I was getting ready to load the Madonna I Lift today when Snow Sport University Ski Instructor Matt McCawley stopped me. He had an odd number of people in his group and noticed that I was single, so I rode the lift with Sage. We started talking about the snow report, Smuggs, and how long we each have been here at Smuggs. I told Sage that “I started skiing here when I was eleven years old and our first year living in Vermont was right here in the village of Smuggs.” I thought I had been here a while until Sage told me, “My father is Jim Snider and my grandfather is Stanley Snider.” Stanley Snider was hired by then Smuggs owner Tom Watson Jr. in 1967 to build his dream of a village resort at the base of three interconnected mountains. Stanley Snider a successful developer of resort properties was to plan and build the village complex. Stanley Snider bought the resort from Tom Watson Jr. in 1973. Stanley Snider brought William P. Stritzler on board in 1987 as Managing Director. Mr. Stritzler was a Vice President with AT&T at the time and had been a vacation homeowner at Smugglers’ since 1977. Mr. Stritzler fell in love with Smuggs and bought the resort from Stanley Snider in 1996. Sage told me “I love skiing in the glades and Smuggs is my home!” It was great to meet you Sage and thanks for the walk down memory lane!
