Worst Road to a Ski Area

**Tavi** · 01-03-2005, 10:24 PM

The Worst Vehicle thread by Idris made me think of this. I didn't want to hijack the thread so here's a new one.

One of the best side shows I've ever seen was in 1987 or so on the road from Ruidoso, NM to Ski Apache. The road is absolutely hilarious when it snows. It's packed with Suburbans from Mexico, which is not the primary amusement other than the annoyance of the slow speeds. The comedy was in all the rear wheel drive sports cars trying to get around those steep switchbacks. Cameros, Firebirds, Mustangs, etc. Some had chains from the base of the climb, which worked like tits on a bull while others just stopped in the middle of the 2-lane road to put their tits on the bull, while FrontWD vehicles with chains were barely able to get up the hill with someone sitting on the hood bouncing up and down.

Absolute comedy.

**ski_faster** · 01-03-2005, 10:29 PM

I would have to say one of the worst roads has to be the 16 miles to Bogus Basin from Boise Idaho. I read an arcticle in a skiing magazine, and I think it said that there was 172 turns in the 16 mile stretch.

**gonzo** · 01-03-2005, 10:47 PM

I-70 for many reasons on many levels...or King Ridge Road, cause the lot and lodge were on top.

**Ferniefreeheels** · 01-03-2005, 10:55 PM

The road up to Big Mt. in Whitefish can be interesting after a good snowfall... but I haven't been that many places.

**hungryhank** · 01-03-2005, 10:56 PM

330-30 to bigbear, tourists and mexicans (no offense) climbing up the hill in their civics or 2wd suburbans. its not the road that's bad, it's the poeple who try to drive it.

**Son1cdeth** · 01-03-2005, 11:13 PM

Originally Posted by gonzo

I-70 for many reasons on many levels

I second that.

**Shake Zula** · 01-03-2005, 11:18 PM

Originally Posted by gonzo

I-70 for many reasons on many levels

Thirded

G · 01-03-2005, 11:23 PM

The road to Mt. Hutt. In about 4 miles, you climb 3000 vertical feet on an unpaved, poorly plowed dirt road with no guardrail and 1000' cliffs off the side.

People who drive off the road rarely live. In fact, a few years ago, a camper was blown off the road and over the cliff.

Come to think of it, just about any skifield access road in New Zealand can be killer. A couple of girls drove off of the remarkables road last summer & didn't make it.

Here's a picture by Idris going to Mt Olympus and a couple I took at Mt Hutt.

**shamrockpow** · 01-03-2005, 11:29 PM

"¡Cuarenta curvas sin bareras!" - what is it with southern hemisphere ski resorts?

**FreakofSnow** · 01-03-2005, 11:33 PM

The road up to Snowbowl can be pretty gnar gnar, not paved and only 1.5 cars wide with steep drops

**Blurred** · 01-03-2005, 11:35 PM

Originally Posted by ski_faster

I would have to say one of the worst roads has to be the 16 miles to Bogus Basin from Boise Idaho. I read an arcticle in a skiing magazine, and I think it said that there was 172 turns in the 16 mile stretch.

Anyone who has driven that road would agree.

**Theodore** · 01-03-2005, 11:36 PM

The road up to Ski Santa Fe wasn't too fun.

**Benny Profane** · 01-03-2005, 11:40 PM

I-70, of course, for it's utter absurdity at times (it is, after all, an interstate), but Targhee access is always fun after a dump.

**ill-advised strategy** · 01-04-2005, 12:33 AM

Originally Posted by Tavi

One of the best side shows I've ever seen was in 1987 or so on the road from Ruidoso, NM to Ski Apache. The road is absolutely hilarious when it snows. It's packed with Suburbans from Mexico, which is not the primary amusement other than the annoyance of the slow speeds. The comedy was in all the rear wheel drive sports cars trying to get around those steep switchbacks. Cameros, Firebirds, Mustangs, etc. Some had chains from the base of the climb, which worked like tits on a bull while others just stopped in the middle of the 2-lane road to put their tits on the bull, while FrontWD vehicles with chains were barely able to get up the hill with someone sitting on the hood bouncing up and down.

Absolute comedy.

Yeah, what he said. Imagine Bogus Basin road full of Mustangs from Oklahoma City....

**Duker** · 01-04-2005, 12:43 AM

Originally Posted by ski_faster

I would have to say one of the worst roads has to be the 16 miles to Bogus Basin from Boise Idaho. I read an arcticle in a skiing magazine, and I think it said that there was 172 turns in the 16 mile stretch.

agreed, thats the worst Ive ever seen, along with another Idaho resort, pomerelle which is also pretty horrible

**snowave** · 01-04-2005, 01:11 AM

Mt. Baldy, in Southern California on a holiday weekend after 2 feet of snow..maybe not the worst, but has to be in the top 10!

**Atrain505** · 01-04-2005, 03:40 AM

Ski Santa Fe is bad after a snow storm..drove that too many times to count.
Ski Apache...equals some of the narliest switchbacks I've ever seen. Damn New Mexico is hard core mostly because of the shitty Mexican and Texan drivers, but Mt. Baker is also pretty hardcore.

**Skidancer** · 01-04-2005, 07:57 AM

330-30 to bigbear, tourists and mexicans (no offense) climbing up the hill in their civics or 2wd suburbans. its not the road that's bad, it's the poeple who try to drive it.

__________________

That's one of my personal favs as well. I lived in Big Bear for 2 years and driving up and down the "hill" to school or conferences or anything would turn into a multi-hour nightmare at times. God I hated all the flatlanders. We even made a song about them:

Flatlanders in the snow (to the tune of "Riders of the Storm"); Flatlanders in the snow....They go so f---ing slow; Their minds must be on low. Like a clod without a clue they don't know what to do....

There's more, but I'll spare you all. What I especially love is when they go REALLY slow (braking constantly the whole time) until you reach a passing lane. Then the morons sped up to 65 so no one can pass. I've seen more cars spin out and go over the quardrails into ditches or canyons on arctic circle (the big cliffy area just before the dam).

The side way up from Victorville / Hesperia is probably the scariest switchback road I've seen in the snow.

I love Colorado. Yeah, the I-70 can be a nightmare of traffic on a Sunday afternoon (or Saturday morn), but at least they clear it and it's multi-lane in both directions. I'd like a gondola put in from my deck to Frisco!

**Tippster** · 01-04-2005, 08:10 AM

Crystal Mt. Access rd circa 20 years ago was frightening. It aged me beyond my 18 years (at the time.)

**glademaster** · 01-04-2005, 08:35 AM

Sea to Sky Highway from Vancouver to Whistler can be scary as hell when the visibility is bad and its snowing and raining. Huge cliffs drop down into the ocean on one side and mountains shoot straight up from the other side. It can be pissing rain and foggy in Squamish and as you crest the first mountain on your way north to Whistler it will be a whiteout wit fist-sized snowflakes. Stunning scenery the whole way too, but its prolly in your best interests to take the bus.

**mr_gyptian** · 01-04-2005, 08:45 AM

Red Mountain pass on the way to Silverton is about as dicey as they come.

**Karl Stall** · 01-04-2005, 08:49 AM

Originally Posted by gonzo

I-70 for many reasons on many levels...or King Ridge Road, cause the lot and lodge were on top.

wow -tough to argue with that one.

**DaveTV** · 01-04-2005, 09:01 AM

In the east, it would be Bolton Valley, Vermont - hands down.

**sherpahigh** · 01-04-2005, 09:22 AM

Originally Posted by Geoff

The road to Mt. Hutt. In about 4 miles, you climb 3000 vertical feet on an unpaved, poorly plowed dirt road with no guardrail and 1000' cliffs off the side.

People who drive off the road rarely live. In fact, a few years ago, a camper was blown off the road and over the cliff.

Come to think of it, just about any skifield access road in New Zealand can be killer. A couple of girls drove off of the remarkables road last summer & didn't make it.

Here's a picture by Idris going to Mt Olympus and a couple I took at Mt Hutt.

That's definitly the worst one I've ever been on. It's not your typical dirt road either, there are some big rocks on that road. I never got to see the scenery when I went up it though, just saw 10 feet in any one direction as I was driving through the cloud the entire time in my sporty rental car. Scariest drive I've ever done.

**DJSapp** · 01-04-2005, 09:29 AM

Originally Posted by Geoff

The road to Mt. Hutt. In about 4 miles, you climb 3000 vertical feet on an unpaved, poorly plowed dirt road with no guardrail and 1000' cliffs off the side.

People who drive off the road rarely live. In fact, a few years ago, a camper was blown off the road and over the cliff.

Not to mention that after a storm it is a combination of ice, mud, and foggy death, with the possibility of a slide taking you and your car right off the mountain. The sketch factor is far above all of these paved roads the rest of you are complaining about. When I was there, a slab let go and hit a car on the road. Fortunately, the car was not swept over the cliff, only buried halfway.

Scary as hell.