New England
 We are the skiing critics. During our family’s commute to the slopes every weekend, the four of us pass the hours discussing the highs and lows of all the ski resorts we have visited. We range in age and experience (though even our youngest has skied 35 different resorts), which makes our judging as unpredictable and varied as the terrain we encounter in a New England winter. Unlike most contests, you needn’t be eighteen to enter; kids count since their opinions can make our break a ski day. Here are the results from our internal polling of ski “poling” around the Northeast.
The winter of 2000-01 was an all around winner. All four agreed it
was a record best ski season here in the East, (an easy
conclusion for those jurors born since 1992). Our senior panelist
likened it to the blizzards of 1968. Plenty of snow, no devastating
thaws, and superb conditions that extended well into April made last
winter tops in recent memory. Can this season possibly catch up?
That’s the question on everyone’s mind.
In our
most difficult trail category, we span New England to handpick
personal paths of choice. The Goat at Stowe was the winner.
There is no other quite like it, (steep, narrow, twisty, crazy and
humbling).
Sunday River’s Agony (left) got a vote from our youngest judge for
its big bumps, persistent double fall line and the exposed aspect of
the trail under the Barker quad chair for all above to watch. Mad
River received a mention for the au naturel terrain, which provides
its own degree of difficulty during certain hard-core days.
 Best
glades, not always skiable during average “eastern” snow winters,
went to Sunday River in the Pine Tree (read well-gladed) state of
Maine. You can thread your way through the progressive gladed trails
from wide-open Blind Ambition, to twisty Wizard’s Gulch, Flying
Monkey, Celestial, Last Tango, and Chutzpah to super steep (and even
“skinny” during last season’s epic snows) Spruce Cliffs. Jay Peak
received a mention for their expanded glade terrain. Now that every resort has a terrain park in some shape and
size, it is no small task to rate them all. As a protective mom of
two, this is not my favorite category. I prefer my young skiers be
firmly fixed to the snow, not launching in the air. Our young, hot,
and hip judges voted for Okemo and Stowe’s half pipes while the
terrain parks at Sugarloaf, Sunday River and Ascutney brought big
smiles and modest air time.
 Best
snowfield skiing was an easy pick, since the only above tree line
snowfields in the East are at Sugarloaf.
Sunday River received the distinct narrative of having the best snow quality, “like cold baby powder,” said our youngest panelist. We ski around, seldom visiting the same resort twice in a season, and we all conceded that the Sunday River snow-makers and groomers get the nod here. Bretton Woods and Okemo received honorable mentions for their flawless surfaces; their powerful snowmaking combined with meticulous grooming means daily white carpet treatment.  Best
Lift in the East brought some heated discussion among the panel,
literally. Everyone mentioned a “heated” or at least enclosed lift in
his or her top picks. The two gondolas at Killington, the gondola at
Stowe and at Mont Sainte Anne, plus the bubble-covered quad at Mont
Sainte Anne all received well-cushioned votes.Worthy of mention, but not yet sampled by our critics, Stratton and Ragged both have high-speed six passenger lifts, more couch than this crew of four needs. Vermont’s Mad River Glen was a write-in for classic ski transportation, as it is one of the first and last remaining single (read lonely) chairlifts in the world. The best ski area lunch, my personal favorite category, Stowe’s Cliff House. Offers delicious fare and extraordinary views, with much appreciated table service. I prefer being waited on for an $8 burger, versus balancing a $6 burger on a cafeteria tray while wearing ski boots. The best on-mountain lodging, specifically family accommodations from which you can ski in and out, no car necessary, ranges from the Green Mountains of Vermont to the Laurentians of Quebec. Okemo Mountain Resort captured our hearts and our aching après ski muscles with a fully equipped slopeside condominium complete with fireplace, a Jacuzzi tub, boot dryers and a gorgeous view. Tremblant Resort in Quebec is a spectacular slopeside village with a European flair. Tremblant’s accommodations range from first class hotels to perfectly appointed condominiums, all tasteful and a short walk to the lifts, restaurants and shops.  As
for the most scenic ski area, the majority named Quebec’s Le
Massif, a drivable 6 hours above New England. We were all duly
impressed with this breathtaking northern Quebec ski area that
overlooks, or plunges 2,526 vertical feet down to, the icy St.
Lawrence River. You just have to ski it to get the sensation. Domestically speaking, New Hampshire draws some attention. Wildcat and Bretton Woods share distinct but equally impressive views of mighty Mount Washington, the highest summit in New England at 6,288-feet. Big Squaw and Gunstock each offer stunning vistas of large lakes and big mountains, like Lake Tahoe’s of the East. Maine’s Squaw overlooks Moosehead Lake and dramatic Mount Katahdin in the distance. New Hampshire’s Gunstock is the ideal viewing spot of Lake Winnipesaukee with the White Mountains framing the photo.  The
best ski resort for families elicited a range of selections.
Smugglers’ Notch was recognized for “practically inventing the family
ski week.” This Vermont resort offers a mind-boggling roster of
activities for every age and an award-winning “Snowsport University” –
not to be compared with an average ski school program. Smugglers’
luxury slopeside condos also earned high praise.Sugarloaf, Pico and Ascutney each got a family-friendly vote for their classic New England trails, lack of crowds and convenient slopeside condos. Families can’t help but feel comfortable at these self-contained resorts.  We
must not overlook the best mountain mascots. Maggie the St.
Bernard at Mont Sainte Anne immediately fills everyone’s heart and
mind. This lovable snow dog is a fixture atop the mountain, happy for
a passing pat from kids or a photo op. Sugarloaf also has a well-loved
cast of characters, Amos the Moose and Blueberry Bear regularly parade
the slopes and entertain the kids, making this Maine resort a vote
getter from our little girl. Smugglers’ and Ascutney each have skiing
mice, named Mogul and Cheddar respectively.In the snow-reporting category, there were sadly no winners. Resorts continue to overstate their trail counts and snow accumulations, using what must be a ruler-sized yardstick. Consumers have a right to the straight scoop. If resorts don’t want us to know the “real” conditions, they should eliminate the fabricated “ski reports.” Now comes the real competition. Our picks for the overall best ski area in New England (drum roll please) were as follows: two votes for Stowe, one for Sunday River, one for Wildcat. Though all agreed that Sugarloaf is “the place to be for spring skiing.” These are our impressions. Try a poll of your own ski crowd. If nothing else, it occupies the otherwise mind numbing drives to and fro the snow. |
