Stowe
City:
Stowe
Region:
East Coast
Updated:
October 31, 2024
61
PeakRankings Score
To give each resort a Mountain Score, we assess 10 equally weighted categories that paint an overall picture of the typical mountain experience.
[Year] Rankings
Overall Rank
#
60
Rank In
United States
#
48
Rank In
Vermont
#
2
Category Scores
Snow
Criteria Breakdown
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10
The resort gets top accumulation and snow that forms in a way that feels light and powdery all the time.
9
The resort sees very good accumulation and gets powder that takes awhile to track or feels notably light.
8
The resort sees very good snow accumulation each season that tends to stay powdery for several days in a row.
7
The resort sees very good, powdery snow accumulation each season, but powder doesn't always last long at certain places in the resort.
6
The resort sees good accumulation that forms a solid base each season and sometimes sees powder but sometimes suffers from variable cover.
5
The resort sees decent accumulation each season but sometimes suffers from variable cover and rarely sees powder.
4
The resort sees okay accumulation each season. Non-snowmaking trails regularly suffer from thin or variable cover.
3
The resort sees mediocre accumulation each season. Thin cover is a given on all non-snowmaking trails.
2
The resort receives poor accumulation each season and must heavily rely on snowmaking to stay open.
1
The resort would have little to no snow if it weren't for snowmaking. If you're not on a trail, you probably don't see any accumulation.
0
The resort doesn’t get any snow.
6
Lifts
Criteria Breakdown
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10
High-speed lifts exist across every mountain area. Helper lifts are high-speed as well.
9
Most lifts are high-speed, with only a few areas serviced by helper fixed-grip lifts.
8
All but a few areas are accessible by high-speed lifts. Helper lifts may be fixed grip.
7
Most areas are accessible by high-speed lifts. Helper lifts are fixed grip.
6
Many areas are accessible by high-speed lifts, but some are only serviced by fixed-grip lifts.
5
About half of areas are accessible by high-speed lifts.
4
A few areas are accessible by high-speed lifts, but most areas only see fixed-grip lift service.
3
All lifts are fixed grip but some are at least modern.
2
Lifts are extremely old or low-capacity. Some places are only serviced by surface lifts.
1
Surface lifts only.
0
No lifts.
8
Resiliency
Criteria Breakdown
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10
The mountain can quickly recover from the worst conditions and deliver the exact same experience as on a good day.
9
The mountain can quickly recover from almost any poor conditions thanks to excellent poor snow and weather mitigation.
8
The mountain successfully mitigates snow or weather issues in nearly every mountain area and across all terrain categories. A few parts of the resort may occasionally see significant impacts.
7
The mountain successfully mitigates snow or weather issues in most mountain areas, but some parts of the mountain are highly affected by inclement weather or poor conditions.
6
The mountain successfully mitigates snow or weather issues in many mountain areas, but other parts are highly susceptible to inclement weather or poor conditions.
5
The mountain has some capabilities to avoid inclement weather or poor conditions, but struggles to mitigate poor conditions in many mountain areas.
4
The mountain has some capabilities to avoid inclement weather or poor conditions, but is regularly forced to close a few major parts of the mountain. Under severe circumstances, the mountain may be forced to completely suspend operations.
3
The mountain has some capabilities to avoid inclement weather or poor conditions, but is regularly forced to close multiple major mountain areas. Occasionally, the mountain may be forced to suspend operations completely.
2
In the event of any inclement weather, the mountain loses most of its skiable terrain, with restoration regularly taking several days or weeks. A few small runs may stay open.
1
In the event of any inclement weather, the mountain loses its entire skiable footprint and may take weeks to recover.
0
Any inclement weather issues are season-ending.
6
Crowd Flow
Criteria Breakdown
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10
The mountain's infrastructure is perfectly set up for crowd flow and capacity and does the best possible job to mitigate crowding.
9
The mountain's lift infrastructure is mostly direct and well-placed with excellent capacity.
8
The mountain's lift infrastructure is mostly direct and well-placed with good capacity. One or two areas could use a capacity upgrade.
7
The mountain's lift infrastructure is usually direct and well-placed with good capacity. A few areas could use a capacity upgrade or better placed lifts. Trails themselves rarely become chokepoints.
6
The mountain's lift and trail network is usually direct with good capacity. Some areas suffer from indirect lift placements or poorly thought out junctions.
5
The mountain’s lift and trail network comprises a comparable mix of direct, well-placed routes and indirect or capacity-constrained ones.
4
The mountain's lift and trail network is set up in a way that causes major crowding or indirect routing for many popular routes. Some areas are served by direct, well-placed lifts.
3
The mountain's lift and trail network causes serious crowding or indirect routing for most areas, but a few places are served by direct, well-placed lifts.
2
The mountain's lift and trail network is not equipped to handle crowds on a normal day and sees backups of more than half an hour.
1
The mountain's crowd flow logistics are seriously flawed. Poor lift placement and uphill capacity can cause backups of more than an hour.
0
The mountain's crowd flow logistics are so bad that you shouldn't expect to get on the mountain on a typical day.
4
Size
Criteria Breakdown
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10
7000+ skiable acres
9
3500-7000 skiable acres
8
2500-3500 skiable acres
7
1800-2500 skiable acres
6
1200-1800 skiable acres
5
800-1200 skiable acres
4
500-800 skiable acres
3
250-500 skiable acres
2
100-250 skiable acres
1
1-100 skiable acres
0
0 skiable acres
3
Facilities
Criteria Breakdown
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10
The mountain boasts easily accessible, high-capacity lodges at every major and minor junction area.
9
The mountain boasts easily accessible, high-capacity lodges throughout most mountain areas.
8
The mountain boasts several lodges or huts across the resort. A few minor mid- or high-elevation areas lack easy access to high-capacity facilities.
7
The mountain boasts several lodges or huts across the resort. Some major mountain areas lack easy access to high-capacity facilities.
6
The mountain boasts several lodges or huts across multiple areas, but some places lack easy access to the closest facilities.
5
The mountain consists of high-capacity lodges at each base area but suffers from limited, low-capacity, or impractically placed on-mountain facilities.
4
The mountain consists of high-capacity lodges at each base area. Any on-mountain facilities are limited, low-capacity, and impractically placed.
3
The mountain consists of at least one high-capacity base lodge but no on-mountain facilities.
2
The mountain consists of a moderately-sized base lodge but no on-mountain facilities.
1
The mountain consists of a singular base lodge that's either impractically small or hard to reach.
0
The mountain doesn't consist of any on-site lodge facilities.
6
Terrain Diversity
Criteria Breakdown
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10
The mountain has an abundance of terrain in all categories for all ability levels.
9
The mountain offers multiple options in all terrain categories you'd typically find at a ski resort.
8
The mountain offers at least some options in all terrain categories you'd typically find at a ski resort.
7
The mountain offers terrain in most categories for a range of ability levels, but may fall short in one or two areas.
6
The mountain offers terrain in many categories but either falls short or lacks terrain in a few others.
5
The mountain offers terrain of varying lengths, gradients, and widths but lacks terrain in multiple categories.
4
The mountain offers similar terrain of moderately different lengths, gradients, and widths.
3
The mountain offers similar terrain of slightly different lengths, gradients, or widths.
2
The mountain consists of runs that are similar to one another but vary slightly by difficulty.
1
The mountain only consists of runs that provide nearly identical terrain experiences.
0
The mountain has no terrain.
7
Navigation
Criteria Breakdown
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10
It's easy, direct, and clear to get anywhere on the mountain from any place.
9
It's easy, direct, and clear to get anywhere on the mountain from most places. A small fraction of trails don't have direct access to all other mountain areas.
8
It's easy to get to and from most mountain areas. A few minor areas aren't directly accessible from all other parts of the resort or may be hard to find.
7
It's reasonably simple to get between most major mountain areas. A few areas require catwalks or traverses to get to or from or are hard to find. Some areas require multiple direct lift rides to travel between.
6
It's reasonably simple to get between many major mountain areas, but some areas require more effort due to poor signage, indirect lifts, or catwalks.
5
Some mountain areas are easy to navigate while others require more effort due to poor signage, indirect lifts, or catwalks.
4
Some mountain areas are easy to get between, but navigating many major areas can be confusing. Some major trails may suffer from poor signage or require catwalks.
3
It can take multiple lifts or be notably confusing to get between major resort areas. Many resort areas suffer from indirect trail routes, poor signage, or multiple catwalks.
2
It takes a substantial amount of effort and multiple indirect lifts to get between resort areas with little enjoyable terrain in between. Expect to occasionally get lost.
1
Expect to regularly get lost at this resort due to poor signage and lift placement. Getting between mountain areas requires notable effort and extremely unenjoyable terrain.
0
It's impossible to get around this resort. You will likely get lost or spend your whole day trying to get from one place to another.
7
Challenge
Criteria Breakdown
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10
The resort boasts truly extreme terrain across several prominent areas. Any double blacks should not be attempted, even by experts, without using extreme caution.
9
Select resort areas boast some of the most challenging runs in the world. The most challenging terrain should not be attempted, even by experts, without using extreme caution.
8
The mountain boasts extremely demanding terrain with sustained pitches, cliffs, drop-ins, and/or tight turns.
7
The mountain offers a range of very steep, ungroomed terrain with features like cliffs, drop-ins, or tight turns.
6
The mountain offers a range of steep, difficult terrain, with expert features like cliffs in some places.
5
The mountain offers some fairly steep groomed and ungroomed runs.
4
The mountain offers some steep runs but very little ungroomed terrain.
3
The mountain primarily offers groomed terrain with moderate pitches.
2
The mountain offers mostly gently-sloped terrain.
1
None of the mountain's terrain is more difficult than a typical bunny hill.
0
The mountain is completely flat.
8
Mountain Aesthetic
Criteria Breakdown
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10
The resort offers one-of-a-kind views, terrain, isolation, and vibes. You probably won't find a resort that feels like this again in your lifetime.
9
The resort offers unique terrain, views, and isolation that you'll rarely find anywhere else.
8
The resort clearly distinguishes itself with class-leading views, terrain, and isolation.
7
The resort feels unique, with high-quality views, terrain, and isolation across the footprint.
6
The resort doesn't boast the same unique terrain as some competing resorts but offers excellent views and isolation in many areas.
5
The resort offers some cool terrain and great views and isolation in some areas. Some areas may feel commercialized or built-up.
4
The resort offers decently cool terrain, nice views, or pockets of isolation in places. Major areas may feel commercialized or built-up.
3
The resort either feels commercialized or built-up around more than half the resort or offers only moderately interesting terrain, views and isolation.
2
The resort either feels commercialized or built-up in most areas or offers only mildly interesting terrain, views or isolation.
1
The resort barely feels like a mountain, with intense commercialization and very little in the way of views, terrain, or isolation.
0
The resort is completely flat or indoors.
6
Good To Know
Aprés-ski:
Moderate
On-site Lodging:
Yes
Nearest City:
Montreal (2.5 hrs), Boston (3.5 hrs), New York (6 hrs)
Pass Affiliation:
Epic Pass
Epic [Backend]
Ikon [Backend]
Mountain Collective [Backend]
Other [Backend]
Recommended Ability:
From
Beginner
To
Advanced
Beginner [Backend]
Intermediate [Backend]
Advanced [Backend]
Expert [Backend]
Extreme [Backend]
Pros
- Demanding expert terrain
- Snow quality for Vermont
- Modern lifts in most major areas
- Ease of navigation
Pro Con Item [Backend]
Cons
- Crowd flow
- Impractically placed Mansfield base facilities
Pro Con Item [Backend]
Mountain Stats
485
acres
Skiable Footprint
1327
acres
Total Footprint
100
%
Lift-Serviced Terrain
3625
ft
Top Elevation
2360
ft
Vertical Drop
12
Lifts
116
Trails
16
%
Beginner
55
%
Intermediate
29
%
Advanced/Expert
Comprehensive Review
Looking for a Northeast destination that pulls out all the stops? As one of the longest operating ski areas not just in the region but in the world, Stowe has been a go-to ski vacation spot for generations.
Stowe sits in northern Vermont, and its location makes it a bit colder and less convenient to reach than many competitors. The resort has a few flaws, yet it still manages to hold its own against the best East Coast mountains.
Size and Terrain Layout
While it isn’t the largest ski resort on the East Coast, Stowe offers a 485-acre footprint comprising two distinct mountains with well-rounded terrain. These two mountains include the Mount Mansfield side, which offers terrain for all abilities but is overall more advanced in nature, and the Spruce Peak side, which is more family-oriented with race training. The two sides are connected by the base-to-base Over Easy Gondola which boasts a brisk two-minute ride time.
Beginner Terrain
Stowe isn’t exactly oriented towards those learning how to ski or snowboard, but the beginner experience has gotten better thanks to recent enhancements. The Spruce Peak side offers the best selection of beginner terrain on the mountain, with a decently-sized bunny hill complex consisting of two relatively short lifts. One of these lifts, the Adventure Triple, services an exclusive trail that winds around condos and offers more character than a typical bunny slope.
Green runs on the Mansfield side have historically been lacking, but the new Sunrise Six chair brings high-speed lift service to Stowe’s existing green terrain for the first time ever. That, combined with some regrading near the top of the lift, has allowed for more and better beginner options off the face of Mansfield than in years past.
Besides the Sunrise lift, the Mansfield side’s green runs are constrained to the Toll House. But guests should pretty much avoid this area unless parked over there, as it’s a flat, neglected mountain area serviced by a miserably slow double chair. While none of Stowe’s other chairs directly serve any green runs, most beginners shouldn’t have a huge problem getting down the upper section of the Toll Road trail served by the FourRunner lift, and this is a great run to test the waters before progressing to the next level.
Intermediate Terrain
Stowe offers a very strong selection of intermediate slopes. With the exception of the aforementioned Toll House, every mountain area offers some flavor of this type of terrain. Most runs under the gondola and on Spruce Peak are nice, groomed cruisers, while the FourRunner lift services a few enjoyable blue runs as well. The new Sunrise Six makes it a lot more convenient to lap many of the blues on the Mansfield side without lapping the top part of FourRunner over and over again. Some blue trails sport moguls, a rarity among Vermont resorts that may catch some intermediate skiers off guard, but these bump sections rarely last long and are almost always groomed if it’s a peak weekend or holiday.
If you go over to the Sensation Quad on the Spruce Peak side, there is a catch—if you choose to stick exclusively to blue trails, there’s no way to get back to the base without engaging in some mild hiking. This wasn’t always the case, but Stowe closed a couple of trails in this area about a decade ago to reorient it for racing. However, the Upper Main Street and Main Street Headwall runs in this area used to be blues and should be doable for most intermediates.
TRAIL MAP
Advanced and Expert Terrain
Stowe offers some of the most demanding terrain anywhere on the East Coast. The most difficult runs are on the Mansfield side; while the Spruce Peak side does have advanced-level terrain, its toughest runs are much tamer.
The FourRunner lift services Stowe’s famed “Front Four”—these include the Goat and Starr trails, which deliver narrow, steep, and demandingly variable conditions, and the close-by Liftline and National trails, which aren’t quite as narrow or variable but offer similarly pitched terrain. These trails are long too, putting a strain on your endurance.
The Chin Clip trail off the gondola, while not as difficult terrain-wise as the Front Four, maintains a long, sustained pitch you can’t bail on for the bottom two-thirds of the run. The aptly-named Waterfall trail and a few unmarked nearby wooded areas, also off the gondola, will send you off a frozen waterfall.
Terrain Parks
Stowe offers two terrain parks on the Mansfield side, but the setup lags behind others in Vermont. The freestyle trails boast some family-friendly snow features and a number of small to medium jumps, boxes, and rails, but there aren’t any setups designed for advanced and expert freestylers.
Snow Quality
Stowe’s northern Vermont location allows it to offer very strong East Coast snow quality. Each season, the resort typically experiences more snow events and fewer freeze-thaw cycles than competing ski areas further south. This means that natural conditions at Stowe are often better than central and southern Vermont competitors.
RECOMMENDED SKIS FOR STOWE
NOTE: We may receive a small affiliate commission if you click on the below links. All products listed below areunisex.
Snowmaking and On-Mountain Resiliency
Stowe employs snowmaking on a sizable chunk of its footprint to ensure reliable operations throughout the season. In addition, the FourRunner Quad cable runs at slow speeds at night to avoid icing, protecting that lift against weather holds.
But not every trail sees snowmaking, and conditions, like at other Vermont resorts, can be heavily variable. Stowe still does see its fair share of warm weather days, and thin cover and icy terrain, while less common than resorts further south, do occur. Stowe is pretty conservative when it comes to opening many of its best expert runs, making it tough to reliably plan for the resort’s most extreme terrain. Trying to hit Goat or Starr if it hasn’t snowed in a few days or if it’s any time before late January? Better cross your fingers they’re open.
Crowds
As the only northern Vermont resort on the Epic Pass, Stowe gets packed during peak times, and crowd flow is a mixed bag. On busy days, the Mansfield Gondola is the worst lift on the mountain. Lines get atrociously long at this enclosed, intermediate-oriented lift, and there aren’t any helper lifts to service the same terrain, making it a substantial chokepoint. Lines for the FourRunner Quad can get very long as well, although this lift is relieved by the essentially parallel Lookout Double and just-installed Sunrise Six.
Crowd management could use some work; if there are multiple different line mazes to get on the same lift, you might end up waiting twice as long just cause you picked the wrong one. In addition, the gondola singles line doesn’t start until you get into the entrance barn, meaning that there’s no segmentation structure at the start of the line if the crowd extends out of there. Fortunately, the crowd flow on the less trafficked Spruce Peak side is much smoother.
On-Mountain Facilities
Stowe’s on-mountain facilities are a mixed bag, albeit with some notable improvements in recent years.
The Mansfield base facilities suffer from some rather frustrating logistical issues. The Midway Lodge on the Gondola side is several feet up from the start of the Gondola and only accessible by taking a lift up to the top—this makes it incredibly inconvenient to reach from the base and especially annoying on days when the lines are bad. The other option is the Mansfield Lodge at the bottom of the FourRunner terrain—this lodge is thankfully much easier to get to and leave than in previous seasons thanks to the new Sunrise lift, but it’s still fairly hard to spot and not immediately apparent if you end up at the bottom of the FourRunner chair. If you parked near the gondola and want to stop in a lodge at the beginning or end of the day, it’s going to be a hassle.
Luckily, it only takes a short Over Easy Gondola ride to get to the Spruce Peak base, where facilities are much better. The Spruce Peak Base Lodge is centrally located and offers plenty of space, even during peak times.
When it comes to upper-mountain facilities, Stowe has a few across its footprint. The Mansfield side offers convenient summit lodges at the top of both FourRunner and the Gondola, but the FourRunner summit lodge is relatively small and offers very limited seating at peak times. The Spruce Peak side is relatively small compared to the Mansfield side, and the only public lodge above the base is a bathroom at the Sensation Quad loading area.
Lifts and Navigation
Getting around the rest of Stowe isn’t bad. High-speed lifts service most major terrain. Informative signage makes few areas difficult to find or miss. It’s quick and easy to physically travel from one mountain area to another in most cases, although the aforementioned Base Camp Road trail out of the Sensation Quad area and the route directly from the Over Easy Gondola to the FourRunner Quad can require some catwalking.
RECOMMENDED SNOWBOARDS FOR STOWE
NOTE: We may receive a small affiliate commission if you click on the below links. All products listed below areunisex.
Mountain Aesthetic
Stowe is one of the more aesthetic resorts as far as East Coast ski areas go. The Mount Mansfield side looks and feels unique thanks to its striking, often snow-capped mountain tops. The Spruce Peak side consists of less unique topography than the Mansfield side, but on clear days, both resort sides offer fantastic, uninhibited views of one another.
The resort has become more built up in recent years, and the Spruce Peak base area is now home to many stores and condos. Half of the old Midway slope at Mount Mansfield, previously a bunny hill, has been converted into a parking lot. But there’s very little buildup on the slopes themselves, and many competitors are worse offenders.
Backcountry Access
Upon on initial visit to Stowe, it can be quite disappointing to realize the resort doesn’t extend to the top of those peaks. But if you’re really determined, you can hike to them for some of the most extreme, otherworldly backcountry terrain you’ll find anywhere in Vermont. The hike can take up to 45 minutes, but it’s like nothing else within easy reach of a ski resort on a good day. Runs either merge into the resort or end on Route 108 for a catwalk back. The Spruce Peak side offers access to some backcountry as well and sports a trail to theSmugglers’ Notchski area via a short hike.
Getting There
Stowe’s northern Vermont location means it’s a long drive to reach from major Northeast metropolitan areas. With no traffic, the drive takes approximately six hours from the New York City area, and it takes about three-and-a-half from Boston. On the other hand, the drive from the Canadian city of Montreal takes only about two-and-a-half hours, making it the closest major city to Stowe. Burlington, which is Vermont’s largest city, is about 45 minutes away.
Lodging
All of Stowe’s on-site hotel and condo rentals exist at the Spruce Peak and Toll House bases. These accommodations are quite pricey and out of budget for the vast majority of travelers, especially when it comes to the Spruce Peak offerings. More reasonably priced options exist on the access road and in the nearby town of Stowe—and for the most economical options, visitors may want to explore options a bit further away in Waterbury or Morrisville. However, access road traffic has always been a problem, and guests who don’t stay on site may find themselves waiting in hours-long traffic jams during the busiest holiday mornings.
Parking
For the 2022-23 season, Stowe made a major change to their parking policy, implementing paid parking on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays at all lots except for the Cross Country Center and Toll House area. This change has definitely cut down on crowds and access road traffic, but the remaining free lots are pretty inconvenient compared with Stowe’s other parking options. Guests can avoid the parking fee by carpooling in vehicles carrying four or more individuals.
Aprés-ski
Stowe isn’t the biggest party mountain on the East Coast, but the resort offers a few strong aprés-ski and nightlife spots. A number of on-mountain bars offer terrific happy hour vibes (but no drink deals thanks to Vermont’s liquor laws). Most bars in town are tied to pub-like restaurants, and many close after dinner time. A few stay open later, even on weekdays—be sure to check out Rimrocks, a classic sports bar, and the Rusty Nail, which regularly features live music and provides a more club-like atmosphere.
Sep 14, 2023 Written By Sam Weintraub
Verdict
Stowe suffers from heavy crowding at peak times and may not offer the most convenient base facilities, but this resort delivers a combination of quality snow, modern lift service, and challenging terrain that’s really difficult to beat on the East Coast. In addition, easy access to outstanding Vermont backcountry terrain will appeal to the resort’s most adventurous visitors.
Pricing
Lift tickets are among the most pricey in the state, with 1-day adult rates as high a $185 for a single day at the resort. However, Stowe is part of the Epic Pass suite, and guests who purchase either day or season pass products before early December can access the resort for a much more reasonable rate. Ultimately, not everyone will want to make the commitment to drive all the way up to Stowe, but for the right folks, the resort may well be worth it.
Best Winter Wonderland Getaway
The resort is a true winter wonderland, with stunning scenery and fantastic skiing conditions. The après-ski activities were a blast, and the staff went out of their way to ensure everything ran smoothly. I especially enjoyed the variety of trails and the relaxing atmosphere after a day on the slopes.
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