Belleayre or Bromley/Stratton?

[Mess]

I am trying to decide on a ski getaway with my wife.  We would travel wednesday night to ski Thursday and Friday.  I have heard good things about Belleayre on the site.  It would take us about 4 hours and 3o minutes to get there or we could drive to Manchester Center and that is 5 hours and 23 minutes.  We could hit Bromley 1st day and Stratton day 2.  Any thoughts or suggestions?

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

I've never skied at Bromley but Stratton has much more terrain and modern facilities than Belleayre. Belleayre is also in a lodging desert with nothing more than a few fleabag motels in the area and one high end resort/spa. If given the choice I'd drive the extra hour to Vermont although I think it's a bit longer of a drive than that. At Stratton you have longer runs, more tree skiing and its a true resort.

[Ski2Live Live2Ski]

I'd say Bellayre has more challenge than Stratton but you will get more vertical and more cruising ar Stratton. Depends what you like. Never been to Bromley. Why not Mt Snow? That has most challenge in southern VT

[Mess]

We have done Mount Snow 2 years in a row and wanted to try something different.  We did Stratton a few years ago and really liked it.  My wife is comfortable on the intermediate trails so not to worried about challenge until she takes a break.

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

We have done Mount Snow 2 years in a row and wanted to try something different.  We did Stratton a few years ago and really liked it.  My wife is comfortable on the intermediate trails so not to worried about challenge until she takes a break.

Why not Okemo??? Try somewhere new that's a bit larger.

 

Belleayre is pretty small. It's closer to most pocono resorts in size than the larger VT mountains.

[Ski2Live Live2Ski]

For lots of long intermediate cruisers and luxurious surroundings a woman will dig, it's hard to beat Stratton. For me my one day there was enough. Where are you driving  from? Is Gore worth considering? They've got lots of intermediate stuff but lots of challenge too and better glades. Probably save some money on lifts and lodging compared to Stratton as well.

Edited November 13, 2014 by Ski2Live Live2Ski

[Mess]

We are headed to Okemo in March with my son and Father.  I live in delaware county so I would have to check distance to Gore.  Thanks for suggestions.  I liked Stratton but was thinking same thing about 1 day that is why I was considering Bromley.  I figure any where will be a great time compared to Poconos.

[RidgeRacer]

Never skied Bromley but Stratton over Belleayre. Gore (which is about the same distance as Stratton from points south) over both.

[Barb]

I took my kids to Bromley one year. They were pretty young so we didn't explore much if the mountain. From what I remember most of the trails end at the same place at the main lift from the base. Pretty impossible go get lost, so great if you have to keep track of kids. Think they have good tree skiing as well. We liked Stratton much better. A lot more to do in the village, longer runs, more variety.

[Ride Delaware ?]

I haven't been to Stratton, but I have been to Bromley. Barb hit the nail on the head when she said it all ends in the same place, and most of the terrain is covered by the high speed lift. Didn't see many tree runs when I went. I think I actually have a TR in the "other mountains" thread from 3-4 years ago. Maybe not. Terrain was fun for awhile but got boring quick. Most runs come together at the bottom for the runouts a la Blue, especially the ones under the HSQ.

 

If you want to save an hour drive and want intermediate cruisers, check out Windham. It wasn't my favorite, but it has nice facilities, nice infrastructure, nice spread out lifts, and isn't as rundown as Bell.

[RootDKJ]

Windham is still in the same lodging desert that Bellayre suffers from.  

 

Go to Stratton.  You'll have a great time and it's only an extra hour.  Totally worth it.

[JFskiDan]

i would shy away from Gore, unless everyone is really on board with just going there to ski.  Lodging options might be a little better then Bell, but still its rural mountainous New York.  where we stayed the sidewalks got rolled up really early.  Food options were really limited within close proximity.  Couldnt even find a Sizzler.  

[trackbiker]

I would do any of the VT places over Belleayre. Bromley has some great glades. You didn't say what time of year you are going but in that area I would pick Magic over any of the others but there has to be a natural snow base. They are only open Friday through Sunday. I would do Magic Thurs. and Bromley Friday. Magic tickets are only $20 on Thursday and it will be like your own private mountain unless it is a powder day. Manchester has plenty of places to stay and restaurants.

[Ski2Live Live2Ski]

I do have a lot more fondness for Belleayre than most people here seem to. They leave lots of the mountain ungroomed and have some quite challenging terrain. There are never lines on the lifts for the challenging terrain. They have a few real nice gladed areas with a new one opening this season.

 

Of course the real relatively undiscovered gem for challenging ungroomed terrrain in the Catskills is Plattekill, but that won't work for your GF who wants intermediate groomers, as there are only a couple of those there. And it 12 miles past the middle of nowhere.

[RootDKJ]

Mount Snow

[Johnny Law]

Bromley is alright, some decent trees but lots of NY peeps on the rocket docket....Stratton sucks hairy ball sack but it sucks the least of those options.

 

Go to Magic if you like legit rowdy skiing.

 

Mt. Snow ? You crazy ? Might as well go to the Bell.

 

The other way out there option is Platty but you got to understand that's a different experience. Hickory too though that's really different.

[mbike-ski]

chicks dig bromley, nice sunny intermediate mountain with a few decent trees. I like mt snow better than Stratton but it's worth checking out for a day if you haven't been there. the ladies dig Stratton too - big wide crusiers and a fake town with shops. I'd do so vt over bell/windham - more of a destination type vacation. a 'skills trip that might be nice with a lady might be to do a b&b in the crunchy town of Woodstock and hit windham and bell though...

 

last year my wife had a day psia clinic at bromley, I ski'd one day bromley, 1 at magic and one day bcXcd

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

my dad and brother want to hit stratton this winter

Coolest story ever!!!

[Ski2Live Live2Ski]

If I were to spend two days in the Manchester region, it would be one day at Magic and one day at Bromley. And I'd probably work a deal so it cost me in total less than 1 day at Stratton, which I would not miss.

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

breh ive definitely told cooler stories on here before

Yeah those great American Hero stories were MSY...mad steezy yo!!!

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

glenn legitimately thought an NYPD officer would let hispanic people go for having a roach.  they would have spent 3 days in bookings

I'm so happy I'm white. I can pretty much do whatever I want without looking suspicious.

[Mess]

Does Magic have groomed trails or is it all natural?

[Mess]

Looking at going February 12,13.  Starting to like the idea of Magic for $20 on Thursday.  Bromley or Stratton on Friday.  I have never really skied the trees and not real comfortable on Moguls.  I do like steep groomed terrain.  

[Barb]

Check out Johnny Seesaw's for dinner when you are in the area. Great food and a huge fireplace in the middle of the restaurant. I have never had a bad meal there.

[Ski2Live Live2Ski]

Plenty of groomed stuff at magic