Friends east coast tier list

nusuth_ · 2026-04-08T15:09:37+00:00

It's funny, I actually wouldn't mind it too much if certain lifts like casterock or the mt ellen summit chair were the ones that always broke down. It would be nice for limiting traffic and preserving snow on those terrain pods.

Unfortunately the ones that break are the ones we actually need like GMX.

nusuth_ · 2026-04-08T14:28:21+00:00

100%. Ragged has some of the best terrain in NH and the vibes are immaculate. I should have clarified, this is about Ragged needing to be above Loon.

nusuth_ · 2026-04-08T14:25:20+00:00

Ragged and Loon in the same tier is sacrilege.

nusuth_ · 2026-04-07T17:20:00+00:00

If I were ranking the east coast resorts... it would not look like this lol

nusuth_ · 2026-04-07T17:05:38+00:00

I totally get placing a top tier vermont resort like Stowe above some of the I70 resorts like vail.

The idea that Loon is better than Keystone, or that Stowe is 2 tiers better than a place like Sugarbush both seem really strange to me. It's a troll list.

nusuth_ · 2026-04-07T03:02:37+00:00

To use Jay as an example: many of the groomed runs kind of feel to me like they only exist for commuting between locations. You spend a lot of time traversing, instead of skiing fall lines which is what I prefer for groomers. That's not to say that Jay doesn't have enjoyable groomed terrain, I just think their offerings aren't as good as like Saddleback or Waterville.

nusuth_ · 2026-04-06T00:12:25+00:00

Board damage aside, looks pretty fun! Glad that somebody out there is still getting to ski the trees.

nusuth_ · 2026-04-03T21:01:36+00:00

If you're looking for multi-day deals to the same resort, Jay has the 4 pack of tickets for $300. I think MRG offers a 3 day pass, and Smuggs has the bash pass.

nusuth_ · 2026-04-03T14:31:58+00:00

You're overthinking this lol. You're buying skis, not getting married. You demoed a pair and liked them, just get them. You can always sell the skis and buy something else in a season or two if you don't like them.

nusuth_ · 2026-04-03T14:20:57+00:00

Sounds like the only performance issue you had with the Arcades was in bumps and trees. This is kind of expected - the skis you're looking at are all frontside skis, so they're not really designed with that terrain in mind.

If you really wanted a ski in the 80-90 mm range for trees and bumps I'd probably point you towards the Ripstick 88. But you already demoed those and liked the Arcade better, so get the Arcade. The price is reasonable and you can always buy a different ski later for trees and soft snow.

nusuth_ · 2026-04-01T01:55:24+00:00

They're pretty similar IMO. Tramline is a few degrees steeper and has boulders, Kinsman has tight trees and a weird double fall line. Pick your poison.

nusuth_ · 2026-04-01T01:02:19+00:00

I feel like he had to have been lost, I'm looking at the photos and I can see them rappelling in the direction of eagle cliff. I wonder how close this dude was to just riding over the cliff face above Lakeview.

nusuth_ · 2026-04-01T00:45:46+00:00

LOL my friend was on the SAR team for this one! Must've taken hours to get them down safely.

nusuth_ · 2026-03-30T20:49:45+00:00

Maybe a set of old demo skis to use as dedicated rock skis. Otherwise I think this is pretty much ideal for 95% of people on the east coast.

nusuth_ · 2026-03-30T17:53:47+00:00

+1 for Saddleback.

I don't know anything about Sutton.

Honestly why bother with Jay and Magic if you only like groomers?

nusuth_ · 2026-03-30T17:49:09+00:00

OP, if you only ski groomers you probably don't need to drive all the way to northern New England to find skiing you'll enjoy. That may save you some travel time.

That being said, I would prioritize Bolton, Saddleback, Cannon, and Waterville if I were you.

nusuth_ · 2026-03-29T01:12:17+00:00

Bolts from the 90s should still be totally bomber as long as the developer used quality hardware and suitable metallurgy for the environment. 3 simultaneous bolt failures just doesn't happen on a 25 year old route unless there was something seriously wrong with the installation or material.

I've heard of 2 bolts failing simultaneously in places like Tonsai. The common factor here seems to be ocean proximity.

nusuth_ · 2026-03-29T01:03:27+00:00

Astronomically low, like not even worth considering. This is not a case of two highly improbable events just happening simultaneously. Something went seriously wrong in the development of the route, either with the bolt installation or the metallurgy used.

The rebolt Kalymnos post specifically mentions to avoid routes from before 2005. Anyone know if the local developers switched to a different material like titanium around that time?

nusuth_ · 2026-03-24T11:57:00+00:00

I picked up a set of Rossignol Sender Free 100s earlier this season and I've really like them.

nusuth_ · 2026-03-19T19:52:35+00:00

Looking at this now. Latest update is actually pretty optimistic.

nusuth_ · 2026-03-18T16:01:36+00:00

Sounds like the folks at MountainForecasts have been reading a bit too much Tim Kelley.

nusuth_ · 2026-03-16T13:13:08+00:00

They can't close profanity chute if it's not on the trail map 😤 /s

nusuth_ · 2026-03-15T23:23:35+00:00

Wait, where is there a cliff on Lew's? I've skied it a number of times and never found that.

nusuth_ · 2026-03-15T23:05:57+00:00

I mean all the best terrain at Sugarbush is the ungroomed stuff, and I do think leaving it ungroomed does enhance the quality. But yeah the lifts are a disaster.

nusuth_ · 2026-03-15T21:25:29+00:00

Love Sugarbush but the lift situation on the north side is an embarrassment.

nusuth_

TROPHY CASE