I Went to Stowe in the Summer. Now, I'm Booking a Ski Trip this Winter.

Meet the Author

Mountain Travel Expert Caroline Kipp is Ski.com’s Supplier Relations Manager. She works side by side with the resorts, hotels and partners that make every vacation happen. That means she knows which properties stand out, which perks are worth having and how to get travelers the most from every mountain. She turns that inside access into ski trips that feel effortless from start to finish.

I went to Stowe to swim in a river. I came home wanting to return when there's snow.

This summer, I spent two nights hosted at Outbound Stowe, a basecamp near Stowe Mountain's highest peak. With 73 rooms, lofts and cabins, guests have access to endless activities in the summer and 116 ski trails and 13 lifts in the winter.

My three days at Outbound Stowe gave me waterfall hikes, 10 miles of bike path with mountain views, bratwurst and local beer at sunset and a quiet cabin with peaceful meadow views.

The summer landscape, with the rising mountains, had me imagining what winter might look like here. Trees dusted in snow, fire pits lit for après with marshmallows passed around and the kind of New England charm Stowe wears even in July.

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Day 1: Getting There and Getting in the Water

Based in Boston, I packed my bags that morning and headed to Vermont. The drive from Boston took about 3.5 hours on a Sunday with no traffic. I settled into my cabin at Outbound Stowe, then was off for a river dip.

From the property, you can walk to a swimming spot on the West Branch Little River, but an even better dip is about 10 minutes up the road at Bingham Falls. It's a half-mile hike down to waterfall views and a chilly pool carved into the rock, ideal for dipping on a sunny summer day. Standing in the cold spray, I daydreamed about skiing, wondering what a winter hike would be like on this same trail covered in snow.

Back in Stowe, I stopped at the Von Trapp Family Lodge Bierhall for grilled bratwurst with shaved radishes, a locally brewed Vermont beer and a sunset over the Green Mountains. It's the kind of place that gets better after a day of skiing. Sure, it’s the same bratwurst and beer, but I guarantee it tastes better after a day on skis.

I ended the day back in my cabin with a cup of the tea they stock in the room, and nothing else on the agenda.

Day 2: A Ride, a Workday and a Town Worth Walking

I woke up early for my second day in Vermont. I started with a grab-and-go breakfast sandwich from the lobby and a 10-mile ride on the Stowe Recreation Path, which runs right from the property into town. Mount Mansfield on one side, cornfields and horses on the other.

Afterward, I logged into work. The WiFi was fast, my cabin had a full-sized desk and a large window where I watched a beaver tear around outside and three deer cross the meadow between meetings. In the afternoon, I went out to the pool bar with some snacks and worked in the sun. I've had worse offices.

After logging off, I rode the recreation path back into town for a drink at Idletyme Brewery, then dinner at Eastside Bar + Bites, the hotel restaurant, looking out over the pool. My meal of salmon with potatoes and asparagus was fresh, light and tasty, and I capped off the night reading back in my cabin in bed by nine, dreaming of a ski vacation in the same cabin.

Day 3: One Last View

I checked out early, stopped at the Von Trapp Kaffeehaus for one of my favorite views in Stowe and grabbed some Vermont-made provisions for the drive.

By early afternoon, I was back in Boston.

Why I'm Coming Back in Winter

Everything I liked about the summer trip has a cold-weather version, and a few things only exist once the snow arrives.

The shuttle. In winter, the free 10-minute shuttle picks up directly in front of the property and drops off across the street from the Stowe Mountain. Parking in Stowe is limited enough on a good day, so not having to think about parking is a major perk.

Gear storage. Skis, snowboards and equipment have a home that isn't your cabin floor.

The hot tub. Open in winter. I saw it empty and still managed to picture exactly how it would feel after a full day at Stowe Mountain Resort.

The cabin. The thing that made it a good place to work in July is the same thing that makes it a good place to come back to in January — quiet, warm and views that make working a little less painful.

The town, closer than you'd think. The recreation path that got me to Idletyme Brewery by bike becomes a snowy walk in winter, and Stowe's charm doesn’t stop when it's 20 degrees out.