Smugglers' Notch - Dec 13-15

[Flashby]

I just booked a trip with my wife to Stowe for Dec 12-15 but will also try to hit Smugglers' Notch, Sugarbush, and even Jay Peak while I'm there. I know Stowe would be able to satisfy me for 4 days but I wanted to try and get as much experience at as many different places as possible. Maybe I'll see someone else on the slopes one of these days I'm here.

[Flashby]

It looks like I will have to sacrifice a little and spend 1 day at each of the 4 resorts here to get a taste of what each one offers and the different terrain and layout so I can get as much exposure and experience. I'm anticipating that I'll be at Smugglers' Notch on Dec 15.

[earthsurfing]

Smuggs is an awesome mountain, and great to carve...

But frankly (depending on the snow), if you're coming to explore and get to know the mountain what's really outstanding here is steeps, drops, trees, etc.

Its fun to rip around on HB, but you'll be missing out on its best terrain (unless HB trees and drops is your thing...

[Flashby]

Well, I'm still so very new to not just hardbooting and carving but snowboarding in general. I mean, after basically the maiden voyage on a rented board and soft boots I jumped headfirst into hard boots and my own board. I guess in a way I never picked up any bad habits from the softboot side but in the same breath I have no experience to use so it is exciting and challenging and exciting and unnerving ... and I love it.

Yep, can't wait to hit Smuggs and only wish I could spend longer at each place. Zip line at one, indoor rink at another, indoor water park at a third (though not all features are open as of this month but nice to see what the future holds). I won't be there for any specific reason other than to play in the powder and prep for a trip to Montana in late Jan. All I have is packed groomed trails and ice and need to get out and hit powder or ungroomed spots or glades. I'm very much looking forward to this trip. I haven't totally done any big-time carving basically because of the snow conditions and terrain but am picking up what I can and will get better.

[Flashby]

I'm planning on hitting Smugglers' Notch on Wednesday, Dec 15.

[Flashby]

This was my fourth stop in Vermont on the dash-and-crash tour (4 resorts in 3 days) and I had to hit Jay Peak and here on the same day due to some ridiculous idea to close the pass between Stowe and here in October. The resorts are about 5 miles apart but now take the better part of 1 hr to drive. Since I was already on the northern side I decided to hit here on the way back to Stowe from Jay Peak.

Not knowing the area, I got a Lift Ticket at the main area and took the chair lift up though nothing indicated it only reaches Beginner trails until you are AT the lift (not at the main area or parking lot). I looked at the map and saw a trail over to the next mountain however at the top I noticed that trail was closed. I got a chance to carve down the Beginner trails (hard to maintain speed on such gentle slopes) and then walk back to the car and drive up to Parking Lot 3 for the only other part of the mountain that was open. This added nearly 45-60 min to my day before I could hit some real slopes and the afternoon light was fading so I missed out on some good runs. The conditions were getting better but I was sadly out of time. Again was disappointed that so many of the slopes were closed and although the conditions and terrain were awesome and I'd do them again -- it is a pain to get here from Stowe but now I know.

[earthsurfing]

Sounds like a whirlwind.

By all means- whatever floats your boat, but I'd recommend not trying to get everywhere in one trip, and taking the time to get to know a given mountain...

And as far as the pass- obviously you've never been up there. Perhaps whats more ridiculous is that someone would even think to take a motor vehicle through it in the first place!

Its actually only like 5 minutes or so to ride, hike, split, whatever on foot. and maybe 15 to get back.

[Flashby]

It definitely was a whirlwind tour and I don't recommend it to most folks. I had my reasons for doing this though (trying to prep for a trip to Montana in 19 days and only have the small PA hills to ride on so needed something larger to cut my teeth on as well as to hit some powder).

Agreed re: getting to know a place but I really was not prepared for so many trails to be closed in mid-Dec. That is what restricted me the most in my options and the conditions also caused some issues.

True I have not been through the pass there but I've certainly seen worse areas. I'd be surprised if that is worse than anything in the Colorado Rockies which remain open. Either way, I learned my lesson and Smugglers' Notch will never be easily reached while staying at Stowe and vice versa. I did hear about a secret of taking a lift to the top of Spruce Peak and hiking until accessing Madonna Mountain (essentially the same mountain but different names from the different resorts). I'll save that for another day. I'm hitting Big Sky and it has an official 'combo lift ticket' with Moonlight Basin. That will be fun.

Now that I've been to those 4 places I know which one I'll visit next time for several days. Funny thing is I had a lousy experience at Jay Peak but in the latest Ski Magazine they just had a decent article covering their powder. Ha. Can't wait for my next trip up to VT or NH or ME.