Family fun on, off mountain

At Smuggler’s Notch, there’s something for everyone

November 06, 2011|By Brian Irwin, Globe Correspondent

JEFFERSONVILLE, Vt. - “Like steep trees?’’ said Hugh Johnson, the venerable snow reporter for Vermont’s Smuggler’s Notch ski resort. At 45, the powder personality and resort fixture was my guide for the day. His job: Shatter the image that Smuggler’s Notch is a tame, family-oriented hill with little steep offerings for the advanced skier.

Within minutes I was in the back seat of my boots, rocketing down the hill after Johnson as he drifted over a steep pitch and shot off into the birch glades. I followed, bouncing between perfectly spaced hardwoods and floating over pillows of fresh snow. The drainage narrowed and steepened, requiring jump-turns on the 45-degree slope. We were skiing Attitude, an unmarked but open-to-the-public tree run. At the bottom we popped out onto Goat Path, an immaculately designed and maintained intermediate slope. After a few deep breaths that allowed my stomach to drop back out of my throat we slid back to the base village for another run.

But Smuggs can be tame when it needs to be. That’s why we brought our four kids there for the weekend. The youngest is 3, the oldest 8; we tested Smuggs’ reputation as one of the most family-friendly resorts in North America. With three mountains, almost 400 acres of terrain, and a base village unlike any in the East, Smuggs’ wild side is up high on triple black diamond runs like the Black Hole, not down at the mountain’s base, where families flourish.

While the 3,640-foot Madonna Mountain is the crown jewel of Smuggs’ advanced terrain, it’s at the base of Morse Mountain that Smuggs’ heart beats. Over 600 condo units dot the hillside, each either slopeside or within walking distance to the action. For those who would rather not stroll, or those couples like us with children, an on-demand shuttle will scoot you anywhere in town, almost any time.

The Tamarack Units were the perfect lodging option for us. With fireplace and deck, these prime pads are well appointed, and the private water park and hot tub facility were even more appreciated after a long day at Smuggs. Because days at Smuggs are long.

When the lifts close, the action begins in the village, so comprehensively structured that leaving for the amenities of nearby, idyllic Jeffersonville is unnecessary. While Smuggs’ village isn’t loaded with Vermont farmhouses and crimson barns, it is loaded with activities, in fact so many you need a plan. Ours: Ski until the science show starts at 2:30, then have a snack at the pub followed by Ben and Jerry’s. After, we would go to the FunZone, an indoor, 12,000-square-foot building with bouncy slides, mini golf, ping pong, and everything a kid could want. Then we would hit the waterpark, cook dinner, and do it again the next day.