Brucenlynn

We are two couples in our 40's looking for a 4-5 day ski trip in January. Last year we went to Jackson Hole, WY and considered Utah for this year but I've never been to New England and Vermont sounds beautiful. Are there ski resorts that are not incredibly expensive that would offer skiing for beginners and more advanced skiers? I prefer less crowded; lodging with a fireplace but not fancy; family restaurants; and plenty of snow in January. We also like to snowmobile a day or two.
I would appreciate any advice!
Thanks,
Lynn

bm

Hi!
Check out Vermont's Mad River Valley, home to Sugarbush and Mad River Glen. It's laid back, beautiful, and not as busy as some similar sized Vermont Ski Areas. Mad River Glen is a must for skiers (no snowboarders allowed) - it's a throwback to the way skiing used to be (and should still be IMO!) www.sugarbush.com and www.madriverglen.com
Stowe, a little further north is also a great choice. It calls itself the "Ski Capital of the East"-GREAT mountain and the town offers lots of choices for restaurants, shops etc. It does get crowded though and is fairly expensive. www.stowe.com Try and go midweek. One lesser known Vermont area is Burke Mountain. It's located in the Northeast Kingdom (NE VT)and is fairly isolated (which is an advantage IMO). There are some good restaurants nearby, but very little in the way of shopping and nightlife. What this means though, is NO CROWDS, and it's reasonably priced-it's a mountain where you'll meet more locals than tourists. www.skiburke.com All three areas have snowmobiling in the area as well.
For an overview of skiing in VT, look at www.skivermont.com
If any other ski resorts interest you, post back-grew up in VT and have skied just about every area in the state.

zootsi

A comment on Mad River - it is a very unspoiled ski area, but it's really 1950's style skiing, with minimal snowmaking and grooming. Some folks love it, others don't. Another area that gets a lot of good reviews (I haven't skiied there myself) is Jay Peak, which seems to always get the most snow. Also check out Bolton Valley, a medium sized, self contained ski village.

Cher

I love the skiing at Sugarbush; great trails with high speed lifts throughout. Not much for nightlife around there if you're, but there are several restaurants with bars and some entertainment. Never been to Stowe, although I hear it's nice. Jay Peak is way north in Vermont, so gets good snow. Killington is huge, can get very crowded, but offers a large variety of skiing for everyone with lots of nightlife options.

If you're going in January, be prepared for very cold weather. We've skied Vermont many times in January, and you just need to dress properly if it's really cold. (It can get below zero on the mountain.)

From what you're describing, I think you would like Sugarbush. Most of the lodging in the area is condos, but there are a few inns. We really like to stay at the Sugarbush Inn, which is a full service, hotel-type inn.

KMK

I would echo the other posters' suggestions for the Mad River Valley area. You would have 2 wonderful ski areas to choose from and a very scenic area.

My own experience, though, with Mad River Glen, is that while the reputation (deservedly) is old-style skiing, they do have some great lower mountain trails that they DO make snow on and groom; I was pleasantly surprised and thought a beginner could have a great day there. I was an intermediate at the time, and I had a wonderful, relatively inexpensive private lesson there on some nicely groomed terrain. Plus, Mad River Glen is definitely less expensive and less crowded than a lot of other areas.

That said, Sugarbush is also great (a little more expensive), but it is a bigger mountain. Had a great lesson there as well.

Both these mountains should have great advanced skiing as well. The nice thing about the area is, you can try and ski at both places!

KMK

I noticed you also posted asking about skiing in Utah. I have skied both in Vermont and in Utah, and there is, just my opinion, no comparison....go to Utah. I only ski in the east anymore if I can't afford to get west. The snow quality and weather conditions are superior in all ways to the east. You will get ice on the eastern slopes, almost negligible in the west. Plus, very few off-piste opportunities for the advanced skiers in your group in the east, fewer powder days, less sun. There's something to be said for the Currier-and-Ives quaintness of Vermont, but not so much for the ski slopes.

Also, I am not at all in to snowmobiling, but I think you will find better opportunities out west...the freeze-thaw-melt cycles in the east can sometimes make snowmobiling there more unreliable.

(Of course it's ALL better than the Midwest, where I'm currently stuck....)

Jacqueline1212

Don't know where you're from but if you have to fly to go skiing, go out west. We live in New England and have owned a condo in Killington for 20 years so go there often a couple of days a weeks because it's close. We also go out west (CO, UT mostly) once a year. No comparison. Vermont is beautiful but the snow is unpredictable. There could be tons or none. It could be below zero or warm enough to pour rain and everything washes away. Snow quality can be great or very icey. Lots of manmade snow which is OK once it's been skied on for a while. If this is a "destination" type trip for you, stick with the west. That having been said, if you're set on VT, Killington is huge but varied terrain for different levels of skiers; Sugarbush is nice; Okemo is great but not many really challenging trails if that's an issue; Stowe is a beautiful town with, IMO, a so-so ski area; Mt. Snow is so-so; Stratton is very nice; I don't care for Mad River Glen. Hope this helps.

lvk

Have to chime in with another vote for the Western resorts. I learned to ski on the icy slopes of NH & VT, and it almost put me of skiing for good. I thought my face was going to crack from the cold at the top of Killington one time.

I could not believe the difference once I tried skiing in the west. DH grew up in the Alps and has tried ski resorts all over the world, and he prefers Utah over all else.

Save your trip to Vermont for the fall, when it's at its most spectacular. You're ski $$ would be more wisely used in the West.

Have you looked into the Canadian Rockies? The exchange rate might make your trip less expensive.

DanB

I'm from Vermont and I agree with those who say the skiing is much better by you. Banff area in Canadian Rockies is great and reasonably priced. If you want to see New England, try Late Sept, through October.

But if your mind is made up I'd say Stowe.

Brucenlynn

I'm convinced -- we're going to Utah! Thanks everyone for taking the time to answer me. I still want to take a trip to Vermont but will plan a fall trip.

Lynn