Stowe Ski Area

It also has an impressive vertical drop (by New England standards) of 2,160 feet (659 m). From the top of Mt. Mansfield you have views of the Green Mountains of Vermont, the White Mountains of New Hampshire, and the Adirondack Mountains of New York. The resort is a 15-minute drive from the town; there is a regular shuttle bus service.

Stowe’s 48 trails (“The Great 48”) cover a distance of 39 miles (62 km) and include the longest average trail length and the most challenging fall line in New England. Best known are the imposing double black diamond “Front Four” trails—Starr, Goat, National, and Lift Line—but as a whole the resort is perfect for typical recreational skiers, with a wide range of intermediate terrain and plenty of variety from top-to-bottom trails with groomed cruisers, bump trails, and some truly fine glade skiing. There is also good beginner skiing, mainly on Spruce Peak.

There are free daily mountain tours led by a mountain host to introduce skiers to the area. Despite the resort’s popularity, midweek skiing, outside peak holiday times, is uncrowded. Night skiing is laid on from Thursday to Saturday from mid-January to mid-March.