I think the vertical requirement for destination is not needed. Look at Holiday Valley or any of a number of those WNY areas, Seven Springs, PA, or places in the midwest- people have second homes/condos on or near the mountain, and they do big multi-day vacation business, not just daytrippers. Jiminy is MA's only true destination resort, a la others nearby (Mt. Snow, Stratton), just smaller ski area.
We'll get to NY and PA. Holiday Valley will be an interesting argument when we get there. For now we've done MA, NH and ME.
For now, if the area doesn't have 1500' of vertical, we're not letting them into the "destination resort category".
I guess it depends on where the tourists are from, rather than the resort. HV (and Jiminy) get plenty of long-term-stay vacationers (an alternative way of looking at 'destination') from relative proximity, rather than from different time zones. If that is the real defining difference between destination and regional ski resort, then so be it.
I think the vertical requirement for destination is not needed. Look at Holiday Valley or any of a number of those WNY areas, Seven Springs, PA, or places in the midwest- people have second homes/condos on or near the mountain, and they do big multi-day vacation business, not just daytrippers. Jiminy is MA's only true destination resort, a la others nearby (Mt. Snow, Stratton), just smaller ski area.
We'll get to NY and PA. Holiday Valley will be an interesting argument when we get there. For now we've done MA, NH and ME.
For now, if the area doesn't have 1500' of vertical, we're not letting them into the "destination resort category".
I guess it depends on where the tourists are from, rather than the resort. HV (and Jiminy) get plenty of long-term-stay vacationers (an alternative way of looking at 'destination') from relative proximity, rather than from different time zones. If that is the real defining difference between destination and regional ski resort, then so be it.
I agree with you, but I knew this would happen! No matter how nice Holiday Valley is, the skiing is not in the same league with the areas that we're designating as "destination resorts" in NH and ME. There are any number of small places in PA that are destination resorts for the DC crowd, but regional for those for whom they are not the closest to them mileage-wise.
Connecticut is easy! The only one that I could see being argued is Mohawk. I only put it in the regional areas category because it's the largest in CT and is close to NYC.
Private Areas: - Lakeridge
Local Ski Tows *none*
Feeder Areas - Powder Ridge - Mount Southington - Sundown - Woodbury
Connecticut is easy! The only one that I could see being argued is Mohawk. I only put it in the regional areas category because it's the largest in CT and is close to NYC.
Private Areas: - Lakeridge
Local Ski Tows *none*
Feeder Areas - Powder Ridge - Mount Southington - Sundown - Woodbury
Regional Ski Areas - Mohawk
Regional Ski Resorts *none*
Large Ski Areas *none*
Destination Resorts *none*
I'd put Sundown as a Regional Area and maybe Powder Ridge too. Other inputs?
Connecticut is easy! The only one that I could see being argued is Mohawk. I only put it in the regional areas category because it's the largest in CT and is close to NYC.
Private Areas: - Lakeridge
Local Ski Tows *none*
Feeder Areas - Powder Ridge - Mount Southington - Sundown - Woodbury
Regional Ski Areas - Mohawk
Regional Ski Resorts *none*
Large Ski Areas *none*
Destination Resorts *none*
I'd put Sundown as a Regional Area and maybe Powder Ridge too. Other inputs?
I can see what you mean about Sundown, but having talked to skiers in the area, I would not consider Powder Ridge in the regional category.
I almost feel that Mohawk is more of a feeder area, literally, than Sundown because of their beginners' programs. I took two of my kids there for their first lesson before taking them up north. Sundown has some expert terrain and a big terrain park and appeals to young adults.
I'd put Sundown as a Regional Area and maybe Powder Ridge too. Other inputs?
In the same category as Gunstock and Sunapee? I know people who drive to and ski at these places, availing themselves of nearby B & Bs or rentals or whatever. Both are more than twice as far as the Connecticut areas under discussion. I don't know anybody in New Jersey who actively seeks out Connecticut ski areas; they can get better hills in the Poconos for heaven sakes. I don't know many people around here who have even heard of those places.
Further proof: Swiftskier never argued about the view from the top of Powder Ridge!
You can't put Ski Rundown in the same category as Gunstock or -- for the love of Hannes Schneider -- Cranmore!
I think Magic is a Large Ski Area given 1,500' vert, which should probably be the cutoff. On the edge but it breaks the tie by including off map terrain.
Pico is obviously a LSA.
Burke too is "large". If it has enough lodging to be a resort I'd say it's a destination resort, though borderline.
While Bolton is close on stats, I agree it's a Regional Resort. Bromley is probably the clearest VT Regional Resort.
I presume Sucide Six is a "resort" due to Woodstock Inn?
Alright here's my VT list. This is probably the most controversial state. Anything with 2,000'+ vertical should at least make the large ski area category.
Private Areas - Chapman Hill - Cosmic Hill - Gebbie's Farm - Grill Hill - Hermitage Club - Hitching Post - Pine Mountain - Plymouth Notch - Vermont Acedemy - Vermont Tech
Local Ski Tows - Ascutney - Bellows Falls - Hard'Ack - Harrington Hill - Living Memorial
Feeder Areas - Cochran's - Lyndon - Northeast Slopes - Quechee - Suicide Six
Regional Ski Areas - Magic Mountain - Middlebury Snowbowl
Regional Ski Resorts - Bromely
Large Ski Areas - Bolton Valley - Burke - Mad River Glen - Pico
I would suggest Lyndon and Northeast Slopes as "local areas".
OK on Regional Ski areas
OK on Regional Resorts
Burke Mtn. I see on the cusp between Large Ski Area and Destination Resort
To lotsoskiing: Sugarbush and Mt. Ellen are connected by a lift! Pico and Killington are still separate areas.
To slatham: I think that King Pine and Suicide Six are in a category of Hotel/Resort with skiing as an amenity, but since we didn't make that category, I think they both fit as feeder areas.
More comments or inputs?
I assume that for NJ, Mtn. Creek is a Regional Ski Area
If you change the definition of resort to ski in and ski out than I would agree with NES13's list, but looking at the original definitions, due to proximity to ski specific housing, Pico is less than 30 minutes from Killington's housing stock with a shuttle bus every 60 minutes, and MRG is less than 30 minutes from Sugarbush making them Destination Resorts. Magic is less than 30 minutes from Stratton's housing stock making it a Regional Resort.
Bolton has significant on mountain housing, so it should be a Resort, though in my mind more Regional even though it's elevation qualifies it as Destination
NJ: Mt Creek is a regional resort, lots of beds does brisk business w/NYC people as Newman has mentioned in recent thread
VT: S6 is a much different animal than the other four in that category
Suicide Six and King Pine, I think are in the same category. Should I add resort with skiing as an amenity? The Balsams would have fit into that category too. Perhaps also the Hermitage.
Do others agree on Mt. Creek as a Regional Resort vs. Regional Ski Area?
Comments
Private Areas:
- Lakeridge
Local Ski Tows
*none*
Feeder Areas
- Powder Ridge
- Mount Southington
- Sundown
- Woodbury
Regional Ski Areas
- Mohawk
Regional Ski Resorts
*none*
Large Ski Areas
*none*
Destination Resorts
*none*
I can see what you mean about Sundown, but having talked to skiers in the area, I would not consider Powder Ridge in the regional category.
Pico is obviously a LSA.
Burke too is "large". If it has enough lodging to be a resort I'd say it's a destination resort, though borderline.
While Bolton is close on stats, I agree it's a Regional Resort. Bromley is probably the clearest VT Regional Resort.
I presume Sucide Six is a "resort" due to Woodstock Inn?
Private Areas
- Chapman Hill
- Cosmic Hill
- Gebbie's Farm
- Grill Hill
- Hermitage Club
- Hitching Post
- Pine Mountain
- Plymouth Notch
- Vermont Acedemy
- Vermont Tech
Local Ski Tows
- Ascutney
- Bellows Falls
- Hard'Ack
- Harrington Hill
- Living Memorial
Feeder Areas
- Cochran's
- Lyndon
- Northeast Slopes
- Quechee
- Suicide Six
Regional Ski Areas
- Magic Mountain
- Middlebury Snowbowl
Regional Ski Resorts
- Bromely
Large Ski Areas
- Bolton Valley
- Burke
- Mad River Glen
- Pico
Destination Resorts
- Jay Peak
- Killington
- Okemo
- Smugglers' Notch
- Mount Snow
- Stowe
- Stratton
- Sugarbush
Bolton has significant on mountain housing, so it should be a Resort, though in my mind more Regional even though it's elevation qualifies it as Destination