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 Stratton is known for its polish and shine, its upscale lodging and village, and its high levels of service. Yet it arguably did more to nurture snowboarding back in the sport"s wild child days than any other resort in the country. Back when Jake Burton was perfecting a whole new way to slide on snow, Stratton"s management provided encouragement by not only allowing but embracing snowboarding. That tradition continues, and Stratton"s award-winning collection of parks and its Superpipe attract world-class athletes. Of course, terrain parks and ½ pipes are not just for boarders any more, and the resort is as accommodating to the new wave of twin-tip freestylers as it was, and remains, to boarders. Nowhere is this more obvious than in the Tyrolienne Kid"s Park, where little kids, all helmets, boards, or tiny twin-tips, launch and learn to the pained or delighted gasps of parents brave enough to watch. Stratton"s commitment to the newer aspects of winter recreation has been matched over the years by steady terrain expansion, infrastructure improvements, and real estate development, so that the mountain now skis and rides big and lacks little in the way of amenities, services, or lodging. Back when the American Express 6-passenger chair went in, it was a big deal and New England"s first. The resort now boasts four of them, a 12-passenger gondola, four quads, and seven other lifts. Ninety percent of the mountain"s 583 acres are covered by snowmaking. Although people have been ducking into the trees for years all over the region, official acceptance at most resorts (with few exceptions) was slow to materialize. Stratton wasn"t any quicker than most in this regard (a rare lapse) but once on board took full advantage of the landscape"s mostly hardwood forest. The result is a series of glades and tree runs for all tastes and abilities, from the gentle Daniel"s Web and Get Stumped to the tight and steep Moondance and Shredwood Forest. But the resort"s endless miles of corduroy cruisers are the main attraction and you"ll find much of the black diamond terrain groomed on a regular basis. Below the sprawling mountain lays a compact pedestrian village, the main base lodge and all services. The other base, Sun Bowl, has its own lodge. Around both bases, along the edges of the lower trails, and threaded throughout the wooded valley is a community of second homes and condominium clusters. With 21 services, 16 shops, and a dozen or so restaurants, taverns, and lodging properties in and around the village itself, Stratton is a self-contained community. Self-contained community notwithstanding, there are a few reasons to explore off the mountain. The most obvious is Manchester, about 20 minutes away, where you"ll find everything from outlet shops to flagship stores, restaurants to historic sites. Several more towns and villages dot the countryside, each with a charming shop, pub, or restaurant to enjoy. But should you choose to make the mountain your base, there"s a full-service Nordic Center based in Sun Bowl, sleigh rides, snowmobile tours, snowcat dinners and more. Even on a cold midwinter day, there"s something about facing the sun that just warms you up. The Sun Bowl area, which faces generally east, is the place to play first thing in the morning. Ditto the Kidderbrook trails, which are higher up but face the same direction.
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Ski Report
Vermont
