Mountain Review: Mount Snow
MOUNTAIN SCORE
CATEGORY BREAKDOWN
See our criteria5
Snow:
6
Resiliency:
4
Size:
4
Terrain Diversity:
5
Challenge:
6
Lifts:
5
Crowd Flow:
7
Facilities:
7
Navigation:
3
Mountain Aesthetic:
GOOD TO KNOW
On-site Lodging: Yes
Apres-ski: Moderate
Pass Affiliation: Epic Pass
Recommended Ability Level:
+ Pros
Intuitive physical layout
Challenging terrain for southern Vermont
Unique freestyle mountain face
Snowmaking operations
– Cons
Crowds
Outdated lift infrastructure in some areas
Less unique terrain and lower snowfall than resorts further north
MOUNTAIN STATS
Lifts: 20
Trails: 86
Beginner: 16%
Intermediate: 66%
Advanced/Expert: 18%
VIDEO
Mountain Review
Located just north of the Massachusetts border, Mount Snow is the southernmost major Vermont ski area. The resort aims to provide an appealing package within a reasonable driving distance from many major metropolitan areas. While it isn’t perfect at everything, this mountain will do the trick for many with reliable snowmaking, a decent footprint, and a unique dedicated terrain park mountain face.
While Mount Snow typically sees milder temperatures than competing resorts further up north, it also sees less accumulation each season. In addition, given Vermont’s heavily variable weather conditions, any natural powder the mountain receives doesn’t tend to last long.
Luckily, the resort employs extensive snowmaking to ensure a resilient season. The resort significantly overhauled their snowmaking operations in recent seasons, and more than 80% of terrain now sees quality snowmaking coverage. It’s now common to see nice conditions at the resort only a few days after an ice storm.
While smaller than some major East Coast resorts, Mount Snow offers a varied selection of terrain. The resort’s mogul terrain and freestyle features are unique for a southern Vermont mountain. Terrain for each ability level is almost completely concentrated in its own mountain area, keeping skier traffic of different abilities from unnecessarily mixing. None of the trails are particularly long, however.
The resort offers some beginner terrain, but it’s limited. Only a few green runs go from summit to base, and they often become congested. Mount Snow makes a lot more sense for intermediate skiers. More than half of the resort’s terrain is intermediate, with blue cruisers making up the overwhelming majority of runs in the Main Face and Sunbrook areas. On some of these trails, the resort will leave some bumps next to a groomed area, which is a nice benefit for those learning moguls.
For those looking for a challenge, Mount Snow offers a decent mix of steep groomers and mogul runs in their North Face area. It also offers Beartrap, a bump run in the Sunbrook area serviced by an exclusive chairlift that blasts music all day. While some Vermont resorts offer more challenging expert runs, you won’t find other mountains this far south with the same amount of mogul terrain.
The Carinthia area—perhaps the most unique part of the resort—consists exclusively of freestyle terrain, with 100 acres of features for all freestyle ability levels. Few other resorts on the East Coast have this much dedicated terrain park space.
Among Vermont resorts, Mount Snow has one of the most intuitive physical layouts. More than 96% of terrain on the mountain is directly accessible from the main summit area, and visitors can get back to the base from the inset North Face and Sunbrook areas with only one lift ride. While there are two base areas, it’s easy to get down to the right place at the end of the day if you just look at the signs. However, signage has degraded over the years, with faded trail markings and trail maps present in certain areas. In some places, it’s too easy for less experienced guests to end up on a run that’s too hard. A summit lodge lets visitors go in for a break or grab a meal without having to go all the way back to the base area.
At Mount Snow, visitors will find a mix of high-speed and fixed-grip lifts. The front-facing Main Face and Carinthia enjoy service from high-speed lifts, including the resort’s signature Bluebird Express six-pack bubble chair. However, the North Face and Sunbrook areas are only served by slow, fixed-grip lifts. The especially sluggish Sunbrook Quad ride takes nearly 9 minutes.
Mount Snow’s lift logistics decently mitigate the effects of crowding in some areas. Every base or junction area offers at least two lift options. The Main Face base area offers three high-speed lifts, two of which go directly to the summit, along with two helper fixed-grip lifts that get you to a reasonable spot on the mountain. The bubble chair often draws significantly more crowds than other lifts starting at the same place, which can result in somewhat shorter lines than you might expect for other routes up the mountain.
However, some areas could really use a capacity upgrade. The two triple lifts servicing the popular North Face area struggle to handle the influx of visitors to the resort’s only true advanced area. Although the Carinthia terrain park area sees service from both a high-speed quad and a helper fixed-grip double, they’re not enough on busy days and crowds can build up to unacceptable levels.
With so much lift infrastructure and a modest footprint, Mount Snow can’t boast the same landscapes or isolation that you’ll find at some resorts further north. Still, the resort provides excellent views of surrounding mountaintops and a nearby reservoir. The south-facing Sunbrook area feels the most secluded and picturesque.
Lodging
Mount Snow boasts multiple lodging options. The very nice base area hotels and slopeside condos offer ski-in/ski-out access. Condos and hotels a short drive from the resort offer cheaper prices. Many lodges come with pool or hot tub access.
For the 2021-22 season, Mount Snow has instituted a new tiered paid parking program, with approximately half of its parking now commanding a premium. Parking in Lot A and Upper Carinthia is paid seven days a week ($15 on weekdays and $30 on weekends), while parking in Lot B, Lot C, Sundance, and Lower Carinthia costs $15 on weekends. Lot D, Lot E, and the tiered lots are still free at all times, and shuttle buses provide service between these lots and the mountain.
Aprés-ski
Mount Snow offers enjoyable aprés-ski and nightlife options. With live music and social vibes, the slopeside Cuzzins Bar and Grill provides a quality apres-ski experience. You’ll find a decent selection of bars in town and an especially lively nightlife scene at the Snow Barn, where local bands play concerts on weekends and holidays. Few places in town are within walking distance of hotels and condos, however.
Verdict
Mount Snow delivers a lot for a southern Vermont resort, including reasonable terrain variety and quality snowmaking. While prices at the ticket window aren’t cheap, the resort offers significant discounts on tickets if you buy them ahead of time; going this route can get you a sweet value for the resort’s advanced terrain and freestyle features. But the resort can get very crowded on peak days, and some mountains further north offer more diverse terrain and better accumulation. For many, choosing between Mount Snow and these other resorts will come down to how long the drive takes.
