Best of New England: Thumbs up, thumbs down

Mountain upgrades at Gunstock scored well in NESJ's Best of New England 2024. (Gunstock Mountain Resort)

New England Ski Journal’s second annual “Best of New England,” compiled from NESJ’s reader survey, presented the region’s best in terrain, nightlife, grooming, scenery and more. Read the full report here.

In addition, readers chimed in on the highs and lows from ski country. Let’s explore some of those thumbs-up, thumbs-down reader comments.

ON THE ASCENT

Let’s start with the good. We asked you about which mountains have been doing things right in the past five years. Responses certainly were varied, so here are a couple of our favorites:

• Magic Mountain: The ownership is clearly invested in its success, and it shows in little ways, but especially because it added a new lift.

Keith Pearson: It took a while, but Magic will start the year with its quad. It also added snowmaking equipment obtained from Killington.

• Attitash: In combination with upgrading lifts, stepping up snowmaking and grooming on the upper mountain, I was worried that the much-needed high-speed quad might ruin the mountain with the volume of skiers. They are doing a great job managing it all.

• Tenney Mountain: It wasn’t open five years ago, but now it is a hip and happening place, but is still a well-kept secret.

Pearson: Secret stashes are good, but running a ski area is still a business, and we need to let people know what’s out there to get people on the mountain – without overrunning the place – to keep it viable.

• Cannon Mountain: It has new snowmaking and they use it; the official expansion to Mittersill (a bit outside the timeline, but we’ll allow it) and plans in place to replace the tram.

Pearson: New glade hitting the map this winter; hopefully we get some snow to fill it in quickly.

• Gunstock: It has made significant upgrades in, on and off the mountain and has good services and quality.

Pearson: It was one of the few places to do significant earth moving over the offseason to improve the run-out where Upper Ramrod meets Upper Trigger by removing a ledge.

THUMBS DOWN

The pet peeves generated more responses than doling out kudos, in true New England fashion. Here are a few of the best responses:

• Walk-up lift ticket rates

Pearson: While we’d all love to have everything planned out in advance, sometimes life gets in the way of our skiing.

• Being charged to park

• People hogging tables or leaving messes in the lodge

Pearson: Slide in if you aren’t skiing, and that table isn’t your office desk.

• Lack of speed enforcement from mountain patrol

• Lift lines not managed well on busy days; not everyone knows how to merge properly

• Inadequate changing areas with inadequate free bag storage

Pearson: We also don’t need to bring the entire closet or multiple crock pots with us. It’s a little give and take.

• People wearing base bottoms in the lodge

• Ski report accuracy that would make “Baghdad Bob” blush

Pearson: “Packed powder so tight that it turned blue and needs crampons”

• Snowmaking ending too soon in the season

• “You with the backpack speaker — nobody wants to hear your tunes.”

Pearson: Amen. Lifties control the music.