• Women skiers, this is the place for you -- an online community without the male-orientation you'll find in conventional ski magazines and internet ski forums. At TheSkiDiva.com, you can connect with other women to talk about skiing in a way that you can relate to, about things that you find of interest. Be sure to join our community to participate (women only, please!). Registration is fast and simple. Just be sure to add [email protected] to your address book so your registration activation emails won't be routed as spam. And please give careful consideration to your user name -- it will not be changed once your registration is confirmed.

How many of these "old school" ski areas have you skied?

marzNC

Angel Diva
Recently there was an article in the Boston Globe about "old school" ski areas. How many of this list have you heard of? How many have you skied? Note that both MRG and Alta are on the list so my question really is more for skiers. As the article states, this is just a sample. There are quite a few others that fit the description. The one that jumps to mind is Plattekill in NY. And Tenney Mountain in NH, which hopefully will be open this season.

https://www.bostonglobe.com/lifesty...these-resorts/2HVuPgXZxHXGcRl2ea6HsL/amp.html

Mount Abram, ME
Magic Mountain, VT
Mad River Glen, VT
Cochran's Ski Area, VT
Wildcat Mountain, NH
Ski Butternut, MA
Sunlight Mountain, CO
Alta Ski Area, UT
Brighton Resort, UT
Mount Ashland, OR
Homewood Mountain Resort, CA
 

ski diva

Administrator
Staff member
There's no school like old school. :bounce:

Seriously, I'm a sucker for this sort of thing. I just love the atmosphere, the vibe, the anti-mega resort feel. I've done 5 on the Boston Globe's list: Mount Abram, Magic, Mad River, Wildcat, and Alta. I'd add Suicide Six to it, too, site of the first rope tow in the US.
 

marzNC

Angel Diva
There's no school like old school. :bounce:

Seriously, I'm a sucker for this sort of thing. I just love the atmosphere, the vibe, the anti-mega resort feel. I've done 5 on the Boston Globe's list: Mount Abram, Magic, Mad River, Wildcat, and Alta. I'd add Suicide Six to it, too, site of the first rope tow in the US.
:thumbsup:

I've also skied at 5: MRG, Wildcat, Alta, Brighton, and Homewood.

Alta was the first place I skied out west, long ago on straight skis as a young teen because a friend invited me on a ski week during spring break and my mother said it was okay. Still my favorite in the Rockies. Although I'm glad they upgraded the main lifts to high speed quads. The old lifts were pretty slow.

Skied Homewood with friends back in the 1990s back when I was an intermediate who only every 2-3 years during a trip out west. Enjoyed it enough that my ski buddy and I went to Homewood on a Saturday before a Diva Week West in 2010. We made sure to arrive very early to get a space in one of the the small parking lots. The view of Lake Tahoe was spectacular. More impressive in some ways than from Heavenly because Homewood is so much closer to the edge of the lake.

Be interesting to see what other suggestions Divas have to add. Better if you've skied it in recent years but not necessary.

Plattekill, NY
Tenney, NH
Suicide Six, VT
 
Last edited:

marzNC

Angel Diva
Of the Globe list, two are unusual because of their business model. MRG is a Cooperative where anyone can buy shares ($2000 per share) and participate in owner discussions about the future direction. For instance, continuing to be for skiers only was based on a vote of the Coop's members. Mt. Ashland is a non-profit. MRG opened the single chair in 1948. Ashland was dangerously close to closing for good several years ago. But enough far sighted members of the business community were able to figure out a way to switch gears and create a sustainable approach. Ashland opened in 1964.
 

VickiK

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I'd add Powder Mountain in Utah to the list. Dodge Ridge in the Western Sierras would count too, and Badger Pass in Yosemite.
My list:
Alta
Brighton
Powder
Dodge Ride
 

ski diva

Administrator
Staff member
I'd add Powder Mountain in Utah to the list. Dodge Ridge in the Western Sierras would count too, and Badger Pass in Yosemite.
My list:
Alta
Brighton
Powder
Dodge Ride

Good addition! Definitely Powder Mountain! We skied there during a Diva week a few years ago, and it was amazing!
 

VickiK

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Another old school one might be Brianhead, UT. Would Loveland, CO qualify? IDK.

How about a list of ski areas that have ONE lift?
 

newboots

Angel Diva
I want to ski old-school!

My favorite place to ski so far is Berkshire East, by far the most old-school of the few where I've skied (also Killington, Stratton, Okemo, and Waterville Valley). I know where Tenney Mountain is - I've driven by the signs. That would be great if they re-opened.
 

Skisailor

Angel Diva
I've skied six on the list:
Magic Mt
MRG
Wildcat
Sunlight Mtn (just outside of Glenwood Springs CO).
Alta
Brighton

I love old school. In my book, despite its venerable history, Alta doesn't really belong on a list like this anymore.

I've also skied Plattekill and a couple that are really off the beaten path:
Pomerelle in Idaho, and
Pine Creek in Wyoming

Way fun!!
 

Christy

Angel Diva
Of the list I've only been to Alta. But I'd add Summit East (nee Hyak) at Snoqualmie Pass, WA, to that list. It was built in 1937 by the Chicago, Milwaukee, St Paul and Pacific Railroad and I'm not sure much has changed. It's small, the trails are narrow and they go up and down, there's not much vertical, and it's not laid out like a modern resort. The original lodge burned down in the 40s but the current one is funky and maybe from the 70s. I actually quite like it for those days once every year or two when I just want to ski a half day and don't want too drive far to do it. The clientele tends to be older as I don't think most younger people are into it. It offers lift served Nordic skiing too which means it has a different kind of atmosphere (and a bit of an annoyance, since Nordic skiers have a hard time getting on and off the lift, so it stops a lot).
 

CarverJill

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Magic Mountain in VT was my favorite as a kid in the 80's because of a long winding blue off to the right size called Hocus Pocus. The place was almost closed (or maybe opening back up) in 2001 or so when I went back. They had all the old fixed double lifts, limited grooming, no food just a bring your own stuff type lodge and it was dumping. I had a great day experiencing the trails I remembered.

I also skied at Mad River that same season '01-02. The single chair was fun and I loved that you could buy hard boiled eggs in the lodge but that day the conditions were terrible. No grooming and no recent snow meant iced moguls and I hadn't learned how to navigate yet.

I'd love to check out the older areas out west. Last years epic snow year taught me about a so. Cal old school place called Mt. Waterman:
3 chair lifts
Vertical 1,030 ft
Top Elevation 8.030 ft
Base Elevation 7,000 ft
Skiable area 150 acres
https://www.mtwaterman.org/
 

alison wong

Angel Diva
I've skied:
1) MRG, VT
2) Alta, UT

@Skisailor : How did you like Sunlight, CO? (Reason I am asking: plan a 1-wk ski trip to Aspen/Snowmass in mid March and will be staying in Basalt. I wonder if it is worth to pay a visit to Sunlight, CO while I am there. I like old school as well.)
 

Skisailor

Angel Diva
Definitely worth a day! It's got 2000' vertical and fun trails to explore. Great views from the top and an old timey lodge. If you get a powder day - go to Sunlight! The Aspen 4 will be quickly skied out but you can make powder turns at Sunlight well into the afternoon. Plus you can't beat the price. :smile:
 

marzNC

Angel Diva
I'd add Powder Mountain in Utah to the list. Dodge Ridge in the Western Sierras would count too, and Badger Pass in Yosemite.
My list:
Alta
Brighton
Powder
Dodge Ride
Badger Pass was a new one for me. Looked it up and found that it's been officially renamed to the Yosemite Ski and Snowboard Area. It's one of just a few ski areas inside a U.S. National Park. First lift in 1935!

Apparently there were updates done at Badger for the 2009-10 season, including two new lifts. In an LA Times article in Feb 2010, the GM said "It is safe, easy and relaxing. The area is not intimidating like the larger ski areas. All the lifts leave from the one base area, and all the ski runs end back in the base area. Mom and Dad can watch their children from the lodge desk." That's how I felt comparing Massanutten with the main area of Snowshoe. Who wouldn't want to spend a few days in Yosemite National Park? Could stay in Curry Village, the Ahwahnee Hotel, Yosemite Lodge and the Wawona Hotel and get free bus transportation.

With a vertical of 800 ft and about 90 acres, sounds very similar to a lot of ski areas in the southeast. The season is about the same too, from mid-December to late March. I can easily understand why it would be a great place for an annual ski vacation for a few years for families with young kids and/or adults learning to ski.
 
Last edited:

Forum statistics

Threads
26,235
Messages
497,583
Members
8,503
Latest member
MermaidKelly
Top