We have received a number of emails from readers asking us about things that we like and don’t like about Vermont ski resorts. And so we decided to post short Q:A sessions. The first post in this category is about Stratton resort. And to be more precise: “What is so cool at Stratton Mountain?” We think that it is the Village.
It is located right next to slopes.
There is a number of restaurants 5 minutes away from ski lifts.
Spa center.
Coffee shops with wifi.
You can get very nice hot cocktails/Irish coffee at Mulligan’s.
Spring skiing, cold beer and the village center is a perfect combo at Stratton Mountain.
“If you ski 10 + days per season, don’t miss your chance to buy a season pass and save big on lift tickets!” proclaims a widely popular advertising pitch. It is somewhat correct: buying a season pass makes sense when you log a lot of days. The question is: How many days do you need to break even?
We started off our “ski school finance 101” with a post on Bromley mountain. Now, let’s check out its neighbor – Stratton Mountain Resort. You can access and read our Stratton review – as always, we welcome comments and quest bloggers familiar with this ski area – and if you consider frequently visiting it during the 2010 ski season, here is a breakdown of some ski deals.
In the 2010 ski season, Stratton offers a number of season passes: ultra, premier, standard, value plus, value, midweek super, parent, Sunday as well as a transferable pass.
We selected an adult standard ski pass because it is valid seven days a week and has no restrictions. Stratton resort has not announced ticket prices for this upcoming season yet, so we took the 2008/2009 data as a reference point.
We strive to be as accurate as possible, however, if you notice a mistake, please let us know and we will correct it. Buying a season ski pass is an expensive expenditure. You should explore all of your options, family commitments and a credit line limit before clicking on a submit button. Ready? Let’s pull out our financial calculators.
Stratton Mountain 2009/2010 ski deals and holiday dates calendar
Q: How much does it cost to buy an adult standard pass at Stratton Mountain resort?
A: If you buy it before October 12th, it will cost $1047.53 including tax.
Q: How long does it take to breakeven if I buy a season pass before October 12th?
A: It takes about 13 days of skiing during the peak period. (13.4 to be exact if using 2008/2009 peak ticket prices.)
Q: What is a total number of the peak days at Stratton Mountain resort?
A: There are 19 peak days in the 2009/2010 ski season.
Q: What is the holiday lift ticket rate?
A: We don’ know 2010 numbers yet. However, a holiday lift ticket was $79.00 in 2008/2009. We did not take into account various promotions or savings program such as X2 card.
Q: What if I ski all 19 peak days using my standard adult pass?
There is a couture jewelry boutique, The North Face, and a Burton flagship store, among other brand names, in this small ski village. You can buy Barron’s and The Wall Street Journal in a local coffee shop or relax at the end of a day in the village bar voted among the “Top 5 Apres Ski Bars” by Outside Magazine. In short, this village and resort is an elegant hub akin to fabled ski towns on the West Coast or Swiss Alps. However, there is one big difference: the Stratton ski resort is nested among the Green Mountains in southern Vermont – far away from the Rockies.
Stratton is a popular ski destination in the East.
The Stratton mountain resort is a very popular tourist destination Vermont. It takes just four hours to get there from NYC, and it seems that folks from the tri-state area have taken notice of this fact. On the upside, Stratton has extensive snowmaking systems, plenty of trails for all skills, and of course, terrain parks for freestyle skiers and riders. Plus, the resort hosts the US Open Snowboard championship in late March, meaning that they meticulously maintain snow surfaces well into the late season.
Beginners probably would enjoy the gentle terrain served by Solstice and Tamarack lifts. There are plenty of easy trails accessible from these lifts, and it tends to be less crowded there. A word of caution: while moderate pitches work well for beginners, more skillful skiers and riders might want to avoid these areas because certain trails tend to be just flat. For example, you might want to skip the Home Run because it looks and feels like a cross country track rather than a downhill trail – that is, of course, if you don’t rent one of those luxury ski in-ski out condos along this ski trail.
If you already mastered “the pizza pie” plowing technique and feel comfortable turning on your skis, consider the green trails running from the summit of Stratton. I wholeheartedly recommend taking Mike’s Way, a narrow and picturesque trail running from the top of the mountain.
If you are an upper intermediate or advanced skier/rider, head toward the Shooting Star lift because it serves a number of double black diamonds. Keep in mind that if you are set on advanced skiing terrain, it would make a lot sense to park in the Sun Bowl Base area. Those who prefer rails, boxes, and other jibs should head to the main base and the American Express ski lift serving the freestyle parks.
I also should mention a couple of other things that might make your visit to Stratton ski resort more pleasurable. Stratton mountain is a luxury Vermont ski resort – make no mistake about it – so you should expect to pay top dollar prices for many services. They do take credit cards, but if you enjoy homemade Belgian waffles with hot chocolate, make sure to take enough cash because they don’t take plastic at the Waffle Cabin. If you need cash, search for an ATM before you come to Stratton because you will be charged around $3 dollars for that service.
It might not be cool to pull an Italian hero stuffed with salami from your Louis Vuitton leather bag, but it surely will save some serious cash. If you are willing to consider such “shameful” tactics at such a luxurious place, there is a Seven Eleven store at the bottom of the access road, where you can buy sandwiches and withdraw cash for less than half of what you would spend at this Vermont ski resort.
If you need to call up the ski patrol or some other service, you should inquire about it at the information desk. Some of Stratton’s employees might not be well-informed how to get a ski patrol – it comes from a personal experience of getting a friend off the trail – but folks at the information desk should be able to help to resolve all issues.
If you need to rent equipment, be aware that boots are fitted in one building and skis in another. Bring someone who can assist you to pick the right equipment; it will help immensely since we all have different feet, but a rental shop has only one size guide that supposedly fits them all.
And finally, just have fun at Stratton. Stratton mountain resort has that special Western ski village atmosphere, well-groomed trails, and freestyle parks that you will be hard-pressed to find somewhere else in Vermont. Just expect to fork out a lot of cash – far away from the fabled ski towns of the Rocky Mountains.
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