Alright- this is sure to spark some fierce debate (friendly debate). not including the family resort aspect of smuggs at all- just the skiing/skier's mountain appeal.
but i have been mulling over what constitutes VT's best ski areas (and new england's overall, but all seem to be in VT in my opinion). now this is very subjective, but i feel smuggs has the best skiing overall in VT- steeps, terrain, snow, backcountry, crowds (lack of) and general ski experience.
1. GOOD snow. not as much as Jay, but doesn't get as many powderhound pilgrams heading up for dumps as Jay, either. stowe is comparable, but smuggs may make out a little bit better on average, and has less crowds, generally, leaving more freshies. plus jay is more exposed, and trails are prone to wind scouring. jay blows more than anywhere after a couple days no-snow but windy.
2. STEEP and challenging terrain. probably the steepest in-bounds in VT. liftline, robins, and freefall (and black hole avoiding the "triple black" talk). plus, in bounds open policy and trails are very MRG-like as pertains to layout and natural features. sterling and madonna have some nooks and crannies holding great shots...
i would say smuggs has steeper in-bounds than stowe (could be up to debate) and definitely more burly than jay overall (though jay is good). MRG is definitely up at the top here, with more sustained challenge than any other resort/area, but smuggs probably beats it for in-bounds steeps- a long-time MRG manager said smuggs has the steepest in new england (except for the very top of starr at stowe)... as far as trees- there good trees at stowe, MRG, and Jay (jay officially has the most, but it's hard to define "best" when the trees at all these places are pretty awesome)
3. backcountry: i'd say it's a toss up between smuggs and stowe (though they're kinda one-in-the-same), maybe going to stowe for the above-treeline experience, but smuggs b-bowls are pretty sick and expansive, too. jay and MRG are right behind here, too.
4. lifts- well, smuggs and MRG have it in common- slow old lifts. i like 'em- for the obvious reasons. good, old feel, and most importantly onslope crowd control- keeping their classical, natural, narrow trails uncrowded. M1 does get windhold- major drawback, but wind happens everywhere. MRG wins in the lifts category (of course) smuggs is #2 in my book.
5. ski experience: i'd say only MRG can really match it. maybe not even. my reasoning: development at smuggs is kept down at the village. on 108 heading to smuggs, there is virtually no/very little commercialization. skiing sterling and Madonna is completely devoid of condos and development. no cheesey ski shop or restaurant signage in sight. MRG is a close second in this respect.
6. crowds- aside from vacation weeks, smuggs can be pretty empty- moreso than stowe or MRG. Jay may be empty sometimes, but has gotten a name- when people here a storm's going to hit VT, they head to Jay. you see more powder warriors at jay with CT, NY, NJ, MA and the like heading up on weeknights before a storm these days. smuggs is tucked up in the nook, and gets overlooked- stowe and jay pull the crowds more it seems.
they say smuggs is a "secret mad river" and, again, the guy at MRG said smuggs is the most underrated mountain in new england in terms of skiing alone. kinda funny, how it still gets top rankings in magazines, yet for a completely different reason. most people who ski the more popular/well-known mountains don't have any idea just how awesome it is.
i'm probably biased, and maybe i'm off- i'd like to see what you guys think of my thoughts...
but i have been mulling over what constitutes VT's best ski areas (and new england's overall, but all seem to be in VT in my opinion). now this is very subjective, but i feel smuggs has the best skiing overall in VT- steeps, terrain, snow, backcountry, crowds (lack of) and general ski experience.
1. GOOD snow. not as much as Jay, but doesn't get as many powderhound pilgrams heading up for dumps as Jay, either. stowe is comparable, but smuggs may make out a little bit better on average, and has less crowds, generally, leaving more freshies. plus jay is more exposed, and trails are prone to wind scouring. jay blows more than anywhere after a couple days no-snow but windy.
2. STEEP and challenging terrain. probably the steepest in-bounds in VT. liftline, robins, and freefall (and black hole avoiding the "triple black" talk). plus, in bounds open policy and trails are very MRG-like as pertains to layout and natural features. sterling and madonna have some nooks and crannies holding great shots...
i would say smuggs has steeper in-bounds than stowe (could be up to debate) and definitely more burly than jay overall (though jay is good). MRG is definitely up at the top here, with more sustained challenge than any other resort/area, but smuggs probably beats it for in-bounds steeps- a long-time MRG manager said smuggs has the steepest in new england (except for the very top of starr at stowe)... as far as trees- there good trees at stowe, MRG, and Jay (jay officially has the most, but it's hard to define "best" when the trees at all these places are pretty awesome)
3. backcountry: i'd say it's a toss up between smuggs and stowe (though they're kinda one-in-the-same), maybe going to stowe for the above-treeline experience, but smuggs b-bowls are pretty sick and expansive, too. jay and MRG are right behind here, too.
4. lifts- well, smuggs and MRG have it in common- slow old lifts. i like 'em- for the obvious reasons. good, old feel, and most importantly onslope crowd control- keeping their classical, natural, narrow trails uncrowded. M1 does get windhold- major drawback, but wind happens everywhere. MRG wins in the lifts category (of course) smuggs is #2 in my book.
5. ski experience: i'd say only MRG can really match it. maybe not even. my reasoning: development at smuggs is kept down at the village. on 108 heading to smuggs, there is virtually no/very little commercialization. skiing sterling and Madonna is completely devoid of condos and development. no cheesey ski shop or restaurant signage in sight. MRG is a close second in this respect.
6. crowds- aside from vacation weeks, smuggs can be pretty empty- moreso than stowe or MRG. Jay may be empty sometimes, but has gotten a name- when people here a storm's going to hit VT, they head to Jay. you see more powder warriors at jay with CT, NY, NJ, MA and the like heading up on weeknights before a storm these days. smuggs is tucked up in the nook, and gets overlooked- stowe and jay pull the crowds more it seems.
they say smuggs is a "secret mad river" and, again, the guy at MRG said smuggs is the most underrated mountain in new england in terms of skiing alone. kinda funny, how it still gets top rankings in magazines, yet for a completely different reason. most people who ski the more popular/well-known mountains don't have any idea just how awesome it is.
i'm probably biased, and maybe i'm off- i'd like to see what you guys think of my thoughts...
