Next step up?

[rubi-doll]

I did a lot of riding this winter at Mt Southington and to a lesser extent, Wachusett. I'm wondering if anyone can suggest a "step-up" from Southington, something like how Wachusett rides. The MA/NH area would be good, but I'm open to VT as well.

[IceCoastChick]

Haha. A step up from southington would definitely be Ski Sundown in New Hartford..or Butternut. How far is wachusett from guilford anyways?(timewise)

[rubi-doll]

I went to Ski Sundown on my birthday this past year, and wasn't terrifically impressed with it. I'd give Butternut a shot, though.

It took me about 2 hours to get to Wachusett, 95 to 91 to 84 and up. That was with clear weather though.

[IceCoastChick]

Depends what you normally ride. Ski sundown mostly a step up in the park. If you just want trails, then goto butternut :)

[grenade_154]

yea nut or sundown is good riding, butternut gets really icy tho

[Type_0]

just about anything except ski ward is a step up from wachusett. dont get me wrong, its a great mountain, but its not that challenging.

[rubi-doll]

that's OK about the challenging, i'm looking for a little step up, not a great big leap... after all i only just started learning this past season, and even then i never expected to be able to move off Powder Ridge or Southington, so.... :) i think i did a bit better than my expectations!

[Pyxis5280]

Ski sundown sucks...I worked there for half a season a couple years ago mostly for the free riding, but it wasn't even worth it. The only good thing about sundown is the park...

[rubi-doll]

I wasn't impressed w/Sundown either. the trails all seemed really alike, either too easy or definitely not beginner-friendly... nothing inbetween. The park was ok, my dude and i only rode a couple kickers cause he was learning too, but for the amount of driving i did and the amount i spent for even just a mid-day pass (on my birthday too no less, it sucked up my birthday $$) i was expecting a better time than that. In my opinion it seemed more worth it to be driving a bit further and spending only a couple bucks more to ride 9A-10P or whatever the SuperPass hours were at Wachusett.

[snowbored]

iv never been to sundown but iv heard their jumps suck and its really tiny. i guess the rails are just really good. butternut iv heard is icy and can get really crowded sometimes. but it seems like they have a really sick park with alot of competions and a super good vibe. if u dont like either of those 2 mtns i guess u could come to catamount but thats the worst mtn outta the 3. sorry if that didnt help.

[snowboardingiguana]

berkshire east on rt 2 in charlemont has pretty challenging terrain. i've never been to their park tho. plus it's never crowded and fairly cheap.

[tooch]

geez, there's a ton of stuff in lower nh and vt. what about ragged? or loon, waterville (although i hate that place now), haystack (only open on wknds), mt. snow, bromley, sunapee, pat's peak. oh, or tenney or cranmore.

they all have easier terrain, and you'll be at a place where you can take a bigger step if you feel comfortable.

[forumrider9753]

Waterville, loon and cranmore are like a 5 hour+ drive from CT if it took him 2 hours to get to wa wa........

[tooch]

Waterville, loon and cranmore are like a 5 hour+ drive from CT if it took him 2 hours to get to wa wa........

thanks, but i think she (not he) was asking about further north:

The MA/NH area would be good, but I'm open to VT as well.

besides, she's not going to find anything as big as or bigger than wachusett as far south as it is. you could talk about places like nashoba, but they're all way smaller. she was looking for a step up.

[snowboardingiguana]

i'm telling you guys, berkshire east in charlemont. it's off of route 2. most # of trails in MA (including jiminy). it definitely has some challenging terrain (including double blacks), nice cruisers (there are 2 that join together for a nice 1.5 mile run), and they are cheap ($25 during the week, and $25-$40 on weekends, cheaper for students). It's never crowded, no wait for the lift.

[rubi-doll]

basically if i wanna ride after work (i get out at 4 and get home round 5-ish) i'm gonna stay local, so unless the Ridge actually has their **** together this year and has more runs open for more of the season, Southington is my weekday riding fix. On the weekend is when i get out and start road-trippin. Since Wachusett isn't too terrible for me, people have been talking about Waterville & Loon; if i plan my weekend right and all that it might not suck. But riding all day Sunday and then the 5+ hour drive back to coastal CT might....
...but it'd be way worth it if i got to ride all weekend!

[IRideASnowboard154]

mohawk maybe, biggest in CT.
Butternuts got a sick park, but a very "local" vibe. You have to ride there alot to be respected and treated decent. Alot of the people there will snake your runs and stuff if they dont know you. Mohawk doesnt have a park but has steeper and longer runs than anything in CT.