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Resort Guide

Stowe is probably the most famous US resort east of the Rockies (the only likely rival for such a title is Killington). Based around a quintessentially New England town, some 200 years old, Stowe has attracted the great and the good for more than a century, from the Roosevelts and the Vanderbilts who graced Stowe’s Summit House in the 1860s, to the genuine Von Trapp family of ‘The Sound of Music’ fame.

Today the resort is in renaissance with a huge on-going investment that has created a new inter-mountain transfer gondola lift between the two main ski areas on Mount Mansfield (Vermont’s highest summit), and Spruce Peak, and much more besides, on the mountain and in the resort.

Beginners

Stowe has created an excellent new beginners area with a gentle 10% gradient as part of its renaissance and its ski school employs some of the world’s best teachers, so you would be hard pushed to find a better place to learn to ski. The Easy Street run is great for first timers and you can soon ski from the top of Spruce Peak and enjoy great views as well as excellent skiing. This near perfection does come at a cost however and, depending on how strong the Euro and how weak the dollar is, you can still expect to pay perhaps a quarter more for a rental/tuition/lift ticket package in Stowe than in the Alps, and closer to four times the cost of learning to ski in Eastern Europe.

Intermediates

With a little less than 500 acres of terrain, Stowe does not compare in size to most of the well known resorts in California or Colorado which may offer six times or more terrain, but still with 59% of the 85 runs graded intermediate, there is plenty to keep most skiers happy for at least a week. The longest run at 3.7 miles (5.8km) is Toll Road and most of the intermediate skiing is concentrated on Spruce Peak. If you can’t get enough skiing in during the daytime, some of the lifts and runs are floodlit for night skiing through to 9pm on four evenings per week.

Advanced

Stowe has a reputation for offering some of the toughest skiing in New England, a reputation earned over the decades and maintained in the modern era. Most famous are its legendary “Front Four” trails - Starr, National, Goat and Liftline which are steep double-black diamond descents (the toughest groomed trail category in North America). The runs include steep mogul fields and of course on Liftline you are descending in full view of the chairlift above, so make sure you look good.

Snowboarding

With terrain parks for beginners, intermediates and advanced boarders, Stowe has it all for freestylers, as well as a giant 200m long half pipe. Use the high speed lift network to access some of the best off piste terrain in New England on Mount Mansfield. If you need to improve your technique you can sign up for a 90 minute group lesson tailored to all ability levels.

Other Activities and Facilities

There’s plenty to do besides ski at Stowe, indeed, like St Moritz, a sizable proportion of guests don’t bother to ski at all! There are over 70 unique and boutique shops and, a real rarity in the US, chain stores are practically non-existent. But if you do want those chain stores, albeit at discount prices, there’s factory outlet mall in the nearby town of Essex. In Stowe you will also find a cinema as well as a fitness centre and you can opt for a sleigh ride, or go snowshoeing. Excursions are also available to the nearby Ben & Jerry’s ice cream factory.

The Spa at Stowe Mountain Lodge opened in Autumn 2007 bringing the art of luxury and comfort to Vermont’s most venerable resort. The spa includes a “healing lodge,” a private water sanctuary integrating a herbal steam chamber, jacuzzi pool, dry sauna, and cooling rain shower designed to encourage the guest to relax and unwind.

For cross country skiers there are 35km of prepared runs, 40km of backcountry trails and the area is interconnected with three other touring centers to provide a total of 150 km of groomed terrain.

Après Ski and Dining Out

Although Stowe is distinctly up market in attitude, it is quite a large resort with over 60 bars and restaurants so that means there is something to appeal to everyone in the selection.

The Partridge is reputed to be the local’s favourite dining spot, but well heeled guests may opt to take the gondola up to the Cliff House restaurant for a four course gourmet meal.

Families

As you would expect, there are excellent facilities on and off the snow for families. Special ski school classes are available for children aged five to 12 years, and for boarders aged seven to 12 years.

For younger children aged from six weeks there is a non-ski nursery facility at Spruce Peak base.

Piste Map for Stowe

Accommodation in Stowe

• Green Mountain Inn - 3 star, room only
• Stoweflake Mountain Resort & Spa - 4 star, room only
• Ye Olde England Inn - 3 star, room only

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