Hugh's Views - Smugglers' Notch Vermont

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Happy St. Patrick’s Day

Posted March 17, 2021 at 3:34 pm

It was a great day to be out on the slopes! I skied most of the day and then I decided to take a couple of runs on my snowboard. We had spring conditions on Morse Mountain. The Upper Mountains were not as warm this afternoon and only a few spots in the sun became spring conditions. Tomorrow will not be as warm as today. Tomorrow’s forecast is calling for mixed precipitation in the Village with a high of 43 degrees and a high of 35 degrees in the upper elevations with snow a half an inch of accumulation. Tomorrow we plan to have top to bottom skiing and riding on all 3 mountains with 5 lifts operating, including the Madonna I Lift. We have 45 trails open with terrain for all ability levels. Surface conditions are variable and machine groomed with average base depths of 16 to 50 inches. 28 trails will be groomed for tomorrow, including Upper FIS, Smugglers’ Alley, Shuttle, Snow Snake, Howie’s Wanderer, and Practice Slope for a grand total of 120 acres of freshly groomed terrain.

Private snowboard lesson at the summit of Sterling

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Good morning

Posted March 17, 2021 at 6:12 am

Currently, it is sunny and 24 degrees at the summit of Madonna with winds of 0 to 10 mph. Today’s forecast is calling for mostly sunny skies with a high in the Village of 47 degrees and a high of 40 degrees in the higher elevations. Today we plan to have top to bottom skiing and riding on all 3 mountains with 5 Lifts operating, including the Madonna I Lift. We have 45 trails open with terrain for all ability levels. Surface conditions are variable and machine groomed with base depths of 16 to 50 inches. 29 trails have been groomed for today, including Upper FIS, Smugglers’ Alley, and Snow Snake for a grand total of 137 acres of freshly groomed terrain.

Clock tower with a groomer on Lower Morse Liftline in the background

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150 Acres Groomed

Posted March 16, 2021 at 6:16 am

Rockin’ Ron for Hugh. Arlo and the Grooming Crew always have something to do, but 150 acres is a lot of terrain – thanks, guys! For today we plan to have top to bottom skiing and riding on all 3 mountains with 5 lifts operating including Madonna I. The forecast is sunny, blustery, then partly sunny with a high of 26 degrees. See you on the slopes.

Lower Morse Liftline gets the grooming treatment.

Corduroy. It could have been taken any day, but I swear it was today, right outside the Snow Report Office.

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124 acres of freshly groomed terrain

Posted March 15, 2021 at 6:49 am

We received a dusting to an inch of new snow overnight and 9 inches in the past 3 days. The Madonna II Lift and Sterling Lift will have a delayed opening this morning due to a cold hold. The Madonna I Lift will be on cold hold today. Morse Mountain lifts are now loading. We have 40 trails open with terrain for all ability levels. Surface conditions are variable and machine groomed with average base depths of 16 to 50 inches. 31 trails have been groomed for today, including Ruthie’s, Goat Path, Thomke’s, Smugglers’ Alley, Curley’s Cutback, and Snow Snake. Currently, it is snowing and -8 degrees at the summit of Sterling. Today’s forecast is calling for skies becoming partly sunny with a high of 17 degrees. Bundle up and enjoy the wonderful conditions.

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Thank you groomers

Posted March 9, 2021 at 8:21 am

While we sleep and dream about another great day of skiing and riding, there are groomers out on the hill. In fact, we have two shifts of groomers each night. The first shift starts once all the skiers and riders are off the mountain. They are usually working on the Upper Mountains and work until around midnight. The second shift then takes over and they are usually working on Morse Mountain. Morse Mountain is done last that way when we get new snow the groomers can provide some beautiful corduroy on the beginner trails for our skiers and riders. I don’t ski or ride in jeans, but I sure do love corduroy!

Today we plan to have 5 lifts operating, Madonna I, Madonna II, Village, Mogul Mouse’s Magic, and Sir Henry’s Glider. The Sterling Lift will be closed for a few days for a mechanical repair. We have 67 skiable trails and 44 lift-accessible trails open tomorrow. 28 trails have been groomed for today, including, Ruthie’s, Drifter, Gary B’s, Snow Snake, Curley’s Cutback, and Treasure Run for a grand total of 114 acres of freshly groomed terrain. Surface conditions are machine groomed and packed powder with average base depths of 16 to 50 inches. Currently, it is cloudy and 20 degrees at the summit of Madonna with winds of 5 to 15 mph. Tomorrow’s forecast is calling for cloudy skies, a chance of snow, and or mix with a high of 37 degrees. If you park in Parking Lot 1 you can ski or ride back to your vehicle by taking Shuttle, Crossover, Treasure Run, Lower Exhibition, and the Practice Slope.

Sterling Mountain is open during the day to uphill traffic. Please use Parking Lot 1, Practice Slope, old rope tow line, and Black Snake to ascend. There will be downhill traffic on Lower Rumrunner, Treasure Run, and Lower Exhibition.

Employees can ski or ride today.

Groomer Richard Guyette says the slopes are ready for skiing and riding!

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Predicted snowfall increases

Posted March 4, 2021 at 5:15 pm

The forecast now says that we could see 3 to 7 inches of new snow tonight. Tomorrow’s forecast is also snow with another 3 to 7 inches of accumulation possible and a high of 14 degrees. We could see an additional 1 to 3 inches of new snow on Friday night. Tomorrow we plan to have 5 lifts operating, Madonna I, Madonna II, Village, Mogul Mouse’s Magic, and Sir Henry’s Glider. The Sterling Lift will be closed tomorrow March 5th for a mechanical repair. We have 54 skiable trails and 38 lift accessible trails open tomorrow. Surface conditions are packed powder and machine groomed with average base depths of 16 to 50 inches. 31 trails will be groomed for tomorrow, including Ruthie’s, Drifter, Upper FIS, Snow Snake, and Lower Rumrunner for a grand total of 121 acres of freshly groomed terrain. Currently it is partly sunny and 5 degrees at the summit of Sterling.

Ski Patroller Robert Stuart wonders how much snow will we get?

Sterling and Mount Mansfield seen from the Madonna I Lift

Private snowboard lesson on Lower Morse Liftline

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Good morning

Posted February 25, 2021 at 7:41 am

Today we plan to have top to bottom skiing and riding on all 3 mountains with 5 lifts operating, including the Madonna I Lift. We received 3 to 4 inches of new snow overnight and 18 inches in the past 6 days. Currently it is cloudy and 16 degrees at the summit of Sterling with winds of 10 to 20 mph. Today’s forecast is calling for snow showers with 1 to 2 inches of accumulation possible and a high of 24 degrees. Temperatures will be falling throughout the day. We have 72 trails open with terrain for all ability levels. Surface conditions are powder and packed powder with base depths of 16 to 50 inches.

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124 acres of freshly groomed terrain

Posted February 22, 2021 at 6:44 am

Today we plan to have top to bottom skiing and riding on all 3 mountains with 5 lifts operating, including the Madonna I Lift. We have 71 trails open with terrain for all ability levels. Surface conditions are packed powder and powder with average base depths of 16 to 50 inches. 32 trails have been groomed for today, including Goat Path, Curley’s Cutback, and Jolly Rodger. Currently, it is snowing and 12 degrees at the summit of Sterling with winds of 10 to 20 mph. Today’s forecast is calling for snow showers with 2 to 4 inches of accumulation possible and a high of 31 degrees and breezy.

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Making fun of winter

Posted February 15, 2021 at 3:59 pm

We received a dusting of new snow today with more on the way. We could see 4 to 8 inches of new snow tonight. Tomorrow’s forecast is also snow with another 4 to 8 inches of accumulation possible with a high of 29 degrees. We are 99 percent open with 77 out of 78 trails open with terrain for all ability levels. Tomorrow we plan to have top to bottom skiing and riding on all 3 mountains with 7 lifts operating, including the Madonna I Lift. Surface conditions are packed powder and powder with average base depths of 16 to 50 inches. 26 trails will be groomed for tomorrow, including Chilcoot, Thomke’s, and Log Jam for a grand total of 116 acres of freshly groomed terrain.

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Top to bottom skiing and riding on all 3 mountains

Posted February 11, 2021 at 4:38 pm

3 Mountain ticket sales are closed for Sunday, February 14th. We have reached our comfortable capacity.

Tomorrow we plan to have 5 lifts operating, including the Madonna I Lift. We have 72 trails open with terrain for all ability levels. Surface conditions are packed powder and powder with base depths of 16 to 50 inches. Snowmaking resumes tonight on Sterling Mountain. 29 trails will be groomed for tomorrow, including McPherson’s, Snow Snake, and Jolly Rodger for a grand total of 117 acres of freshly groomed terrain. Currently, it is partly sunny and 4 degrees at the summit of Sterling. Tomorrow’s forecast is calling for partly sunny skies with a high of 11 degrees.

Employees are red-flagged for this weekend. They can ski or ride on the all mountains from 8:00 am till 10:00 am.

Uphill travel closed on Sterling Mountain Friday, February 12th due to snowmaking. Uphill travel open on Madonna Mountain is available from 5:30 am till 7:30 am on open trails only and no dogs.