Where I Learned to Ski
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JohnL
August 15, 2004
Member since 01/6/2000 🔗
3,551 posts
Page 80 of the Sept 04 issue of Powder; Middlebury Snow Bowl. Hard to believe it showed up in a national publication... Only 1050 feet of vertical, but some rockin' trails. With modern equipment and technique, I wonder how trails like Allen, Ross and Youngman will compare to Extrovert at Blue Knob?

The Snow Bowl is operated by Middlebury College as a service to students, the race team (some students are more equal than others), and the local community; similar to Dartmouth's Ski Way. Am I missing any others? (I don't think Burke Mtn is operated by the Academy.)

Looks like there is plenty of glade skiing there now; back in the day if you were caught in between trails you risked losing your pass. Of course, back in the day there were Poma lifts instead of chairs, lace up boots, skis taller than you (for only a few years - I'm not that old!)

Right after I graduated, Middlebury started a tradition of having February graduates ski down the Allen slope in front of the lodge in full graduation gown and mortar board. Do any local colleges/universities have anything similar?
johnfmh - DCSki Columnist
August 15, 2004
Member since 07/18/2001 🔗
1,986 posts
I saw that article and was amazed at the terrain that little mountain offers. Actually, it's not that little compared to our mountains. I've never skied it but one day I plan to go to VT and just ski small mountains: Burke, Middlebury, Suicide 6, Attitash, etc.
JohnL
August 16, 2004
Member since 01/6/2000 🔗
3,551 posts
John,

You can add Bolton Valley and Ascutney to that list.

I haven't skied the Snow Bowl since the mid 80's. Ski equipment and technique have changed a lot since then. Despite being 20 years older, I'm a much more skilled skier now. The Snow Bowl used to have some trails that would challenge me, I wonder if they still will? Plus, they've added some gladed terrain.

From the Powder article, the Snow Bowl has 1050 feet of vertical and receives 180 inches of annual snowfall. Those stats are in the same ballpark as Timberline and Blue Knob (the Knob gets maybe 100 inches of snow.) If I can make it to the Snow Bowl this year, it will be interesting to compare the Snow Bowl terrain to the Mid-Atlantic terrain. Memory says that the Snow Bowl is much more difficult, but memory is not too exact ...

Ski and Tell

Speak truth to powder.

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