- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Movies |
- All
Mad River Glen Ski Area
Rating Details »
6 reviews for Mad River Glen Ski Area
Nice unrefined ski spot in mid-VT. Lots of wild-looking mountain men on crazy vintage skis (probably highest percentage of non-parabolic skis in north america) and locals. The utter lack of concern for the appearance of the base box, or what other places might call a "lodge," is refreshing. Forces you to focus on the mountain and certainly isn't a place members of the party who "don't ski" will find comfortable for an afternoon of reading. A solid bulwark against the ski areas that take the focus off the mountain.
Don't go on a day without powder -- or do if you're feeling reckless. No snowmaking, so runs get hairy, or in the parlance of one ski dude, "grumpy." Boulders and ice patches are as common as skiers themselves and merely add to the challenge. The other people on the mountain are largely absent due to the single chair which really throttles the flow of skiers to the summit. It sounds frustrating but it's highly refreshing to ski an Eastern mountain without finding yourself in a snow blanketed mob scene outfitted by Paragon. Runs here truly can be had without a glimpse of another person.
Great throwback mountain with friendly people, good terrain, gnarly runs and a great all around experience.
First of all, this is Mad River the ski area, not Mad River the bar. And it is way better. Awesome, challenging skiing, without all the fluff of big shiny resorts and without the obnoxious crowds that go along with them. Just classic old-fashioned skiing. And no snowboarding.
Mad River is definitely old fashioned and rustic, with little snowmaking and grooming. No high-speed quads or sprawling resort "villages" here. Just real skiers. The terrain is fun and challenging, and even the intermediate trails can be ungroomed and bumpy. But there's definitely stuff for everyone, including the green and blue trails of "Birdland". Great tree-lined views and windy alpine trails up near the top. Upper and lower antelope is a fantastic long twisty trail all the way down the mountain through the trees. And some great glades - some of which were too scary-looking even for me.
The single chair (only one left in the country) is pretty cool. It gets pretty friggin cold, but the view is amazing. Lift lines can get long since the highest capacity lift is a double, but that just means the mountain is less crowded. Mad River gets a lot of hype, but it's well deserved I think. And $39 for a midweek lift ticket? Sold!
People thought this was:
- Useful (2)
- Funny (2)
- Cool (2)
Really is "ski it if you can". Very little snowmaking, and MRG can get COLD. But on a sunny day or a powder day, it's heaven. You don't have the people who are really there to get drunk, stoned snowboarders, or lousy skiers. This is paradise for a good skier, and MRG is a destination even for those from out west. Great skiing, and you feel like the place is your own.
People thought this was:
- Useful (1)
If you're looking for a swank resort with great food and comfy apres-ski amenities, MRG ain't for you.
But if what you like to do is ski, and be around people who like to ski, this is your place.
MRG is bare-bones: a small bar, a smaller grill, a bathroom with a deodorant smell worse than anything it's covering up, but....it's a real community; parents with kids, grannies and grampas who take the black-diamond runs with ease, people cutting work for a few hours in the sun...
This is a real community (it's a co-op, shareholder-owned and run), and it feels like one. There's no whiff of "ski resort", just plain old folks doing something they love.
And no snowboarding, sorry (i'm not sorry, but snowboarders probably are; although a few sneak in every year on a dare from Jake Burton of Burton boards ).
People thought this was:
- Useful (1)
No snowboards allowed? I'd say, 'get out of the eighties' but if you visit Mad River it's pretty clear they aren't stuck in the eighties; they're stuck in the seventies. Anyhoo...
If you're a skier, and Vermont has had a good snow year, Mad River is a place you should check out. The terrain is excellent and the atmosphere is something special. The people are a lot friendlier and more welcoming than at other resorts. You get the feeling that you are part of a skiing community.
I have only skied off the single chair but, from the map it looks like there is plenty of blue and green terrain so I wouldn't take the "Ski it if you can" slogan too seriously.
Update: Mad River would get four or five stars if they didn't have that snowboard ban.
People thought this was:
- Useful (2)
Awesome undeveloped mountain. I think Mad River has only one snow gun, so make sure you hit this place on a powder day...and you'll be glad you did. If it's not a powder day remember what I was once told - if you see a rock, turn. That's it.
It's hard to say whether their lack of uphill capacity (lifts) is a good or bad thing - but I'm all for it. Although the lines are long when the snow's a-flying, there are always fresh stashes to be found, and it doesn't get tracked out by 10am. So cheers to them for deciding to keep the single chair alive for another 25 years!
PS - If you like steep tree runs make sure you hit Paradise, it's on the map but not an easy run to find.
People thought this was:
- Useful (1)
