jamesdeluxe
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jul 17, 2020
Smuggs is the second to last "major" Vermont mountain to cross off my to-ski list (leaving only Bromley). As I was driving yesterday morning through a series of Pocono-esque hills and 60s-era suburbs (not what you expect from atmospheric northern VT) from my hotel in Burlington, I was wondering why it gets so little coverage from the online forum crowd. I got my first slap of culture shock when I found myself following a long line of mini-vans driven by soccer moms and dads. Then, with a 2-for-1 coupon in my hand, I sat in front of the ticket window for, no joke, 20 minutes before finding someone to split it with me. Virtually everyone is there on a multi-day family deal, so there’s very little daytrip business, I guess. Compare that to the 15 seconds it took me to find someone at Jay to buy a half-price ticket the day before.
While it’s all about families at Smuggs (almost suffocating at times, and I’m a parent), the terrain really impressed me: a legitimate 2,600 verts covered by old-school EC trails with lots of character, some steep shots, and skiable trees everywhere. Smuggs reminded me of a bigger version of Magic Mountain, including the outdated infrastructure: old double chairs and an undersized, uncomfortable lodge at the bottom of the main hill. I can deal with slow lifts, but I was scratching my head the entire day trying to figure out how they’ve not had to face a mutiny from a target demographic that insists on a certain level of amenities (high-speed lifts and a decent day lodge).
Conditions were similar to Jay on Saturday: the trees were soft and the on-piste trails were very crunchy (once again, the rain from two weeks ago did a huge amount of damage). I’d love to go back there when the snow is in better shape.
Moonshine Glades
Harvey’s Hideaway
Bennett on Morse Mountain
Local delicacy
While it’s all about families at Smuggs (almost suffocating at times, and I’m a parent), the terrain really impressed me: a legitimate 2,600 verts covered by old-school EC trails with lots of character, some steep shots, and skiable trees everywhere. Smuggs reminded me of a bigger version of Magic Mountain, including the outdated infrastructure: old double chairs and an undersized, uncomfortable lodge at the bottom of the main hill. I can deal with slow lifts, but I was scratching my head the entire day trying to figure out how they’ve not had to face a mutiny from a target demographic that insists on a certain level of amenities (high-speed lifts and a decent day lodge).
Conditions were similar to Jay on Saturday: the trees were soft and the on-piste trails were very crunchy (once again, the rain from two weeks ago did a huge amount of damage). I’d love to go back there when the snow is in better shape.
Moonshine Glades
Harvey’s Hideaway
Bennett on Morse Mountain
Local delicacy
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