Smugglers’ Notch Ski Vacation Guide

Experts from all over the Eastern United States flock to Smugglers’ Notch for their 290 inches of amazing Eastern powder and jaw-dropping, white-knuckle runs like The Black Hole, Highlander Glades, Smugglers’ Alley, Freefall, Doc Dempsey's and Exhibition.

Ski Levels

Intermediates will be fully engaged in tackling Rumrunner, Black Snake, and Chute. Morse Peak is the place for the beginners and the children to have some real snow fun on the slopes which offers up 17 runs which are all easy, safe, and well maintained. An extra added attraction is that since Morse is a separate mountain, you won't suddenly turn to see any experts getting 60 feet of air over your head.

Smugglers’ Notch has invested a considerable amount of time, resources and imagination into their Terrain Parks possibly more than any other resort in the Eastern United States. The number and quality of Smugglers’ Notch's various Terrain Parks is truly impressive. The advanced skiers will head directly to The Zone on Sterling which is the site of the famous Superpipe Jam and Altitude Adjustment events. Prohibition Park on Madonna is at a skill level that both advanced and intermediate skiers can enjoy, especially when it comes to the 450 foot long, Olympic sized Superpipe with a radius of 16.5 feet and some very challenging hits, jibs, jumps, rails, table tops, hips, and spines. Strictly intermediates skiers might find Birch Run Park on Sterling Mountain more suitable for their skill sets. Raw beginners and children have their choice of two completely separate Terrain Parks that are suitable to their abilities with smaller and milder artificial features one on Morse, and the other at Morse Highlands.

Vermont's winter weather can be rated as 95% perfect and 5% watch out! The area will get the occasional wild winter storm or midwinter thaw, but fortunately those are relatively rare events which come and go in a matter of a couple of days, quickly restoring the mountains to their powdery beauty.

Après Ski

Smugglers’ Notch offers up a great selection of affordable family friendly restaurants right by the mountains. The Green Mountain Deli, Riga Bello's Pizzeria, The Morse Mountain Grille, The Three Mountain Lodge and Stella Notte Italian Restaurant are all perfect places to fill up your whole family without emptying your pocketbook.

The Smugglers’ Notch resort is a teenager's fantasy come true with Teen Alley and the Outer Limits Teen Center offering a schedule packed with fun activities and which strictly bar parents! Everyone in the family will love the FunZone, a huge inflated dome packed tight with an obstacle course, basketball hoops, miniature golf, a bouncy house, inflatable slides, bouncing platforms, crawl-through spaces, a 22-foot giant double-lane slide, a padded jousting ring and what is likely the world's biggest Twister game. When the kids take their first gander at the Fun Zone, you won't be able to blame them if they decide to skip the slopes altogether! If you can weasel them out of the Fun Zone, you can have everyone have fun snow tubing, or ice skating. How about an evening snowmobile tour, and a weekly torchlight parade and fireworks show to boot? Smugglers’ Notch really does have it all.

Smugglers’ Notch Snowboard Vacation Guide

Rider’s Guide 

Smugglers’ Notch is an exhilarating Vermont destination with a total of 8 lifts, comprising of 2 Surface Lifts and 6 Double Chairs that take you up to 78 trails where you can snowboard on their really nice longest run of 18,500 feet atop 290 inches of amazing Eastern powder. Their trails are rated 19% for Beginners, 50% for Intermediates, 25% for Advanced, and an immensely challenging 6% for Experts.

Parks and Pipes

The sheer number of different terrain parks at Smugglers’ Notch will astound you. Expert snowboarders will make a bee-line for The Zone on Sterling which features enormous hits and hosts the famous Superpipe Jam and Altitude Adjustment events. Experts can also mix with advanced and intermediates at Prohibition Park on Madonna which features a 450-foot-long, Olympic-sized Superpipe with a 16.5-foot radius and includes lots of hits, table tops, hips, jibs, jumps, rails and spines. Intermediates would be better off at Birch Run Park on Sterling Mountain, which offers 1,000 feet of mid-range thrills. There are two Children’s Terrain Gardens, one on Morse, and the other at Morse Highlands.

Out of Bounds

You’re in Vermont to have a blast, so this is the place to try air boarding, dog sledding., snowshoeing, sledding, ice skating, and snowmobiling. The local area is an under 21s dream with Teen Alley and the Outer Limits Teen Center which are both no-parent zones. But for really wild young fun, head out to the Fun Zone which is an inflatable dome filled with inflatable slides, an obstacle course, miniature golf, a bouncy house, and basketball hoops and featuring a giant Twister game, bouncing platforms, crawl-through spaces, a 22-foot giant double-lane slide, and a padded jousting ring. If that’s still not enough indoor fun, try your hand-eye coordination skills at the video arcade in the Village Lodge. Smugglers’ Notch also offers snow tubing, ice skating, evening snowmobile tours, and a weekly torchlight parade and fireworks spectacular.

Hangout & Hookup

The music, the beer and the action flows at The Brewski Bar which is an après ski and night time preferred hangout for snowboarders at Smugglers’ Notch. The relatively short drive to Burlington is definitely worthwhile, as you can party at amazing watering holes like The Daily Planet, Halvorson’s, Red Square Bar, Higher Ground, RiRas and the Vermont Pub which was the state’s first brewpub. When your feet just have to move to the music, 135 Pearl is a slick dance club, Club Metronome is a huge live music venue, Higher Ground easily compares to Club Metronome, and Nectar’s is known as the place where Phish broke out, is usually packed with locals and students, and is generally considered the hottest spot in Vermont. Don’t leave Burlington without checking out the scene at Akes’ Place, The Church Street Tavern, Finnigan’s Pub, JP’s Pub, Olde Northender Pub, T Rugg’s Tavern and the very creatively and uniquely named Pub Pub.

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