I feel like I should defend the PA resorts against some of these left handed compliments but . . . that was a pretty fair and balanced write up. I especially liked the description of the skiers sprawled across the Montage steeps like game pieces. But there is one strong positive with these ski areas that you didn’t experience on this trip: the strength and breadth of their snowmaking. In bad years (like the previous few before this year) I had better snow in PA than on the trips up North because these areas can recover much more quickly from the destructive rains. Follow the rule of 3: give them 3 nights for snowmaking, and you won’t even know it rained on 90% of the terrain. All out of necessity!
With regards to night skiing opportunities; from what I recall, Vermont has a moratorium on new light installations on slopes (maybe part of Act 250, maybe a newer light-pollution law?). I think Geoff Hathaway from Magic mentioned that an area that historically had lights is grandfathered in, which is why they were able to re-light the new terrain park. Pretty sure if you ride up Red Chair you'll see a few floodlights off to the side from an attempt to do night skiing in the 80's (not sure if that even made it on the map before they shut it down). Maybe someday!
You should note, Sunday River has truncated their night skiing operations this season and are now just calling it Twilight skiing, ending at 630pm on Friday/Saturday and Holiday weeks. Not certain if this is the new plan or just a Covid season thing. But with a functioning movie theater in town again and now a bowling alley with a good arcade in it, there are night alternatives for kids that were not present when Boyne put the night skiing in.
Great story. I tree ski'd Mountain Creek South, awesome.
Hey Stuart, thank for the review on Shawnee Mtn! Hey just one thing, there are no buses this year or school groups.
I feel like I should defend the PA resorts against some of these left handed compliments but . . . that was a pretty fair and balanced write up. I especially liked the description of the skiers sprawled across the Montage steeps like game pieces. But there is one strong positive with these ski areas that you didn’t experience on this trip: the strength and breadth of their snowmaking. In bad years (like the previous few before this year) I had better snow in PA than on the trips up North because these areas can recover much more quickly from the destructive rains. Follow the rule of 3: give them 3 nights for snowmaking, and you won’t even know it rained on 90% of the terrain. All out of necessity!
With regards to night skiing opportunities; from what I recall, Vermont has a moratorium on new light installations on slopes (maybe part of Act 250, maybe a newer light-pollution law?). I think Geoff Hathaway from Magic mentioned that an area that historically had lights is grandfathered in, which is why they were able to re-light the new terrain park. Pretty sure if you ride up Red Chair you'll see a few floodlights off to the side from an attempt to do night skiing in the 80's (not sure if that even made it on the map before they shut it down). Maybe someday!
You should note, Sunday River has truncated their night skiing operations this season and are now just calling it Twilight skiing, ending at 630pm on Friday/Saturday and Holiday weeks. Not certain if this is the new plan or just a Covid season thing. But with a functioning movie theater in town again and now a bowling alley with a good arcade in it, there are night alternatives for kids that were not present when Boyne put the night skiing in.