Winter has arrived! That means snow.
We’ve had some snow, but the East Coast is still going to get more. Although we may not be getting more snow in Teaneck soon, I care about the snowstorms Upstate just as much as a snowstorm here.
That’s because I’m a skier. A lot of snow there means a lot of ski resorts opening more trails with better conditions.
Personally, as someone who skis consistently, I know that, in order for resorts to open the expert terrain, they have to have good snow conditions.
So, whenever I see the weather reporting a snow storm upstate, I know that the expert terrain is going to open soon, especially the glades, which are in the woods and are out of reach of the snowmakers.
That is essential for these trails to be open, as they are so intense that they can only be skied in the most perfect, safe conditions you can get.
Which runs are the most challenging? Let me give you a preview. These trails will be in no particular order, as I’ve never skied any of them yet.
Up in Sugarbush, Vermont, lies Casterlock Peak, home of Rumble. Many call it “one of the few remaining wild East Coast trails” due to it having been preserved for years.
On this 2,633-foot trail, you will experience some cliffs, steeps, and trees. Drop offs, stumps, and boulders litter the run as well. If the trail isn’t covered in snow, you better be on the lookout and be ready to rumble.
In Killington, Vermont, lies Devil's Fiddle, which didn’t get its name for nothing. This incredibly steep run with big bumps will have you begging for a deal with the devil to get to the bottom safely. If that’s not enough, the cliff drops will really spice things up.
At the top of the East Coast, in Sugarloaf, Maine, there is a run called Misery Whip. A “misery whip” is a saw operated by a logger to fell trees. This run might make you feel like a saw being tugged from two directions.
This trail was an old T-bar (type of ski lift) and is steep and narrow. Don’t forget, it never gets groomed either.
Paradise, at Mad River Glen, Vermont, is not what it sounds like. It is no paradise. This run has everything to throw at you and contains cliff bands, frozen waterfalls, trees, rock outcroppings, ice, powder, packed powder, bumps, trees, and so much more.
At the very top of Vermont lies Jay Peak, a resort known for its steep glades. Staircase Glade is just like it sounds. You have to work your way down like you’re climbing down stairs. With a near fifty degree pitch and not so much room, you’re likely to fall down those stairs.
Stowe, Vermont, a classic ski resort in a classic ski town has a notorious front four, the steepest of them being Goat. It is not the “greatest of all time”; rather, it got its name due to it being so steep that the person who first saw it thought only a mountain goat could climb it.
In Cannon, New Hampshire (another classic ski town), there is a crazy run right under the tram. DJ’s Tramline was supposed to be the quickest, clearest way to the top of the mountain, so why not make it a ski run?
This trail is as gnarly as it is steep; it’s rocky and narrow with no other way out once you drop in. Throw in a freezing wind chill and you’re going to be getting a run for your money.
Lastly, we have the only triple black on the East Coast. In Smugglers Notch, Vermont, lies Black Hole. It is as it sounds, as the trail is in the thick brush that Smuggs has to offer. There is barely even any room to make a turn.
This long run starts with 600 feet of 65-to-70-percent grade vertical and then leads into another 1,600 feet of cliffs and steeps through the ungroomed wilderness. It’s just you and Mother Nature out there because you won’t find anyone else skiing the Black Hole with you.
That was a rundown of some of the craziest runs on the East Coast. Make sure that you’re good enough to ski these runs by practicing on some lighter terrain. Keep on skiing and have an awesome ski season!