Hardest Trail in the East

[jimmywilson69]

walking distances to lifts...

The lifts are much closer to the parking lot on the Mansfield side than anywhere at Killington, except Bear.

[daytripper]

walking distances to lifts...

The lifts are much closer to the parking lot on the Mansfield side than anywhere at Killington, except Bear.

I can park closer to the Snowdon quad and triple or the gondola than either bear lift. Rt 4 parking is very close to the lift as well.

[DES]

I always arrive before lifts start loading, so I have to disagree that I don't walk less at K than at Stowe. When Skyships' running, I park on the slopeside (not the "stairs" side), so I'm walking less than 50 yards. When Bear's open, I park right under the Skye Peak Quad, so I just walk up the "plowed" pile. You'll see my Jeep within 7 parking spots of Superstar in a couple days. Impossible to park that close at Stowe unless they let me pull up in 4 wheel drive.

[jimmywilson69]

okay I'll concede. but its not like your walking all that far to the lifts at Mansfield that It ruins the experience.

[DES]

Typically the thing that disappoints me at Stowe the most is the other skiers attitudes- seems like if you don't have the latest, most expensive gear (and I'm talking all gear, not just skis) they seem to assume you can't ski (especially with more than likely, some article of clothing of mine is going to have some duct-tape somewhere). But my list of negatives for Stowe go on and on...driving home thru the town, prices of tix & food, getting from one area to another from the bottom...

And not to be a jerk, but you're wrong about me- the walking does limit my skiing/ruin the experience. I have a fused-together back and I can ski all day no problem, but I can't carry all my ski gear and then ski all day (unless I make two to three trips back and forth to my Jeep- and that's no bargain either).

[deadheadskier]

On map I'd go a tie of Madonna Lift Line, DJ's Tram Line and Face Chutes at Jay with a slight edge to the first two due to how long and unrelenting they are.

My qualifiers for challenge are typically related to pitch, the need for mandatory air and how challenging the landings are for those airs. Basically stuff you don't want to fall on without severe risk of rag dolling on rocky terrain. Depending on conditions, the above three often don't have ladies tees to ski around and you really need to think out your approach or face a stiff penalty.

[buckethead]

In my opinion, having skied both, DJ's Tram Line at Cannon is harder than Goat at Stowe.

wow, never skiied cannon, the tramline looks ridiclously bad-ass. will have to get out there one day when a stella-like dump hits the whites.







and i'm feeling very ballsy!

clearly not skiable during marginal conditions, while goat is.

great pics.

[skifaster]

I haven't skied DJ's as its never open when I am there. Looks like it takes a substantial amount of snow to make skiable, not just survivable. There is a difference...

[skixc2]

Hit Cannon's Tramline (DJ's) twice this year - it is wonderfully hard, but I think Jay's Face Chutes are harder.

[TheLurker]

I've never skied them, but are the slides at Whiteface in the conversation?

[buckethead]

^^ paging liv4ski. He did them this season.