Jeffersonville is small with a permanent population of 560 residents so don’t count on finding much in the way of an all-night rager. Jeffersonville is a quiet place but extremely quaint and charming. It’s a great place to get away from it all. On mountain fun consists of the usual bar and pub fare. Smugglers’ Notch ranks highly for families as there are plenty of options for toddlers with through teenagers.

Because it’s such an anomaly in the world of ski resort lodging, you should check out Smugglers’ Notch Inn, a restored 1790 guest lodge. The proprietors, we hear, aren't averse to contraband maple syrup from Quebec, so bring it if you've got it.

Smuggler's Notch is the second highest snowfall area in the East. At Smuggs 13.8% of winter days see 6 inches or more of snow, 8% of winter months see 90 inches or more, and 11% of months see less than 30 inches. This is above average snow frequency among North American ski areas. The key risk to snow conditions everywhere in the East is not drought but rain. The rain is often followed by hard freezes that can close advanced or ungroomed terrain. This is a minor issue for the locals, who can sit out the wet weather and wait for improvement. It does, however, make planning a trip over a week in advance more of a gamble. Powder in northern Vermont is often excellent, closer to the Rockies in quality than to the heavier snow of the West Coast.

Accumulation and Preservation

Smuggs' snow accumulation is similar to Jay, likely averaging about 70% open at New Year's with about 30% of seasons being less than half open by New Year's. Smuggler's Notch is on the windward side of Vermont's highest peak Mt. Mansfield, so wind is likely to strip the snow from trails and blow it into the woods. The natural snow depth in the northern Vermont trees is generally adequate from mid-January to late March. By eastern standards, Smuggs' snow preservation should be above average.