Overrated Underrated Mountains

Just trying to be reasonable. Your posts are more useless than other people's and you're grouchy.

Somebody's grouchy on a ski forum?

i think that Whiteface is underrated....most people who "ski" the east have never skied there....the runs, glades, and people are fantastic.

I have never been, but Mt. Bohemia in Michigan often comes up in these threads. Only 900ft vertical, but mostly blacks, double blacks and trees. Everyone says if you are stuck in the midwest, it lives up to all the hype.

skunkape wrote

I have never been, but Mt. Bohemia in Michigan often comes up in these threads. Only 900ft vertical, but mostly blacks, double blacks and trees. Everyone says if you are stuck in the midwest, it lives up to all the hype.

That place looks like a dream come true to me.

Harvey wrote

skunkape wrote

I have never been, but Mt. Bohemia in Michigan often comes up in these threads. Only 900ft vertical, but mostly blacks, double blacks and trees. Everyone says if you are stuck in the midwest, it lives up to all the hype.

That place looks like a dream come true to me.

a quote from a forum post I saw describes it pretty well:
"The glades are top to bottom and being in the midwest there are plenty of trees. While there are runs; you may or may not already know there are no groomed runs. So it's not uncommon for runs to become naturally occurring mogul fields. There is plenty of steep terrain, in fact most of it is pretty steep."

Check out this 20 foot cliff drop:
http://imgur.com/K8WhsXH

The bummer about Bohemia is that from the East  it is probably easier to get to every ski area in the Western US and Canada vs trying to get to Bohemia.

Pico is underrated.

x10003q wrote

The bummer about Bohemia is that from the East  it is probably easier to get to every ski area in the Western US and Canada vs trying to get to Bohemia.

Pico is underrated.

True, and people say it is hard to plan a trip there, since it is either fresh snow or packed ice (no grooming). Still many of us have found ourselves in the Midwest for various reasons (I have family in Indiana for example), so it is good to know about options there! Edit: I just looked at the Upper Peninsula, where MTBohemia is located. You are right, it is not close to anything at all! I guess they are getting alot of lake effect snow, being basically next to the great lakes.

What about Hunter? I could say either underrated or overrated; the frontside is way overrated for weekend/holiday skiing due to crowds but can be a nice place to cruise midweek and the back side is probably underrated overall. The back side can be a blast even on weekends. To a lesser extant I could say the same about Jiminy. Weekend crowds can totally ruin it but even then you can have a blast on one of the peripheral lifts or by using the single line on the sixpack and some nights its like you have a whole thousand foot mountain all to yourself

Problem with the west side is that they refused to open anything but Wayout and Clair's Way consistently for the past 4 years.  I heard that patrol had an unfathomable bias toward keeping Westway and Annapurna closed, and management sucked up to them.  It really got out of hand last year when they had it roped, even with what looked to be a perfectly good base.  A bunch of people poached it, and I asked a patrol guy if it opened or if it was just poachers.  He proceeded to get all up in my face about how I should never even think about poaching a trail and I will certainly get my pass pulled, be banned from ever skiing there again, and possibly get arrested for trespassing.  I don't like to hate on the original Hunter owners, but they really screwed up here, and I'm hoping Peak Resorts puts a stop to that crap and opens them.  They always made snow on Annapurna and Westway 10-11 and before, but they stopped as soon as they got the new/old quad over there.  There's some great terrain over there that would spread out crowds more, especially with the HSQ, but if it's never open, it's no good.

snoloco wrote

There's some great terrain over there that would spread out crowds more, especially with the HSQ, but if it's never open, it's no good.

Everyone says that . I have seen the west opened on days when it was basically glassy ice though. The people that I saw lose their edges slid on their ass for the length of about 2 football fields. Shit that day was so icy, even my magnetraction wasn't giving any extra edge hold. I ended up going for a full tune after that day and bailed on any further runs over there. Overall, I would say hunter is reliable but overrated...

snoloco wrote

As for Plattekill, I'd like to have more reason to ski there, but I have a Hunter pass, so I tend to stick to there for my Catskill ski days.  Since many members here love it so much, I've suggested doing a mountain rental in the past.  I think that would be a great idea.  Maybe do it to raise money to upgrade the forum to be mobile-friendly.

Plattekill is all of the reason you need to go ski there. It's one of the coolest little mountains in the country. Ski the north facing runs all day top to bottom when there is good snow and you will get it.

This may be the year i do plattekill, I can't justify the expensive Belleayre season pass this late into january. when will it snow?

skunkape wrote

This may be the year i do plattekill, I can't justify the expensive Belleayre season pass this late into january. when will it snow?

Platty discount card is pretty sweet, especially if you can ski Fridays.

I'd put Mount Snow on the underrated list.  My dad and I used to dislike it, but with being offered discounts from our Hunter passes, it has definitely grown on us.  We will probably ski it a couple more times this season.  

It certainly isn't hurting for more visits, but it gets bashed for no good reason for other things.  It lacks the homogenized base villages of Stratton and Okemo (which make the parking lots further away and require a bus).  It has the terrain variety that the other two of the Southern VT big 3 don't have.  Want more blue cruisers than you can ski in a day?  Use the bubble lift, Grand Summit HSQ, or Canyon HSQ for a quick ride to anything on the main face.  On crowded days, use the Sundance or Ego Alley triple chairs for little to no lift lines.  Want easier blue trails that are less traveled and in the sun?  Head to Sunbrook.  Want the best terrain parks on the ec by far?  You have Carinthia which is bigger than many entire ski areas down south.  And last but not least, want bump runs, groomed steeps, or tree skiing?  The North Face has plenty to keep you occupied.  

I didn't even mention the Bluebird Express bubble 6-pack which is one of my favorite lifts.  Leave your skis on every ride, but still get an escape from the cold, allowing you to ski more runs on those 10 degree and windy days.  Unlike Park City's bubble lift, you can take laps on this one instead of it being an access lift.  Unlike Haystack's bubble lift, people that aren't in the top 1% can ride it, and lastly, unlike Okemo's bubble lifts, this one actually serves good terrain instead of flat, boring, parallel runs with speed bumps all over them.  

Insider hint:  If you want to park close to the lift, use Carinthia Base.  If you don't like the terrain park, take the HSQ up and take Milky Way to the Sunbrook Quad which will bring you to the summit.  I guess the section of choice for most on here would be the North Face, and you're right up there for easy access to it.  When you're done for the day, the Sweet 16 and Season's Pass trails that branch off Long John will return you to Carinthia Base, without ever seeing a single park feature.

I agree as well. I love belle and most of the time I hate hunter.  I also really need to try out Plattekill! My buddies and I have made that our goal this year - just waiting on POW

I love belle because even on a day like Sunday, it was packed for belle.  Yet the HSQ liftline was <3min and the other lifts were pretty much lineless.  It was incredibly icy but fun.  

Next year my plan is to get an AT set up and drive past Belle and ski Bearpen when we get POW!

skunkape wrote

DomB wrote

Wow - never been to okemo but that is quite the indictment.  

Re underrated, please add Belleayre.  Yes many top trails ski the same but it has such an anti hunter vibe, family friendly, and a cool yesterday year ski vibe.  And the apparent quality and price of the kids program seems great.  I realize gore and wf are in another league but belle is probably my favorite all around mountain in the cats ( I have a 5 yo and 2 yo).

I agree, I love belleayre and hate hunter too. I can just never get myself to drive another half hour to plattekill. Maybe I'll give it another try if we get some natural snow, those bike trails through the trees look fun and I appreciate that they maintain the tree runs there.