Need some advice...

[jonzee]

First off, i've been viewing this sight for a couple of months now and would like to say that you guys and gals have some great info and advice, especially when it comes to conditions and terrain. i'm from long island so its tough to gauge whats really going on up north. also, i'm sorry that my first post will have to be a question.

so... i'm heading up to smuggs on sunday for the week and was wondering where the best place to ski would be. should i stay with smuggs, head to stowe, or is the drive to jay worth it.

thanks in advance for any tips and advice.

p.s. i'm an advanced/intermediate skier, i like to ski the whole nountian, and i ski 20 - 25 days a year, if that helps.

 

[thetrailboss]

Welcome to the boards!

Well, where you will be staying, you certainly can ski BOTH Jay and Stowe. Honestly, Stowe has more cruising terrain while Jay is more about glades and steep stuff. Intermediate stuff there is not so great. Another option is Sugarbush, just down the road.

 

[NYDrew]

If you are going to smuggs, don't plan on skiing the other two mountains. While smuggs and stowe are insanely close, during the winter monthes (which it still is) the "notch" is closed forcing you to take a 45 minute drive around the mountains instead of a hop through the pass.

Smuggs did just get a ton of snow, my boss from there told me in an email conversation that the prediction was 18''.

Welcome to AZ

 

[RIDEr]

WELCOME TO THE AZ !!! I didn't make it to Smuggs this year (spent most of my days out west this year), but from my buddies that went this year the conditions were fairly decent. Have a blast and enjoy the knowledge that this forum can bring you.

 

[skibum1321]

I have been skiing Smuggs all year. I'll vouch that conditions were good. Last Friday when I went, a lot of the mountain was shut down. There were also no good bumps (I'm not sure what kind of terrain you're looking for). They lost even more after the rain on Saturday. My suggestion would be to stick to Stowe, Jay or the Bush.

45 minutes around the Notch is not that long of a drive and if you can get a deal by staying near Smuggs then I say stay there. You will be closer to Jay than if you stay at Stowe also. However, Smuggs tends to package their lodging and skiing a lot so their best deals may not apply if you don't ski there.

 

[jonzee]

thanks for the replies. i've already got lodging in smuggs, so if i'm going to be driving it'll probably be jay. i hope the conditions at smuggs will good enough to stay, but if not, how long is the drive to jay from smuggs? i've never been there, but the way you guys on this board talk about it, i'll definitly be heading up there next season if not sooner.

 

[NYDrew]

smuggs looks like its in good shape considering the winter with much of sterling peak open (best advanced skiing) however jay peak appears to be in epic condition for any spring any year.

 

[thetrailboss]

Jay will probably be 1 to 1.5 hours north of Smuggs. Route 100 North through Eden to Route 242. Pretty drive, but very remote.

 

[meat]

Jay will be a good bet, a lot is skiable. it was snowing this afternoon on the top 2/3rds of the mountain and raining at the base. tomarrow should be good, especially for april.
Your best bet from smuggs is to take 109 north out of Jeffersonville to 118 north in Belvidere to 242 in Montgomery, its a little under an hour with clear roads. watch for moose from belvidere to montgomery, I probably see one every other time I take this route during the spring. Have Fun!

 

[skibum1321]

smuggs looks like its in good shape considering the winter with much of sterling peak open (best advanced skiing) however jay peak appears to be in epic condition for any spring any year.

I don't really agree with that assessment. Madonna has the best expert skiing on the mountain. I find the stuff on Sterling to be very boring and there is no way I can spend a whole day on Sterling unless there's enough snow in the back bowls. It is all groomers over there except for Exhibition, which is a decent trail. Doc Dempsey's and FIS on Madonna are the 2 best blacks on the mountain IMO. Unfortunately, they have been grooming FIS this spring and it has thus been boring (there are no good bumps on the mountain). And well, then there are the double blacks (Liftline, Freefall and Robins), which are all great runs, but rarely open.

Based on recent conditions, I say go to Jay.