Earlier in the morning, we received a comment from a reader who pointed out that Magic Mountain will only be open on weekends, holidays and after major snowstorms in the 2009/2010 season. That got me thinking – if they change hours of operation, why not change an image. I often hear comments such as: “Magic is for kids. It is not for a serious skier.” It is simply not true – Magic Mountain has what some might consider the steepest terrain in southern Vermont. It is a real mountain for a serious skier. No kidding.
Magic Mountain Resort
The resort is sandwiched between much more developed ski areas – Bromley Mountain and Stratton. It won’t be easy for Magic to catch up with them, and it would surely require significant investments to upgrade facilities, ski lifts and/or add experienced staff. Frankly, considering current economic situation I don’t see it happening anytime soon.
Perhaps, it does not make much sense to chase after bigger resorts. As much as I love Magic Mountain, I doubt that it can compete for beginner and intermediate skiers and snowboarders. Not right now at least. At the end, it all comes down to numbers – simply put the other resorts have more lifts, trails, personnel, and you can’t beat that with one slow double chair. But what you can do is to lure those who don’t need rentals, instructors and wide cruisers. Magic Mountain can attract people who need adrenaline and thrills rather than a waffle cabin and frills.
Look at Silverton Mountain in Colorado. The main web page sums it up: “Advanced and expert only riding, no groomers, no clearcut runs and a real mountain experience with plenty of adventure on tap.” I truly believe that the Silverton model can be a blueprint for Magic. Sure, we can’t compare the numbers, total verticals and snowfalls. But we can do is to apply the main marketing pitch: all thrills and no frills. I can bet it should have enough followers. Sign me up!
I have good news! The 2009/2010 ski rankings have been released. Ski Magazine and its sister publication, Skiing Magazine, published readers’ perspectives on the best ski resorts in North America. I will not go over the Western ski resorts but, instead, will offer my humble opinion on the Eastern resorts’ rankings: they are very entertaining but fairly useless for the purpose of deciding where to go on the next ski vacation.
I do not have any intention of criticizing the readers whose opinions were used to calculate the ski rankings, nor do I want to dispute every result. However, almost any ski vacation comes with a package. I am not talking about a hotel-plus-car type of a deal; my definition of a ski package includes a ski resort, your skills, preferences, the resort’s services, and Mother Nature’s mood – these factors can dramatically skew our perspectives and influence opinions.
For example, an unseasonal thaw in the New England region – though there is nothing unusual about rains in mid-February – can spoil a ski vacation regardless of the resort’s terrain and annual snowfall. The famous Front Four at Stowe is a fantastic option to challenge yourself but when moguls are covered in thick and hard ice, it is doubtful many will appreciate the narrow and steep trails. Throw into the mix an instance of bad customer service and, all of sudden, we can read: “The worst experience ever. The next time I will choose…”
On the other hand, a foot of fresh powder makes an enormous difference. For most winter sports enthusiasts skiing in Vermont, waking up in the morning and seeing falling snow outside the window is priceless. Sometimes they spend weeks waiting for that day and, when Mother Nature dumps a foot of snow, it generally does not matter where you ski. Last season, I had great powder days at Magic Mountain, Bromley, and Stratton ski resorts in southern Vermont. I also caught snowstorms while skiing at Sugarbush, Jay Peak, and Wildcat, to name the few. At the end of day, my friends and I could care less that a resort’s cafeteria was closed, the coffee was cold, or a lift operator was unfriendly. What mattered most was the snow – it brought out positive feelings and pushed back the negatives. “We had a wonderful experience skiing at Mountain X! It is unquestionably a top-five ski resort in Vermont!” would be a typical review. (And of course it would unquestionably affect any ski rankings!)
And then, there is always a question about your skills, preferences, and athletic abilities. I have seen people progressing from a bunny slope to beginner trails in one day. I also know people who spent a couple of days struggling to master first turns. There is no hard rule about how to designate trails. What might be a double black diamond at one Vermont ski resort is designated an intermediate trail at another. In other words, you could spend days polishing ski slopes with your rear and have your miserable experience relayed in ski rankings. Or you could have a blast skiing trails that perfectly fit your style and skills, and rank a ski resort at the top of a list.
Of course, some ski resorts in Vermont are better than others. However, I think we should approach the rankings issue from a relative, and not absolute, perspective. For example, Jay Peak resort might be the best backcountry and glade experience in the East, but Smugglers’ Notch will be at the top of family programs. Stowe is a place where a convergence of luxury style, classic trails, and a picturesque ski village creates a well-rounded Vermont vacation experience. And Killington resort offers seven mountains, 145 trails, and the highest point in New England reached by an aerial lift. Which resort is better?
I think it is not the ski rankings that direct you toward the ultimate ski destination. It is a total package that includes your style, skills, needs, and — most importantly — fresh snow that makes a ski vacation truly memorable experience.
Have a snowy 2009/2010 ski season!
2010 Eastern ski resorts rankings by Ski Magazine. Overall Satisfaction.
Tremblant, Que
Smugglers’ Notch, VT
Sugarloaf, Maine
Cannon Mountain, N.H.
Jay Peak, VT
Sugarbush, VT
Wildcat, N.H.
Holiday Valley, N.Y.
Mt. Sunapee, N.H.
Whiteface, N.Y
P.s. If you would like to see all rankings, get a copy of Ski Magazine or visit their site. They have 18 categories ranking resorts based on terrain, apres-ski, snow terrain parks, lodging and such.
P.s.s. In the final rankings – Stowe was ranked third, Sugarbush was #13, Jay Peak was # 19.
A stuffed turkey or a ski vacation? I faced this dilemma a week before Thanksgiving. “Hmm, we can combine a Thanksgiving dinner with the early ski season vacation in Vermont! Mount Snow anyone?” I came up with a solution and immediately sent out emails trying to lure my friends into joining me. I promised to take gravy and cranberry sauce and hoped to have enough people to split the cost of lodging.
Those who know me well tend to take my ideas cautiously – I am a big proponent of skiing at Mount Hood in June and driving seven hours to Jay Peak for one day of powder skiing. But this time around, I had no problem selling the early ski package. Perhaps I was lucky, or maybe my friends felt it was a good time to get out of NYC. In any case, we packed an old Ford Taurus and hit I-91 in pursuit of skiing happiness.
Mount Snow in November
Most ski resorts have some terrain open by the end of November. They also offer attractive discount packages that make it a lot of sense to visit ski resorts early in the season – at least for those who can ski intermediate and advanced terrains. But we had a couple of beginners and, soon enough, I realized that convincing friends was easier than finding a ski resort that would work for all of us.
I scratched Tremblant because nobody wanted to spend a day at JFK airport. After all, it was Thanksgiving — when traffic and flight delays are as traditional as turkey and cranberry sauce. Jay Peak was very tempting; it offered huge discounts and the customer- service person sounded very optimistic about the possibility of having green trails open. However, nobody (except me) wanted to drive for seven hours, which steered enthusiasm away from Jay Peak and toward the Stowe ski resort. Stowe customer representatives sounded confident that a skating rink would be open no matter what; they weren’t sure about having beginner trails by the opening day.
Just when I thought that things were going south, my Internet search led me to an unlikely candidate located in southern Vermont – Mount Snow. The Mount Snow ski resort not only offered reasonable rates, but already had a bunny slope and one green trail open. Plus, it was just three and a half hours away from NYC. It worked for us and addressed all of our needs, so the decision was made and a condo was booked in Snow Trees Village — along with lift tickets.
We arrived at Mount Snow early on Thursday, and soon enough realized it was not easy to find someone who could help us locate our condo. Though a bit frustrated, once we finally found the condo, all logistical issues faded away. And how could they not? The one-bedroom place was spacious, had a deck, grill, and a fireplace. Plus, we brought with us a collection of fine spirits, turkey, and cranberry sauce.
Mount Snow early season skiing
The next morning — in good spirits but with heavy hangovers — we drove to the base lodge and, finally, hit the slopes. Certainly, frozen granular, occasional bare ice patches, and a limited number of trails made it difficult to enjoy skiing a whole day. But frankly, it would have been naïve to expect prime season conditions at the end of November. Sure, we hoped for an unexpected snow storm; however, having a great time with friends certainly helped to outweigh the limited November skiing at Mount Snow.
September is now almost over and the 2009/2010 ski season is not that far away. There is always a hope that Mother Nature will bless us with an unexpected blizzard. But even if she does not, it should not terminate your early season plans – just be realistic about certain aspects. Pick a resort that offers various amenities: an outdoor swimming pool, saunas, hot tubs, and a skating rink are great alternatives when the weather turns ugly. And, most importantly, round up a great company of friends!
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.
Raise your hand if you have ever been to or heard of Okemo, Killington, Stratton or Sugarbush mountain resorts in VT. Chances are that most of you will raise a hand. These places have extensive snowmaking, powerful grooming fleets, fast chair lifts, luxury condos, spas and everything in between that would make that ski vacation in Vermont memorable for a long time.
Main Lodge at Magic Mountain in Vermont
In this respect, Magic Mountain resort – tucked between larger and more popular Stratton and Bromley ski resorts in southern Vermont – is not a household name and does not have lavish real estate or extensive snowmaking operations. As a matter of fact, when I first heard about it, I pictured an old handle tow and modest elevations. The name did not evoke images of steep chutes, dense glades, or anything that would make an intermediate /advanced skier or snowboarder drive to Londonderry. Indeed, why bother when there are more developed resorts right around Magic Mountain ski resort? Simply because on a good winter day it could offer similar or even better bang for your buck.
There is one catch: for optimal results you would need fresh powder, the skills to ski intermediate and advanced terrain, patience for the slow ski lifts, and an understanding that it is not a “Louis Vuitton” territory. One, of course, could immediately object: “But almost any resort rocks when it dumps a foot or so.” I agree, but here is another secret advantage of Magic mountain ski resort : you can pretty much count on not having lift lines on a weekend when Mother Nature dumps more than a foot of fresh snow. And last year, Magic Mountain resort was offering quite low prices on ski lift tickets.
Unloading at the top of the Magic Mountain ski resort in VT.
Let’s face it: a Vermont ski trip might be expensive, just like any ski vacation unless you are willing to skin up a mountain, carry a couple of sandwiches, and a tea thermos with you. In most cases you will probably pay more than $70 for an adult weekend ticket and stand in long lines to get on a ski lift. And that takes precious time away from time that you will spend on fresh powder – which let’s admit – you can’t find in southern VT every day or even every weekend.
Indeed, we are not blessed with the recurring snow storms over here, in the Northeast. And when it does snow, I usually get a feeling that a quarter of Long Island, New Jersey and Connecticut hits I-87 or I-91 for a weekend skiing in Vermont. I had the very same feeling one Saturday, when I was standing in a middle of a lodge at Bromley resort and could not believe my eyes. There was not a single available chair. Moreover, I could see stretching lift lines and that sight would only make me feel worse. Exactly at this point – and while my brain was running a cost-benefit analysis of making couple turns here at the price of $10-15 per ride – I thought, why not Magic Mountain? The worst that could happen is that we would make couple runs but at a lower price.
Everyone in my group agreed; we hit a road and 15 minutes later were walking down a parking lot at Magic Mountain resort in Londonderry, Vermont. As I mentioned earlier, this Vermont ski resort is not a place to show off designer outfits. It has a bit more traditional, down-to-earth feel to it and everything conveys a simple approach to life and business. In other words, the ski resort doesn’t have powder rooms and lobster bisque, but it does have clam chowder, a cafeteria–which by the way is often open after 4:00pm–and a bar with live music.
Once you get over a “luxury factor” – if you care about one – Magic offers a double chair to the top, a very slow double, so take a Kindle 2.0 and load it up with your favorite electronic book. (Magic has two lifts, but last season only one worked, so I am referring to the Red and not the Black Chair.) By the time you are done reading a chapter or two, the Red Chair will take you to the summit, which stands at 2,850’ and offers a 1700’ vertical. Be careful getting off the chair because the unloading platform might be a bit steep for beginners. And from that point adjust your gear, put away a ski trail map, and have some fun.
The last time I looked at the ski map it had some mislabeled trails – and besides, Magic mountain employees are also quick to point out that you can ski anywhere you want at Magic ski resort- so a map isn’t even necessary. And it is true: all you need to know that there is an Eastern and Western side. The former is suitable for beginners and the latter for advanced skiers and snowboarders. You will probably want to be on the Western side to get most out of your day.
Magic’s web site proudly states that the top pitch of Master Magician is 45 degrees steep. Frankly, it is pretty steep for most folks. In addition, you can venture anywhere within Mountain’s boundaries, so if you like to jump from rocks or over tree branches, Magic has plenty to offer. As a matter of fact, on all my visits to Magic, the Western side was largely ungroomed; and thus, it would not be unusual for us to maneuver among the natural obstacles on and off the trails. Make a dozen or so runs on some challenging trails, and I can guarantee that it will be a long walk back from the lodge to a parking lot.
How about negatives? Well, just like any other Vermon ski resort Magic Mountain is not immune to Mother Nature’s tricks and unstable winter temperatures. It relies heavily on natural snow to have “skiable” surfaces. While anything mentioned above would have a negative impact on the operations of just about any resort, it appears that Magic has limited grooming capabilities. And so on some particularly icy days you won’t even get well advertised “corduroy” consisting of icy particles. It means that Magic is “unskiable” on some days so you might be bettor off enjoying the local micro-brew in a bar, or ski/slide at a bigger resort that might have better grooming capabilities.
(Keep in mind, though, that in June the management team at Magic offered to sell shares in an attempt to raise funds to improve mountain operations.)
To summarize, it is fair to say that Magic Mountain ski resortis a well-kept secret that deserves a bit more recognition for its classic terrain, and traditional Vermont skiing style and feel. The Magic Mountain might not have advanced snow guns, groomers or valet parking – at least not yet. But it has unique character and New England authenticity that is often buried under modern luxury real estate developments and exclusive cuisines. Skiing at Magic might not be for everyone, but those who don’t mind the basics with maximum value would certainly appreciate everything that Magic has to offer. Just pick a good powder day.
1) You can view our photostreams from Vermont on Flickr.
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