Hugh's Views - Smugglers' Notch Vermont

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Snow in the forecast for tomorrow

Posted February 28, 2021 at 4:54 pm

We received an inch of new snow on top last night and 16 inches in the past week. Tomorrow’s forecast is calling for mixed precipitation at lower elevations and snow in the higher elevations with 1 to 3 inches of accumulation possible. The high of the day will be 36 degrees and the temperature will be falling throughout the day. 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 68 trails open with terrain for all ability levels. Surface conditions are machine groomed and variable with average base depths of 16 to 50 inches. 27 trails will be groomed for tomorrow, including Thomke’s, Snow Snake, and McPherson’s for a grand total of 117 acres of freshly groomed terrain.

Sundog around a rime ice covered tree at the summit of Madonna

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Uphill access

Posted February 7, 2021 at 4:15 pm

Morse Mountain will be closed for uphill access Monday, February 8^th through Wednesday, February 10^th due to snowmaking operations. We have adjusted our grooming schedule to open uphill access on Madonna those same three nights from 6 to 9 pm only. Please be respectful and keep your distance from any snowcats you should encounter. People skiing behind snowcats with headlamps on are especially distracting to the operator as your lights flash in their mirrors. This presents a hazard to you and the cat operator!

Sterling Mountain daily from 5:30 am till 7:00 am. On open trails and off the mountain by 8:00 am.

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Fun on Morse Mountain

Posted February 21, 2020 at 5:05 pm

**Garden Path with Madonna in the background**

**Yellow Cat’s Lair is a short glade run off of the Magic Learning Trail.**

**I just had to share, because I found it funny. It is two dinosaurs wearing goggles and having a snowball fight!**

Today was another great day on the slopes. I broke out my old carving snowboard and made some runs on the Village Lift this morning. I was a little rusty, but it all came back to me. I was feeling better even after my first run. It was so much fun to link carved turns on the fresh corduroy! I look forward to getting back out on my Burton Alp again in the near future.

Tomorrow we plan to have top to bottom skiing and riding on all 3 mountains with all 8 lifts operating. We have 76 out of 78 trails open with terrain for all ability levels. Surface conditions are machine groomed and packed powder with average base depths of 16 to 54 inches. 33 trails will be groomed for tomorrow, including Goat Path, Snow Snake, and Smugglers’ Alley for a grand total of 143 acres of freshly groomed terrain. Currently it is partly sunny and 17 degrees at the summit of Sterling with winds of 0 to 5 mph. Tomorrow’s forecast is calling for partly sunny skies with a high of 32 degrees. We have our Free Family Fun Race this weekend on Lower Madonna Liftline from 11 am till 2 pm.

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New Smuggs Family Member

Posted February 16, 2020 at 10:24 am

I would like you to meet Brian, who is from Pennsylvania just outside of Philadelphia. Brian has been skiing for 25 years in Pennsylvania and New York. This is Brian’s first time here at Smuggs. He is here as a chaperone for a high school group that has been here since Thursday night. Brian was telling me how much fun they have been having at Smuggs. Brian said that his favorite part about skiing at Smuggs is the nice long intermediate runs. He told me, for his last run of the day he skied from the top of Madonna back to the Village yesterday. He skied Upper Chilcoot, Ruthie’s, Curley’s Cutback, and Meadowlark. He told me that “It was the perfect way to end the day!” Brian and his group are leaving to head back to Pennsylvania today, but not before Brian gets a few more runs in this morning! It was great to meet you Brian and I hope you enjoy the last couple of runs before the bus ride home.

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Wedding bells on Madonna

Posted January 29, 2020 at 9:45 am

The happy couple complete with Ski Patrol officiant. p: Kim Martin Photography

Underneath all that beard is a VERY happy man. p: Kim Martin Photography

The light on top was like a dream today. p: Kim Martin Photography

Congratulations! p: Kim Martin Photography

Congratulations to Anna and Corey! A beautiful wedding this morning at the summit of Madonna Mountain. The clouds cleared during the ceremony making their special moment even more wonderful. Anna and Corey are both employees here at Smuggs. Anna is a lift operator and Corey is a snowmaker. I wish you both all the best and thank you for inviting me to your wedding!

Today we have top to bottom skiing and riding on all 3 mountains with 6 lifts operating, including the Madonna I lift. We now have 69 trails open with terrain for all ability levels. Surface conditions are packed powder and machine groomed with average base depths of 14 to 50 inches. Log Jam and Hibernator are closed today due to snowmaking. We are also making snow on Snow Snake. Currently, it is partly cloudy and 10 degrees at the summit of Sterling with winds of 5 to 10 mph. Today’s forecast is calling for increasing sunshine with a high of 16 degrees.

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Snowmaking on Madonna

Posted December 26, 2019 at 5:04 pm

**Sunrise from the summit of Madonna this morning. Photo credit Smugglers’ Notch Snowmaker Dave Gagnon**

**Transporting snowmaking hoses on Upper Chilcoot**

**The Warming Hut at the summit of Madonna received a face lift this past summer and is looking good!**

Our Snowmakers were busy last night and today making snow on Upper Chilcoot. Weather permitting we plan to have the Madonna I Lift operating this weekend with Upper Chilcoot open. Tomorrow we plan to have skiing and riding on all 3 mountains with 6 lifts operating. We have 20 trails open with terrain for all ability levels. All 20 trails will be groomed for tomorrow for a grand total of 86 acres of freshly groomed terrain. Surface conditions are machined groomed and variable with average base depths of 12 to 48 inches. The Riglet Park and Birch Run Terrain Park are both open. Currently, it is partly sunny and 25 degrees at the summit of Sterling. Tomorrow’s forecast is calling for a chance of rain with a high of 38 degrees.

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Great view

Posted December 26, 2019 at 11:36 am

**Sterling Mountain and Mount Mansfield seen from the summit of Madonna**

We have 6 lifts operating and 23 trails open with terrain for all ability levels. Today’s forecast is calling for sunny skies and a high of 31 degrees. Birch Run Terrain Park is now open!

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Billy Bob Bear says “no hibernating”

Posted April 2, 2019 at 11:26 am

Billy Bob Wants YOU… on the slopes of Smuggs

Rockin’ Ron for Hugh. Billy left his den, strapped on his board and shredded the gnar! Our Bear doesn’t hibernate… he hibernaps. There’s too many folks to entertain, he can’t sleep all winter (a short snooze now and again will have to do). With today’s sunshine and snow no napping was on the dance card.

LIFTS & TRAILS

Top to bottom skiing and riding on all 3 mountains with 4 lifts operating including Madonna I and 62 trails open.

SNOW

5 inches in the past 3 days and 375 inches this season!

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Smugglers’ Notch Adaptive Program Training

Posted March 29, 2019 at 9:12 am

Getting everything ready before loading the lift

S.N.A.P. instructors Bi-ski training at Mogul Mouse’s Magic Lift this morning.

Lifts and Trails

We have top to bottom skiing and riding on all 3 mountains with 6 lifts operating, including the Madonna I Lift. We have all 78 trails open with terrain for all ability levels. Some trails will have a delayed opening. Surface conditions are spring conditions and machine-groomed with average base depths of 20 to 50 inches. 28 trails have been groomed for today, that’s 125 acres of freshly groomed terrain.

Weather

Currently, it is 35 degrees at the summit of Madonna with mix precipitation and winds of 5 to 10 mph. Today’s forecast is calling for cloudy skies with a chance of some mix precipitation and temperatures between 34 and 49 degrees.

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Spring conditions

Posted March 28, 2019 at 3:55 pm

Snow Sport University Ski Instructor Justin Falkenburg at the summit of Madonna with his class

Today the temperature got up to 41 degrees at the summit of Sterling. Everything was softening up and was skiing well. The Headwall was open, Freefall was open from the top, and Madonna Liftline was open from Catwalk. I ran into my good friends Lenny and Nikki this afternoon. We took a few runs on Madonna together. We started off with a cruiser run on Upper Chilcoot. Nikki skied Waterfall for the first time and did great!

Lifts and Trails

We are 100 percent open. Tomorrow we plan to have top to bottom skiing and riding on all 3 mountains with 6 lifts operating, including the Madonna 1 Lift. We have all 78 trails open with terrain for all ability levels. Surface conditions are spring conditions and machine-groomed with average base depths of 24 to 54 inches. We plan to groom 28 trails tonight, including Chilcoot, Dixie’s Knoll, and Black Snake for a grand total of 125 acres of freshly groomed terrain.

Nikki skiing Upper Chilcoot

Weather

Currently it is cloudy and 38 degrees at the summit of Sterling with winds of 5 to 15 mph. Tomorrow’s forecast is calling for cloudy skies with a chance of mix with temperatures between 34 and 49 degrees.

Snow Sport University Ski Instructor Matt McCawley gap jumping from drift to drift on Upper Chilcoot