STOWE RESORT GUIDE
Stowe Expert Itinerary
Mansfield Side of Stowe Mountain — Starr, National & The Lookout Trees
Overview
From Midway Lodge – Gondola – Perry Merrill – Nosedive – Break @ Octagon Cafe – Bumps on National – Lunch @ Midway Lodge – Lookout Glades – Goat – Return to Midway Lodge – Après @ The Den at Mansfield Lodge or Matterhorn
1. 9AM – Scoping the views and plotting your day from the Gondola
Finding powder under the Gondola
To get onto the mountain quickly, park at the Midway Lodge. It's uphill from all of the lifts and there is a convenient place to boot up and free cubbies to leave your bags. Pop on your skis and slide to the Gondola. Soak in the views as you head up the Gondola for a warm up run. When the view is clear, you can plot out your whole day while staring at the famous front four. Take Perry Merrill for a ripping fun blue run. If you are feeling like getting "sendy" later, scope out the waterfall under the Gondola on the way up.
2. 9:40-11AM – The Steep Fall Lines of Mansfield Mountain
Near the bottom of Perry Merrill, keep your speed and go past the Gondola to the Fourrunner Quad. If you get enough speed, there won't be too much skating across the flats. The Fourrunner Quad will take you to the top. From here, exit right and lookout for double diamond, Bypass and then stay right Nosedive. This is an awesome, long, steep black run with a consistent fall line. If you are feeling ready for more of a challenge and the snow is good, pop into the trees, known as the Nosedive Glades, along the left. These trees are fairly open and have a super, fun consistent pitch, just like neighboring Nosedive. Follow Lower Nosedive to return to the bottom and jump back on the Quad.
Take a few laps here, there are tons of different lines to enjoy.
3. 11AM-12:15PM – Refuel @Octagon Cafe and Conquer the Bumps on National
When you're ready for a quick break it's easy to pop into Octagon Cafe in the Summit Lodge at the top. Relax for a minute with some coffee and take a look at the Stone House at the top of the Fourrunner Quad. This is a historic building built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1935. You can still spend the night there if you reserve a room far in advance.
Once satiated, head down Lord Loop to Haychute. From here, peer into Upper National for a peek into how the moguls are looking that day. To stay on the groomer, stay on Liftline or cut to your skier's left onto Lower National for some ungroomed delight.
4. 12:15 PM – Lunch @ Octagon Cafe (see more on lunch options here)
When it's time for lunch, head back up the Fourrunner Quad to return to Octagon Cafe. There are many lunch options, but the sandwiches at the Octagon Cafe are worth the lift ride and return visit. Flashier food and beverage is available at Spruce Peak, but if you want to keep it simple and stay close to the steeps, you can find everything you need here.
Heading to Lookout
5. 1:15-2:30PM – The Lookout Glades
After lunch slide back over to the Fourrunner Quad and head to the top. From here, turn left onto Lord Loop and lookout on your skier's left for Lookout, underneath the Lookout Double. A few turns in, you will see some glades on the left.
The Lookout Glades are a great way to ski through the afternoon slump. You can pop out onto Starr or stay right and find yourself back on Lookout. On a powder day there is nothing better than finding fresh tracks in here at 2pm! Stay on Lower Lookout and bear left at the bottom to return to the Quad.
Heading up the Forerunner Quad
6. 2:30-3:30PM – Time to Conquer Goat
It's now time for the gnarly, often claimed in top difficulty list(s) run: Goat! From the top of the Fourrunner, head back under the lift underneath and look to your skier's left for the double diamond sign for Upper Goat. Get ready, this trail is SUPER NARROW. It is barely wider than a skis length and definitely best enjoyed with fresh snow. Keep the speed down and follow the narrow Upper Goat path until it dumps out onto the rest of Goat. There are a few options to jump off boulders and get some hang time on this run. Be ready for exciting and variable terrain!
From the bottom of Goat, you can take Lower Nosedive to return to the base. When you're ready for some well-earned après, head to The Den.
Head to The Den in Mansfield Lodge for some pretty epic Vermont beers on tap! Enjoy it, you earned that drink! If you want to get a beer with the locals, head to the Matterhorn and listen to the legend's of the day.