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Distant glimpses of ski mountains

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mapnut
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Posted: Dec 13, 2009 - 3:48 PM GMT

Edited: Dec 14, 2009 - 5:32 PM GMT

I always thought there were no views of the Green Mountains from I-91 between the Massachusetts line and White River Junction, because of the way the highway's tucked down into the river valley. But yesterday on my way to Okemo, a good clear day, I caught a brief glimpse of what I'll bet was Killington Peak, from about halfway between Exit 2 and Exit 6. I made a mental note of the mile post, but my mind being what it is these days, I'm not sure if it was 44.5, 45.5 or something entirely different.

There are some great views of Sugarloaf as you travel up from the south, even from 30 - 40 miles away, then when you pass Kingfield it disappears for the next 12 miles until you come to "OMG Corner".

I don't think there are any glimpses of Stratton from Route 30 until you get there, nor any views of Sugarbush from I-89. Comments, other examples?

lotsoskiing
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Posted: Dec 13, 2009 - 3:51 PM GMT

Great views of Killington on I-89 south. You can also see the very top of Mt Ellen at Sugarbush from 89, but you really have to know where to look...not much in the way of trails to see, just the very top.

catamount82
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Posted: Dec 13, 2009 - 5:05 PM GMT

Whiteface is visible from many vantage points in VT up and down Lake Champlain.

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Skileader
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Posted: Dec 14, 2009 - 6:19 AM GMT

Especialy (on a clear day) from the Glades, North Ridge trip at Kmart.

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roger47
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Posted: Dec 14, 2009 - 9:43 AM GMT

mapnut, might it have been Ascutney, rather than Killington? Ascutney looms in view at about that point on I-91.
Different state, different road, but Monadnock pops in and out of view along Routes 119 and 12 heading to and from Vermont.

joshua segal
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Posted: Dec 14, 2009 - 1:14 PM GMT

As one drives along route 9, just after the road bears right after the cutoff to Marlborough, there is a wonderful view of Haystack and Mt. Snow for a mile or so, before the mountains and trees block it for pretty muc h the duration of the trip.

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mapnut
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Posted: Dec 14, 2009 - 1:56 PM GMT

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mapnut, might it have been Ascutney, rather than Killington? Ascutney looms in view at about that point on I-91.

It was definitely not a loom, more of a peek. Only the top 500 feet or so of the mountain showed above the ridge, and it was very white, which Killington would have been after the big storm. And no antennas.

Next time I'm up that way, if it's a clear day, I'll take a pad and pencil to write down the mile post!

jmaul
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Posted: Dec 14, 2009 - 2:48 PM GMT

mapnut, I think roger47 may be right. Doesn't look like any of the southern greens can be seen from that area. I know when I take that route to Smuggs', it's Ascutney I see first.

Then again....

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4aprice
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Posted: Dec 14, 2009 - 5:15 PM GMT

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Whiteface is visible from many vantage points in VT up and down Lake Champlain.

One spring day a couple of years ago I came out of a snowstorm at Smugglers Notch and drove into the clear on 22A down west side of Vermont. I was able to pick out very clearly Pico Peak at least 70 miles away.

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mapnut
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Posted: Dec 14, 2009 - 5:31 PM GMT

Edited: Dec 14, 2009 - 5:40 PM GMT

OK, I did some math. Just for starters, I'm very familiar with what Ascutney looks like as it "looms" over several points along I-91. I thought the peak I'm guessing was Killington looked different. Also it was such a tiny glimpse that it's possible none of us have noticed it before.

Anyway, I went to Google Earth and picked out a likely high spot along I-91, where the ridge to the west is not very much higher than the road. Killington Peak is 44 miles from that point and Ascutney is 29 miles. At these distances, the curvature of the earth would take about 1270 feet off the apparent height of Killington, and 550 feet off the height of Ascutney. (This just means that if I was looking on an exactly horizontal plane, my elevation at the base of Killington Peak would appear 1270 feet below the plane and at the base of Ascutney it would be 550 feet below the plane.) Also subtracting about 560 feet for the elevation of my viewpoint on I-91, the peak of Killington would appear 2410 feet above the horizontal (4240 -1270 -560) and Ascutney would appear 2034 feet above the horizontal (3144 -550 -560). Ascutney would actually look higher because it's closer. But I could have seen either; it would depend on the direction I was looking where the peak appeared over the ridge. I'm not sure I could have seen Ascutney's antennas from 29 miles. Next time I go I will have to take a compass and binoculars as well as a notepad.

I can provide a graph of this if anyone's interested.

I know, I'm nuts.
Please note, it's lunch time.

loafasaur
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Posted: Dec 14, 2009 - 5:33 PM GMT

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There are some great views of Sugarloaf as you travel up from the south, even from 30 - 40 miles away, then when you pass Kingfield it disappears for the next 12 miles until you come to "OMG Corner".

True, Mapnut, but you have to know what you're looking at because the trails are all on the north side. You can see the backside snowfields. Rt. 8/139 on either side of Norridgewock and Rt. 16 just north of N. Anson are nice.

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mapnut
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Posted: Dec 14, 2009 - 5:44 PM GMT

Right, I loved the view between Norridgewock and Madison where Sugarloaf is dead ahead down the road for a mile or so. Always enticingly white.

jmaul
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Posted: Dec 14, 2009 - 6:18 PM GMT

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I know, I'm nuts.
Please note, it's lunch time.

Yes, you are nuts....but it makes for more interesting reading for us

Just how long of a lunch do you get

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Jeff

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marcski
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Posted: Dec 14, 2009 - 9:03 PM GMT

I believe one can view the top few hundred feet of Killington Peak from I-91 up near WRJ as Mapnut described. I have seen the same thing when coming home from Burlington.

roger47
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Posted: Dec 15, 2009 - 1:00 AM GMT

So, mapnut, you're saying it could have been Ascutney? I got lost something in the elevation calculations, but that's what I come away with.

mapnut
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Posted: Dec 15, 2009 - 2:02 PM GMT

Edited: Dec 15, 2009 - 3:19 PM GMT

I thought it looked like Killington, but I'm not sure of the direction. My viewpoint was much further south than White River Junction, maybe 14 miles north of Brattleboro. Hoping for clear skies next time I go north, and will report back here. Unless someone else can do it for me.

Below are my viewpoint (best estimate) and the two possible lines of sight.

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jmaul
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Posted: Dec 15, 2009 - 2:53 PM GMT

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I thought it looked like Killington, but I'm not sure of the direction. My viewpoint was much further south than White River Junction, maybe 14 miles north of Brattleboro. Hoping for clear skies next time I go north, and will report back here. Unless someone else can do it for me.

Below are my viewpoint and the two possible lines of sight.

That's the same area I was zooming in on. Tried playing around with Google Maps street views (they got 'em for both north & south 91), but it's tough as the trees have leaves on them.

I don't think you were looking farther to the left and possibly picked up Equinox or Dorset....could it possibly have been your destination of Okemo?

If I decide to go that way Jan 30th for our week at Smuggs' and weather cooperates, I'll be on the lookout. I'm sure though others will go that route before me.

Jeff

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Bill29
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Posted: Dec 15, 2009 - 6:43 PM GMT

Driving north from Haddam, Conn., down Tollgate Hill in Middletown on Route 9 last weekend was a view of what I hope will be an active ski area again. Powder Ridge looked ready to go with all visible trails showing snow cover. I was surprised at the amount of snow still on the ground down there. It finally disappeared near the Long Island Sound shoreline in Saybrook. I suppose, with the rain and thaw Sunday and Monday, it's mostly gone now.

skiingfanatic68
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Posted: Dec 15, 2009 - 11:06 PM GMT

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Driving north from Haddam, Conn., down Tollgate Hill in Middletown on Route 9 last weekend was a view of what I hope will be an active ski area again. Powder Ridge looked ready to go with all visible trails showing snow cover. I was surprised at the amount of snow still on the ground down there. It finally disappeared near the Long Island Sound shoreline in Saybrook. I suppose, with the rain and thaw Sunday and Monday, it's mostly gone now.

Speaking of Powder Ridge, has anyone heard any updates?

And since we are on the subject of ski areas:

I-81 has a couple of good ones in PA!!

Sno-Mountain is visible in Scranton from 81

Ski Roundtop is visible in the distance from 81 as you cross over the Susquehanna River in Harrisburg.

Whitetail Resort is clearly visible in the distance on 81 from Chambersburg, PA to Hagerstown,MD heading South.

I hope I didn't forget anything there.

atomic68
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Posted: Dec 16, 2009 - 3:53 PM GMT

you can definitely see Killington from 91 when heading north- its a very distant but distinct silhouette view of it- you cannot see trails, its about 50 miles away from where you can see it- its around exit 5 I thinK but there is no doubt you can see it

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