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Smuggler's Notch, VT 2/7-8/20

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Ktempsick

Feb 09, 2020; 3:51pm

Smuggler's Notch, VT 2/7-8/20

This post was updated on Feb 10, 2020; 1:35am.

Big storm hype and uncertainty in the southern areas influenced us to head up to smuggs for some storm skiing Friday into Saturday. NVT did not disappoint as smuggs probably saw close to 30” in 3 days.

A bit of sleet still made it’s way into the area Thursday night so Friday started out a little wet and firm but the groomers were cookin. As the day went on it just got better and better and better. You’d be buried on the chair heading up it was coming down so hard at times. Every trail on the mountain skied impeccably Friday afternoon and the little boot pack out the back provided some endless, bottomless glades.

Saturday morning we decided to try something new and do some uphill travel for first tracks. The sunrise was immaculate in the notch that morning which made the below 0 temps tolerable, even enjoyable.

Patrol had roped off a number of the steepest trails from the summit due to wind scoured sections so we made our way down to Doc Dempsey's Glades. The wind had sculpted the terrain into the wildest array of deep drifts, wind lips, troughs, and pillowy humps. Some of the drifts were honestly chest deep! Well worth the frigid morning commute.

After that we headed to the lift for a few laps. Smuggs had groomed a bit much for our taste as we were (perhaps selfishly) hoping for a Plattekill style ungroomed powder day. So the trees were the place to be and it was full send in any section of woods you could find. NVT is in fine mid season form!