Another skier checking in!
I used to date this dude who was on ski patrol at some cheesy little local 'mountain'. They all chip in on a keg and then get the guy in the groomer cat to take it up to the summit for them and then they'd bury it in the snow in the woods for future enjoyment.
I love the whole skiing lifestyle... too bad I'm poor now that I have a house... =(
My favorite mountain is Wildcat in NH- still owned by the US forest service and feels like stepping back in time to the 50s- gnarly REAL New England skiing, steep narrow trails, minimally groomed, awesome views.
Then Okemo comes in a close 2nd for their AWESOME snowmaking/grooming ( I love early-season skiing best of all) and really well-laid out trails and terrain parks.