Advice from VT mags?

[lionelhutz]

Or I suppose you could always drive the hour and a half to Montreal. But some people prefer sitting in hotel rooms I guess.

here Here. Most underrated major city. Amazing. Well worth the drive. Great food, good night life.

[Dudley]

Go, you'll have fun. I did the same type of trip last year (snug in Magic too) and while the weather sucked a bit, its always fun to explore VT.

With regard to tips, mine would simply be dont speed if you dont have a titts radar detector.

[BigDaddy]

Montreal is worth the visit. Bring your passport just in case.

For MRG area, the Hyde Away rules: (802) 496-2322 You'll want to ski Sugarbush, though. MRG will be crowded and icy (But I'll be there.)

Honestly, if I were you, I'd look at Southwest Air and hop a flight to Utah. We paid $200 RT and $100/night (inc. meals) on the mt. Not sure if it's too late, but look into it.

[2nd mate]

Montreal is worth the visit. Bring your passport just in case.

There is quite a selection if you are in to the ballet...anything that starts with "SUPER" is good to go.

[whapworth]

i'm true to the east coast, but as everyone has already indicated, this weekend it going to be grim and super crowded, make a last ditch decision and fly to SLC, likely as cheap in the long run. OTW, check whats going on at www.snowsource.com, alpinezone.com, and the singlechairweatherblog for mad river to get a view on NE conditions...not much good news though.

best bet for good snow, if you're up for it, will be back country Jay and Mansfield/Stowe, likely still a lot of fresh. Matterhorn and Shed at Stowe both great places and free cider at the Cider House place (already mentioned)

MRG look no further than the General Stark pub at the base. bump for the Alchemist as well in Waterbury. Be sure to get a Stowe Voucher card if you're going to ski there, $60 dollar tickets. good luck finding the Great White Magician, he's going to really be hiding this weekend

[Woodlandclown]

Or I suppose you could always drive the hour and a half to Montreal. But some people prefer sitting in hotel rooms I guess.

Why sit in a hotel room, why drive to montreal, why do anything else when you can come to lake placid and ski and watch the Bobsled Skeleton World Championships, amongst a myriad of other activities? Its a no-brainer really Steven Dallas.

[Steven S. Dallas]

It's the bobsled and the skeleton? Damn. Why go skiing at all?

[Skidog]

Why sit in a hotel room, why drive to montreal, why do anything else when you can come to lake placid and ski and watch the Bobsled Skeleton World Championships, amongst a myriad of other activities? Its a no-brainer really Steven Dallas.

I think the OP wants to ski though....not watch dude hurl themselves down steep icy alpine slides...

[ex-powderbroker]

i'm a big VT fan but the move might be

Jay
-> montreal a night
Tremblant
->
Jay

Home

no holidays in CA, right? and it probably stayed cooler / maybe they had snow. either way, VT will still be there and less crowded every other weekend this year and after that.
If you dont want to hit Jay a second time do smuggs or burke or sb. They'll be less crowded and that offers a few more days to get the mountains into shape.

[BroGnar]

The Alchemist is pretty sweet, they have lots of great beer. Stowe dogs is not to be missed either, just good old fashioned hot dogs. There is some snow in the forecast tonight, but this may be a good trip to go mach 9000 on the groomers.

[telepow]

I'm surprised so many folks are making the canada call. Every mtn in northern VT is better than tremblant. They don't even allow tree skiing, wtf? its not all doom and gloom either, there's 3" here at elev. and its dumping on the mtns right now. Come up and have fun, the northern VT economy needs it!

[dumpy]

Why sit in a hotel room, why drive to montreal, why do anything else when you can come to lake placid and ski and watch the Bobsled Skeleton World Championships, amongst a myriad of other activities? Its a no-brainer really Steven Dallas.

I had been planning on going to Jay early next week (GF is a school counselor, only week we could swing it) and we jacked off and never booked a room. Today we decided to go Placid/Iceface (partially based on this thread) for a few days instead. I went to college in the NEK, I know what there is to do when the skiing sucks, NOTHING.

Placid there is tons of food, bars and touristy Olympic what nots, in other words if the skiing sucks we can be fat, drunk and stupid for a few days. Which in my book is a great way to go through life.

Plus I haven't been there since I was a kid and she's never been, we live close enough that it's one of those must dos. Just gotta get our skis razor sharp for what sounds like hella sketchy conditions on a mountain not really known for it's champagne powder. Wasn't there some other thread about this and some gaper really thought he'd need an ice axe??

[ex-powderbroker]

I'm surprised so many folks are making the canada call. Every mtn in northern VT is better than tremblant. They don't even allow tree skiing, wtf? its not all doom and gloom either, there's 3" here at elev. and its dumping on the mtns right now. Come up and have fun, the northern VT economy needs it!

I'm trying to decide if i'm gloom and doom, i don't think so. I think my issue is that the VT resorts will be packed (for them) on the busy weekend. If the dude, has a chance to ski any of the next few weeks, they might ski a bit better and be less crowded. that's all.

I looked up the canada resorts like sutton, and owls head and they also had the thaw so it's not like they'll be much better. They get much less natural snow anyway, but montreal still rules if you're looking for stuff to do that isn't skiing.

If your trip is ONLY about skiing, by all means go to VT. Much better skiing than NY or CA, and it's not like anyone wants to bobsled or ice-skate anyway.

[Steven S. Dallas]

Much better skiing than CA

I'm going to go ahead and say you don't know shit about either skiing, geography, or state abbreviations.

[ex-powderbroker]

CA obviously means Canada when referring to skiing in the northeast. I'm going to go out on a limb and say that if you can't figure that out you probably know less about skiing than you do about baseball.

[paulster2626]

I'm dead-set on going to VT, as I haven't been there since I was a kid. Went to Tremblant last year, and I'm from the Toronto area so I'm bored with Canada right now. Plus, I find Tremblant to be just full of jackoff kids that are only there for the 18y/o drinking age. From what I remember VT ski country is just more "real", you know? Also, you've got to remember that what you guys would consider a shitty day on the slopes is probably a lot better to a guy like me. Just being in the area will have me stoked, no matter what the skiing is like. Plus, there is now an annual Feb. holiday in Ontario this coming Monday called "Family Day". Should make anything close to Montreal a little busier this coming week.

Looks like I've got a good place to stay in Jay, and MRG/Sugarbush area as well. I'll follow the good conditions as best I can, but I usually have good luck with snowstorms following me to my destinations.
All that's missing is the Stowe hook-up. Where's the coolest place to stay and get your drink on in/around that area?

You guys rock - I'm pumped for this little trip now that I'm armed with the "inside info".

[Steven S. Dallas]

CA obviously means Canada when referring to skiing in the northeast.

Not everything's what it seems, when you're dealing with an idiot.

[ex-powderbroker]

hey since you're from Canada, how would you say Tremblant (which seems to inspire hatred like no other EC mountains besides Killington and Stratton) compares to Owls Head and Sutton. Finally, have you ever been to Le Massif? Obviously, that's a farther ride and all but it looks like the best hill in eastern Canada.

[ex-powderbroker]

Not everything's what it seems, when you're dealing with an idiot.

Because it's totally obvious that he was about to drive from Toronto to California because someone told him the skiing was good in CA? At that rate, he'd probably have ended up at Heavenly or Big Bear anyway.

[paulster2626]

hey since you're from Canada, how would you say Tremblant (which seems to inspire hatred like no other EC mountains besides Killington and Stratton) compares to Owls Head and Sutton. Finally, have you ever been to Le Massif? Obviously, that's a farther ride and all but it looks like the best hill in eastern Canada.

Tremblant is big - no question about that. Every side of that mountain is used for trails, which is cool. Plus they have a nice gondola on the front side which is good for hitting the flask and warming up a bit. I've never had a problem with crowds there, but I've never skied on weekends.
They've got a good village there as well, and lots of ski-in ski-out stuff. It's an intrawest resort, so they've got that 'intrawest vibe' going on there, that you either love or you hate.

I've only driven past Owl's Head, but I did ski at Sutton once. It was absolutely pissing rain when we got there, and then we woke up to -15 temps with howling wind, and a mountain so icy it was shiny. Still had a good day though. The mountain doesn't compare to what's available at Tremblant, but it's a different feel. You feel like you're somewhere where skiing matters, instead of raking in the bucks.

Le Massif looks interesting although a weird setup, but it's too far for me to ever justify a trip there. Maybe in a few years.

Go to Tremblant though if you haven't been, you'll have a good time. Just make sure you stick to the clubs with 21+ age requirements, as it's really really weird watching young high school kids make out with each other. Unless you're in to that sort of thing, which I know a lot of people on this board are...

[Woodlandclown]

It's the bobsled and the skeleton? Damn. Why go skiing at all?

exactly my point!

[Woodlandclown]

If your trip is ONLY about skiing, by all means go to VT. Much better skiing than NY or CA, and it's not like anyone wants to bobsled or ice-skate anyway.

Can I just say you are a retart? ok bye.

[lionelhutz]

I think there's a d in that word.
Then again me spell engrish not best at somtimes times.

[dumpy]

All that's missing is the Stowe hook-up. Where's the coolest place to stay and get your drink on in/around that area?

Stay I'm not sure, I used to like the Sun and Ski, not bad rates, good locale and a sweet pool, but last time they had no hot water for pretty much our whole stay and the people at the desk acted like massive dicks when i asked (politely) about this. Bad customer service pisses me off. Not really a big deal, but they also left garbage bags outside of the door to our room for like 8 hours.

Drink, the Shed seems pretty cool, decent food and good beer. The Rusty Nail has pretty good slight bit above bar food, but as far as drinking, I didn't really like the scene the night I was there. There was a band that night, it was crowded and they were doing the whole plastic cup thing which kinda pisses me off ($5 for a beer, give me a real fucking glass), but on quieter nights it could be a cool place.
For VT, Pie in the SKy has really good pizza, a little pricey and very yuppified, but it is Stowe and you can get a solid/tasty meal there.

[dumpy]

If your trip is ONLY about skiing, by all means go to VT. Much better skiing than NY or CA, and it's not like anyone wants to bobsled or ice-skate anyway.

I knew what you meant, but I'm gonna hop on this bandwagon too,

CA (California) does have much better skiing than NY,VT, NH or MA

CA (Canada) also has much better skiing than the aforementioned states, ever heard of Whistler or Revelstoke

Does every ski area in VT beat every ski area in ON or QC? yes and this is what I'm assuming you meant.

Does every mountain in VT beat every mountain in NY? Fuck no, give me Gore over Stratton or Mt. Sneaux any day of week. I will ski Iceface for the first time in a few days from now, I'm willing to bet it also beats Flatton and Mt. Snow.

Do Sugarbush, Jay, Stowe and Mad River trump just about every other ski area this side of the Mississippi? Haven't skied everything in the East, but I'll say yeah probably. Jay is $$ (but doesn't require much $$)

In other words, you're on the right track and have the right ideas, but suck at being specific and using abbreviations.

/pointless rant

have fun on your trip!!