The University of Vermont's Independent Voice Since 1883

The Vermont Cynic

The University of Vermont's Independent Voice Since 1883

The Vermont Cynic

The University of Vermont's Independent Voice Since 1883

The Vermont Cynic

Vermont ski scene ranks No. 1

Vermont is ranked as the No. 1 place to ski in the east and No. 3 in the nation, according to SkiVermont.com.The state is home to 19 alpine ski resorts and 4.5 million skiers and riders, according to the website.UVM?s Ski and Snowboard Club offers deals for Sugarbush, Stowe, Jay Peak, Bolton Valley, Mad River Glen and Smugglers? Notch Resort.-Hannah Lees?BoltonBolton Resort, located in Bolton River Valley, Vt., is a 30-minute trip by car from the UVM campus.This proximity can offer a closer alternative to students who want to take advantage of the ski and snowboard slopes.The mountain features a 3,150-foot summit, 65 trails and 100 kilometers of Nordic trails on 5,000 acres, according to BoltonValley.com.The company also advertises over 300 inches of snowfall each year, on the website, along with a snowmaking system in case the Vermont winter lacks snow. ?Lots of people like it because it?s so close to Burlington and the night skiing,? first-year Taylor Paone said.Unique to Bolton is the night skiing starting at 4p.m., Wednesday through Saturday nights. This option offers 10 trails and four ski lifts, according to the website.The resort advertises their college student benefits at the mountain. College students with valid college identification can buy lift tickets for $19 at noon every Wednesday.This same identification can be presented for discounted concessions, such as $2 pizza slices, hot dogs and sodas. Special college season passes come as a combo with Stowe Mountain for $249. -Katie Hickey?Jay Peak Jay Peak is 385 acres of terrain known for its beautiful views of the green mountain state.Its reputation as the best mountain on the east coast is well deserved, according to the resort?s website, and is thoroughly supported by student opinion.?Jay Peak gets the most snow in Vermont with great terrain to back it up,? sophomore Will Spiro said.The resort has 77 trails, slopes and glades, according to the website. ?I love it, it?s amazing,? junior Patrick Murphy said. ?It is the closest you?ll get to skiing on the west coast.?The site advertises the ski area?s lenient in-bounds policy, which encourages free exploration of the mountain.?I have a crush on Jay Peak,? Murphy said.The mountain is also home to a pump house indoor water park equipped with surfing, slides and chutes.?Even in the summer Jay Peak evokes images of ethereal images of celestial beauty,? junior Gabe Danger Sheir said.-Alexia Spinney?Mad River GlenMad River Glen is a mountain on any true ski bum?s ?must ski list? according to SkiVermont.com.?Mad River Glen is absolutely stunning,? junior Simon Bailey said.The mountain is known for its difficult terrain and its prompting ?Ski It If You Can? catch phrase.The resort is the only cooperatively owned ski area in the country, and is run by a Board of Trustees elected by the shareholders, according to the website.Mad River prides itself on the sense of community the independent ownership brings, according to the website. ?Whenever I’ve been there it’s always felt more personal. There are never too many people. The food and lodge are cozy and homey,? sophomore Anton Odqvist said.Mad River Glen relies on Mother Nature to provide the snow for the mountain. The resort also preforms little grooming to keep its trails natural, according the resort?s website.?The imperfections of the trails with branches and rocks creates a more intricate and connected environment with the whole skiing experience,? he said. ?The skiing feels pure.?A major attraction of the mountain is its historical single chair lift, erected in 1948. The lift is a rare feature, only seen at one other resort in the country, according to the website.Mad River is also one of three resorts left in the country that prohibit snowboarders from the terrain, according to SkiVermont.com.?It?s some of the best spring skiing I?ve ever experienced,? sophomore Ramsay Williamson said.-Alexia Spinney?Smugglers? NotchSmugglers? Notch Resort, located in Smugglers? Notch, Vt., calls itself ?your home away from home? and prides itself on its family-friendly atmosphere. The Resort Village is home to 310 skiable acres containing 78 trails, enticing to both skiers and snowboarders alike, according to SkiVermont.com.Smugglers? Notch sits between Morse, Madonna and Sterling Mountains and is in the heart of Vermont?s Green Mountains, according to the resort?s website.The resort is surrounded by more than 3000 acres of forest, according to the website, it creates views that are picture perfect, sophomore Stephanie Bronsther said.12

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Vermont ski scene ranks No. 1