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Stowe Mountain Resort


Epic Pass
Best Time To Ski Stowe
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Stowe Lodging Map M
Stowe Snow Totals
THE
LOW
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Stowe Key Knowledge: Stowe ranks among the best in the East for snowfall and terrain, making it a great pick for anybody skiing the East. The resort has a wonderful history and is located relatively close to Burlington, about 40 min, giving it that organic flair for which Vermont is known. The lodging at Stowe runs the gamut, from high-end homes with great access to condos that make sense for the college crowd.
Stowe skiing by month:
Stowe
By Month

Core Strengths

Stowe
Travel Ease
71.1
Overall
67.7
Snow Volume
64.2
Overall
Overall PAF Score

Overall
Rank

59

Rank in
Region

1

Rank in
State

1

This resort is often compared with:

Killington
Jay Peak
Sugarbush
Stowe Snow Quality Across Full Winter
Click ON/OFF:
Stowe Snowfall Last 10 Days (inches)

Powder
Forecast

Powder Forecast
ZRANKINGS EXCLUSIVE
Thursday
Day
0"
Night
0"
Friday
Day
0"
Night
0"
Saturday
Day
0"
Night
0"
Sunday
Day
0"
Night
2"
Monday
Day
0"
Night
0"
True Snow: 305" per year
Snow Quality Rank

129

Accounts for resorts' snow quantity, moisture content, latitude, elevation, and slope aspects.

Dump Potential Rank

45

Stowe Mountain Resort is ranked No. 45 in North America for its total snowfall during an average season.

Historical Powder Odds
Daily Lottery

% of days with more than 6" of snow

13.3%

Extended Stay

% of months with more than 90" of snow

6.8%

Drought Threat

% of months with less than 30" of snow

11.3%

*Special thanks to Tony Crocker and Bestsnow.net.

Dump Potential Rank

45

Stowe Mountain Resort is ranked No. 45 in North America for its total snowfall during an average season.

Snow
Quality
Rank

129

Accounts for resorts' snow quantity, moisture content, latitude, elevation, and slope aspects.

Total Snow Score

This score accounts for total snow quantity, its moisture content, the resort's latitude, elevation, and its slope aspects, which affect total snow preservation.

Comparables

Stowe Mountain Resort

Trail Breakdown

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Vertical Drop

2160 ft

4395 ft
Base Elevation: 2235 ft

Slope Aspects

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The Skiing at Stowe

Stowe Mountain Resort is situated on the eastern slope of Vermont’s highest peak, Mt. Mansfield. As far as the east coast goes, that means the highest point of the ski area is as high as many peaks get at 4,395 feet above sea level. Like Jay Peak, the glade skiing and boarding is excellent and absolutely wonderful to hone your turns and reflexes amongst. Bring your helmet.

Stowe can get crowded on the weekends, as it’s close enough to Boston (3 hours away) that many of this city’s wonderful people are more than willing to make the weekend trip. But long lift lines aren’t as prevalent as they once were, as Stowe has invested in three high speed quad chairs and a high speed gondola to the mountain’s summit.

About 60% of the mountain is composed of intermediate terrain with the rest of the place well suited to the beginners and experts. Many experience skiers and snowboarders like the fact that Stowe’s beginner terrain tends to be toward the peripherals of the mountain giving newbies a good place to learn away from the stiffer slopes.

Fact of the day: Stowe is home to the Von Trapp Family Lodge, which inspired The Sound of Music. The family still operates the lodge, a splendid spread that looks the part. And unlike the movie, there are no Nazis here.

The Town: Stowe

Stowe is the picture perfect representation of a New England mountain town. Neat wooden buildings and steeples have a pleasant duopoly on the place. The town covered in the snow smacks of sleigh rides and Robert Frost poems. Local ordinances prevent businesses from placing garish signage and advertisements around town. For singles and couples, there’s ample nightlife and dining and Stowe is family friendly (see: Von Trapp, Family). All that charm comes with a price; in-town lodging can be expensive. Venturing towards I-89 can get you a cheaper room and it’s only a few miles from the town center.

A few words on the Snow at Stowe Mountain Resort

Stowe is the third highest snowfall area in the East. At Stowe 14.6% of winter days see 6 inches or more of snow, 11% 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

Stowe averages 71% open at New Year's with about 20% of seasons being less than half open by New Year's. Stowe is on the leeward side of Vermont's highest peak Mt. Mansfield and also makes more snow, so average trail conditions tend to be better than at Jay and Smuggler's Notch and perhaps the best in the East. The natural snow depth in the northern Vermont trees is generally adequate from mid-January to late March. By eastern standards, Stowe's snow preservation is above average, as it averages 81% open at the first of April.