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Stowe Mountain Resort
Categories: Active Life Hotels & Travel Ski Resorts Active Life, Ski Resorts [Edit]
5781 Mountain RdStowe, VT 05672
(802) 253-3000
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
32 reviews for Stowe Mountain Resort
32 reviews in English
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Review from Evan R.
12/28/2011
This is probably the most fun I've had skiing in the Northeast. There are tons of trails of all types, fast lifts, and friendly employees throughout the mountain.
The lift tickets are done via RFID cards. If you have skied a lot before, you know what a game changer this is. Instead of chasing around lift attendants and fumbling with your zipper to show them a ticket, you slide up to an automatic gate and it opens in less than a second.
Food on the mountain was the same exorbitant price as every other ski resort, but it was actually awesome. I wasn't expecting a duck confit wrap when we broke for lunch. There's also a Wafels & Dinges ripoff at the top of the gondola, which was much appreciated.
Although there wasn't a ton of snow when we got there, the weather and snow machines quickly changed that, and we ended up getting in a great week of skiing.
Even if skiing or snowboarding isn't your thing, there's a toboggan course, a 2 hour mountain zipline trail, and you are a 20-30 minute drive from the Ben & Jerry's factory. Stowe is pretty far up there (only 60 miles from Canada) but well worth the trip. -
Review from Jamie G.
3/22/2012 1 Check-in Here
I brought a group of 28 kids and 6 adults for a ski trip on the second Saturday in March, and we all had a great time. They were very accommodating of our group and made it very easy for us to get ski passes and rentals, etc (thanks to the Round Hearth at Stowe!) Thankfully there is also cross country skiing locating just down the mountain, with easy shuttle access, for all the kids who don;t downhill ski.
The mountain is not too far off of I-89, and has a great town with shops, restaurants, bars, etc. And everything is connected by a free shuttle.
The actual mountains are great to ski-- even with our abnormal winter this year, there was still great snow. It also happened to be bright and beautiful and sunny and relatively warm, so we had fabulous conditions all around.
The layout of the mountains are interesting... and not my favorite. There are two mountains that are connected by a gondola, but you can't ski from one to the other, which is what I would prefer. The free town shuttle dropped us off at the Spruce Base Lodge area, for easy access to skiing at Spruce Peak Mountain. This is where we got our rentals and lessons meet here as well. I took an intermediate group lesson and was very pleased with the results. My instructor got me making more paralell turns than I ever had before and I got more comfortable skiing blue squares. This mountain is more for "beginners" which mostly blue squares and green circles. Very good mountain to warm up on. Then you take off your skis and hobble over to the gondola to get to Mt Mansfield. And then hobble your way over to a lift over there. It's the worst part of Stowe. But the mountain is wonderful- great green circles all the way down the mountain.. and they were actually too easy for me, so I then started skiing blue squares all the way down the mountain, which was great. There's a beautiful chapel up on the mountain, and all the scenery was just to die for.
All of the buildings, lodges, restaurants, bars, etc looked brand new and were in amazing condition. Great free lockable lockers at Spruce Base and a wonderful eating area. Employees seemed very friendly as well. The lift passes were RFID so they could just be in a pocket and they scanned you before going on the lifts- very cool technology.
Thankfully I came with a group and got an AMAZING discount on lift tickets (We paid $40... normally almost $90!). I do not think I would ever ski here for more than $60... so I will wait til my group goes again or I find a good deal online. But I did have a good time here and look forward to coming back! -
Review from Chi N.
3/18/2012
not worth the five hour drive in my opinion. yes the mountain is big but it is very tedious to try to get to one section from another without needing to just take a shuttle or gondola. the mountains do not connect and you can't just ski down to go across mountain.
not many bars/eating areas on the actual resort.
trails are narrow and not very snowboard friendly. tons of moguls.
granted we go during spring conditions but even so these trails gave me insight on how it would be on a nice wintery day.
not enough break eating areas here that are cheap.
i do like the automatic scan card machines so that they don't have to scan a waving lift ticket. i don't like the fact that it is not a friendly resort for non-winter sports people. ie you can't take the gondola to the top unless you buy a lift ticket or pay 25 bucks! ridiculous.
rather go to a resort closer with larger better trails. -
Review from Stephen T.
Windham, NH
3/1/2012
I would have given this resort a four stars had the prices been a bit less. At over $350 per night for a very small room, it's a bit on the pricey side. I would recommend staying at the higher rated hotel in downtown Stowe and save yourself over $100 per night. I almost forgot to mention the $20 mandatory valet parking fee. That's right! Tack on an additional $19 per day in valet fees (plus tips).
If you can find this place on http://Hotels.com for $250 per night, or less go for it! -
Review from Sam H.
2/27/2012
This review is for the ski resort only.
Although the season has lacked snow, the conditions were surprisingly good. They did an excellent job with snow coverage.
A couple really convenient things at Stowe are the RFID cards and the gondola. These RFID cards are very convenient for getting onto the lifts - just put it in a pocket, walk up to the turnstile, walk thru onto the lift.
The gondola is a nice ride up where you can sit and warm up a little bit.
As a good friend of mine said, Stowe has a really good vibe. The runs are a lot of fun runs and it has good terrain.
The biggest drawback for me is I find it very expensive.
Please note that my review for this place is in relation to east skiing/riding. -
Review from Will P.
Portsmouth, NH
3/31/2012 1 Check-in Here
The food in the lodge is decent, the decor is western and tasteful.
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Review from Alan C.
Seattle, WA
2/22/2012
Best snow on the East Coast - great variety of terrain, from groomers to the famous "front four" and chutes on Mount Mansfield.
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Review from Brian W.
1/15/2012 1 Check-in Here
I've never actually stayed here, but after a few hours of skiing there is no better on mountain building to walk around in and just relax before heading back down the Mountain Road. There is a small bar with some good local beers on draft and there are plenty of really comfortable chairs and couches in the lobby area. If you're someone who reads a book in the lodge while your family skis for the day, you would be more than content camping out next to one of the fireplaces for a few hours.
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Review from Jordan D.
2/23/2011
Came here for my first ski experience and wow was I spoiled haha. Absolute gorgeous mountain to ski on, with tons of slopes for all skill groups. Started the day with a 2 hour lesson from some older instructor and by the end of the lesson, I was able to hold my own going down a slope.
I've only skied a few areas in the northeast, but by far the nicest trail I've been down so far is Toll Road. It's a 3 mile long trail with breathtaking views that cuts right through the forest.
The food at the cafeteria was on point. The staff here is friendly and the skiing is fantastic. Cannot wait until I can make it back here. -
Review from Den P.
Bellport, NY
1/3/2011
Ill keep it short and sweet, some of the best if not the best skiing on the east coast. Great snow, long runs! Hot Waffle snacks:) This place rocks!
Great old New England town, what more do you want?
My favorite spot, for a weekend trip, too far for a day trip from Long Island! -
Review from Marc I.
Montville, NJ
3/18/2011 1 Check-in Here
Went here for a ski weekend with the ski club. It rained the first day, snowed the second and was sunny on sunday. So i got to ski in all types of weather.
Good mountain if you are learning to ski. I'm a beginner and don't have the skills to the top of the mountain. The lodges are nice, but the Spruce lodge is new, better food and better logistical point. But the spruce mountain is small and Mansfield mountain is much bigger.
I skied all of Toll Road and other greens and moved onto some blues. -
Review from Clyde R.
Carmel by the Sea, CA
6/25/2009
Stowe is known for great skiing during the winter months; but in the summer, they offer alpine sliding, which is a blast.
In the summer, toboggan tracks are laid down over the ski run at Spruce Peak Mountain in Stowe. The tracks wind down the mountain forming tight curves and loose curves and fast straightaways to the bottom. Some of the straightaways have undulations that can get you airborne if you're going fast enough. You ski-lift to the top and ride down the tracks on small toboggans. If you press a lever forward in your toboggan you speed up; if you press down on the lever, you slow down. You can go as fast as you want. In fact, you can slide off the track and literally kill yourself if you're not careful. I've been airborne a couple of times. It's loads of fun.
You can get an all day pass for about $70.00 which allows you to alpine slide or use the bungee trampoline, wall climbing facilities, hiking trails, summer inflatable obstacle course, or the gondola rides through the course of the day..
If you bring kids, it'll be the time of their lives.... -
Review from Brandon B.
Brookfield, MA
3/9/2011
My family stayed at the Front Four and received First Class Treatment all the way, granted you should when you're paying $12 - 13K to stay here for the week. Perfect location, ideal spot, great ammenities (picking your pillow, one of the many little extras they offer). The spa and staff there were wonderful and utilized everyday we were there even having a couples massage on valentines day. Nice heated outdoor pool and hottubs beautiful when it is snowing outside, game room, bar, ski valet great when you can step outside the lodge be at mountain ready to rip it up. The valet staff were great handling our cars and were very hard working. Spruce peak offers some great food/bar/entertainment as well next door.
Kids were a bit annoying at times as they were running arround all over the place but as the week progressed they came gone.
The staff were wonderful and helped to make our vaction a wonderful experience. Front Four all the way! -
Review from K K.
New York, NY
1/4/2010
Disclosure: I used to work at Stowe, so I'm a little biased.
But the truth is, Stowe is the best ski resort in Vermont, and as a lifelong skier, I feel qualified to make that statement.
I make that determination through considering the total package that a ski resort and town offers. Ski terrain, food and lodging, shopping, and other activities in the area.
The most important of these factors, is the mountain itself, and Stowe boasts some of the best terrain in Vermont. The Front-Four double black diamonds give you all you can handle, like the top of Starr where you can barely see the trail when standing at the top of it it's so steep. Stowe also has two of my all-time favorite black diamond runs, the lightly traveled and heavily moguled Chinclip, and Nosedive, where you can get up a blazing speed on a fairly steep pitch. All this, and there are plenty of blue cruisers for intermediates and green beginner terrain as well.
But after the skiing ends, there is plenty to do around Stowe, from great restaurants to moonlight horse-drawn carriage rides, a good range of hotels, from bare bones cheap to ultra fancy, a working cider mill, and nearby sites to explore like Ben&Jerry's and Cabot. The only reason SMR doesnt get 5 full stars is that it is the most expensive ski resort east of the Mississippi, and $84 for a one-day lift ticket is insane (UPDATE: And now for 2011-12, it's $88 weekday, $92 Saturday. Ouch).
TIPS
1) Shed for dinner; microbrews rule, try the "ski sled" beer sampler
2) Gracie's for lunch or laid-back dinner (I'm a sucker for dogs)
3) If you're a beginner, for God's sake, take a lesson (or two). You will get WAY better, way quicker, and enjoy your overall experience more than I can express in a few words.
4) DONT make the mistake of skipping Spruce Mountain if you have more than one day. The lines tend to be short, and there are some neat natural (i.e. ungroomed) trails like Whirlaway.
5) DO skip the Gondala trails if you're on a weekend or a tight schedule. Lines there tend to be the worst, and with the exception of a few standouts the terrain is mostly uninspiring.
THE STATS THAT MATTER
Summit Elevation: 4,395 feet
Vertical Drop: 2,160 feet
Skiable Area: 485 acres
Longest Run: 19,700 feet
Annual Snowfall: 333 inches
Snowmaking: 90%
Uphill Capacity: 15,516 per hourListed in: Eastern Ski Resorts
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Review from John S.
11/17/2010 2 Check-ins Here
Rich appointments, friendly service and solid dining make the Stowe Mountain Resort a really solid choice for a winter vacation. The resort really did look the part of a luxurious mountain lodge, and the modern amenities mixed well with the classic decor.
Particular highlights for me were the mini-fridge in the room (every hotel room on Earth really should have one), the comfortable mattress and the laid back dining at the Hourglass bar.
The only lowlight I could really think of was the mandatory (and pricey) valet parking. But honestly, if you're going to Stowe for a vacation, you should probably expect that little bit of price gouging. -
Review from Andrea G.
Virginia Beach, VA
12/2/2008
I'm convinced that Stowe is the coldest mountain on the east coast after Mt Washington, and it might even have the latter beat. The first time I ever got frostbite, it was at Stowe: at 9 AM, it was 30 degrees and sunny. Then the sky began to cloud, and over the next few hours the temperature--as shown by the gondola--dropped 5 degrees per hour. By 2:30, it was -12 and whiteout conditions. Did I mention that this was in March?
The skiing is very nice, and most of the skiing is off of the gondola, so you warm up between runs. The lodges and dining on-hill is stellar, and the prices are mid-range for Eastern resorts. On some of the chairlifts, they even give you blankets. The town is also quite charming.
Variety of terrain is an A- . . . there is more advanced terrain here than many Eastern mountains, but they are often closed due to low coverage. There are also plenty of beginner and intermediate hills, but because the weather is so mercurial, this may not be the mountain for you. However, there are plenty of warming huts and lodges, so you can always stop and warm up and still feel like you're getting your money's worth.
I'd stay here one night, ski here one day, and then move on to Mad River Glen.Listed in: Skiing in the Northeast
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Review from Louis B.
1/26/2010
Stowe is the Queen of the East. Hands down. Skiing in North America was literally born there. The Front Four have been in existence now for close to 100 years. The Trapp Family came to Vermont's Stowe, not to Deer Valley. And the visitor who comes into the town steps into a post card for the entire duration.
The improvements to the base lodge at Spruce are keeping it up with the times. There is an air of elegance, old money, and yet, total friendliness.
Ski-wise, the weather can play games with the skier, but it is generally top notch for Easter skiing. Spruce Mountain's green and blues are great to enjoy the view. And taking the cross-resort gondola, the main gondola and the quads open up some incredible terrain.
Accommodations can range from the Uber-rich to the budget. But there is a place for everyone. My favorite place in the East. And it is Vermont. Not a place, but a way of life. -
Review from Tricia L.
2/2/2009 12 photos
This resort beStowed upon us a great weekend of snowboarding on the east coast.
The amount, quality, and variety of trails was plentiful. Taking the gondola up to the top of the mountain allows you the option to ride down several different blue or black slopes AND the opp to buy by far one of the best chocolate covered waffles I've had in my life at the Waffle Cabin booth. The smell of waffle dough is so welcoming!
I was also impressed with the cleanliness of the lodge, eating areas, and rr's. There's also another gondola that takes you across the parking lot.
Lunch at the grill cafe over on the Spruce side offers some pretty upscale (and somewhat pricey) lunch options, like risotto, paninis, and apple pie with chunks of Vermont cheddar on the side. The cafe was well staffed, and the employees also plated each entree with flair.
Transworld Snowboarding mag had a 3 lift tickets/$99 coupon, which was an AWESOME deal considering one day's lift ticket is $84. -
Review from Julie N.
Brighton, MA
3/28/2010 1 Check-in Here
"I'll have the Cabot cheddar and Switchback ale soup please."
"Would you like roasted apples and pecans in that."
"uh..YEAH."
Honestly, this place doesn't feel like a ski lodge as much as it does an over-sized lobby of a super swank hotel. The food is a far cry from the typical bagged chili in a 3 day old bread bowl or dry burger that has been under the heat lamps for way too long. All of the food at the Spruce Lodge is homemade and delicious. The bathrooms are huge and clean. Nothing like a typical ski lodge bathroom. All stalls come equipped with not one, not two but three hooks and a shelf for gloves and helmet and ski coat and what not. And there are baskets of complimentary feminine products on the sinks. I mean, nothing says classy like free tampons!
The floors are rubberized so the clomp, clomp, clomp of the typical lodge is nonexistent. So it doesn't sound like a ski lodge or look like a ski lodge or have ski lodge food. I mean, maybe it's a little too nice. Don't get me wrong this place is AMAZING but the coziness of the ski lodge just isn't there. The friendly yet somewhat grizzled regulars chatting up the city folk weekend warriors...not there. The crazy apres ski drunkos and free chapstick from the latest promo...not there.
The mountain itself is great. When we were there the conditions were dicey as it was the end of march after a warm rainy spell, but you can tell at its best it is some fine New England skiing. Great lifts and gondolas.
We'll be going back to Stowe again next season, but we'll also be visiting our regular haunts for a ski reality check. -
Review from Daniel D.
1/28/2009
Generally a great experience. The lines in the off-season were basically zero, and were very very reasonable even on a Saturday.
The food is very overpriced on the Spruce side of the mountain, so go to the Mansfield side for lunch (which is still somewhat overpriced). The chili is particularly good.
I don't like that the waffle house at the top of the gondola is closed so often and without notice. I also don't like that it was impossible to find a place to sit in the "Great Hall" (read: cafeteria on the Spruce Side). It was ridiculous to spend $30 on lunch and then not be able to find a table I could sit at... I had to eat standing. I can't imagine what the place is like during peak times. It must suck. -
Review from Todd K.
Merrimack, NH
2/26/2008
Stowe is an excellent mountain w/ a cool, quintessential Vermont town to support it. I skied Stowe this past weekend, for the first time in about 10 years, and I was once again impressed with just about everything it has to offer. Although it's not the most flashy resort around, it's not the biggest, probably not the most challenging (but maybe) nor the cheapest ($84 for a peak weekend adult day pass), it may be the best resort in New England when it's all put together.
The mountain is good sized (2360 vertical feet) and it's a tough one. The front four runs (Starr, Goat, National and Liftline) are all double blacks which pretty much set the tone of this hill. If the steeps are a bit too much for you, head over to Toll Road (an easy green circle on skiers right) one of the most beautiful & picturesque runs in Vermont. Another area worth mentioning are the trees off Chinclip - which are plentiful while perfectly spaced. Chairlift access is sufficient albeit on the minimal/efficient side. The two most popular lifts, the FourRunner Quad and the Gondola, have decent lines on the weekends w/ fresh snow, but for the most part the other lifts rarely have a wait.
The lodges are on the aging side and will be upgraded when the construction is complete for the all new Spruce Camp, sometime next season. We stopped into the Midway Base Lodge for lunch and were not that impressed. The food was adequate, but really mediocre at best.
The best thing about Stowe, other than the mountain terrain, is of course the great town that it resides in. Imagine your perfect, small Vermont ski town, than go to Stowe and experience it. From the church steeple in the middle of town, to the great quirky restaurants and shops, to the renovated barn night clubs...to the Christmas lights in the evergreens. It is how a ski town should be. -
Review from Tim W.
Dover, MA
2/15/2010
I have been coming to Stowe for over 10 years. First as a college student, now as a interested property investor in Stowe. Tonight was my first time checking out the new Spruce Peak lodge. The building is beautiful, and I decided to relax in the lobby for an appetizer to hear the live band and enjoy the fire. I have been looking to buy a fractional share in Stowe, and thought this would be a great way to assess the new development.
I was completely disappointed in the service working the lobby/bar. As soon as I told the wait staff that I was not a current guest but a visitor....they literally started ignoring me. I watched as they attentively served those around me who were guests. I had to ask 3 times for a menu while those seated after me were already on to their main course. I think I'll reconsider investing my money at Spruce Peak Lodge and the new development. The skiing at Smuggs was much better today anyway. -
Review from Maria C.
2/8/2010
I still cringe thinking about the horrific time I had on this mountain this past Sunday. To be fair, though, I know most of my experience was attributable to the weather gods and my unprepared self. I'm POSITIVE I would have had a great time had circumstances been different. The weather was ghastly, which obviously the resort cannot control.
Just getting to the top of the mountain was an ordeal that I wasn't prepared for - hurricane-like winds (okay, a bit of an exaggeration) but I had a horrible headache from what felt like negative temperatures and all of the wind.
I'm sure on a great day with great weather this resort kicks butt, with some challenging runs for the boarders out there, and plenty of the friendly vibe we haven't seen at other resorts. I called it a day after my first run but alas, there was no shopping to be had at the bottom of the mountain. I am by no means an experienced snowboarder but have been to my fair share of big mountain resorts and have been completely spoiled by the great weather, challenging runs for boarders and the shops at the base of the mountain where you get to spend tons and tons of money on snowboarding apparel.
Next time I'm making sure to check the weather and snow report before we brave this mountain. -
Review from Paul K.
12/30/2010
Haven't done too much skiing in New England, but of the bunch, this one was my favorite- some good long runs down the mountain, decently fast lifts, and a great apres-ski area in the base. It definitely got crowded during the holidays, but did thin out quite a bit towards the evenings to the point where you could get a lot of good runs in. Downsides- other than the swank hotel at the base camp, the food is nothing spectacular- and getting out of town around 4 when the lifts close is a royal pain in the posterior. Park yourself at the not-so-affordable-but-swanky bar in the main hotel and enjoy a few drinks, and let the idiots wait in line to get out of the parking lot.............
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Review from Tim F.
7/4/2010 1 Check-in Here
Love it! Went here last week and took advantage of the Alpine slide. Although a little pricey, there is an option to get an all day pass for all the resort's activities which include the Trampoline, Alpine Slide, Climbing Wall, Obstacle Course, & Gondola Skyride all for $76. Also a multi pass alpine slide for $42, which allows 3 rides. Totally worth it!
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Review from Mark W.
San Francisco, CA
10/26/2010
Best ski area on the East Coast!
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Review from Beth M.
Updated - 2/7/2010
Still LOVE this mountain. Amazing day there today - great pow, intermittent but appreciated sun, friendly staff, and good will toward all. Awesome laid back attitude on the mountain over all, as usual, and almost zero lift lines (probably thanks to the Super Bowl, but still!)
Listed in: I can haz a snowboardings?
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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3/25/2008
I went to Stowe for the first time in ages last weekend, and had a fantastic time. I don't know if… Read more »
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Review from Wendy O.
Providence, RI
10/10/2010
My husband and I spent the night at Stowe Mountain Resort the night after our wedding (less than a month ago). I can't say enough about how much we enjoyed our visit. The staff is the most accommodating and attentive I've had, and I've traveled all over the world. We had incredible spa treatments, LOVED the couples suite at the spa, complete with a granite soaking tub and couples massage. The view from the sanctuary room is unreal, you'll never want to leave. They'll even chauffeur you around town, if you have dinner plans at a local restaurant. Two thumbs up!!
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Review from Michael B.
North Haven, CT
2/13/2010
I came for a day of cross country skiing on a sub-zero day only a week after a terrible thaw. However 7-9 inches of snow had fallen and a good part of the trail network had been groomed into good shape. Other sections had been informally groomed by passing snowmobilers. Most of the trails were in the forest and I hardly noticed the cold (and even had to shed a layer early in my tour.) The trails along the Ranch Brook were especially scenic. A great day, with good snow, an extensive trail network, and just a few quibbles to mar it: the maps and trail markings aren't so great, the quality of trail maintenance and grooming did not match Trapp's, where I went the next day, and it was a little pricey at $23 (but I did my bit to keep AIG, the resort's owner, paying bonuses).
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Review from justin p.
Walnut Creek, CA
5/3/2008
this is for the cable car ride and hiking, not the skiing. i've gone up mansfield from both sides, and hiking up the west side is definitely better, but if you are pressed for time, taking the cable car up with definitely get you the views quickest.
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Review from Pauline M.
Marlborough, MA
2/21/2011
Great skiing with that West type village atmosphere. Great place to hang out and ski.
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Review from Steven L.
Cambridge, MA
10/13/2010
My hubby and I both loved it. We loved it because the surroundings were so beautiful and peaceful. It is a very special place.
