North America
Stowe
For 2026-27, Stowe is on the Epic Pass (unlimited). Lifts run from 1,265 ft (386 m) to 3,625 ft (1,105 m), a vertical drop of 2,360 ft (719 m) across 485 acres, with about 314 inches of snow a year.
Stowe is the aristocrat of Eastern skiing, spread across Mount Mansfield - Vermont's highest peak - and neighboring Spruce Peak, above one of New England's prettiest ski towns. The legendary Front Four (National, Goat, Starr, and Liftline) deliver genuine double-black steeps, while 116 trails, a modern lift fleet, and snowmaking on 83% of the terrain make it the East's most polished big-mountain experience on the Epic Pass.
Ski passes at Stowe, 2026-27
| Pass | Access | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Epic Pass | Access: Unlimited | The full Epic Pass is unlimited with no restrictions. The Epic Local Pass is unlimited except on Epic's 2026-27 restricted dates (Nov 27-28, Dec 26-31, Jan 16, Feb 13-14). The cheaper Epic Northeast Value Pass also includes Stowe with holiday restrictions, and Epic Day Pass days are valid. |
Not on the Ikon Pass, Mountain Collective or Indy Pass this season.
Vail Resorts bought Stowe's ski operations in 2017, and it has been on the Epic Pass since the 2017-18 season. It was never on the Ikon Pass.
There is no Stowe-only season pass. Regulars buy the Epic Pass, the Epic Local Pass (holiday-restricted at Stowe), or the Epic Northeast Value Pass, which is unlimited at the smaller Vail-owned New England resorts and restricted at Stowe, Okemo, Mount Snow and Hunter.
Lift ticket prices
Peak walk-up adult day ticket, 2025-26: $261; online in advance from around $169. Pricing is date-specific and dynamic: adult day tickets ran about $169-$239 bought ahead in 2025-26, and walk-up peak days are higher. An Epic Day Pass bought before the season is the cheapest way to ski a few days.
Terrain Breakdown
Stowe elevation, altitude and mountain stats
Peaks and base areas
| Peak | Peak: Mount Mansfield summit (the Chin)Vermont's highest peak. Not lift-served; skiing it means hiking the ridgeline. | 4,395 ft (1,340 m) |
| Peak | Peak: Top of Mount Mansfield lifts (Gondola / FourRunner area)Stowe's highest lift-served skiing. | 3,625 ft (1,105 m) |
| Base | Base: Mansfield Base Lodge | 1,559 ft (475 m) |
Getting to Stowe: airports and drive times
The closest airport to Stowe is Burlington International Airport (BTV), 44 mi (71 km) away and about 1 hr 5 min by car. Montréal-Trudeau International Airport (YUL), the nearest major hub, is 109 mi (176 km) away and about 2 hr 30 min by car.
| Airport | Drive | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Burlington (BTV) | 1 hr 5 min | 44 mi (71 km) |
| Montreal (YUL) | 2 hr 30 min | 109 mi (176 km) |
| Boston (BOS) | 3 hr 30 min | 209 mi (336 km) |
| Hartford (BDL) | 3 hr 50 min | 220 mi (355 km) |
| Albany (ALB) | 3 hr 55 min | 191 mi (307 km) |
| New York (JFK) | 5 hr 45 min | 342 mi (551 km) |
Typical driving time with no traffic and open roads, rounded to five minutes. Chain controls, storms and resort-weekend traffic add to it. Routed over OpenStreetMap road data.
Stowe in 3D
Runs and lifts as mapped on OpenStreetMap, over terrain from elevation data (heights exaggerated slightly). Drag to look around; two fingers on a phone.
Highlights
Pros
- ✓Best combination of steeps, glades, and grooming in the East
- ✓Snowmaking on 83% of terrain keeps conditions reliable through Eastern thaws
- ✓High-speed gondola and six-pack move crowds efficiently on cold days
- ✓Real New England town with excellent restaurants, breweries, and inns
Cons
- ✗Peak-day tickets around $261 - Western-resort pricing for a 485-acre mountain
- ✗Eastern weather roulette: rain, ice, and brutal cold can strike any week
- ✗Weekend crowds from Boston and Montreal jam the gondola and access road
Quick answers
Is Stowe on the Ikon Pass?
No. Stowe is not on the Ikon Pass for 2026-27. It is on the Epic Pass (unlimited) instead. Vail Resorts bought Stowe's ski operations in 2017, and it has been on the Epic Pass since the 2017-18 season. It was never on the Ikon Pass.
What is the elevation of Stowe?
Stowe sits at an altitude of 1,265 ft (386 m) at the base and 3,625 ft (1,105 m) above sea level at the top of the lifts, for 2,360 ft (719 m) of vertical drop. Named peaks and lift tops: Mount Mansfield summit (the Chin) at 4,395 ft (1,340 m) and Top of Mount Mansfield lifts (Gondola / FourRunner area) at 3,625 ft (1,105 m).
How big is Stowe?
Stowe has 485 acres, 12 lifts and 116 runs.
How much snow does Stowe get?
About 314 inches (798 cm) a year on average, as reported by the resort.
How much is a lift ticket at Stowe?
A walk-up adult day ticket peaks at $261 for the 2025-26 season. Buying online ahead, adult tickets have started around $169. Pricing is date-specific and dynamic: adult day tickets ran about $169-$239 bought ahead in 2025-26, and walk-up peak days are higher. An Epic Day Pass bought before the season is the cheapest way to ski a few days.
When does Stowe open for the season?
Typically: opening Late November 2026 (typical; skiresort.com lists Nov 21, 2026), closing Mid-to-late April 2027 (skiresort.com lists Apr 25, 2027). Dates move with snowfall, so check the resort before booking.
What mountain is Stowe ski resort on?
Stowe covers two mountains: Mount Mansfield, Vermont's highest peak at 4,395 ft, and Spruce Peak across the valley. The Over Easy gondola links them. The Front Four, the gondola and most of the expert terrain are on Mansfield; Spruce has the base village and gentler terrain.
Is Stowe on the Epic Pass?
Yes. The full Epic Pass is unlimited at Stowe. The Epic Local and Northeast Value passes include Stowe but are blocked on holiday dates (for 2026-27: Nov 27-28, Dec 26-31, Jan 16 and Feb 13-14). Stowe is not on the Ikon Pass.
What is the closest airport to Stowe?
The closest airport to Stowe is Burlington International Airport (BTV), 44 mi (71 km) away and about 1 hr 5 min by car. Montréal-Trudeau International Airport (YUL), the nearest major hub, is 109 mi (176 km) away and about 2 hr 30 min by car.
Skier Insightssummarized from skier trip reports and forum reviews
Stowe is the East's aristocrat, and the skiing community holds it to a matching standard: the benchmark by which New England mountains get judged, and the perennial answer to 'where should I take my western friend so they respect Eastern skiing?' Mount Mansfield, Vermont's highest peak, provides the goods - the Front Four's storied steeps, an unusually deep glade network, and 314 inches of snowfall that makes it a legitimately different climate from the resorts three hours south. The town below matches it: breweries, inns, and restaurants that make this the rare Eastern resort worth a full week.
The practical experience is a tale of two mountains and two calendars. Mansfield holds the serious terrain - the Front Four (often boilerplate ice, occasionally magnificent), the Chin Clip trees, hike-to lines off the ridge - while Spruce Peak across the road handles families and lessons in relative calm. Midweek, Stowe is arguably the best-skiing, best-run mountain in the East. Weekends are the problem: the Epic Pass era supercharged Saturday volume from three metro areas, the FourRunner and gondola lines swell, Route 108 backs up, and the $30 Friday-Sunday parking fee (waived for four-person carpools) adds friction. Regulars solve it with timing - first chair, early lunch, 2pm exit or a midweek trip entirely.
Stowe fits skiers who want the East's best combination of steeps, trees, and town, and Epic Pass holders get unlimited access on the full pass (Epic Local carries holiday restrictions). It is not a value play - tickets, dinner, and lodging all run western-resort prices - but the product mostly justifies it. Versus rivals: Sugarbush and Jay Peak offer comparable or wilder terrain with more soul and less polish, Killington offers more acreage and nightlife, but neither matches Stowe's complete package. Best months: February for midwinter snow depth and March for the corn-and-glades finale; January is coldest, and weekends year-round are the tax you pay or plan around.
What skiers like
- +The Front Four - National, Goat, Starr, Liftline - remain the East's proving ground: narrow, icy, genuinely steep fall lines that skiers measure themselves against for a lifetime
- +Mansfield's glades are the deepest bench of tree skiing on the Epic Pass east of the Rockies - from mellow lines off Gondolier to the tight, committed shots skiers quietly trade names for
- +314 inches a year is a different league from southern Vermont - northern Green Mountain storms plus serious snowmaking mean Stowe skis 'real winter' more days than almost anyone in the East
- +Grooming and snowmaking are consistently rated the best in New England - after a thaw-freeze, Stowe's corduroy recovers days before its neighbors
- +Spruce Peak is a legitimately great family setup - sheltered, sunny, ski-school-centric, and separated from the Mansfield hordes
- +The town of Stowe is the East's best ski village by a wide margin - Doc Ponds, von Trapp Bierhall, Alchemist beer, real inns - a proper week's destination, not just a hill with condos
- +Unlimited access on the full Epic Pass makes it the East's flagship pass mountain, and midweek it can feel almost private
- +The backcountry-adjacent culture (Teardrop, the Bruce Trail, ridgeline hikes off the Chin) gives strong skiers room to grow beyond the trail map
Common complaints
- −Weekend crowds are brutal - Boston, New York, and Montreal all converge, and the gondola and FourRunner queues on a Saturday can hit 30-45 minutes by 9am
- −Paid parking stings: $30 per car at the main lots Friday-Sunday and holidays unless you carpool four-deep, a policy locals still grumble about years in
- −Mountain Road (Route 108) traffic backs up badly on peak mornings - the drive from town to the lifts can take longer than the drive to town from Burlington
- −Classic Eastern weather roulette: rain-to-ice cycles, wind holds on the gondola, and January cold snaps that hit -20F with wind chill on the upper mountain
- −Epic Pass pricing brought Epic Pass volume - longtime skiers date the crowd surge precisely to the Vail acquisition, and midwinter Saturdays prove them right
- −At 485 acres it's small by destination standards - a strong skier can tour every marked run in two days, and vacation-week variety depends on trees and conditions
- −Everything is expensive: peak window tickets near $235, resort dining priced like Colorado, and Stowe-village lodging that rivals western resort towns
- −The Front Four are frequently bulletproof ice rather than soft bumps - the postcard runs are often survival skiing, which disappoints visitors expecting western-style steeps
Common Questions
How does the paid parking work?
How bad are Stowe's weekend crowds really?
Are the Front Four actually skiable, or always ice?
When is the best time to ski Stowe?
Is Stowe worth it compared to Sugarbush or Jay Peak?
Sources: stowe.com, epicpass.com, skiresort.com, onthesnow.com, en.wikipedia.org, snowbrains.com
Photo: Vermont / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
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