The East Coast has a rich tradition of great ski resorts, invoking the romantic imagery of rustic lodges and peaceful mountainsides. It is also host many fantastic resorts for ski racers. Many top racers hae fine tuned their skills on the icy mountainsides of East Coast ski resorts. We decided to research the top East Coast resorts for ski racers. In doing so, we surveyed racers and coaches, compared trail maps, and analyzed mountain statistics. Factors that went into ranking include steepness, height, length, diversity of terrain, popularity, conditions, and grooming. Without further ado, here are the top 10 best ski racing resorts on the East Coast:
10. Wildcat Mountain
Wildcat Mountain, located near Jackson, New Hampshire, is a treat from another era. With its steep, narrow runs and its imaginative views, it is an overall great ski resort, with the size and diversity of terrain to support its great Wildcat Ski Team racing program.
Sugarloaf is a classic East Coast resort. Located in Carrabassett Valley, ME, it has harsh weather and difficult terrain, but that makes the race training all the more rewarding. Though it has excellent natural conditions, the snow making and grooming here is also excellent, planting it at a #9 on our list.
Smugglers’ Notch Resort, near Jeffersonville, Vermont, is a large resort with great snow and a vertical drop of 2,610 feet (4th largest in New England). Its sheer size is a benefit on its own, but it also features a good variety of runs for racers of all levels. The resort also supports a fine youth racing program.
Saddleback Maine, located way up north near Rangeley, ME, is a beautiful resort, one of New England’s secret gems. From its challenging terrain, steep/long runs, and beautiful grooming, it breeds a class of great ski racers through its alpine racing program.
Though not the steepest mountain, you’ll fall in love with the length and diversity of its runs. Waterville valley, located in the White Mountain National Forest of New Hampshire, is a beautiful resort with a fantastic youth racing program, certainly one of the best out east.
Whiteface Mountain is a resort with some notches on its belt, regularly hosting alpine ski racing events and being a U.S. Olympic Training resort. With its 3,166 ft vertical drop, it is one of the largest resort on the East Coast, and the insane diversity of terrain complements some thoroughly difficult runs. There’s a reason Olympic athletes train here.
Stowe Mountain Resort, offering 116 trails and high speed gondolas, is a ski racer’s paradise. Located near Stowe, VT, the resort is absolutely beautiful. Apart from its pristine lodge, though, the hill also features some of the steepest runs and one of the biggest vertical drops on the East Coast.
Bristol Mountain Winter Resort is a relatively large resort located in South Bristol, NY. Trails like Comet and Quantum Leap will keep even the sharpest ski racer interested.
Jay Peak, located in the Green Mountains in Vermont, is a famous resort. With a 2,100 ft vertical, it stands as a bigger resort than many in the East Coast. Its snow is of pristine quality, and the runs are unique. Not only that, the resort supports a wonderful ski program, the Jay Peak Ski Team, which has produced some great successes.
It’s hard to beat Killington Resort. Located in Killington, VT, this resort is often referred to as the Best of the East. It’s easy to see why, with its steep and diverse terrain, unrivaled run length, and great snow conditions. This is also a resort that takes ski racing seriously, offering some of the best race camps and programs in the country. For these reasons, Killington Ski Resort takes the gold medal in our ranking of the top ski racing resorts on the East Coast.
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