Stowe sets itself apart from the other ski towns in Vermont in a few big ways. It's got an undeniable charm that extends from the village to its cozy inns, lodges and restaurants. Its terrain, however, is where it wins the biggest raves, with dozens of trails (and a challenging backcountry) that descend from Mount Mansfield, the highest peak in Vermont.

Click on the tabs at right to learn more about our trip to Stowe.

When you come to Stowe, you're on a vacation. The Stoweflake Mountain Resort and Spa makes it that much easier to pamper yourself. It's the winner of the AAA 4-diamond award, and Virgin Holidays named it one of America's top three ski resort properties.

Our luxury guestrooms have pillow-topped matresses, spa bathrobes, and in-room fireplaces. Our well-appointed Meadows Townhouses have fully stocked kitchens, spacious living rooms and private baths featuring two-person jacuzzi tubs. On this trip, you've got three lodging options, all located within the comfortable and conveniently located Stoweflake Mountain Resort and Spa.

The Spa at Stoweflake

With three full days to relax at Stowe, you'll want to be sure to check out the sumptuous Spa at Stoweflake, one of New England's most celebrated spas. With dozens of treatments ranging from aromatherapy to couples massage, it's an easy place to unwind and forget your worries. The SKI BUMS guys should check out their list of treatments especially for men. Anyone up for a Mountain Man Mud Massage? Ladies, you won't want to miss their signature treatments; doesn't a Vermont Maple Sugar Body Polish sound like a delicious way to refresh yourself after a day on the slopes? We think so.

For this trip, you've got three lodging options:

• Option 1: Luxury Guestrooms
  Double or single occupancy hotel room with one king or two queen beds
  All rooms feature pillow-top mattresses, mini-fridges and in-room fireplaces

• Option 2: 2-Bedroom Meadows Townhouse
  2 bedrooms, 2 1/2 baths, kitchen, living room with fireplace
  1st bedroom: King master bedroom with private bath, jacuzzi tub and in-room fireplace | 2nd bedroom: 2 queens with private bath
• Option 3: 3-Bedroom Meadows Townhouse
  3 bedrooms, 3 1/2baths, kitchen, living room with fireplace
  1st bedroom: King master bedroom with private bath, jacuzzi tub and in-room fireplace | 2nd bedroom: 1 queen with private bath and jacuzzi tub | 3rd bedroom: 2 queens with private bath

• Located in the village of Stowe, within walking distance of restaurants, bars, shops, and more.
• Convenient public shuttle bus or drive to lifts, about 5 minutes away.

Both hotel and townhouse guests have access to the following amenities:

• Indoor heated swimming pool
• Outdoor heated hot tub
• Complimentary Wi-Fi
• Gas fireplaces
• Cybex Fitness Center, featuring fitness equipment, free-weights, cardiovascular equipment, and womens' fitness room
• Sauna and steam room
• On-site restaurant and cafe

Townhouses also feature:

• Full kitchen
• Living room with fireplace, TV and DVD player
• Laundry
• Ski and snowboard storage

• If you've got a roommate or condo-mates in mind, you may sign up with other members and plan to share a room and / or condo. Or, SKI BUMS can easily match you up with someone.
• Take note that about half of our trip participants sign up without a specific roommate in mind.
• Single occupancy hotel rooms are available.
• Space for each type of lodging is limited. See the current availability >

• 3-day adult lift ticket for Stowe Mountain Resort

• Mount Mansfield Summit Elevation - 4,395'


• Longest Vertical Drop - 2,160'


• Average Annual Snowfall - 333"


• Total Number of Trails - 116

• About half of our participants will bring their own skis / snowboards. If you'd like to rent equipment, we have a discounted rate of $85 for a 3-day ski or snowboard rental package.

  You may add on an equipment rental when signing up for the trip.

From our friends at First Tracks Online:

At 4,395 feet, Mount Mansfield is Vermont’s highest peak, and the slopes and trails of Stowe Mountain Resort cascade down two faces of Mansfield and the south side of Spruce Peak, located immediately across the street. Although the lifts don’t reach Mansfield’s summit – they top out at 3,640 feet – the terrain above the lifts is the steep and forbidding playground of northern Vermont’s extreme backcountry enthusiasts who are willing to hike to earn their turns.

Mansfield's geography naturally creates what is arguably one of the best ski mountains in New England. Both the Four Runner and the gondola service over 2,000 vertical feet of sustained fall-line skiing in a single shot. From the quad, the famed Four Front -- Goat, National, Starr and Liftline -- offer a variety of some of the most challenging skiing in the East.

From the gondola, Perry Merrill and Gondolier each deliver nearly two miles of nonstop intermediate cruising. At the far eastern end of Mt. Mansfield's lift-served terrain, the Toll House double chair lifts skiers over a mile-long pod of easy green learning terrain, beautifully separated from the traffic on the rest of the mountain. In between it all, some of the East's best tree skiing exists in the form of both marked glades and hidden local stashes. Above the lifts, backcountry classics like The Kitchen Wall, The Hourglass, and Hellbrook await those who dare climb to reach them. All are covered by a copious annual average of 333 inches of natural snow that falls as storm systems cross the flat lowlands of the Champlain Valley and dump their load of moisture as the clouds collide with Mansfield.

Click on "Skill Levels" for more specific recommendations.

Since 2006, SKI BUMS has coordinated carpools for our weekend trip to Vermont. They're a complicated bit of magic, but thankfully, we've got it down to a science. More than half of our members own cars, and in the previous few years, we've been able to offer a ride to anyone who needs one.

Provide your carpool information at sign up.

When you sign up for the trip to Stowe, we'll ask you the following questions:

• Do you have a vehicle, or do you need a ride?
• If you're driving, do you have a ski rack?
• If you need a ride, are you bringing skis or a board?
• From where, and at what time -- will you be prefer to depart for Stowe on Thursday?

If you're in NYC, plan to leave the city by NOON on Thursday.

You'll want time to check in and get settled before our evening Welcome Party, which begins at 9 PM.

Driving time to Stowe:

• From NYC: About 6 hours
• From Albany: About 3 hours, 45 minutes
• From Boston: About 3 hours, 30 minutes
• From Philly: A little over 7 hours

While in Stowe

Most of us will use our carpool for the five-minute drive to and from the mountain, but the village of Stowe also operates a shuttle bus that stops near our lodging. View the shuttle bus schedule >

The great thing about our itinerary for SKI BUMS trips is this: you'll always know how to find everyone. We've got meeting spots for the morning lifts, mid-day lunch and afternoon après-ski, but if you'd ever like to break away to do your own thing, that's fine too. Feel like heading down from the mountain a little early to take advantage of the Stoweflake Spa? Go for it! You can reconnect with everyone at dinner.

Thursday night Welcome Party at 9 PM

The weekend begins with our very own Welcome Party, where you'll meet the other trip participants, say hello to the trip co-leaders, and receive your lift tickets, equipment rental info and weekend itinerary. You won't want to miss it; we kick off the weekend in style!

Friday, Saturday and Sunday

Plan on a good night's sleep, because we start our day bright and early on Friday with a group meet-up at the lifts. Here, you'll have the chance to meet other skiers and riders who enjoy the same type of terrain that you do. From there, it's time to hit the hill! We'll name meeting spots each day for lunch and après ski, and with a three day lift ticket you'll have plenty of time to explore Stowe's fun-filled nooks & crannies at your own pace.

Meals & Social Events

• One of the easy highlights of our Vermont weekends is the chance to cook together; those who are staying in the condos will have the chance to treat each other to breakfasts in the mornings and dinners each night!
• Not in the mood to cook? The Stoweflake Resort & Spa has its own fantastic restaurant, and it's within walking distance of several others. If you're staying in one of our guestrooms (or if cooking isn't your forté), you won't go hungry.
• In the evenings, you'll be invited to check out the local bars, where SKI BUMS will set up shop with our very own parties. If you heard anything about our trip last year to Killington (which recently got noticed by LOGO), you know that the local watering holes are definitely where it's at!

Get the backstory -- the "inside scoop" on SKI BUMS planning!

Every winter, SKI BUMS orchestrates a mass exodus out of the city (and points beyond) to converge at a resort in Vermont, and these weekends have become famous for a few things. One, it's the chance to spend
three uninterrupted days of skiing and boarding -- an escape to the mountains that easily makes you forget the city. And two, the opportunity to get to know people in a way that you just can't when you're simply hanging out at a bar. Every year, the BUMS arrive in Vermont with folks they've only briefly met, and return home with a new group of great friends. It's an adventurous weekend... and all the more so when you're in a place like Stowe.

There's no question that Stowe has some of Vermont's best skiing and riding -- in 2007, it nearly topped all-time champ Killington for the biggest annual revenue. The added bonus of Stowe, however, is the town itself. It's an authentic New England town, complete with a big white church steeple, clapboard homes, and maple trees spouting freshly tapped syrup. The primary question is, do you stay in town, where all those charms are within walking distance, or do you stay up the road, a bit closer to the lifts? A few things convinced us: the Stoweflake is one of the best properties in town, it's got the village charms just steps from its front door, and we fell for the chance to do one property where you could select either a condo or a hotel room. We knew our members would enjoy that added flexibility. When you add in the fantastic amenities, the spectacular spa and the indoor / outdoor pool and hot tub, it was awfully easy to envision a relaxing vacation that the BUMS heartily deserve. If this is the one getaway ski trip that you're taking this year, you'll get to treat yourself to a fun-filled, relaxing weekend like none other.

Q: I'm interested in staying somewhere else, but meeting up with the BUMS while up at Stowe. Can I do that?

A: Space on this trip is limited. If you'd like to join any portion of our trip -- whether that's simply skiing with us for one day or meeting up with us for après ski, you must make arrangements directly through SKI BUMS. To make arrangements, email us. Again, space is limited, so the sooner you contact us, the better!

Q: I might have a few friends up at Stowe while we're there, but they're not members. Can I invite them to meet up with us?

A: Unfortunately, no. Only SKI BUMS registered members may join any portion of our trips, which includes our social events, lunches, apres-ski and get-togethers in our lodging. Of course, you're free to break away from the group to join them at any point, but because of our legal liabilities, we regret that cannot invite non-members to join our planned events. There are no exceptions to this policy.

Q: Do I need to know with whom I'm sharing a bed before I sign up for a king or queen bed share?

A: Yes. SKI BUMS does not arrange bed-shares; you'll need to know with whom you're sharing when you sign up.

Q: If I sign up for a queen share with someone, will we have a room to ourselves?

A: Unless you (or your pre-assembled condo-mates) specifically request otherwise, yes.

Q: My friends and I are trying to assemble a condo or a group of rooms, but we have a few questions. What's the best way to coordinate everything with you?

A: It's usually best to elect one "point person" for the group and have them email us with any questions or special requests, just so wires don't get crossed or details left out in the communication.

Q: What's the maximum number of people per townhouse unit?

A: For the 2-bedroom units: 6 adults. For the 3-bdroom units: 8 adults.

Q: Do I need to know who all my condo-mates will be before I sign up for a townhouse?

A: Not at all. Each year, about half our participants sign up and invite SKI BUMS to arrange their condo-mates. We've got a great track-record for some marvelous friend-making, and we'd love to introduce you to more of the BUMS!

Have any other questions? Email us!

All prices include:

• 3 day lift ticket to Stowe Mountain Resort
• Invitations to SKI BUMS private social events
• Optional add ons: 3-day equipment rental: $85 for ski or snowboard package

Hotel room with one king bed or two queen beds and in-room fireplace

Double occupancy: $599

Single occupancy: $999

Check availability >

2 bedrooms, 2 1/2 baths, kitchen, living room with fireplace
1st bedroom: King master bedroom with private bath, jacuzzi tub and in-room fireplace | 2nd bedroom: 2 queens

Your own queen bed: $849

Sharing a king master bedroom: $649*

Your own king master bedroom: $999*

*King master bedrooms include an in-room fireplace and a private bath with 2-person jacuzzi tub.

Check availability >

3 bedrooms, 3 1/2 baths, kitchen, living room with fireplace
1st bedroom: King master bedroom with private bath, jacuzzi tub and in-room fireplace | 2nd bedroom: 1 queen with private bath and jacuzzi tub | 3rd bedroom: 2 queens

Sharing a queen bed: $599

Your own queen bed: $659

Sharing a king master bedroom: $649*

Your own king master bedroom: $999*

*King master bedrooms include an in-room fireplace and a private bath with 2-person jacuzzi tub.

Check availability >

Cancellation policy:

• On or before January 25: $50 fee
• On or before February 10: $300 fee
• After February 11: No refund