Hugh's Views - Smugglers' Notch Vermont

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Spring conditions

Posted March 31, 2018 at 4:50 pm

Spring forward photo credit Ken Rule

Today was absolutely gorgeous with mild temperatures and blue bird skies. Spring is in the air! We have great snow depths as we head into April tomorrow. The groomers have been doing a wonderful job especially on the steeper trails like Upper Pipeline, Hangman’s Drop, Bootlegger, Smugglers’ Alley, Skier’s right side of Upper FIS, Snake Bite, and Chute. The groomers will be busy again tonight. 43 trails will be groomed for tomorrow, including Goat Path, Snake Bite, and Snow Snake for a grand total of 150 acres of freshly groomed terrain.

Tonight’s forecast is calling for some snow showers and we could see an inch of accumulation. Tomorrow’s

Hayleigh having fun on Hangman’s Drop

forecast is a chance of flurries early then partly sunny skies in the afternoon with a high of 33 degrees.

Easter Summit Sunrise Service is tomorrow April 1st. The Sterling lifts will be loading from 6 am till 6:30 am for the service. I would like to give a shout out to Leroy and his triplets from Pennsylvania who are here at Smuggs enjoying the spring conditions.

Ken enjoying the soft conditons

Hugh B throwing some snow around on Snake Bite

Justin on Snake Bite

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It is a beautiful day, in case you were curious

Posted March 31, 2018 at 9:55 am

Morse Mountain Fun!

Currently it is 32 degrees at the summit of Sterling with blue bird skies and winds of 0 to 5 mph. We have top to bottom skiing and riding on all 3 mountains with all 8 lifts operating. We have 56 trails open with terrain for all ability levels. Some trails will have a delayed opening until they soften up.

Answers to Ski Patroller Walt Lattrell’s Quiz from post titled Happy Easter

Meadowlark (2), Poachers, Mustache, & Link to Sterling.

Three Mountain Restaurant, Red Fox Inn, Highlander Motel & Deer Run Inn.

Patoller, Bob Oser’s private glade “stash!” Since Bob, also has a mustache, it stuck!

4. The Three Soldiers, proudly stand, at towers #29, 30 & 31, Madonna Lift Line.

Sterling: TUKS: #153-155

Madonna: TUKS: #171-173

M2: TUKS: #188-2

Mogul Mouse: TUKS: #15-17

Village: TUKS: #2-5

Highlands: TUKS: #25-28

Red Fox Glades & M-I Lift Line has the only hole a Patroller could possibly fall into 🙂

The Leach Field, a.k.a. the “Boulder Field” or “Tundra Field” is skier’s right of Blacksnake’s Neck. Legendary ski instructor Neil Leach has TWICE “missed” that corner.

Chilean Bobsled is a “mouse hole” off from Catwalk, just past Robin’s Run.

Log Jam, Dixie’s Knoll, Village Lift Line & Magic Learning Trail intersect.

Three (3), maybe 3 ½, if we count “Short & Sweet”.

False, of course. We all know, they ski the “Geriatric Traverse” in the Back Bowls & “party” in Parking Lot #1!!!!!

Madonna after three (3); Sterling after two (2) & Morse after (0) (no phone :))

Gary and Ruthie Brewster, long time Smuggs skiers!

Madonna: 3600′

Sterling: 3000′

Morse: 2250′

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Blue bird skies

Posted March 31, 2018 at 8:23 am

Lower Morse Liftline

We have top to bottom skiing and riding on all 3 mountains with all 8 lifts operating. Madonna mountain will have a delayed opening this morning due to grooming. We have 55 trails open with terrain for all ability levels. Some trails will have a delayed opening until they soften up. Currently it is sunny and 25 degrees at the summit of Sterling with winds of 0 to 5 mph. Today’s forecast is mostly sunny skies early then partly sunny skies this afternoon with a high of 42 degrees.

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Soft conditions

Posted March 30, 2018 at 4:16 pm

Lamoille Union Middle School 7th graders here at Smuggs as part of their Fitness Friday Program. Photo credit: Melissa Piscitelli

We received a dusting of new snow on top this morning. The spring conditions are just so much fun! I had a blast today with good friends Ken and Justin on Sterling Mountain. We enjoyed Hangman’s Drop, Upper Pipeline, Black Snake, Harveys’ Hideaway, Full Nelson, and the Practice Slope. I would have to say that Upper Pipeline was my favorite today. It was recently groomed and was skiing very well.

Tomorrow we plan to have top to bottom skiing and riding on all 3 mountains with all 8 lifts operating. We have 57

Justin having fun on Upper Pipeline

trails open with terrain for all ability levels. 36 trails will be groomed for tomorrow, including Upper Drifter, Smugglers’ Alley, and Meadowlark for a grand total of 139 acres of freshly groomed terrain.

Tomorrow’s forecast is calling for mostly sunny skies early then partly sunny skies in the afternoon with a high of 42 degrees.

Ken loving the great conditions

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Snow Sport University

Posted March 30, 2018 at 10:48 am

SSU Snowboard Instructor Justin Wright giving a lesson on Lower Morse Liftline

We have top to bottom skiing and riding on all 3 mountains with 6 lifts operating. We have 56 trails open with terrain for all ability levels. Currently it is snowing and 30 degrees at the summit of Sterling with winds of 5 to 10 mph.

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Spring conditions

Posted March 29, 2018 at 2:12 pm

Upper FIS

It was another beautiful day here at Smuggs. The clouds were clinging to the summits of Madonna and Sterling, but everywhere else was partly sunny. The warm temperatures made for some great spring conditions. The soft moguls on Upper FIS were a blast! The skier’s right hand side had been groomed the night before last, so the bumps were smaller on that side. The skier’s left hand side is another story with nice good size moguls. A skier commented to me as they skied by, “I am so glad that they left Upper FIS bumped up!”

We are 100 percent open! Tomorrow we plan to have top to bottom skiing and riding on all 3 mountains with 6 lifts

Upper FIS with Mount Mansfield in the background

operating and all 78 trails open. Robin’s Run is open from the work road down to Freefall. Freefall is open from the traverse on Upper FIS. 20 trails will be groomed for tomorrow, including Upper Chilcoot, Crossover, and Garden Path for a grand total of 87 acres of freshly groomed terrain.

Bird’s eye view

Snow Sport University Ski Instructor enjoying the soft bumps on Upper FIS

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Nice Spring Day

Posted March 29, 2018 at 11:25 am

Sterling Mountain seen from Midway on Morse Mountain

Treasure Run

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140 acres of freshly groomed terrain

Posted March 29, 2018 at 7:57 am

Lower Morse Liftline

We are 100 percent open with top to bottom skiing and riding on all 3 mountains with 6 lifts operating. We have all 78 trails open with terrain for all ability levels. Robin’s Run is open from the work road down to Freefall. Freefall is open from the traverse on Upper FIS. 34 trails have been groomed for today, including Upper Drifter, Smugglers’ Alley, and Snow Snake.

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Morse Mountain

Posted March 28, 2018 at 2:49 pm

Snow Sport University Snowboard Lesson

I did a three mountain tour today while I enjoyed the soft spring conditions. We received a dusting of new snow last night. The natural snow softened before the manmade snow, but it all softened up. The groomed snow was very edgeable and fun to carve in. Upper Drifter was groomed last night and it was pretty sweet. The spring conditions will continue tomorrow with partly sunny skies early with increasing clouds and temperatures between 39 and 51 degrees. We are 100 percent open with top to bottom skiing and riding on all 3 mountains with 6 lifts operating. 35 trails will be groomed for tomorrow, including Upper Drifter, Smugglers’ Alley, and Snow Snake for a grand total of 140 acres of freshly groomed terrain.

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Easter Summit Sunrise Service

Posted March 28, 2018 at 12:55 pm

On Easter Sunday, the Sterling lift will transport attendees up the mountain free of charge to participate in a non-denominational service and Easter message by a local minister. Lift loading begins at 6:00 am and ends promptly at 6:30 am. No experience with riding the chairlift is necessary. Following the service, guests may ski or snowboard to the base area or ride the lift back down the mountain.

Please note: The service is held outdoors. All participants are advised to dress very warmly for the much cooler and windier conditions typically found on the mountaintop. If riding the lift round trip for the service, warm and waterproof boots are recommended. Be prepared to walk in the snow from the lift unloading station to the gathering spot about 200 yards away.