Best small ski areas debate

I'll go in a different direction as some already have. Ferguson Ridge . By no means is it the best...It's not big, only has one T-Bar that brakes down occasionally and the only bathroom is an outhouse. We usually hit the place up after a Wallowas hut trip and we never fail to have fun.

this, and similar,  is what i'm talking about!  alpy etc, do not belong to this. check the history page, etc , of OHM's linki

"I guess it was assumed that if you liked to ski, you were OK and would pay if you could." 
"Every so often, Tom would come up and run the tow at night. At first, kerosene lanterns were hung from trees to ski by."   
"Everything took special skill to operate. Newcomers to the club, like myself, were essentially useless. Everything we tried to do would either not start, get stuck, or break. The old timers had the magic touch. They could hook a 12 volt battery into a 6 volt system without blowing things up. Take a carburetor apart and fix it in a roaring blizzard. Or thaw a frozen fuel line in ways you wouldn’t normally think of."

and that's basically the way the hill is now...

thanks ohm !     

I'll go in a different direction as some already have. Ferguson Ridge

Great reading the history about Ferguson Ridge ski area.
Vibe scale: HIGH
Check out this picture which is the F-Ridge Trail Map........what does this look like to you??? You might have to squint a bit.
www.skifergi.com/pb/wp_509cf3a3/images/i...1364955811d5097f.jpg

www.skifergi.com/pb/wp_c253172a/images/i...37449555b78d7fa2.jpg
Another picture of Ferguson Ridge Ski Area...to bad its only 640 feet of vertical, that is just (generally) not enough. I guess it is tough to get the vertical and vibe balanced!

"Need breaks iron." R. W. Emerson

More peace,
BillyTheMountain

Ok,

best little hill in the midwest. 2 chairs and a few yurts. no grooming, no snow making.
I bought a season pass two years in a row for 99$. females got in free. At times it felt more like a cat ski operation. It's location is it's main downfall... but it also gets lake effect no matter which way the wind blows.

www.mtbohemia.com/

a little extreme use of the xxx's. note how the extreme backcountry is actually between 2 lifts.

Alpental by it's self is a small ski area.
The fact that it is clustered with three others near by and is easy access from Seattle doesn't change that.
While we're at it, add Hyak to the list...
At least as soon as the boys get those lifts running.

To the OP, great thread.
As we are planing to do a fair bit of ski safari this season, this list has given us a lot of great options to explore.

BTW, did anyone bring up Bluewood ?

...to bad its only 640 feet of vertical, that is just (generally) not enough. I guess it is tough to get the vertical and vibe balanced!

Don't let the vert fool you, yeah it isn't a lot, but they have a couple short steep pitches and the trees are always good. Plus, the snow is typically excellent.

Every time I skied at Fergi there has not been a time that I have not hooked up with the locals for a beer and the beers are always blemishes from Terminal Gravity.

Ok,

best little hill in the midwest. 2 chairs and a few yurts. no grooming, no snow making.
I bought a season pass two years in a row for 99$. females got in free. www.mtbohemia.com/

Aloha! The Keewenau get hammered with 300+ annual inches because it sticks out in lake superior like a "sore thumb"!

We used to ski it in the late 80's before te first lift...Yeah'