Smugg's, 4/1-4/2/17

Beautiful weekend at Smuggler's Notch. Love the mountain, love the slow lifts, love the atmosphere, love the upper parking lot, love the terrain on the mountain and in the sidecountry. About 8" of nice snow the first day, perfect spring skiing weather the second day. Here are some pics:

That place will always be #1 to me ---- it's just the coolest

Great pics --- good walk down memory lane

like that pic of the practice slope from the mountain rd

Awesome!  

Nice shots!

I can see only one small issue:  When are you going to get that lovely wife of yours to freeheel??  

Harvey wrote

Did I miss that photo or is it from a different day??

Different day. That was last weekend (3/25-3/26) at Stowe.

She got a new NTN setup. Just trying to get her to ski them more.

Great TR
Thanks for sharing
I've only been to Smuggs twice but one was right after a dump and it skis great with fresh snow
Is the side country easy to find routes on or do you need local knowledge?

We had a great guide. I'd say that you could get away with following tracks, but I wouldn't recommend that.

Smuggs kicks ass. Nice pics Matt.

We  need to get back there...

I love these shots - why am I living in NYC?

that is how I feel as well during the ski season living in monticello

Skiray wrote

We  need to get back there...

I love these shots - why am I living in NYC?

It's a never ending cycle:

1. Read TRs from seemingly better place
2. Get upset that you live too far away from better place
3. Move closer to better place
4. Go back to step 1

I live in the Albany area, and it's still not close enough. When I move somewhere in the mountains eventually, I'll still have days with rock hard conditions while reading TRs of powder skiing in other places, and I'll want to move there (or get that adventure Van so I can chase the snow). No place ever delivers everything you want at every time. Even if I move to a place like Park City, with a lift right out of town, kickass mountain biking, breweries, and film festivals, I'd be pissed that I didn't move to Alta every time it snows.

Eventually, ya gotta find a way to be satisfied with what you've got. And if you figure that out, please let me know how you managed to do it.

mattchuck2 wrote

It's a never ending cycle:

1. Read TRs from seemingly better place
2. Get upset that you live too far away from better place
3. Move closer to better place
4. Go back to step 1

I live in the Albany area, and it's still not close enough. When I move somewhere in the mountains eventually, I'll still have days with rock hard conditions while reading TRs of powder skiing in other places, and I'll want to move there (or get that adventure Van so I can chase the snow). No place ever delivers everything you want at every time. Even if I move to a place like Park City, with a lift right out of town, kickass mountain biking, breweries, and film festivals, I'd be pissed that I didn't move to Alta every time it snows.

Eventually, ya gotta find a way to be satisfied with what you've got. And if you figure that out, please let me know how you managed to do it.

 <3 Smuggs! Nice pics. I was at MRG both days this past weekend, phenomenal weekend to ski.

Coach Z wrote

Is the side country easy to find routes on or do you need local knowledge?

If you are comfortable exploring sidecountry lines at unfamiliar places, it is pretty easy to figure out the more prominent routes off the Sterling backside. That sad, Smuggs in general has a lot of lines that can get yourself into trouble by following tracks. Some lines get skied off with a half dozen skiers (one crew, basically!) or can cliff you out or put you into spicey situations you can't see from an entrance. Goodness knows the back bowls are the worst kept secret at Smuggs and if you ride Sterling with enough people as a single, you'll most likely get a tour guide for the more well known/easier to find routes.