Stowe vs. Sugarbush

Have skied CO a couple of times, so I'd say we're beginer/intermediate.Can
handle and enjoy anything green and can ski most blue runs, just not too
agressive. So with that info, between Stowe and Sugarbush which would be
better for us?

bk wrote:

Have skied CO a couple of times, so I'd say we're beginer/intermediate.Can
handle and enjoy anything green and can ski most blue runs, just not too
agressive. So with that info, between Stowe and Sugarbush which would be
better for us?

I'd guess Stowe, because of Spruce Peak, which is all green/blue
terrain. Not only does it give you an area with trails just suited for
you, but not having any black terrain above it means you won't have to
ski with the fast(er) crowd.

And Stowe is a _great_ place for a vacation.

bk wrote:
Have skied CO a couple of times, so I'd say we're beginer/intermediate.Can
handle and enjoy anything green and can ski most blue runs, just not too
agressive. So with that info, between Stowe and Sugarbush which would be
better for us?

I'd say Stowe. The Spruce Peak area is green and light blue. If you
want something rather steeper and longer, Gondolier and Perry Merill off
the top of the gondola are good cruising bets, as are the Lord etc
complex of trails off the gondola.

If you want to demo skiis, Stowe has a great demo center up the hill
from the main base lodge. I like the cafeteria under the gondola for
better food and fewer crowds.

Dave

bk wrote:
Have skied CO a couple of times, so I'd say we're beginer/intermediate.Can
handle and enjoy anything green and can ski most blue runs, just not too
agressive. So with that info, between Stowe and Sugarbush which would be
better for us?

Frankly, I like staying in Burlington and picking resorts along the ski
corridor. Ski Stowe one day and Sugarbush the next. Bolton Valley might
be a very good choice for you based on the description of your ability.
Other than MRG, I think you'll have a good time at any resort along
I-89.

Jeff wrote:
bk wrote:

Have skied CO a couple of times, so I'd say we're beginer/intermediate.Can
handle and enjoy anything green and can ski most blue runs, just not too
agressive. So with that info, between Stowe and Sugarbush which would be
better for us?


Frankly, I like staying in Burlington and picking resorts along the ski
corridor. Ski Stowe one day and Sugarbush the next. Bolton Valley might
be a very good choice for you based on the description of your ability.
Other than MRG, I think you'll have a good time at any resort along
I-89.

Except for Bolton Valley, It's a hard poke back to the ski
areas from I-89. Best to do Bolton, as it's on your way to
Waterbury, which is the gateway to Stowe. Then leave Stowe
and stay on VT 100 south which accesses all of the ski areas
from Sugarbush to Killington, to Mt. Snow. They all have
their access road off Rte 100 (the skier's highway).

If you stay on I89, for instance, all the way to the latitude
of Killington, you would have a a 30 mile stretch back along
to get to SkyeShip on Route US4.

I89 to the Sugarbush latitude would cause you to need to
cross Roxbury Gap, which is not always passable on snow days.

VtSkier

Stowe may be the better all-around choice, even if it's a bit pricier
(at this point, they're all pricey). But the intermediate-friendly
appeal of Spruce applies, I think at Sugarbush's Mt. Ellen. Also,
there's less risk at the Bush of making a navigational mistake and
finding yourself on a really scary trail, which is easy to do at Stowe.
At the Bush, the hairy terrain is mostly off the Castlerock lift, and a
sign warns you of that as you board. Plus, if you want to see the rest
of the place, you can get to Lincoln Peak on a lift, instead the bus
that connects Spruce to Mt. Mansfield at Stowe.

One wee tip about Stowe if you pick it: try to park at the gondola
station. It's less crowded, and you don't have to walk up a hill to
board the lift.

A word about Route 100. Yes, it's a great drive, and yes ski areas are
all along it. But it's a two-lane, windy road through every hamlet and
village, so it can be slow going. Keep that in mind as you plan. Ski
areas can be farther apart in time than you might think. Vt. is a small
state, but not that small.

Finally: Yes, MRG might not be terribly enjoyable for you at this point
- though it does have some reasonably intermediate terrain and a
terrific area for true novices. But promise yourself that someday you
will try it. Every Eastern skier should try it just once. It's the
antidote to all that's wrong in the ski industry today, and I don't
mean just snowboarding.

daveonthebumps wrote:
Stowe may be the better all-around choice, even if it's a bit pricier
(at this point, they're all pricey). But the intermediate-friendly
appeal of Spruce applies, I think at Sugarbush's Mt. Ellen. Also,
there's less risk at the Bush of making a navigational mistake and
finding yourself on a really scary trail, which is easy to do at Stowe.
At the Bush, the hairy terrain is mostly off the Castlerock lift, and a
sign warns you of that as you board. Plus, if you want to see the rest
of the place, you can get to Lincoln Peak on a lift, instead the bus
that connects Spruce to Mt. Mansfield at Stowe.

One wee tip about Stowe if you pick it: try to park at the gondola
station. It's less crowded, and you don't have to walk up a hill to
board the lift.

A word about Route 100. Yes, it's a great drive, and yes ski areas are
all along it. But it's a two-lane, windy road through every hamlet and
village, so it can be slow going. Keep that in mind as you plan. Ski
areas can be farther apart in time than you might think. Vt. is a small
state, but not that small.

Finally: Yes, MRG might not be terribly enjoyable for you at this point
- though it does have some reasonably intermediate terrain and a
terrific area for true novices. But promise yourself that someday you
will try it. Every Eastern skier should try it just once. It's the
antidote to all that's wrong in the ski industry today, and I don't
mean just snowboarding.

All of your points are spot-on.

The only thing I'd like to add is that Route 100 is the only
route to access the Vt ski areas. Any other route will require
back-tracking along roads equal to or poorer than Route 100.

This is partially in response to another poster who suggested
that I-89 is the way to access ski areas. Bolton is the
only one with access from 89.

VtSkier

"daveonthebumps" wrote in message
oups.com...
Stowe may be the better all-around choice, even if it's a bit pricier
(at this point, they're all pricey). But the intermediate-friendly
appeal of Spruce applies, I think at Sugarbush's Mt. Ellen. Also,
there's less risk at the Bush of making a navigational mistake and
finding yourself on a really scary trail, which is easy to do at Stowe.
At the Bush, the hairy terrain is mostly off the Castlerock lift, and a
sign warns you of that as you board. Plus, if you want to see the rest
of the place, you can get to Lincoln Peak on a lift, instead the bus
that connects Spruce to Mt. Mansfield at Stowe.

One wee tip about Stowe if you pick it: try to park at the gondola
station. It's less crowded, and you don't have to walk up a hill to
board the lift.

A word about Route 100. Yes, it's a great drive, and yes ski areas are
all along it. But it's a two-lane, windy road through every hamlet and
village, so it can be slow going. Keep that in mind as you plan. Ski
areas can be farther apart in time than you might think. Vt. is a small
state, but not that small.

Finally: Yes, MRG might not be terribly enjoyable for you at this point
- though it does have some reasonably intermediate terrain and a
terrific area for true novices. But promise yourself that someday you
will try it. Every Eastern skier should try it just once. It's the
antidote to all that's wrong in the ski industry today, and I don't
mean just snowboarding.

Thanks for the great input. We will be off to Stowe for our winter break.
I've just learned that we will be staying at Commodore's 7 MILES from
skiing. There's a shuttle that is supposed to run at 30 minute intervals. I
hope the ride is less than 30 minutes. Never stayed more than a 7 minute
ride in CO. Per my wife's research there is only one ski in ski out place in
Stowe. I find that to be a bit strange.

bk wrote:

Thanks for the great input. We will be off to Stowe for our winter
break. I've just learned that we will be staying at Commodore's 7
MILES from skiing. There's a shuttle that is supposed to run at 30
minute intervals. I hope the ride is less than 30 minutes.

It is the local bus, that does the run from Stowe village up the Mountain
Road, and it stops at the main accommodation places. Unfortunately,
Commodores is right down in the Village (and at the edge of it) so you'll
have the full length ride. I think from there, it's easily 30 minutes if not
quite a bit more.

The good thing for you is that Commodores is a terminus, so the bus'll sit
there for a bit, so you can't miss it.
Quite a good bar there too, the older locals use it as a hang out.

Never
stayed more than a 7 minute ride in CO. Per my wife's research there
is only one ski in ski out place in Stowe. I find that to be a bit
strange.

I don't think there are any ski in/out places there... oh, there's the place
down at Toll Road lift, I guess that kind-of qualifies, but it's a long way
from the resort centre, at the end of an old chair.

they are building new stuff at Spuce, and there'll be a big hotel and condos
and things. Then they'll have mountain accommodation.


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