AlpineZone Challenge 2011 Results: Smuggler's Notch

Thanks again to Steve Clokey and the team at Smuggler's for answering our questions!

Here we go!

http://skiing.alpinezone.com/articles/challenge/2011/response.htm?resort=smugglers

I guess don't expect any new lifts for a while. Doubles aren't going anywhere.

They don't put a cent into the mountain.

I am a little surprised by Steve's answer to DHS's question regarding Smuggs being off the map for expert skiers. I've only skied Smuggs a small handful of times and only discovered it two years ago after it largely being off my map.

True, I eventually found it. But had I found it a dozen years ago, I would absolutely have skied there a lot. It certainly would have a been a season pass consideration against Jay when I lived in StJ and the Bash Badge would have been a no brainer for at least three years before I started going after my List.

Bottom line is Smuggs probably lost over $1k in revenue these past dozen years by my not thinking it was a top expert mountain. Now I put it in my top three in New England having experienced it. I think Smuggs is missing out on some expert marketing potential. But if they market the expert tough stuff too much, do they risk alienating their bread and butter? I think having it both ways in marketing is difficult. But Smuggs is truly uniquely situatated in that regard. I can't think of another mountain that has such depth from never ever to true ski anything expert.