Thoughts after visiting Sunday River
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Thoughts after visiting Sunday River
So we went up and stayed with friends at Sunday river this past weekend.
While there are certainly things that Killington does better than Sunday River, one thing that stood out to me is remembering how much better the trail layout is for two mountains that have somewhat similar profiles (both being spread out over multiple peaks). I would say Sunday River has far fewer trail intersections and merges which gives the feeling of the runs being longer and less interrupted.
Taking a look at the Killington trail map, what trails / intersections could be eliminated to achieve more of the same feel? What if they were to close Great Northern between the top of east fall and where it merges with Killink? How about closing Great northern from Bunny Buster (where the Poma is) to where it merges in with Caper? Over on Bear, what about closing off the Wildfire / Bear Claw / Skyburst intersection so that you had to stay on the trail you started on? (I realize this would make Skyburst a black diamond as the route would take you across the old "viper pit" area).
Any other ideas?
While there are certainly things that Killington does better than Sunday River, one thing that stood out to me is remembering how much better the trail layout is for two mountains that have somewhat similar profiles (both being spread out over multiple peaks). I would say Sunday River has far fewer trail intersections and merges which gives the feeling of the runs being longer and less interrupted.
Taking a look at the Killington trail map, what trails / intersections could be eliminated to achieve more of the same feel? What if they were to close Great Northern between the top of east fall and where it merges with Killink? How about closing Great northern from Bunny Buster (where the Poma is) to where it merges in with Caper? Over on Bear, what about closing off the Wildfire / Bear Claw / Skyburst intersection so that you had to stay on the trail you started on? (I realize this would make Skyburst a black diamond as the route would take you across the old "viper pit" area).
Any other ideas?
Don't Killington Pico
Re: Thoughts after visiting Sunday River
I agree with your thoughts about Great Northern. I would leave Bear Mountain alone. A tunnel is going in across the Stash & Skyeburst to prevent the crossover . The Wildfire/ Bear Claw merge gives the area character and was built for skilled skiers and riders.
Re: Thoughts after visiting Sunday River
The trails at both mountains were designed by different people who had different ideas for how to design a ski area. Preston Smith designed all the Killington trails, and he seemed to like overlapping pods like the three faces of Skye Peak, and how all of the Bear Mountain trails merge together at the bottom. I guess this makes the mountain a bit easier to get around, but you get all these bottlenecks where multiple pods meet and overlap.
Sunday River's trails were all designed by Otten, and he liked to have all the different trail pods mostly or completely separated. While this makes it more difficult to get around the mountain, it doesn't result in as many bottlenecks, although he liked this kind of layout so he could fit in more slopeside real estate.
Sunday River's trails were all designed by Otten, and he liked to have all the different trail pods mostly or completely separated. While this makes it more difficult to get around the mountain, it doesn't result in as many bottlenecks, although he liked this kind of layout so he could fit in more slopeside real estate.
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Re: Thoughts after visiting Sunday River
I hear the sledding there is pretty extreme.
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Re: Thoughts after visiting Sunday River
Why don't you wax one up and give us a first hand account...
2023-2024
Ski Visits in PA
Roundtop: 12/22,12/23, 1/8, 1/13, 1/14, 1/17 LR, 1/18 LR, 1/19, 1/20, 1/21, 1//22 LR, 1/23 LR, 1/26, 1/29 LR, 2/2 LR, 2/3, 2/4, 2/7 LR, 2/8, 2/9, 2/10, 2/11, 2/15, 2/16 LR, 2/17, 2/18, 2/19 LR, 2/21 LR, 3/8 LR, 3/9, 3/10
Ski Visits in VT
Okemo: 12/8, 2/29, 3/1, 3/2, 3/18
Stowe: 12/9
Killington: 12/10, 2/25, 2/26, 2/27, 3/16, 3/17
Ski Visits in NY
Hunter: 3/15
Total Ski Visits 44
LR = Lunch Runs
Ski Visits in PA
Roundtop: 12/22,12/23, 1/8, 1/13, 1/14, 1/17 LR, 1/18 LR, 1/19, 1/20, 1/21, 1//22 LR, 1/23 LR, 1/26, 1/29 LR, 2/2 LR, 2/3, 2/4, 2/7 LR, 2/8, 2/9, 2/10, 2/11, 2/15, 2/16 LR, 2/17, 2/18, 2/19 LR, 2/21 LR, 3/8 LR, 3/9, 3/10
Ski Visits in VT
Okemo: 12/8, 2/29, 3/1, 3/2, 3/18
Stowe: 12/9
Killington: 12/10, 2/25, 2/26, 2/27, 3/16, 3/17
Ski Visits in NY
Hunter: 3/15
Total Ski Visits 44
LR = Lunch Runs
Re: Thoughts after visiting Sunday River
Agree with your assessment.snoloco wrote:The trails at both mountains were designed by different people who had different ideas for how to design a ski area. Preston Smith designed all the Killington trails, and he seemed to like overlapping pods like the three faces of Skye Peak, and how all of the Bear Mountain trails merge together at the bottom. I guess this makes the mountain a bit easier to get around, but you get all these bottlenecks where multiple pods meet and overlap.
Sunday River's trails were all designed by Otten, and he liked to have all the different trail pods mostly or completely separated. While this makes it more difficult to get around the mountain, it doesn't result in as many bottlenecks, although he liked this kind of layout so he could fit in more slopeside real estate.
For me, I prefer the fewer intersections, merges and crossovers idea for a better skiing experience.
Don't Killington Pico
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Re: Thoughts after visiting Sunday River
Having lived up that way for 10 or so years, you couldn't pay me to ride at SR. The vibe, the people, the mountain is blah. We would hit the LOAF 4-50 days/season and do 1 at SR. Ktown over SR anyday of the week.
Re: Thoughts after visiting Sunday River
Agree that overall I prefer Killington for a number of reasons.Seacoaster wrote:Having lived up that way for 10 or so years, you couldn't pay me to ride at SR. The vibe, the people, the mountain is blah. We would hit the LOAF 4-50 days/season and do 1 at SR. Ktown over SR anyday of the week.
Killington's endless list of trail intersections / merges / crossings etc is not one of the reasons. (And is one thing that is better at SR).
Don't Killington Pico
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Re: Thoughts after visiting Sunday River
At White Heat. "Let's go to Jordan". Good luck with that...
Re: Thoughts after visiting Sunday River
Just when I thought you couldn't be more of an a-hole...Highway Star wrote:I hear the sledding there is pretty extreme.
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Re: Thoughts after visiting Sunday River
Correct me if I am wrong Machski, but 2 lift rides from the top of White Heat, 3 from the bottom.rogman wrote:At White Heat. "Let's go to Jordan". Good luck with that...
2 hours and 10-minute drive to K
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Killington: 12/14, 1/4, 1/9, 1/11, 1/17, 1/23, 1/31, 2/5, 2/20, 2/26, 3/4, 3/20, 3/25, 4/2, 4/5
Loon: 11/29, 12/8, 12/21, 1/8, 1/19, 1/22,1/30, 2/7, 2/15, 3/1, 3/8, 3/22, 4/14
Sunday River: 3/12
Sugarloaf: 3/13, 3/14
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2023/2024 Ski Days: 33 days for the season
Killington: 12/14, 1/4, 1/9, 1/11, 1/17, 1/23, 1/31, 2/5, 2/20, 2/26, 3/4, 3/20, 3/25, 4/2, 4/5
Loon: 11/29, 12/8, 12/21, 1/8, 1/19, 1/22,1/30, 2/7, 2/15, 3/1, 3/8, 3/22, 4/14
Sunday River: 3/12
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Re: Thoughts after visiting Sunday River
Practice makes perfect.throbster wrote:Just when I thought you couldn't be more of an a-hole...Highway Star wrote:I hear the sledding there is pretty extreme.
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Re: Thoughts after visiting Sunday River
YepBig Bob wrote:Correct me if I am wrong Machski, but 2 lift rides from the top of White Heat, 3 from the bottom.rogman wrote:At White Heat. "Let's go to Jordan". Good luck with that...
Top would be ski down to Barker, up, ski down to Spruce and ski over.
It's a long slog, but the nice thing is from Jordan you can ski all the way to the base of White Cap pretty easily. It's certainly easier than going from Bear to Ramshead base in one shot via the Snowshed crossover
Traveling east to west or vice versa stinks at both mountains. Best just to enjoy the peaks along the way.
I agree with the OP in that I like that SR has fewer intersections, but there's no question K is the better mountain overall for expert skiers who like ungroomed terrain and trees, which would be my preference. Likewise, Sunday River is a far better mountain for those who prefer skiing groomed terrain. Cruising terrain just isn't in Killingtons wheelhouse due to it's topography.
Re: Thoughts after visiting Sunday River
What about putting in more tunnels bridges on trails like great northern? I love that I can get most anywhere on K because of the trail layout but if you kept the majority of the traffic under the steeper drops it would allow navigation while keeping the gappers on launch pad from skiing in front of someone shooting down superstar for example.
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Re: Thoughts after visiting Sunday River
I'm in the Pres Smith trail layout camp and loved the way the mountain used to ski and how easy it was to get around.
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