# VT Valentines Day Weekend - Seeking a mountain and chalet



## Oldman (Mar 7, 2012)

That is one of, if not "THE" busiest weekends of the season as so many schools go on break that week.

No matter where you go, you will line up and you will pay full price.

Sorry to be a Debbie Downer, but such is the case on this one. I too had great hopes and hit the slopes on that weekend a few years ago and it was my worst weekend ever. Never again. ( Whiteface; way, way too many people )

Good Luck.


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## ksup3erb (Jan 25, 2013)

Oldman said:


> That is one of, if not "THE" busiest weekends of the season as so many schools go on break that week.
> 
> No matter where you go, you will line up and you will pay full price.
> 
> ...


This. Southern vermont will be mobbed by fancy pants Manhattaners on holiday weeks. They ruin everything. J/k. OP: Killington is the better mountain between it and Okemo. Okemo is a better skiing mountain. Lots of flats and traverses make it not so much fun on a board. 

Still think OP is better off at a smaller mountain at her level. Sugarbush. The whole right side of Lincoln Peak will be fairly empty and better for people who'll just lap the greens.


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## surfinsnow (Feb 4, 2010)

ksup3erb said:


> This. Southern vermont will be mobbed by fancy pants Manhattaners on holiday weeks. They ruin everything. J/k. OP: Killington is the better mountain between it and Okemo. Okemo is a better skiing mountain. Lots of flats and traverses make it not so much fun on a board.
> 
> Still think OP is better off at a smaller mountain at her level. Sugarbush. The whole right side of Lincoln Peak will be fairly empty and better for people who'll just lap the greens.


Sugarbush is a SMALLER mountain? Since when? It's one of the larger ones, and looks pretty intimidating when you first drive up. Mt. Ellen is smaller, but then he'll have to ride the smaller mountain to stay with his girl. A Lincoln Peak ticket is good at Mt. Ellen, but not the other way around. Plus it is a long way up there, with very little nearby. That said, there is a Best Western right off exit ramp that has a nice heated indoor pool, hot tub and private saunas with their own bathrooms (wink wink nudge nudge). Free breakfast, fireplace in the lobby, bar. Usually pretty cheap, but probably not on that particular weekend.

The other upside to that Best Western is that it is right between Sugarbush, Bolton Valley and Stowe (about 1/2 an hour from any of them). If you go to Stowe, it will be crowded as all get-out and wicked expensive, but there are tons of small inns and motels along the road in. The Innsbruck is one of our favorites...very old school, but free home-cooked breakfast, free soup and cider in the afternoon, a small bar, and two hot tubs, one inside and one outside. It's pretty cheap, and one of the closest inns to the Mt. Mansfield/Stowe.

BTW, we were at Okemo for Presidents Day a few years ago. Some friends have a house nearby, and we went just because we had cheap tix and it was close. That day they set their record for the largest crowds ever. Ever. Up 11% from the previous record. It was HELL. Half and hour minimum lift lines. Death on the slopes. Look for a more obscure mountain like Burke -- the farther north the better. But not much.

I forgot to mention, the Innsbruck has a chalet (two, actually), but not sure if it is worth it for two people. Sleeps about eight, probably too spendy...unless you're into spendy. Try Kayak...they'll show you everything available.


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## ksup3erb (Jan 25, 2013)

The OP is a complete newbie. Sugarbush is definitely smaller than Killington and Okemo -- I don't see how this is debatable. And forget about Stowe. At Sugarbush she'll have access to probably half or more of the lower mountain at Lincoln. That's two chair lifts -- gate house and the beginner lift all the way to the right. If she wants to meet up with her friend who is riding the rest of the mountain (at Lincoln) it's a 5 minute walk across the base area. Whereas Okemo has basically one small slope for beginners and the rest of the mountain is not accessible to her.

Sure, Bolton is smaller, but small the point that her more advanced friend won't have fun.

This is just simply my advice -- I pick Sugarbush in VT precisely because my wife is perennially on beginner slopes and I don't want to traverse the whole mountain (read: Okemo) just to meet up with her for lunch/après ski, etc.


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## surfinsnow (Feb 4, 2010)

ksup3erb said:


> The OP is a complete newbie. Sugarbush is definitely smaller than Killington and Okemo -- I don't see how this is debatable. …
> 
> This is just simply my advice -- I pick Sugarbush in VT precisely because my wife is perennially on beginner slopes and I don't want to traverse the whole mountain (read: Okemo) just to meet up with her for lunch/après ski, etc.


First of all, I completely agree about Okemo. I think it sucks. I go there way too much, primarily because two different friends have homes there, one of them right on Sachem Trail. Hey, I'm a sucker for a free place to stay! But Okemo is still one of my least favorites.

Now, about Sugarbush being smaller and it not being "debatable," you're right…it's not debatable. Sugarbush has a 4080ft peak with 2600ft of vertical and 53 miles of trails. Okemo is 3340ft with 2200ft of vertical and 44 miles of trails. Doesn't seem debatable to me which is bigger.

As for Stowe, why not? Perfect place for a noob! Spruce Peak is all noob. And the new base area is perfect, with lots of places to hang out, and the Gondola to the Mt. Mansfield side makes it easy to meet up. He can ride steeps and she can ride mellow greens, and have a beautiful lodge with live music and a fireplace right there when she gets cold and tired. I sure as hell wouldn't send her up on Mt. Mansfield, but Spruce Peak was made for newbies! Plus the town of Stowe is romantic as can be, with lots of great little pubs, restaurants and even an indoor water park.


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## ksup3erb (Jan 25, 2013)

Cmon now you are adding stats for two mountains. 

Stowe is nice with more to do in the evenings, I agree.


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## surfinsnow (Feb 4, 2010)

ksup3erb said:


> Cmon now you are adding stats for two mountains.
> 
> Stowe is nice with more to do in the evenings, I agree.


Remember, Okemo is essentially two mountains as well. Jackson Gore is pretty much separated from the rest of the resort, especially for a beginner. And it is virtually all advanced terrain. The rest of Okemo is relatively short and easy (blues at least). But again, I don't like Okemo anyway, but I still disagree that it is "big." It's chopped up into a bunch of distinct parts of the mountain, and it is easy for a noob to get lost/go to the wrong lift. The beginner area IS small, can't argue with that...just that small hill down by the base lodge. I learned there...was at the top on my second day. Took me 45 minutes to get down! :laugh:


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## blackbeard (Nov 24, 2011)

I'm planning on going to Okemo on Presidents weekend and these posts are making me regret my decision. We decided against Killington because we figured that would be much more crowded and I heard the mountain is confusing to navigate, but it sounds like Okemo is not much better. 

We are taking the train from Manhattan (we are not fancy panters) and we can't take much vacation so a long weekend was the only option for us.


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## surfinsnow (Feb 4, 2010)

blackbeard said:


> I'm planning on going to Okemo on Presidents weekend and these posts are making me regret my decision. We decided against Killington because we figured that would be much more crowded and I heard the mountain is confusing to navigate, but it sounds like Okemo is not much better.
> 
> We are taking the train from Manhattan (we are not fancy panters) and we can't take much vacation so a long weekend was the only option for us.


No, even at its worst, Okemo will be MUCH better than Killington! Killington is a nightmare. Seven different base areas, lots of flat areas, very easy to get separated from your party and not see them again for and hour or more as you try to find your way back. And despite their claims of being "The Beast," while they have a ton of trails, most of them are pretty short compared to other Vermont mountains. Tons of connectors. And that weekend will bring out the worst of the worst. It will be like trying to snowboard in Times Square on New Years Eve.


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## blackbeard (Nov 24, 2011)

surfinsnow said:


> No, even at its worst, Okemo will be MUCH better than Killington! Killington is a nightmare. Seven different base areas, lots of flat areas, very easy to get separated from your party and not see them again for and hour or more as you try to find your way back. And despite their claims of being "The Beast," while they have a ton of trails, most of them are pretty short compared to other Vermont mountains. Tons of connectors. And that weekend will bring out the worst of the worst. It will be like trying to snowboard in Times Square on New Years Eve.


That makes me feel slightly better. Maybe this year we will get lucky (fingers crossed) and crowds won't be so bad. We don't get to snowboard all the time so we take what we can get.


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## Noreaster (Oct 7, 2012)

blackbeard said:


> That makes me feel slightly better. Maybe this year we will get lucky (fingers crossed) and crowds won't be so bad. We don't get to snowboard all the time so we take what we can get.


I haven't checked if Okemo's South Face is open but if you can do blues and blacks (EC blues and blacks) and don't care much about park then go there. It's a bit off the beaten path and usually has less people and better snow. If they have a good snow cover the glades might be open there.


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## surfinsnow (Feb 4, 2010)

Noreaster said:


> I haven't checked if Okemo's South Face is open but if you can do blues and blacks (EC blues and blacks) and don't care much about park then go there. It's a bit off the beaten path and usually has less people and better snow. If they have a good snow cover the glades might be open there.


Jackson Gore has a couple of new black trails open. Most of Jackson Gore is advanced, and they have a really good restaurant at the Solitude area. The crossover from the main mountain to JG is congested and flat, but once you're there it's pretty fun.


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