… That’s really good.”. We eat one of those huge breakfasts you only eat in ski-vacation condos. Smugglersâ Notch Resort is your playground for all types of adventure and fun for all ages. Sometime around noon I start to get that panicky feeling that I’m going to have to ski slow, stop a lot, and be social. Even in stupid rental gear. Jonathan makes me jealous. They’re a little more easygoing and down-to-earth than the average resort skier. Gathering your family to savor cups of hot chocolate around the bonfire, sharing an exhilarating run down the mountain, or marveling together during the evening torchlight pa Terrain so steep that grooming machines can’t touch it. Shopping Cart, Menu; Close Close Search. Not here at feisty, quirky, proudly individualistic Smugglers’ Notch. The Epic Day Pass allows guests to customize their pass, choosing exactly the number of days they want, from one day to seven days, and whether or not to add holiday access. “We think it’d be good for our clients and good for theirs too. It was improved in 1922 in time for Prohibition, during which Smugglers' Notch took on new meaning, this time with contraband flowing south from Canada. Families love North Hill’s aquatic center with splash pad. Yellow Cat's Lair, a grom favorite, is one of several kid's trails. © 2021 Pocket Outdoor Media Inc. All Rights Reserved. Our unit has a big corner sun room that must be particularly nice on Vermont summer evenings. Especially if it weeds out the fancy people and keeps the price of a lift ticket affordable (and Smuggs is loved, particularly among day-tripping locals, for the value of its Bash Badge discount program). Stowe’s Mt. The famous Smugglers Notch is a narrow pass through the Green Mountains. To us, it’s a foreign world, with its marble countertops and state-of-the-art electronics. Surely, say the wags, it’s only a matter of time until Vail Resorts makes that a reality. Doesn’t even own boots. The sun shines through a low layer of silvery mist, and a few sparkly flakes float down persistently throughout the morning—a perfect Vermont snow-globe kind of day. Smugglers' Notch Resort is a ski resort area in the town of Cambridge, Vermont, United States, located near the village of Jeffersonville.Its vertical drop of 2,610 feet (800 m) is the fourth largest in New England and the third largest in Vermont. And they’re also some of the best skiers you’ll see anywhere, their mettle tested by unabiding terrain, their Zen enhanced by long reflective lift rides, their wallets a little fatter thanks to decent prices. I hack my way through the bumps on FIS, not really feeling it yet and frankly a little intimidated by Madonna. Meanwhile, Smuggs is very likely to remain a fixed-grip, families-first, keep-it-real kind of place. Even at our age. Smuggler's Notch, Vermont's most dramatic road, passes through picturesque forests and bold rock outcroppings, the state's most famous resort village, and over a ⦠Hearth and Candle serves up a more elegant night out. It’s not slopeside—fine since we’ll be commuting up to Lot 1 as usual anyway—but it’s huge and perfectly situated for a great view of the mountain, especially from our top floor unit. The base village, for instance, is perfectly serviced by the very mellow Morse Mountain trails. Venture on SR 108 through Stowe, Vt., a quintessential New England town and ski area, and Smugglers' Notch, a narrow pass with hairpin turns, giant boulders and steep cliffs. Smuggs' majestic trio, from left to right: Morse, Madonna, and Sterling. Looking to still access the mountain? At the end of your leisurely Madonna 1 lift ride, you get what is easily one of the best summit views in Eastern skiing. The sign points the way to Smuggs through quaint Jeffersonville. When we arrive on Friday evening it’s cold out, but our timing is nevertheless excellent. On this trip—a weekend stay with a few friends in a sweet base-village condo—I hope to get an insider tour with my buddy Justin’s buddy Bubba, who hangs out with that Backcountry magazine crowd (based here in Jeffersonville), and who has skied Smuggs long enough to know its dark side as well as anyone. Stay up to date with Smuggs all year long by subscribing to our official eNewsletter, the. Smuggs was always a tough track, with a nasty pitch right out of the start. Happily, that view is quite accessible to intermediates, who can safely skid their way down from the top on Chilcoot or Drifter, Madonna’s only two blue runs. I love that the place is so popular with families. You simply place the card in a pocket and when you are near one of the RFID enabled gates it will automatically open, as long as your card is loaded with the valid access product for that lift, pool, facility or family activity. The ticket scanner reminds me with that little error noise every time I go through the gate. In the earlier days, only a footpath and trail for horses existed here. Fixed-grip chairs seem to elicit a visceral, negative response from a lot of skiers. The Skiing. Find out why. We rejoin Cheryl, who’s been cruising solo, then meet up with late-arriving Joe and Mary. Epic Coverage also provides a refund for certain resort closures, including events like COVID-19. Visit Epic Coverage to learn more. And now I think they’re a little preoccupied with other stuff over there.”, More from the East: Resorts of the 2019 - Awards in the East, Part of what fuels the Vail-Smuggs speculation is that Stritzler is well past the age when most guys think about retiring. The two of us head out from the top of Sterling in late-afternoon sunlight. A personalized Notch Card is required and available to purchase for $5 plus tax. On nice afternoons, it’s the quintessential ski area parking lot après scene—lawn chairs, barbecues, beers, etc. “I’ve cut back to six days a week. Conditions are good, but the moguls are truly huge and intimidating, with backbreaking troughs, and the steepness leaves no room for error or pussyfooting. I hate to see the cold spell snap—it’s been a weird and wonderful stretch of prime conditions—but the sunny weather brings the cabin-fevered locals out in force, and they’re psyched. The Sterling lift, of course, brings skiers to within a few hundred yards of the top of neighboring Stowe’s Spruce Peak. It’s near the end of that magical two-week stretch near the close of last winter when a couple of nice, juicy snowstorms were followed by a couple weeks of midwinter temps. They probably said the same thing at Kirkwood, but it’s hard to imagine Smuggs as yet another property in the Vail portfolio. As is typical at Smuggs, we run into more friends, first Brian and Linda, then Justin and Bubba. The great room, comprising kitchen and living area, lives up to its name. This skier is cruising Upper Chilcoot from the 3,640-foot summit. I see the merits of fixed-grip lifts—the vintage aesthetic, the chance to rest your legs, and noticeably less traffic on the slopes. If Smuggs wants to stick with its fixed-grip program, its many fans are fine with it. If we didn’t scar them for life, we sure made them tougher. Let me be clear: Its acquisition by Vail Resorts is nothing but a rumor—albeit one that’s considered a done deal here in Northern Vermont. Don't let this mellow run fool you: Sterling Mountain boosts mostly blues and blacks spilling from it's 3,040-foot summit. I’ve always liked skiers who grew up at Smuggs or make it their home resort. There are five of us on this weekend getaway, two couples and me. Vermont's Magic Mountain is reclaiming its rep as one of the East's adventure meccas. Youâll find thereâs so much to do here you wonât be able to do it all in one Day. Eastern skiers already had reason enough to visit Vermont. Officials with ⦠Joe has to take an important business call, but the rest of us lounge around, sipping good coffee, enjoying our last hours of lavish condo life before hitting the slopes and then heading home. And when my team here says, ‘Bill, we love you, but you’re not doing any good around here anymore,’ that’s the day I’ll retire.”. And when those budding novices are ready for a step up and a more expansive view, there’s Sterling Mountain, over on the other side of the resort. To fully enjoy your Smugglers' Notch vacation we recommend that you purchase our Spring SmuggsPass from June 15 - June 25, 2020. Stowe (30 miles, 45 minutes) Okemo (~10 miles, ~2 hours, 10 minutes) Other Nearby Vermont Resorts (Less than 1.5 hrs) Bolton Valley (30 miles, ~45 mins) Jay Peak (37 miles, ~50 minutes) Mad River Glen (40 miles, ~1 hour) There’s a balconied master suite, another queen bedroom, and a big bunk room for kids. As with Liftline, I’ve experienced the Bowls, just never in prime conditions, and never with anyone who really knew where to go. And it’s a world apart from the tidy family-vacation scene over at Morse. Smugglers Notch Lift Ticket Prices. Additional day rates only apply to consecutive multi-day tickets purchased on the first day. We sent our writer to compete in Killingtonâs legendary Bud Light Bear Mountain Mogul Challenge competition last spring. For live music, the Black Bear is the go-to for weekend après. Authentic Vermont skiing with amazing terrain and family forward service. It would instantly be the East’s largest ski area. Long lift lines are better than crowded trails any day, and a 15-minute chair ride makes time for deeper chairlift chats. Joe and Mary are Smuggs regulars. Hearth and Candle, in the base village , is a favorite for its refined comfort food, cozy ambience, and live entertainment on select evenings. To me, it’s the craggy slopes of Madonna, the bushwhacking off-piste of the Bowls, and the whole vibe of Lot 1 that shapes the true culture at Smuggs. Stop reading if you don’t like slow lift rides. In my few prior visits to the bowls I hadn’t really appreciated how expansive they are. So, of all the places the Epic worksâand they are almost countless now, including, of course, that neighboring resort just over there on the other side of the Notchâit doesnât work here. A full price list for the ? The real genius of Smuggs may be how perfectly segregated its two worlds are. The group grows, abilities vary, and conditions are just getting better as the day wears on. It’s a gnarly traverse, and I’m a little preoccupied with survival, but Bubba just rockets ahead, waving his downhill pole at all the skiable shots. REFUNDS: Epic Coverage provides refunds for COVID-19 related closures, injury, job loss, and more. For quick and casual at the resort, Village Pizzeria makes fresh pies, plus calzones, pastas, and subs. Smugglers' Notch Resort 9 months ago Despite warm conditions most open trails were good to go but as day progressed too many soft spots to catch an edge on.still had a good half day with some nice blues and blacks avoided the moguls and glades. They love the instructors, the après games, the cute, mute Mascots (Mogul Mouse and Billy Bob Bear), cozy slopeside condos, swimming pools, and age-appropriate play zones for tots to teens. Later, Mary will compliment me on my crowd management skills. It also expands coverage to protect you from certain resort closures, such as any due to COVID-19. Season Passes are no longer available for the 2020/21 season. Any other ticket specials, half day tickets, vouchers or promotional tickets are not available to reload online. Mansfield. - See 356 traveler reviews, 147 candid photos, and great deals for Stowe, VT, at Tripadvisor. The Village at Smugglers' Notch offers studio units, as well as one to four bedroom condominiums. Access your exclusive Epic Pass holder savings, including 20% off food, lodging, lessons, rentals, and more with Epic Mountain Rewards Create Account. Simply choose your start and end dates, # of adults and children and click Create A Quote in the Trip Quote box above! Much has changed over the years at Southern Vermontâs Stratton Mountain, but one very important thing has stayed the same: Itâs still an excellent place to escape the city living. Mansfield trails are clearly visible—so close they could be a part of Smuggs you haven’t explored yet. Medical marijuana becomes legal in ski towns. Voted #1 overall ski resort in the East, learn why we're America's Family Resort! Welcome to Smugglers Notch State Park. The traverse spools out along the ridgeline deep into the Notch, with numerous shots dropping off it, all leading down some 1,000 to 1,500 vertical feet to the closed-in-winter Notch Road, which funnels down into an easy glide to Lot 1. It’s also refreshing to ski at a place that’s independently owned and wears its independence proudly. Smugglers’ Notch resort lodging comprises five communities with condos ranging from studios to five bedrooms with full kitchens. “You never say ‘never,’ but the only reason there’s even been informal discussion is that they own Stowe, and when you’ve got a new neighbor you sit down and chat.”, Besides, he says, “We love our independence here, and if you’re a bit of a control freak, it’s kind of hard to give that up.”, Stritzler says he’s always been a proponent of some sort of Stowe-Smuggs interconnection, and sees it as a win for both resorts. Still, I have to ask the boss if he’s been approached, even though I doubt he can be candid. It is because of this snake-like feature that trucks are not allowed on the road. Presently, natural selection occurs, and the faster skiers suddenly find themselves separated from the slower ones, who must have missed a turn or something. “That’s all good in there. But what gets me most excited about a trip to Smuggs—what really impresses me about the place and is so often overlooked—is the one thing no ski area can fake: terrain. Bootleggers, in the Village Lodge, is for sports fanatics. Not yet. The top of Madonna Mountain is oh-so Vermont, especially with Mt. And then, of course, there’s the Bowls—the hallowed Birthday Bowls, known to some as just the Back Bowls. Pass/Badges Purchase after Halloween; Season Pass: Child 5 & under*+ (*lift access only) FREE: Youth (ages 6-12) $369: Youth (ages 13-18) $389: Adult (ages 19-26) $409: Adult (ages 27-34) $639: Adult (ages 35-69) $689: College (ages 18 & older) $309: Family Pass (Minimum 1 adult and 1 youth) Adult (age 19-69) $629: Bash Badge and Bash Badge Plus: Bash Badge Youth (ages 6-18) $119 Just ski back to the car. And there’s a hot tub shared by four units on the ground floor. With this crowd, we’d have some catching up to do. It’d be easy to forget you were at Smuggs if it weren’t for that great view of the slopes. Navigate to our lift ticket page to view rates. The bumps of the upper mountain tumble out onto sweet wide cruisers near the bottom, where the snow and the pitch are perfect for zoomy arcs. Smugglers' Notch is located in Smugglers' Notch, Vermont.... Read more. Smugglers Notch State Park: Only smugglers dared pass!! Despite the long car ride, a good hour farther for metropolitan skiers than even Sugarbush or Stowe, there are skiing families who don’t want to be anywhere except Smuggs. It’s those exuberant Out of Control Ski Clubbers again. But I’m told that Morse offers meandering greens and ideal teaching terrain. In some cases, ski resorts may be part of a multi-mountain ski pass, which will be indicated when those prices are displayed. Jonathan and Cheryl are capable but largely lapsed skiers. Closet Neighbors on the Epic Pass. From the January/February 2019 Double Issue of SKI Magazine. And it’s karaoke. On Sunday the midwinter spell breaks. But I’ve got a daughter in the business and a very strong team here, so if I go on vacation and the plane goes down the place will be okay. Which brings me back to Lot 1, which I have long regarded as perhaps the best ski area parking lot in the East. For the hundredth time I make a note to keep my ears open for a decent pair of size 9 boots. To get to the Bowls, you ride the Sterling lift, striking out from the summit like you’re headed for Sterling Pond and Stowe, but taking a right. I swear, they’re everywhere I go, and they always make me a little depressed that I’m not having as much fun as them. Get there early, and you can boot up at your car, walk 10 yards, and ski down to the Sterling and Madonna lifts. And thriftier. Each person in your party will be required to show their SmuggsPass to access the following activities and facilities, plus you'll receive great discounts on our award-winning children's programs, and shopping! Along with Stowe, Epic Pass holders have unlimited access to more than a dozen resorts, including Vail in Colorado, Park City in Utah and Whistler Blackcomb in western Canada. (More about Lot 1 in a minute.) Like most locals, I zoom past Morse and the base village on my way to Lot 1. These products must be purchased at the Ski & Ride Desk or at one of our lift ticket windows. If you don’t agree, they don’t really care. Smugglers' Notch, the #1 ranked mountain resort in the east for Service and Family 2019/2020! So, of all the places the Epic works—and they are almost countless now, including, of course, that neighboring resort just over there on the other side of the Notch—it doesn’t work here. But in between the friendly slopes of Morse and Sterling—in between those two distinct zones of sensible, homogeneous mellowness—lies fearsome Madonna Mountain, the true heart of Smuggs, and as tough a test as any ski mountain in the East. A ski area that’s all tree skiing. Classic Madonna. But most of Madonna’s terrain—and you’ll have to ski it to see it, because it’s hard to scout from below—is in the vein of Liftline. In some pocket of my jacket I’m carrying my Epic Pass. But he’s as aggressive and reckless and good as ever. Forgot a layer? He came out of it relatively unscathedâunless you count a little bruising to the ego. Smugglers' Notch (or Smugglers or Smuggler's) is a mountain pass in Lamoille County, Vermont . But nothing definite. We traverse all the way out to the end, ski a short shot that comes down onto the dormant Visitors’ Center, high up in the notch, then ski the road down to Lot 1. Dinner is delicious lasagna—Mary got the Italian cooking gene. Groups of tired, happy skiers mingle in the sun, snacking and cocktailing and recounting the day’s exploits. Pick the days you want to receive our mountain snowfall, trail news and updates. But we’ve been rejected enough times that we’ve stopped asking. Club Wyndham Smugglers' Notch Vermont® Reserve Today: 877-476-8447 4323 Vermont Route 108 South Smugglers' Notch, VT 05464-9537 Check it out: Best of the East 2019 - Smugglers' Notch. It’s basically a bunch of us Lot 1 types getting a look at how the other half of Smuggs skiers live. Epic Coverage also provides a refund for certain resort closures, injury job! That combines Smuggs and Stowe the end of the East ’ s a big sun. Pass HOLDER RESERVATIONS: RESERVATIONS are required for the hundredth time I go through the gate Mansfield, chance. The magnificent Liftline will probably be closed as you glide above it cases. Remain a fixed-grip, families-first, keep-it-real kind of place your start and end,... 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