Stowe Mountain Resort is composed of two mountain areas: Mount Mansfield and Spruce Peak. There are about 116 trails on Spruce Peak and Mount Mansfield, and together they provide 39 miles (63 km) (485 acres) of ski-able terrain.
More than half of the terrains are graded at an intermediate level, and only about 16% is green. The name of the village is Stowe, and the mountain is named Mount Mansfield but to everyone in the region, it’s Stowe. The resort opened way back in the 1930’s, and it is still an attraction that brings in serious skiers as well as plain social skiers.
Over the years, things have improved, making it a nice place for skiers to spend the day. Better snow-making, new lifts, on-mountain lodging, free shuttle buses that pick travelers from their lodges, hotels along the Mountain Road have made life comfortable for skiers.
Some traditions still continue today – the Winter Carnival in January, the Sugar Slalom in April, ski weeks all winter. Three base lodges continue to provide the basics, and one can dine at two on-mountain restaurants.
Mt. Mansfield is the highest mountain in Vermont with a vertical drop of 2,360 ft and has a symmetrical layout. The mountain’s symmetry allows skiers of all abilities a good long run from the peak.
The well-known Front Four runs (National, Liftline, Starr, and Goat) are challenging enough for tough, expert runs, yet there is plenty of mid-level skiing options and also one long novice trail from the summit that ends at the Toll House, with easier terrain.
Stowe is alluring and has an idyllic appearance. You will find the Main Street folks-y and quite picture-perfect. It is a place where you can indulge in some luxury with the Stowe Mountain Lodge at the base of Spruce Peak, which is separate from the main mountain. It is a teaching hill and offers a pleasant experience for both mid-level skiers and beginners; Stowe has one quadruple, one triple, and several double chairlifts, plus one handle tow, and an eight-seater high-speed gondola to service its 47 trails. Night-skiers use the gondola to access the trails.
Skiing facilities in Stowe include a halfpipe, quarterpipe, and two terrain parks – one for novices at the bottom of Spruce Peak and one for the pros on the Mt. Mansfield side. Skiers should use the Best Ski Helmets available to protect themselves from serious injury.
For cross-country skiers, the resort has four interconnected areas with an overall 90 miles of groomed cross-country trails and back-country trails within the town of Stowe.
To make it a family-friendly ski resort, there is a child-care center to take care of children from ages six weeks to 6 years, which run kids’ ski-school programs for ages 6 to 12. A center on Spruce Peak runs programs for children from ages 3 to 12, and another program for teenagers 13 to 17 with its headquarters therein.