What's the most epic ski town you've ever been to in the Northeast?

IBRAKEFORTBARS

For me it’s gotta be Lake Placid. All the shops, the multitude of restaurants, the Olympics vibe, the frozen lake, Mt Van Hoevenburg, and the imposing Whiteface left a real impression on my then fifteen year-old mind that never left! Killington just couldn’t compete in the charm department as I saw it.

But what do I know. I’ve heard that Manchester and North Conway are great winter towns for skiers but I’ve never been. What about you all? What are the must-visit ski towns out here?

IBRAKE

Bkroon9175

I am fond of North Conway. Magog is a nice town and is a good base from which to ski Owls Head, Orford and Sutton but it probably doesn’t qualify as a pure ski town

joshua_segal

Stowe has a vibe too.  But I would vote North Conway as #1 in the east.

NewEnglandSkier13

I’d definitely go with Bethel as #1. It’s not as big and sprawling as Conway/North Conway and it has many ski areas nearby.

bmwskier

I grew up getting into bars in Ellicottville underaged but I have to agree with Ibrake– Been to Placid once and it screamed “ski town” or “winter haven” so much it hurt. Would love to go back there. Unfortunately, Sugarbush doesn’t have too much of one and Stowe is scattered up and down 108 too much for me. 

Betsy

Lake Placid and Stowe are tops in my book!

MissDaEast

Lake Placid takes First Place, followed by Stowe, and then North Conway in my book.  A long time ago, I liked Wilmington,VT (I think…it was near Haystack, and they had some great bars that had really good musicians/bands).  Does anyone remember The Fabulous Farquahrs?

NewEnglandSkier13

We recently had a topic on this on the old SJ: http://snowjournal.com/page.php?cid=topic20780&start=1

teighs

I do MissDaEast, grew up in the valley, Two Way Street opened for the Farquahrs, North Country Fair, John Morgan owned teh place and did a stage act for happy hour frorm 4-8pm.  One night my buddy and I tried to stop and have a beer at every bar between Wilmington and Mt. Snow, it didn’t work.  Next day we went back and counted.  65 bars and nightclubs in 7 miles, those were the days…

sugarloaf

Rumford, Maine

MissDaEast

<blockquote class=“Quote” rel=“NewEnglandSkier13”>We recently had a topic on this on the old SJ: http://snowjournal.com/page.php?cid=topic20780&start=1</blockquote>

Another instance of me showing my age…I completely forgot about this thread, and that I had mentioned The Fabulous Farquhar and Oliver Swafford, who sang “Jean.”  I never saw Rick Bolger’s reply…I’m going to have to catch one of those tipsy renditions of the song one of these days!

catamount82

Lake Placid hands down! Nice Main Street with a cinema, good eats and grog. Pedestrian friendly; a true town!

IBRAKEFORTBARS

<blockquote class=“Quote” rel=“catamount82”>Lake Placid hands down! Nice Main Street with a cinema, good eats and grog. Pedestrian friendly; a true town!</blockquote>

I wonder what the restaurant and bar scene is like in Lake Placid these days.

IBRAKE

bmwskier

I spent some time in Jackson with Eastern Mountain Sports and it was a pretty cool village/town. Black Mountain is right up the road as well. 

Would Killington count? It’s kind of a created town. 

NewEnglandSkier13

<blockquote class=“Quote” rel=“bmwskier”>I spent some time in Jackson with Eastern Mountain Sports and it was a pretty cool village/town. Black Mountain is right up the road as well. 

Would Killington count? It’s kind of a created town. 

</blockquote>I’d agree with Jackson for sure, but personally I don’t see the “created” towns as real ski towns.

IBRAKEFORTBARS

<blockquote class=“Quote” rel=“NewEnglandSkier13”><blockquote class=“Quote” rel=“bmwskier”>I spent some time in Jackson with Eastern Mountain Sports and it was a pretty cool village/town. Black Mountain is right up the road as well. 

Would Killington count? It’s kind of a created town. 

</blockquote>I’d agree with Jackson for sure, but personally I don’t see the “created” towns as real ski towns.</blockquote>

Gotta agree with NewEnglandSkier13. The created towns, like Killington, just aren’t the same. I’m sure the Wobbly Barn is a good time on a banging Saturday night but the access road up to Killington just doesn’t have the charm or the vibe of a long-established winter sports mecca like Lake Placid, Aspen, or Zermatt.

ski_it

<blockquote class=“Quote” rel=“sugarloaf”>Rumford, Maine</blockquote>

Really? I’d go with Farmington before Rumford. Less smelly

ski_it

<blockquote class=“Quote” rel=“IBRAKEFORTBARS”><blockquote class=“Quote” rel=“NewEnglandSkier13”><blockquote class=“Quote” rel=“bmwskier”>I spent some time in Jackson with Eastern Mountain Sports and it was a pretty cool village/town. Black Mountain is right up the road as well. 

Would Killington count? It’s kind of a created town. 

</blockquote>I’d agree with Jackson for sure, but personally I don’t see the “created” towns as real ski towns.</blockquote>

But weren’t Lake Placid, Zermatt, North Conway & to some degree Aspen created for winter sports? At the very least they owe their current size & shape to winter sports.

JMaul

Lake Placid, tho it’s been a while since I’ve been in town.

Never been to N Conway, so cannot compare.

NewEnglandSkier13

<blockquote class=“Quote” rel=“ski_it”><blockquote class=“Quote” rel=“IBRAKEFORTBARS”><blockquote class=“Quote” rel=“NewEnglandSkier13”><blockquote class=“Quote” rel=“bmwskier”>I spent some time in Jackson with Eastern Mountain Sports and it was a pretty cool village/town. Black Mountain is right up the road as well. 

Would Killington count? It’s kind of a created town. 

</blockquote>I’d agree with Jackson for sure, but personally I don’t see the “created” towns as real ski towns.</blockquote>

But weren’t Lake Placid, Zermatt, North Conway & to some degree Aspen created for winter sports? At the very least they owe their current size & shape to winter sports.</blockquote>Yes, but (at least North Conway) was established as reort towns for year round recreation in the early 20th Century while towns such as Killington evolved solely because of a singular ski resort.