Mad River Glen Ski Area

Aerial view of Mad River Glen with single chair on left and double chair center-right (Photo Credit: Mad River Glen)

Mad River Glen has 5 lifts – the Single chair and the Sunnyside Double chair from the base area, the Birdland Double, the Practice Slope Double and Callie’s Corner Handle Tow.

Mad River Glen Single Chair

The single chair is longer and has a higher vertical drop and is the more popular choice. Given it’s limited uphill capacity, lines can and do form. However, fewer skiers being brought uphill prevents the fragile snow conditions from being skied out.

The single chair has a midstation for unloading and beginners and weaker intermediates should get off here. Everything above the midstation is decidedly best left to advanced skiers, with the exception of one blue run – Upper Antelope.

The Mad River Glen single chair has taken on almost mythic proportions. From the summit terminus atop General Stark Mountain, it’s exactly 2037′ feet to the bottom and Mother Nature will dictate just what that descent will be like. Don’t expect any wide, groomed avenues at Mad River Glen. Most of the trails are left just exactly as skiers and the weather have left them.

Standing on the summit looking back at the single chair depositing skiers creates almost an out of body experience the first few runs. If not for the equipment, it’s as if the skier had been transported back in time to a black and white movie. Sun Valley is the only other ski resort in the United States with a similar charm, but Mad River Glen has always been for the more under-the-radar crowd. Were it not for the trail named after the family, few would know that the Rockefeller family owned a house at Mad River Glen. Fewer still would know  that the house is reached to this day by its own private lift.

Although there are maybe a dozen or so marked trails from the summit, most Mad River Glen skiers seem to regard the signposts more as suggestions. Some trails are more defined than other and many would not be wide enough to be considered trails at other resorts – many would be marked as gladed terrain. In particular, Paradise will give many “expert” skiers a run for their money. Good luck.

Sunnyside Double Chair

Many skiers actually prefer the double chair. The line moves faster and no one ever got a date riding the single chair…

The other reason many skiers prefer the double chair is that the terrain is a little bit gentler. Despite its reputation as a place for experts, Mad River Glen actually attracts a fairly normal cross-section of skiers. The skew in the resort’s customer base has less to do with technique and more to do with passion. Yes, a typical Mad River Glen skier is more likely to be a better skier, but is almost assuredly a more passionate one.

From the top of the double chair Fox and Quacky are the two easiest ways down. For a more adventurous route down, try Panther or Gazelle Glades.

Birdland Double Chair

Birdland is Mad River Glen’s easiest terrain. Serviced by an eponymous double chair, the trails in Birdland are all named after avian species – Lark, Loon, Robin, Wren, Duck. If you see a trail named after a bird, you’re in Birdland. Many a new Mad River Glen skier has rejoiced upon seeing a sign for bird-named run after struggling on the more difficult trails above.

Practice Slope Chair

The practice slope chair services a handful of intermediates runs. Notably, this portion of Mad River Glen has snowmaking, so in lean snow years the practice slope runs (Race Hill Cricket  Eaton’s Run, Grasshopper) can be amongst the only runs open.

Callie’s Corner Handle Tow

The handle tow services the Callie’s Corner run for first time skiers and children.