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Smuggs Advice

MICO

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Wife & I will be skiing Smuggs for the 1st time next week. She is an intermediate, can ski easy blacks, but will want 1 or 2 runs on Morse to warm-up. Any strategic advice on parking, trail tips, etc. Website says discount tics are available at Shaw stores and some sports shops. Anybody know the price and if there are holiday blackouts? RE: "easy blacks" above, suggestions? Any at Smuggs? Wife skis Open Pit, Chatemac, and Lower Darby at Gore, and Hard Luck at Bolton if that helps.

Thanks!
 

deadheadskier

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She won't need to warm up on Morse and I definitely wouldn't recommend parking down there. Just park near the main base lodge for Madonna/Stering and take your first couple of runs off Madonna 2 for her to warm up; really mellow terrain off that lift. She'll be fine and the parking lot to ticket window to lift experience convenience is much better at that base area than Morse.

Sorry, unfamiliar with local discount day ticket options.
 

ScottySkis

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I don't know if there still for sale but Price Chopper sells a pass that is good for Smuggs and several other mountains on Sunday- Friday, 3 tickets for $150. Not good on holidays and Saturdays. It comes out to 50 lift tickets. I put the deal in the the skiing on the cheap thread a couple months ago. Have fun up their.
 

tomcat

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If the Madonna 1 it is running it is a VERY long lift ride. Madonna II I swear was even slower but maybe it was slowed down from wind but you could of walked up faster than the lift spun. Exiting Madonna 1 to the left did have easy blues and you can exit midstation which was all easier terrain. If you have dates in stone Liftopia has most weekdays at Smuggs $49.99 March 25th and beyond they are $34.99.
 

ss20

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I agree with not parking at Morse. It's a long traverse to and from Morse and Madonna. There aren't any easy blacks at Smuggs because they mogul everything up. Check the trail report to see if they possibly groomed a black, but I doubt it. An intermediate can definitely do Upper Chilloot on M1.
 

BenedictGomez

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The only real parking "trick" at Smuggs is to park at the upper Sterling lot. You can ski right to your car (literally if the conditions are right).
 

thetrailboss

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Are you committed to Smuggs or would you consider other places (e.g. Burke, Sugarbush North)?
 

MadMadWorld

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Sometimes they groom Upper FIS but like they said definitely check the snow report. Other blacks that sometimes get groomed are Snake Bite, Pipeline, Full Nelson, and Smuggler's Alley off of Sterling. There are some awesome intermediate glades off of Ruthie's. Always lots of snow just a bit of a run out
 

riverc0il

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DHS's advice of parking at the upper lodge and starting with the M2 lift is spot on. Lots of mellow blues off of M2. Regarding discounts, good luck finding deals that are not blacked out during a holiday week. I would look at any deal skeptically and ask for the fine print.

Regarding the lodge, BG suggests skiing out of the Sterling lot but that only works if you don't mind changing at your car. If you want to change in and use the lodge, you can drop your stuff off at the lodge before parking. Not an issue if you get there early but it can be a long walk from the back of the lot of you get there late.
 

MICO

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Awesome advice guys....Many thanks! Skiing Smuggs 'cause of a dog friendly, stand-alone guest house at Nye's Green Valley Farm. Looks very nice and AYCE country breakfast for 125/night.

Wifey's need to warm-up on a green is psychological more than anything else. I'll just tell her they don't have any. LOL! Weird and makes no sense, but she skies ungroomed blacks better than groomed ones. If I get her on something steep, and there's a choice, she heads straight for the rough.

Know about Liftopia, but no deals for Prez week. :(

Cheers!
 

ss20

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Awesome advice guys....Many thanks! Skiing Smuggs 'cause of a dog friendly, stand-alone guest house at Nye's Green Valley Farm. Looks very nice and AYCE country breakfast for 125/night.

Wifey's need to warm-up on a green is psychological more than anything else. I'll just tell her they don't have any. LOL! Weird and makes no sense, but she
skies ungroomed blacks better than groomed ones
. If I get her on something steep, and there's a choice, she heads straight for the rough.

Know about Liftopia, but no deals for Prez week. :(

Cheers!

I know what that's like. I can ski steep glades, but not steep trails. Example: In normal east coast conditions (ice) I struggle on Highline, a single black at Killington, but I have no problem skiing Growler, a double-black glade that runs parallel to Outer Limits. It's very weird. I like the idea about not telling your wife about the lack of greens! I know a few people who I should try that with!:stirpot:
 

MadMadWorld

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Awesome advice guys....Many thanks! Skiing Smuggs 'cause of a dog friendly, stand-alone guest house at Nye's Green Valley Farm. Looks very nice and AYCE country breakfast for 125/night.

Wifey's need to warm-up on a green is psychological more than anything else. I'll just tell her they don't have any. LOL! Weird and makes no sense, but she skies ungroomed blacks better than groomed ones. If I get her on something steep, and there's a choice, she heads straight for the rough.

Know about Liftopia, but no deals for Prez week. :(

Cheers!

As I said in a previous thread. Can't beat the price and the location. A very nice couple that used to run a farm on the land. You will enjoy it as much as my wife and I did! If your wife does better on ungroomed then she will have a blast at Smuggs.
 

Bene288

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Scotty mentioned the Price Chopper books, unfortunately they stopped selling them about a month ago.
 

MidnightJester

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Depending on where you live and when you are going, I have 2 for 1 lift tickets to smuggs 7 days a week. Give me a shout
 

riverc0il

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Steep trails end up getting scrapped off and the thought of having nothing to slow you down can be intimidating. Where as steep glades offer places to turn and slow you down.
I certainly enjoy skiing trees more than steep scraped down trails due to better conditions in the glades. But I would certainly be concerned about fundamental technical issues and flaws if someone can't ski steep groomers but can ski the trees.
 
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