Published June 9, 2011 10:29PM
Inside Line: Sugarbush, VT
A new base village and a growing emphasis on steep, powder-stuffed glades have made Sugarbush one of Vermont’s top resorts. The ski area offers 111 trails, served by 16 lifts, spread across three peaks, each with its own distinct flavor. For manicured steeps and fat bumps, hit Lincoln Peak. For no-bullshit, rowdy terrain, schralp Castlerock. For underutilized glades and meandering cruisers, there’s always Mount Ellen. Here’s how to make the most of all three.
Emily Johnson Mad River Valley - Green Mountains, Vermont
Powder Day: On deep days, get to Castlerock chair as fast as your wax will carry you. You’ll be rewarded with the twists and turns of Rumble and the tight woods skier’s right of Liftline.
Three Days Later: Mount Ellen comes in a distant second to Lincoln in terms of skier visits. That’s why you’ll find face shots in Exterminator’s woods long after a storm.
Park and Pipe: Park rats converge around the sizable hits, rails, and quarterpipe on Mount Ellen’s Riemergasse. Over on Lincoln, newbies can try mini hits and rails served by the Super Bravo chair.
Backcountry Access: Slidebrook, the drainage between Castlerock and Mount Ellen, is accessible from either peak, but the Ellen side offers steeper lines. Either approach terminates along German Flats Road, where a shuttle bus makes regular stops. Hire a guide from Outback Tours if you want private stashes or just suck at navigation (from $65 a day; 888-651-4827).
Weather: The early and middle parts of the season bring frequent lake-effect snow riding on cold air from the northwest. In midwinter, watch for classic, moisture-laden nor’easters mobbing up the Atlantic coast.
Après: Castlerock Pub keeps local beers like Castlerock Ale and Long Trail Ale on tap. It also boasts a heated patio and, should you get an irrepressible urge to blog, wireless internet.
Fuel: Grab a pizza at American Flatbread off Route 100 in Waitsfield on Friday or Saturday (the only nights it’s open). If you find a fifty, hit the Common Man for crusted softshell crabs or pan-seared foie gras and duck sausage.
Up All Night: This is Vermont: The only thing that might keep you up all night is an irrational fear of cows. But Local Folk Smokehouse—at the junction of routes 17 and 100—will quell any bovine anxiety with live music and 18 beers on tap.
Digs: Only a mile down the road from the ski resort, the Sugarbush Inn has ski-and-stay packages starting at $119. Or dig deep and snag a suite at the fancier Claybrook Hotel. It sleeps four, comes with a fireplace, and runs $309 per night (sugarbush.com).
Elevation: 4,083 feet
Vertical Drop: 2,600 feet
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Snowfall: 269 inches
Acres: 508
Info: sugarbush.com