Stowe Mountain Resort is a ski resort in the northeastern United States, near the town of Stowe in northern Vermont, comprising two separate mountains: Mount Mansfield and Spruce Peak. The lift-served vertical drop of Mount Mansfield is , the fifth largest in New England and the fourth largest in Vermont.
History Alpine skiing came to Vermont when the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) cut the first trails on Mount Mansfield in 1933. The National Ski Patrol was based on the Mount Mansfield Ski Patrol, the oldest in the nation founded in 1934. Stowe Mountain was also the first ski area in Vermont to have a single chair, which was installed by American Steel & Wire Company in 1940. Stowe was the second area in New England to have a chairlift, the first being Gunstock in 1937. The "Mansfield Single", was the first lift in the Mansfield area.
Stowe Mountain Resort was long owned in its entirety by the Mount Mansfield Company. It in turn was owned since 1949 by insurance mogul C.V. Starr, founder of the American International Group. AIG became the primary owner in 1988, until selling ski-related operations and facilities at the resort to Vail Resorts on February 21, 2017. AIG and the Mount Mansfield Company will retain the Stowe Mountain Lodge, Stowe Mountain Club, Stowe Country Club and other real estate owned and held for potential future development. Douglas Tymins, president and chief executive officer of AIG Global Real Estate, said “Under Vail Resorts’ management, Stowe’s reputation as a premier ski destination with a commitment to excellent service will continue to grow."
With $37 million in revenue during Winter 2007–08, Stowe placed second to Killington Ski Resort's $37.3 million in Vermont.
Terrain and Lifts
The average annual snowfall at the resort summit is approximately .
The ski area is composed of Mount Mansfield and Spruce Peak. Some 116 trails on Spruce Peak and Mount Mansfield provide () of skiable terrain.
Ahead of the 2011–2012 season, Stowe replaced the FourRunner high-speed quad with a new high-speed quad, constructed by Doppelmayr USA. The Sunrise Six also replaced the Mountain Triple in 2022.
Lifts
Stowe has a total of 10 chairlifts. There are 6 on the Mansfield side, and 4 on the Spruce Peak side. The Over Easy gondola connects both areas of the mountain.
Mount Mansfield Name Type Manufacturer Built Vertical Length Notes Mansfield Gondola Gondola 8 Poma 1991 2100 7664 Received major electrical upgrades and minor mechanical upgrades in 2014. Cabins were also Re-built at CWA in St. Jerome Quebec in 2014. Over Easy Gondola 6 Leitner-Poma 2006 12 1483 Riders can load/unload at both terminals. Sunrise High-Speed Six Doppelmayr 2022 1214 4476 FourRunner High-Speed Quad 2011 2046 5882 Toll House Double 1983 890 6400 Lookout Double Riblet 1979 1750 5341 Oldest lift in operation at Stowe. Received upgrades from Doppelmayr in the 1980s due to the lifts large size.
Spruce Peak Name Type Manufacturer Built Vertical Length Notes Sensation High-Speed Quad Leitner-Poma 2005 1454 5889 Sunny Spruce 2004 865 3769 Adventure Fixed-grip Triple 2004 127 980 Meadows Fixed-grip Quad Doppelmayr 2014 432 1734 Has a Chairkit loading conveyor.
Gallery
References
External links
Mt. Mansfield Ski & Snowboard Club Stowe Mountain Resort - NewEnglandSkiHistory.com - history and images