Vermont: Smugglers' Notch, Smuggs Resort – Skiing, Snowboarding, and Winter Family Fun. Why not vacation with the best? SKI Magazine's readers have chosen Smugglers’ as #1 in North America for family programs for many years. Not surprising because not only do they relate to what parents need and kids want but each season they manage to add a few extra benefits for more fun.

Here’s the snow scoop. Smuggs is a top-rated year-round family resort near Burlington Vermont, with many special features and facilities including a state-of-the-art child-care center called “Treasures” and “Teen Alley” for children ages 13-15 while “Outer Limits” is for 16 and older. Add these benefits to multiple lodging options and plenty of snow time fun and the perfect winter family vacation will happen. 

Ski the day away on Sir Henry’s Hill. From mid-Village rises a chairlift that begins the link of trails and lifts that connect the three mountains.  With 300 acres of trails and another 700 of wooded terrain in between, snow sports enthusiasts may claim a world of mountain topography to live out their dreams of adventure. Beginners develop their stance and first turns on Sir Henry’s Hill, a gentle slope with an easy-to-ride conveyor lift. 

On to Morse Mountain then Sterling Mountain. When ready, they advance to the Magic Lift, a double chair purposely built low to the ground which transports them to mid-station or the top of Morse Mountain for access to the trails marked with green signs indicating novice level. By the time they have advanced to level four, all skiers and riders are ready for Sterling Mountain, the home of over 50 percent of Smugglers’ intermediate trails.  Madonna Mountain beckons the more audacious and skilled slope sliders by presenting lots of expert and super-expert terrain – a mountain that also cradles intermediates with two winding trails with thrilling views – Chilcoot and Drifter.

Welcome to Snow Sport University. Smugglers’ all-day programs in skiing and snowboarding instruction may feature fun races, mountain adventures, and guided treks and include lunch. The day camp categories include Discovery Dynamos (ages 3-5), Adventure Rangers (ages 6-10), Notch Squad (ages 11-15) and Mountain Explorers (ages 16-17).
 
Smugglers’ Snow Sport University benefits.  A GPS by flaik, inc. is available for young students in the all-day ski and snowboard camps as a way to capture their on-mountain fun.  The tracking device is the size of a cell phone held in a neoprene pouch above the boot. At the end of the day youngsters can use their particular code to download statistics on the total vertical, the individual trails, their maximum speed and the total number of miles for the day, and cumulatively over several days. Smuggs SSU director, Harley Johnson loves the device because “it’s a great way to initiate family conversations about the ski day and relive the day’s experiences!”  Bonus points: Another advantage is the resort’s ability to locate a youngster anywhere on the mountain – a feature that’s reassuring to parents.

Tykes on skis. At Smugglers’, little children as young as 2 ½ years of age have an opportunity to develop beginning skills on the slopes. The fun day matches up with a toddler’s attention span and physical capabilities. Operated from a home base at the cozy Treasures Child Care Center, the cost includes instruction, equipment and helmet rental, snack and lunch. Their first on-hill experience incorporates the use of a gently moving conveyor lift, located right in the child care center’s backyard.

Best snow-play ever. Smugglers’ Burton Riglet Park is an on-snow play area with fun terrain features designed for introducing young children to snowboarding. The park's focal point is a "treehouse," an elevated platform with ramps that children can ride down, a balance area inside the treehouse and a lift chair that swings to help kids practice getting on and off the lift. Playing in the park on small rolling hills, miniature box-style rails, pyramids and a mini-halfpipe allows children to gain the necessary balance and muscle memory to begin sliding and making turns on sloped terrain. The park is located at Smuggs’ Sir Henry's Learning Area with conveyor lift access.

Create family energy together. Doing things together as a family is easy at Smuggs. The rich menu of ideas includes snow tubing, bingo, I-Did-a-Sled family-to-family competition, activities and dance parties in the FunZone indoor game center, and a breakfast with the resort’s Friendly Pirate. Wait for it! Even in winter, the resort’s zipline canopy tour offers gorgeous views of the Green Mountains as zipliners work their way down the mountain on a thrilling ride from tree platform to tree platform.
 
Family airboarding anyone? Squeals of delight announce that airboarding is in session at Smugglers’ Morse Highlands. An airboard is an inflated sled similar in look and weight to a water raft. Grooves on the bottom of the airboard act as edges to facilitate steering, and the smooth bottom assures a speedy ride. Sized for youth and adults and offered afternoons at Morse Highlands, this family activity has a short learning curve and promises to yield fun the first day. First time users participate in a short instructional clinic and then venture out on their own to the Log Jam Trail in the Morse Highlands trail network.

Nordic Center guides make cross-country skiing and snowshoe trekking simple. Smuggs offers snowshoe instruction and coaching so that those willing may enjoy the snowshoe treks with the resident naturalist. Different treks allow for fun learning about animal habitats in winter, maple syrup production and more. Snowshoers may look for tracks in the snow and try to identify the animal. Bonus points: A family nighttime snowshoe tour is a weekly highlight. Cross country skiing lessons set participants up for enjoyment of the resort’s 30-kilometer trail network.

Snow tubing included. Enjoy tube sliding at its best on the lighted terrain of Sir Henry's Hill. Slippery sliding is for guests of the Resort with a Smuggs Pass and is included in all of our Club Smugglers' Packages. Add to the fun with ArborTrek zip line canopy tour, the first of its kind in Vermont.

Go winter walking. The selection of walks ranges from an introductory meadow outing to a more vigorous Nordic Walking trek. The Explore the Notch walk takes guests into Smugglers' Notch Pass with its rich history as a smuggling route and its unique geological formations. It is from this pass that the Resort derives its name.

Value-filled vacation packages. Smugglers' Winter packages range from a ski and stay package to a package including on-snow instruction for all ages and abilities, so that families have flexibility to match packages to their winter vacation interests and budget requirements. Each package features family-pleasing inclusions such as mountainside condominium lodging; lift tickets; snow tubing; ice skating; use of the indoor pool and hot tub, Nordic and snowshoe terrain, indoor FunZone with climbing inflatables, and teen centers; and family and adult entertainment. Here’s the deal. Just to make sure families know how serious Smugglers’ is about delivering on a great winter vacation, packages come with a guarantee. This means that each guest participating will learn or improve their skiing or riding skills or their lesson portion of the package will be refunded with no questions asked.
 
Location on the planet. Smugglers' Notch Resort. 4323 Vermont Route 108, South Smugglers' Notch, Vermont 05464-9537.

Make it happen. Winter family vacation package information and online booking may be found at www.smuggs.com/winter. For reservations or information phone toll-free 1-800-451-8752 (US and Canada) or 0800-169-8219 (UK).

Content and images provided by Smugglers' Notch Resort. Copyright 2012.