Moonlighting in Vermont
Visit
Vermont Ski Museum
Housed in a historic Main Street building, this museum chronicles the
history of the sport in the state, in New England and worldwide. The
museum includes exhibits on ski technology and technique, on the birth of
snowboarding and on “lost” ski areas—hundreds of defunct New England
mountains. Its gift shop is also chock-full of reproduction vintage ski posters, books and clothing. 1 S. Main St., Stowe; vermontskimuseum.org
Eat
The Alchemist
Just outside Stowe lies Vermont’s contribution to the worldwide gastropub
fad, combining exceptional house-made boutique beers, casually elegant
small and large plates, and ultrafresh local farm-to-table produce and
products. 23 S. Main St., Waterbury; alchemistbeer.com
American Flatbread
These pizza-like creations are so good that today you can find frozen versions at supermarkets and gourmet shops nationwide, but the best ones
come straight from the homemade clay oven at the original plant in Waitsfield, near Sugarbush. It’s open weekends only, when the factory closes
and tables are set out on the work floor, creating a weird but very hippy-meets-industrial Vermont atmosphere. Each flatbread is made with organic
flour, local produce and Waitsfield well water. 46 Lareau Road, Waitsfield;
americanflatbread.com
Sleep
Stowe Mountain Lodge
Virtually everyone who tried this new slope-side luxury hotel last winter likened it to the best accommodations of Colorado and Wyoming resorts, and
there has never been anything like it in the East. From the medically supervised wellness center to the white-gloved ski valet to the gourmet localvore
restaurant—all at the base of the slopes and anchoring the new village at
Spruce Peak—it is simply the finest ski resort hotel in New England.
7412 Mountain Road, Stowe; stowemountainlodge.com
Summit Lodge
A setting just a few hundred feet off the busy Killington access road gives
this small hotel an idyllic feel while keeping guests in the middle of the
action, very close to skiing, snowboarding and shopping.
The trademark greeting includes the lodge’s two
friendly and omnipresent Saint Bernards, and
features include heated pool, sauna, hot
tub and one of the area’s most popular
restaurants. 200 Summit Path, Killington;
summitlodgevermont.com
Vermont Ski Museum
Shop
Burton Flagship Store
Jake Burton sold snowboarding to
the world, and decades later his mul-
tinational company is still based in
Vermont. The flagship store has every-
thing Burton makes—which is a lot—plus
historic displays. Sale and outlet sections
offer huge discounts. 80 Industrial Parkway,
Burlington; burton.com
Killington
last season saw the debut of the new
skye Peak express lift and, more importantly, the stash, an entirely new concept
in snowboard parks. created in partnership with Vermont-based burton, the
world’s largest snowboard equipment
and apparel manufacturer, the stash is
an “organic free-ride park,” meaning it
is rebuilt naturally each winter. the park
features the same kinds of terrain and
features that might be found in a permanent, man-made park—except built
with rocks, trees and banked snow—all
laid out along a half-mile run through
the woods. it is one of just five burton
stash concept parks, and the only one in
the east. this winter, snowboarders who
thought they had seen it all can visit Killington and try a brand-new experience,
something increasingly rare in the sport.
For skiers and snowboarders alike,
Killington just finished the second phase
of a $6 million snowmaking expansion,
a whopping amount for a mountain that
already had some of the nation’s best
coverage, and it is no coincidence that
the resort routinely has the east’s longest
season, from mid-november into may.
it also is no coincidence that Vermont
ski resorts are winning back east coast
residents who previously made long
trips out West. these mountains have
always offered the convenience of being
nearby, and now, with the array of new
lifts, terrain, snowmaking, hotels and
spas, they offer just about everything
else, as well.
