In Defense of Skiing the East
Resort recommendations from a blue square skier
I know, I know—West Coast skiing is the best. The powder… blah, blah, blah. But as a certified East Coast girly™ and an extremely mediocre skier, I like to stick closer to home and my skillset.
I didn’t properly learn how to ski until I was in my mid-20s, so icy, unpredictable conditions are all I know. And I’m here to stick up for a few of the East Coast resorts that have been great hosts to me over the years.
Stowe, VT
The resort that got me into skiing. I had gone skiing once or twice as a little kid and snowboarding a few times in high school, but a trip with my cousins to Vermont finally got me on the slopes for good.
Stowe is great for beginners with the separate, smaller Spruce Peak where you can build your skills. After a couple of hours on the “easy” trails, I prematurely joined my family on Mt. Mansfield and cried the whole way down. I’d love to go back and conquer Stowe now that I’ve actually learned how to ski.
Sunday River, ME
Probably my favorite on this list, Sunday River had a diverse set of trails that made everyone on our trip happy. The resort is huge for this side of the country, boasting 8 peaks.
I particularly loved the Jordan Bowl area. It’s the furthest point from the main lodge, making it much less crowded. It had a good mix of blue squares, black diamonds, and long, meandering green circles. But best of all—the views were nothing short of spectacular.
Whiteface, NY
It’s true—Iceface does live up to its nickname. But, I think you need to ski it at least once (or twice). You’ll find plaques and signage from its time as an Olympic skiing mountain all over the trails and the village of Lake Placid is one of the most iconic places in the Northeast.
Mt. Snow, VT
The most recently visited on this list, my dad, sister, and I had a great time here in February. With a ton of blues, it was perfectly our speed. We spent most of our time on the Sunbrook side where we skied down and right back onto the lift.
We stayed in the village of Wilmington, which had a brewery, several great restaurants, and was very close to the mountain. There’s even a free MOOver shuttle stop in town if you want to skip driving altogether.
Jay Peak, VT
Jay is one of the extremely rare resorts that isn’t on the Epic or Ikon passes, which I think is awesome. It’s been able to retain more of its local mountain charm, and it has more glade and backcountry skiing than many resorts in the Northeast. Add in the high annual snowfall, and you would be hard-pressed to have a bad time at Jay.
Check out Miso Hungry for some après ramen, located in an old tram car near the lodge.
Bonus: As a Boston resident, my sister Kelsey recommends Loon Mountain and Mount Sunapee in New Hampshire. Loon tends to be less crowded than the bigger resorts and Sunapee is great for families with beginner-friendly slopes and close proximity to Boston.
If you’re looking for a smaller mountain closer to Buffalo or Toronto, I’ll be sharing a travel guide for Blue Mountain Resort in Ontario later this month. Where else should I book a ski weekend this winter? East Coast only, please.
What a great read! I can't wait to hit the slopes again. Other New Hampshire mountains in case the other ones are too busy - Pats Peak (Close to Sunapee), Gunstock, Ragged, Tenney and Waterville! (Closer to the lakes region) :)