A century ago, Vermonters decided they needed a recreational activity to alleviate the mental stress of winter dreariness. Little did they know just how radically this developed pastime would affect the reputation of their state. Norwegians living in Stowe had already begun a ski revival in order to navigate impassable roads, and, while at first deemed crazy by onlookers, it wasn’t long before the frenzy took off. The country’s first ski race took place in Mansfield in 1934 (all participants had to hike to the top of the mountain). These days, the only market in New England that Vermont monopolizes more is the maple syrup industry. Perhaps not tantamount to the Rockies when it comes to height and feather-light powder, Vermont excels on the wetter east coast (snowfalls average anywhere from 140 to 340 inches). Large, small, steep, mellow—the state doesn’t discriminate: beginners and experts alike can get their fill, from the frenzy of Killington to the family-friendly powder of Smuggler's Notch. And the truly obsessed can also trek out to Sugarloaf, just over the Maine border.
