Stowe, near Burlington in northern Vermont, is known as the "Beast of the East" - home to some of New England's most exciting runs in the form of the Front Four (Starr, Goat, National and Lift Line).
A modern lift system includes a new standing gondola to shuttle guests between Stowe's two peaks, Mount Mansfield and its "sister" mountain, Spruce Peak, with the majority of runs criss-crossing Mount Mansfield, the state's tallest peak. Spruce Peak is ideal for families with plenty of fun blue runs and good intermediate terrain, as well as being home to the resort's Children's Adventure Centre.
Advanced skiers will love the Front Four's long, steep, heavily mogulled runs accessible by the high-speed FourRunner Quad. On a clear day, the summit also offers superb views across Lake Champlain, the Adirondacks Mountains, and Mount Washington.
From the quad, you can also reach the glade (tree-lined) runs from here (Tres Amigos off Hayride, the Lookout Glades and the glades spreading from Rimrock). The resort offers 485 acres of skiable terrain with its highest skiing elevation at 1109m and a vertical drop of 719m. Ideal for intermediates (59%) and advanced (25%), there are 48 trails offering 68km of runs, the longest being 6km.
There are also 200km of cross-country trails, opportunities for fantastic off-piste skiing and even night skiing.
Snowboarders love Stowe and it's a particularly good resort for beginners. Home to the renowned "Learn to Board" programme, in conjunction with Stowe resident and boarding pioneer Jeff Burton, boarders can learn with special training equipment and the guarantee that they'll be able to link turns by the end of the first day. For advanced boarders, Stowe has no less than three terrain parks and a superpipe, plus kilometres of mountain terrain for all abilities.
Childcare is available for those aged from six weeks to six years and for older kids there are ski and board school lessons.
How about sleigh rides, snowmobile tours and ice-skating?
Stowe's winter season runs from early November to mid-April. The resort enjoys ample snow plus state-of-the-art snowmaking facilities.
In contrast to these killer pistes, Stowe is a typical 18th-Century New England village, surrounded by the rolling peaks of Vermont's Green Mountains.
The nearest airport is at Boston, just a 3-hour drive away. It is served by many airlines.
Après ski is varied and good fun. With over 60 restaurants to choose from, it's one of the best places to eat in the region after Boston and Providence. Nightlife is muted but you'll enjoy great evenings in the traditional bars and rustic-beamed inns.
Stowe tourism website
Address: Stowe Mountain Resort, 5781 Mountain Rd, Stowe, VT, 05672, USA
Email: info@stowe.com
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