Magic Mountain resort: traditional VT skiing

Raise your hand if you have ever been to or heard of Okemo, Killington, Stratton or Sugarbush mountain resorts in VT. Chances are that most of you will raise a hand. These places have extensive snowmaking, powerful grooming fleets, fast chair lifts, luxury condos, spas and everything in between that would make that ski vacation in Vermont memorable for a long time.

In this respect, Magic Mountain resort - tucked between larger and more popular  ski resorts in southern Vermont – is not a household name and does not have lavish real estate or extensive snowmaking operations. As a matter of fact, when I first heard about it, I pictured an old handle tow and modest elevations. The name did not evoke images of steep chutes, dense glades, or anything that would make an intermediate /advanced skier or snowboarder drive to Londonderry. Indeed, why bother when there are more developed resorts right around Magic Mountain resort? Simply because on a good winter day it could offer similar or even better bang for your buck.

There is one catch: for optimal results you would need fresh powder, the skills to ski intermediate and advanced terrain, patience for the slow ski lifts, and an understanding that it is not a “Louis Vuitton” territory. One, of course, could immediately object: “But almost any resort rocks when it dumps a foot or so.” I agree, but here is another secret advantage of Magic mountain ski resort : you can pretty much count on not having lift lines on a weekend when Mother Nature dumps more than a foot of fresh snow. And last year, Magic Mountain resort was offering quite low prices on ski lift tickets.

Let’s face it: a Vermont ski trip might be expensive, just like any ski vacation unless you are willing to skin up a mountain, carry a couple of sandwiches, and a tea thermos with you. In most cases you will probably pay more than $70 for an adult weekend ticket and stand in long lines to get on a ski lift. And that takes precious time away from time that you will spend on fresh powder – which let’s admit – you can’t find in southern VT every day or even every weekend.

Indeed, we are not blessed with the recurring snow storms over here, in the Northeast. And when it does snow, I usually get a feeling that a quarter of Long Island, New Jersey and Connecticut hits I-87 or I-91 for a weekend skiing in Vermont. I had the very same feeling one Saturday, when I was standing in a middle of a lodge at Bromley resort and could not believe my eyes. There was not a single available chair. Moreover, I could see stretching lift lines and that sight would only make me feel worse. Exactly at this point – and while my brain was running a cost-benefit analysis of making couple turns here at the price of $10-15 per ride – I thought, why not Magic Mountain resort? The worst that could happen is that we would make couple runs but at a lower price.

Everyone in my group agreed; we hit a road and 15 minutes later were walking down a parking lot at Magic Mountain resort in Londonderry, Vermont. As I mentioned earlier, this Vermont ski resort is not a place to show off designer outfits. It has a bit more traditional, down-to-earth feel to it and everything conveys a simple approach to life and business. In other words, the ski resort doesn’t have powder rooms and lobster bisque, but it does have clam chowder, a cafeteria–which by the way is often open after 4:00pm–and a bar with live music.

Once you get over a “luxury factor” – if you care about one – Magic offers a double chair to the top, a very slow double, so take a Kindle 2.0 and load it up with your favorite electronic book. (Magic has two lifts, but last season only one worked, so I am referring to the Red and not the Black Chair.) By the time you are done reading a chapter or two, the Red Chair will take you to the summit, which stands at 2,850’ and offers a 1700’ vertical. Be careful getting off the chair because the unloading platform might be a bit steep for beginners. And from that point adjust your gear, put away a ski trail map, and have some fun.

The last time I looked at the ski map it had some mislabeled trails – and besides, Magic mountain employees are also quick to point out that you can ski anywhere you want at Magic ski resort- so a map isn’t even necessary. And it is true: all you need to know that there is an Eastern and Western side. The former is suitable for beginners and the latter for advanced skiers and snowboarders. You will probably want to be on the Western side to get most out of your day.

Magic’s web site proudly states that the top pitch of Master Magician is 45 degrees steep. Frankly, it is pretty steep for most folks. In addition, you can venture anywhere within Mountain’s boundaries, so if you like to jump from rocks or over tree branches, Magic has plenty to offer. As a matter of fact, on all my visits to Magic, the Western side was largely ungroomed; and thus, it would not be unusual for us to maneuver among the natural obstacles on and off the trails. Make a dozen or so runs on some challenging trails, and I can guarantee that it will be a long walk back from the lodge to a parking lot.

How about negatives? Well, just like any other Vermon ski resort Magic Mountain resort is not immune to Mother Nature’s tricks and unstable winter temperatures. It relies heavily on natural snow to have “skiable” surfaces. While anything mentioned above would have a negative impact on the operations of just about any resort, it appears that Magic has limited grooming capabilities. And so on some particularly icy days you won’t even get well advertised “corduroy” consisting of icy particles. It means that Magic is “unskiable” on some days so you might be bettor off enjoying the local micro-brew in a bar, or ski/slide at a bigger resort that might have better grooming capabilities.

(Keep in mind, though, that in June the management team at Magic offered to sell shares in an attempt to raise funds to improve mountain operations.)

To summarize, it is fair to say that Magic Mountain resort a well-kept secret that deserves a bit more recognition for its classic terrain, and traditional Vermont skiing style and feel. The Magic Mountain might not have advanced snow guns, groomers or valet parking – at least not yet. But it has unique character and New England authenticity that is often buried under modern luxury real estate developments and exclusive cuisines. Skiing at Magic might not be for everyone, but those who don’t mind the basics with maximum value would certainly appreciate everything that Magic Mountain resort has to offer. Just pick a good powder day.

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