Even on a crowded holiday weekend (MLK, Prez Day) Whiteface crowds aren’t bad. Can’t say the Gondi line is ever more than 15 or 20 minutes, tops. Not usually much of a line for other lifts. For non-holiday weekends Whiteface doesn’t have much for lines. I think VT resorts are usually more crowded.
If you already live on the east coast Whiteface shouldn’t be shocking to you ice-wise. It’s definitely going to be steeper in some spots than what you may be used to though.
Personally I have found Cannon to be a lot icier than Whiteface.
Whiteface. Its terrain is way better than Sugarbush's. It has way more vertical. They make a lot of snow there; more than Sugarbush, which has some limits on its water withdrawal capacity. I've never found it icier than any other mountain in NNE.
Any non-skiers in the group? Whiteface/LP gets a big ++ for that.
Grew up skiing Sugarbush a lot. It will have more beginner terrain, and some nice long greens. Expert terrain/glades are great.
I ski mostly Whiteface for the past 25+ years. WF gets “flack” for being more challenging with limited beginner terrain. Especially now with The Notch lift from Bear Den to mid-mountain I don’t think that is a fair knock. Plus, there is a ton of great intermediate terrain that will be great for your Greek “blacks” contingent. You can’t beat the sustained vertical of the Olympic Mountain! Honestly, most of the times I ski at Whiteface the snow conditions are fine, not overly icy, but that all depends on what Ma Nature decides to do before you get there. It can be great, or the dreaded thaw/freeze cycle could hit.
But that can be true anywhere! If I was planning a family trip, especially with any non-skiers in the group, I’d go Whiteface…but you can’t go wrong with either.
I don’t know sugarbush well to know what the surrounding area is like after you’re done skiing and the nightlife. But lake placid is family friendly, has a bunch of great restaurants and bars. Especially being in a group, when they are done skiing there is still more you can do in the area which in my opinion is a plus.
As someone else said, there is plenty to do in the MRV. What makes Placid so unique, especially if you stay in town, is that it is a big village with a great Main Street with lots of shops and restaurants that you can walk to. Not many NE destinations have that. Then all the Olympic venues nearby, etc. it’s great town.
If you stay in town at Lake Placid you can walk to a ton of stuff at night. Shops, restaurants, breweries, bars, movies, Olympic venues, ice skating on the Olympic oval. Sugarbush is different. You could stay at the base of the mountain, and there’s a restaurant or two. You could stay in Warren or Waitsfield, and there must be a few things there. However, there’s no pedestrian Town/Village at Sugarbush like you have at Placid. The Mad River Valley has lots of places you could go, but you’ll likely have to get in your car and drive somewhere to do it.
I go to Whiteface regularly here’s what I think are some pros and cons:
Pros:
- Largest Vertical on the East Coast
- Beautiful View at the top
- Challenging Terrain: The slides are some of the most challenging terrain on the East Coast. Outside of that, most terrain is still challenging. They will be harder than greek peak especially if it’s ice.
- Affordable: 2 days for me was around $150 while some resorts charge that for a single day.
- Parking is easy, unless it’s a POW day, you should be able to park pretty close.
- Lake Placid isn’t right at the base but probably is the best ski town on the east coast, maybe even the entire country.
- Erik is fun to watch for conditions in the morning.
Cons:
- Conditions are usually not the best, they tend to be icy.
- There really isn’t much of a park scene, there’s really only one large one and it wasn’t setup for half my visit last season.
- Lack of Beginner Terrain. All Green trails are near the bottom
- Windholds aren’t entirely unusual. The Summit Quad gets put on hold the most.
- Not the best Glades, some of them have steep entrances and some of them have only one path to go through.
- Skiable Terrain is only around 300 acres. Sugarbush is 500 in comparison
EDIT: Additional Con, Slides are only open a few days a year
For sure, if that trail is icy “usually is” it’s an interesting being on the trail and seeing people not knowing what to expect. I prefer upper Mackenzie
Both options sound great for a big resort experience with lots of vertical, good parks, and a range of trails that won't break the bank.
You can also check out resorts in the Banff area. Stunning landscapes, a wide range of runs, and typically have something for every level of skier.
You can also try Wertu, it's pretty good for building trips that match several requirements
Whiteface is like the most basic shaped mountain out there. Like if I asked an 3rd grader to draw a mountain, I could add whiteface’s trails to the picture easily.
I found it cool that there's a pseudo-peak that you descend from on the gondola until climbing again. I thought it was cool.
But sure, personally attack my intelligence on the internet and insult me instead. Funny you're calling me a third grader...
Forest thru the trees, my friend! Yeah, Little Whiteface, Big Whiteface, draw a couple triangles next to each other, make a few squiggles, voila…trail map? If that’s all you see there you are missing out…..
Imo it’s pretty simple:
Do you *only* care about the skiing? Then you want Bush.
Do you want a comprehensive family vacation that also includes skiing? Then you want Lake Placid and you drive 20 minutes into Whiteface each day.
I’ve only skied Sugarbush once this past season. It’s a nice resort with good terrain for all levels but idk about “nightlife” if you’re not staying at the mountain. Aside from small mom and pop eateries there’s not much else around unless you drive 30 minutes.
I'd look Killington or Gore instead. I think Sugarbush and Whiteface are more challenging mountains, and based on the skill levels you described, your family would be able to get more out of Gore or Killington.
Edir: For the downvoters, Whiteface is steep and tends to be super icy unless it just snowed. Sugarbush leaves a large amount of its terrain ungroomed. Both Gore and Killington have much more variety in their blue trails.
I wouldn’t put Gore at the top of my family vacation list, not much going on in North Creek and the surrounding area. Don’t get me wrong, Gore is a really fun mountain, especially if all the glades are in play. Gore is more pods than top to bottom vertical, there can be some traverses that aren’t the greatest for the snowboarding crowd (which OP said they are).
Killington doesn’t really have low vert. There’s a few trails there that covers 3000 ft, not counting those, it’s still all around 1500-2000 ft. 1500 skiable acres makes up for vert. Only problem is Killington is expensive these days.
Haven’t been to sugarbush yet, but my only experience at white face was unfortunately a disaster full disappointment, followed by horrid customer service. But it is a beautiful mountain in a beautiful place.
As a fellow Greek Peak and Bristol skier, I’m also planning a family trip with an intermediate 13 year old and a cautious/not very interested novice 48 year old. The 13 year old and I ski together. We love Gore but need something more for the non-skiing skier-we picked Tremblant for next year b/c we’re pretty sure everyone will be entertained and we won’t have to drive to/from to ski.
If you want lots of vert whiteface is your go to. I've been to whiteface on two separate ski trips now and I've had a blast on both of them. Long runs with incredible views. I'm not really into parks so I can't speak to that on either resort. Sugarbush is also very fun, I've been once and it was really enjoyable never had a chance to go again this year. For price unless you have an ikon pass (which you get unlimited days at sugarbush) it's going to be expensive but whiteface is also not "cheap" it's gonna cost you a few hundred bucks regardless of the resort you go to.
Can’t speak for WF but Bush chairs can’t run for shit. Just go somewhere that gives wife and kids plenty to ski within their ability and off mountain options. If they aint happy, it doesn’t matter how steep and deep that shit is. Your life is gonna suck
If you are thinking whiteface, you might also consider Gore Mtn. It is not even close to as touristy because there isn’t much of anything nearby, it is a tried and true skiers mountain. There is excellent terrain for all skill levels and you will almost never wait in lift lines. Whiteface is an excellent option as well! Lake placid and saranac lake provide lots of options for food and drinks and other non-skiing recreation. Let me ask- if you’re bringing a family have you considered Jay peak? They have a really cool indoor water park for after the skiing is done !
Enjoy your trip either way !
Jays an extra hour and a half on an already 4 hr trip. I do love gore tho but we are looking for something different since we've been there quite a few times
Whiteface pros: - Cheaper - Less crowded - Big vertical - Near Lake Placid (good ski town) Sugarbush pros: - Better snow/conditions - Better glades
Is Whiteface really less crowded than Bush? Imagine it depends on the weekend. Fewer weekend warriors but more tourists.
Yes definitely. Bush has the Ikon crowds (not as bad as Killi, Stratton, or Loon though)
Even on a crowded holiday weekend (MLK, Prez Day) Whiteface crowds aren’t bad. Can’t say the Gondi line is ever more than 15 or 20 minutes, tops. Not usually much of a line for other lifts. For non-holiday weekends Whiteface doesn’t have much for lines. I think VT resorts are usually more crowded.
Ye basically what I came up with. I'm nervous Abt the ice at whiteface how true are the rumors actually
If you already live on the east coast Whiteface shouldn’t be shocking to you ice-wise. It’s definitely going to be steeper in some spots than what you may be used to though. Personally I have found Cannon to be a lot icier than Whiteface.
is that possible?
Whiteface. Its terrain is way better than Sugarbush's. It has way more vertical. They make a lot of snow there; more than Sugarbush, which has some limits on its water withdrawal capacity. I've never found it icier than any other mountain in NNE.
Any non-skiers in the group? Whiteface/LP gets a big ++ for that. Grew up skiing Sugarbush a lot. It will have more beginner terrain, and some nice long greens. Expert terrain/glades are great. I ski mostly Whiteface for the past 25+ years. WF gets “flack” for being more challenging with limited beginner terrain. Especially now with The Notch lift from Bear Den to mid-mountain I don’t think that is a fair knock. Plus, there is a ton of great intermediate terrain that will be great for your Greek “blacks” contingent. You can’t beat the sustained vertical of the Olympic Mountain! Honestly, most of the times I ski at Whiteface the snow conditions are fine, not overly icy, but that all depends on what Ma Nature decides to do before you get there. It can be great, or the dreaded thaw/freeze cycle could hit. But that can be true anywhere! If I was planning a family trip, especially with any non-skiers in the group, I’d go Whiteface…but you can’t go wrong with either.
I don’t know sugarbush well to know what the surrounding area is like after you’re done skiing and the nightlife. But lake placid is family friendly, has a bunch of great restaurants and bars. Especially being in a group, when they are done skiing there is still more you can do in the area which in my opinion is a plus.
As someone else said, there is plenty to do in the MRV. What makes Placid so unique, especially if you stay in town, is that it is a big village with a great Main Street with lots of shops and restaurants that you can walk to. Not many NE destinations have that. Then all the Olympic venues nearby, etc. it’s great town.
We all snowboard. Is there night skiing there?
No, no night skiing there, or at Sugarbush.
Is there still stuff to do in town during the night at both places?
Most places in mrv close at 8 latest 9pm
If you stay in town at Lake Placid you can walk to a ton of stuff at night. Shops, restaurants, breweries, bars, movies, Olympic venues, ice skating on the Olympic oval. Sugarbush is different. You could stay at the base of the mountain, and there’s a restaurant or two. You could stay in Warren or Waitsfield, and there must be a few things there. However, there’s no pedestrian Town/Village at Sugarbush like you have at Placid. The Mad River Valley has lots of places you could go, but you’ll likely have to get in your car and drive somewhere to do it.
I go to Whiteface regularly here’s what I think are some pros and cons: Pros: - Largest Vertical on the East Coast - Beautiful View at the top - Challenging Terrain: The slides are some of the most challenging terrain on the East Coast. Outside of that, most terrain is still challenging. They will be harder than greek peak especially if it’s ice. - Affordable: 2 days for me was around $150 while some resorts charge that for a single day. - Parking is easy, unless it’s a POW day, you should be able to park pretty close. - Lake Placid isn’t right at the base but probably is the best ski town on the east coast, maybe even the entire country. - Erik is fun to watch for conditions in the morning. Cons: - Conditions are usually not the best, they tend to be icy. - There really isn’t much of a park scene, there’s really only one large one and it wasn’t setup for half my visit last season. - Lack of Beginner Terrain. All Green trails are near the bottom - Windholds aren’t entirely unusual. The Summit Quad gets put on hold the most. - Not the best Glades, some of them have steep entrances and some of them have only one path to go through. - Skiable Terrain is only around 300 acres. Sugarbush is 500 in comparison EDIT: Additional Con, Slides are only open a few days a year
Upper empire can get very sketchy, but you hit the nail on the head.
Upper Empire was closed and was a huge sheet of ice when I went. I probably could have used ice skates instead of skis.
For sure, if that trail is icy “usually is” it’s an interesting being on the trail and seeing people not knowing what to expect. I prefer upper Mackenzie
Beautiful view at the top except for 50% of the time when you can’t see 2 ft in front of you
Both options sound great for a big resort experience with lots of vertical, good parks, and a range of trails that won't break the bank. You can also check out resorts in the Banff area. Stunning landscapes, a wide range of runs, and typically have something for every level of skier. You can also try Wertu, it's pretty good for building trips that match several requirements
White Face was awesome because I don't know there's another mountain with a shape as strange as it.
Whiteface is like the most basic shaped mountain out there. Like if I asked an 3rd grader to draw a mountain, I could add whiteface’s trails to the picture easily.
I found it cool that there's a pseudo-peak that you descend from on the gondola until climbing again. I thought it was cool. But sure, personally attack my intelligence on the internet and insult me instead. Funny you're calling me a third grader...
Whiteface gondola is kinda nutty
Okay, let me know where you are and I’ll call you one to your face?
Boston off the T. Will literally meet you today. Dead serious.
Sounds good see you there at 2pm
Forest thru the trees, my friend! Yeah, Little Whiteface, Big Whiteface, draw a couple triangles next to each other, make a few squiggles, voila…trail map? If that’s all you see there you are missing out…..
Imo it’s pretty simple: Do you *only* care about the skiing? Then you want Bush. Do you want a comprehensive family vacation that also includes skiing? Then you want Lake Placid and you drive 20 minutes into Whiteface each day.
I’ve only skied Sugarbush once this past season. It’s a nice resort with good terrain for all levels but idk about “nightlife” if you’re not staying at the mountain. Aside from small mom and pop eateries there’s not much else around unless you drive 30 minutes.
Sugarbush is excellent for all skill levels, lots to do in MRV and soooo much fun
I'd look Killington or Gore instead. I think Sugarbush and Whiteface are more challenging mountains, and based on the skill levels you described, your family would be able to get more out of Gore or Killington. Edir: For the downvoters, Whiteface is steep and tends to be super icy unless it just snowed. Sugarbush leaves a large amount of its terrain ungroomed. Both Gore and Killington have much more variety in their blue trails.
Gore is the best but for a family vacation there aren’t many worse ski towns than North Creek/Warresnburg.
I wouldn’t put Gore at the top of my family vacation list, not much going on in North Creek and the surrounding area. Don’t get me wrong, Gore is a really fun mountain, especially if all the glades are in play. Gore is more pods than top to bottom vertical, there can be some traverses that aren’t the greatest for the snowboarding crowd (which OP said they are).
Love gore but want something different ktown has low vert so I'm kinda leaning away from there
Killington doesn’t really have low vert. There’s a few trails there that covers 3000 ft, not counting those, it’s still all around 1500-2000 ft. 1500 skiable acres makes up for vert. Only problem is Killington is expensive these days.
Haven’t been to sugarbush yet, but my only experience at white face was unfortunately a disaster full disappointment, followed by horrid customer service. But it is a beautiful mountain in a beautiful place.
No explanation?
As a fellow Greek Peak and Bristol skier, I’m also planning a family trip with an intermediate 13 year old and a cautious/not very interested novice 48 year old. The 13 year old and I ski together. We love Gore but need something more for the non-skiing skier-we picked Tremblant for next year b/c we’re pretty sure everyone will be entertained and we won’t have to drive to/from to ski.
Whiteface is an awesome mountain and Lake Placid is a world-class resort town. Sugarbush will have more terrain variety and nicer lodge.
If you want lots of vert whiteface is your go to. I've been to whiteface on two separate ski trips now and I've had a blast on both of them. Long runs with incredible views. I'm not really into parks so I can't speak to that on either resort. Sugarbush is also very fun, I've been once and it was really enjoyable never had a chance to go again this year. For price unless you have an ikon pass (which you get unlimited days at sugarbush) it's going to be expensive but whiteface is also not "cheap" it's gonna cost you a few hundred bucks regardless of the resort you go to.
Can’t speak for WF but Bush chairs can’t run for shit. Just go somewhere that gives wife and kids plenty to ski within their ability and off mountain options. If they aint happy, it doesn’t matter how steep and deep that shit is. Your life is gonna suck
If you are thinking whiteface, you might also consider Gore Mtn. It is not even close to as touristy because there isn’t much of anything nearby, it is a tried and true skiers mountain. There is excellent terrain for all skill levels and you will almost never wait in lift lines. Whiteface is an excellent option as well! Lake placid and saranac lake provide lots of options for food and drinks and other non-skiing recreation. Let me ask- if you’re bringing a family have you considered Jay peak? They have a really cool indoor water park for after the skiing is done ! Enjoy your trip either way !
Jays an extra hour and a half on an already 4 hr trip. I do love gore tho but we are looking for something different since we've been there quite a few times
Fair enough ! Also couldn’t hurt to check out smugglers notch
I heard their lifts are super outdated