Ikon in the northeast, early vs late season recommendations?

[marzNC]

I'm looking for comments about Ikon resorts in the northeast. The situation is that I'm planning two ski safaris this season, each one about a week long driving my NC minivan (no snow tires). The first trip will start mid-Dec, the second trip will be March 9-14. I'm going to Sunday River the weekend of Dec. 15-16. Not likely to ski more than a day or two at any northeast Ikon location. The question I'm thinking about is which Ikon resorts are better in early season? late season?

• Sugarbush, VT - Ikon 7/5, MCP
• Killington, VT - Ikon 7/5
• Stratton, VT - Ikon unlimited/5

• Loon, NH - Ikon 7/5
• Sunday River, ME - Ikon 7/5
• Sugarloaf, ME - Ikon 7/5

I've skied at Killington, Loon, and Sunday River during early, early season conditions when only a few lifts/trails were open. I enjoyed a powder day at Sugarbush during a mid-season trip a few years ago.

Should I save Loon and Sugarloaf for March? Is Killington in December about the same as in March or is it more likely to have more terrain open in March? Same question for Stratton.

By the way, I got the Ikon for trips to Taos, Big Sky, and Alta/Snowbird. Any days I used Ikon in the northeast are bonus days.

 

[Jilly]

Sugarloaf in March would be perfect!! More sun, more warmth, and probably more snow! If it's like Jay, March is the time to be there.

 

[ilovepugs]

Killington will be pretty good early season, though of course it will still be on the icier side.

Sugarbush can be hit or miss early season. I really like Mt Ellen at Sugarbush - as much as I like Lincoln Peak - but Mt Ellen is rarely open before late December, so you would miss out on that terrain. It is also pretty amazing in March.

Any thoughts about swinging up to Mt Tremblant as well? It’s not too far from Sugarbush. March would be perfect timing for Diva East.

 

[marzNC]

Any thoughts about swinging up to Mt Tremblant as well? It’s not too far from Sugarbush. March would be perfect timing for Diva East.

I thought about Tremblant, but the dates for Diva East don't work for me this time. I'll be driving south from Boston with my daughter for her spring break starting on March 15.

Would like to ski at Tremblant with @SkiBam again. Was there for a day during early season when my daughter was at school in Lake Placid a while back. But probably makes more sense when I have time to stick around for a few days, as well as to check out Jay. Or even wander up to Mt. Ste. Anne. I love visiting Québec City. But only likely to happen in late season. Too cold in Jan and Feb!

 

[SkiBam]

I thought about Tremblant, but the dates for Diva East don't work for me this time. I'll be driving south from Boston with my daughter for her spring break starting on March 15.

Would like to ski at Tremblant with @SkiBam again. Was there for a day during early season when my daughter was at school in Lake Placid a while back. But probably makes more sense when I have time to stick around for a few days, as well as to check out Jay. Or even wander up to Mt. Ste. Anne. I love visiting Québec City. But only likely to happen in late season. Too cold in Jan and Feb!

I won't be at Diva East - it's the one week all winter when I'm not available. But I'm at Tremblant the rest of the time, so just get in touch. Though I didn't take the Ikon pass as it wouldn't pay for me as a senior and I'm not planning on skiing anywhere else except for a group trip to Europe. Got the Tremblant-only pass which has a few blackout dates (but is flexible and way cheaper than Ikon).

 

[marzNC]

I'm at Tremblant the rest of the time, so just get in touch. Though I didn't take the Ikon pass as it wouldn't pay for me as a senior and I'm not planning on skiing anywhere else except for a group trip to Europe. Got the Tremblant-only pass which has a few blackout dates (but is flexible and way cheaper than Ikon).

I'll keep that in mind. I'm pretty flexible for the week in March. If Tremblant and Jay have much better conditions than NH/ME, I could drive in that direction. But leaning more towards Sugarloaf and Sunday River given that I'm starting and ending in Boston. Before I go skiing, I'll be enjoying a dance performance that my daughter works on during winter term.

 

[Abbi]

Sugarloaf in March would be perfect!! More sun, more warmth, and probably more snow! If it's like Jay, March is the time to be there.

Sugarloaf is also the only place in the east where, snow permitting, you can ski above the tree line. It’s big and challenging in places. And a drive to get there. Worth doing in the right conditions.

 

[marzNC]

Sugarloaf is also the only place in the east where, snow permitting, you can ski above the tree line. It’s big and challenging in places. And a drive to get there. Worth doing in the right conditions.

I'd certainly like to check out Sugarloaf. The tricky part is that my minivan lives in North Carolina. It's not worth snow tires and so on for true winter driving. So when a snowstorm is predicated, I drive in a direction that avoids the snow.

I ski enough days at big mountains out west, so I'm not looking for prime conditions in the northeast. I enjoy what I call "tourist skiing" where I try to ride every lift, including the beginner chair lifts. Sometimes they have a good view of the rest of the trails. Then the trail map makes far more sense. Helps when I read trip reports or a newbie has questions because I have some first-hand experience to draw on. Not really the typical approach to picking a ski destination.

 

[Tvan]

Stratton will be hit or miss in mid-December. We were there last year between Christmas and New Years and the snow cover was great but it was that cold freeze wher it was -20C for 4 straight days. The year before, the temperature was fine, but the snow cover was terrible. March is a better bet for Stratton. They blow snow and groom very well. Mr. Tvan could serve as tour guide if schedules coincide... he knows the place inside and out, including all the little cut overs to avoid traffic and lift lines.

 

[SallyCat]

Early and late: Killington. They'll try to open as early as they can in November and will be going strong in March. April is my fav time of year to ski there in fact. So for sheer reliability that would be my rec.

 

[liquidfeet]

What SallyCat said. Killington works hard to be the first to open and the last to close in NE.

 

[marzNC]

What SallyCat said. Killington works hard to be the first to open and the last to close in NE.

Given a choice, would you choose Dec (just before Christmas) or mid-March for Killington? Assume that I'm going midweek so the question is about open terrain, not crowds.

 

[liquidfeet]

Dec will most likely be fine. The second week of December there's usually a big PSIA event held at Killington. I've attended three of those in the last ten years or so and have found good conditions and plenty of terrain open each time. But then Mother Nature can screw with that. It's still December, not Jan-Feb-March.

Mid-March is more of a certainty.

 

[marzNC]

Dec will most likely be fine. The second week of December there's usually a big PSIA event held at Killington.

Ah, the dates for Pro-Jam are Dec. 10-14, 2018.

 

[liquidfeet]

Yes. I'll be at ProJam. Last year when I went, and two years before that, and another year sometime before that, there was plenty of snow and terrain was open. Not all terrain, but plenty. But in March everything should be open barring some bizarre weather anomaly.