Smugglers' Notch Vermont®
America’s Family Resort℠The best value for Family Fun... anywhere!
#1 for Family Programs in North America for 14 years SKI Magazine
What's New at Smugglers' Notch Vermont
If you have specific questions about our upcoming Winter season, feel free to give a buzz to (802) 644-8572 or e-mail mediarelations@smuggs.com.THE BEST OF WINTER 2012-2013
SKI magazine readers vote Smugglers' #1 for family programs for 14th year
For the 14th year, Smugglers' has been selected as #1 for family programs by readers of SKI Magazine in the magazine's annual survey for their Resort Guide. In addition, Smugglers' was ranked as the top ski resort in Vermont and placed #3 among Eastern resort rankings. Smugglers' also received top 10 ranking among Eastern resorts in the categories of value, off-hill activities, the challenge and variety of ski & ride terrain, grooming, snow, weather and scenery.
Snowmaking improvements expand coverage on favorite trails
An investment of over $1,000,000 in snowmaking enhancements will bring an additional 150 high efficiency tower guns and a new electric compressor to Smugglers'. This investment will allow more snow to be made at a wider temperature range, improving early and late season coverage with greatly reduced energy costs. Guns will be positioned on selected intermediate trails on Sterling Mountain, intermediate Lower Liftline on Madonna Mountain, and beginner trails Lower Liftline and Log Jam on Morse Mountain.
New natural feature terrain park on Madonna Mountain
A new natural feature terrain park for intermediate and advanced skiers and riders at Smugglers' will open in the Knight's Revenge glade that crosses the Link trail on Madonna Mountain between Lower Rumrunner and Lower Madonna Liftline. Knight's Revenge will contain log slides, bank turns, log rolls, rock wall jumps, a rainbow, and loads of rails, ending at a quarter pipe wall ride at the Rumrunner trail junction. This freestyle playground in the woods will hold more than twenty features in addition to the varied terrain and rock jumps provided by Mother Nature.
Snow Sport University launches women's clinic
A new program offered on Wednesdays and Saturdays for women will focus on the mechanics of how the female body moves on snow in order to enhance skills. Female instructors will lead participants in lighthearted and fun learning sessions. This clinic, held from 10:15 am to 2:00 pm, is for all levels and includes lunch.
Winter Adventures for teens
In two-hour morning Snow Sense sessions, intermediate skiers and riders ages 16-20 will explore the mountain with a guide while learning to read conditions and terrain and picking up technique and skills tips along the way. After lunch, the group will head back outdoors to enjoy an afternoon adventure: ice climbing (Thursday), backcountry snowshoeing (Friday), ice canyon Via Ferrata (Saturday) and winter survival tips (Sunday).
New evening trek pairs "Sweets and Snowshoes"
Each Wednesday evening a guided trek for adults will depart the Nordic Center and follow a network of gently rolling snowshoe trails to a handcrafted pavilion in the woods. At the pavilion, trekkers can relax in the glow of a campfire and candlelight while enjoying a warm beverage and samplings of three desserts. The trek is 30 - 40 minutes each way, and appropriate for all levels of experience.
Riglet Park for little snowboarders celebrates its second season
Smugglers’ partnered with Vermont's Burton Snowboards last winter to develop the Riglet Park, an on-snow play area with fun terrain features designed to introduce young children to snowboarding. The park’s focal point is a "treehouse," an elevated platform with ramps that children can ride down, a balance area and a lift chair that swings to help kids practice getting on and off the lift. Small rolling hills, miniature box-style rails, pyramids and a mini-halfpipe allow children to gain the necessary balance and muscle memory to begin sliding and making turns on sloped terrain. The park is at the Sir Henry's Learning Area with conveyor lift access and serves children in the Discovery Dynamos snowboarding camp for ages 3-5 and in two-hour sessions held daily for ages 3-6.
A solar-powered Village Lodge
Continuing the environmental stewardship initiatives that have earned the Resort an Environmental Leader designation, Smugglers' installed 35 solar trackers in May 2012 with a 150-kilowatt capacity that are projected to offset the energy use of the Village Lodge, home to a deli, pizzeria, entertainment venue and lounge, and Ben & Jerry's Scoop Shop. Through August 2012, the solar trackers have generated over 111 kWh of electricity – that's about 30% more than the electricity used by the Village Lodge in the same period.
Value-filled vacation packages
Smugglers' winter packages give families flexibility to match packages to their vacation interests and budget requirements. Each package includes mountainside condominium lodging; lift tickets; snow tubing; use of the indoor pool and hot tub, Nordic and snowshoe terrain, indoor FunZone with climbing inflatables, and teen centers; and family and adult entertainment.
Smugglers' winter vacation packages:
The Club Smugglers' Base Package, a traditional ski and stay package with the above inclusions and onslope instruction is optional. From $85/youth & $115/adult per night.
The Club Smugglers' Classic Package features all of the above inclusions plus onslope daily instructional programs for children ages 3-17. From $105/youth & $115/adult per night.
The Club Smugglers' Summit Package features all of the above inclusions plus Snow Sport University instructional programs for the entire family - all-day ski or snowboard camp for children ages 3-5 and two-hour group lessons for ages 6-adult. From $105/ youth & $145/adult per night.
The Classic and Summit packages also include free childcare at Treasures, Smugglers' slopeside children's center for ages 6 weeks to 3 years old, during the winter season (December 7, 2012 - April 7, 2013. Regular rate $85 per day per child). Guests on these packages will also receive discounts on Little Rascals on Snow, Treasures' introductory ski program for children ages 2 ½ to 3 years old (regular rate $129 per day per child) and on all-day instruction for ages 6-15.
Package specials
A January Learn-to-Ski-or-Snowboard Week includes free rental equipment and group lessons for guests staying three nights or longer on the Club Smugglers' Base Package. Entry and beginner level skiers or riders are invited to learn to ski or ride for $115 per night for adults and $85 per night for children 3-17 years old. The package includes condominium lodging, daily lift tickets, daily group lessons and free rental equipment, après ski activities, and use of the pool and hot tubs from January 6-13, 2013.
Stay six nights or more and get the next night free in December 2012 and during the Presidents' Week holiday (February 15-21, 2013).
Visit http://www.smuggs.com/vacation-values for additional information on specials.
Extensive Skiing and Snowboarding Trails
Smugglers' has 78 trails spread out over 300 acres of marked and patrolled acreage on three interconnected mountains. There are an additional 700 acres of unmarked and unpatrolled terrain, for a total of 1,000 acres. The longest run is three miles from the Madonna summit to the Village. Popular trails include the Garden Path on Morse, and Chilcoot, FIS, Rumrunner, Treasure and Black Snake on Madonna and Sterling. The Black Hole at Freefall Woods is the only triple black diamond trail in the East. The trail system incorporates 19% easier, 50% intermediate, 25% expert, and 6% extreme terrain.
Comprehensive Ski & Ride Instruction and Camps
Smugglers' Snow Sport University offers group and private instruction for all ages and ability levels. All-day ski and snowboard camps include Discovery Dynamos (ages 3-5), Adventure Rangers (ages 6-10), and the Notch Squad (ages 11-15). Children in Smugglers' instructional camps receive a Flaik GPS to wear during their ski or ride day that tracks their distance, vertical, and speed for review with family and friends. Mountain Explorers for ages 16-17 features two hours of on-slope instruction.
Beginning snowboarders enjoy use of Burton Learn to Ride equipment, specially developed boots, boards and bindings for novices. Night School for Boarding is offered evenings twice weekly to beginning snowboarders of all ages. Night School for Jibbing accustoms confident riders to entry level terrain park features. Terrain parks offer a progressive experience from beginner to expert.
The Nordic Ski and Snowshoe Adventure Center
Smugglers' Nordic Center offers 30 kilometers of cross-country trails for every level of skier from beginner to expert, and 24 kilometers of dedicated snowshoe trails. Group and private lessons are available. Special tours teach about bear habitat and maple sugaring. The popular weekly Snowshoe Adventure Dinner heads out on an evening exploration of the Sterling summit on snowshoes, capped by a delicious dinner catered by the Resort's Hearth & Candle Restaurant in a summit warming cabin, and trek down to the base lodge on a ski trail with beautiful valley views.
Fun for all ages
Smugglers' year-round ArborTrek zip line canopy tour, the first of its kind in Vermont, is located in a scenic valley near the Resort Village with stunning views of the Resort and the Green Mountains. Weaving their way from tree platform to tree platform in a mature forest of hemlock, white birch and sugar maple, participants follow a series of zip lines, suspension bridges, and rappels as guides highlight local ecology and natural history.
Other activities include family and adult entertainment, snow tubing, airboarding on an inflated sled, snowmobile tours, ice climbing, massage, yoga, artists' classes, and much more.
Family Fun Guarantee
Smugglers' guarantees that each member of the family will have fun, learn to ski or snowboard or improve technique, regardless of ability level - or the entire lesson portion of that person's vacation package will be refunded.
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