Where to Ski: Sugarbush, Vermont

Sugarbush,VT is an under discussed mountain in my opinion. I’m sure many prefer it to remain that way but I just can’t seem to keep my trap shut. When people ask me where to ski I recommend Sugarbush.

The Bush has an interesting layout but I like it. It allows you to pick and choose terrain, so you can slowly thumb your way through it like the photo annual of some ski magazine you can’t help but drool over. The Resort is basically a series of summit lifts with a few exceptions.

There is an extremely family oriented feeling to Surgarbush and it’s apparent they do a nice job at accommodating those families. If you don’t believe me just walk into the gorgeous new base lodge and see how many five to ten year olds you see walking around holding a bright red lunch tray that’s nearly as big as them with a bread bowl of something piled to the brim with some sort of excellence inside and an ear to ear grin to boot!  If you don’t have little ones this place shouldn’t turn you off by any means, bread bowls are for adults too.

Make no mistakes there is plenty of killer expert terrain to be had here. Just take a look at the runs off Lincoln Peak. Rip Cord lives up to its name because it rips. A classic wide cut run that runs right under the triple chair and follows the fall line strait to the bottom.

Steins Run off of Gadd Peak, skier’s right of Lincoln Peak is another fall line thriller. When it’s bumped up and skiing well it’s all you’ll want to do. If it’s been dumping out and you’re an expert level skier, Castlerock is the place to be. Served by a double chair, this terrain is some of the steepest on the mountain.

Maybe you’re up on a holiday weekend and it’s busy as all hell, hop on the Slide Brook Express quad over to Mount Ellen. Mount Ellen was once upon a time its own ski area but was purchased and added onto in the late 70’s, making Sugarbush one of the largest ski areas in New England. Take a run down F.I.S., The resort’s steepest run if you’re looking for a solid thrill. Keep a sharp eye out for hoards of bumblebees on race skis. The Green Mountain Valley School (GMVS) calls Mount Ellen their home, which is probably why they crank out some serious ski racers year after year.

A big shout out to the ski and rental shop. Its pretty rare I come in contact with the ski shop retailers but one of my cohorts ripped the heal piece of her binding right out of her ski at the bottom of Steins Run a few Saturdays ago. One Bloody Mary later we were back in action. Now that’s what I call customer service.

Castlerock Pub is your go to site for après watering hole activities. I recently wrote about another killer Mexican joint called the Mad Taco in downtown Waitsfield that is also worth working up an appetite for.