Trail from Smuggs to Stowe

[deadheadskier]

It is way more than a couple of hundred yards poling across a lake from Smuggs to Stowe. You pole across the lake and then hike up to Spruce for a good 10-15 mins.

You sure you've gone the right way? Once you cross the pone, it's hardly a hike up and definitely not 10-15 minutes. It's relatively flat and only a five minute or so pole and skate to where it dumps you out on Sterling. Back when I lived in Stowe and they allowed one free ride up at Smuggs, I would ski the Birthday Bowls nearly every day out and do the traverse. Actually, I ussually parlayed it into two runs at Smuggs. I'd always try and sneak a run on Madona and play stupid when caught telling the liftie I thought Madonna was the lift to get back to Stowe.

 

[campgottagopee]

You sure you've gone the right way? Once you cross the pone, it's hardly a hike up and definitely not 10-15 minutes. It's relatively flat and only a five minute or so pole and skate to where it dumps you out on Sterling. Back when I lived in Stowe and they allowed one free ride up at Smuggs, I would ski the Birthday Bowls nearly every day out and do the traverse. Actually, I ussually parlayed it into two runs at Smuggs. I'd always try and sneak a run on Madona and play stupid when caught telling the liftie I thought Madonna was the lift to get back to Stowe.

I gotta agree w/ deadhead on this one. I worked/skied Smuggs for 4 years so I've been across that pond amny, many times. When you get off Sterling just go straight over the bank where the bullwheel turns, than you can shoot right across the pond. obviously if after a big dump there will be some skating, poling involved but normally there's a pretty darn good trail thru there. The "hike"---wouldn't call it a hike---just a quick skate up before you go down. Lot's of fun and worth the little work just to check it out.

 

[djspookman]

I gotta agree w/ deadhead on this one. I worked/skied Smuggs for 4 years so I've been across that pond amny, many times. When you get off Sterling just go straight over the bank where the bullwheel turns, than you can shoot right across the pond. obviously if after a big dump there will be some skating, poling involved but normally there's a pretty darn good trail thru there. The "hike"---wouldn't call it a hike---just a quick skate up before you go down. Lot's of fun and worth the little work just to check it out.

As a life-long skiier at Smuggs (grew up there, worked there, constantly skiied there for the past 20 years), this is the way to get to Spruce, unless you want to hike up the trail (called "Snuffy's trail from Stowe", and "Snuffy's trail to Stowe")

although, if you follow me, I'll be hiking up the trail to Stowe, and dropping into the woods off that, but I assure you, the skiing in there isn't good at all

dave

 

[skibum1321]

You sure you've gone the right way? Once you cross the pone, it's hardly a hike up and definitely not 10-15 minutes. It's relatively flat and only a five minute or so pole and skate to where it dumps you out on Sterling. Back when I lived in Stowe and they allowed one free ride up at Smuggs, I would ski the Birthday Bowls nearly every day out and do the traverse. Actually, I ussually parlayed it into two runs at Smuggs. I'd always try and sneak a run on Madona and play stupid when caught telling the liftie I thought Madonna was the lift to get back to Stowe.

I was thinking of hiking up as if you were going to ski the back bowls and just continuing to the summit of Spruce. I've skied there for 3 seasons and didn't realize that there was a different way - I guess I just never had a use for it.

 

[njskier]

Thanks for info. Much appreciated