Smugglers Notch (Smuggs) crowds over Christmas holiday

[dillrob]

I am considering going to Smuugs the week after Christmas. Does anyone know how crowded it gets? What is a typical lift line wait for Sterling or Madonna lifts? Thanks.

 

[deadheadskier]

Sterling 30-45 minutes mid day. Summit Madonna 20 - 30 minutes mid day. Lower Madonna lift 10 - 15 minutes.

This has been my experience on non-holiday weekends at Smuggs. Christmas week it must be even worse. I LOVE the mountain, LOVE the vibe to the place, but I will not return until the horrendous liftline situation at their resort is resolved. i don't care what they say about preserving snow quality. I'm at a mountain to ski, not wait in a liftline. The only lifts in the east I'll tolerate a line longer than 10-15 minutes are the single at MRG and Castlerock at Sugarbush.

 

[jrmagic]

Sterling 30-45 minutes mid day. Summit Madonna 20 - 30 minutes mid day. Lower Madonna lift 10 - 15 minutes.

QUOTE]

Holy crap that is hideous:-o Note to self visit Smuggs on a Tuesday....

 

[arik]

Yea it feels like Tahoe in the 1980s, they put their capital into family amenities rather than lifts

 

[deadheadskier]

Sterling 30-45 minutes mid day. Summit Madonna 20 - 30 minutes mid day. Lower Madonna lift 10 - 15 minutes.

QUOTE]

Holy crap that is hideous:-o Note to self visit Smuggs on a Tuesday....

yup

I had similar waits back in 2005 and 2001 the previous times I skied there. This year it was on March 7th that the lines were that long.

I actually kind of hope they keep Madonna a fixed grip. I can see preserving the snow up there as there are only two intermediate options from the top and two (very) expert runs. Those runs would get hammered in a hurry. A triple would be all I'd want and that's more to have the option of a singles line.

A High Speed Quad on Sterling though would both bring that line down there to a more manageable 20 minutes on busy days and cut the Madonna line down to 10-15.

The lower Madonna lift is fine the way it is. It really doesn't access all that great of terrain, pretty much the flat run out from the top section......which is sick. Free Fall, Doc Dempseys, Liftline, Robin's and the Black Hole on good days are as good of on map expert trails as you'll find anywhere in the east. Unfortunately, I've never caught Lift line. Would love to catch it on a good day. I really can't say that I've seen a more gnarly run anywhere in the east.

 

[RootDKJ]

I love the fact that the OP is planning his 09/10 season ski trips already!!! :beer:

 

[Zand]

I was up there in late March 3 years ago. Madonna lifts didn't have much of a line but Sterling was 10+ mins. Tons of terrain on that side too, no reason they can't make that a HSQ. I think the Madonna double is fine as it is.