New England Smugglers Notch

[aubergine]

w/r/t to the comment on the multi lift pass - I can't really see Epic or Ikon letting this place into the club with the limited infrastructure they have. Not sure it fits the image and price points and spending they are aspiring to.

At least they know and understand their core market: families who value ski in/out more than 30,000+ vertical feet a day.

 

[Crank]

Slow lifts will never keep me away from an area but they will keep me away on weekends.

 

[Guy in Shorts]

My cousin who lives on Rt 242 about 2 miles from Jay normally drives to Smuggs to ski. Like many woodchucks the old slow ski experience rules.

 

[x10003q]

w/r/t to the comment on the multi lift pass - I can't really see Epic or Ikon letting this place into the club with the limited infrastructure they have. Not sure it fits the image and price points and spending they are aspiring to.

At least they know and understand their core market: families who value ski in/out more than 30,000+ vertical feet a day.

Or - families who value 1 run an hour on weekends. This isn't about 30K feet, it is about a 20-30 minute lift line and a 20 minute ride up the mountain and it is a damn cold ride.

 

[scott43]

So different angle, what about non ski in/ski out in something like Warren and doing Sugarbush and MRG? Where else in Vermont/NH has low crowds mid-week?

 

[x10003q]

So different angle, what about non ski in/ski out in something like Warren and doing Sugarbush and MRG? Where else in Vermont/NH has low crowds mid-week?

They are pretty much all low crowds midweek. Sugarbush is an excellent choice. You can find ski in/ski out at Sugarbush.

 

[Wilhelmson]

So different angle, what about non ski in/ski out in something like Warren and doing Sugarbush and MRG? Where else in Vermont/NH has low crowds mid-week?

Cannon, Cannon, and Cannon. It's a unique place but you might get bored if it's not 90% open (unless you like going fast on ice and still getting passed by people). The beginner area is pretty good. Most of the woods make you wonder if the chainsaw ran out of gas so they just let the trail go through a frozen riverbed.

Most places might be ok midweek. Sugarbush is one of my favorties, but the lodging prices are nuts these days. Still, if you're going to pay top price just go to Jay or Stowe to keep the drive shorter.

Bretton Woods is known for being and is pretty flat but has some good woods. Not much in the way of moguls. You can find some cheap houses 10 to 15 minutes away. The hotel sometimes has good deals if you don't mind packing the kids into a room and paying for food. Farther from Cannon and Bretton woods, the Hampton Inn in Littleton has a two room suite with a hot tub in the private bedroom if you're into that.

 

[Crank]

So different angle, what about non ski in/ski out in something like Warren and doing Sugarbush and MRG? Where else in Vermont/NH has low crowds mid-week?

So what are you looking for besides low cost, low crowds, ski-in-ski-out...and, of course, great conditions?

Type of terrain you like?

Vertical drop?

etc.?

 

[scott43]

So what are you looking for besides low cost, low crowds, ski-in-ski-out...and, of course, great conditions?

Type of terrain you like?

Vertical drop?

etc.?

Yeah I hate sounding like That Guy, I know. I think we have enough info just have to figure out how to make it work with the kids. Thanks for the input everyone.

 

[Slide of Hans]

Slow lifts will never keep me away from an area but they will keep me away on weekends.

I just saw this so had to laugh. I only skied smuggs once, loved the place, but it was on a sunny Saturday. Since I never been there before, I was wondering why the lady in front of us had a book while in line, Well 45 minutes later, she read through half of it.

I second Burke and will throw in Bolton valley for a whole family trip. Both are smaller, and not really difficult but do lack kid activities if the 3yo needs nonvideo entertainment.

 

[RJS]

Cannon, Cannon, and Cannon. It's a unique place but you might get bored if it's not 90% open (unless you like going fast on ice and still getting passed by people). The beginner area is pretty good. Most of the woods make you wonder if the chainsaw ran out of gas so they just let the trail go through a frozen riverbed.

Most places might be ok midweek. Sugarbush is one of my favorties, but the lodging prices are nuts these days. Still, if you're going to pay top price just go to Jay or Stowe to keep the drive shorter.

Bretton Woods is known for being and is pretty flat but has some good woods. Not much in the way of moguls. You can find some cheap houses 10 to 15 minutes away. The hotel sometimes has good deals if you don't mind packing the kids into a room and paying for food. Farther from Cannon and Bretton woods, the Hampton Inn in Littleton has a two room suite with a hot tub in the private bedroom if you're into that.

At the risk of derailing the thread, which trail at Cannon is harder, Kingsman Glade or DJ's Tramline? Last summer I hiked to the top of Cannon, and the trail crosses over Kingsman a few times, and boy does it look steep/rocky/sketchy!

 

[LiquidFeet]

At the risk of derailing the thread, which trail at Cannon is harder, Kingsman Glade or DJ's Tramline? Last summer I hiked to the top of Cannon, and the trail crosses over Kingsman a few times, and boy does it look steep/rocky/sketchy!

Both travel down the same side of the mountain, starting and ending at about the same spots, and staying fairly close to each other, so they have similar steepness and identical elevation drop. Kinsman Glade goes through the trees and weaves its way down. DJ's Tramline has rubble and huge boulders instead of trees, and travels straight down under - you got it - the Tram. The sun shines on DJ's; not so under the trees of Kinsman, so conditions can be a bit different. Patrol usually opens and closes them together, and they are often closed due to thin coverage. If you can ski one, you can ski the other. For DJ's you will have an audience above you. If you ski Cannon when they are open, ride the Tram and look down to decide if they are for you.

 

[Wilhelmson]

That about sums it up. On a New England scale the're very hard double blacks with nowhere to bail I'm not a super technical expert and in good conditions they're no prob.

Kinsman at least has a few spots where you can take a breather, whearas on Tramline it's easier to keep going than stop at a less steep spot and get in everyones way. Being in the woods Kinsman might hold more snow and doesn't get tracked out quickly due the unknown factor (can't see it from any lift), and somewhat overblown commentary on the difficulty.

Either way, not the place to take your kids without checking it out first, ski alone, disclaimer, etc.