Black Snake

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Daybreak Snow Make

Posted at 8:16 am

 

Daybreak Snow make

Snowmaking on Sterling Mountain. Viewed from Edwards Road, near ArborTrek on Tue, Dec 11th, 7:30am.

Rockin’ Ron for Hugh. Our Snowmaking Crew is taking advantage of favorable conditions to make snow on the Sterling Mountain trails Black Snake, Birch Run, and Practice Slope. In the accompanying photo, you can see Snowmaking clouds rising along skiers’ right on Practice Slope. Of course the Snowmakers have been working all night, I just witnessed their efforts later in the process early in the morning… you know what mean… I’m just a Ronnie-come-lately.

 

 

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Top to bottom skiing and riding on all 3 mountains

Posted at 8:24 am

 

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View from the gazebo in the Village

We have 4 lifts operating today; Madonna I Lift, Sterling Lift, Mogul Mouse’s Magic Lift, and Sir Henry’s Glider. We have 56 trails open with terrain for all ability levels. Black Snake, Deer Run Glades, Pipeline Escape, Sherwood Forest, Snake Bite, Full Nelson, and the Practice Slope are closed today due to snowmaking. Surface conditions are packed powder and powder with average base depths of 20 to 50 inches. 21 trails have been groomed for today, including Smugglers’ Alley, Thomke’s, and Lower Morse Liftline for a grand total of 83 acres of freshly groomed terrain. We received 1 to 2 inches of new snow overnight and 29 inches in the past week. Today’s forecast is calling for a chance of light snow early then a mix of sun and clouds with temperatures between 20 and 31 degrees.

 

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Spring conditions

Posted at 2:51 pm
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Ski Patroller Chris Heimert enjoying the soft conditions on Black Snake

The mild temperatures today made the snow nice and soft.  I had a blast carving up Black Snake and Practice Slope. I love how the Practice Slope is nice and wide so you can lay out some huge GS turns.  The knob on skier’s right above mid point of the T-Bar is always fun to fly off.

Tomorrow we plan to have top to bottom skiing and riding on all 3 mountains with 4 lifts operating. We have 51 trails with terrain for all ability levels. 38 trails will be groomed for tomorrow, that’s 140 acres of freshly groomed terrain.

Tomorrow’s forecast is calling for partly to mostly sunny skies with a high of 26 degrees.

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Snowshoe tour

Posted at 2:43 pm
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High elevation snowshoe trek

I was at the top of Mogul Mouse Magic Lift this afternoon when I came across a group of people snowshoeing. They were participating in one of the Smugglers’ Notch Snowshoe Adventures.  The were headed to the Turkey Creek area and then to the Wire Road. These guided treks are a great way to learn more about the Vermont woods as well as master some more advanced snowshoe techniques It sure was a beautiful afternoon for a nice trek through the woods.

Tomorrow we plan to have top to bottom skiing and riding on all 3 mountains with 4 lifts operating. We have 60 trails with terrain for all ability levels. 27 trails will be groomed for tomorrow, including Upper Chilcoot, Black Snake, and Garden Path for a grand total of 101 acres of freshly groomed terrain.

Tomorrow’s forecast is cloudy skies with a chance of snow in the afternoon and an inch of accumulation possible with a high of 39 degrees.

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Soft conditions

Posted at 4:16 pm
fitness friday

Lamoille Union Middle School 7th graders here at Smuggs as part of their Fitness Friday Program. Photo credit: Melissa Piscitelli

We received a dusting of new snow on top this morning. The spring conditions are just so much fun! I had a blast today with good friends Ken and Justin on Sterling Mountain.  We enjoyed Hangman’s Drop, Upper Pipeline, Black Snake, Harveys’ Hideaway, Full Nelson, and the Practice Slope.  I would have to say that Upper Pipeline was my favorite today. It was recently groomed and was skiing very well.

Tomorrow we plan to have top to bottom skiing and riding on all 3 mountains with all 8 lifts operating. We have 57

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Justin having fun on Upper Pipeline

trails open with terrain for all ability levels. 36 trails will be groomed for tomorrow, including Upper Drifter, Smugglers’ Alley, and Meadowlark for a grand total of 139 acres of freshly groomed terrain.

 

Tomorrow’s forecast is calling for mostly sunny skies early then partly sunny skies in the afternoon with a high of 42 degrees.

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Ken loving the great conditions

 

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All smiles

Posted at 8:54 am
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At the base of the Mogul Mouse Magic Lift

We are 100 percent open with top to bottom skiing and riding on all 3 mountains with 6 lifts operating. We have all 78 trails open with terrain for all ability levels. 32 trails have been groomed for today, including Upper Drifter, Black Snake, and Wanderer for a grand total of 127 acres of freshly groomed terrain. Today’s forecast is calling for mostly sunny skies with a high of 38 degrees.  Fantastic conditions with deep base depths!

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Morse Mountain Fun

Posted at 2:49 pm
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Glade skiing at Morse Highlands

My 6 year old daughter Hayleigh only had a half day of school today. We skied together this afternoon on Morse Mountain. We were trying to get to the Morse Highlands area, but every time I turned around Hayleigh was headed into the woods. Hayleigh has learned all the secret glade runs from taking snowboard and ski lessons with our Snow Sport University.  Many of these glade runs are low angle like the one on skiers’ right at the top of Log Jam. The low angle allows the kids to focus on steering instead of speed control.  To make our afternoon complete we stopped by the Morse Highlands Day Lodge to say hi to Debbie! The kids love Debbie and Debbie loves the kids!

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Way Up High School at the entrance to Sugar Woods

We are 100 percent open with top to bottom skiing and riding on all 3 mountains with 7 lifts operating. Robin’s Run is open from the work road down to Freefall. Freefall is open from the traverse on Upper FIS. 28 trails will be groomed for tomorrow, including Waterfall, Black Snake, and Curley’s Cutback for a grand total of 120 acres of freshly groomed terrain. Tomorrow’s forecast is calling for mostly cloudy skies with a chance of flurries and a high of 32 degrees.

 

 

 

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47 inches of new snow in the past 3 days!

Posted at 4:02 pm
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Lenny skiing the Black Hole

The month of March has been quite the snow producer with 78 inches. We have been in a fantastic weather pattern! I went out this morning with Alex Martin of Smuggs TV and Snow Sport University Snowboard Instructor Kim Martin to film another edition of the No Bull Video Snow Report. We had a great time on Upper Pipeline, Black Snake, Harvey’s Hideaway, Full Nelson and Half Nelson. Later in the day I meet up with my good friends Tony, Big John, and Lenny. We skied Sally’s Alley, Freefall, Black Hole, Upper Drifter, and a bunch of glade runs in between. The smiles were big and the snow is deep!

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAWe are 100 percent open with top to bottom skiing and riding on all 3 mountains with 7 lifts operating. We have all 78 trails open with terrain for all ability levels. 39 trails will be groomed for tomorrow, including Upper Drifter, Smugglers’ Alley, and Snow Snake for a  grand total of 141 acres of freshly groomed terrain. Tonight’s forecast is calling for periods of snow with 2 inches of accumulation possible. Tomorrow’s forecast is calling for flurries and snow showers and another inch of accumulation possible with a high of 24 degrees.

kim and I

Still photo from the No Bull Video Snow Report which is on the Smugglers’ Notch Facebook page for your viewing pleasure. Photo credit: Alex Martin

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Tony finds some untracked snow

me pow

Photo credit: Eric “Lenny” Leondhart