Ski Magazine Top 20 Eastern Ski Areas

I liken these reports to the MLB Allstars.      Walk into a game during voting and someone hands my son 50 ballots.   He pokes holes for his players throughout the game.    Meaningless.

Congressional and State legislature gerrymandering does the same thing.   Pack enough voters into your district and you win.    

Yawn  

tjf1967 wrote

I have. Top 20? well may be terrain wise.  OK truth time.  When is the last time you went skiing?

Sorry. Were you talking to me?

Last winter, of course. March. How about chu?

You know, you could be skiing in Park City in the same time you can get to......Saddleback.

There is a reason that Jay Peak's picture is of the indoor waterpark.  They could not find a picture of some actual powder and only people struggling down boilerplate ice.  A picture of a waterslide looks way more inviting than this type of ice which is the typical conditions there.



PS.  In the western rankings, Park City got #7, so both Coach's and my least favorite ski areas were on the lists.

Jay is your least favorite in the east?

snoloco wrote

Jay Peak should never be put on a top 20 list except for off hill activities due to the indoor waterpark.  

Are you just trolling now?

snoloco wrote

If Holiday Valley is ranked well because of ease of access, then Mountain Creek should be on there as well.  I would think that they have number 1 for access being so close to NYC.  I busted on Jay Peak and I will never ski there again.  I don't know how they even made the cut, much less got ranked ahead of Stratton and Mount Snow while Gore didn't even make the cut.  Jay Peak should never be put on a top 20 list except for off hill activities due to the indoor waterpark.  I would gladly put Gore in their spot as well as Hunter, Windham, or Mountain Creek.  There is a reason that Jay Peak's picture is of the indoor waterpark.  They could not find a picture of some actual powder and only people struggling down boilerplate ice.  A picture of a waterslide looks way more inviting than this type of ice which is the typical conditions there.

It is cool that you don't like Jay. But don't you wonder why so many people do? You are going to get a lot of flack around here for making an objective statement based on subjective opinion. I can't stand Okemo and Stratton but I will say without a doubt they belong in a top 20 in the east list for sure, no doubt. Just because you don't like Jay doesn't mean it isn't one of the best mountains around for the right type of skier (i.e. those that enjoy glades and powder).

Benny Profane wrote

OK, show of hands, who has even been to Saddleback, Maine?  mean, where the hell is it?

Awesome mountain. Hour west of Sugarloaf by road. Better mountain than Sugarloaf in many ways, IMO. I'd go there more often if it were closer. Though since this is a NY centric forum, I'd be surprised if many others have been there. Hard to keep driving when you have to pass by the green mountain spine.

Snoloco must have just gone to Jay on a bad day.  Ive been to Jay 10 times in the last 2 years and haven't had a bad day.  Though I almost exclusively rode in the glades the entire time.  As far as Im concerned he can stay at mtn creek, hunter and stratton.  Sounds like a typical city skier that rides when its convenient for him.  Its not like he tracks any storms.  His daddy wouldnt drive him to the mountain in one.  His dads prob as scared of driving in a storm as Sno is of riding pow in the woods.  He actually prefers groomers and manmade over bumps and pow.  

mattchuck2 wrote

I was going to mention Toronto, but didn't know if the SKI Magazine survey went out to Canada.

And be careful about your numbers. Just because that many people live there, it doesn't mean they're all skiers.

If you live in WNY and you have kids in activities you do one of two things in the winter: ski or play hockey (lots of girls leagues, too)

Holiday Valley isn't on because of convenience, it's on because it's a reader's poll, meaning people go online and vote on the internet.  
5000 people at the PRIVATE club is a big number.  Oh, and there is a second private club on top of that, but not as elite, 25 minutes closer to Buffalo from Holimont: Buffalo Ski Club.  Only a few thousand members.

If you want some gear deals come out this way.  There are so many skiers out this way the margins are thin.  I am amazed when I go into a shop in the eastern part of the state.  The sale prices are the normal price out our way.  I was at a big annual sale at one of the larger ski stores (they also have stores out in Rochester and Syracuse) in the area.  They had brought in staff from the other stores in the state to man the sale.  I asked who was at the other stores and they laughed and said, "we only do this sale in Buffalo to keep competitive in the area."

But I still agree.  Holiday is a joke to be on the list.  Just not surprised.  Lots of skiers this way, and much to the chagrin of many here, they are finding out about Gore and skipping their Killington trips.

But I WILL say if you want to see what North Creek and Gore could easily be if the people there had the will, go check out Ellicotville.  It is a rockin' fun ski town for sure!!!!

Sick Bird Rider wrote

People still read Ski? Huh.

SKI still exists in print? For real?

I try looking for the gear review issue each year, the only issue worth getting, but North Creek doesn't have a shopping mall.
We're lucky we have a supermarket in town. It has mags for guns and hunting, but not skiing.

What's the upside of Gore being on this list? Attracting people who participate in or care about reader polls?

No thanks. We're fine. Let them go ski somewhere else.

Sno has really gone Loco.  I admit I have been to Jay after a freeze thaw and it's not optimal but in that mode it's still better than Stratton or mt snow and even Gore under the same conditions.  Hit Jay when it's snowing which it does more than anywhere else in the east or in the spring and it beats Park City by a mile.

snoloco wrote

  They could not find a picture of some actual powder and only people struggling down boilerplate ice.  A picture of a waterslide looks way more inviting than this type of ice which is the typical conditions there.

Yeah OK

Disclaimer-tree skiing is dangerous

Comeon get real. The one guy fell down and the other guy got snow in his face.

snoloco wrote

.  I busted on Jay Peak and I will never ski there again.  I don't know how they even made the cut  Jay Peak should never be put on a top 20 list  ice which is the typical conditions there.
.

"one swallow does not make a summer, neither does one fine day ..."   Aristotle

mattchuck2 wrote

 

Smugg's is great. Only reason it's considered "underrated" is the outdated lifts. I guess the cat's out of the bag now.

 

I'm with ya on this. As a long time Smuggs fan I like to see them get some love......can't wait to get back there this winter, it's been too long.

If I didn't ski at places I busted my ass I wouldn't be skiing anywhere.  And if you don't bust your ass once in a while then you aren't trying hard enough.  I remember my intermediate days where I'd go an entire season without taking a fall.

Next year HV will rank #1. You heard it hear first.

Spongeworthy wrote

What's the upside of Gore being on this list? Attracting people who participate in or care about reader polls?

No thanks. We're fine. Let them go ski somewhere else.

And let their MONEY go somewhere else.  The government can only do so much for Gore/ORDA.  Some of the money for snowmaking and more high speed lifts has to come from the business and not the taxpayers.  The reason so many mountains cater to the wealthy is that it is easy those customers are a lot less likely to be cheap and CAN AFFORD to spend money on food, lodging, and other things.  More money in the ski area's pockets = more improvements.  You want to ski more trails in good condition more often without nature's help?  Then you will want more business from people with a lot of money.

snoloco wrote

Ski Bowl ...natural snow.

(Homer Simpson Voice): "mmmmmm Ski Bowl...natural snow...."

Do you also complain about Action Park not warming the water so you can do the rides in winter?