OT: Vermont ski situation

[CNY rider]

Here's the scenario: Your day starts near Albany.
You need to end up in Waterbury Vermont by evening.
You're driving with your 5 and 4 year olds and you want to break up the drive by stopping somewhere to downhill ski for a few hours.
The kids have been on skis before but are still beginners.

Places I have identified that make sense, at least geographically: Mt. Snow and Killington.
Would you choose one over the other? Somewhere else entirely?

Thanks.

[MattTuck]

Magic Mountain is tossed around as an "under-rated" ski area... so depending on lift ticket price, you may want to check it out.

[echelon_john]

Bromley. Great mountain, smaller crowds, less grumpy staff than Mt Snow! (They're kind of legendary)

[echelon_john]

Magic is cool, btw, but the chairlift (they only have one running currently) is deadly slow. 19 min to the top. So that would severely limit the number of runs you'll get in 3hrs. My daughter had a race there last weekend; compared to Bromley Magic doesn't have too much terrain open. Cool bar, though!

[verticaldoug]

Are you taking 87 up to 4 then across to Rutland?

Why not try PICO? It is right on the way, smaller and most people keep going to Killington.

All you need is a little beginner/intermediate terrain. It is also about smack in the middle of the trip.

Otherwise, I'd just keep driving to Sugarbush and ski there.

[tele]

Magic is definitely a cool place but I wouldn't call it a beginner area and with this years lack of snow I'm not sure how the skiing is.

You can come up Rt100 to Sugarbush and ski here. This is our "home" area and there is lots of great stuff for kids. It is a little longer of a drive in the beginning but much shorter at the end of the day.

[CNY rider]

Originally Posted by verticaldoug

Are you taking 87 up to 4 then across to Rutland?

Why not try PICO? It is right on the way, smaller and most people keep going to Killington.

All you need is a little beginner/intermediate terrain. It is also about smack in the middle of the trip.

Otherwise, I'd just keep driving to Sugarbush and ski there.

I can either go across southern VT to Mt. Snow, then after skiing up the highway via Brattleboro
or
Up to 4 and ski Pico/Killington.
Does Pico have a good area for kids and beginners?

[CNY rider]

Originally Posted by tele

Magic is definitely a cool place but I wouldn't call it a beginner area and with this years lack of snow I'm not sure how the skiing is.

You can come up Rt100 to Sugarbush and ski here. This is our "home" area and there is lots of great stuff for kids. It is a little longer of a drive in the beginning but much shorter at the end of the day.

The drive to Sugarbush would be pushing the kids limits.
I would rather ski earlier because then I think they will fall asleep for the rest of the trip.
Thanks for the idea though.

[tv_vt]

Mt Snow seems way out of the way to me.

For something different, what about the Middlebury College Snow Bowl on Rt 125 (get to drive up Middlebury Gap as a bonus!)? It's open to the public. Then drive over the Gap down to Rt 100 and then north to Waterbury.

Okemo is also a possibility, or Pico.

[verticaldoug]

Originally Posted by CNY rider

I can either go across southern VT to Mt. Snow, then after skiing up the highway via Brattleboro
or
Up to 4 and ski Pico/Killington.
Does Pico have a good area for kids and beginners?

It's a small area to the right on the hill.

My thought process is with 4/5 yr olds, just getting the children dressed and to the base of the mountain can be a real production. I suggest PICO because the parking is small and it is compact area so you don't need to be schlepping all over. I assume you just need a short almost flat run as I doubt the children want to bomb from the top.

If the tubing park is open at Killington, maybe you just want to go inner tubing. Less equipment and not as big a production.

Do the children have their own skis and boots or will you be renting? If you need to rent, I'd just go tubing.

[tele]

Pico is a good choice for the smaller size, plus Rt100 is just down the street. The other advantage of Pico or Middlebury Snow Bowl is the reduced cost if you are going to be out there for just a couple of hours. They are not nearly as costly as Kmart, Mt Sneux or daBush.

[katematt]

Suicide 6 outside of Woodstock can be fun. Lots of runs, small crowds and great low key lodge. Not a lot of vertical however. Took my kids there a little older than yours and had a blast. Killington for that age just too big, and too many people.

[CNY rider]

Originally Posted by verticaldoug

It's a small area to the right on the hill.

My thought process is with 4/5 yr olds, just getting the children dressed and to the base of the mountain can be a real production. I suggest PICO because the parking is small and it is compact area so you don't need to be schlepping all over. I assume you just need a short almost flat run as I doubt the children want to bomb from the top.

If the tubing park is open at Killington, maybe you just want to go inner tubing. Less equipment and not as big a production.

Do the children have their own skis and boots or will you be renting? If you need to rent, I'd just go tubing.

My wife and I have our own gear, we are renting for the kids.
Tubing would be fun too but the kids are psyched for skiing with us.
Great suggestions from many people.
Pico really sounds good.
Do Suicide Six/ Middlebury have kid friendly lifts/areas?

[Mr. Pink]

Yeah, Killington in this situation is like going to a huge buffet when you only want a quick lunch. Okemo, too, even. Stay with the smaller places, like Pico or Middlebury, but, don't go too small, since you need a good, well stocked, and competent rental shop.

[Buzz Killington]

The easiest thing to do is take them to West Mtn, tire them out and do the drive to VT while they're sleeping. West may not be that great, but it'll do for kids that age.