Stowe Beginner Skiing

Spruce Peak is the main beginner area and is where the ski school is located. The two main bunny slopes are Easy Street and Meadows. These two side by side wide runs are serviced by their own double chair. Adjoining them is the green Inspiration run, which is slightly steeper than Easy Street and Meadows. Ironically, some expert skiers will venture over to the tops of these runs where beginners tend to skip skiing the ungroomed sections that can hold powder for days after a storm.

When novices are ready to progress beyond this small area at the bottom of the mountain, they must take the Over Easy gondola across to the Mount Mansfield side of the resort. There are no green trails from the top of Spruce Peak. Once on the Mansfield side, beginners should bypass the gondola and head for the Forerunner Quad.

The Forerunner Quad provides access from the Mansfield Base to the longest green run on the mountain, the famous Toll Road. The Toll Road is one of the best beginner trails in New England. Beginning in the shadow of Vermont’s highest peak, skiers can descend 3.7 miles (5.9 km) all the way to the base of the Toll House Double. As skiers pass the top of the Toll House Double, they should note the Crossover trail which heads back to the Mansfield Base.

The Toll House Double services long green runs and is the best place for seasoned beginners to start their day. This area is rarely crowded and the novice runs are actually quite interesting. Laps on the lower third of Toll Road are popular as are cruising runs on the mellow Easy Mile run under the liftline. The Inn at the Mountain at the base area is a great place to warm up with lunch or hot chocolate.

Even though only 16% of the terrain is graded suitable for beginners, there is plenty of chance to progress from easy greens to gentler blue intermediate trails. The Side Street trail on the top of the Sunny Spruce Express Quad is one of the easier blue run and is a good starting point for stepping up in difficulty.