Catherine88
Certified Ski Diva
Today at Sugarloaf has made me appreciate even more my ability to ski midweek. Thurs and Friday were awesome, 18 runs and 19 runs. Today, we stopped at 9. It wasn’t fun.
I realize for many people, it's a question of skiing or not skiing, but truly, I don't know how you do it.
Saturdays are the most crowded in New England. Many weekend-only skiers leave mid-day on Sunday to drive home. So Sun afternoons are often as empty as non-holiday Monday-Fridays.
This season at Bretton Woods every Saturday has been unbelievably dense with the lodge packed. I've been seeing people sitting on the floor in the basement halls to eat their lunch. Outside the lodge it's massively crowded on the flats with big crowds milling about. People drop their skis on the ground and just leave them, clogging left-right travel on the flats even more.
That said, Saturday lines do keep moving for the four lifts next to the lodge. Sometimes you do have to wait. Sometimes you get a break. Once you get up the hill, you can pick your trails to avoid the crowds. Some runs seem to attract everyone; others not so much. I've been surprised that I can find myself skiing uncrowded trails when the Saturday lines at the base appear so thick.
I think the same is true pretty much anywhere there are locals who drive over an hour for skiing. Definitely true in the southeast. Also the case for Taos. The local families with kids from Taos who are 30 min away seem to only ski on Saturdays. After lunch on Sundays, those who drive 3 hours from Albuquerque or 2 hours from Sante Fe are on their way home. Even Alta is less busy on Sundays than Saturdays, unless it's a powder day or when key areas are going to be open for the first time after a powder storm.Saturdays are the most crowded in New England. Many weekend-only skiers leave mid-day on Sunday to drive home. So Sun afternoons are often as empty as non-holiday Monday-Fridays.
Lately, the biggest complaints making national news in the U.S. have been for car traffic and lack of parking, even before someone has a chance to get to a base lift. That was true in Big Cottonwood Canyon for Solitude and Brighton last season. The reaction from Solitude, now owned by Alterra, was to eliminate free parking and to offer Ikon holders free access to the UTA bus. The bus schedule was also enhanced around SLC in general. Stowe in Vermont has parking issues too.Curious, is it lift lines or crowded pistes that are the most trouble?
Just curious - at my home mountain there is a wait at some of the key lifts "linking" sectors of the resort but you can usually get to a part of the mountain that is less crowded and it spreads out pretty well. It's a big place though.
I heard the conditions were bad last week.I think I’m going to go out for an hour from 8 to 9 AM at Okemo. But I’m not a fan of weekend skiing. I just feel the need to go see if there’s any snow at that level!
For more Diva discussion about the situation at Crystal that led to the new policy for day tickets on busy days, start reading here:Also, I read that Crystal Mountain in WA just halted walk ups for weekends and holidays...
Www.sltrib.com/sports/2020/01/25/Washington-ski-resort
I've been seeing people sitting on the floor in the basement halls to eat their lunch.