Is Bolton Valley worth checking out?

koreshot · Nov 10, 2009

So I will be spending a week in the Stowe area in January. I don't want to spend all 7 days skiing in Stowe cause a) it will get repetitive and b) its freaking expensive c) i like the vibe of smaller resots better.

Smuggs is on the list, never been there. I'll probably do a day in Jay and a day in Sugarbush, been to both multiple times. Can't do MRG, going with a snowboarder.

I have never been to Bolton and I was thinking it might be a nice low key place to spend a lazy day in... and save some money on the lift tickets.

So is Bolton worth going to? It doesn't seem to get much love on AZ.

What are the good runs/routes down the mountain? How are the lift lines?

(I like speed... the steeper the better... natural snow and trees is my favorite.)

billski · Nov 10, 2009

I go to BV every year with my family. It saves us a ton of money, since my family doesn't take advantage of Stowe. I'd call it an intermediate mountain. There are lots of woods to be found there, sometimes a bit hard to uncover, if you study the XC map. It might take skins to get to the really good off-piste stuff. Nothing super-challenging like some of the double diamonds at Stowe. However, they often get good snow.
The hidden secret is that an all day ticket is good for night skiing (weekends only I think) too.

There is a guy, Jay from Waterbury who has been doing a ton of woods skiing with his young family. His photos are spectacular. check it out and decide for yourself:
http://www.jandeproductions.com/ski.html

Consider also Burke. It's an hour's drive, but definitely worth it for the vibe and the trails. You'd like it there.

koreshot said:
So I will be spending a week in the Stowe area in January. I don't want to spend all 7 days skiing in Stowe cause a) it will get repetitive and b) its freaking expensive c) i like the vibe of smaller resots better.

Smuggs is on the list, never been there. I'll probably do a day in Jay and a day in Sugarbush, been to both multiple times. Can't do MRG, going with a snowboarder.

I have never been to Bolton and I was thinking it might be a nice low key place to spend a lazy day in... and save some money on the lift tickets.

So is Bolton worth going to? It doesn't seem to get much love on AZ.

What are the good runs/routes down the mountain? How are the lift lines?

(I like speed... the steeper the better... natural snow and trees is my favorite.)

deadheadskier · Nov 10, 2009

Bolton is an extremely flat mountain by Northern VT standards. I would consider Burke instead.

koreshot · Nov 10, 2009

Ah, forgot Burke. Been there once, really liked it. I'll have to check it out again.

Northernflight · Nov 10, 2009

I've been to Bolton once and absolutely loved it. I can't speak for the resort as a whole as the winds were fifty plus at the summit, so they only had the two lower mountain lifts and Timberline running. From what I experienced Bolton is a very laid back resort. Lifelines were none existent, most likely due to the wind. The trails on Timberline weren't that challenging, their was some steeps but nothing that would get the heart pumping, but they were very interesting and fun. From what I experienced, the glades were outstanding, I lucked out with a 10" dump the night before and found plenty of coverage, I highly suggest checking out the Lost Boyz glade. Lift wise, there are no high speed lifts but the fixed grips in place, at least Timberline, are very reasonable rides. Bolton has a unique atmosphere and it ranks up with one of my most memorable days. I highly suggest checking it out.

riverc0il · Nov 10, 2009

deadheadskier said:
Bolton is an extremely flat mountain by Northern VT standards. I would consider Burke instead.

Seconded. As an outside option, Cannon is only 15 minutes further than Burke if you are coming from Route 2. Though you should definitely do Burke, especially for a lesser known off the map type of area that delivers the goods. East Bowl and the glades dumping out onto the East Bowl traverse back to the lodge are bad for snow boarders though. You could cover the rest of the mountain without touching East Bowl and fill a single day, especially if you are going into the trees.

jerryg · Nov 10, 2009

Any ski area is worth checking out!

deadheadskier · Nov 10, 2009

jerryg said:
Any ski area is worth checking out!

Oh, most certainly. I love many smaller areas. Mt. Abram is a big favorite, Black, had great fun at Tenney last year and will be a pass holder at Ragged. That said, the OP said he was looking for 'steeper the better'. That's simply not Bolton. Bolton is essentially Tenney with 300 inches of snow.

It's a nice little area, but if I was up for a week hitting Stowe, Sugarbush, Jay and Smuggs; Bolton would be a major let down for me. Burke would be a better option

or..................

I'd actually head into the townships and check out Sutton, Orford or Owl's head.

RootDKJ · Nov 10, 2009

jerryg said:
Any ski area is worth checking out!

I agree with this. Check out at least once and if you like it, go back for more.

Talisman · Nov 11, 2009

jerryg said:
Any ski area is worth checking out!

True, and 'Broken Valley' should be lower on the list of places to try than others.

JD · Nov 11, 2009

deadheadskier said:
Bolton is an extremely flat mountain by Northern VT standards. I would consider Burke instead.

+1...

koreshot · Nov 11, 2009

Thanks guys... I am glad I checked. So Bolton goes into the "back-up" category and now the list is:

Stowe (2 days)
Smuggs (2 days)
Sugarbush
Burke
Jay

I have never been to Smuggs but it does look like there is plenty of steep skiing to be had. One thing that I find annoying is that I have to drive 45 minutes to get to it. Website says that 108 closes and there is no easy way to get from Stowe to Jeffersonville.

Any shortcuts?

deadheadskier · Nov 11, 2009

Stagecoach road over to Hyde park will save you 10 minutes or so over going through Morrisville. Just don't speed coming down the hill to the Four Corners as it's a popular shortcut and the speed limit drops quite quickly there. Kind of a stakeout for VTs finest.

thetrailboss · Nov 11, 2009

koreshot said:
Thanks guys... I am glad I checked. So Bolton goes into the "back-up" category and now the list is:

Stowe (2 days)
Smuggs (2 days)
Sugarbush
Burke
Jay

I have never been to Smuggs but it does look like there is plenty of steep skiing to be had. One thing that I find annoying is that I have to drive 45 minutes to get to it. Website says that 108 closes and there is no easy way to get from Stowe to Jeffersonville.

Any shortcuts?

I recall you were only able to ski at Burke for a few hours with us in '07.

As to Smuggs, the place is very family oriented, relatively inexpensive, but the lifts are slow as hell. As to getting there, if you had backcountry equipment, you could theoretically skin/snowshoe over Smuggler's Notch (Route 108 ) and come out right at the ski area. At one time Stowe and Smuggs shared a ticket...the top of Stowe's Spruce Peak has a trail that connects it to the top of one of Smugg's areas.

Bolton is just OK. When I hiked there last season, it dawned on me how flat it is and how relatively small it is. There are many good BC options and it does have night skiing. I've done the night skiing twice years ago before they put in the new quad, but again, the upper mountain is just OK, but the pitch doesn't last, and the bottom 2/3 is essentially a run out. Now that you have to ride from the bottom to get to the top of Vista Peak, it is not really worth it. I did laps off the upper mountain chair that is now gone. The view over Burlington is great and the feel is nice, but DesLauriers (sorry for the name massacre) made a mistake by NOT extending the area downward. Hell, the access road is steeper than some of the skiing!

deadheadskier · Nov 11, 2009

to the best of my knowledge, the interconnect trails too and from Spruce Peak to Sterling are still in use. Since I moved to Stowe in 95 there hasn't been a joint lift ticket, just a gentleman's agreement between the two areas that they'd offer you one lift ride back up free of charge to get back to the other area. I used to take advantage of this almost daily in 2000-2001 as a Stowe pass holder.

Not sure of this agreement is still in place.

thetrailboss · Nov 11, 2009

deadheadskier said:
to the best of my knowledge, the interconnect trails too and from Spruce Peak to Sterling are still in use. Since I moved to Stowe in 95 there hasn't been a joint lift ticket, just a gentleman's agreement between the two areas that they'd offer you one lift ride back up free of charge to get back to the other area. I used to take advantage of this almost daily in 2000-2001 as a Stowe pass holder.

Not sure of this agreement is still in place.

Nope. No more agreement AFAIK. IIRC there was a formal Stowe Spruce/Smuggs ticket about 10 years ago....

Hell, just tell the liftie at Spruce that you are a taxpayer and now own 80% of the place, and you are entitled to a free ride! :lol:

deadheadskier · Nov 11, 2009

One more thing on Smuggs. DO NOT ski there on a weekend day, it will have the longest lift lines by far. Unlike the other areas, all Smuggs has is double chairs. You do not have the option of a singles line. I would plan on skiing there either Tues, Weds or Thurs. With those days, check to make sure they're not offering a VT resident discount day as well as that can be a zoo too.

koreshot · Nov 11, 2009

thetrailboss said:
I recall you were only able to ski at Burke for a few hours with us in '07.

Yes that was the time I hit a snake in the woods, lost a ski and wrapped myself around a tree. Not a fun moment, but the snow was so good I kept skiing. Next day was some serious bruising and pain.

thetrailboss said:
Nope. No more agreement AFAIK. IIRC there was a formal Stowe Spruce/Smuggs ticket about 10 years ago....

Crap. I guess I'll be doing a 45min ride to go 3 miles.

deadheadskier said:
I would plan on skiing there either Tues, Weds or Thurs. With those days, check to make sure they're not offering a VT resident discount day as well as that can be a zoo too.

I was thinking Monday. It is business person's day. Easy way to get a discount - just have to prove that I am cubicle monkey.

billski · Nov 11, 2009

thetrailboss said:
Nope. No more agreement AFAIK. IIRC there was a formal Stowe Spruce/Smuggs ticket about 10 years ago....

Hell, just tell the liftie at Spruce that you are a taxpayer and now own 80% of the place, and you are entitled to a free ride! :lol:

Why does Smuggs offer a 1-ride ticket? The best I can think is for the Smuggs vacationer wanting to spend a day at Stowe.

thetrailboss · Nov 11, 2009

Again, you could skin/snowshoe up Route 108 and get to Smuggs and then at the end of the day ski back down Spruce to Stowe side.

Is Bolton Valley worth checking out?

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