skied in the east reminds me of the west.  The trees are so far apart in the places I've been out west (Summit County, Tahoe) that not even Jay comes close to that.  Plus there weren't many kinds of deciduous trees at least that I saw.

Like the east there must be a wide variety of skiing in the west so comparing the two sides probably isn't a simple matter.

There have been some mornings at Hunter after they blew snow all night and blew it dry that the conditions felt westernlike according to my dad who has skied out west when he was my age.  I'd say the Whiteface summit when it isn't icy could feel westernlike since it is so high up compared to most other mountains.

Harvey wrote

I don't have a ton of western experience, but nothing I've skied in the east reminds me of the west.  The trees are so far apart in the places I've been out west (Summit County, Tahoe) that not even Jay comes close to that.  Plus there weren't many kinds of deciduous trees at least that I saw.

Like the east there must be a wide variety of skiing in the west so comparing the two sides probably isn't a simple matter.

+1 Exactly
Skiing out west means wide open powder bowls/trails and trees that are really far apart and really good packed powder and pow conditions. Honestly the most west coast skiing experience you will get is EXACTLY THE OPPOSITE OF JAY PEAK. That's pure EC as you can get quite frankly. Cold, windy, wind affected snow with little snow on the trails and super tight trees.

Snow ridge is about the most west coast type(minus the vertical obviously and way less acreage) of skiing you'll get since you can get deep pow on wide trails. But in all honesty you can't compare west coast to east coast. West coast is far superior unless you love ice and trees so tight you can barely move.

Comparing west to the east is like comparing the 2014 playboy playmate to 1960 playmate RIGHT NOW.

Coach Z wrote

When my son and I were skiing in the woods at Smuggs earlier this week we both had fekt us reminded us of Steamboat.  The trees there are a mix of pine and birch that was similair to the Boat.



Certainly the Slides feel very Western especially when you need your Avalanche gear.

What other trails or areas feel western to you?

That looks good for cross country skiing, not downhill. Ie It would be nice for a relaxing slow glide through the woods. But I'd rather have a narrow trail for that, not dodging trees
I don't for the life of me understand the allure of steep tree skiing where the trees are so tight you can barely move. It's ridiculous. At least thin them out.
If you want to take the risk of actual good tree downhill skiing(I wouldn't) then go after this




As tight as you'll get on the wc in Pacific NW/BC

Harvey wrote

I don't have a ton of western experience, but nothing I've skied in the east reminds me of the west.  The trees are so far apart in the places I've been out west (Summit County, Tahoe) that not even Jay comes close to that.  Plus there weren't many kinds of deciduous trees at least that I saw.

Like the east there must be a wide variety of skiing in the west so comparing the two sides probably isn't a simple matter.

Correct, the trees are very different. You don't usually have hardwoods, Aspens - yes, oaks - no. The snow is usually very different as well. Even hiking to a slide in the east is different, the snow is usually more dense and you can have a pure ice layer underneath. But in the west you have highly exposed summits whereas in the east the exposure may only be several hundred feet of vertical. Western high elevation snow is dryer. Eastern snow is denser. As a buddy of mine once said, in the west it's all about getting the face shots, in the east it's all about limiting the core shots.

PeeTex wrote

 The snow is usually very different as well. Even hiking to a slide in the east is different, the snow is usually more dense and you can have a pure ice layer underneath. But in the west you have highly exposed summits whereas in the east the exposure may only be several hundred feet of vertical. Western high elevation snow is dryer. Eastern snow is denser. As a buddy of mine once said, in the west it's all about getting the face shots, in the east it's all about limiting the core shots.

Again not true. Ever heard of sierra cement? Or the pacific NW with it's very wet snow. Wet snow can be a ton of fun. Every type of snow if found out west.

Thankfully you didn't say MC but Hunter won't be compared to western skiing by anyone else.

Smuggs and Steamboat both gave a somewhat unique mix of pine and birch (aspens)

I've skied some tight trees in the west as well

Mountain Creek is what it is.  A close by ski area that's of a decent size.  It's never been anything like the west and never will be, although I have gotten more powder days there than anywhere because I live close.

Once we were in Aspen it was frozen granular and Highlands reminded us of Whiteface. Then it snowed for the next three days and there was powder. It was nice:)

Snowfields at Sugarloaf, Mount Washington, Chic Chocs (it looks like)

Although, to be fair, every time it snows more than 15" or so and it's somewhat light, it reminds me slightly of skiing out west. The trails are Pow, and then that nice, cut up pow (that people call "tracked out", but I call "soft"), bumps form, it doesn't hurt to fall, etc.

Mmmmmm.... Snow....

mattchuck2 wrote

Snowfields at Sugarloaf, Mount Washington, Chic Chocs (it looks like)

Although, to be fair, every time it snows more than 15" or so and it's somewhat light, it reminds me slightly of skiing out west. The trails are Pow, and then that nice, cut up pow (that people call "tracked out", but I call "soft"), bumps form, it doesn't hurt to fall, etc.

Mmmmmm.... Snow....

I have not been to Sugarloaf but I forgot to mention Mt Washington. Algonquin has a western feel to it sometimes.
Maybe when this drought is over we will see those conditions again.

I always thought Stowe had a more west like skiing experience. At least on a powder day.

Katahdin looks really bad ass. The approach and harsh weather makes it an even more worthy goal. To put it all together and have good skiing conditions seems like it's comparable to spotting a purple unicorn pooping out rainbow colored gum balls.

I also agree with the Coach, Smuggs has some very interesting terrain and some well spaced trees. That top portion of FIS is really steep, the Madonna liftline is probably the coolest ski run in the east, and Robins run is a classic New England trail. The Doc Dempsey Glade is cool as hell.

Of course there is Mount Washington and the Chic Chocs look rad too.

What about Marble Mountain in Newfoundland? That place looks interesting.

Hows about Franconia Notch? I would think there are some interesting descents of Lafayette and into the notch. Maybe it doesn't get enough snow, I wouldn't know. I have only skied Tucks in the Live Free or Die state.

As some one else mentioned tho, anywhere with fresh snow and some trails/areas with 1000 vert or more of good sustained pitch (as in 32 degrees or greater) would be a fantastic skiing experience. East or west, who cares? You are skiing powder and with enough vert to get into that white room groove. What else could you want? Well.....then there is the other stuff. But that experience is for places like Jackson, Squaw, and LCC, it would be hard to find an experience like that in east. Then again, you can always hope to find that purple unicorn.

PowderAssassin wrote

Skiing out west means wide open powder bowls/trails and trees that are really far apart and really good packed powder and pow conditions.

I can't speak from a lot of experience (JHMR & GT only) but I found that the worst aspect of skiing out west were the bowls. The best skiing I found were the steeper chutes that dump into the bowls (which resulted in tedious run outs). Again, that is pretty limited experience but I suspect it can be extrapolated. But that also speaks to the type of skiing experience I enjoy.

Which leads me to my most surprising find is that there is some damn good tree skiing out there. Not just the wide open tall trees... but mildly tight tree skiing as well. Several times at JHMR, I thought to myself "I feel right at home in these trees". For me, skiing out west means chutes and trees, not wide open bowls. But it just demonstrates something you don't seem to understand... people ski for different reasons and enjoy different things.

All that said, I don't really think any eastern area feels "western". The biggest difference I found (not applicable to all western areas, I am sure) is that feeling of openness and lack of trail definition. A very very limited number of eastern areas have some limited "slackcountry" options that capture the feel, but for very limited vertical near treeline. The Presidentials, Katahdin, and Chic Chocs are the closest you can get earning turns but that is self evident.

Smuggs is home to some of the best tree skiing in the east, one of my absolute favorites for sure. But from my limited experience, it is no more western than the trees at any of my other favorite areas. Lots of nice Birch trees but western skiing it is not. I think Coach referenced enjoying Doc Dempsey's at Smuggs in another post but that run skis more like a travesty to me than an open western tree run. I haven't skied Smuggs for long but I can tell that trail has lost a lot of trees over the years.

i had a day at hickory that compared to utah snow wise.  a light fluffy snowfall, 22 inches that was waist deep in spots. resort wise nothing i have skied out west compares to here. we have some tight areas in the trees i have not found that out west

I think the scenery of WF, Mansfield, the Whites and Maine gives those areas a western feel. Some of the western NY glades are really far apart actually. I know some birch glades that are quite western/far eastern residing in VT.

What we really need is a "Most Mountain Creek-Like Area in the West", so I know where to stay away from.

Park City is the MC of Utah.  Some iof the LA areas like Big Bear are probably MC west.

What's the most eastern-like western ski area?