Hugh's Views - Smugglers' Notch Vermont

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Happy April No Fooling

Posted April 1, 2019 at 3:42 pm

Summit of Sterling

The month of April has started off very nicely with fresh snow and sunshine! The cooler temperatures last night made the new snow light and fluffy. The wind moved the snow around a little and I was able to find some sweet drifts to play in. The new snow moving around also filled in the low spots and in between the bumps. The new snow will also be really nice mixed in on the groomers for tomorrow!

The snowpack is so deep our snow gauge is buried

New Snow

We received 4 inches of new snow last night, 5 inches in the past 2 days, and 275 inches this season so far.

Lifts and Trails

Tomorrow we plan to have top to bottom skiing and riding on all 3 mountains with 4 lifts operating, including the Madonna I lift. We plan to have 61 trails open with terrain for all ability levels. Surface conditions are machine groomed and packed powder with average base depths of 18 to 48 inches. We plan to groom 36 trails tonight, including Drifter, Snow Snake, and Bootlegger for a grand total of 125 acres of freshly groomed terrain. Morse Mountain will close after April 7th.

Are you ready to do some skimming on April 6th? Construction of the pond started today.

Weather

Currently it is sunny and 16 degrees at the summit of Sterling with winds of 15 to 25 mph. Tomorrow’s forecast is calling for mostly sunny skies with temperatures between 20 and 45 degrees.

Sterling Pond with Mount Mansfield in the background

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Dual Slalom on the Practice Slope

Posted March 31, 2019 at 3:50 pm

New Snow

We received an inch of new snow this afternoon making our season total 371 inches!

Lifts and Trails

Tomorrow we plan to have 4 lifts operating, Sterling, Mogul Mouse’s Magic, Madonna II, and Sir Henry’s Glider. We have 51 trails open with terrain for all ability levels. The trail count will increase as we groom more terrain over the next few nights. Surface conditions are machine groomed and variable with average base depths of 18 to 48 inches. We plan to groom 32 trails tonight, including Playground, Snow Snake, and Jolly Rodger for a grand total of 125 acres of freshly groomed terrain.

Weather

Currently it is cloudy and 29 degrees at the summit of Sterling with winds of 10 to 20 mph. Tonight’s forecast is snow showers with 1 to 2 inches of accumulation possible. Tomorrow’s forecast is calling for cloudy skies early with increasing sunshine and temperatures between 15 and 30 degrees.

Events

Hey neighbors! You’re invited to enjoy a day of skiing and riding at Smuggs! Cambridge and Jeffersonville VT residents get FREE lift tickets, FREE equipment, FREE group lessons* for ages 5 to adult, and a special $15 Vermonter rate for FunZone 2.0 (don’t forget your socks and sneakers) – just show a valid ID with your Cambridge or Jeffersonville address.

Blue skies, long sunny afternoons … ahhhh, Spring! Join us for the ultimate tailgate party in Parking Lot 1, home of the finest tailgate scene since Soldier Field at the ’86 Bears.

Join us in the Sierra Nevada beer garden for a refreshing brew and refuel at the all-day-long Chillin’ & Grillin’ tailgate party. Impress us with your bumperside party planning skills and you could win the Ultimate Tailgate Prize! Stop by our Vendor Village and the Smugglers’ Notch tent to enter for a chance to win awesome prizes! Drawings will be held throughout the afternoon for cash and prizes. MORE PRIZES THAN EVER THIS YEAR! Enter our Chillin’ 50/50 raffle where proceeds will benefit a local charity of the winner’s choice.

Elvis, a gorilla, guys in bikinis – you’ll see it all in the Zone Terrain Park during Pond Skimming! Registration for this free event starts at 10:00 am at the Smugglers’ Notch tent in Parking Lot 1. The first skimmer launches toward the pond at 12:00 noon. Prizes awarded for best costume. A “don’t miss” for spectators! Presented by Sierra Nevada Brewing Company.

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Snow in the forecast

Posted March 31, 2019 at 8:46 am

The forecast for 2,400 feet from the National Weather Service is

Today

Rain before 1 pm, then snow showers. Temperature falling to around 25 by 5 pm. Chance of precipitation is 100%. Total daytime snow accumulation of 1 to 2 inches possible.

Tonight

Snow showers, mainly before 5 am. Low around 12. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New snow accumulation of 1 to 3 inches possible.

Lifts and Trails

Today we have top to bottom skiing and riding on all 3 mountains with 7 lifts operating. The Village Lift is presently on wind hold. We have 62 trails open with terrain for all ability levels. Surface conditions are spring conditions and machine-groomed with average base depths of 18 to 48 inches. 32 trails have been groomed for today, including Drifter, Ruthie’s, Snow Snake, Thomke’s, and the Practice Slope for a grand total of 134 acres of freshly groomed terrain.

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Spring Fever

Posted March 30, 2019 at 5:25 pm

Lifts and Trails

Tomorrow we plan to have top to bottom skiing and riding on all 3 mountains with all 8 lifts operating. We have 66 trails open with terrain for all ability levels. Surface conditions are spring conditions and machine-groomed with average base depths of 20 to 50 inches. We plan to groom 30 trails tonight, including Drifter, Snow Snake, and Thomke’s Express for a grand total of 134 acres of freshly groomed terrain.

Weather

Currently it is cloudy and 36 degrees at the summit of Sterling with winds of 10 to 25 mph. Tomorrow’s forecast is calling for cloudy skies with a chance of rain/mix becoming snow with temperatures between 27 and 47 degrees. Temperatures will be falling throughout the day.

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Good Morning

Posted March 30, 2019 at 7:44 am

Lifts and Trails

Today we have top to bottom skiing and riding on all 3 mountains with all 8 lifts operating. We have 67 trails open with terrain for all ability levels. Surface conditions are spring conditions and machine-groomed with average base depths of 20 to 50 inches. 28 trails have been groomed for today, including Ruthie’s, Snow Snake, and Practice Slope for a grand total of 122 acres of freshly groomed terrain. Some trails will have a delayed opening until they soften up.

Weather

Currently it is cloudy and 30 degrees at the summit of Sterling with winds of 15 to 30 mph. Today’s forecast is calling for cloudy skies with a chance of some scattered showers and temperatures between 29 and 50 degrees.

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Top to bottom skiing and riding on all 3 mountains

Posted March 29, 2019 at 3:23 pm

Snow Sport University Ski Lesson on Sterling

I would have to say that spring has sprung. Today’s conditions were soft, from the bottom all the way to the top of Madonna. I had a great day with my friends Tony and Ken! We skied Sally’s Alley, Upper FIS, Bootlegger, Smugglers’ Alley, Black Bear, Upper Chilcoot, and Lower Exhibition. Bootlegger was groomed a few nights ago and is skiing really well. I’m amazed with the size of the drift on Upper Chilcoot at the entrance to Sally’s Alley. You can see the drift in the photo to the right with Tony, who is 6 feet tall standing on the drift. We have tons of snow, which will make for some great spring skiing and riding!

Huge drift of snow at the entrance to Sally’s Alley on Upper Chilcoot

Lifts and Trails

Tomorrow we plan to have top to bottom skiing and riding on all 3 mountains with all 8 lifts operating. We have 67 trails open with terrain for all ability levels. Surface conditions are spring conditions and machine-groomed with average base depths of 20 to 50 inches. We plan to groom 28 trails tonight, including Ruthie’s, Snow Snake, and Thomke’s for a grand total of 122 acres of freshly groomed terrain.

Weather

Currently it is partly cloudy and 34 degrees at the summit of Sterling with winds of 5 to 10 mph. Tomorrow’s forecast is cloudy skies with a chance of some scattered showers and temperatures between 38 and 50 degrees.

Events

Ken skiing the steeps of Sally’s Alley

March 30 and 31 Black Bear Après Sport Party

Black Bear Tavern 2:00 pm – 5:00 pm

The location for Upper Mountain off-slope fun! Choose from 20 different beers on tap, plus a wide selection of bottled beer. Join us at 2:00 pm for après sport entertainment – Goodtime Charlie hosts with trivia, bar games, prizes, and music. Weekend draft beer specials from Pabst Blue Ribbon. Ages 21 & older.

March 30 Friendly Freeski Challenge

Madonna I Lower Lift Line below Mid-Station 8:00 am – 4:00 pm

Skiers and Snowboarders will compete against each other during the Smuggs Friendly Freeski Challenge. Grouped by age. Cost: $20 plus optional $5 for Most Memorable Run Contest. $59 lift ticket vouchers available for competitors and family.

Tony having fun on Bootlegger

Most Memorable Run Contest: $5 to enter the most memorable run contest. Lots of awesome prizes to compete for!
Schedule of Events:
8:00 am – 9:00 am: Registration – Smugglers’ Notch Ski Club
9:00 am – 9:15 am Mandatory Athletes meeting – outside club
9:30 am – 10:30 am: Venue inspection
11:00 am – 3:00 pm: Competition
4:00 pm – Awards and Potluck

Spring conditions

March 30 National Laser Tag Day

FunZone 2.0 at Smugglers’ Notch Resort 11:00 am – 10:00 pm

March 28, 2019 it is National Laser Tag Day! We will be celebrating this glorious day on Saturday, March 30 by offering $5 games per person all day.

March 30 Blast from the Past

Sterling Mountain Practice Slope 9:30 am – 3:00 pm

The Smugglers’ Notch Ski & Snowboard Club invites skiers (21 & older) to bash gates and relive their glory days with a qualifying GS course beginning at 9:30 am (two runs; best run of two) followed by a pro-style dual SL course for the top 16 men and the top 8 women. The equipment doesn’t have to be “old,” just the racers. Hamburger/hot dog barbecue and beverages included in the entry fee of $35. Registration takes place from 9:30 am – 10:00 am. 1st Qualification run: 10:30 Running order women (oldest to youngest), then men (oldest to youngest).

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100 percent open

Posted March 27, 2019 at 4:17 pm

Sterling and Mount Mansfield seen from Lower Catwalk

Lifts and Trails

Tomorrow we plan to have 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. Freefall, the Black Hole, and Madonna Liftline are open from the traverse on Upper FIS. Surface conditions are packed powder and machine groomed with average base depths of 24 to 54 inches. Tonight we plan to groom 35 trails, including Bootlegger, Snow Snake, and Ruthie’s for a grand total of 138 acres of freshly groomed terrain.

Weather

Currently it is sunny and 35 degrees at the summit of Sterling with winds of 0 to 5 mph. Tomorrow’s forecast is calling for sunny skies early with increasing clouds and temperatures between 27 and 46 degrees.

This was one of the only clouds I saw all day

Events

This weekend we have many events like the Friendly Freeski Challenge, the Blast from the Past, and more many! For all the details check out our events page.

Tele Timmy on Upper Chilcoot

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370 inches of snow this season so far

Posted March 25, 2019 at 3:56 pm

Giant wave of snow crashes onto Smuggs

Today was gorgeous with the sunshine and fresh snow! The 1 to 2 inches of fluffy new snow that we received last night added nicely to the 23 inches of snow that we received in the past few days. There are some huge snow drifts. We are stock piling the snow so that we have a nice long season. The conditions are amazing with super deep base depths!

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 I lift. We have all 78 trails open with terrain for all ability levels. Freefall is open from the traverse on Upper FIS. I would like to thank Ski Patroller Ethan Costello for the trail maintenance work he did on the traverse. The snow is so deep, that it was hard to get under the branches on the traverse. Surface conditions are packed powder and powder with average base depths of 24 to 60 inches. We plan to groom 40 trails tonight, including Drifter, Shuttle, Snow Snake, Curley’s Cutback, Hangman’s Drop, and Upper Pipeline for a grand total of 148 acres of freshly groomed terrain.

Fresh tracks

Weather

Currently it is sunny and 15 degrees at the summit of Sterling with winds of 10 to 20 mph. Tomorrow’s forecast is calling for mostly sunny skies with temperatures between 10 and 28 degrees.

Notice the pole that is buried?

#smuggslove

Nice view

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Just picture perfect

Posted March 24, 2019 at 4:03 pm

Powder Hound

Today was gorgeous with great conditions and beautiful sunshine. The winds decreased allowing the sun to work its magic. The 23 inches of new snow that we received in the past 3 days has been incredible. The storm started out with warmer temperatures and wet snow. The temperatures slowly dropped as it continued to snow. The wet snow bonded with the old snow and was topped off with lighter snow, making it the perfect storm. Especially when the sun comes out right after the storm!

View from Upper Drifter

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. We plan to have all 78 trails open with terrain for all ability levels. Surface conditions are packed powder and powder with average base depths of 24 to 54 inches. We plan to groom 37 trails tonight, including Smugglers’ Alley, Snow Snake, and Drifter for a grand total of 145 acres of freshly groomed terrain.

Taking flight

New Snow

We received 14 inches of new snow in the past 2 days, 23 inches in the past 3 days, and 368 inches this season so far!

Weather

Currently it is sunny and 27 degrees at the summit of Sterling with winds of 10 to 20 mph. Tomorrow’s forecast is partly cloudy skies with increasing sunshine and temperatures between 11 and 29 degrees.

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Winter Storm Watch

Posted March 21, 2019 at 6:44 am

The forecast from the National Weather Service for an elevation of 2,400 feet

Tonight

Rain and snow likely before 11 pm, then snow. Low around 32. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New snow accumulation of 1 to 2 inches possible.

Friday

Snow before 11 am, then rain and snow. High near 35. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New snow accumulation of 2 to 4 inches possible.

Friday Night

Snow. Low around 23. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New snow accumulation of 6 to 10 inches possible.

Saturday

Snow, mainly before 3 pm, then a chance of snow showers after 3pm. High near 28. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New snow accumulation of 3 to 5 inches possible.

Lifts and Trails

Today we have top to bottom skiing and riding on all 3 mountains with 6 lifts operating, including the Madonna I lift. We have 65 trails open with terrain for all ability levels. Surface conditions are machine groomed and spring conditions with average base depths of 20 to 50 inches. 37 trails have been groomed for today, including Smugglers’ Alley, Snake Bite, Bootlegger, Chute, Upper Pipeline, Snow Snake, and Shuttle for a grand total of 144 acres of freshly groomed terrain.

Weather

Currently it is cloudy and 29 degrees at the summit of Sterling with winds of 5 to 10 mph. Today’s forecast is calling for cloudy skies with a chance of snow late in the day and temperatures between 29 and 43 degrees.