Hugh's Blog & Photo-of-the-Day

January 31st, 2012
Today was another great day at Smuggs! I skied today with some writers who had never been to Smuggs before. First we headed up the Madonna I lift and took a cruiser on Chilcoot. The writers enjoyed the nice long run and the great conditions. For our next run we decided to go to Sterling. We then skied Upper Rumrunner to Black Snake where I took them to the lookout behind the “Pine tree start building”. It was snowing pretty hard so the visibility was not great, but we were still able to make out some the different features in the notch. We headed up Sterling again for our next run. We skied Thomke’s where we found some powder on the side on the trail. I stopped and got some photos of them skiing and riding by the ice flow on Thomke’s.

January 28th, 2012
Today the American Cancer Society held its “Hope on the Slopes” event here at Smuggs. Individuals or teams have a good time skiing and riding, while raising money for a great cause. There are two categories that people could compete in, one was most money raised and the other was most vertical skied between 9:00 am and 3:00 pm today. I entered as an individual and had my sights set on Madonna. I set a goal of 20 runs on Madonna in the 6 hour time frame and I made it with only minutes to spare! I rode the Madonna I lift as a single and got to meet some very nice people who gave me words of encouragement and even a chocolate. I want to thank everyone who donated money and participated in the vertical challenge!

January 26th, 2012
Rockin' Ron byline on the Hugh blogline. I had a Sunshine soundtrack playin' in my head today (Good Day Sunshine, Here Comes Sunshine, Happier Than the Morning Sun, Sunshine on My Shoulders) whilst I was cruisin' down Upper FIS, Lower Doc's, and Link. I then approached the Lower Madonna Liftline Race Course and Smitty said I could take a run. Garry the FunMeister announced my time as 30.6 seconds, which is good for me, but less than stellar for the serious racers who do the same course in 22 seconds or less. Anyway - I had a sun shiny day on the slopes!

January 24th, 2012
Our snowmakers gave Rick Witham and crew a huge amount of snow to work with at the Zone Terrain Park. The hits look great and the landings are even better. The large amounts of snow allowed for nice long landing zones. There are 3 sets of jumps and some have 3 hits! The jumps are on skier’s/rider’s right and we plan to fill the skier’s/rider’s left with rails and boxes. The Zone Terrain Park will open very soon! I will keep you updated.

January 22nd, 2012
Today was a beautiful day with sunny skies and a high of 26 degrees. My son Hugh B and daughter Hannah had a great time in the Riglet Park this morning. They both love the rainbow box and the rollers! These are both wonderful tools for teaching balance on their boards. It’s great when the kids are just having fun and they don’t even realize how much they are learning!

January 21, 2012
There was a boardercross and skiercross on Lower FIS today. The features were pretty wild! There is woo tang near the start that was like a wall the skiers and riders had to get up and over. There is also banked turns, jumps, rollers, and oh yes gates! It is a combination of Terrain Park and racing gates! Strategy is the name of the game because if you fly too far off a jump it could be hard to make the next gate. It was interesting to see the different lines that the skiers and riders took through the course.

January 20, 2012
The forecast called for an inch of new snow last night and we received 4 to 6 inches! I like it when the weatherman is wrong in a good way! It was wonderful to glide through 6 inches of new snow on top of groomed snow! Upper FIS was groomed last night and it was my trail pick of the day.

January 19th, 2012
Rockin' RRRon rockin' it for Hugh. I got to take some turns with the phabulous Philly phamily of Barry, Anna, Haylee, and Jade. I've known them for years and we try to get a few runs together during their Winter week at Smuggs (during their most recent Summer week we went on the ArborTrek Zip Line Tour). As we approached the Waterfall trail, Barry started singing the song 'Waterfall' by Jimi Hendrix... yeah, man. I've never paid much attention to this trail, but today I feel like I discovered my Waterfall chi - my velocity and the rolling terrain contour felt totally smooth and natural, dude. Peace out - RRRon :D

January 17th, 2012
I was riding the Sterling Lift this morning when I noticed a rope on the ice flow near the big rock on Sterling Liftline. I saw someone standing near the bottom of the ice flow with some kind of gear. Once I got to the summit of Sterling I skied down Hangman’s Drop to Chute. I then hiked over to the bottom of the ice flow where I met Josh. Josh works for Peak Expeditions and they do Ice Climbing Experiences here at Smuggs! They also have an Avalanche Beacon Training Park here at Smuggs! For information about their different programs go to peakexpeditions.com or call 802-644-8851.

January 16th, 2012
Today started off a little cold, but warmed up as the day went on. I caught up a with a friend of mine, Nils and his wife. We did a few runs on Sterling in the morning. We had fun on Upper Rumrunner and Black Snake. After enjoying some groomed terrain we decided to look for some powder stashes. The snow we found was not untouched, but we still found tons of powder to play in!

January 14th, 2012
We received 10 inches of new snow overnight and 14 inches in the past 2 days! The fresh snow was wonderful! I did not make it on the mountain until almost 9:30 am and I still found some fresh untracked snow. The temperature was a little cold, but that made the snow nice and light. I hope the wind blows the new snow around a little so that all the tracks get filled in for tomorrow!

January 12th, 2012
Rockin' Ron carrying the snowin', blowin', bloggin' banner for Hugh. Speakin' of Hugh, his pix from Jan. 9th - 11th (Ride Smuggs, Self Portrait, and Sunrise) are totally AWESOME! 5 inches of FRESH today, and it's still comin' down! Sometimes you wonder who is readin' yer writin'. Well, I ran into a guy today at the Base Lodge and he said he enjoys my blog posts. He reminded me that we rode the lift together last year and I name checked him. Sorry Darren, I only name check people once. Anywho, my best run of the day was warping down Lower F.I.S. (Lower Fizz, to those familiar). It was the kind of run where you catch a little more air than you expect, but it was exhilarating!! OK, gotta go, there's a driveway to shovel.

January 10th, 2012
This Saturday, January 14th is the Gravity Control Rail Jam. The event starts at 12:00 noon and will take place by the base of the Madonna II lift. Registration takes place in the Base Lodge from 10:00 am till 11:00 am. The twenty dollar entry fee allows you to compete for cash and prizes! I will see you there!

January 8th, 2012
We received 2 to 3 inches of new snow in the past 24 hours. We are presently making snow around the clock on Lower Chilcoot, Midway, and the Zone Terrain Park. Tonight’s forecast is calling for some good snowmaking temperatures also!

January 6th, 2012
Today Freefall was open from the top! I had to ski it this morning and this afternoon. I love to hug the trees on far skier’s left. The wind usually pushes the snow on to skier’s left, which is true for many of Smuggs trails! The natural snow that we have received in the past week or so has made a big difference in the conditions. Our snowmakers also have been making snow around the clock for days! Meadowlark is now open, so you can ski or ride back to the Village from the Upper Mountains.

January 5th, 2012
Rockin' Ron a-writin' for Hugh. From Parking Attendants to Housekeeping, there are many people and departments that contribute to the guest experience here at Smuggs. At this time, let's single out the SNOWMAKING crew for their herculean efforts. They've been making snow around the clock in cold and often adverse conditions. SNOWMAKING is headed up by Justin Thoelke and includes (in alphabetical order) Justin Allen, Shane Barnes, Dylan Boardman, Nate Burnor, Josh Connor, Donny Eaton, Julie Fredericks, David Gagne, Dan Gilbert, Tyler Hall, Kody Houle, Garrett Koval, Morgan Sasso, Justin Smith, Chris Trefft, Derrick Tomassi, Tim Tomassi, and Lee Warren. We THANK YOU for getting a bunch o' trails open!

January 4th, 2012
Today was a little cold to start off, but that was fantastic for snowmaking! Our snowmakers have been keeping the guns running around the clock on Morse and Madonna. I saw some nice snowmaking whales on Lower FIS today. We plan to make snow on Meadowlark, Midway, and Upper FIS tonight.

January 3rd, 2012
The forecast called for 2 inches of new snow and we got 4 to 8 inches in the past 24 hours! I took a run on Upper Chilcoot early this morning and the new snow on top of the groomed snow was wonderful! I also found some nice drifts to play in. This snow storm made our trail count jump up to 33 trails open! Many trails opened on Sterling today with only natural snow. Full Nelson and Upper Exhibition were a couple of my favorites today. Pssst don’t tell anyone because I'm going to ski again tomorrow.

January 2nd, 2012
We received 1 to 2 inches of new snow last night. I headed straight for the Madonna I lift this morning for a nice long cruise down Upper Chilcoot, Link, and Lower Liftline. I did not make it up to the top until about 10:00 am and I still found some fresh snow to play in on the side of the trail. My next run I took was on Sterling because I wanted to ski Thomke’s. On the lift ride up I could hear the sound of compressed air, which means snowmaking! The snowmakers were busy at work firing up guns on Smugglers’ Alley, Chute, Hangman’s Drop, Upper Pipeline, and Thomke’s Express. The forecasted temperatures for the next few days look great for snowmaking!

January 1st, 2012
Last night we received some strange weather with some freezing fog. The snow that was groomed was fine, but the untouched snow was a little slick. The temperature rose during the day and the snow softened up some. I had a great time skiing the snowmaking whales on Black Snake and Practice Slope. The forecast calls for snow tonight along with colder temperatures. We are expecting 3 to 6 inches of new snow by Tuesday night.

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December 30th, 2011
Today was the Grand Opening of the Burton Riglet Park at Sir Henry’s Learning and Fun Park! A riglet is a retractable cord that attaches to the front of the snowboard, which allows the young rider to be pulled. The Burton Riglet Park has multiple features and a tree house, which is primarily for 3 to 5 year old children who are in a snowboard program of the Snow Sport University. My 3 year old daughter Hannah had never snowboarder before today and she had a blast! The Burton Riglet Park is an amazing teaching tool that allows these little riders to learn so much about snowboarding in a playground atmosphere! Instead of swings and seesaws there are rollers, fun boxes that are flush with the snow, a mini quarter pipe, and much more. Hannah did not want to leave the “snow party” and I can see why!

December, 29th
Rockin' Ron for Hugh. Sno, Sneau, Snoe... SNOW! No Matter how you spell it means HAPPINESS to riders & skiers everywhere :)))

December, 28th
We received some mixed precipitation last night along with everything else, but the temperature dropped this morning and we received 4 to 6 inches of new snow today. We have resumed snowmaking on Black Snake, Practice Slope, Birch Run, Lower Morse Liftline, and Garden Path. The wet snow we had this morning has bonded well with the new snow that we received today!

December 27th, 2011
I ran into a couple of good friends in the Upper Parking Lot this morning. We did not plan a meeting, it just worked out. We had a great time doing some long cruisers on Upper Chilcoot, Link, and Lower Lifline. We also had a bunch of fun playing on the snowmaking whales that were on Waterfall. I found some nice snow on far skier’s left on Waterfall and my friends found it right after I did!

December 26th, 2011
We received 4 to 6 inches of new snow in the past 24 hours and we are still making snow around the clock. The Madonna I Lift opened today and I was on it early. The new snow on top of the groomed snow made for a wonderful run on Upper Chilcoot, Link, and Lower Liftline. The Morse Highlands Lift opened today also. I was over at the Morse Highlands area this afternoon and it is great to see this beginner area open!

December 25th, 2011
Happy Holidays! We have been making snow around the clock and we received 3 inches of new snow today! We plan to open the Madonna I lift and Morse Highlands Lift tomorrow Monday, December 26th! We now have 15 trails open and 5 lifts operating. We are presently making snow on Birch Run and we plan to open it soon. I want to thank our Smuggs employees working during the holidays!

December 23rd, 2011
We received 3 to 4 inches of new snow today! The temperature has been falling all day long. We made snow on Upper Chilcoot and Waterfall today and we are now making snow on Dixie’s Knoll and Sam’s Run! We have some great snowmaking temperatures forecasted for the next couple of days and we will take advantage of it! The new snow was nice to ski in this morning. I was really enjoying how quiet it is when you ski in new snow!

December 22nd, 2011
Rockin' Ronald on the blogatorium for Mr. Hugh Johnson. I saw the Madonna I lift turnin' today - the Mtn Crew was preppin' her for Monday's opening. As for skiing, I took my first run of the season on Madonna Mtn - up on the M2 Lift, then Link to Lower Liftline. Yeah! I really enjoyed the fresh air and gettin' a workout for my legs. As Hugh says "it's all about days on the hill". However, I would be fibbin' if I said these were the greatest runs of my life. To paraphrase an old golf adage "The worst day of skiing is better than the best day in the office".


December 21st, 2011
Today is the last day of the Fall season and I am ready for Winter. The forecast for tomorrow night calls for snowmaking temperatures and we plan to do just that! Snowmaking temperatures are forecasted right through the weekend. We made snow on Upper Chilcoot last night and we will resume once the temperatures drop again. The forecast also calls for a little snow on Thursday night and a period of snow on Saturday. I hope the seasonal alarm clock goes off when it becomes Winter tonight and wakes up Old Man Winter, Mother Nature, and Jack Frost! We welcome winter!!!!!

December 20th, 2011
Today’s temperatures were colder than predicted, which is just fine by me. We are presently making snow on Upper Chilcoot and plan to have the Madonna I Lift operating on Saturday, December 24th, 2011! We also plan to open Birch Run Terrain Park on Saturday, December 24th.

December 19th, 2011
Today we opened the Madonna II lift and Mogul Mouse’s Magic Lift to mid-station. That allowed us to open Lower Madonna Liftline, Link, and Lower Morse Liftline! I skied Link and Lower Madonna Liftline this morning. I saw one of our snowmakers out taking a run on his snowboard and it was great to see him enjoying the fruit of his labor! He made snow last night and was riding on it this morning. I took a couple of runs with my son after school on Lower Morse Liftline and we had a blast!

December 18th, 2011
Today was clear and cold. The temperature was zero this morning, which is great for snowmaking. Our snow guns have been running around the clock for days! The snowmaking whales will get groomed out tonight. Tomorrow we plan to have some terrain open on all 3 mountains! Thank you once again to our snowmakers and groomers for providing us with more terrain enjoy!

December 17th, 2011
What a difference a day makes! We received 3 to 4 inches of new snow in the past 24 hours and we have been making snow around the clock on Morse Mountain and Madonna Mountain. We plan to have Lower Morse Liftline, Link, and Lower Madonna Liftline open this Monday, December 19th! The new snow was so much fun to play in. I found myself slowing down and looking for powder turns anywhere I could.

December 16th, 2011
The day started with some pretty crazy weather. We had warm base temperatures and strong winds at the summit. That system blew through and the temperature started dropping. Our snowmakers took advantage of the colder temperatures by making snow on Link and Lower Madonna Liftline this afternoon. The forecast calls for great snowmaking temperatures this weekend and we plan to make the most of it, literally! Tonight we continue snowmaking on Madonna along with Lower Morse Liftline and Crossover.

December 15th, 2011
Rockin' Ron Carter bustin' a blog for "he's an unbelievably great skier, but he's only "Hugh-man" Johnson. It's raining right now, but SNOW and SNOWMAKING temps are in the forecast for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, and we're fighting back with Smuggs wit and work. Reflecting on the unseasonably warm temps, Donna Safford from 3 Mountain Outfitters (our sport shop) has the quote of the day: "Mother Nature is off her meds." To meet the demand of those jonesin' to jib, Terrain Park manager Rick Witham has put up 2 Fun Boxes and a Rail. And (I know you're not supposed to start a sentence with 'and', but it's the Pirate in me) to offer continued encouragement to Discovery and Adventure Camp kids, I'll be hosting the Cookie Race as Rockin' Ron the Friendly Pirate - Give Me an RRR, and a boatload of SNOW!

December 13th, 2011
I went skiing this morning with a friend and it was his first day of the season. I say first day but, he has been skiing for almost fifty years! It did not take long for him to get back in the groove. He was skiing and feeling better with every run. Lower Rumrunner opened today; we did a few runs on it and had a blast. I love carving GS turns on Lower Rumrunner! I want to thank our snowmakers and groomers once again for making it possible to open more terrain!

December 12th, 2011
Sir Henry’s Learning and Fun Park opened today with a Wonder carpet operating! Once again thank you to our snowmakers for another job well done. It is great to see beginner terrain open; I know my daughter Hannah is very happy about it! She is so excited to ski with her ski school friends.

December 11th, 2011
Today was a beautiful sunny day with nice cold temperatures! We have been making snow around the clock on Sterling and Morse. The snowmakers did a great job on Smugglers’ Alley and it is now open! It is wonderful to have some expert terrain open. It was also great to see Rick Witham setting up a Fun box on Lower Exhibition. I saw both skiers and riders having a blast on the Fun box! Thank you to our Snowmakers and Rick for their efforts! Oh, I almost forgot that we plan to open Sir Henry's Learning and Fun Park tomorrow with the Wonder Carpet operating!

December 10th, 2011
I want to thank our snowmakers for their hard work on Smugglers’ Alley! The Alley will open tomorrow Sunday, Dec. 11th and I am looking forward to it! We now have expert terrain open and we plan to have some beginner terrain open soon! We made snow on Sir Henry’s last night and today. We plan to continue snowmaking on Sir Henry’s tonight also!

Dec. 9th, 2011
We have been experiencing some colder temperatures lately and I love it! We have been making snow around the clock! We are presently making snow on Smugglers’ Alley, Thomke’s Express, and Lower Rumrunner! Tonight we plan to also make snow on Sir Henry’s Learning and Fun Park.

December 8th, 2011
For Hugh, it's Rockin' Ron (aka Snow Reporter Jr.) bloggin' 4 real. Today was my first day of thee season on thee Mountain. I was stressin' with the day 2 day until I put on my skis, hopped on the Sterling Lift, floated through the Vermont sunshine, and cruised down the bread & butter (Upper 'runner, Crossover, Treasure, and Lower Ex). OK, it was a little firm, but I was easily able to carve. It was just what the PhD ordered! Actually it was Tommy from Ski & Ride who said I'd be remiss in my duties if I didn't get out there and sample the product. Thanks Tommy!

December 5th, 2011
I had a great time out on the mountain today! I did some non-stop runs to build up the “ski legs.” I did some hiking this Fall to get in shape for the season, but nothing gets you ready like actually making turns! I could feel my thighs working hard as I was arcing out some big GS turns!

December 4th, 2011
Today is the Opening Day of the 2011 – 2012 Winter Season! I want to thank our snowmakers for all their hard work. They have been doing all they can to get us open as soon as possible! It was great to see so many familiar faces this morning at the base area of Sterling. It was like a Smuggs family reunion. Many people I have not seen since April, but it feels like just yesterday! It was fun to catch up with everyone while we anxiously waited for the lift to run. It was a beautiful ride up the Sterling Lift with the early morning light shining into the notch. I usually hang out at the summit for a while when I hike up the mountain, but today I rode the lift and I could not wait to carve up some turns!

December 1st, 2011
We are presently making snow top to bottom on Sterling. We will continue making snow until the day time temperatures get too high. Our snowmakers are taking advantage of every opportunity that Mother Nature gives us. The projected opening day is Sunday, December 4th! I'm looking forward to another great season!
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November 23rd, 2011
Mother Nature is taking her time switching to winter. Our snowmakers have made the best of the few cold nights and daytime periods that allowed efficient snowmaking. Despite the snowmaker’s best efforts and today’s natural snowfall, the coverage at the base area is not at a level that would provide a quality experience for our customers. The warm base temperatures have made it challenging for snowmaking. The forecast calls for warm temperatures in the days ahead, which will affect the natural snowfall and the product of snowmaking thus far. We now plan to open on Fri. Dec. 2nd, allowing more time for snowmaking operations to continue their work to ensure a great experience for skiers and riders at Smuggs. The long range forecast calls for seasonal temperatures in early December. Last season started like this and we ended up with a season snowfall total of 341 inches!

November 21st, 2011
Today is my first day back at Smuggs and I am looking forward to another great season! On my way up the mountain road this morning I could see snowmaking top to bottom on Sterling. It was great to see snowmaking at the base of Sterling, because it’s usually warmer at the bottom than the top. We had to shut down some snow guns at the base once the temperature rose, but we were able to continue snowmaking at the top of Sterling throughout the day. I went for a hike on Sterling this afternoon with Steve Wry our Director of Skiing Services. We checked out the snowmaking on Upper Rumrunner, Crossover, and Treasure Run. Steve told me about the work that the brush crew did this Summer and Fall. Robin’s Run was cleaned up and they put 80 hay bales down in the rough areas to help hold snow.

November 18th, 2011
A couple of ammendments to yesterday's blogage from yer scribbler Rockin' Ron. First of all, we did get a dusting o' natch snow overnight. Second, Kiri Moore (formerly Mtn Ops now Safety Director) let me know they were making snow on Thomke's Express in addition to the trails I mentioned. Third, I'm pretty sure I saw a white plume rising from the Crossover trail this morning. Fourth, Danielle Landry at the Guest Service Desk informs me that the Snow God is named Ullr. So kick up yer heels in a SNOW DANCE and let it SNOW!

November 17th, 2011
I saw it with mine own eyes as I drove up the Mountain Road - Justin and the Snowmaking Crew are busy blowin' snow right NOW on Upper Rumrunner and the Alley. But we still need the cold temps and some natch, so, Rockin' Ron says "put on yer dancin' shoes - that would be Snow Dancin' shoes - we need to let Mother Nature know we're ready for SNOW!" Put on your ski and snowboard boots too and walk around the house, so yer ready to hit the slopes from Jump Street. Fer fans o' Hugh, he's back in the Snow Report saddle full-time on Monday!

November 9th, 2011
It's yer faithful fill-in Rockin' Ron, for my man Hugh. I spoke to Justin - head of Snowmaking, and he informs me that most of the compressors are here with the remainder arriving later this week. They plan to make snow up top on Sterling on Monday night, November 14th. He also tells me that snowmaking guns are set up on the "bread & butter" trails (Upper Rumrunner, Crossover, Treasure Run, and Lower Exhibition) as well as Smugglers' Alley, and Thomke's Express. We're counting the days until our anticipated Opening Day of Friday, November 25th

November 7th, 2011
Rockin' Ron on the Snow Report beat for Hugh. I was talking to Stacey Turkos at the Guest Service Desk and she is ALWAYS thinking about skiing. I asked her what exactly she was ruminating on. She said "Smugglers' Alley when its been groomed, then hitting Lower Rumrunner (aka the Meadows), or maybe Poachers Woods, YEAH, that's it!". I was also chatting with Rick Rock and he exclaimed "I'm ready to hit any of the glades on Madonna." And, yours truly... Shack to Shack!!! Anticipated Opening Day is Friday, November 25th.

October 31st, 2011
Rockin' Ron rockin' it for Hugh. Happy Halloween - I think I'll go dressed as a... skier! The Northeast got pummeled with an early and historic snowstorm, which bodes well for an excellent Winter. Mtn. Ops. and the Snowmaking Crew are getting ready to rumble. All this just gets us riders and skiers Jones-in' for Opening Day (Fri, Nov 25th)!! Get your Season Pass or Bash Badge TODAY (and I mean today) 'cause prices go up tomorrow. See U on da slopes.

October 2nd, 2011
Rockin' Ron the Friendly Pirate here for Hugh. Bridget from No School Snowboard tells me that there was snow on the mountain yesterday. Yee-HA!!! I didn't see it 'cause I was miles away golfin' (f-y-aye, I have a nasty hook shot) with Paul Macalla from Griffin Hospital-Connecticut. Paul brings a gi-normous ski group to Smuggs every year. So, whilst we were freezing our hands in 40 degree rain on the links, the white stuff was fallin' on the top of Madonna Mountain. For us die-hard snow sport enthusiasts I'll quote The Beatles... "It Won't Be Long"!

September 28th, 2011
What's happening on the mountain? Get the scoop from Kiri of Mountain Operations:

We're almost at peak foliage up on the mountain, and there are rumors of SNOW for the higher elevations this weekend. Woo-hoo!! The brush crew has been hard at work, clearing the trails on Sterling and Madonna this fall, and a few of them have been working in some of the gladed terrain as well, notably Norwegian Woods, the Shire, and Knight's Revenge. Those are all low-angle woods trails on Madonna that are perfect for advanced intermediates looking to try to some glades. From my hike the other day, I must tell all of you what a GREAT job the brush crew has done with some of my favorites - Full Nelson, Harvey's and Pipeline. They've also been up on FIS and Freefall too. Oh yeah, and the foliage was pretty nice too. :)

Now is the best time for some hiking up in the mountains (or pre-season training as I like to think of it), so come up and experience the beauty of the autumn yourself, hiking, driving through the Notch, and checking out our Discover Food and Wine event on October 8th. Looking ahead, snowmaking is to start around November 15, weather permitting, with lift operations opening for skiing on Sterling on November 25.

We've seen some beautiful blue skies this week. Hope to see you up in the hills!

September 15, 2011
Mike from Snow Sport University here. Temperatures are expected to drop into the 30s and 20s in some places on Thursday and I don't know about you, but that makes me giddy. Speaking of giddy, have you heard about the exciting new project we are teaming up with Burton Snowboards to bring to you this season? It's called the Riglet Park, and Snow Sport University has designed it to introduce our 3-5 year olds to standing sideways in a fun and productive way. Using small terrain features made of snow in a flat skatepark-esque area, as well as a few miniature rails and boxes, kids ages 3-5 participating in Snow Sport University programming can feel how fun and easy it is to ride a snowboard! To top it all off, we will even have a TREEHOUSE that the kids can take a break in for some balance board training, or just some plain old pirate scouting. The park is named after Burton's Riglet Reel, a device that mounts directly onto our Burton Learn To Ride rental equipment which allows for a retractable cord and handle to extend from the nose of the board. Coaches pull the kiddos up, down, and around the various features in the park without the children feeling intimidated or scared by sliding downhill.

Debating over whether or not to start out your little one on a snowboard? Debate no more! We have programming for everyone from our local Mini Mites program to our daily Discovery Dynamos. Visit our children's ski and ride instruction page to see how you can get your little ones involved!
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April 17th, 2011
Today was the closing day of the 2010 2011 Winter Season. It rained for a little while this morning, but it did not last long. The clouds starting breaking up and the sun made its appearance by midday. Hugh B and I got six runs in this afternoon and we loved every one of them. Hugh B did Hangman’s Drop for the first time and the corn snow made it perfect for him! We also had a blast skiing the corn on Snake Bite! Hugh B had to ski Snake Bite every run. Hugh B and I were the last chair of the season. We savored every turn on our last run.

April 14th, 2011
Rockin' Ron workin' the keyboard for Hugh - my brother from another mother. This past Saturday, I attained one of my all-time skiing goals: Shack to Shack on Madonna Liftline!!! It wasn't pretty but I did it, and I have witnesses including my friends Suzi & Chris, Ken from Thrifty, and Bill G. I thank Hugh for the inspiration and education over the years, and Garry the FunMeister for motivation that day. In turn, I even inspired long-time Smuggler Rena who has done that run many times. She said "if that crazy Pirate can ski Shack to Shack, I can ski it in a skirt!"

April 12th, 2011
The temperatures last night dropped enough for the snow to set up, which is perfect for spring conditions. The soft snow freezes overnight, so it stops melting and then the warm temperatures turn it back into corn snow! Today was the perfect example of this! The morning started off with hard snow and by the afternoon we were skiing the corn! I picked up my son Hugh B a little early from school, so that we could harvest some of this corn. Our first run was one of Hugh B’s favorite runs, which is Upper Rumrunner to Black Snake, then over to Snake Bite. We had a great time skiing the soft bumps on Snake Bite! Hugh B had never skied Bootlegger from the top, so we made it our second run. We had just got to the steep pitch when patrollers Cyndi and Owen also headed down Bootleggers. It was great for Hugh B to watch Cyndi and Owen ski the steep pitch. They skied it like it was a groomed intermediate run, smooth and effortless!

April 9th, 2011
Today was the best spring skiing day of the season! It got cold enough last night for the snow to set up and the temperature this morning was 28 degrees at the top of Sterling. The sun worked it’s magic all day long! The groomed trails turned to corn snow first and it did not take long for the natural snow trails to turn over either! The Upper Parking Lot was a happening place today with a ton of chillin’ and grillin’! After lunch it was time for Madonna and Upper FIS was fantastic! I want to thank Ski Patrol for leaving the Madonna Liftline open late. My good friend Lindsey and I skied Madonna Liftline a.k.a. shack to shack for our last run! It was a great way to end a wonderful ski day at Smuggs! We stopped a mid-station to check out the snow house/cave/castle that the Madonna Lifties had made! They did an amazing job with it!

April 6th, 2011
We received 4 inches of new snow in the past 24 hours! Our season snowfall total is now 340 inches! We have tons of snow and we are ready for spring skiing and riding! The forecast calls for a high of 42 degrees on Thursday, 46 degrees on Friday, 51 degrees on Saturday, and 60 degrees on Sunday! Spring has sprung at Smuggs! The Sterling lift and the Madonna 1 lift will be operating this weekend.

April 5th, 2011
The weather was a little nasty this morning with some rain showers, but that did not last long! The forecast called for the temperatures to fall through out the day with rain turning to snow. The rain did turn to snow and boy did it snow! The new snow was wet and heavy, so it stuck to everything. I ran into Ski Patroller Mike at the summit of Sterling in the afternoon. We did a run together down Upper Rumrunner to Black Snake and then to Full Nelson. I did not want the run to end! The new snow was bonding with the old snow very nicely and it was creamy.

April 4th, 2011
The weather was pretty wild today! The morning started off with cloudy skies and by 8am it was snowing. It snowed hard for the rest of the morning hours and we ended up with 2 to 3 inches of new snow! The skiing and riding was getting better every run! The snow was dense, so it skied like more snow than it was. The temperature rose through out the day and the new snow became creamy.

April 3rd, 2011
The snow on top stayed pretty dry today. I skied Upper FIS and it was better than I expected! The groomed snow was really nice and became soft before the natural snow. The skiing and riding was great by mid afternoon! The forecast calls for more snow tomorrow morning! I plan on getting out early to test the product.

April 2nd, 2011
Today was an action packed day! Hugh B and I had a blast in the morning skiing in the new snow! We then stopped by to visit Smitty at the Free Family Fun Race. Hugh B went first and did a great job! We then did another run on Sterling before going to the Gravity Control Big Air Final at the Zone Terrain Park! Hugh B was absolutely blown away with the tricks that the skiers and riders were pulling off! The event was fantastic and I want to thank everyone who helped with the Big Air Final! The sun came out in the afternoon, which was the icing on the cake!

April 1st, 2011
I ran into my old friend Davey today. We were ski instructors together back in the day. We skied Bootlegger and it was in good shape! Davey suggested that we check out Poacher’s Woods next. The bumps were fun and I like skiing across the bridge at the bottom. We then cruised down Lower Rumrunner back to the Sterling Lift. We skied Harvey’s Hideaway to Full Nelson for our next run. You have to climb a little to get from Harvey’s to Full Nelson, but it’s worth it!
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March 31st, 2011
Rockin' Ron rollin' the Blog fer Hugh and I'm paraphrasing Scott Tobin riffing on Neil Young singing "Keep on Rockin' in the Ski World!". We are still going strong here at Smuggs - all but one trail is open on Madonna and Sterling. With more SNOW on the way, that one trail - Robin's Run - should also be available for your skiing and riding pleasure. We plan to be rockin' at Smuggs through Sunday, April 17th. Maybe we'll run into each other in Parking Lot 1:)))

March 28th, 2011
Today was the State’s J1 and J2 George Tormey Series Finals GS race on Black Snake, Snake Bite, and the Practice Slope. The race included Men and Women and they were both flying down the mountain! It takes courage and strength to hold an edge on Snake Bite! If the racers made it through the gates on Snake Bite cleanly, they were carrying a ton of speed on to the Practice Slope! It was exciting to watch the racers test their skills on Sterling Mountain! They are racing again tomorrow and I can’t wait to watch all the action!

March 27th, 2011
My good friend Ken was here this weekend and we had a blast! Today we skied on Madonna and Sterling. We were able to find quite a few powder stashes in the trees! We also had a good time on some cruisers! Ken had just got his skis tuned at 3 Mountain Equipment and he loved the way they skied. I think it’s time for me to get my skis tuned too!

March 26th, 2011
We received 14 inches of new snow in the past week! We have been getting a few inches everyday and it has really added up! The new snow has freshened things up very nicely. I found some powder stashes in the woods and had a great time. The sun came out this afternoon and made things even nicer! The forecast for tomorrow also calls for some sunshine!

March 24th, 2011
Hola mi Amigos, Rockin' Renaldo in the casa for Hermano Hugh. Fletch said his trail pick was Upper F.I.S. (Fizz to the locals) because it was groomed from Catwalk all the way to Link. So, I had to ascertain this for myself. You were right Mr. Black Bear - WHAT A RIDE! I skiied non-stop from the top of Madonna Mtn. to the Village laughing like I was living la vida loco!!!!!

March 23rd, 2011
Today was absolutely beautiful! The sun came out and we received 5 to 7 inches of new snow in the past 48 hours! We have all 78 trails open and I did not know where to start. I decided to head up the Madonna I Lift first and take it from there. I could hear Robin’s Run calling my name, so I listened! I found myself stopping many times not to pick a line so much as to take in the amazing views! Sterling was in plain view, but Mount Mansfield was playing peek-a-boo with the clouds. I did not see another person on Robin’s so I took my time and enjoyed every turn!

March 21st, 2011
We received 3 inches of new snow today! My son Hugh B and I had a great time playing in the powder! Hugh B searched out every bit of powder that was on the mountain. I had to push him back up the hill sometimes if he missed a little powder stash. Luckily there was great snow everywhere so I did not have to push him much! We skied in the trees a great deal and I had to be behind Hugh B so that I would not get his freshies!

March 20th, 2011
Today was fantastic with blue bird skies, light wind, and a high of 34 degrees. I had a great time over at the Practice Slope on Sterling. The race club had a dual panel slalom course set up with a small pro jump. I got some good shots of the racers coming off the jump and then I headed over to the Zone Terrain Park. The park was in nice shape and everyone was having fun with it! I love watching the skiers and riders doing tricks off the jumps and rails. The park has a nice flow to it and you can hit multiple features in one run.

March 19th, 2011
Today was the Helly Hansen Big Mountain Battle Race! Teams of two negotiate checkpoints across our three mountains and are tracked by FLAIK GPS systems. The race started with a manditory hike up Pipeline to Upper Rumrunner, which spreads the teams out. The teams then need to find all of the checkpoints and ride the required lifts according to the map. The teams can do this in any order they wish. My teammate Blade and I worked our way from Sterling to Madonna and then to Morse before finishing in front of the Base Lodge. The best part of the race for me was racing against my good friends Jeff and John. We met them at the checkpoint on Freefall and we were then neck and neck for quite a while! They were right in front of us on the Madonna II lift and they got to the Bermuda checkpoint just before us. We all then took off for Meadowlark to get to the Mogul Mouse Magic Lift. Meadowlark is pretty flat so we were in tucks trying to carry as much speed as possible. It felt more like a Nascar race the way we were drafting and passing each other! Blade is bigger than the rest of us and that worked in favor because he passed all 3 of us before we got to the Mogul Mouse Lift! After he went by we all drafted him. Jeff and John ended up in the chair right behind us on the Mogul Mouse Lift. Blade and I knew that we were going to the top, but we opened our safety bar at mid-station to mess with John and Jeff. They did not fall for our prank at all, they left there safety bar down at mid-station and just laughed at us! Once we got to the top of Mogul Mouse we headed for the Log Jam Terrain Park to find our last checkpoint. We found the checkpoint and then got on the Morse Highlands lift with John and Jeff right behind us again! We got to the top of Morse Highlands and then started hiking up Sam’s Run and Garden Path. Luckily we made it to Midway in front of Jeff and John. We put our skis on and headed for the finish line in front of the Base Lodge. We finished right behind Jon Lange and Owen Packard who won the race! I want to congratulate Jon and Owen on their win! I also want to congratulate my race partner and good friend Blade for finishing the race with the best time!!

March 17th, 2011
Rockin' McRonald here, and I'm Dublin, I mean, I'm doublin' for Hugh. Happy St. Patty's Day to one and all, and Happy Birthday to me very first matey April! The sun was shinin' with nary a cloud, and everywhere you turned you saw the wearin' o' the green. I feel like I stepped in a patch of Leprechaun Dust. I taught a Level 4/5 Ski Class on Madonna and Sterling with 3 adventerous skiers named Spencer, Noah, and Naomi. They were ready to ski on any and everything and WE DID: glades, moguls, the race course, cruisers, and a terrain park. Twas as if there were a pot o' gold at the end of the liftline! Top o' the day to you.

March 16th, 2011
Today I met a wonderful 3-year-old little girl named Erin Macleod. Erin was taking a ski lesson with Smugglers’ Notch Adaptive Program. Erin learned to walk three days before coming to Smuggs to ski. She is now skiing down from mid-station on the Mogul Mouse Magical Lift! Magical is the key word, because watching her ski down the mountain truly is magical! I posted a picture of Erin on my Blog and you can see the joy on her face when she is skiing. She also puts a smile on everyones face around her!

March 15th, 2011
Today was a blue bird day! The sun came out this morning and stayed out all day long. I ran into my friends from Canada again today and we went on tour. We loved the cruisers and views on Madonna! We also had a great time skiing the gladed runs on Sterling.

March 14th, 2011
Today turned out to be another beautiful day at Smuggs. I got to take a couple of runs with some good friends from Canada. We had a great time skiing the glades on Sterling. I picked up my son Hugh B from school this afternoon and we headed for the Upper Parking Lot. We were able to get in a few runs before the lifts shut down. We had fun on Thomke’s, Upper Rumrunner, Black Snake, Treasure, Lower Bootlegger, and Lower Exhibition. The days are longer now and we enjoyed that afternoon sun!

March 13th, 2011
We received 4 inches of new snow in the past 48 hours and it really made a difference. We were able to open Robin’s Run, Freefall from the top, and sections of the Upper Madonna Liftline. We now have 73 out of 78 trails open. We are now at 312 inches of snowfall for the season!

March 11th, 2011
Today the snow was nice and soft. I had fun cruising down Upper Chilcoot. I found the groomed snow to be the best today. The forecast calls for the temperature to fall with flurries and periods of snow for the weekend! We have pasted the 300-inch mark for the season!

March 10th, 2011
Rockin' Ranger Ron deputizin' fer Sheriff Hugh. I carry a badge - a Bash Badge. Anywho, Larry from SSU said I oughta rustle me up a run on Snow Snake. Dern-tootin' if he wasn't right. Huge drifts made it a buckin' bronco terrain park - I felt like it was my first Rodeo. Alrighty then snowpokes, it's time for this cowboy to head off into the sunset - if I don't see ya in the future, I'll see ya in the pasture - yee-ha!

March 9th, 2011
Today was another beautiful day at Smuggs! I would have to say that Freefall was my favorite run of the day. The coverage and snow quality were great! The bumps are nice and soft just the way I like them! I had a hard time deciding if I should skier’s left or skier’s right. I skied them both yesterday and loved them both!

March 8th, 2011
I have said it before and I will say it again I love sunshine after a snowstorm! Today was absolutely beautiful! The new snow had dried out some from yesterday and was skiing great. I skied Freefall, Madonna Liftline, and Robins’ Run for my first three runs! The day was off to a wonderful start. I ran into my friend Tony and we skied a run on Sterling and then headed for Madonna. We went down skier’s right on Freefall in the sunshine and powder!

March 7th, 2011
We received 24 inches of new snow overnight and another 6 inches during the day! The snow was so deep I had to go straight to carry any speed. The conditions are just amazing! The groomers will be out in force tonight grooming 40 trails for a total of 188 acres! The sun is going to come out tomorrow and I think you should too!

March 5th, 2011
The Northern Vermont Snowboard Series Slopestyle event was today at the Zone Terrain Park. I rode the Sterling T-Bar to get a closer view of all the action. I was really impressed with the tricks that the skiers and riders were able to pull off! I enjoy watching slopestyle events because the skiers and riders have the freedom to hit what ever features they want. Each run can have a mix of jumps and rails.

March 3rd, 2011
Rockin' Ron on da Blog 4 Hugh! In preparation for today's chilly temps, my friend Kathleen (aka Queen of the Base Lodge Ticket Booth) insisted I wear chinchilla long underwear with the fur on the inside. Let's just say I was dressed warmly. Riding up Madonna I, I shared a chair with Darren Giguere from Burlington (Vermont's Left Coast) who has been skiing here since he was 6 years old. He told me that he's skiied and even been an instructor at other resorts, but he always comes home to Smuggs because he loves the gnarly terrain and the people. BTW - tomorrow is HUGH's Birthday!

March 2nd, 2011
Today I got to ski with a good friend and his family. We had a blast on Sterling and Madonna Mountain. We played in the powder on Lower Catwalk and Red Fox Glades. We also found some nice snow on Harvey’s Hideaway to Jolly Rodger. The kids loved all the fresh snow! I have to admit that they were not the only ones!

March 1st, 2011
Today was a gorgeous blue bird day! The new heavy snow that we received yesterday filled in the low spots! Ski Patrol told me this morning that Robin’s Run and the Headwall would both be open today! I headed for the upper mountains and got on the Madonna I lift. There was not a cloud in the sky and the visibility was awesome. Once I got to the summit of Madonna Mountain, I took my camera out and started capturing the views. I could hear Robin’s Run calling my name so I put the camera away and headed for one of the gnarliest runs at Smuggs! Robin’s Run is a tough trail, but it also has some of the best views!
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February 28th, 2011
Today was a wild day in the world of weather. The forecast called for a mix of precipitation, but we received 2 to 3 inches of snow and sleet! The new snow and sleet was dense, which made it ski like more snow than it was. I was able to stay on top of the snow and float pretty easily. I ran into a good friend of mine and we had a great time on Sterling! We skied in the trees to stay protected from the elements.

February 27th, 2011
Today I did the 3-mountain tour again. I started over on Sterling watching the Northern Vermont J4 Slalom Race. The race started half way up Snake Bite and continued down the Practice Slope. I then headed for Madonna Mountain to do some glade skiing. I got lucky and found some nice powder stashes! I finished my day on Morse Mountain. My lucky streak continued with more powder stashes in the trees on Morse and the Morse Highlands!

February 26th, 2011
Today I did the 3-mountain tour. I skied Sterling and Madonna this morning and early afternoon. I was able to find many powder stashes in the trees and on the side of trails. I was skiing in the Black Hole when I received a phone call telling me that my son Hugh B was over at Morse Highlands. He wanted me to ski his favorite trail Whitetail woods with him. I skied the rest of the Black Hole and then I stopped by the Free Family Fun Race on Lower Madonna Liftline. I was skiing with the GoPro camera and I thought the racecourse would be fun to film. After finishing the racecourse in 24.0 seconds I headed for Meadowlark. I then rode the Village Lift to the top and skied over to the Morse Highlands area. I met Hugh B at the top of the Morse Highlands Lift and we skied Whitetail woods multiple times! I could not believe the powder that we found in the trees! It was a fantastic way to end a ski day!

February 25th, 2011
Today was one of those days where the conditions got better all day long! This morning we had no new snow and this afternoon we have 8 to 10 inches. I was at the Mogul Mouse Magical Lift today when I went in for lunch and when I came back out the skis were buried in snow! We had to dig through the new snow to find our skis. This new snow made a big difference and I am looking forward to this weekend! The groomers will be out in force tonight, because we plan on grooming over 190 acres!

February 24th, 2011
Hugh has the day 'off' (even though he's on a photo shoot) so its Anonymous Ron your back-up blogger here. Today is the annual Disney/FamilyFun Magazine Winter Carnival with dancing, free samples, face painting, food, and FUN! I had a chance to sneak in a run on Madonna Mtn - a groomed Gary B's - and it was a THRILL RIDE!!! The groomers have been especially busy grooming large number of trails - kudos to them. I was shufflin' to Led Zep's "We're Gonna Groove", Depeche Mode's "Policy of Truth", and Kelly Osborne's "Baba Don't Preach" (my daughter Selin's selection).

February 22nd, 2011
Today was another bluebird day here at Smuggs! I had a great day on the slopes and to top it off I went to the Top of the Notch Snowshoe Dinner. The clear skies made for some amazing views and sunset! The best part had to be the fantastic meal I enjoyed by candlelight. The food is provided by the Hearth & Candle restaurant, which is here in the Village. The whole experience was absolutely wonderful!

February 21st, 2011
We received 3 inches of new snow overnight and Upper FIS had been groomed. The wind was calm and the new snow was like a blanket on the whole mountain. I skied Upper Chilcoot to Catwalk and I found myself watching the new snow fly around my skis. The new snow was light and fluffy, which made it easy to go through. Upper FIS was a blast with the new snow on top of the groomed snow. I cut over to Lower Doc’s and then headed over to Ruthie’s. There was only one set of tracks on Ruthie’s and the tracks turned onto Gary B’s Northwest Passage. The only thing in front of me was untouched powder! I just grinned and enjoyed every turn!

February 20th, 2011
I want to thank our groomers for all their hard work last night. They groomed 43 trails for a total of 201 acres! Upper FIS was one of the trails that got groomed, so I skied it for my first run. It was fun cruising down the smooth surface. The flurries ended this morning and then the sun came out! It turned out to be another beautiful day!

February 19th, 2011
My son Hugh B and I rode the Mogul Mouse Lift to the top this morning. We then headed for one of Hugh B’s favorite places Morse Highlands. The Morse Highlands area is fantastic for beginners. It has nice wide-open gentle slopes, a beginner terrain park, a nice lodge, and some low angle glades. We had just skied through the Log Jam Terrain Park when we heard someone yelling at us from the lift. It was Hugh B’s cousins Melissa and TJ! They waited for us at the top of the Morse Highlands Lift. We had a great time skiing together. We all skied the Log Jam Terrain Park, the kids really enjoyed the spines, rollers, and of course the fun box!

February 18th, 2011
I just wanted to let all of our Bash Badge Holders know that you can upgrade to a Bash Badge Plus for only $70! The Bash Badge Plus gives you free skiing and riding from March 7th till the end of the season. It would pay for itself pretty quickly.

February 17th, 2011
Anonymous Ron chillin' on Hugh's Blog. My friend Robert Harper from Scotland who has been to Smuggs many times, but has never skied, finally got on the slopes this time around. He started on Sir Henry's like all first timers and by the end of the week he was on intermediate trails on Sterling Mountain. Robert's pride in his accomplishments is shared his whole family... and by me! Way to go DUDE!

February 16th, 2011
Ski Patrol called me this morning and told me that Robin’s Run was open! I updated the snow report and headed for the Madonna I Lift. I got to Robin’s Run and started skiing down when I saw the beautiful view. Sterling looked so close that I felt like I could reach out and touch it. I stopped and pulled out my camera to capture the moment. I took a few pictures as a few skiers and snowboarders went by me. They were hooting and hollering about the powder that had blown into Robin’s Run! I was not worried about them getting to the powder before me, because there was enough for all of us. I had such a good time that I went right back to Robin’s Run for my second run! The gnarly pitches on Robin’s Run don’t hold snow very well, so you have to get it while you can.

February 15th, 2011
We received 3 to 4 inches of new snow overnight. The wind blew the new snow around a little, but it was still very nice. I skied Lower Catwalk on my first run and it was great. The sun was out and the powder was soft! I cut over to Shuttle and it was also covered with powder. The second half of Shuttle has a lower pitch and holds snow very well!

February 14th, 2011
Upper Drifter was groomed last night, so I decided to make it my first run of the day. One of the reasons I like Drifter so much it because of the fantastic views. You can really see Sterling Pond and the Notch from Drifter. The sun was playing hide and seek, which made for some neat light. A great place to stop and take in the views is just above the fence on Drifter.

February 13th, 2011
Today was the Eastern Cup Men’s Slalom Race on Sterling. My son Hugh B and I headed up the Sterling T-Bar to watch some of the race. It was amazing to see these racers fly down Snake Bite! I over heard some of the spectators talking about how impressed they are with the terrain here at Smuggs. Snake Bite by itself is a tough trail, but to race down it takes a great deal of courage and confidence! The GS race is Monday, February 14th on Sterling Mountain and I can’t wait to catch some of that action!

February 12th, 2011
I went to the Zone Terrain Park to check out the Gravity Control Slopestyle Event. The Practice Slope was full of activity with the Slopestyle event and the Northern Vermont Snowboard Race Series. I headed over to the snowboard races first. These athletes were racing on hard setups! The snowboard gates were key for the racers; they allow the racers to get over the gates without actually hitting them. I headed to the Zone next to get some photos of the Slopestyle event. The skiers and riders were blowing me away with the tricks they were pulling off! Rick Witham did a great job with setting up the Zone; it had a nice flow to it.

February 11th, 2011
Blogivating for Hugh, its Anonymous Ron with this haiku 4 U:
mountain as ocean
snowy trails rushing downhill
pirate rides two planks

February 10th, 2011
I was riding the Madonna I lift today and I saw the upper mountain version of the “Cookie Race”. The kids who are taking lessons on the upper mountains race on Lower Madonna Liftline on Thursdays, since they have outgrown the Cookie Race. It was fun to watch the kids going for it in the gates! The racecourse on Lower Madonna Liftline is open to the public on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays. The Harvey Wesson Memorial Race Series “Local’s Race” is held on Fridays. The racecourse is a great place to improve your skills and have a great time at the same time!

February 8th, 2011
Today was another powder day at Smuggs! We received 5 inches of new snow overnight. The conditions were fantastic this morning with the new snow on top of the groomed snow. I skied Drifter for my first run and there is a reason why they named this trail Drifter! I found one drift that was like a spine next to the fence and I rode it as long as I could. I then took a left onto Shuttle and found some great powder on skier’s left of the steep pitch! The crazy thing is that we received another 5 inches of new snow during the day! The conditions just kept getting better all day long!

February 7th, 2011
We received 30 inches of new snow in the past week and the conditions are great! I skied this morning on Sterling with a couple of good friends. We had a blast skiing Chute, Black Snake, Upper Pipeline, Lower Pipeline, and all the glades that we could find! I picked up my son Hugh B from school this afternoon and we headed to the top of Morse. We skied over to the Morse Highlands area. We played in the glades and at the Log Jam Terrain Park! Hugh B loves the small jumps and fun box in the terrain park. Hugh B and I were able to get in 5 runs before 4:00 pm. We both had a great time and we are looking forward to the 3 to 5 inches of new snow expected tonight and tomorrow morning!

February 6th, 2011
A wild storm came through last night! We had thunder and lightning during a snowstorm! We received 8 to 10 inches of snow that was a little heavier than the snow that we have been receiving. It bonded with the existing snow very well and it skied fantastic! We are 100 percent open and there is snow in the forecast for tomorrow and Tuesday with another 2 to 5 inches of accumulation possible.

February 5th, 2011
Today was another beautiful day at Smuggs! I rode the Madonna I lift for my first run of the day. I was out skiing with a photographer/writer today from North Conway, so we decided to ski Drifter. The views were fantastic and so were the conditions. We took some scenic pictures and then we headed into the trees. We were still able to find some nice powder stashes!

February 4th, 2011
The Essex Carnival is a GS race today and a slalom race tomorrow. I rode the Sterling T-Bar to check out the GS race. The race starts on Black Snake then goes to Snake Bite and then finishes on the Practice Slope. Snake Bite has a steep pitch and I headed there to watch the action. I was really impressed with these High School racers! It takes strength and courage to race down Snake Bite! I look forward to watching the slalom race tomorrow!

February 3rd, 2011
Anonymous Ron struggling out of anonymity. I was also strugglin' to keep up with my friends Matt and Shannon on Shakedown. Dudes, you wore me out - haha. Then it was a pleasure cruise on Chilcoot and Lower FIS with my SSU buds Jessica B and RamZ.

February 2nd, 2011
Today was quite the powder day! We received 13 inches of new snow in the past 48 hours! I met up with my good friends Tony and Geoff this morning. We headed for the Madonna I lift. We decided to ski Freefall for a warm up run and then did Madonna Liftline for our second run. They both were fantastic! As a matter of fact we went back up Madonna I lift and did Freefall again! I skied a few runs with a helmet cam and I can’t wait to see the footage.

February 1st, 2011
Upper F.I.S. was groomed last night and with the 2 to 3 inches of new snow that we received today I figured that it might be fun. Well I was right, it was a bunch of fun! The forecast calls for another foot of snow in the next 2 days! I can’t wait to ski Upper F.I.S. then!
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