I always bring friends to Sunday River because I feel it's the biggest bang for your buck in terms of size for price paid. Yes it gets crowded on weekends but the mountain is big enough that they can be largely avoided, and overall having three lodges and multiple hotels spreads the crowds out better than other places. Everywhere will be crowded to a certain extent until the end of February. I tend to avoid Southern VT due to all the pushy and rude New Yorkers. Sugarloaf in Maine by far is the best and chillest vibe. You may have luck avoiding crowds at smaller areas but you may not get the bang for your buck.