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Mount Mansfield summit elevation: 4,393 feet (USGS) More mile-long lifts than any other resort in the East. One inter-mountain transfer gondola, 1 high-speed summit gondola, 4 quads, 2 triples, 2 doubles ,and 2 surface lifts Highest skiing elevation: 3,625 feet Vertical drop: 2,360 feet Average annual snowfall: 314 inches Total number of trails: 116 Skiable acres: 485 Total miles: 40 Percentages: beginner 16%, intermediate 55%, expert 29% Snowmaking coverage: 83% Total lifts: 12 Total hourly lift capacity: 15,516 Source: stowe.com passengers
NSAA SKIER / SNOWBOARDER CODE* Always stay in control. People ahead of you have the right of way. ■ Stop in a safe place for you and others. ■ Whenever starting downhill or merging, look uphill and yield. ■ Use devices to help prevent runaway equipment. ■ Observe signs and warnings, and keep off closed trails. ■ Know how to use the lifts safely. Be safety conscious and know the code. It’s your responsibility. ■ ■
* This is a partial list. Source: National Ski Areas Association
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JESSE SCHLOFF; INSET: STOWE MOUNTAIN RESORT
recorded descent in 1914. Others soon followed. By the 1930s, even before the first lift, skiers flocked to Stowe. These ski pioneers came here first for a simple reason: best mountain, best snow. Most of Stowe’s trails were cut in the first half of the 1900s, and without the benefit of bulldozers. The first ones were handcut by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1940s. Charlie Lord, the architect of trails like Nose Dive, Goat, and Perry Merrill, had a natural sense of a mountain’s fall line. His trails flow down the mountain like poetry. Those of you who like to follow the sun will find Stowe is laid out perfectly to ski around the mountain. In the morning, the Front Four bask in soft morning light. In the early afternoon, work your way to the right and ski off the gondola. And to catch that elusive afternoon warmth, head to Spruce, which gets magnificent afternoon sunshine. The forgiving terrain of Spruce Peak’s sun-washed slopes also provides a haven for the youngest or newest skiers. On Mansfield, the 3.7-mile-long Toll Road is the perfect spot for beginners. The wonderful thing about the Toll Road is that it allows beginners to enjoy an experience that advanced skiers get all the time: seeing the whole mountain. Intermediate skiers can test themselves on miles of groomed cruising runs. The broad expanses of Gondolier and Perry Merrill at the Gondola, or Sunrise and Standard, where the sun shines late on the shortest days of winter, are popular with skiers and riders of every ability. Skiers who like wide cruisers will be completely exhilarated after taking a few runs down Gondolier. A favorite of many skiers is at the top, off the quad. Ridgeview, not quite as wide open as Gondolier, provides the perfect place to practice short-radius turns. Spruce Peak is also an intermediate skier’s paradise. For those learning to tackle bumps, Gulch is covered with medium-sized moguls, so skiers can concentrate on technique without being tossed around. For the adventurous, Mount Mansfield also has premier glade skiing. After a storm, when there’s a solid base of snow, advanced intermediates will want to head for the consummate off-piste experience. Stowe Mountain Resort offers a number of gladed areas—all described on the ski area’s interactive trail map—including Tres Amigos, Sunrise, and Nose Dive glades. n