Hugh's Views - Smugglers' Notch Vermont

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Faces and Places (but I missed the Races)

Posted March 21, 2023 at 2:41 pm

Rockin’ Ron for Hugh. We are totally lovin’ having 100% of our trails open! Hangman’s Drop dropped off the open list in the morning, but re-opened later in the day, as did Freefall from the top. While taking a run through 3 Mountain Glades, with Seth “Carv-ison” from the Activities Department, I lost my phone. Luckily, with a revisit to a certain tree stump, I found it! By then it was time for lunch at the Black Bear Tavern – cheese fries with veggie chili! Apres food, traversing from Madonna to Sterling, I saw the famous, fur-hatted skier Steve and his buddy John on Drifter. We had a nice chat about local history. I wanted to get photos of the Women’s FIS Race on Black Snake, but one of the racers told me I was too late. Some other faces I saw belonged to Angie, Mike, George, Anne, Rachel, Oliver, Sherm, Molly, and Brandon.

Longtime Passholder, former liftie, and Smuggs fixture Steve and his friend John on Drifter. Face it, John, your hat is not as cool as Steve’s.

Seth coming out of Red Fox Glades onto Madonna Liftline.

Festively delivered advice on where to put your Season Pass or Lift Ticket.

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Virginia to Vermont

Posted April 2, 2019 at 4:23 pm

Liza and Julia in 3 Mountain Glades.

Rockin’ Ron for Hugh. As I was leaving Patrol and heading to MI, I heard my name being called. It was my friends Liza and her daughter Julia from Virginia. They are 2nd and 3rd Generation Smugglers who vacation here in the summer and winter. Liza and her siblings learned to ski on Morse, Madonna, and Sterling mountains, and now it’s her kids’ turn (or turns, if you will). Julia was telling me about taking lessons with Matt McCawley, himself a 2nd generation Smuggler, being the son of Squatch and Judy. Matt successfully challenged her to do Black Diamond trails and gave her an appreciation of the glades. It was a blast taking runs with them!!

LIFTS & TRAILS

For Wednesday we plan to have top to bottom skiing and riding on all 3 mountains with 4 lifts – including MI – operating and 63 trails open!

Julia leading Liza down Upper Drifter.

GROOMING

33 trails/130 acres are on the grooming schedule for Wednesday, including Smugglers’ Alley, Shuttle, and Snow Snake.

SNOW

5 inches in the past 3 days. 375 inches this season.

EVENTS

Saturday, April 6th – Pond Skimming, Chillin’ & Grillin’ Tailgate Party and Cambridge Day.

Tuesday, April 9th – Ben & Jerry’s FREE Cone Day at the scoop shop in the Village Lodge.

Sunday, April 21st – Easter Sunrise Service – load at the Sterling Lift from 6:00 am – 6:30 am.

Visit smuggs.com for more details.

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156 acres of freshly groomed terrain

Posted March 2, 2019 at 7:56 am

Groomers headed back up Meadowlark after finishing Lower Morse Liftine

Lifts and Trails

We are 99 percent open. Today we have top to bottom skiing and riding on all 3 mountains with all 8 lifts operating. We have 77 out of 78 trails open with terrain for all ability levels. Surface conditions are packed powder and machine groomed with average base depths of 24 to 54 inches. 46 trails have been groomed for today, including Upper FIS, Ruthie’s, Snow Snake, Hibernator, Bootlegger, Chute, Hangman’s Drop, and Smugglers’ Alley.

Weather

Currently it is 20 degrees at the summit of Sterling with partly cloudy skies and winds of 0 to 5 mph. Today’s forecast is calling for partly cloudy skies with a chance of light snow later in the day and temperatures between 22 and 30 degrees.

Events

Smugglers’ Notch Extreme Challenge is today on Madonna Liftline just below mid-station. This year for the first time snowboarders will be competing. There is 120 competitors signed up for the event! Spectators are welcome. You can watch from the edge of 3 Mountain Glades, just above the intersection of Madonna Liftine and Link, or the best seat in the house will be the Madonna I Lift as you ride right over all the action.

Free Family Fun Race Saturdays and Sundays on Lower Madonna Liftline from 11 am till 2 pm.

Black Bear Apres Sport Party this weekend draft specials featuring the Shed.

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Extreme Challenge

Posted March 1, 2019 at 5:57 pm

Jim Laporte and Bryan Salatino getting everything ready for the big event!

The Extreme Challenge is tomorrow Saturday, March 2nd. This year it is open to skier and riders. There are 120 competitors signed up to take on Madonna Liftline from mid-station down to Tower 11. This section of Liftline has many gnarly features and a double fall line. Spectators are welcome. You can check out the action from where Mulcahy’s Link meets Madonna Liftline or you can watch from 3 Mountain Glades.