January 22, 2009 E-MAIL PRINT

Southern Vermont holds genteel pleasures

by Tony Chamberlain/

Stratton contains a treasure chest of cruising terrain. (photo: Stratton Mountain)

Stratton contains a treasure chest of cruising terrain. (photo: Stratton Mountain)

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Most Boston-area skiers and riders habituate on a north-south axis, taking most outings into New Hampshire and Maine but rarely west of Route 89 into central Vermont.

So, to rediscover southern Vermont’s alpine tier (without a fly rod in hand) was a journey back to the quiet elegance of this tame and upscale part of the ski world centered around Manchester.

In summer, take a diversion from brown trout on the Battenkill River, and it’s hard not to get steeped in the upper-crust, moneyed gentry that once built the farms and estates around Manchester.

But in winter, aside from some rather lower-stress skiing at Bromley and Stratton, visitors find themselves in a shopping mecca of designer outlets and fine restaurants, somewhat reminiscent of a less-gritty North Conway.

For people who like to mix a bit of commercial activity — not to mention the abundant antiquing opportunities here — with their mountaineering, the southern Vermont tier is just the right mix.

This was the place for me to recuperate my sprained ankle, largely because I could ski both areas without cranking down my ski boots. This left me ready for easy cruising, and the largely intermediate fare of Bromley, with a dose of good, freshly groomed snow.

This is one of those classic New England ski areas marketed to families that can come up huge in mid-winter cold snaps. The south-facing exposure maximizes the sunshine, much like Stratton’s Sun Bowl.

At Bromley, Thruway is the bread-and-butter blue, while riders and skiers looking for more challenge head up the Blue Ribbon quad. Here, runs like Avalanche and Avalanche Glade provide the area’s relatively “most challenging” terrain, and there’s enough here to get a little burn going.

Nothing quaint about Stratton. I generally prefer to begin at the Sun Bowl parking lot, which provides something like a smallish replica of the main base area with its subway-style garage and sprawl of upscale shopping and dining.

This is definitely the high-priced spread, and if you like this alternative to skiing and riding, think of this village as a miniature Vail. If spending money is a midwinter therapy — as it is with some in my family — Stratton Village and Manchester Center have all your bases covered.

As for skiing at Stratton, as I say, morning runs off the Sunrise Express are a pleasant start. Much smooth cruising down the well-kept runs of the bowl.

If you want to stay away from the crowds and are looking for more of a challenge, the eastern face of the mountain off Shooting Star and Ursa Express offer a pretty challenging array of black and double-black challenges.

With my ankle condition, Bear Down was doable, but Grizzly Bear glade demanded a bit too much involuntary action. It’s steep and the trees come at you pretty quickly. But then, there’s the long cruising terrain that always marked this area — North American, Standard, Wanderer and Drifter — the latter two offering just what it sounds like: pleasant cruising for those just off their first lessons.

If your idea of hard-core ski and ride weekends blend in healthy doses of shopping, spa treatments and really fine food in a rarified atmosphere of alpine aristocracy, Manchester Vermont is a nice, if expensive, choice.

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