Mad River Glen Beginners

A sunny day on a green trail at Mad River Glen (Photo Credit: Mad River Glen)

Despite its reputation for being a place for hardcore, expert skiers, Mad River Glen has a wonderful beginner area. To reach the Birdland area, beginner skiers should take the Sunnyside Double to the top. From there, the gentle Fox trail leads to Birdland.

As the name suggest, Birdland is home to avian-themed ski runs like Quail, Quacky, Wren and Duck. As a rule of thumb, the easiest trails at Mad River Glen are all in the Birdland area, so if a skier sees a trail named for a bird he’s likely headed down one of the resort’s easier runs.

The runs in the Birdland area are excellent. They are long and interesting. Much like Mad River Glen’s more difficult terrain, the trails were cleared by hand, not by dynamite. The Birdland trails hug the contours of the mountain, making for lots of gentle dips and rolls. These natural trails make for a far more interesting proposition than simply sliding down a flat slope that has been graded smooth by a bulldozer.

Birdland also have a few intermediate trails. Unsurprisingly, these few blue runs are amongst the easiest intermediate trails at Mad River Glen and make a great jumping off point for beginners looking to test their mettle. The green runs in Birdland are groomed almost nightly (unlike the rest of Mad River Glen). Birdland is serviced by its own double chair and liftlines are rarely an issue even at peak periods.

Many beginners taking their first visit to Mad River Glen are also excited to learn that they have an opportunity to take a ride on the Single Chair. Just be sure to unload at the midstation…From the midstation, the green Broadway trail brings beginners back to Birdland.

Mad River Glen’s learn to ski area for children is located at Callie’s Corner near the base of the ski area. A single handle tow serves a small learning slope.