Best underappreciated trails
December 27, 2005
17 posts
17 users
2k+ views
So I was at Wintergreen yesterday for my first day of the season. I ended up spending a lot of time on Sunrise, since much of the Highlands was closed. Maybe I was just enthused to be on skis again, but I had found Sunrise to be much more fun than I remembered - somewhat steep at the top with more of a sustained pitch than I remembered and not too wide. It got me to thinking, what are some other underappreciated slopes at our local resorts? In other words, given than each resort has its "Marquee" slopes, what are some other slopes that are fun in their own right?
Good question. Alpine Meadows at 7 Springs i think, not a long slope but with nice pitch, glades and skiing the lift line is fun. Never seems to be crowded but the ride back out is one of the longest windiest coldest on the hill.
Ramble at Canaan. No one is ever on it!
Farside at Whitetail, seems to be the red headed stepchild.
I agree. Whitetail should open Far Side first!!! It's the best of their runs.
Gunbarrel headwall at Roundtop.
Hear so many grumbles about it being too icey, too short, blahblahblah. If you can make consistent turns on it in all conditions, especially after they try to 'groom' it. Then you know you're doing something right. And most anything else you tackle turns into not so big a deal.
Quote:
Good question. Alpine Meadows at 7 Springs i think, not a long slope but with nice pitch, glades and skiing the lift line is fun. Never seems to be crowded but the ride back out is one of the longest windiest coldest on the hill.
I have to agree with that. Alpine Glades, under the blitzen lift and on skier's left, the old Sunrise lift line on a snow day are some of the best on the mountain. The funky stuff under and skier's left of North Face lift can also be very good when there's snow.
Quote:
Alpine Meadows at 7 Springs
I'd agree with that, but I also like Little North Face. It never seems to have many people, so there always seems to be untracked snow somewhere, if you just look around a little. Also,at the top just below the pine trees that separate if from Lost Boy, the wind will sometimes create a nice cornice of windblown snow. One day last March there was a sheer drop of about 5 feet coming off of the cornice that was a blast.
I'm also fond of Giant Steps.
Have to agree with farside at whitetail, it is by far my favorite slope there!!!
Bear Claw at Silvercreek/Snowshoe -
Charger at Hidden Valley is pretty cool and underappreciated.
It's the only double black (other than the terrain park) and there's no snowmaking or lighting, and last year, I remember it being officially open maybe once or twice.
It's really nice, it's just never open.
J-Hook at Snowshoe.
Everything at Silver Creek.
Quote:
I agree. Whitetail should open Far Side first!!! It's the best of their runs.
Followed closely by Fanciful. "Empty when open" is the Fanciful bumpersticker. 
For me...its the Exhibition at Jack Frost...I love it and hate it too...something about skiing on this particular blue trail underneath the lifts and dodging the support beams that really just gets me....maybe am being over paranoid
shhhhh ... don't tell about J-Hook. That trail has got to be the best keep secret at Snowshoe. Took it today, fast and on my new 5 stars, as usual I was not disapointed. A totally awesome trail with a few surprises to keep you on your toes. Yeah sure, its not a black, but about the most interesting blue around.
Blue Knob - Richie's run
Cool little bump run in the woods
Quote:
shhhhh ... don't tell about J-Hook. That trail has got to be the best keep secret at Snowshoe. Took it today, fast and on my new 5 stars, as usual I was not disapointed. A totally awesome trail with a few surprises to keep you on your toes. Yeah sure, its not a black, but about the most interesting blue around.
Hmmm, here I thought I was the only one that thought that way about SILVERCREEK. Black, Blue, Green, whatever! If a trail is interesting, I don't care how it's rated, I ride it. 
official statement: SILVERCREEK SUCKS, AVOID IT AT ALL COSTS! (it's the same message for HOMEWOOD at TAHOE)
I just got back from SNOWSHOE this weekend, good fun.
chuckie
