Huck_It_Baby
Active member
I went into Smuggler's Notch this weekend to climb Tusk from the road. I didn't get a chance to ski it last year so I thought I would do some scouting to know what I'm getting into before hopefully skiing it later this coming season. If you don't know Tusk it is about a 1,000 vertical natural landslide in the notch across the road from Mt. Mansfield and not a trail. You can see it if you are hiking the chin or just skiing @ Stowe.
The slide was a mix of steep creek hiking and in the middle section it was scrambling up a few rocky, exposed areas. There were several places where I had to re-route myself due to the danger of falling. The rocks were very slippery and in some spots a slip would have resulted in me falling off several cliffs to injury or worse. I was pretty nervous for sure more than once during this hike. My photos don't do much justice in conveying any of this I'm sure.
![Tusk1.jpg Tusk1.jpg](https://forums.alpinezone.com/data/attachments/2/2631-5848e2114e7914abe74d97b8d61cc1e2.jpg)
Once up top I took the long trail out to Elephant's Head to take in the views of the notch and Stowe. The overlook here is awesome and drops straight down to VT 108...maybe less than 1,000 vertical drop but literally it feels like the edge of world. You get no sense of height or depth from the photo but here it is anyway.
![Tusk6.jpg Tusk6.jpg](https://forums.alpinezone.com/data/attachments/2/2634-9ade27b578ee73107b7bceb9747dcfd9.jpg)
![20130824_122159.jpg 20130824_122159.jpg](https://forums.alpinezone.com/data/attachments/2/2635-072bd5bab2905bd984fcf4ef96031ed7.jpg)
After EH I went back down the Long Trail to start descending back to the road and look for a nice sunny spot for lunch. After hiking for a while I went off trail a little ways to go to relieve myself and stumbled upon a hidden gem. As I'm standing there I'm looking around thinking to myself "wow this looks like a decent place to ski". Then I notice several small trees about 2-4 inches in diameter were cut. So I look down hill and sure enough there were more trees cut. I followed the path down to several small rock drops and powder zones. AWESOME!
The trees looked like they had been cut some time ago and while I'm sure there is a name for this run and it's known to others I'm calling it "Carrot Drop" since I had a carrot with me. I would definitely buy a few rounds for those who cut this one.
I celebrated with a Heady Topper.
![Tusk2.jpg Tusk2.jpg](https://forums.alpinezone.com/data/attachments/2/2636-2120171736acdb89966702dd52d312b0.jpg)
I followed the ski cut down several hundred vertical and then either lost the trail or it just ended. I wound up in another drainage which involved more rock scrambling and what might be one of the gnarliest places I have found for skiing.
The photo is looking up after I climbed down.
![Tusk3.jpg Tusk3.jpg](https://forums.alpinezone.com/data/attachments/2/2637-6685ed83a2ab8f20ed582afaacac76a0.jpg)
The entire notch is amazing for hiking and holds so many hidden skis zones it's unreal!
I'll be hiking more of the slides there in the coming weeks after some time in ADKs.
The slide was a mix of steep creek hiking and in the middle section it was scrambling up a few rocky, exposed areas. There were several places where I had to re-route myself due to the danger of falling. The rocks were very slippery and in some spots a slip would have resulted in me falling off several cliffs to injury or worse. I was pretty nervous for sure more than once during this hike. My photos don't do much justice in conveying any of this I'm sure.
![Tusk1.jpg Tusk1.jpg](https://forums.alpinezone.com/data/attachments/2/2631-5848e2114e7914abe74d97b8d61cc1e2.jpg)
Once up top I took the long trail out to Elephant's Head to take in the views of the notch and Stowe. The overlook here is awesome and drops straight down to VT 108...maybe less than 1,000 vertical drop but literally it feels like the edge of world. You get no sense of height or depth from the photo but here it is anyway.
![Tusk6.jpg Tusk6.jpg](https://forums.alpinezone.com/data/attachments/2/2634-9ade27b578ee73107b7bceb9747dcfd9.jpg)
![20130824_122159.jpg 20130824_122159.jpg](https://forums.alpinezone.com/data/attachments/2/2635-072bd5bab2905bd984fcf4ef96031ed7.jpg)
After EH I went back down the Long Trail to start descending back to the road and look for a nice sunny spot for lunch. After hiking for a while I went off trail a little ways to go to relieve myself and stumbled upon a hidden gem. As I'm standing there I'm looking around thinking to myself "wow this looks like a decent place to ski". Then I notice several small trees about 2-4 inches in diameter were cut. So I look down hill and sure enough there were more trees cut. I followed the path down to several small rock drops and powder zones. AWESOME!
The trees looked like they had been cut some time ago and while I'm sure there is a name for this run and it's known to others I'm calling it "Carrot Drop" since I had a carrot with me. I would definitely buy a few rounds for those who cut this one.
I celebrated with a Heady Topper.
![Tusk2.jpg Tusk2.jpg](https://forums.alpinezone.com/data/attachments/2/2636-2120171736acdb89966702dd52d312b0.jpg)
I followed the ski cut down several hundred vertical and then either lost the trail or it just ended. I wound up in another drainage which involved more rock scrambling and what might be one of the gnarliest places I have found for skiing.
The photo is looking up after I climbed down.
![Tusk3.jpg Tusk3.jpg](https://forums.alpinezone.com/data/attachments/2/2637-6685ed83a2ab8f20ed582afaacac76a0.jpg)
The entire notch is amazing for hiking and holds so many hidden skis zones it's unreal!
I'll be hiking more of the slides there in the coming weeks after some time in ADKs.