I truthfully like the mentions on this list, but it is INSANE that Sugarloaf is not on here, especially with the likes of Pats and Wildcat making the bubble (even Saddleback would rank above those hills). Also, for the purest ski enthusiast experience in VT, your take on Smugglers Notch is wildly topical; any true skier who loves a day of beautifully varied terrain with no one run like the next, Smuggs is an absolute gem, and even the old, slow, double chairs play their part perfectly. Always love the content though!
Eh, Smuggs is fine, but it just has lived in Stowe's shadow a bit imo AND there are so many other better mountains up North, I like Jay quite a lot more (assuming the weather doesn't give you frost bite, lol).
I'm impressed with this list and agree with your number one. Nice to see Killington not number one! While I had a great experience with a private lesson at Killington years ago, the ancillary staffing leave a lot to be desired. I once parked at the 15 minute drop-off area and in front of the 15 minute drop off sign to... spend 5 minutes dropping off my equipment. A staff member immediately ran up to me and yelled, with anger "this is 15 minutes only!" I didn't like the feeling of being herded like disobedient cattle, which is on the regular at Killington. I'm also a big fan of a couple of Maine's mountains not listed Saddleback and Sugarloaf.
Great job with the list and nice addition with Pats Peak. I live in southern NH, former racer, patroller and current instructor/coach, and Pats Peak is my go-to for mid-week escapes when I want to get some runs in with little hassle.
I haven't been to Stowe since the early 90's but my memory of it was standing in line all day waiting for the lifts. I had a much better time the next day at Sugarbush.
This is a great list. Great insight to the northeast. I learned to snowboard at Bromley on a day when Okemo was too cold. We used to go to Burke with huge groups of people untill we realized how cheap Bolton Vally is
Haha thank you for not mentioning my favorite VT mountain! Everyone please go to Stowe, it's a great mountain with awesome food, especially the rice ball food truck! wink wink.
This is a pretty darn thoughtful list...there's always more to add or subtract based on people's experiences and preferences, but this is a smart and well-defended list. "Wildcat is the better cannon" is a quote I'm going to use. Whaleback is still open..
Jay Peak also has high wind that can shut down the mountain except for the Jet triple lift. Went to Jay this year and skied only 1 day instead of 2 as wind was 70 mph. They got like 10 inches of snow the day we skied so it was fantastic. Also the Flyer lift is exceptionally cold and windy.
I enjoyed your video very much. Can you maybe put another list together at some point that focuses more on easier terrain and family friendly amenities. I heard what you said about Killington. Maybe a few more suggestions? Thanks!
Yeah Totally! Might be a bit before I can make something like that, so I'll just give you my top picks here. If I was taking my kids back east here would be my top choices: 1.) Loon, is pretty great, if your kids are competent on the chair this can be a really fun place to explore, gondolas are fun and nice variety of terrain. Fun Train to ride, and Lincoln has nice shops and the hobo railroad in town. 2) If they were beginners somewhere like Bretton Woods is great, very friendly and easy access from Lodge to Trail. Not far from the Mount Washington Hotel. They used to have a program for local young kids to ski free, but I don't know if it still exists. Also bonus of night skiing (at least they used to have it). 3.) Bolton Valley is a great beginner area, has good night skiing, it's affordable, and if you're not from Vermont, it's still pretty close to Stowe if you want to see that area. It's also close to Burlington 4.) Intermediate, It's on the colder side, but I Like Burke, because it has an entirely separate upper and lower mountain for advance skiers and beginners respectively. So the fast advance skiers aren't rushing past people learning and overall you get less chairlift congestion. If you want to avoid crowds, this used to be a good one from when I was a kid. So what would I actually do? Well, My older kids are pretty advanced now, and If I was heading home I would take them to Either Stowe or Jay Peak. Great terrain- and cool amenities, Jay has a waterpark and nice hotel, and I think they would get a kick out of the tram. The village in Stowe is super cool and the skiing is good. But they're pretty advanced and I don't know how fun those places would have been a few years ago honestly. 5.) Honorable mention goes to Whaleback Mountain, it's not very big, but fun to ski at and has night skiing. It seems like they're always on the verge of bankruptcy so maybe look into it first, since I haven't been there in a while. But has a great variety of kid friendly terrains. Hope this helped!
Your video is a VT, NH, ME ski promotion. You omitted the best ski area in the East: WHITEFACE! Top vertical, great enhanced snow making, great long wide trails, top rated ski town!
To be fair, ME,VT, and NH, make up like 75% of all skiing in New England, but it's a fair point, I'm not familiar with NY skiing and just left it out bc I couldn't speak to it. I know it's smaller, but I've also heard great things about the Skiing community in Ellicotville. Cheers.
Are you kidding me? NY has 40 to 50 (depending on the source) ski areas in the state. Sure, not everyone is the size of Killington, but Whiteface has hosted the Olympics TWICE! Why so much hate in NY!
No Elliot, its not "smaller" its the 2nd or 3rd biggest vertical in the east. Its huge! They had 2 olympics there! For years the only 2 FIS approved Downhill trails in the east where Whiteface and Sugarloaf.@@RicketySkiReviews
I don't know how Sunday River gets ranked so high. Maybe there's a good reason it doesn't show up on anyone's list. I personally found it to be ok but It's way too horizontal (VERY horizontal) for my liking with short runs and difficulty navigating due to its horizontal layout. But if we're talking Maine (as well as the East), how do you leave off Sugarloaf? I took a week skiing both resorts back to back multiple days each. Once I skied Sugarloaf, I didn't care if I never skied Sunday River again. Sugarloaf is just so grand & majestic and most closely reminds me of resorts out west with its huge footprint. Maybe I'm a sucker for size with lengthy trails that seem to go on for miles since Sugarloaf and Killington are my two favorite resorts.
Sugarloaf is by far the best in the East, and when the weather is right and the snowfields are open, you will find nothing better, even compared to most of the Rockies.Started skiing there 55 years ago,as well as Sunday River, and SR doesn't even come close. Go to Sugarloaf during the weekdays, and it is almost zero lift lines, and very cheap lift tickets.
@@richardpare3538 The Loaf is a great place but Utah snow has to be skied to be believed. With a good dump of natural snow, I prefer Sugarloaf because of its layout and because I don't get HAPE while skiing.
@@caroljimpeale5911 Got lucky a few years back when Sugarloaf got 5 feet of new powder - even the backside was open. Love the high-altitude deep powder of the West, but for me, Sugarloaf is real skiing.
Poster you need to try Saddleback on Monday and Sugarloaf on Tuesday. Bigger verticals and more natural snow than Sunday River. The snow lasts longer. Both have good snowmaking, but not to the level of Sunday River because of the low natural snowfall.
I live in NH. Ski sunapee and Stowe now. But taught my 3 kids at Pats Peak. I went there last year with my youngest (20 now). It is a great place. They are the perfect family place. They do everything right, and very laid back. Another is Ragged Mountain. Problem with Loon is crowds. Massholes galore.
I grew up in Connecticut and moved to California in the 90’s. I skied sugarbush , killington , okemo, ascutney, Stratton , magic , mt snow, haystack, and Hunter mountain in New York. I wanted to go back to ski Stowe for the front 4 trails , smugglers notch for black hole , lift line ,etc., and mad river glen for paradise , fall line , chute etc. Is mad river glen just a hard core mountain with expert trails and nothing else? Personally I don’t care about bars, and food , and hotels etc. I just want to ski those difficult trails because I didn’t get a chance when I was a kid.
People swear by MRG but idk, I've never seen anything there that I loved, maybe I just didn't know where to look. If you can handle the cold, I think you could argue Jay Peak has some of the best skiing and most intense lines out there. Cheers.
@@RicketySkiReviews Thanks for letting me know. I think MRG pushes the "Paradise Trail", and that's their claim to fame. My father's best friend loves Jay Peak, so that's on my list as well.
I didn't like Killington until I went on a non-holiday weekday. That was an awesome day. Until then I avoided it due to the crowds. The other thing is that the layout is pretty cut-up and you can't really ski the full vert in one run (unless they changed the layout/lifts in the last 10+ years). Good list!! Haven't been to Loon yet but will the next time we ski NE.
Oh yes! I have skied Sugarloaf, but only a few times and while racing, so I didn't feel like I had a good enough grip on it to talk about fully. I do remember it as a kid, and would definitely love to go back now as an adult. The tree skiing looks great.
I love the Stowe area year around, my favorite area in VT, but I feel like Killington is just far superior on a ski experience list. So many more ways up and down with the longest season and runs. Some lines, yes, but I've never waited long in lines... you just need to go to the correct parts of the mountain. Plus it's so big the people are spread out all over and not concentrated to one area. I've waited in WAY longer lines at Stowe both to the mountain, and on the mountain for sure. If you're a trees fanatic, Sugar Bush is hard to beat. If you want the best variety of terrain and it's a family trip, Smugglers Notch is like no other, but you're transported to 1995. Both missing the list. A little Epic, a little Ikon, VT is a competitive state for pass holders. But I like that you talked about some of the smaller mountains that are still independent and need some love.
Totally, and probably one big influence on my list is my dislike for crowds, and I've seen Killington a lot early and late season when it's at it's worst. Thanks for the nice comment!
Agree with some of your wild cat observations. It has the potential to be one of the best mountains on the east coast. But the variable weather and snow conditions make it hit or miss if you're planning a trip in advance. They also had two ( or three?) seasons Where they were unable to pump water to snow guns at the top of the mountain. They were relying heavily on natural snow to open a lot of terrain. It didn't always come.
That's a big gamble in NH! Yes, I have been stuck on the roads in ice storms trying to drive to Wildcat, the weather around that part of NH is no joke.
Pat's Peak over Stratton, Okemo, Mt Snow, Sunapee, and Sugarbush? Either you have not skied them or it has been a long time since you have skied the east, Mt. Snow and Okemo, have put a ton of work into their mountains. One of the high speed quads from Okemo was moved over to Sunapee's snow bowl, making it quick and easy to navigate the mountain. Mount Snow added Carinthia ski area, making a super terrain park, and upgraded Sunbrook's lift to a high speed quad last year.
I moved out west 15 years ago, so the info is definitely a bit older, so full disclosure. Maybe a better title for this is just my favorite resorts, or best kept secrets. I mentioned those other mountains in some other comments but basically for some of them. I don't love Mt Snow, It was very busy and pricey when I was a kid, but it's been a while. Okemo, I must have gotten really unlucky, because I didn't like it much whenever I raced there. I have skied Sugarloaf, but only a few times and while racing, so I didn't feel like I had a good enough grip on it to talk about fully. I do remember it as a kid, and would definitely love to go back now as an adult. The tree skiing looks great.
I don't know, maybe it was just unlucky, but whenever I went to Cannon it was Icey, and extremely windy, and that steepness felt rough and the tree skiing was crunchy, could just be a luck thing, but I enjoyed the variety at Loon. Thanks for Commenting though! A lot of the best skiers I know trained at Cannon.
In the early 1990s I was creative director at Sunday River. It was great. I think the ski area was ignored when it became the American Skiing Company; the management was distract by their attempt to buy half the ski world. And Jay Peak gave us the best powder week ever, but a year later we hit the coldest weather ever, with temps of 20 degrees below 0 at the bottom, only time I ever had to give up because my feet were numb.
Oh wow, I grew up at Burke and we would get day tickets to Jay from our burke pass back then, and then we would do sunday river for the free day May 1st. Thanks for the great insight!
I worked at a rental/retail shop last season at Stowe. And it is a bit snobby, and fake Vermont (I was one of only a couple native Vermonters at the shop), but the employees aren’t snobby at all. Real salt of the earth people, and they created one of the best work cultures I was ever a part of, and they’ll always help you out in any way. Not a judgemental place at all, despite the bright lights of all the high end restaurants. And the mountain is truly incredible. If you got the cash, Stowe is a must see on the east coast
Totally agree, I know people who still live in Morrisville and it's pretty amazing how different folks in Morrisville are from the Stowe resort area. I grew up in Burke, and it used to just be the kind of that rough "burke" feeling everywhere, but I think since they built that large hotel during the "Q Burke" Days, it's changed quite a bit. Cheers from a former Vermonta'!
Another "Slept On" mountain that I would compare to Burke is Saddleback. Beautiful spot that reminds me of Burke, same small vibe with great skiing for everyone.
My top ten list, 1 Stowe, 2 Sugarloaf 3 Sugarbush, 4 Whiteface, 5 Jay Peak, 6 Killington 7 Gore, 8 Burke , 9 Sunday River, 10 Stratton or Cannon. Other highly mentionable resorts. Smuggs, Okemo, Mt Snow, Mad River, Wildcat, saddleback and Waterview valley. Also Tremblant, LE MASSIF DE CHARLEVOIX , MONT SAINTE-ANNE. Any of these 3 great Canadian resorts could also be substituted easily into the top 10. With Tremblant wining for best ski village followed by Stowe.
I've skied everything on your list except for Burke and Pat's peak. I generally agree with your rankings, except I would move Wildcat to the middle of the pack due to the variety of terrain, jaw-dropping views and smaller crowds. Base elevation is 2,000 feet and it gets over 200 inches of snow per year. If you hit it soon after some fresh snow, it can be an amazing experience. If you're in the area mainly for Attitash or Loon, I'd definitely give Wildcat a try, especially if there's been recent snow. If you ski mainly on weekends or during vacation weeks, I would move Attitash down the list due to one thing: crowds! It's a great mountain (especially Bear Peak) but you're going to spend a lot of time waiting in line.
Nice list. There are so many worthy mountains/hills in the New England in my opinion it's a hard list. I like the charm of Cannon, only one I'd bump up over some of these. I feel it's a very "I'm here to actually ski" kinda mountain. Tuckerbrook area was really nice for my son to learn on and I had a good experience with the ski school which is probably overlooked given the place. He also gets future street cred for "I learned to ski at Cannon" I'd also recommend avoiding Loon during peak season and if possible go during the week, it's too damn accessible and close to Boston it gets overrun.
I learned to ski (fall a lot) at Cannon last year at 36. Went along with some friends, and when we got there, they decided to tell me it was probably not the best place to learn as how steep and icy it is. Made it through and then went to Sunday River the next day, and realized there was a whole different world of skiing
Good list of New England areas, though I would take off Bromley and add Sugarloaf and/or Sugarbush. Funny that the ski area that has the highest vertical in the East and hosted 2 Olympics doesn't even get an honorable mention. (Whiteface, btw)
I do like Sugarbush pretty well, but I've skied it so seldom, and I was mostly just their for racing and couldn't really explore. Also it was so long ago, I didn't feel like I could give it an accurate assessment, so I left it out, but not because I disliked it.
As an East Coast skier, Sunday River is my #1. Huge mountain range for the East with great variety and amenities. Attitash stinks ever since Vail bought it several years ago. They let it rot. The biggest advantage of Wildcat is it is so high in elevation. When weather turns warmer, other areas are getting wintery mix, while Wildcat is above the snow line. Plus spectacular views on a Bluebird day. Both Loon & Killington are victims of their own success and have the long lift lines to show for it.
I like Wildcat better than Attitash/Bear Peak. I have never been, but my friend goes to Sugarloaf all the time. The beauty of Wildcat to me is outstanding. I have to say I love Cranmore! I know it's not a big mountain, but it has a special place in my heart. Great review.
Am I the first one to mention Waterville Valley? I've done a Loon, Waterville, Cannon in a long weekend for the last 7 years. Loon is incredible on Thursday, busy on Friday, and a complete skip on Saturday. Waterville had better results through the weekend and is a great time. Cannon became our last day visit in the friend group, because we could avoid the crowds. No kidding though, Cannon, on the last day, those days are really tough with tired legs. It definitely sorted out the weaker skiers (me), haha.
I have skied Sugarloaf, but only a few times and while racing, so I didn't feel like I had a good enough grip on it to talk about fully. I do remember it as a kid, and would definitely love to go back now as an adult. The tree skiing looks great.
I figured that may be the case, I ski’d there before the 400+ acres of glades and upgrades, it’s much better today, you’re sure to have a great time!@@RicketySkiReviews
Sunday River above sugarloaf??Attitash above wildcat?? Pats peak being on this list at all??Saddleback not being mentioned?? As someone who’s skiid the east coast all my life and still does currently those are some hot takes if I’ve ever heard any.
I love Jay, I grew up not far from there. I mentioned in the list, that I think that Jay could very easily be argued as number one. But it's so Darn Cold, like Brutally cold. And while I love the glades you can access off the tram, and the new Amenities with the water park/ hotel are nice. I don't think I would want Jay as my home mountain, just because it's too brutal. I grew up in Burke which is also very cold, and maybe I'm just not tough enough, but I don't know that many people that I would recommend to go to Jay in January due to the extreme weather. But if you can survive that, yes the skiing is excellent. As far as Sugarloaf, I just haven't been there enough to have a good opinion on it, so I didn't want to be disingenuous by adding it. I've heard the trees are great though. Cheers, and thanks for watching my stuff!
Your title, "10 Best Ski Resorts in the East" is very misleading and in my opinion seriously inaccurate. I think it should be changed to something like, "Places I've skied in the East"
you are correct. . Us native mainers would add Cannon and Whiteface. If you skip Cannon you can do the BIG 3 and dip up into Canada from any of them. Our younger day spring road trip would be from the Loaf to Jay to Whiteface.. maybe meander down to Cannon wildcat or Tucks on the return trip. Skiers mountains..expert mountains and yup..all are damned cold! Keeps the tourists away:)
I haven't skied in NY. I should have qualified that I was referring to N.E. Cannon was always ice when I've been there. For family skiing I like Sunday River. Stowe is legit but it's expensive.
You replied its been 15 years since you skied back East and at the time you were a young racer. I am a race coach, not young anymore, and skied probably every ski area in New England. After I watched your video and before I read your comment, I was thinking exactly what you comment was. Its your list so you get to make it, but I will criticize you for saying you're keeping your bias out of your list, come on, its all over it. A lot has changed for New England ski areas. Snow making and high level grooming has become a necessity and quite often dictates where you go and what your ski day is like. A lot off areas have improved their lifts and opened new terrain. I agree with some of your choices, but even crowding has changed a lot, better some places and worse others. My top 3 areas would be Sugarloaf, Sunday River, and Killington. Stowe is up there but they have gotten extremely expensive, exclusive, and over crowded. It makes a huge difference if weekday versus weekend. Mtn's that are not long drives and have lots of lodging have gotten really crowded on weekends. Loon would be in that category now. I do like Loon, though. You missed Cannon, which is one of my favorites, but I am an expert and love the terrain. They also bought Mittersill, turned into their race area, and left the tree skiing intact. You can easily go back and forth. Sugarloaf opened an new mtn right next door, called Bracket Basin. Its all gladed skiing and they do Cat rides there now. Sugarloaf is above tree line, so that is unique in NE, with the exception of Tuck's , which is still the way you remember it. And yes, people do die up there fairly often. Mad River is much improved from an infrastructure standpoint. If conditions are good, I love the place, but I love glade skiing and expert terrain, so they really mean "Ski it if you can".
If I said I'll keep my bias out of it, that was clearly wrong, I was just trying to say I'll TRY and keep my bias to a minimum, but honestly this was just a fun list of my favorites. And honestly, I think I let my distain for crowds have more influence than it probably should have had in both lists, but man it's jarring to go from East Burke, to waiting more than 30mins for the quad. But I hate when people say they won't be biased, it's literally impossible. I do stick by my choice to leave Cannon out, though it could have just been that I caught it on the wrong day, but every time I was up there to train or race, it was Icey, steep, and the tree skiing was crunchy, could have just been unlucky, but that Franconia Notch area get's some pretty brutal weather. I have skied Sugarloaf, but only a few times and while racing, so I didn't feel like I had a good enough grip on it to talk about fully. I do remember it as a kid, and would definitely love to go back now as an adult. The tree skiing looks great. Glad to see Sunday River on your list! I hardly hear people talk about it. Cheers from Idaho and thanks for your insightful comment, it does seem like New England has changed alot.
Thanks for the reply and being open minded. I can relate to avoiding crowds, and when racing you typically are tied to one lift and its usually at the bottom of the hill where the crowds are. If a person can ski advanced/expert terrain it helps to avoid the crowds. Sunday River is a perfect example, they have multiple peaks, lifts, and base areas. I never go to the main area where novice and family's go due to crowds. So like you say, its always biased or based on your personal habits. I do like smaller areas which typically are less crowded and less expensive. If I am teaching someone to ski or skiing with beginners I always go to Pats Peak. I like the area and they have developed the back side of the "hill" with a new quad, trails, and glades. It really improved the skiable terrain. I wouldn't personally put it in my top ten, but its a nice small hill, only 700 ft of vert. It does feel bigger, though.
@@scottb6047 We (NH residents) don't tell people about Cannon, it is our secret. On a good day, Cannon cannot be beat, hands down. On a bad day, it is horrible. Bad could be weather (it i sin the notch) or conditions. If weather is not ideal, I will usually go to Loon (as much as I love, love Cannon). I also prefer Sugarlaof over Sunday River. Sunday River is too large and too crowded. I don't think people understand the size of Sugarlaof and the variety of terrain.
Killington has great snow making/grooming and a lot of run combinations to keep things interesting, but the crowds really do harm the experience there. It's gotten more and more popular since covid as well. Unfortunately the management like their business formula so will probably continue to get more and more crowded. But Killlington absolutely rips when things are on point!
I do like Sugarbush pretty well, but I've skied it so seldom, and I was mostly just their for racing and couldn't really explore. Also it was so long ago, I didn't feel like I could give it an accurate assessment, so I left it out, but not because I disliked it.
I have skied Sugarloaf, but only a few times and while racing, so I didn't feel like I had a good enough grip on it to talk about fully. I do remember it as a kid, and would definitely love to go back now as an adult. The tree skiing looks great.
I mean, I liked it more than Mount snow and Okemo for sure, but that's just my personal preference. Also keep in mind I skied in the East 15 years ago, I've been out west since then, so I'm sure alot of these mountains have changed in that time. But I could totally see why you might prefer them. Thanks for the comment, and thanks for watching!
I respect your list but I have only been to three of your top 10, so hard for me to argue with you. Would love to see if your list would change if you came out here now.
I have been based in NH for decades. The main lifts at Loon are a 5 minute drive away. My season pass covers Loon, Sunday River and Sugar Loaf. However on your Attatish recommendation I strongly disagree. They have not been in good shape for the last 4-5 seasons. Snow making has been poor and one of the two main lifts broke down in January last season and never ran again. To be accurate they are installing a new lift but their reputation has diminished a lot recently. Personally I would recommend Cannon mountain if you’re looking for challenge. Bode Miller grew up skiing and racing at Cannon. Cannon has been connected with Mittersill ski area. When and if we have snow Cannon has some challenging trees and off piste. True die hard Cannon skiers love to tip,it and rip it on Zoomer, Avalanche, Pauline’s Folly or turn in the trees in Echo WoodsGlade or Lakeview Glade. We ski Cannon mid week on two for Tuesday and Thursday.
Yeah I skied Attitash like 15 years ago, so my opinions of the east while thorough from growing up there, are old. That being said I think on paper Cannon is good, but I skied there a ton while racing, and have never cared for it much. I grew up just an hour from Cannon, and drove by it every day when I worked in Lincoln. What are your thoughts on Loon? Because I personally prefer it. but that's just me. Thanks for the nice comment and cheers!
@@RicketySkiReviews Cannon has more fun/interesting terrain when compared to Loon in my opinion. Most of Loon runs feel the same, but Loon does a better job with snowmaking. Waterville Valley is like a middle-ground.
My Top Ten (3 categories + E Canada as separate): The Best Resorts (for anyone): 1) Killington T2) Stowe, Sunday River, Sugarbush Still good, but you don't need to bother: 5) Sugarloaf 6) Jay Peak 7) Loon Depends on Conditions (doesn't make enough snow): 8) Canon 9) Smuggler's Notch If you don't want to go to the others, there are some which are there, technically: Low Rating (vs normal resorts): Stratton Okemo Mount Snow Waterville Valley Bretton Woods Attitash Wyndam Wildcat Cranmore (location Stinks but good family resort) Too small, but still technically a "resort": Burke Bromley (private now actually) Sunapee Ragged Saddleback Mad River Glen Not a resort, just a bunny hill: Wachusetts Berkshire East Ragged mt Magic mt Nashoba Valley Crotched Dartmouth (every other mt not mentioned above is a straight no, including hunter mt).
Didn't watch your video before I made my ratings.... Killington not in your top 5 makes me question if you've been to kill kill.... I've been to burke mt and also at burke during a massive powder day and thought it was just ok... And kinda small...
Im not crazy about Killington. However, credit where credit is due. Killington's bike park may be the best bike park in the east. I have great memories of racing at Bromley as a teen. Good Stuff!!
The last time I skied Killington was in the late 80s...and the sheets of ice and NASTY staff convinced me never to return (seriously, one staff member tried to pick a fight with a friend)....but I'm wondering if they've improved.
Same, when you grow up at Burke and Jay Peak, a south facing mountain is a nice change of pace lol! Thanks for the comment, I will have to check out the mt biking at Killington next time I'm back east.
- Sunday River #2 for soft snow and long season (Sugarloaf softer snow, longer season) - Loon #3 (???) - Burke long season due to latitude (Burke is actually great but short season due to lack of snow not being in the spine of the Greens; nothing to do with latitude, same as for NH mountains) - Attitash (no steep terrain and doesn't get lots of snow) "Variety is lacking" -- not nearly as much as #3 Loon - Killington ("You can find really good terrain at Killington" "Killington is way better than Mad River Glen") Killington has has 1-2 true expert technical trails, please can you tell us what runs/areas you skied at MRG. Killington does not have "tram skiing" - Stowe (way worse crowd/lift capacity ratio than Killington) - Pat's Peak over: Sugarbush, Smuggler's Notch, Bolton Valley, Pico, Cannon, MRG - smh even Berkshire East is way better than Pat's Peak.
Totally fair Critiques, how would you rank top 3? Sorry I misspoke and should have said Gondola. I skied MadRiver Glenn Twice a Year for Ski Racing from 96-2008, but granted that was 15 years ago, so I'm totally open to critique or feedback. We mostly skied what I remember being chair 2 for the race hill, but I could be remembering that wrong. I think if I had been able to do more tree skiing it would rank differently, but what I saw there as a kid was pretty shallow when it came to variety. But just my opinion growing up. I like Pats Peak, but that's just my preference, I like the way the runs are set up, and Like Loon alot more than it's neighbor Cannon, just because everytime I skied Cannon it was Icey and windblown, so the steeps were unpleasant and the glades were crunchy, but maybe that was bad luck. Thanks for watching!
IMO Mad River has the most unique terrain in the east/at worst top three for terrain variety in the east and it's not really debatable. Cannon should rank highly for terrain variety. It is windy and when it doesn't snow you need to ski groomers hard/fast. I'm surprised you found it unpleasant since you critique/nitpick some of the best eastern skiers on CZcams lol. You could argue Loon has the least terrain variety of any big mountain in the east - can you name a major northern NE mountain with less variety? I would put Stratton and Okemo ahead of Loon (for variety) since they both have more than one technical mogul/cliff run. I think most expert skiers would rank Sunday River the #3 mountain in Maine after Sugarloaf and Saddleback. I think it is very hard to argue against Sugarbush, Smugglers' Notch, and Sugarloaf as top 3 overall in the east. Sugarbush is very similar to Stowe but with vastly superior operational mindset, better quality snowmaking, better vibe, longer season, and less crowded. Smugglers' Notch has probably the best combination/range of both groomer quality and high-end expert terrain and will satisfy any skier. Sugarloaf gets and preserves a lot of snow and has incredible diversity of above-treeline skiing, vast woods, groomers, variety of natural terrain.
TBF I haven't been skiing the East Regularly since 2008, but from everything you're describing I bet you would really Love Jay Peak! (Just dress warm) I actually addressed a lot of what you're saying in my latest video here: czcams.com/video/Xe3Q0GbhycU/video.htmlsi=ZVTtivJgOZlU8mcF&t=1362 (time code baked into link) Thanks again for the insight and kind words!@@dogtowel
@@RicketySkiReviews Lol, I kinda do, they push all the snow off the runs. But honestly MRG only has 200 feet less vertical! Stowe might be bigger but I happen to enjoy ungroomed and expert terrain which Stowe has less of than Mad River!
MRG has really improved the last 20 years. Once it became a skier owned collective, it has just gotten better as finances allow. If you like advanced terrain and old school feel, its hard to beat. Its my cup of tea for sure. It might get a bit crowded on weekends, I don't get there enough to know. Less snow making than say a Kton, so I don't go there when conditions are bad. I just love the place for the vibe and when I took my son recently, he said "Dad this place is awesome"" He loves tree skiing too. @@jackbarnhart7394
I have skied Sunapee, but only once and while racing, so I didn't feel like I had a good enough grip on it to talk about fully. I would definitely like to give it another go in the future!
This is an interesting list, definitely find it interesting how you rank them. I do think Loon is the overrated mountain among this list. Loon lacks terrain variety, most of the runs off the Seven Brothers Quad (used to be triple) and Kanc8 (used to be quad lol) are the same run copied and pasted. Only the runs of the South Peak are good IMO, and the runs off east-basin double. The inclusion of Burke and Bromley seems like a very nice touch, even though I've never been I've only heard good things!! I like Waterville Valley and Pico as well. Sunday River is definitely a very good mountain to be in the top 10 for its resiliency, size, and terrain diversity.
Overall pretty good list. I'M someone that gets around the east. 30 years plus of skiing the east. You had some accurate observations. pats Peak seems questionable to me, but I've never been so I can't comment. Whiteface and/or Gore seem like omissions, though. Have you been??
Not White face, and Gore once, but not enough to remember. Honestly NY skiing is a big blindspot for me, as I've only skied at 1-2 resorts, so totally take that with a grain of salt, Similar to Canadian ski resorts, I only left them out because I'm not familiar with them.
@RicketySkiReviews Gore is very underrated. Windy narrow trails, multiple peaks, decent lifts and friendly staff. You can also get pre season lift ticket deals, but booking in advance is always risky in the east. I was there last year. Over three days they had rain, sun and four inches of powder. Lol
Once this guy says MRG has short vert (dead wrong), it’s time to roll your eyes. Then he blows through Bretton Woods without mentioning their massive amount of trees, and then he puts Loon 😂 on a top 10 list. Did he seriously mention “tram skiing” at Killington? On a positive note, I agree about Burke.
*Gondola Skiing and I still think MRG is not that great, but that's just my opinion. Also Jay could be argued as #1 but it's so dang cold. I skied alot as a kid at Bretton Woods and went there alot when I had kids of my own, I think it's got an awesome kids area, but the rest of the mountain is just okay imo. Thanks for watching!
They tell me that if you can find where the wind blows all the snow at Jay it's the best. My #1 is Sugarbush followed by Burke, MRG, Stowe, Smuggs, Killington and Jay. When I started buying the season pass at Sugarbush and now the Ikon pass I don't ski other resorts as often, but I still love skiing them. When you dis Mad River I think that you haven't been there when it's been good. I always find good skiing at Sugarbush even if it's challenging and hasn't snowed in a while. If I've maintained my edges it is always fun! Understandably, there aren't many western skiers that take eastern ski vacations but there are a few. When I go west I go for the great snow conditions and the steeper terrain and maybe some powder. The western skier coming east is going to find their carve not to mention different terrain, different environment and a new appreciation for what they have at home. If I weren't a fairly good skier here I would not enjoy the west as much as I do. Don't get me wrong I prefer the east (it's my home) now that I know how to avoid the crowds and ski firm snow. Who doesn't like western skiing? And nobody moves to the east just for the skiing.
Great list, I love that order, I tried not to put Burke too high, just because I'm super biased in it's favor. Thanks for the nice comment I love your picks! I grew up in the east coast (so some of my info is a bit old) and then moved west 15 years ago, and it's wild, people here don't even seem to be aware of how good they have it! But east coast skiers are a whole different beast, some of the most committed and strong skiers in my experience.
You should’ve at least mentioned Mont-Tremblant in Quebec. That mountain has the best terrain in east coast canada, and the lift lines aren’t that big when you know your way around.
That's what I've heard! and that was exactly what I was referencing when I didn't include Canada, because I know it's good, I just haven't skied it and therefore can't give much insight into it. Thanks for the nice comment and thanks for watching!
Sorry to disagree here, but the best terrain on the East Coast is Mont Sainte-Anne, not Tremblant. And for sure that's a matter of taste or preferences, but for expert skiers, all the left part of MSA South Summit is something I have never seen on the East Coast. I you like steep groomers or steep moguls without interruptions till your legs scream under you for help, this is the place to be. Also Tremblant is Disneyland. But it's true that Tremblant is top 10 in any East Coast list if you would include Canada. I would have MSA 1st and Le Massif de Charlevoix in the top 5 before Tremblant though. My 2 cents as a Québécois skier.
I live in Montreal. Last time my friends went to MSA, they had to drive 6 hours there and 6 back. They skied for 2 hours at most. I've not been there yet, but Tremblant is a very quick hour away. I would most definitely like to go and ski there, which I will this year. I am a Tremblant regular, I know the whole mountain by the back of my head. Now, does MSA have trails like DYNAMITE, EXPO and COSSACK? Here's a video of Dynamite on good conditions: czcams.com/video/wl2EuJQccdI/video.html (last years it had a massive ice drop straight into huge moguls). @@souslesbombes
Yes totally! I just wasn't familiar enough to add them to the list. Believe it or not, I went to the Alps last winter, and all the ski rentals and lift tickets in France were way cheaper than the US!
I’m sorry, but I would have to put jay peak wayy higher for myself (1st). I think the cold is worth it for how great the terrain is. While in the glades (which is what jay is best for), you can’t really feel the cold or wind. Hands down largest (and best) backcountry, snow, and glades. I can see how it wouldn’t be that highly rated if you don’t value tree skiing highly.
Totally fair point, I grew up just an hour from Jay, and my main argument is that while Jay is arguably some of the best skiing in the whole state of Vermont, I don't know that I would want it as a home Mountain. It's just so brutally cold, and the wind and conditions can be so hard on skiers, that while it's fun to visit, I would not want to ski there full time just due to the severe conditions. But that's just my opinion, and I do agree that it's top tier tree skiing and just the best snow in general.
@@RicketySkiReviews Lucky! I love jay, and I’m somewhat surprised by the ranking, especially with how Stowe sits. I’ll agree it can get very cold though. Also just wanted to point out we have the same name! Thought it was funny
Yes that caught my eye as well! Yes Jay is awesome, but when I raced we went there like at least 4 times per month and that cold really gets to you, especially in a speed suit! lol.
Pretty much the whole New England, So much for the rest of the East Coast. What about South of Vermont or New Hampshire? You know the other 10+states 🤔
Pats is my home mountain, and I’ve skied every trail many times, but I wouldn’t put it in the top 10. They suffer with marked glades, good snow, variety, vertical drop, and lodging. I do think it is underrated though. Not much expert terrain either.
Fair Enough! I think my hatred for crowds deeply deeply influenced this list, and I really love hidden gems like Pat's, but totally think you make a strong point.
@@RicketySkiReviews I do agree, I like the operations, and it is a hidden gem. Thanks for a great video! I want to make it to more of these too so I can make a fair judgement
you laugh at Mad River Glen? it's one of the best places in the east for moguls and natural terrain. not sure what you like to ski. personally, I'd rather lap hickory, killington, stowe, and mad river mogul fields from dawn till dusk. haven't skied maine or NH, so no comment there. skied bromely a million times. it's a bump with no diamonds to speak of. like most of NY, MA, and southern VT. What's next on your list? Jiminy Peak? RE: Jay Peak, agree on the cold. I also found the tram to be pointless unless you wanna try the chutes b/c it doesn't really open access to any trails.
Loon is in my opinion the worst mountain on the east (I've spent at least 30 days there) there is no terrain that other mountains don't do better, It's super crowded, has awful snow, and Cannon is 10 min up the road with way better snow, +1000 ft elevation, more vert, better terrain, way better woods, and zero crowds.
Yes! The east coast is by far the very best place to ski. Ignore everything you've heard about the west...especially Colorado. Avoid it at all costs...way too crowded, over run with flailers, and not worth anyone's time.
I'll give you credit for including Jay and Stowe, although for everything else you stated I'm very surprised you have Stowe rated so high. Although they do rate high on grooming, their best stuff are the steep gnarly type. And laughing at Mad River? Seriously? If you're used to the comfort and high speed lifts that dump throngs of people on top of a mountain that's elbow to elbow , then it's obviously not for you. The 2000 ft. vertical you laughed at is more than most of the groomed hills on your list and actually more off of one single lift than pretty much any in the east. A lot of lifts out west don't have that much vertical. As far as groomed cruising mountains, Stratton, Mount Snow and Okemo have the northern areas beat. Gore too... @@RicketySkiReviews
Stowe is great but its unaffordable. They cater to wealthy new yorkers & the Nantucket crowd. Killington is a tourist trap & not that great. Agree with the rest of the list. wildcat & attitash are great both have alot of steep but skiable trails. If people are looking for a couple real mountains with zero crowds. Black mt. New Hampshire & tenney are really good & underrated .
Sugar loaf is fine, I've only been there a handful of times but it was just okay back in the day. Okemo, is overrated, Mount snow is overpriced for what it is, and sugar bush is just so so. I have heard amazing things about Tremblant, but I said at the beginning, I just haven't been to any of the Eastern Canadian Mountains. Cheers, and thanks for watching!
I also want to add an honorable mention to the Middlebury Snowbowl! Great Terrain, vertical, and amazing pancake breakfasts!
I go to Middlebury college!!
@@jackbarnhart7394 Awesome! I know they were famous years ago for having quidditch!
Really? You left out Sugarloaf? The best ski area in the east? This video should retitled "My opinion of NH & VT ski areas".
@@richardpare3538 sugarloaf is just so damm far tho. I have to give a personal nod to Stowe
I truthfully like the mentions on this list, but it is INSANE that Sugarloaf is not on here, especially with the likes of Pats and Wildcat making the bubble (even Saddleback would rank above those hills). Also, for the purest ski enthusiast experience in VT, your take on Smugglers Notch is wildly topical; any true skier who loves a day of beautifully varied terrain with no one run like the next, Smuggs is an absolute gem, and even the old, slow, double chairs play their part perfectly. Always love the content though!
Eh, Smuggs is fine, but it just has lived in Stowe's shadow a bit imo AND there are so many other better mountains up North, I like Jay quite a lot more (assuming the weather doesn't give you frost bite, lol).
@@RicketySkiReviews Jay certainly is the king of the east when that cloud is really rolling out the confectioner's sugar
Thank you for your insight and personal experience and opinion. I moved to East TN from Oregon and now looking to continue skiing out here.
Right on! Hope you have a great season. Welcome back!
I'm impressed with this list and agree with your number one. Nice to see Killington not number one! While I had a great experience with a private lesson at Killington years ago, the ancillary staffing leave a lot to be desired. I once parked at the 15 minute drop-off area and in front of the 15 minute drop off sign to... spend 5 minutes dropping off my equipment. A staff member immediately ran up to me and yelled, with anger "this is 15 minutes only!" I didn't like the feeling of being herded like disobedient cattle, which is on the regular at Killington. I'm also a big fan of a couple of Maine's mountains not listed Saddleback and Sugarloaf.
Great job with the list and nice addition with Pats Peak. I live in southern NH, former racer, patroller and current instructor/coach, and Pats Peak is my go-to for mid-week escapes when I want to get some runs in with little hassle.
Awesome! Yes I hate crowds and re-watching my list it definitely shows!
Thanks for watching!
I loved Wildcat the one time I skied there like 20 years ago. Really cool mountain vibe and the views of Mt. Washington were unbelievable!
Good pizza at scorpios afterwards!
Good on you got putting yourself out there like this.
Thanks! And thanks for watching!
I haven't been to Stowe since the early 90's but my memory of it was standing in line all day waiting for the lifts. I had a much better time the next day at Sugarbush.
Yes! in the 90's it was really crowded with that double chair with a bar in the middle! But It's improved a lot with the new high speed quads.
This is a great list. Great insight to the northeast. I learned to snowboard at Bromley on a day when Okemo was too cold. We used to go to Burke with huge groups of people untill we realized how cheap Bolton Vally is
Oh man, and Bolton has that night skiing.
planning a trip to teach my son to ski...cant wait. great list btw
Awesome! hope you guys make some great memories!
@@RicketySkiReviews growing up my grandparents always took us and they are some of the best memories...gotta pass it down
Haha thank you for not mentioning my favorite VT mountain! Everyone please go to Stowe, it's a great mountain with awesome food, especially the rice ball food truck! wink wink.
Awesome! Are you talking about Bolton? Very cool, thanks for commenting and watching.
@@RicketySkiReviews no, Camel's Hump, haha.
you... you can ski camels hump?@@lisayist
This is a pretty darn thoughtful list...there's always more to add or subtract based on people's experiences and preferences, but this is a smart and well-defended list. "Wildcat is the better cannon" is a quote I'm going to use. Whaleback is still open..
Thanks so much! and Viva La Whaleback! I used to love skiing there as a kid and they had good night skiing back then.
love the content, is Sugarloaf not a thing? I thought it would be #1 on most east coast mountain rankings
yes 99ti in around a 180
Jay Peak also has high wind that can shut down the mountain except for the Jet triple lift. Went to Jay this year and skied only 1 day instead of 2 as wind was 70 mph. They got like 10 inches of snow the day we skied so it was fantastic. Also the Flyer lift is exceptionally cold and windy.
I enjoyed your video very much. Can you maybe put another list together at some point that focuses more on easier terrain and family friendly amenities. I heard what you said about Killington. Maybe a few more suggestions? Thanks!
Yeah Totally! Might be a bit before I can make something like that, so I'll just give you my top picks here. If I was taking my kids back east here would be my top choices:
1.) Loon, is pretty great, if your kids are competent on the chair this can be a really fun place to explore, gondolas are fun and nice variety of terrain. Fun Train to ride, and Lincoln has nice shops and the hobo railroad in town.
2) If they were beginners somewhere like Bretton Woods is great, very friendly and easy access from Lodge to Trail. Not far from the Mount Washington Hotel. They used to have a program for local young kids to ski free, but I don't know if it still exists. Also bonus of night skiing (at least they used to have it).
3.) Bolton Valley is a great beginner area, has good night skiing, it's affordable, and if you're not from Vermont, it's still pretty close to Stowe if you want to see that area. It's also close to Burlington
4.) Intermediate, It's on the colder side, but I Like Burke, because it has an entirely separate upper and lower mountain for advance skiers and beginners respectively. So the fast advance skiers aren't rushing past people learning and overall you get less chairlift congestion. If you want to avoid crowds, this used to be a good one from when I was a kid.
So what would I actually do? Well, My older kids are pretty advanced now, and If I was heading home I would take them to Either Stowe or Jay Peak. Great terrain- and cool amenities, Jay has a waterpark and nice hotel, and I think they would get a kick out of the tram. The village in Stowe is super cool and the skiing is good. But they're pretty advanced and I don't know how fun those places would have been a few years ago honestly.
5.) Honorable mention goes to Whaleback Mountain, it's not very big, but fun to ski at and has night skiing. It seems like they're always on the verge of bankruptcy so maybe look into it first, since I haven't been there in a while. But has a great variety of kid friendly terrains.
Hope this helped!
Your video is a VT, NH, ME ski promotion. You omitted the best ski area in the East: WHITEFACE! Top vertical, great enhanced snow making, great long wide trails, top rated ski town!
To be fair, ME,VT, and NH, make up like 75% of all skiing in New England, but it's a fair point, I'm not familiar with NY skiing and just left it out bc I couldn't speak to it. I know it's smaller, but I've also heard great things about the Skiing community in Ellicotville. Cheers.
New York not included on this list.
Are you kidding me? NY has 40 to 50 (depending on the source) ski areas in the state. Sure, not everyone is the size of Killington, but Whiteface has hosted the Olympics TWICE! Why so much hate in NY!
yes!
No Elliot, its not "smaller" its the 2nd or 3rd biggest vertical in the east. Its huge! They had 2 olympics there! For years the only 2 FIS approved Downhill trails in the east where Whiteface and Sugarloaf.@@RicketySkiReviews
My top mountains that I have skied would be Stowe, Okemo, Mount Snow, Wildcat, Sunapee, Crotched, and Attitash.
Great List!
Bro has an Epic Pass💀 go to Jay Peak. He forgot to say that Jay has a slopeside water park inside their nicest slopeside hotel, so sick
@@gregtownsend7173 epic pass is good though
I don't know how Sunday River gets ranked so high. Maybe there's a good reason it doesn't show up on anyone's list. I personally found it to be ok but It's way too horizontal (VERY horizontal) for my liking with short runs and difficulty navigating due to its horizontal layout. But if we're talking Maine (as well as the East), how do you leave off Sugarloaf? I took a week skiing both resorts back to back multiple days each. Once I skied Sugarloaf, I didn't care if I never skied Sunday River again. Sugarloaf is just so grand & majestic and most closely reminds me of resorts out west with its huge footprint. Maybe I'm a sucker for size with lengthy trails that seem to go on for miles since Sugarloaf and Killington are my two favorite resorts.
Sugarloaf is by far the best in the East, and when the weather is right and the snowfields are open, you will find nothing better, even compared to most of the Rockies.Started skiing there 55 years ago,as well as Sunday River, and SR doesn't even come close. Go to Sugarloaf during the weekdays, and it is almost zero lift lines, and very cheap lift tickets.
@@richardpare3538 The Loaf is a great place but Utah snow has to be skied to be believed. With a good dump of natural snow, I prefer Sugarloaf because of its layout and because I don't get HAPE while skiing.
@@caroljimpeale5911 Got lucky a few years back when Sugarloaf got 5 feet of new powder - even the backside was open. Love the high-altitude deep powder of the West, but for me, Sugarloaf is real skiing.
Poster you need to try Saddleback on Monday and Sugarloaf on Tuesday. Bigger verticals and more natural snow than Sunday River. The snow lasts longer. Both have good snowmaking, but not to the level of Sunday River because of the low natural snowfall.
Like the list, and how you put Sunday River up top, but what about Sugarloaf?!
Sugarloaf is so great, he didn't put it on there so to attract less tourists 😂
Sugarloaf best resort on the east coast, in my opinion.
I live in NH. Ski sunapee and Stowe now. But taught my 3 kids at Pats Peak. I went there last year with my youngest (20 now). It is a great place. They are the perfect family place. They do everything right, and very laid back. Another is Ragged Mountain.
Problem with Loon is crowds. Massholes galore.
Great comment thank you! Yes I have been at Loon when it was crowded and you're right, it can be Alot.
I grew up in Connecticut and moved to California in the 90’s. I skied sugarbush , killington , okemo, ascutney, Stratton , magic , mt snow, haystack, and Hunter mountain in New York.
I wanted to go back to ski Stowe for the front 4 trails , smugglers notch for black hole , lift line ,etc., and mad river glen for paradise , fall line , chute etc.
Is mad river glen just a hard core mountain with expert trails and nothing else? Personally I don’t care about bars, and food , and hotels etc. I just want to ski those difficult trails because I didn’t get a chance when I was a kid.
People swear by MRG but idk, I've never seen anything there that I loved, maybe I just didn't know where to look. If you can handle the cold, I think you could argue Jay Peak has some of the best skiing and most intense lines out there.
Cheers.
@@RicketySkiReviews Thanks for letting me know. I think MRG pushes the "Paradise Trail", and that's their claim to fame. My father's best friend loves Jay Peak, so that's on my list as well.
I didn't like Killington until I went on a non-holiday weekday. That was an awesome day. Until then I avoided it due to the crowds. The other thing is that the layout is pretty cut-up and you can't really ski the full vert in one run (unless they changed the layout/lifts in the last 10+ years). Good list!! Haven't been to Loon yet but will the next time we ski NE.
With you being a ski racer I am wondering why you didn't mention sugarloaf USA in maine. It in my mind is 10 times better then Sunday river
Oh yes! I have skied Sugarloaf, but only a few times and while racing, so I didn't feel like I had a good enough grip on it to talk about fully. I do remember it as a kid, and would definitely love to go back now as an adult. The tree skiing looks great.
Sugarloaf is much better than Sunday River, I agree.
@@RicketySkiReviewsthen you should edit the title to the best ski area in the east "that you have skied at".
I love the Stowe area year around, my favorite area in VT, but I feel like Killington is just far superior on a ski experience list. So many more ways up and down with the longest season and runs. Some lines, yes, but I've never waited long in lines... you just need to go to the correct parts of the mountain. Plus it's so big the people are spread out all over and not concentrated to one area. I've waited in WAY longer lines at Stowe both to the mountain, and on the mountain for sure.
If you're a trees fanatic, Sugar Bush is hard to beat. If you want the best variety of terrain and it's a family trip, Smugglers Notch is like no other, but you're transported to 1995. Both missing the list.
A little Epic, a little Ikon, VT is a competitive state for pass holders. But I like that you talked about some of the smaller mountains that are still independent and need some love.
Totally, and probably one big influence on my list is my dislike for crowds, and I've seen Killington a lot early and late season when it's at it's worst. Thanks for the nice comment!
Loved Wildcat. Gore Mt in NY is a hidden gem. Sometimes glad it doesn’t get noticed
Haha, feel the same way with my home mountain!
Agree with some of your wild cat observations. It has the potential to be one of the best mountains on the east coast. But the variable weather and snow conditions make it hit or miss if you're planning a trip in advance.
They also had two ( or three?) seasons Where they were unable to pump water to snow guns at the top of the mountain. They were relying heavily on natural snow to open a lot of terrain. It didn't always come.
That's a big gamble in NH! Yes, I have been stuck on the roads in ice storms trying to drive to Wildcat, the weather around that part of NH is no joke.
Pat's Peak over Stratton, Okemo, Mt Snow, Sunapee, and Sugarbush? Either you have not skied them or it has been a long time since you have skied the east, Mt. Snow and Okemo, have put a ton of work into their mountains. One of the high speed quads from Okemo was moved over to Sunapee's snow bowl, making it quick and easy to navigate the mountain. Mount Snow added Carinthia ski area, making a super terrain park, and upgraded Sunbrook's lift to a high speed quad last year.
Not to mention, Okemo, Mt. Snow, Sunapee, Attatash, Wildcat, and Stowe, are all included on the Epic pass.
I moved out west 15 years ago, so the info is definitely a bit older, so full disclosure. Maybe a better title for this is just my favorite resorts, or best kept secrets. I mentioned those other mountains in some other comments but basically for some of them. I don't love Mt Snow, It was very busy and pricey when I was a kid, but it's been a while.
Okemo, I must have gotten really unlucky, because I didn't like it much whenever I raced there.
I have skied Sugarloaf, but only a few times and while racing, so I didn't feel like I had a good enough grip on it to talk about fully. I do remember it as a kid, and would definitely love to go back now as an adult. The tree skiing looks great.
I ski midweek so crowds at Mt. Snow are not bad at all, plus the epic season pass midweek, senior version, was only $249 @@RicketySkiReviews
Woah that's a great deal@@jjr007
Opinions on Stratton?
Loon over Cannon? I thought you liked steeps and trees...
I don't know, maybe it was just unlucky, but whenever I went to Cannon it was Icey, and extremely windy, and that steepness felt rough and the tree skiing was crunchy, could just be a luck thing, but I enjoyed the variety at Loon. Thanks for Commenting though! A lot of the best skiers I know trained at Cannon.
In the early 1990s I was creative director at Sunday River. It was great. I think the ski area was ignored when it became the American Skiing Company; the management was distract by their attempt to buy half the ski world. And Jay Peak gave us the best powder week ever, but a year later we hit the coldest weather ever, with temps of 20 degrees below 0 at the bottom, only time I ever had to give up because my feet were numb.
Oh wow, I grew up at Burke and we would get day tickets to Jay from our burke pass back then, and then we would do sunday river for the free day May 1st. Thanks for the great insight!
My only criticism is the omission of Mount Sunapee. It is a much better choice than Pat's Peak or Attitash.
I worked at a rental/retail shop last season at Stowe. And it is a bit snobby, and fake Vermont (I was one of only a couple native Vermonters at the shop), but the employees aren’t snobby at all. Real salt of the earth people, and they created one of the best work cultures I was ever a part of, and they’ll always help you out in any way. Not a judgemental place at all, despite the bright lights of all the high end restaurants. And the mountain is truly incredible. If you got the cash, Stowe is a must see on the east coast
Totally agree, I know people who still live in Morrisville and it's pretty amazing how different folks in Morrisville are from the Stowe resort area. I grew up in Burke, and it used to just be the kind of that rough "burke" feeling everywhere, but I think since they built that large hotel during the "Q Burke" Days, it's changed quite a bit.
Cheers from a former Vermonta'!
Another "Slept On" mountain that I would compare to Burke is Saddleback. Beautiful spot that reminds me of Burke, same small vibe with great skiing for everyone.
Oh! Great Rec.
My top ten list, 1 Stowe, 2 Sugarloaf 3 Sugarbush, 4 Whiteface, 5 Jay Peak, 6 Killington 7 Gore, 8 Burke , 9 Sunday River, 10 Stratton or Cannon. Other highly mentionable resorts. Smuggs, Okemo, Mt Snow, Mad River, Wildcat, saddleback and Waterview valley. Also Tremblant, LE MASSIF DE CHARLEVOIX , MONT SAINTE-ANNE. Any of these 3 great Canadian resorts could also be substituted easily into the top 10. With Tremblant wining for best ski village followed by Stowe.
solid list
I've skied everything on your list except for Burke and Pat's peak. I generally agree with your rankings, except I would move Wildcat to the middle of the pack due to the variety of terrain, jaw-dropping views and smaller crowds. Base elevation is 2,000 feet and it gets over 200 inches of snow per year. If you hit it soon after some fresh snow, it can be an amazing experience. If you're in the area mainly for Attitash or Loon, I'd definitely give Wildcat a try, especially if there's been recent snow.
If you ski mainly on weekends or during vacation weeks, I would move Attitash down the list due to one thing: crowds! It's a great mountain (especially Bear Peak) but you're going to spend a lot of time waiting in line.
Nice list. There are so many worthy mountains/hills in the New England in my opinion it's a hard list. I like the charm of Cannon, only one I'd bump up over some of these. I feel it's a very "I'm here to actually ski" kinda mountain. Tuckerbrook area was really nice for my son to learn on and I had a good experience with the ski school which is probably overlooked given the place. He also gets future street cred for "I learned to ski at Cannon"
I'd also recommend avoiding Loon during peak season and if possible go during the week, it's too damn accessible and close to Boston it gets overrun.
I feel the same way about Jay Peak, it's kind of the "we're here to shred" mountain imo. Great additions.
I learned to ski (fall a lot) at Cannon last year at 36. Went along with some friends, and when we got there, they decided to tell me it was probably not the best place to learn as how steep and icy it is. Made it through and then went to Sunday River the next day, and realized there was a whole different world of skiing
Saddleback, Sugarloaf, Whiteface, Sugarbush, Jay, Cannon, Sunday River, Magic, Pico, Waterville Valley.
Does anyone know a mountain/resort with a T bar lift?
Good list of New England areas, though I would take off Bromley and add Sugarloaf and/or Sugarbush. Funny that the ski area that has the highest vertical in the East and hosted 2 Olympics doesn't even get an honorable mention. (Whiteface, btw)
Just not familiar enough with NY to give them a fair assessment. thanks for watching!
Leaving Sugarloaf in Maine off this list is absolutely criminal. Especially after including Sunday River
lock me up
Sugarbush doesn't even get a mention?
Jay gets the best snow. FACT. Surprised it was #7....but you're right, icy COLD.
What....no Sugarbush?
I do like Sugarbush pretty well, but I've skied it so seldom, and I was mostly just their for racing and couldn't really explore. Also it was so long ago, I didn't feel like I could give it an accurate assessment, so I left it out, but not because I disliked it.
As an East Coast skier, Sunday River is my #1. Huge mountain range for the East with great variety and amenities.
Attitash stinks ever since Vail bought it several years ago. They let it rot.
The biggest advantage of Wildcat is it is so high in elevation. When weather turns warmer, other areas are getting wintery mix, while Wildcat is above the snow line. Plus spectacular views on a Bluebird day.
Both Loon & Killington are victims of their own success and have the long lift lines to show for it.
I like Wildcat better than Attitash/Bear Peak. I have never been, but my friend goes to Sugarloaf all the time. The beauty of Wildcat to me is outstanding. I have to say I love Cranmore! I know it's not a big mountain, but it has a special place in my heart. Great review.
Am I the first one to mention Waterville Valley? I've done a Loon, Waterville, Cannon in a long weekend for the last 7 years. Loon is incredible on Thursday, busy on Friday, and a complete skip on Saturday. Waterville had better results through the weekend and is a great time. Cannon became our last day visit in the friend group, because we could avoid the crowds. No kidding though, Cannon, on the last day, those days are really tough with tired legs. It definitely sorted out the weaker skiers (me), haha.
I agree Waterville Valley should be on the list. Good snow, fast lifts and tends to be less crowded.
What about Sugarloaf?
Sugarloaf Maine..best snow, almost western like ... VT, NH..too icy
What’re your thoughts on Sugarloaf?
I have skied Sugarloaf, but only a few times and while racing, so I didn't feel like I had a good enough grip on it to talk about fully. I do remember it as a kid, and would definitely love to go back now as an adult. The tree skiing looks great.
I figured that may be the case, I ski’d there before the 400+ acres of glades and upgrades, it’s much better today, you’re sure to have a great time!@@RicketySkiReviews
These mountains, can you the The icon or Epic Pass?
I grew up in Vermont and NH back before the Icon or Epic Pass existed, so not sure I can give much insight there.
Sunday River above sugarloaf??Attitash above wildcat?? Pats peak being on this list at all??Saddleback not being mentioned?? As someone who’s skiid the east coast all my life and still does currently those are some hot takes if I’ve ever heard any.
If you're a skier it's
1. Jay
2. Sugarloaf
I have doubts about your list even for people who ski but aren't skiers
I love Jay, I grew up not far from there. I mentioned in the list, that I think that Jay could very easily be argued as number one. But it's so Darn Cold, like Brutally cold. And while I love the glades you can access off the tram, and the new Amenities with the water park/ hotel are nice. I don't think I would want Jay as my home mountain, just because it's too brutal.
I grew up in Burke which is also very cold, and maybe I'm just not tough enough, but I don't know that many people that I would recommend to go to Jay in January due to the extreme weather. But if you can survive that, yes the skiing is excellent.
As far as Sugarloaf, I just haven't been there enough to have a good opinion on it, so I didn't want to be disingenuous by adding it. I've heard the trees are great though.
Cheers, and thanks for watching my stuff!
Your title, "10 Best Ski Resorts in the East" is very misleading and in my opinion seriously inaccurate. I think it should be changed to something like, "Places I've skied in the East"
you are correct. . Us native mainers would add Cannon and Whiteface. If you skip Cannon you can do the BIG 3 and dip up into Canada from any of them. Our younger day spring road trip would be from the Loaf to Jay to Whiteface.. maybe meander down to Cannon wildcat or Tucks on the return trip. Skiers mountains..expert mountains and yup..all are damned cold! Keeps the tourists away:)
I haven't skied in NY. I should have qualified that I was referring to N.E. Cannon was always ice when I've been there. For family skiing I like Sunday River. Stowe is legit but it's expensive.
You replied its been 15 years since you skied back East and at the time you were a young racer. I am a race coach, not young anymore, and skied probably every ski area in New England. After I watched your video and before I read your comment, I was thinking exactly what you comment was. Its your list so you get to make it, but I will criticize you for saying you're keeping your bias out of your list, come on, its all over it. A lot has changed for New England ski areas. Snow making and high level grooming has become a necessity and quite often dictates where you go and what your ski day is like. A lot off areas have improved their lifts and opened new terrain. I agree with some of your choices, but even crowding has changed a lot, better some places and worse others. My top 3 areas would be Sugarloaf, Sunday River, and Killington. Stowe is up there but they have gotten extremely expensive, exclusive, and over crowded. It makes a huge difference if weekday versus weekend. Mtn's that are not long drives and have lots of lodging have gotten really crowded on weekends. Loon would be in that category now. I do like Loon, though. You missed Cannon, which is one of my favorites, but I am an expert and love the terrain. They also bought Mittersill, turned into their race area, and left the tree skiing intact. You can easily go back and forth. Sugarloaf opened an new mtn right next door, called Bracket Basin. Its all gladed skiing and they do Cat rides there now. Sugarloaf is above tree line, so that is unique in NE, with the exception of Tuck's , which is still the way you remember it. And yes, people do die up there fairly often. Mad River is much improved from an infrastructure standpoint. If conditions are good, I love the place, but I love glade skiing and expert terrain, so they really mean "Ski it if you can".
If I said I'll keep my bias out of it, that was clearly wrong, I was just trying to say I'll TRY and keep my bias to a minimum, but honestly this was just a fun list of my favorites. And honestly, I think I let my distain for crowds have more influence than it probably should have had in both lists, but man it's jarring to go from East Burke, to waiting more than 30mins for the quad. But I hate when people say they won't be biased, it's literally impossible.
I do stick by my choice to leave Cannon out, though it could have just been that I caught it on the wrong day, but every time I was up there to train or race, it was Icey, steep, and the tree skiing was crunchy, could have just been unlucky, but that Franconia Notch area get's some pretty brutal weather.
I have skied Sugarloaf, but only a few times and while racing, so I didn't feel like I had a good enough grip on it to talk about fully. I do remember it as a kid, and would definitely love to go back now as an adult. The tree skiing looks great.
Glad to see Sunday River on your list! I hardly hear people talk about it.
Cheers from Idaho and thanks for your insightful comment, it does seem like New England has changed alot.
Thanks for the reply and being open minded. I can relate to avoiding crowds, and when racing you typically are tied to one lift and its usually at the bottom of the hill where the crowds are. If a person can ski advanced/expert terrain it helps to avoid the crowds. Sunday River is a perfect example, they have multiple peaks, lifts, and base areas. I never go to the main area where novice and family's go due to crowds. So like you say, its always biased or based on your personal habits. I do like smaller areas which typically are less crowded and less expensive. If I am teaching someone to ski or skiing with beginners I always go to Pats Peak. I like the area and they have developed the back side of the "hill" with a new quad, trails, and glades. It really improved the skiable terrain. I wouldn't personally put it in my top ten, but its a nice small hill, only 700 ft of vert. It does feel bigger, though.
@@scottb6047 We (NH residents) don't tell people about Cannon, it is our secret. On a good day, Cannon cannot be beat, hands down. On a bad day, it is horrible. Bad could be weather (it i sin the notch) or conditions. If weather is not ideal, I will usually go to Loon (as much as I love, love Cannon). I also prefer Sugarlaof over Sunday River. Sunday River is too large and too crowded. I don't think people understand the size of Sugarlaof and the variety of terrain.
No Sugar Loaf?
Sugarbush didn't get any mention? Is it that bad?
I think it's fine
@@RicketySkiReviews If I just want to find challenge, is Sugarbush better or Killington better?
Killington has great snow making/grooming and a lot of run combinations to keep things interesting, but the crowds really do harm the experience there. It's gotten more and more popular since covid as well. Unfortunately the management like their business formula so will probably continue to get more and more crowded. But Killlington absolutely rips when things are on point!
Totally agree, and I really dislike big crowds
Killington + Apres = 2 words… Wobbly Barn. _If you know, you know._
Sugarbush??
I do like Sugarbush pretty well, but I've skied it so seldom, and I was mostly just their for racing and couldn't really explore. Also it was so long ago, I didn't feel like I could give it an accurate assessment, so I left it out, but not because I disliked it.
Sugarloaf?
I have skied Sugarloaf, but only a few times and while racing, so I didn't feel like I had a good enough grip on it to talk about fully. I do remember it as a kid, and would definitely love to go back now as an adult. The tree skiing looks great.
Next time do some tricks on the jungle gym for us
Sunday River, #1.
No way does pats peak beat wildcat, sunapee, crotched, mount snow or even okemo.
I mean, I liked it more than Mount snow and Okemo for sure, but that's just my personal preference. Also keep in mind I skied in the East 15 years ago, I've been out west since then, so I'm sure alot of these mountains have changed in that time. But I could totally see why you might prefer them. Thanks for the comment, and thanks for watching!
I respect your list but I have only been to three of your top 10, so hard for me to argue with you. Would love to see if your list would change if you came out here now.
I have been based in NH for decades. The main lifts at Loon are a 5 minute drive away. My season pass covers Loon, Sunday River and Sugar Loaf. However on your Attatish recommendation I strongly disagree. They have not been in good shape for the last 4-5 seasons. Snow making has been poor and one of the two main lifts broke down in January last season and never ran again. To be accurate they are installing a new lift but their reputation has diminished a lot recently. Personally I would recommend Cannon mountain if you’re looking for challenge. Bode Miller grew up skiing and racing at Cannon. Cannon has been connected with Mittersill ski area. When and if we have snow Cannon has some challenging trees and off piste. True die hard Cannon skiers love to tip,it and rip it on Zoomer, Avalanche, Pauline’s Folly or turn in the trees in Echo WoodsGlade or Lakeview Glade. We ski Cannon mid week on two for Tuesday and Thursday.
Yeah I skied Attitash like 15 years ago, so my opinions of the east while thorough from growing up there, are old. That being said I think on paper Cannon is good, but I skied there a ton while racing, and have never cared for it much. I grew up just an hour from Cannon, and drove by it every day when I worked in Lincoln.
What are your thoughts on Loon? Because I personally prefer it. but that's just me.
Thanks for the nice comment and cheers!
@@RicketySkiReviews Cannon has more fun/interesting terrain when compared to Loon in my opinion. Most of Loon runs feel the same, but Loon does a better job with snowmaking. Waterville Valley is like a middle-ground.
My Top Ten (3 categories + E Canada as separate):
The Best Resorts (for anyone):
1) Killington
T2) Stowe, Sunday River, Sugarbush
Still good, but you don't need to bother:
5) Sugarloaf
6) Jay Peak
7) Loon
Depends on Conditions (doesn't make enough snow):
8) Canon
9) Smuggler's Notch
If you don't want to go to the others, there are some which are there, technically:
Low Rating (vs normal resorts):
Stratton
Okemo
Mount Snow
Waterville Valley
Bretton Woods
Attitash
Wyndam
Wildcat
Cranmore (location Stinks but good family resort)
Too small, but still technically a "resort":
Burke
Bromley (private now actually)
Sunapee
Ragged
Saddleback
Mad River Glen
Not a resort, just a bunny hill:
Wachusetts
Berkshire East
Ragged mt
Magic mt
Nashoba Valley
Crotched
Dartmouth
(every other mt not mentioned above is a straight no, including hunter mt).
East Canada:
Yes to mt St Anne and Tremblant
Better than most of the resorts on the NE side, especially st Anne's.
I've ski'd every one of these mts.
Didn't watch your video before I made my ratings.... Killington not in your top 5 makes me question if you've been to kill kill....
I've been to burke mt and also at burke during a massive powder day and thought it was just ok... And kinda small...
What about Whiteface. Hosted two winter olympics. Higher Vertical than Vail.
Im not crazy about Killington. However, credit where credit is due. Killington's bike park may be the best bike park in the east. I have great memories of racing at Bromley as a teen. Good Stuff!!
The last time I skied Killington was in the late 80s...and the sheets of ice and NASTY staff convinced me never to return (seriously, one staff member tried to pick a fight with a friend)....but I'm wondering if they've improved.
oh wait....make that the mid-80s.
@@keith2076 Killington is a great mountain ruined by overcrowding. It's great late season because only good skiers/riders can survive at that point.
Same, when you grow up at Burke and Jay Peak, a south facing mountain is a nice change of pace lol! Thanks for the comment, I will have to check out the mt biking at Killington next time I'm back east.
@@keith2076 That's the worst
- Sunday River #2 for soft snow and long season (Sugarloaf softer snow, longer season)
- Loon #3 (???)
- Burke long season due to latitude (Burke is actually great but short season due to lack of snow not being in the spine of the Greens; nothing to do with latitude, same as for NH mountains)
- Attitash (no steep terrain and doesn't get lots of snow) "Variety is lacking" -- not nearly as much as #3 Loon
- Killington ("You can find really good terrain at Killington" "Killington is way better than Mad River Glen") Killington has has 1-2 true expert technical trails, please can you tell us what runs/areas you skied at MRG. Killington does not have "tram skiing"
- Stowe (way worse crowd/lift capacity ratio than Killington)
- Pat's Peak over: Sugarbush, Smuggler's Notch, Bolton Valley, Pico, Cannon, MRG - smh even Berkshire East is way better than Pat's Peak.
Totally fair Critiques, how would you rank top 3?
Sorry I misspoke and should have said Gondola.
I skied MadRiver Glenn Twice a Year for Ski Racing from 96-2008, but granted that was 15 years ago, so I'm totally open to critique or feedback. We mostly skied what I remember being chair 2 for the race hill, but I could be remembering that wrong. I think if I had been able to do more tree skiing it would rank differently, but what I saw there as a kid was pretty shallow when it came to variety. But just my opinion growing up.
I like Pats Peak, but that's just my preference, I like the way the runs are set up, and Like Loon alot more than it's neighbor Cannon, just because everytime I skied Cannon it was Icey and windblown, so the steeps were unpleasant and the glades were crunchy, but maybe that was bad luck.
Thanks for watching!
IMO Mad River has the most unique terrain in the east/at worst top three for terrain variety in the east and it's not really debatable.
Cannon should rank highly for terrain variety. It is windy and when it doesn't snow you need to ski groomers hard/fast. I'm surprised you found it unpleasant since you critique/nitpick some of the best eastern skiers on CZcams lol.
You could argue Loon has the least terrain variety of any big mountain in the east - can you name a major northern NE mountain with less variety? I would put Stratton and Okemo ahead of Loon (for variety) since they both have more than one technical mogul/cliff run.
I think most expert skiers would rank Sunday River the #3 mountain in Maine after Sugarloaf and Saddleback.
I think it is very hard to argue against Sugarbush, Smugglers' Notch, and Sugarloaf as top 3 overall in the east. Sugarbush is very similar to Stowe but with vastly superior operational mindset, better quality snowmaking, better vibe, longer season, and less crowded. Smugglers' Notch has probably the best combination/range of both groomer quality and high-end expert terrain and will satisfy any skier. Sugarloaf gets and preserves a lot of snow and has incredible diversity of above-treeline skiing, vast woods, groomers, variety of natural terrain.
TBF I haven't been skiing the East Regularly since 2008, but from everything you're describing I bet you would really Love Jay Peak! (Just dress warm)
I actually addressed a lot of what you're saying in my latest video here: czcams.com/video/Xe3Q0GbhycU/video.htmlsi=ZVTtivJgOZlU8mcF&t=1362 (time code baked into link)
Thanks again for the insight and kind words!@@dogtowel
mrg slander right off the bat, I skied Stowe all of last year and spent the whole time wishing I was at mad river!
Lol I can't tell if you're being sarcastic or just REALLLLLY hate snowboarders
@@RicketySkiReviews Lol, I kinda do, they push all the snow off the runs. But honestly MRG only has 200 feet less vertical! Stowe might be bigger but I happen to enjoy ungroomed and expert terrain which Stowe has less of than Mad River!
MRG has really improved the last 20 years. Once it became a skier owned collective, it has just gotten better as finances allow. If you like advanced terrain and old school feel, its hard to beat. Its my cup of tea for sure. It might get a bit crowded on weekends, I don't get there enough to know. Less snow making than say a Kton, so I don't go there when conditions are bad. I just love the place for the vibe and when I took my son recently, he said "Dad this place is awesome"" He loves tree skiing too. @@jackbarnhart7394
Sunapee?
I have skied Sunapee, but only once and while racing, so I didn't feel like I had a good enough grip on it to talk about fully. I would definitely like to give it another go in the future!
This is an interesting list, definitely find it interesting how you rank them. I do think Loon is the overrated mountain among this list. Loon lacks terrain variety, most of the runs off the Seven Brothers Quad (used to be triple) and Kanc8 (used to be quad lol) are the same run copied and pasted. Only the runs of the South Peak are good IMO, and the runs off east-basin double. The inclusion of Burke and Bromley seems like a very nice touch, even though I've never been I've only heard good things!! I like Waterville Valley and Pico as well. Sunday River is definitely a very good mountain to be in the top 10 for its resiliency, size, and terrain diversity.
Thanks! I grew up in Burke, and I've heard from friends that the Mountain Biking Scene there has just blown up in recent years. Cheers.
Waterville should be like 11, I agree it's worth checking out.
Overall pretty good list. I'M someone that gets around the east. 30 years plus of skiing the east. You had some accurate observations. pats Peak seems questionable to me, but I've never been so I can't comment.
Whiteface and/or Gore seem like omissions, though. Have you been??
Not White face, and Gore once, but not enough to remember. Honestly NY skiing is a big blindspot for me, as I've only skied at 1-2 resorts, so totally take that with a grain of salt, Similar to Canadian ski resorts, I only left them out because I'm not familiar with them.
@RicketySkiReviews Gore is very underrated. Windy narrow trails, multiple peaks, decent lifts and friendly staff. You can also get pre season lift ticket deals, but booking in advance is always risky in the east. I was there last year. Over three days they had rain, sun and four inches of powder. Lol
Need some Canadian hill representation here, espcially with where the dollar is at for all you Americans.
yeah unfortunately, I don't have enough experience in Canada, so I had to leave it out, but I've heard great things.
I included my 3 East Canadian favorites on my list.
You should replace Attitash and Wild Cat on the list because Attitash has had a few really awful seasons in the last few years. Anyways great video!
oh good info! I've been out west for the past 15 years so some of my intel is a bit dated.
Once this guy says MRG has short vert (dead wrong), it’s time to roll your eyes. Then he blows through Bretton Woods without mentioning their massive amount of trees, and then he puts Loon 😂 on a top 10 list. Did he seriously mention “tram skiing” at Killington? On a positive note, I agree about Burke.
*Gondola Skiing and I still think MRG is not that great, but that's just my opinion. Also Jay could be argued as #1 but it's so dang cold. I skied alot as a kid at Bretton Woods and went there alot when I had kids of my own, I think it's got an awesome kids area, but the rest of the mountain is just okay imo. Thanks for watching!
I was rolling my eyes when he lays in with the fake laughing and later saying he’s cold skiing Jay and at the kitty.
They tell me that if you can find where the wind blows all the snow at Jay it's the best. My #1 is Sugarbush followed by Burke, MRG, Stowe, Smuggs, Killington and Jay. When I started buying the season pass at Sugarbush and now the Ikon pass I don't ski other resorts as often, but I still love skiing them. When you dis Mad River I think that you haven't been there when it's been good. I always find good skiing at Sugarbush even if it's challenging and hasn't snowed in a while. If I've maintained my edges it is always fun!
Understandably, there aren't many western skiers that take eastern ski vacations but there are a few. When I go west I go for the great snow conditions and the steeper terrain and maybe some powder. The western skier coming east is going to find their carve not to mention different terrain, different environment and a new appreciation for what they have at home. If I weren't a fairly good skier here I would not enjoy the west as much as I do. Don't get me wrong I prefer the east (it's my home) now that I know how to avoid the crowds and ski firm snow. Who doesn't like western skiing? And nobody moves to the east just for the skiing.
Great list, I love that order, I tried not to put Burke too high, just because I'm super biased in it's favor. Thanks for the nice comment I love your picks!
I grew up in the east coast (so some of my info is a bit old) and then moved west 15 years ago, and it's wild, people here don't even seem to be aware of how good they have it! But east coast skiers are a whole different beast, some of the most committed and strong skiers in my experience.
You should’ve at least mentioned Mont-Tremblant in Quebec. That mountain has the best terrain in east coast canada, and the lift lines aren’t that big when you know your way around.
That's what I've heard! and that was exactly what I was referencing when I didn't include Canada, because I know it's good, I just haven't skied it and therefore can't give much insight into it. Thanks for the nice comment and thanks for watching!
You should most definitely try it out! @@RicketySkiReviews
Sorry to disagree here, but the best terrain on the East Coast is Mont Sainte-Anne, not Tremblant. And for sure that's a matter of taste or preferences, but for expert skiers, all the left part of MSA South Summit is something I have never seen on the East Coast. I you like steep groomers or steep moguls without interruptions till your legs scream under you for help, this is the place to be. Also Tremblant is Disneyland. But it's true that Tremblant is top 10 in any East Coast list if you would include Canada. I would have MSA 1st and Le Massif de Charlevoix in the top 5 before Tremblant though. My 2 cents as a Québécois skier.
I live in Montreal. Last time my friends went to MSA, they had to drive 6 hours there and 6 back. They skied for 2 hours at most. I've not been there yet, but Tremblant is a very quick hour away. I would most definitely like to go and ski there, which I will this year. I am a Tremblant regular, I know the whole mountain by the back of my head. Now, does MSA have trails like DYNAMITE, EXPO and COSSACK? Here's a video of Dynamite on good conditions: czcams.com/video/wl2EuJQccdI/video.html (last years it had a massive ice drop straight into huge moguls).
@@souslesbombes
East Coast, yes. Of the United States. Lot's of great skiing north of the border and save some money too!
Yes totally! I just wasn't familiar enough to add them to the list. Believe it or not, I went to the Alps last winter, and all the ski rentals and lift tickets in France were way cheaper than the US!
I’m sorry, but I would have to put jay peak wayy higher for myself (1st). I think the cold is worth it for how great the terrain is. While in the glades (which is what jay is best for), you can’t really feel the cold or wind. Hands down largest (and best) backcountry, snow, and glades. I can see how it wouldn’t be that highly rated if you don’t value tree skiing highly.
Totally fair point, I grew up just an hour from Jay, and my main argument is that while Jay is arguably some of the best skiing in the whole state of Vermont, I don't know that I would want it as a home Mountain. It's just so brutally cold, and the wind and conditions can be so hard on skiers, that while it's fun to visit, I would not want to ski there full time just due to the severe conditions.
But that's just my opinion, and I do agree that it's top tier tree skiing and just the best snow in general.
@@RicketySkiReviews Lucky! I love jay, and I’m somewhat surprised by the ranking, especially with how Stowe sits. I’ll agree it can get very cold though. Also just wanted to point out we have the same name! Thought it was funny
Yes that caught my eye as well! Yes Jay is awesome, but when I raced we went there like at least 4 times per month and that cold really gets to you, especially in a speed suit! lol.
Pretty much the whole New England, So much for the rest of the East Coast. What about South of Vermont or New Hampshire? You know the other 10+states 🤔
The southern New England ski resorts tend to really struggle with snow, so it's not typically a fair comparison.
@@RicketySkiReviewsnot a single resort in the northeast can really rely on mother nature alone to operate anymore. That's why we have snow making.
Not including eastern Quebec hills like Bromont, Orford, Charlevoix and Tremblant is a crime.
lock me up
@@RicketySkiReviews STOP RESISTING
Pats is my home mountain, and I’ve skied every trail many times, but I wouldn’t put it in the top 10. They suffer with marked glades, good snow, variety, vertical drop, and lodging. I do think it is underrated though. Not much expert terrain either.
Fair Enough! I think my hatred for crowds deeply deeply influenced this list, and I really love hidden gems like Pat's, but totally think you make a strong point.
@@RicketySkiReviews I do agree, I like the operations, and it is a hidden gem. Thanks for a great video! I want to make it to more of these too so I can make a fair judgement
totally! At least the nice thing about the east is you can cover alot of different mountains inside of a 100 mile radius.
No Sugarloaf???
East coast?? - ski New York - Gore, Whiteface, Hunter, Snow Ridge, Greek Peak, Holiday Valley?
I have heard great things about Holiday Valley.
NY unfortunately was a bit of a blindspot, I never went there as a kid.
How did sugarloaf not make the top ten?
Ascutney ! (RIP)
Gone but never forgotten!
Jay peak tops anything on the east coast
That's what I said in the video, you could easily argue it's #1 it's just cold AF
you laugh at Mad River Glen? it's one of the best places in the east for moguls and natural terrain. not sure what you like to ski. personally, I'd rather lap hickory, killington, stowe, and mad river mogul fields from dawn till dusk. haven't skied maine or NH, so no comment there. skied bromely a million times. it's a bump with no diamonds to speak of. like most of NY, MA, and southern VT. What's next on your list? Jiminy Peak? RE: Jay Peak, agree on the cold. I also found the tram to be pointless unless you wanna try the chutes b/c it doesn't really open access to any trails.
Loony. Dub V, the beast, someday bigger, flats peak, Stowe, Stratton, the loaf, sunapee, magic 🤫🤣😂
Killington skis much better than Sunday River…a ton more natural snow, better grooming, higher elevation and a lot more to do in the area.
And a second bout of heresy at 14 mins?! I‘ve skied at vail on a pow day and wished I was riding up that single chair instead
lolllll I mean my social anxiety got me feeling pretty similar some days tbh.
@@RicketySkiReviews lmao
Bro what about whiteface, or sugarbush??
Loon is in my opinion the worst mountain on the east (I've spent at least 30 days there) there is no terrain that other mountains don't do better, It's super crowded, has awful snow, and Cannon is 10 min up the road with way better snow, +1000 ft elevation, more vert, better terrain, way better woods, and zero crowds.
Dead on
Thanks!
Yes! The east coast is by far the very best place to ski. Ignore everything you've heard about the west...especially Colorado. Avoid it at all costs...way too crowded, over run with flailers,
and not worth anyone's time.
I agree, though there are still some hidden gems if you venture past CO into UT, ID, or OR (but don't tell anyone I told you)
No order; killington,sugarbush,sugarloaf,Sunday river,wildcat,saddleback,Stratton,loon,Stowe,tremblant.never did ny
You obviously don't like gnarly steeps, moguls and challenging conditions. Great list for intermediate groomers...
Lol Jay must be too far north for you
I'll give you credit for including Jay and Stowe, although for everything else you stated I'm very surprised you have Stowe rated so high. Although they do rate high on grooming, their best stuff are the steep gnarly type. And laughing at Mad River? Seriously? If you're used to the comfort and high speed lifts that dump throngs of people on top of a mountain that's elbow to elbow , then it's obviously not for you. The 2000 ft. vertical you laughed at is more than most of the groomed hills on your list and actually more off of one single lift than pretty much any in the east. A lot of lifts out west don't have that much vertical. As far as groomed cruising mountains, Stratton, Mount Snow and Okemo have the northern areas beat. Gore too... @@RicketySkiReviews
No sugarloaf???
Haven't skied sugarloaf enough to put it on the list confidently, but I hear good things, and want to go back and check it out as an adult.
@@RicketySkiReviews sugarloaf has some of the best snow in maine, and the best side country for any resort in new england.
Oh man that's awesome thanks for the recommendation, I will have to double back. @@william_gear
Stowe is great but its unaffordable. They cater to wealthy new yorkers & the Nantucket crowd.
Killington is a tourist trap & not that great.
Agree with the rest of the list. wildcat & attitash are great both have alot of steep but skiable trails.
If people are looking for a couple real mountains with zero crowds. Black mt. New Hampshire & tenney are really good & underrated .
Oh Tenney is really good, I wasn't sure if I should include since they were always teetering on financial issues if I recall correctly.
No one calls it Stowe Mountain, It's just Stowe, or Mount Mansfield, but never Stowe Mountain.
Fair Point, I think I did the same thing but in Reverse for Loon. Lol. Thanks for watching!
Sugarloaf not being on this list is robbery
Only a little bit familiar with Sugarloaf, but I've heard in recent years it's improved a ton.
Sugarloaf not being on this list is pretty wild
Okemo? Mount snow? Sugar bush? Mount tremblant
Sugar loaf is fine, I've only been there a handful of times but it was just okay back in the day. Okemo, is overrated, Mount snow is overpriced for what it is, and sugar bush is just so so. I have heard amazing things about Tremblant, but I said at the beginning, I just haven't been to any of the Eastern Canadian Mountains.
Cheers, and thanks for watching!
Stowe
Sugarbush
Sugarloaf
Jay
Saddleback
Killington
Sunday River
Killington
Mad river
Wildcat