Stowe 02/14/14

[dlague]

Stowe

Conditions: Powder and a few scraped off HP spots

Trip Report:

This was our first rip to Stowe and we were eager to have some fun using the Vermont Ski 3 Pass. The trip started with roads still in rough shape and it was snowing the whole way. What should have been about a 2.5 hour ride was a 3 hour and 20 minute experience. When we arrived the snow was flying with winds howling. We actually considered bagging the day since we got there around 10:30 and we were concerned about wind holds. We normally ski in these conditions so we decided to just make the best of it.

We arrived at the Spruce Peak Lodge since that is where you have to get the lift tickets with the Ski 3 Pass. The lodge was very nice and looked very new. So this is what $98 gets you! HAHAHA! In any case, we got geared up and made a few runs off the Sunny Spruce Quad and we were excited about the soft fluffy powder. We then decided to head over to the other side to take the Gondola to get out of the wind. After taking Gondola (original name) up we went down Upper Perry Merrill to Cliff then over to Nosedive. This was a nice run and the conditions were awesome with soft powder bumps all over the place. We then headed up ForeRunner Quad for a run down Ridge View and Sunrise. By the time we got to the bottom my son was hungry so we decided to eat at the Great Room. We did not plan very well because the the food there was expensive at their high end cafeteria. Basically $32 for a Grill Cheese, a Burger, Fries and a candy bar. A Switchback, a Bloody Mary and a Coke was $18. Now I know why I saw some guys pulling PBR's out of their packs.

After eating we head back to the ForeRunner Quad nad lapped that for a few runs on trails like Lord, Ridge View, T-line, North Slope and used the flat Crossover Trail so we did not have to skate up to the lift each time. The best trail out of all of those was North Slope which had some nice bumps (nothing great but good for getting my wife to learn them). I have been working on getting to have her ski more aggressive trails, but today due to visibility she was not to interested in anything black. However, we did go down Upper Nosedive over to Rimrock but that was not a real challenge - good powder bumps there too! We headed to Midway Lodge for an adult beverage and then realized we should have eaten there!

We thought we had time to go up Gondola for one more run then over to Spruce Peak for a last but that did not happen. When to got off Gondola we took Perry Merril all the way down for a more direct line and found it to be totally different from other trails. Where others trails had wind to our back then trail had winds that went up the trail or cross winds. The snow was blown off and was down to the harder scratchy condition from earlier in the season. first time really needing to edge more. We headed to Spuce Peak but got there after 4.

We enjoyed our trip over all and had a great experience. While we enjoyed the trails but not the grandiose feel of the lodge at Spruce Peak. I also some of the people we a little standoffish. We will get the Ski 3 or 5 pass next season and revisit fro sure, but we will be better prepared. I would like to go there on a better day so I can take my wife on more challenging terrain.

 

[ScottySkis]

Did you do any backcountry their?

 

[Nick]

Sick. Looks so nice. I can't believe I missed it this week. I have to go skiing in the next few days or I'm going to lose my sh1t.

Do you think your impression of the "grandiose" clientelle was based on preconceived notions about Stowe? Or is it legitimate? Like, did anything specific happen?

 

[jaysunn]

Looks awesome, they cater to clientele with lots and lots of money, did you see the JPMorgan bank on mountain road?

Hey honey, while were here skiing/shopping, after your finished with the SPA of course, please grab $25,000 from Bill over at JPM, If you have any issues mention Rick from the NY office.

EDIT: I am jealous of both the skiing conditions you had and my above statement.

 

[mikec142]

We skied Stowe over Thanksgiving early in the season. Conditions weren't great, but it was still a lot of fun to get on the slopes that early in the season for us. I found the Spruce Lodge to be gorgeous but the food the be expensive. I also found the food to be better than expected both from a quality and choice standpoint. The thing is that none of that was a surprise to me. Skiing is expensive. We've found many ways to keep costs down from buying lift tix online to making use of all the internet discounts, to bringing a bagged lunch, etc.

Although we pine for the days of yore when things were simpler and cheaper, I'm over the gross bathrooms and facilities that ski areas used to call Lodges.

I found the staff at the ski shop in the Spruce Lodge to be very pleasant and helpful.

 

[dlague]

No back-country - visibility was tough on narrower trails with the wind blowing snow off trees. Hence my statement - I would like to go there on a better day so I can take my wife on more challenging terrain.

 

[mlkrgr]

One of the tricks that I do is I stop at a grocery store and stuff my pockets full of larabars especially the Alts. It's dense nutritious energy food that is still way less expensive that Stowe's food. I usually make a turkey and cheese sandwich that can fit in my pocket and carry around a couple smaller water bottles. That way, I can make the most of the day and not be going back and forth to Mansfield lodge (where they put all those who are on bus trips).

And there's at least one person on each bus that doesn't understand they are straight shot trips so they have to buy lunch and apres ski food at the mountain to hold them til the group gets back to the Boston area around 7:45 pm.