Badness Ski Reports: Okemo & Mount Snow
Having the Epic New England Value Pass gives us access to several ski resorts. In the Southern Vermont area, we can ski at Okemo Mountain Resort and Mount Snow. Both are about an hour and a half from our house, making it easy for us to visit multiple times. We caught them early in the season and then again after one of the best snow years in the last decade. Each mountain has its own unique style and perks. We’ve had a great time and learned a lot about East Coast skiing at both spots!
Badness East Coast Ski Reports: Mount Snow & Okemo Mountain Resort
Mile: 62,420
Quote of the Blog: “Skiing is a dance, and the mountain is always leads.” - Maryann A. Parks
Song of the Blog: “Mountains” - Moontricks
Okemo Mountain Resort:
Overall Score 6.9/10
Open Terrain 7/10
Technicality of Terrain 7/10
Lodges 7/10
Snow Conditions 6/10
Vibe & Apres Scene 7/10
Chairlifts & Access 7/10
Parking 8/10
Crowds 6/10
Our introduction to East Coast skiing started with a Friday night session at our local hill, followed by our first day at Okemo on Saturday. It was early January, but thanks to some really cold weather and recent snowfall, conditions were ideal for snowmaking. Okemo had a decent amount of terrain open, but we didn’t feel the need to rush. We took our time heading over, which actually worked to our advantage—we scored a much better parking spot than expected, and it was free! Walking up to the base area was straightforward, though it involved a few staircases and a short uphill trek in the snow to reach the lift lines. However, once there, we realized that accessing the main summit chairs required taking one of two redundant lifts to nowhere—not the best layout.
Okemo’s main lift is a six-pack chair with an orange bubble, which was a lifesaver on that first day. The temperatures were brutally cold, and snow guns were running nonstop, making the air even chillier. The bubble provided some much-needed protection. We did our best to explore the mountain, but early-season conditions meant a lot of ice. We also noticed that skiers here like to ski very close to each other—often in a way that felt out of control. Amity has comically perfected the use of her ski poles as boundary-establishing weapons. We had multiple close calls here, with the most basic apologies from them as if it was just another normal thing.
Every time we skied at Okemo, it was freezing! We spent a lot of time ducking into lodges to warm up. Nothing about them was particularly impressive, but we did discover Waffle Cabin, which has changed our skiing lives. It’s a simple concept—slopeside shacks serving fresh waffles drizzled in chocolate. They’re a staple at East Coast ski resorts, and Okemo was the first place we tried one. They might just be the best lift-line snack ever, even if we can never quite make it to the lift before finishing them.
As more terrain opened up throughout the season, it never quite felt like it spread people out enough. That was our biggest gripe about skiing here. The ice was expected, but it was funny to hear people on the chairlift constantly complaining about it—especially while watching the resort blow snow on some random run every single day of the week. Crazy?!
The lodge scene is simple but functional. Our go-to spot was The Bull Restaurant and Bar in the main base lodge. The first time we skied there, we caught some live music, which made it clear that Vermont skiing has a livelier après scene than New Hampshire.
One day while driving up to Okemo, we noticed buildings in town with signs that said, Save the Halfpipe. At first, I assumed it was some kind of marketing campaign, but later we learned the real story. Okemo had stopped building a halfpipe a few years ago, and the locals were not happy. This was a full-blown protest, and honestly, I respect it. After skiing, we grabbed nachos at The Loft, a spot near the parking lot, and noticed they were also displaying one of the protest signs. Turns out, the community’s efforts paid off—the resort agreed to bring the halfpipe back! That alone earned The Loft the only Live Rad sticker we’ve put up on the East Coast. Hats off to the people of Ludlow, VT!
On the drive home from Okemo, we always stop at the Vermont Country Store. We’ve been there several times and will continue to make it a tradition. It’s the perfect place to stock up on penny candy, fun Vermont treasures, and the best cheese we’ve found in the state. So far, my favorite is the horseradish cheddar!
As much fun as we’ve had exploring Okemo, it hasn’t been our favorite. There are better ski areas overall, and the skiers there can be a little sketchy to be around. But it’s been a great introduction to Vermont skiing, and we’ve definitely made some good memories!
Mount Snow
Overall Score 7.5/10
Open Terrain 8/10
Technicality of Terrain 6/10
Lodges 9/10
Snow Conditions 6/10
Vibe & Apres Scene 8/10
Chairlifts & Access 8/10
Parking 8/10
Crowds 7/10
Mount Snow is about the same distance from Peterborough as Okemo, making it an easy choice for a ski trip. On the way to Dover, we pass multiple covered bridges—Amity loves these, and they always make us smile and wonder, How the heck did we end up here?
The ski area has multiple villages and parking areas, making access easy. When parking farther away, there’s a free bus called The Moo-Ver, painted appropriately like a cow! One time, we parked near the “Longest Magic Carpet in New England,” which runs through a covered bridge-style building—an unexpected but fun detail.
Once inside the village, there are plenty of lodges, patios, and gathering spaces where people gear up, eat, and relax. This creates a lively atmosphere we’ve rarely seen outside of Stowe. One of the biggest things we’ve learned about East Coast skiers is that many bring everything inside the lodge—getting ready there and stashing their bags for the day. Thankfully, Mount Snow has plenty of space to accommodate this.
The weather was almost always brisk when we visited. We’d get in some solid skiing before needing to head inside to regain feeling—and motivation. Each time, we discovered something new: a pub, live music, an espresso bar, or the biggest cast-iron skillet of mac & cheese I’ve ever seen! Just walking into the main lodge is an experience, with the smell of fresh pizza filling the air from the first-floor pizza shop that cranks out pies at an impressive rate.
On the slopes, personal space seems to be optional. People ski right next to each other, and with some of the runs being so narrow, you have to keep your head on a swivel to avoid getting taken out from behind. We did our best to find quieter runs, usually ending up on Lodge, the main trail under the six-pack bubble chair. It has fun rolling terrain and generally good snow. However, we quickly learned to spot the telltale signs of ice—beige-colored patches or dull, matte-white snow. And they blow snow constantly. One time, after a fresh snowfall, they were still running the snow guns, which ruined the fresh powder—frustrating, but we get that they have their reasons.
We explored as much of the mountain as possible but found that skiing was best earlier in the day and on the lower slopes. By 2 or 3 p.m., we’d call it quits. Skiing bell-to-bell here would mean embracing ice as your new best friend. By mid-afternoon, all the groomed snow had been pushed to the sides, leaving the center of each run a ballroom floor of ice. Instead of suffering through that, we’d check out the après scene. We enjoyed the village patio, visited The Last Chair down the road, and kept returning to Snow Republic—a lively spot that gave us the closest thing to a Bierstube or Scissorbill’s vibe we’ve found on the East Coast. On our last day, we made sure to grab Waffle Cabin waffles before heading out—once you go down that road, there’s no turning back!
The drive home, under two hours, is easy and scenic. On our last trip, we saw a massive ice jam stretching for miles—walls of ice carved from the riverbanks as it ground its way downstream. In all my winters in Montana, I’ve never seen anything like it. Just proof of how damn cold it’s been here this winter.
Southern Vermont skiing has a lot to offer. With so many unique ski areas just a couple of hours away, we got to explore new mountains, ski with friends, and experience a whole new approach to skiing culture. I can now say that we ski in more flannel than I ever expected and that, on any given ski day, we’ve likely consumed maple syrup, waffles, and Vermont cheddar. These trips have been amazing—very cold, but amazing. Given the chance, we’d love to spend an extended period here. Maybe a work contract in the future?
Thank you, Vermont, for some unforgettable skiing memories. We’ll be back. Until then—thaw out & live rad!