What’s New in Vermont this Ski and Ride Season
Blessed with a record-breaking year last season, the ski resorts in Vermont have reinvested in upgrades that will make your head spin. If you’re headed to Vermont for skiing and riding this winter, here is what you can expect to find at ski areas across the state.
Bolton Valley
There is a new South of Solitude restaurant at Timberline that will feature southwestern menu made from fresh ingredients. Fresh wraps, sandwiches, Paninis, beer and wine are now served at the Poolside Lounge. Guests will enjoy new ski and snowboard equipment to rent.
Bromley Mountain
The Learning Zone’s terrain was regraded and the grooming fleet updated for efficiency and to save energy. A snowboard option has been added to the Super Duper 6-Pack, a package that includes several day kids lessons, free skis or snowboard, an earned season pass, plus exclusive ski shop discounts. The full service ski rental shop will be adding new high end skis, plus gender-specific boots to their arsenal.
Jay Peak Resort
More mountain cottages will open this winter, 36 in all. Site work has begun on the new movie theater, which hopes to have its red carpet ready by spring. Jay Peak is taking a different approach with trash that is part of a state recycling initiative. Instead of winding up in Vermont’s landfill, the resort will turn the 40 tons of food scraps into compost for their gardens.
Killington Resort
The off-season will debut a $3.5M Snowshed Adventure Center that features a mile-long mountain coaster, a soaring zipline 100 feet above a pond, a four-story ropes course and more. Killington and Pico has boosted its snowmaking efficiency, and has upgraded lift drives on a couple of gondolas to make them more reliable.
Mount Snow Resort
Major upgrades include 10 miles new snowmaking more efficient pipe that replaced the older pipe, and progress on the resort’s future 120-million gallon snowmaking water reservoir, slated for completion by next winter season. Cosmetic upgrades include new carpet in restaurants and paving around the resort. The locker room was remodeled with new lockers, ceiling, floor, walls and security.
Okemo Mountain Resort
Skiers and snowboarders will enjoy the addition of Quantum Four, a new, high-speed bubble chairlift. Other improvements include a second bubble chair, a fixed-grip lift, a new trail and snowmaking expansion. The Sunshine Quad will connect Okemo’s new Village Center to the South Face Express Quad and provide access to the new Suncatcher trail. New RFID ticketing was introduced this year.
Smugglers’ Notch Resort
New snow gun placement on a popular learning trail and new snowmaking pipeline. Smugglers’ Notch added evening guided snowshoe outings and a three-day getaway with massage and yoga to its one-day women’s ski and ride clinics.
Stowe Mountain Resort
The resort is constructing a new building featuring family amenities such as and ice rink that will double as a community plaza in the off-season. A modern children’s Adventure Center with ski/ride school, year-round daycare facilities, and activities was also added. A new Stowe Mountain Club Alpine Clubhouse featuring retail shops, restaurants, and exclusive parking will also be included in the expansion.
Stratton Mountain Resort
Stratton is adding 4,000 square feet as part of a $9M expansion of the Main Base Lodge. A brand new cell tower has been installed at the Sun Bowl that features a summit webcam that can be watched on computers and cell phones.
Sugarbush Resort
Sugarbush has installed a fixed-grip, high-speed quad that will replace the old chair, and take skiers and riders to the top of The Mall, which was restructured. The resort is building additional ski-in/ski-out condo property at the base of Lincoln Peak.