Sugarbush
Sugarbush is a resort that everyone should ski at least once in their lives. After all, Sugarbush is home to the alpine training facility for the Green Mountain Valley School, which has produced some of the best skiers in the United States. This resort has 508 acres of skiable terrain across three peaks. Lincoln has a vertical of 2400 feet, Castlerock has a vertical of 2237 feet, and Mt. Ellen has a 2600-foot vertical. The two main peaks, Lincoln and Mt. Ellen are connected by an express quad that ferries skiers from mid mountain to mid mountain. There is snowmaking coverage over 70 percent of the park, for years when Sugarbush gets less than the average 262 inches (6.7 meters) of snow.
Trails and Lifts
Between both peaks, Sugarbush has 111 named trails that stretch a total of 53 miles. They split up in difficulty at 20 percent novice, 45 percent intermediate, 28 percent advanced, and 7 percent expert. The longest trail at the park is an intermediate cruiser that meanders around the edge of the park for three miles. There are also two terrain parks located near the Mt. Ellen base lodge for people who enjoy freestyling
There are 16 lifts at Sugarbush that can ferry 25,225 skiers up the mountain per hour. The lift system at Sugarbush is very intuitive to use. Depending on your skill level, you’ll want to stick to certain lifts. Novice skiers should stick to Gatehouse, Welcome Mat, Schoolhouse, and Village Double on the Lincoln Peak side. On Mt. Ellen, the Sunshine Double and the Green Mountain Quad to a lesser extent will lead to green trails. Intermediate skiers will find trails at Super Bravo, Valley House and Gate House on Lincoln, and Inverness, The North Ridge, and Summit Quads on Mt. Ellen. Expert skiers can find black trails at every lift except Welcome Mat, Schoolhouse, and Village.
The freestyle parks are split into the progression park and Riemergasse, or “The Park.” The progression park has basic rails, small jumps and some low boxes to help you get used to freestyle lines. Once you’re ready, move on to the Park where you can hit jib lines on hips, tables and even some wedge jumps just to keep you on your toes.
The Rest of the Day
Sugarbush isn’t just for young extremists. There’s plenty for families as well. The daycare on site is equipped to handle kids from 6 weeks to 6 years old. For kids 3 to 12, there are special programs that help introduce them to skiing. Other kid-friendly activities include nature hikes, animal tracking, adventure camps that teach steeps and mogul riding and even a freestyle camp.
For the older set, there are a lot of apres-ski events. Shopping at the Village, or dining at one of the several restaurants; whatever is your speed. Each of the lodges offers great drinks for after a long day of skiing or something just to warm you up in between runs. There’s always something to do or see at Sugarbush, and your vacation is going to be one you remember forever.