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Vermont Skiing 2018-2019

MissySki

Angel Diva
Thinking about maybe trying out Pico on Monday, President’s Day.. Is this a good bet in the area in terms of avoiding crowds? One of my main motivations for potentially skiing in this direction is maybe stopping for a little tweak at my bootfitters on the way home if he is going to be around. Also looking for somewhere to have a pair of my skis tuned for some dings in my edges, anyone have experience with the tune shop at Pico? I’m looking to use somewhere that will do edge angles to my specifications versus whatever they set their machine to and refuse to change.
 
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SallyCat

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
@MissySki Everyplace in New England will be busy that day. Pico is definitely a better bet than Killlington or Okemo, that's for sure, but it will be crowded.

Who is your bootfitter?

If you have a touring set-up it would be a good day to avoid resorts entirely.

If I had to go to a resort that weekend (well, I do because I work at one and we are SLAMMED with reservations) I would go to Magic or one of the smaller hills like the Dartmouth Skiway or something like that. For one thing, the vibe will be a lot less chaotic and tense. But also, on packed weekends, places with slow chairs (i.e., Magic) are a good choice because the chairs regulate the number of skiers on the trails. So, while you may not get as many runs in as you would at Killington, the ones you do get will be much more pleasant.
 

MissySki

Angel Diva
@MissySki Everyplace in New England will be busy that day. Pico is definitely a better bet than Killlington or Okemo, that's for sure, but it will be crowded.

Who is your bootfitter?

If you have a touring set-up it would be a good day to avoid resorts entirely.

If I had to go to a resort that weekend (well, I do because I work at one and we are SLAMMED with reservations) I would go to Magic or one of the smaller hills like the Dartmouth Skiway or something like that. For one thing, the vibe will be a lot less chaotic and tense. But also, on packed weekends, places with slow chairs (i.e., Magic) are a good choice because the chairs regulate the number of skiers on the trails. So, while you may not get as many runs in as you would at Killington, the ones you do get will be much more pleasant.

Technically I’ll still have a touring setup on Monday because I’m renting one for my intro to backcountry class on Saturday and won’t be returning until next Tuesday.. we’ll see how that all goes though!

I was trying to choose something close by to Okemo because my bootfitter is Torin at Totem Pole, so he’s right there. Also somewhere on the Ikon pass would be ideal. So Pico seemed like the best choice out of those for location and crowds anyway, though I know there will be no ideal location on the holiday.

Haven’t been to the bootfitter in years, and he isn’t actually who I bought my boots from. However, he’s a pedorthist and has worked on previous boots for me. I took out huge heel lifts from my boots recently from where I did buy the boots, and I am loving the change to my skiing without them. However, when I get off groomers and/or the temperatures warm up and likely cause my feet to swell a little, I am having terrible pain on each foot on the bone on the side of my little toe. Common problem for me due to a wide forefoot, but skinny/low volume everything else about me foot. In the past he has been the only one to adequately deal with this type of problem for me. Rather than punching and gringing the exact spot of pain like all other bootfitters I’ve had (which never solved the problem for some reason), he stretched the opposite side of the boot where the other prominent bone is in a previous boot so my foot sat better and all pain was gone. Hoping he might be able to accomplish the same thing here in these boots, so I want him to have a look. Everything else about my boots feel great, so I’m a bit gun shy to change anything, but think I really need to at this point.
 

SuperSkiMom

Certified Ski Diva
@MissySki yes we will be up at Pico this weekend. I am sure it will be crowded, but will probably be a little better than K. Do you have a One Pass? If you don't you might want to get that ahead of time. If you are just coming Monday the line might not be as bad as Saturday for that.
 

SuperSkiMom

Certified Ski Diva
@MissySki we have been very happy with a place on Route 4 headed towards Rutland from Pico. Depending on what you want done you might have to leave them overnight.

https://www.highaltitude.biz/

Aspen East (headed east just past the Killington access road) and First Stop (on the corner of 100 and RT 4) are also good.

We have season tune at Pico, but it is basically just a quick wax, if you want more I suggest the other 3.
 

Polly

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
OK. I am the only person who does not love Jay Peak. I will get kicked off Ski Divas for this! But I have to say, I haven't been to a lot of places in VT (I am more NH), but I worked on my skills at Mt. Snow. Love it mid-week, but it gets TOO crowded and it's too easy for the south folk- and the jerks of south folk- (NJ, NY, etc.) to get there...I also broke my ribs on moguls on Ridge due to underrated trail conditions and at the time couldn't ski moguls. Good mountain though, just time it right. LOVE Smuggs. Holy crap I LOVE SMUGGS. Hopefully trying Pico and Magic soon. Killington sounds too hoity-toity for me.
 

SkiSci

Certified Ski Diva
Thinking about short mid-week ski vacation first week of March in southern VT. Usually go to Stratton. How are the conditions there? Any other good choices? We are coming from central PA. Conditions here are crud on crud.
 

newboots

Angel Diva
Hopefully trying Pico and Magic soon. Killington sounds too hoity-toity for me.

Hoity-toity?

Killington can be a pain. Expensive, for one. A couple of the lodges have too much of a party atmosphere for my taste. But I would never have imagined it as hoity-toity!

Try skiing from Bear Mountain lodge, early, and if you can, on a weekday. The skiers there are as far as you can get from hoity-toity.
 

ski diva

Administrator
Staff member
Thinking about short mid-week ski vacation first week of March in southern VT. Usually go to Stratton. How are the conditions there? Any other good choices? We are coming from central PA. Conditions here are crud on crud.

I live not too far from Okemo, and conditions have been good. I'd say go for it!

Killington sounds too hoity-toity for me.

If there is one descriptor I would not use for Killington, it's hoity-toity. Maybe we're misunderstanding you in some way?
 

MissySki

Angel Diva
There is a SheJumps Ski day planned for Magic Mountain on Saturday March 16. There will be downhill skiing and also an uphill clinic for anyone interested in learning how to skin. Is anyone planning to attend? I’ve been wanting to check out Magic, so I’m tempted to check it out and have other ladies there to explore with.

https://www.facebook.com/events/772027286503571/?ti=ia
 

newboots

Angel Diva
Thinking about short mid-week ski vacation first week of March in southern VT. Usually go to Stratton. How are the conditions there? Any other good choices? We are coming from central PA. Conditions here are crud on crud.

The conditions vary here, of course. But it’s a big resort mountain, we have had lots of snow (and yes, rain), so skiing up here has been good. I ski at Killington, though, so I don’t have any intel on Stratton. @Tvan ?
 

SallyCat

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Thinking about short mid-week ski vacation first week of March in southern VT. Usually go to Stratton. How are the conditions there? Any other good choices? We are coming from central PA. Conditions here are crud on crud.

That first week in March looks good. A little rain on the first weekend, but then some comfortable temps throughout the week. Snowmaking is done for the season at most places, so what you see is what you get unless we get a storm. Conditions are generally very good; packed powder rather than granular-and-icy, but that depends on whether we get any more rain-freeze cycles, which have plagued us this year. Fingers crossed for some good spring skiing.
 

SallyCat

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
There is a SheJumps Ski day planned for Magic Mountain on Saturday March 16. There will be downhill skiing and also an uphill clinic for anyone interested in learning how to skin. Is anyone planning to attend? I’ve been wanting to check out Magic, so I’m tempted to check it out and have other ladies there to explore with.

https://www.facebook.com/events/772027286503571/?ti=ia

I have to work that day, alas. But if you're around Sunday I will most likely be at Magic. Let us know how the SheJumps event turns out!
 

SnowSeeker

Angel Diva
There is a SheJumps Ski day planned for Magic Mountain on Saturday March 16. There will be downhill skiing and also an uphill clinic for anyone interested in learning how to skin. Is anyone planning to attend? I’ve been wanting to check out Magic, so I’m tempted to check it out and have other ladies there to explore with.

https://www.facebook.com/events/772027286503571/?ti=ia

I’m going to be in VT nearby that weekend as was thinking about going and doing the uphill clinic. But I’m iffy at the moment bc that means ditching my kids on my unsuspecting husband for the day. Will know more closer to it. Are you going? Would be fun not to go it alone.
 

MissySki

Angel Diva
I’m going to be in VT nearby that weekend as was thinking about going and doing the uphill clinic. But I’m iffy at the moment bc that means ditching my kids on my unsuspecting husband for the day. Will know more closer to it. Are you going? Would be fun not to go it alone.

I would like to as long as nothing comes up at home that day! It’d be great to have another diva there! I’m most interested in just skiing and exploring the mountain with others since I’ve never skied it. I very recently did a backcountry clinic, so I’ve tried skinning and probably won’t do that part. Currently building my touring setup before I go back out in that way, I did NOT enjoy renting boots for the clinic I did! :smile:
 

marzNC

Angel Diva
If all goes according to plan, I'm going to check out Stratton on Wed morning since I have Ikon. Not exactly on the way to Boston, but close enough.

Is it obvious where to park mid-week? How long is the walk to a lodge were I can boot up indoors?
 

ski diva

Administrator
Staff member
Parking isn't a problem. There's a close-in lot that's across from the yellow condominiums on the access road (at least I think they're yellow, and I think they're called the Long Trail House). Take a right into the lot, then follow the ramp down into the parking garage. There are lots of spaces down there. The walk to the lodge isn't far. Take the stairs up out of the garage and go straight into the village. The lodge is close to the lift, to the right.

If the garage is full, there's a lot farther down the access road, on the left. You can take a shuttle up to the base village.
 

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