America’s East Coast classic tends to get overlooked by UK travellers. But Jon Secrett’s road trip through Vermont discovered cross-country heaven.

 

Colorado, California, Utah… when Brits hit the US with wintersports on their minds, it’s usually en route to one of the big three. Yet Vermont, on the opposite side of the country, has a special place in US ski history. It was here that America’s first alpine ski lift was built, and the East Coast state has long been home to many snowsports Olympians (learn to ski in sometimes icy, wind-blown Vermont, say locals, and you can do it absolutely anywhere). What’s more, it’s a far shorter hike for UK travellers than its western rivals, a three-hour drive from either Boston or Montréal, both of which make for excellent city-break pit stops on a trip.

And while New England lacks the Alps’ spectacular drama, the scenery here has a sleepy, seductive prettiness that’s not confined to its famous displays of autumn colours, with large, clear frozen lakes and woodland cascading down each mountainside. Towns drip picture-postcard New England charm and a tranquillity that feels light years from modern life, and their proximity to each other makes skiing several areas in one trip a breeze.

Okemo is an efficient, family-run resort built on good snow – easy mountain access, nifty groomers – and great service, with the brand new Jackson Gore resort its high-luxury jewel. Beginners and intermediates are the best catered for on the slopes, and an impressive 97 per cent snow-making coverage keeps the surface pretty reliable. (There’s no hiding from the cold, though, when Vermont’s biting Atlantic winds kick in – investing in quality thermals, handwarmers and neck gaters is a no-brainer.

At the other end of the scale, Killington is Vermont’s party-animal playground. The state’s busiest ski area, Killington’s seven mountains combine 200 trails and 140km of terrain for all levels, plus enough lodges, hotels, bars and restaurants to keep any visitor happy for weeks on end. The Wobbly Barn’s rickety architecture, friendly vibe and hearty fare is an unpretentious slice of rustic Americana, and its upstairs venue hosts regular live bands and club nights.

Next stop is Sugarbush, an hour down Route 100 through picturesque towns and villages seemingly untouched in years, and just screaming ‘Coffee stop!’ (sorry, eco-worriers, but hire car is so the best way to cruise America). Sugarbush caters for all abilities, and more experienced riders can take advantage of the resort’s best feature – its ungroomed runs. Some – Castlerock, Middle Earth – get a bashing just twice a year, making for fantastic, challenging terrain whatever the conditions. After a good snowfall, it’s phenomenal.

The final resort on my tour of Vermont’s greatest hits was Stowe, a prototype Vermont town, with a church steeple rising above tree-lined streets of tidy clapboard houses. Like its neighbour resorts, Stowe lays on every modern comfort and convenience, without diluting the sense of local history that makes Vermont feel so unique as a wintersports destination. More evidence of the state’s pedigree as the US’s original skiing heartland is on show at the quaint Vermont Ski Museum, and nearby Mount Mansfield, the state’s highest peak, is your playground, another decent all-rounder.

Add Comment