Most western skiing in East

It was the insurance companies that tried to killed it...but it didn't die and came back stronger than ever...
I think there was tree skiing at Mad River early on  just sayin

Jesus Christ man let it go, get some meds, something. Is there anything about skiing/riding in the east that doesn't get your panties in a bunch? Anything?

Even casual browsers of this forum know how you feel on just about every topic on here, we get it. Go ski some wide blue trails at a moderate speed and stfu about it.

 

I think, in the 1930s, Raymond Brook was on the map at Gore.  Back then it was probably more of a trail than glade.  Still I would call it good tree skiing.

In the traditional sense I guess (?) Gore's tree skiing has improved most in the last 10-20 years.  Charlie and crew get a lot of credit for it IMO.

Yeah.  And Killington and a bunch of other places had it early on too.  I don't think the insurance companies tried to kill it either.  Early on, with 1980s gear, it was pretty self selecting.  You couldn't fake your way thru as easy.

I wouldn't trade Gore's trees (or Mad Rivers) for Okemo's obvi....just pointing out that the places the pow ass holds up as catering to the masses (aren't they asses too?) with wide trails also were growing some tree skiers too

Harvey wrote

I think, in the 1930s, Raymond Brook was on the map at Gore.  Back then it was probably more of a trail than glade.  Still I would call it good tree skiing.

In the traditional sense I guess (?) Gore's tree skiing has improved more in the last 10-20 years.  Charlie and crew get a lot of credit for it IMO.

+1 for Chuck and the gang

I don't think those 1930s skiers were slaloming between trees on their gear.  But they were still rugged.

Having grown up skiing on it (and Sunday River) I'm biased, but I'd say Sugarloaf is the only mountain out east that approaches a west coast experience, in part due to true bowls above the tree line, as well as the addition of the glade only Burnt mountain, making the Loaf now the largest ski area in the east. http://www.sugarloaf.com/the-mountain/burnt-mountain

Mind you I have not skied Jay Peak, which I hear also approximates west coast skiing. (I base my western estimates on visits to Jackson Hole, Squaw Valley, Snowbird, Beaver Creek, Steamboat, Park City, Canyons, A-Basin, and Keystone.)

I'd add that Gore, which I just visited this week for the first time (and liked a lot, despite the need for more snow), could simulate the Park City experience with further development of the North Creek Bowl. One of the cool things about Park City is being able to ski into the city for lunch. The combination of Gore's glades (a la Steamboat) and the (potential) ability to ski directly into town (a la Park City, Telluride) make Gore a contender for western-ish, though seems like some more marketing and integrated development (e.g., better train timing from NYC including rail to slopes option, which I'm certain would be very popular among NYC residents; more food choices; more apres ski options on and near mountain), could make the mountain more popular.

sudsnbumps wrote

It was the insurance companies that tried to killed it...but it didn't die and came back stronger than ever...
I think there was tree skiing at Mad River early on  just sayin

I wonder why the insurance companies would want to get rid of it? Oh yeah more injuries and potential deaths/head injuries= increased liability. DUH....

brooklynrob wrote

Mind you I have not skied Jay Peak, which I hear also approximates west coast skiing. (I base my western estimates on visits to Jackson Hole, Squaw Valley, Snowbird, Beaver Creek, Steamboat, Park City, Canyons, A-Basin, and Keystone.)

I can ASSURE YOU. Jay peak is NOTHING like western areas like jackson hole, snowbird ect. It's super tight tree skiing with tremendous amounts of wind.....IT'S AMAZING THE MARKETING JOB JAY PEAK HAS MANAGED TO PULL. Guys from nyc ect actually think it's a powder western like experience. Got to give them kudos for that slight of hand! But hey if you believe 355 inches of average snow just like telluride than why not? LOL!!

Rob, just go on google maps and look sattelite view of snowbird and then do the same with jay peak....LOL You'll have your answer.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!RESPONSE TO POST BELOW ......HEY COACH Z....YOU'RE SUCH A LITTLE LEAGUE DAD. STOP TRYING TO LIVE THROUGH YOUR SON IN SOME IMAGINARY NON EXISTENT SKIING CAREER AND JUST LET HIM HAVE FUN. If you know how to ski well and have done some racing and are good, a little kid simply doesn't have the strength to out ski a grown man no matter the child's talent level. Get over it...

That kid in the photo skis 100 days a yr and can ski circles around you from the trees to a super G

I think Jay's trees are more open than tree skiing at many other EC areas.  Your comment just highlights your lack of skiing ability.

Is it just me or is _ _ getting worse ? Geeze !

I think we should banish PA and bring Noah back

He lacks anything positive everytime he posts.

brooklynrob wrote

Having grown up skiing on it (and Sunday River) I'm biased, but I'd say Sugarloaf is the only mountain out east that approaches a west coast experience, in part due to true bowls above the tree line, as well as the addition of the glade only Burnt mountain, making the Loaf now the largest ski area in the east. http://www.sugarloaf.com/the-mountain/burnt-mountain
...
I'd add that Gore, which I just visited this week for the first time (and liked a lot, despite the need for more snow), could simulate the Park City experience with further development of the North Creek Bowl. One of the cool things about Park City is being able to ski into the city for lunch. The combination of Gore's glades (a la Steamboat) and the (potential) ability to ski directly into town (a la Park City, Telluride) make Gore a contender for western-ish, though seems like some more marketing and integrated development (e.g., better train timing from NYC including rail to slopes option, which I'm certain would be very popular among NYC residents; more food choices; more apres ski options on and near mountain), could make the mountain more popular.

Welcome to the forums, brooklynrob. Agreed about Sugarloaf and I love the idea of a lift from the town of North Creek to the ski bowl (I was just saying in another thread how cool it is to walk to the lift in Telluride, Park City, etc.). But yes, there needs to be more dining and lodging options at Gore or people will just go right back home like they do now. They need more money in the entire area and they just don't have it.

mattchuck2 wrote

brooklynrob wrote

Having grown up skiing on it (and Sunday River) I'm biased, but I'd say Sugarloaf is the only mountain out east that approaches a west coast experience, in part due to true bowls above the tree line, as well as the addition of the glade only Burnt mountain, making the Loaf now the largest ski area in the east. http://www.sugarloaf.com/the-mountain/burnt-mountain
...
I'd add that Gore, which I just visited this week for the first time (and liked a lot, despite the need for more snow), could simulate the Park City experience with further development of the North Creek Bowl. One of the cool things about Park City is being able to ski into the city for lunch. The combination of Gore's glades (a la Steamboat) and the (potential) ability to ski directly into town (a la Park City, Telluride) make Gore a contender for western-ish, though seems like some more marketing and integrated development (e.g., better train timing from NYC including rail to slopes option, which I'm certain would be very popular among NYC residents; more food choices; more apres ski options on and near mountain), could make the mountain more popular.

Welcome to the forums, brooklynrob. Agreed about Sugarloaf and I love the idea of a lift from the town of North Creek to the ski bowl (I was just saying in another thread how cool it is to walk to the lift in Telluride, Park City, etc.). But yes, there needs to be more dining and lodging options at Gore or people will just go right back home like they do now. They need more money in the entire area and they just don't have it.

Yes - Welcome.

I don't want to sound like a snob, but what North Creek needs is some summer culture that's a step above "chicken shit bingo". No one will invest without a 12 month business.

PeeTex wrote

 some summer culture that's a step above "chicken shit bingo". No one will invest without a 12 month business.

Hehehe. You don't guano go to CS bingo ?

Better than lottery tickets, where you're even more likely to lay an egg.

Also, welcome BrooklynRob!

P.S. I think we all have this idealized version of what skiing out west is. I bet there are plenty of people out there that hit the local rope tow on the town hill for $20, nobody gets to put first tracks in Horseshoe Bowl every day. Sure if we lived in Jackson we might set Tram records but if we had the means, at least a few of us would have gone already.

I don't mean to turn this into every other East Vs. West thread, but the reality is if I moved out west to do what I do, I'd probably have to live in LA and then my nearest options would be Mountain High (pretty much Mountain Creek  ) Baldy when there's snow (open as much as Hickory the last few years), or 5 hours to Mammoth.

Just a couple cents cause sometimes we have it pretty good even though after looking at the forecast this morning I wrote my friends to tell them I quit skiing because I couldn't take it anymore.

I'm back, baby!

Most Easterning skiing in the West:  Yes, Keystone.  Was there the second weekend in December and it reminded me of Mountain Creek more than anyplace else, only with bigger vert and better views.

After actually skiing in the west, anything I've said on this matter is null and void.  There's very litte skiing in the east that isn't icy man-made, and no, you never get enough natural for good skiing.  Maybe enough to ski tight trees on rock skis, but never enough for full coverage.  Even if you do get any natural snow, it usually brings the masses of marginal skiers out who don't ski unless it snows and the crazy powderhounds who will fight you to get a better spot in the liftline.   There's no powder days, its powder hour at best.  By 11, its usually skied off into moguls with blue, boilerplate ice in between.  Even with nkt much snow when I was actually at Steamboat, there was great snow for days, and thdy only got 3 inches when I was there.  Even if you get a foot of snow in the east, it's skied off in an hour.  

I remember a day at Mountain Creek when they got 10 inches on a Saturday.  I was there at opening as always.  It was great, until about 11, when thousands of gapers showed up who didn't even know how to ski powder.  The snow got packed down into cement and was completely unskiable by the afternoon.  It was one of the most crowded days I've ever seen there.

There was another day at Hunter when they got a foot the night before.  I arrived and was greeted by a line already out of the ropes, 45 minutes before opening.  Snow was great to start, but was all moguls with ice in between by the afternoon.  Not to mention that when they opened the lift that the mob literally charged the loading ramp.  The lifties had to run out of the way to avoid being trampled.

Before I went out west, I never knew what great skiing was actually like.  I can't believe I was settling for skiing only on the ec for so long.

snoloco wrote

After actually skiing in the west, anything I've said on this matter is null and void...

Ahhhh... The first lesson has been learned.

I look forward to more revelations in the future: an appreciation for bumps and trees, a realization that there's more to skiing than lots of days at mediocre resorts, and maybe even a discovery of the true joys in life like having friends and touching boobs.

mattchuck2 wrote

  boobs.

you said BOOBS