Where do you plan to keep said brown bag?  If you arrive rather early you could get a decent parking spot with only about a 1/4 mile walk.  The north lot is not an option to you if you dont have a pass in hand already. If you dont get a spot in the main lot early then you will need to shuttle from a lot further away.  
There used to be a cafe open at lake tahoe lodge at the top of the mountain that was rather chill, but there hours are about as reliable as a random number generator. 
The main lodge is ok for school lunch menu items for $15 a lunch. 
The main bar there, the goggle, isnt a bad place for an IPA and a tolerable food item for $20+

Point being, you arent brown bagging it unless you put it in a backpack and carry it with you all day.  

7Springs is spread out, busy, with no parking near the slopes what so ever UNLESS like I said you have a pass and certain lifts are running.  The north lot is great for jumping on the north side of the mountain, no frills.  No bathrooms etc, no places to eat there other than your car.  The front main lot is nice if you get toward the back half that fills up last, and they are running the little lift there but so far this year they havent spun that lift once.  *to all the nutting haters out there, nutting's ops team would have that lift running Thurs-Sun*

wfyurasko wrote:

I have an annual ski day with a friend of mine who lives near Hershey, Pa. Elk Mountain in NEPA was our destination three out of the last four seasons after we got tired of the lift lines at Camelback. We also night-skied at Montage last year. We're thinking about somewhere else this year.

We're also considering going on a Friday instead of Saturday to try and beat crowds. I'd love to go to Blue Knob again, but unless a couple of big storms go through there, I don't think there will be enough open.

[dcski thread: Would someone please buy blue knob?]

How are Blue Mountain and Seven Springs on Fridays? I've been to the former for a half-day one March after a sticky snow storm, but it was hardly a representative sample.

Neither of us has been to Seven Springs. We tend to brown bag our lunch, so apres ski isn't a consideration. Proximity and vertical would seem to favor Blue Mountain, but I know Seven Springs has more elevation.

Lastly, we're intermediate skiers in our mid-40s - we get out ones of times a season and rent skis, usually off site.

Back in the 90s, I used to go to 7S every Friday afternoon.  We usually had "short" Fridays - get out of school and then head on down.  We'd often be on the slopes by 1-130p and there was never an issue finding parking.  Back then they weren't strict about who parked in the hotel lot so we'd usually park up against the railing at Stowe.  Now they care lol.

Brown bagging used to be easy at 7S when the lockers were only $1 in the lodge.  They got rid of them and now want you to pay $10 or more. Not hard to keep a drink and at least a sandwich and a snack in your coat.

North lot is great if you have your pass.  You may even find some tailgaters there. There are a couple nasty portapotties there, and that side closes an hour earlie than the front.  So you either have to move your car or cut your night short. If you're willing to pay, or have a handi placard, you can also park by the Blitzen lift which is a short walk to both the lift and the lodge.  Opposite directions though.

HV and Laurel are much better for parking and car access from the ski areas. Not busy at all on Friday evenings.

 Going on a Friday may help you avoid some of the crowds in Blue mountain, but you should still expect some lines at the lifts and parking lots.

wfyurasko wrote:

I have an annual ski day with a friend of mine who lives near Hershey, Pa. Elk Mountain in NEPA was our destination three out of the last four seasons after we got tired of the lift lines at Camelback. We also night-skied at Montage last year. We're thinking about somewhere else this year.

We're also considering going on a Friday instead of Saturday to try and beat crowds. I'd love to go to Blue Knob again, but unless a couple of big storms go through there, I don't think there will be enough open.

[dcski thread: Would someone please buy blue knob?]

How are Blue Mountain and Seven Springs on Fridays? I've been to the former for a half-day one March after a sticky snow storm, but it was hardly a representative sample.

Neither of us has been to Seven Springs. We tend to brown bag our lunch, so apres ski isn't a consideration. Proximity and vertical would seem to favor Blue Mountain, but I know Seven Springs has more elevation.

Lastly, we're intermediate skiers in our mid-40s - we get out ones of times a season and rent skis, usually off site.