Live near Stowe or Sugarbush?

[J.Spin]

Starting from Smugg?s to ski Stowe would mean a shorter day at Stowe because you?d have to wait for the Madonna lift at Smugg?s to get going

Correction: Sterling. This will be a much faster trip, too, once Smuggs puts in the delayed six-pack replacement for the Sterling Double.

Ahh, thanks for the correction Marc. For some reason I thought it was Madonna because that is the highest lift. But now that I think of it, we must have ridden Sterling when we accessed the Back Bowls/Birthday Bowls with Matt Duffy - is that trail/road to the Back Bowls the same one that gets you over to Spruce? On a different trip in the spring, we hiked up from Route 108 out of the notch using one of the chutes, and then reached a big trail near the summit that eventually let us access the trails of Spruce and descend. I've never done the whole transit between the two resorts, but those two experiences felt very similar and it seemed like the same trail.

J.Spin

 

[Admin]

But now that I think of it, we must have ridden Sterling when we accessed the Back Bowls/Birthday Bowls with Matt Duffy - is that trail/road to the Back Bowls the same one that gets you over to Spruce?

Yeppers.

 

[Patrick]

Correction: Sterling. This will be a much faster trip, too, once Smuggs puts in the delayed six-pack replacement for the Sterling Double.

I hope it doesn't happen. A HQ six-pack would alter the face of the already too altered-Sterling.

Regarding the connection, as mentioned before, it used to be publicized, but now it seems discouraged. Something has drastically changed since the connection was used. The new Bruce lift terminal on Stowe's Spruce is lower that the old double meaning the connection back to Smuggs would involved walking up slightly to reach the old connection. This information is second hand, but I've skied Spruce the last year of the old double and the new liftline was already cut and definitely seemed lower.

 

[hamdog]

sszycher knows.

smuggs is closest. it's def fun when there's snow. slackcountry ops. limited liftlines.....from my experience with 70+? days this winter. cold as F*CK though.

i'd opt to check out smuggs for a pass the first winter. hit jay, and hit stowe when you want to change it up. do you prefer a country setting? if so, stay away from btv and st albans. look "inland" towards jeff/cambridge. Milton or Fairfax? perhaps essex junc area? the more "inland" the less housing options, obviously. live anywhere in the burlington/st albans/jeffersonville triangle and i'd think you'll be pleased.

i have no experience with sugarbush. if you're in vergennes, you're screwed. might as well stay in CT.

note: i haven't had the time to read most of the more lengthy posts. sorry if i'm redundant...