What ski areas have impressive panoramas from their summits?

ski_it

JimK - great pictures as always.I see that the word was coined to describe a 360° painting, but I think it has come to mean to the general public a wide angle view. So how far in the distance counts as a panorama? Heck you can’t even really get a 360 horizon view on the top of Washington, what with all the buildings, towers, trains and people in the way.“That means you have to define lift summit or hike-able summit. ” True. Can’t you go up the observation tower at Cannon? You can also hike up Wildcat to a platform on the App. Trail, not truly 360 as there are some trees behind you. You could hike up Saddleback for a 360 IIRC. Sugarloaf too? Jay is a hike up for a 360.My top views in New England are Wildcat & Camden, but we pale in comparison to many other ski regions.

JimK

 I forgot about beautiful panorama:Attitash Peak. Rather unusually, the summit has a 30’ observation tower providing great views in summer and winter. What a great introduction to New Hampshire’s beautiful north country.  Only time I went to Attitash, March 2010, I made sure to climb the tower and I guess I made my son climb up there too or wouldn’t have this photo :-o

mapnut

mapnut

While panoramas are great, I also like summits with close-up views of nearby peaks, preferably covered with frosted firs or spruce. Attitash appears to fit that bill. I like the view at Mt. Snow of the long spruce-clad ridge to the south; it’s the closest mountain to Connecticut that has the big-mountain feel I like. While I’ve been skiing more in the Catskills in recent years, neither Belleayre, Plattekill, Windham or Hunter have views of frosted firry summits (in fact there’s been little natural snow on any of those visits). So I have to consider Catskill scenery inferior, in winter. In fall it’s great!

ME2VTskier

What? No one likes the view at Bretton Woods? I guess I’ve never seen a view of Mt Washington that I didn’t like…

steamboat1

It’s not open in winter but during the summer you can drive most of the way up Whiteface. From the parking lot near the top you can either make the short hike to the summit or walk through a tunnel into the mountain where there is an elevator that goes up the middle of the mountain to the summit. The top of Whiteface has an unobstructed 360 view. The ski area lifts do not go to the summit.

IBRAKEFORTBARS

Love the pic from Whiteface Mt! Looks like it’s taken from Cloudspin. Do I see the Green Mountains there in the distance and is that the top of the trails of Sugarbush and Mt Ellen visible in the distance?

IBRAKE

steamboat1

<blockquote class=“Quote” rel=“IBRAKEFORTBARS”>Love the pic from Whiteface Mt! Looks like it’s taken from Cloudspin. Do I see the Green Mountains there in the distance and is that the top of the trails of Sugarbush and Mt Ellen visible in the distance?

IBRAKE

</blockquote>

Likely the High Peaks region you see.

IBRAKEFORTBARS

What’s the High Peaks? A part of the Adirondacks?

IBRAKE

ski_it

<blockquote class=“Quote” rel=“IBRAKEFORTBARS”>What’s the High Peaks? A part of the Adirondacks?

IBRAKE

</blockquote>

Yep. Includes Whiteface, but south of there is Mt Marcy, Algonquin, Dix Mtn and many others.  A popular backpacking area

JimK

Yes, those are the Adirondacks looking southwest, photo taken while I was riding Summit Quad, pretty near top.  Mt. Marcy is probably in the middle of the range.  Too bad we can’t read diagram, it would list all the mtns in this second pic.  Funny thing about this day in late March 2014, it was cloudy with only a mile or two of visibility all day until about 2PM, then I started snapping and everywhere I aimed the camera was a fantastic view.

More pics in info here:  http://www.epicski.com/a/whiteface-mountain-ny-a-pictorial

lotsoskiing

Great pic from Whiteface over Cloudspin. High Peaks are (L to R): Giant, Dix, Great Range (Lower & Upper Wolf Jaws. Armstrong, Gothics, Saddleback, Basin, Haystack). Marcy has head in the clouds in that pic. 

Cluster of 40+ 4000′+ peaks. Incredible hiking and backcountry skiing/snowshoeing area

steamboat1

<blockquote class=“Quote” rel=“IBRAKEFORTBARS”>What’s the High Peaks? A part of the Adirondacks?

IBRAKE

</blockquote>

2.4 million acres of undeveloped land. Adirondack park in it’s entirety is 6 million acres. A beautiful corner of the world.

ski_it

<blockquote class=“Quote” rel=“ME2VTskier”>What? No one likes the view at Bretton Woods? I guess I’ve never seen a view of Mt Washington that I didn’t like…</blockquote>

That’s a nice view too. Somewhat marred by the Cog Railroad slash. At least it’s not running in the winter. It seems like I haven’t gotten a summit view very often, what with that orographic effect on that side of the Washington and all.

ski_it

Oh wait here’s a couple from 4/15/2013

z1000307470

<blockquote class=“Quote” rel=“casual_weekday”>Gore mountain has some nice views. You can see Hickory most days, and if its clear you can see Whiteface.</blockquote>

You cannot see Whiteface from Gore (or Gore from WF) unless you have xray vision to see thru Mt Marcy. You can see Killington and Stratton from Gore.

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