Located off Route 100 in Southern Vermont, Mount Snow is a favorite destination of skiers living in New England and beyond. Its central location, just two and a half hours from Boston and less than two from Albany, makes it an easy weekend trip for friends and families around the region to get their snow-sliding fix. The 2011/2012 season saw many capital improvements around the resort, including the new Bluebird Express–a high-speed detachable six-person bubble lift that keeps you comfortable as it whisks you to the summit–and improvements continue this year.
On the hill, the resort has all types of terrain and is divided into four areas. The main face is made up of a combination of green and blue runs. Sunbrook, a south- facing basin will provide you with mostly intermediate entertainment and you can look to the North Face for advanced runs like Ripcord and Challenger. Every zone also includes hand cut glades but you’ll have to suss them out as they don’t appear on the trail map and are not patrolled.
The fourth and probably best-known area is Carinthia, a 100-acre terrain park filled with every feature you can imagine. Carinthia is comprised of a whole mountain face that used to be a neighboring resort until Mount Snow acquired it in in 1986 and its development shows Mount Snow’s commitment to freeriding. It has 2 pipes and 10 parks with hits that range from small to extra large. The high-caliber Superpipe and Inferno terrain park played host to the only East Coast Winter X games in 2000/2001 and have done nothing but improve since then. In fact, the superpipe is actually cut by X Games medalist Jason Evans so you can be sure it’s done carefully and precisely. Access to most of the park from the Nitro Express high-speed quad and Heavy Metal double lift ensure that only your tired legs will hold you back from more laps. Look for new, one-of-a-kind features to be rolled out this year as Carinthia continues to stay among the best parks in the East.
Off the hill, Go Fish, a new sushi joint at the base, will be serving up fresh sushi rolls and other Japanese fare. If sushi isn’t your thing, you can dip into 1900’ Burger for hand-pattied Angus burgers with thick milkshakes or a classic American beer to wash them down. Domestic brews not your thing? Hit up the Station Tap Room for 20 rotating taps pouring small-batch brews from mostly New England-based microbreweries. Included are two Mount Snow exclusives from Northshire Brewery and Harpoon. If local flavor is what you really want, head just down the road to the Dover Bar and Grill, affectionately known as the D-Bag, for some suds and surly locals. After that tour you’ll surely need a place to stay, so check into the recently renovated Snow Lake Lodge for affordable rates and a short, hungover walk to the lifts.