I've been skiing and snowboarding for decades. I beat the crowds at these Northeastern resorts instead of flying out West.
Noah Lederman
- I've been skiing and snowboarding in the northeast region of North America for decades.
- Vermont is known for its skiing in Stowe, but I prefer Saskadena Six and Bolton Valley.
For me, a perfect winter day is when I can only see one or two lines cut through deep powder on a ski run. It's a sign that I'm one of the few people enjoying the mountain that day.
However, snow sports seem to get more popular every year, and these days are few and far between — especially where I live on the East Coast, since the mountains are already smaller than out West.
Often, Northeast skiing can be like running a gauntlet, with other skiers and snowboarders on the slopes serving as obstacles.
Luckily, after decades of skiing and snowboarding all around the region, I've found a few mountains and resorts that are still mostly quiet.
Saskadena Six is a Vermont gem.
Saskadena Six, a ski area in the middle of Vermont's Green Mountains, doesn't have the same name recognition as other destinations in the state. Its terrain is also a little different than the impressive slopes throughout the Northeast Kingdom (northern Vermont) and Stowe.
I've found that all of this helps to keep crowds small.
However, Saskadena Six isn't some baby mountain either. It has impressive terrain down the middle and a few fun runs that wind through wooded trails.
The nearby town of Woodstock is quaint and charming — and it doesn't have many large hotel properties bringing in huge crowds of tourists.
Farther north in Vermont is the Bolton Valley ski area.
The biggest crowds run off to ski the Mad River Valley or snowboard Stowe's and Smuggler's slopes — leaving Bolton Valley for those in the know.
Its 71 trails are spread out across 5,000 acres.
Although it's located about 30 minutes from the University of Vermont, I've found that college kids tend to sleep late, leaving early morning runs nearly empty.
Bolton Valley is also one of the few Vermont mountains that offers night skiing and chairlifts that run in the dark. As such, many students and other regulars skip day skiing altogether, which helps divide the crowds.
Some may not realize mountains like Plattekill are a short drive from NYC.
On winter weekend mornings in New York City, the streets fill up with skiers and snowboarders waiting to board the buses to the Catskills.
It's only about two hours from the city, so the region's mountains can see hourlong waits at the base. But just 30 minutes from the popular Hunter, Windham, and Bellayre mountains is the Plattekill Mountain ski area.
Everything about the place is quieter, including its small lodge and few lifts. Given that it only has two beginner trails, novice skiers also tend to keep away.
If you're willing to cross the border, Mont Sutton is a quaint Canadian resort.
Although many New Yorkers and New Englanders will head to Canada for big-name resorts like Mont-Tremblant, they should also consider the mountains in the Eastern Townships region of Quebec.
Mont Sutton, in particular, has smaller crowds. Its extensive glade runs guarantee some quiet in the forests, even on busier days, and the nine chairlifts spread riders across its 60 skiable trails.
The nearest border crossing through Vermont is often quiet, and the drive from there is only about 20 minutes — making it possible for American visitors to ski Sutton for the day.
Sutton also has three excellent neighboring ski mountains, which helps to thin out the crowds at each resort.
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