Family Travel Homepage

Family Skiing Critics take to the Slopes

By Heather Burke

Photography Greg Burke

We are the skiing critics. During our family’s commute to the slopes every weekend, the four of us pass the hours discussing the highs and lows of all the New England ski resorts we have visited. We range in age and experience (though even our youngest has skied 35 different resorts), which makes our judging as unpredictable and varied as the terrain we encounter in a New England winter. Unlike most contests, you needn’t be eighteen to enter; kids count since their opinions can make our break a ski day.

Here are the results from our internal polling of ski “poling” around the Northeast.

In our most difficult trail category, we span New England to handpick personal paths of choice. The Goat at Stowe was the winner. There is no other quite like it, (steep, narrow, twisty, crazy and humbling).

Sunday River’s Agony got a vote from our youngest judge for its big bumps, persistent double fall line and the exposed aspect of the trail under the Barker quad chair for all above to watch. Mad River received a mention for the au naturel terrain, which provides its own degree of difficulty during certain hard-core days.

Best glades, not always skiable during average “eastern” snow winters, went to Sunday River in the Pine Tree (read well-gladed) state of Maine. You can thread your way through the progressive gladed trails from wide-open Blind Ambition, to twisty Wizard’s Gulch, Flying Monkey, Celestial, Last Tango, and Chutzpah to super steep (and even “skinny” during last season’s epic snows) Spruce Cliffs. Jay Peak received a mention for their expanded glade terrain.

Now that every resort has a terrain park in some shape and size, it is no small task to rate them all. As a protective mom of two, this is not my favorite category. I prefer my young skiers be firmly fixed to the snow, not launching in the air. Our young, hot, and hip judges voted for Okemo and Stowe’s half pipes while the terrain parks at Sugarloaf, Sunday River and Ascutney brought big smiles and modest air time.

Best snowfield skiing was an easy pick, since the only above tree line snowfields in the East are at Sugarloaf.

Sunday River received the distinct narrative of having the best snow quality, “like cold baby powder,” said our youngest panelist. We ski around, seldom visiting the same resort twice in a season, and we all conceded that the Sunday River snow-makers and groomers get the nod here. Bretton Woods and Okemo received honorable mentions for their flawless surfaces; their powerful snowmaking combined with meticulous grooming means daily white carpet treatment.

Best Lift in the East brought some heated discussion among the panel, literally. Everyone mentioned a “heated” or at least enclosed lift in his or her top picks. The two gondolas at Killington, the gondola at Stowe and at Mont Sainte Anne, plus the bubble-covered quad at Mont Sainte Anne all received well-cushioned votes.

Worthy of mention, but not yet sampled by our critics, Stratton and Ragged both have high-speed six passenger lifts, more couch than this crew of four needs.

Vermont’s Mad River Glen was a write-in for classic ski transportation, as it is one of the first and last remaining single (read lonely) chairlifts in the world.

The best ski area lunch, my personal favorite category, was a tie between Stowe’s Cliff House and Bretton Woods Top O’Quad restaurant. These two offer delicious fare and extraordinary views, with much appreciated table service. I prefer being waited on for an $8 burger, versus balancing a $6 burger on a cafeteria tray while wearing ski boots.

The best on-mountain lodging, specifically family accommodations from which you can ski in and out, no car necessary, ranges from the Green Mountains of Vermont to the Laurentians of Quebec. Okemo Mountain Resort captured our hearts and our aching après ski muscles with a fully equipped slopeside condominium complete with fireplace, a Jacuzzi tub, boot dryers and a gorgeous view.

Tremblant Resort in Quebec is a spectacular slopeside village with a European flair. Tremblant’s accommodations range from first class hotels to perfectly appointed condominiums, all tasteful and a short walk to the lifts, restaurants and shops.

As for the most scenic ski area, the majority named Quebec’s Le Massif, a drivable 6 hours above New England. We were all duly impressed with this breathtaking northern Quebec ski area that overlooks, or plunges 2,526 vertical feet down to, the icy St. Lawrence River. You just have to ski it to get the sensation.

Domestically speaking, New Hampshire draws some attention. Wildcat and Bretton Woods share distinct but equally impressive views of mighty Mount Washington, the highest summit in New England at 6,288-feet.

Big Squaw and Gunstock each offer stunning vistas of large lakes and big mountains, like Lake Tahoe’s of the East. Maine’s Squaw overlooks Moosehead Lake and dramatic Mount Katahdin in the distance. New Hampshire’s Gunstock is the ideal viewing spot of Lake Winnipesaukee with the White Mountains framing the photo.

The best ski resort for families elicited a range of selections. Smugglers’ Notch was recognized for “practically inventing the family ski week.” This Vermont resort offers a mind-boggling roster of activities for every age and an award-winning “Snowsport University” – not to be compared with an average ski school program. Smugglers’ luxury slopeside condos also earned high praise.

Sugarloaf, Pico and Ascutney each got a family-friendly vote for their classic New England trails, lack of crowds and convenient slopeside condos. Families can’t help but feel comfortable at these self-contained resorts.

We must not overlook the best mountain mascots. Maggie the St. Bernard at Mont Sainte Anne immediately fills everyone’s heart and mind. This lovable snow dog is a fixture atop the mountain, happy for a passing pat from kids or a photo op. Sugarloaf also has a well-loved cast of characters, Amos the Moose and Blueberry Bear regularly parade the slopes and entertain the kids, making this Maine resort a vote getter from our little girl. Smugglers’ and Ascutney each have skiing mice, named Mogul and Cheddar respectively.

In the snow-reporting category, there were sadly no winners. Resorts continue to overstate their trail counts and snow accumulations, using what must be a ruler-sized yardstick.

Consumers have a right to the straight scoop. If resorts don’t want us to know the “real” conditions, they should eliminate the fabricated “ski reports.”

Now comes the real competition. Our picks for the overall best ski area in New England (drum roll please) were as follows: two votes for Stowe, one for Sunday River, one for Wildcat. Though all agreed that Sugarloaf is “the place to be for spring skiing.”

These are our impressions. Try a poll of your own ski crowd. If nothing else, it occupies the otherwise mind numbing drives to and fro the snow.

Heather Burke is former professional ski instructor, and a member of North American Snowsports Journalists Association and Eastern Ski Writers. She resides in Kennebunk, Maine with her family of skiers.

Vermont Favorites:

Jay Peak Resort www.jaypeakresort.com

Killington and Pico www.killington.com

Okemo Mountain Resort www.okemo.com

Smugglers Notch www.smuggs.com

Stowe Mountain Resort www.stowe.com

New Hampshire Favorites:

Bretton Woods Ski Resort www.brettonwoods.com

Ragged Mountain Resort www.ragged-mt.com

Wildcat www.skiwildcat.com

Maine Favorites:

Sugarloaf www.sugarloaf.com