Wait, Where Am I?
Not a cloud in the sky. 40 degrees. No wind. I strapped in and stood up and got smacked in the eyeballs by Stratton, Okemo, Killington, Mount Mansfield, Mount Washington and, when I averted my gaze downward, a small bend in the Connecticut River. It was one of the most sweeping views of Vermont I’d ever seen, giving an almost complete view of the spine of the Green Mountains from Massachusetts to Canada.
Staring at these behemoth ski resorts, I almost forgot where I was: at the peak of Ascutney Mountain.
Getting The Basics Right
What, you’ve never heard of Ascutney? Not surprising, considering that it’s a small, privately-owned mountain off the well-trodden Route 100 gangway. While you can easily see the big players from the peak of Ascutney, it’s almost impossible to see Ascutney from the peaks of the big players. I really think the developers planned it that way, though. It’s like all the Vermont resorts organized a big game of hide and seek 50 years ago and Ascutney is the only one still playing.
The top half of Ascutney has some challenging terrain for advanced rider, including this boulder field beneath the quad.
And that’s just fine with this snowboarder. Ascutney, besides having a real fun name to say out loud, has a way of getting all The Basics right. When you’re there, it’s just you, your board and your chosen trail. There’s not much else to think about.
What do I mean by getting “The Basics” right? You know, the simple stuff. Like parking. Parking at the big players sometimes requires strategic planning, shuttle buses, permits, and the willingness to get up extra early to avoid getting stuck in the dreaded “auxiliary lot.” At Ascutney, though, the parking lots is right there in plain view of the base lodge – the farthest spot is still less than 500 steps to the summit quad. Too hung over to walk those 500 steps? You can ride, downhill, to a beginner’s area lift that gets you up to the base area.
Ascutney gets The Basics right by having a burgers/dogs/sausage BBQ at the peak of their tripe lift on a sunny Saturday, PLUS a keg of Otter Creek chilling in a snowbank.
Ascutney gets The Basics right by putting actual picnic tables in their modest terrain park. How fun is it to tailpress a picnic table without fear of getting reprimanded by security? Maaaad fun.
Ascutney gets The Basics right by offering steep, challenging terrain in a classic New England style. Runs start out steep and winding near the summit and gradually open up to moderate pitch with great grooming near the bottom.
Long lift lines? Ascutney don’t play that. Plus, the lifties are cool (upon seeing my camera backpack, one liftie asked, “yeahhh, you got beers in there?” I didn’t have beers in there, but it was thoughtful of him to ask).
Lift tickets are reasonably priced.
All these Basics combine for a stress-free visit that lets you focus on what you came to do: ride a board down a hill sideways with a smile on your face.
Happy Ending
When the day is done, head to the Harpoon brewery in Windsor, about a 15-minute drive from Ascutney.
At the end of my carefree, sunshine-filled day at Ascutney, I remembered that I was only about 10 miles from Windsor, Vermont, home of the Simon Pearce glass factory and the Harpoon brewery. I watched some glassblowers spin some glowing orange globs for a few minutes and then grabbed myself a cask-conditioned, “milky” IPA at the brewery. It tasted great.
And that was it. I’d found the formula to a perfect, stress-free day.
Step 1: Stress-free (and cost-free) parking.
Step 2: Snowboard.
Step 3: Sip a fresh beer.
What else do you need?
-Luke
Ascutney's closest neighbor, Okemo.
I think this skier was trying to flip me off but he couldn't get his bulky gloves to cooperate. Anyhoo, that's Killington's Bear Peak in the distance.
The glory hole of the glass furnace at the Simon Pearce glass factory, Windsor, Vermont. Simon is the father of pro snowboarder Kevin Pearce.
