What is your home mountain's "Signature Run"?

[dbostedo]

To me, the signature run at Vail will always be Tourist Trap. Perfectly named. And apparently not just Tourists, as I inevitably get stuck there no matter what clever route I attempt on the way back down. (I don't go to Vail very often.)

That's really just a (very cleverly named) part of Riva Ridge though...

 

[Monique]

That's really just a (very cleverly named) part of Riva Ridge though...

Yes, well, it was a formative part of my first visit to Vail as an intermediate.

Also come on! It was a joke!

 

[tromano]

I think Dan's run is the signature run at snowbasin. That or main street.

@4ster I had to look up precisely where the Girzzly downhill is so I think its abandoned as a signature. Wildflower makes more sense but even that is off the tram which is too out of the way and feels like an after thought to me.

 

[tromano]

I think Dan's run is the signature run at snowbasin. That or main street.

@4ster I had to look up precisely where the Girzzly downhill is so I think its abandoned as a signature. Wildflower makes more sense but even that is off the tram which is too out of the way and feels like an after thought to me.

I discussed with madeline and I think we are in agreement that snowbasin has no single signature run that everyone knows about and rather the lodges and food are the signature amongst local skiers and nonskiers.

 

[Philpug]

I discussed with madeline and I think we are in agreement that snowbasin has no single signature run that everyone knows about and rather the lodges and food are the signature amongst local skiers and nonskiers.

We so looked forward to going back to SnowBasin last year, for the bathrooms...and the food. The former still impressed, the latter...not so much. The food now is almost like any other resort when it used to be world class.

 

[Sheena]

See! @tromano i just said the bathrooms.

 

[Monique]

I went to Snowbasin in, what, must have been around 2000 ... it was weird to have a rickey ticket window, and then what I recall as these massive marble bathrooms.

 

[tromano]

We so looked forward to going back to SnowBasin last year, for the bathrooms...and the food. The former still impressed, the latter...not so much. The food now is almost like any other resort when it used to be world class.

Last year the lodge food was a step below where it has been previously. They change the food up each season so we will see if this year is better. I had lunch at needles on friday and the salad I got was really good. Today we ate at Earls lodge and the salad I got was just Ok. The proportion of ingredients felt off and the fries the kids got were also not done to then usual perfection. Opening weekend jitters perhaps. We will see.

The food events are actually really good - better than any thing available during the ski day. We routienely attend the mothers day brunch and it has been really good year after year. There are events montly and they seem to be widely attended just for the food.

 

[scott43]

I went to Snowbasin in, what, must have been around 2000 ... it was weird to have a rickey ticket window, and then what I recall as these massive marble bathrooms.

My ass felt like the Queen's when I sat at the lockers to put my boots on....

 

[Kyle]

I ski around 30 days or more a year at Snowbasin (although I probably only ate there around 20 days last year) and I did not detect a drop off in the food last year. Can’t argue with those who did—maybe we just were lucky and we generally stick with a few favorites anyway. We almost always eat at John Paul or the Cinebar. Didn’t eat at the regular Earl’s cafeteria once. There is a lot of good food at Snowbasin and I believe it is better than a lot of places but I never thought it was as good as Sun Valley or Deer Valley. I have had a few misses as well but I just don’t bother reordering them.

As for signature runs, here are my choices for the resorts I ski the most and then, as a bonus, my favorite runs in parenthesis:

Snowbasin—Lone Pine—very visible from the most visited part of the mountain and you can bet people will be paying attention. You could also make a strong argument for Sweet Revenge. (Shooting Star)

Jackson—Corbett’s (Hobacks and othe lower faces).

Sun Valley—Warm Springs—I think it used to be Exhibition or Limelight. (Limelight, River Run)

Alta—High Rustler (Eagle’s Nest)

Deer Valley—Stein’s Way or Nabob (Any of the runs that basically drop straight off of Sultan and into Perseverence)

 

[mdf]

Would Killington's be Outer Limits, Superstar or Cascade?

I think it WAS Cascade, IS Outer Limits, and (after all the WC visiblity) WILL BE Superstar.

 

[Wannabeskibum]

Would Killington's be Outer Limits, Superstar or Cascade?

Well, it depends-
There is also Ovation and Downdraft,

 

[KevinF]

I think it WAS Cascade, IS Outer Limits, and (after all the WC visiblity) WILL BE Superstar.

Well, it depends-
There is also Ovation and Downdraft,

I haven't skied Killington in a decade or more now, but I can easily picture Outer Limits and Superstar.

Cascade? Ovation? Downdraft? If it wasn't for this thread, I wouldn't be able to tell you which mountain they're on. Actually, considering K is six or seven different peaks, I guess I still don't know which mountain they're on.

 

[Wannabeskibum]

I haven't skied Killington in a decade or more now, but I can easily picture Outer Limits and Superstar.

Cascade? Ovation? Downdraft? If it wasn't for this thread, I wouldn't be able to tell you which mountain they're on. Actually, considering K is six or seven different peaks, I guess I still don't know which mountain they're on.

Cascade - under the old K1 Gondola (once the cabs are over a trail, Downdraft is skier's left of Cascade. (Downdraft and Cascade are some of the earliest runs on the mountain. Ovation is skiers left of Superstar - hang a left off the top of the superstar chair. Starts with a "huckable" head wall, flattens to a meadow, then a steep pitch (steeper than lower Superstar) to the bottom.

 

[Jim Kenney]

Blue knob- extrovert

NICE FIRST POST!

"Signature" runs in the mid-Atlantic are pretty modest, but here are a few nominations.

Whitetail, PA: DBos mentioned Exhibition at Whitetail and I would agree with that, unless they switch things up and make Bold Decision their bump run like they used to.

Liberty Mtn, PA: used to be White Lightning until they built the backside trails. Now with those it's a tougher call, but I'd say Upper and Lower Eastwind.

Roundtop, PA: it's gotta be Gunbarrel.

Seven Springs, PA: a few runs come to mind, but I'd say Wagner Trail since it runs through the heart of the ski area.

Wisp, MD: perhaps The Face.

Timberline, WV: White Lightning

Canaan Valley, WV: Valley Vista

Snowshoe, WV: tough call, either Cupp Run or Shay's Revenge

Massanutten, VA: a few runs come to mind, maybe Diamond Jim.

Wintergreen, VA: Cliffhanger

Blue Knob, PA: Extrovert. In my mind the standout run in the mid-Atlantic. It's pretty steep for our region and often icy and bumpy with some dirt and rock showing through. The steep part is more or less continuous for about 600 vertical feet:

http://www.dcski.com/images/article_photos/1203999412_pic8.jpg

 

[johnnyvw]

Squaw-KT-22
Camelback-Margies Delight
Shawnee-Chief Thundercloud
Mad River Glen-Paradise
Sugarbush-Steins Run
Sugarbush North-Upper FIS.

I would argue for Chute at MRG...if for no other reason you have an audience LOL

 

[Philpug]

I would argue for Chute at MRG...if for no other reason you have an audience LOL

I have been to MRG many times over many decades...I don't even know where Chute is, is that the one under the Single Chair? I always referred to that as Liftline, LOL.

 

[Eleeski]

For Squaw (where I learned as a wee laddie), I would say that the only real contender for signature run is Chute 75. Everything off of KT-22 is a classic, but are there really runs that can compare to the awesome steepness of 75?

Well, now that I think about it, there's Olympic lady, McConkey's, Moseley's, the nose, the saddle....

While Chute 75 is phenomenal, Nose to Fingers is the movie pro route and Olympic Lady is my favorite, West Face (Moseley's) IS the run Squaw is really known for. Endless steep bumps with sweet lines and long lasting snow above the spectator gallery on Mountain Run, it's got to be West Face!

@Philpug KT is Squaw's mothership which has the best runs but it isn't really a run. Skiing directly under the chair isn't a good option (you pass up so much good stuff if you stay under the chair looking for someone - use the cell phone after you finish calling mom dropping one of those sweet lines) so there isn't really a "KT run". Of course, you are right, Squaw's goods are off KT. Even though there's Headwall, Granite and the Palisades which could be signature spots anywhere else.

Squaw rocks!

Eric

 

[Philpug]

@Philpug KT is Squaw's mothership which has the best runs but it isn't really a run. Skiing directly under the chair isn't a good option (you pass up so much good stuff if you stay under the chair looking for someone - use the cell phone after you finish calling mom dropping one of those sweet lines) so there isn't really a "KT run". Of course, you are right, Squaw's goods are off KT. Even though there's Headwall, Granite and the Palisades which could be signature spots anywhere else.

Squaw rocks!

Eric

You are absolutely correct. If is funny thought, it is not uncommon and actually usually prevalent where you will here someone say "We are skiing KT today" Which brings up a great questions... What lift serves your FAVORITE (not necessarily the "BEST") terrain.

 

[johnnyvw]

I have been to MRG many times over many decades...I don't even know where Chute is, is that the one under the Single Chair? I always referred to that as Liftline, LOL.

Liftline from the mid-station to the base, chute from the top to the mid station