Hugh's Views - Smugglers' Notch Vermont

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Predicted snowfall totals increase a bit

Posted February 3, 2022 at 7:58 am

Today: Light snow before 3 pm, then snow after 3 pm. Temperature falling to around 16 degrees by 5 pm. The chance of precipitation is 100%. Total daytime snow accumulation of 2 to 4 inches is possible.

Tonight: Snow. The snow could be heavy at times. Low around 9 degrees. The chance of precipitation is 100%. New snow accumulation of 6 to 10 inches is possible.

Friday: Snow. High near 10 degrees. The chance of precipitation is 90%. New snow accumulation of 2 to 4 inches is possible.

We received an inch of new snow on top overnight. Currently, it is 30 degrees at the summit of Sterling with light snow and winds of 5 to 10 mph. 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 60 trails open today with terrain for all ability levels. This weekend we plan to be 100 percent open. 26 trails have been groomed for today, including Treasure Run, Howie’s Wanderer, and Upper FIS for a grand total of 108 acres of freshly groomed terrain. Surface conditions are machine groomed and variable with average base depths of 12 to 44 inches. Surface conditions will be changing throughout the day with the new snowfall.

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Grateful Shred

Posted January 25, 2022 at 3:52 pm

Rockin’ Ron for Hugh. Grateful to get on the slopes today – my best ski day – so far this season! … and my first time this season on M1!! How about this run of bumps, woods, and groomers: Upper FIS (pre-snowmaking – all natch) to Lower Doc’s to Goat Path to lower Upper FIS to Mulcahy’s Link to Lower FIS! Can skiers shred the gnar like snowboarders? If so, it was a Grateful Shred.

This man has a mono ski! It’s Phil Marshall and the Deputies chasing down the fresh tracks. BTW Phil designed the website you’re now looking at.

Snowmakers are busy on Lower Chilcoot. They’ll be on Upper FIS tomorrow.

I also got to rip the dips for a “compression run”: Upper Drifter to Shuttle to Lower Rumrunner to Link to Sterling.

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Calm before the storm

Posted March 31, 2021 at 3:49 pm

Tomorrow’s forecast is calling for periods of snow 5 to 9 inches of accumulation possible with a high of 34 degrees and falling throughout the day. Tomorrow night’s forecast is also calling for snow with another 1 to 3 inches possible. 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 25 trails open with terrain for all ability levels. Surface conditions will be variable and machine groomed with average base depths of 10 to 44 inches. 7 trails will be groomed for tomorrow, including Garden Path and Lower Morse Liftline for a grand total of 31 acres of freshly groomed terrain.

Sterling and Mount Mansfield seen from the Madonna I Lift

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Lift operation time change for Friday

Posted March 25, 2021 at 2:49 pm

Due to wet weather tomorrow we will be only running the Mogul Mouse’s Magic Lift and the Sterling Lift. We plan to have the Mogul Mouse’s Magic Lift open from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm. We plan to have the Sterling Lift open from noon to 4:00 pm. If we receive less rain than expected we will open the Mogul Mouse’s Magic Lift at 10:00 am and the Sterling Lift at 11:00 am. Check the trail by trail report tomorrow morning to get the most up-to-date information. We plan to have 30 trails open tomorrow with terrain for all ability levels. Surface conditions are spring conditions and machine groomed with base depths of 12 to 46 inches. We plan to groom 15 trails for tomorrow, including Rumrunner, Treasure Run, and Garden Path for a grand total of 60 acres of freshly groomed terrain. Currently, it is sunny and 55 degrees at the summit of Sterling. Tomorrow’s forecast is calling for rain showers with a high of 60 degrees.

Uphill traffic will be open tomorrow during the day on Madonna Mountain. Sterling Mountain is open to uphill traffic daily from 5:30 am till 7:30 am. Morse Mountain is open to uphill traffic daily from 5:00 pm till 10:00 pm.

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Attention fair weather skiers and riders

Posted March 22, 2021 at 2:52 pm

Well, it is hard to find better weather than what we have had the past few days. The streak continues tomorrow with mostly sunny skies and a high of 65 degrees. For 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 49 trails open with terrain for all ability levels. Surface conditions are spring conditions and machine groomed with average base depths of 14 to 48 inches. 26 trails will be groomed for tomorrow, including Smugglers’ Alley, Snow Snake, and Chilcoot for a grand total of 112 acres of freshly groomed terrain. Currently, it is sunny and 53 degrees at the summit of Sterling with winds of 0 to 5 mph.

Private snowboard lesson on Lower Morse Liftline

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Natural snowfall and snowmaking

Posted January 28, 2021 at 5:11 pm

The Madonna I Lift will be on cold hold tomorrow morning and maybe all day. The Madonna II Lift will open at 9:00 am tomorrow morning. We plan to have the other scheduled lifts to be operating tomorrow. We have 71 skiable trails and 55 lift accessible trails open tomorrow. 22 trails will be groomed for tomorrow, including Ruthie’s and Curley’s Cutback for a grand total of 105 acres of freshly groomed terrain. Surface conditions are packed powder and powder with base depths of 14 to 46 inches. Snowmaking tonight on Upper FIS, McPherson’s, and Playground. Currently, it is cloudy and 5 degrees at the summit of Sterling. Tomorrow’s forecast is calling for scattered snow showers with a high of 3 degrees. Bundle up tomorrow and enjoy the fantastic conditions!

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Good morning

Posted January 28, 2021 at 7:36 am

We received a dusting to an inch of new snow last night and 12 inches in the past week. Currently, it snowing and 10 degrees at the summit of Sterling. Today’s forecast is calling for snow showers with 1 to 3 inches of accumulation possible and a high of 19 degrees. 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 62 trails open with terrain for all ability levels. Birch Run Terrain Park is open with 3 jumps, a spine, and a rail. Surface conditions are packed powder and powder with base depths of 14 to 46 inches. 24 trails have been groomed for today, including Snake Bite, Curley’s Cutback, and Smugglers’ Alley for a grand total of 105 acres of freshly groomed terrain. Upper FIS is closed today due to snowmaking.

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It just keeps snowing

Posted January 20, 2021 at 4:48 pm

We received 7 inches of new snow in the past 24 hours and over 2 feet in the past 5 days. We could see another 10 inches of new snow before the weekend at higher elevations. 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 66 trails open with terrain for all ability levels. We plan to groom 22 trails, including Drifter, Curley’s Cutback, and Thomke’s for a grand total of 99 acres of freshly groomed terrain. Surface conditions are packed powder and powder with average base depths of 12 to 46 inches. We are presently making snow on Black Snake, Snake Bite, and Birch Run. We plan to have these trails open for the weekend. Currently, it is snowing and 11 degrees at the summit of Sterling with winds of 5 to 10 mph. Tomorrow’s forecast is calling for cloudy skies with snow showers 1 to 3 inches of accumulation possible and a high of 25 degrees.

Chloe enjoying the great conditions on Upper Exhibition

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Great conditions

Posted January 18, 2021 at 4:23 pm

Wow-what a fun day! I found many powder stashes throughout the day and also had a great run on Freefall.

We received 2 inches of new snow in the past 24 hours and 19 inches in the past 3 days. 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 now have 70 trails open with terrain for all ability levels. 19 trails will be groomed for tomorrow, including Smugglers’ Alley for a grand total of 85 acres of freshly groomed terrain. Surface conditions are packed powder and powder with average base depths of 12 to 46 inches. Tonight we plan to make snow on Black Snake and Snake Bite. Currently, it is cloudy and 12 degrees at the summit of Sterling with winds of 5 to 10 mph. Tomorrow’s forecast is calling for cloudy skies with a chance of snow showers and a high of 23 degrees.

This traverse from Upper FIS will bring you to Freefall and the Black Hole

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What a day!

Posted March 9, 2020 at 5:11 pm

It was 39 degrees and sunny on top of Sterling first thing this morning. I knew that it would not take long before we had some spring conditions. I started my day off snowboarding on Morse Mountain. I broke out my old carving board and had a blast on Garden Path. The soft snow makes it easy to carve. I then switched to skis and headed for the upper mountains. The snow was getting soft on the upper mountains also. Ski Patrol dropped ropes on Hangmans’ Drop, Thomke’s Express, Shire, Bermuda, Father Bob’s, Gary B’s, and Upper Pipeline. The Madonna I lift was on wind hold most of the day, but it opened this afternoon. I could not wait to ski Upper FIS. It was groomed last night and then set in the sun until the Madonna I Lift opened. It was smooth, covered with soft snow, and just plain wonderful. I hurried to the bottom, got back on the Madonna I Lift and skied it again!

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 70 trails open with terrain for all ability levels. Surface conditions are spring and machine groomed with average base depths of 16 to 56 inches. 25 trails will be groomed for tomorrow for a grand total of 115 acres of freshly groomed terrain. Currently, it is sunny and 47 degrees at the summit of Sterling. Tomorrow’s forecast is calling for cloudy skies with a chance of rain and a high of 54 degrees.