Much vegetation was exposed and there were only a few tracks on this trail that seemed to have been made a while ago, maybe before the ice-crust coating. This was the legendary Master Magician, one of the steepest fall-line trails in Southern Vermont, boasting a 45 degree pitch. The first trail we encountered had a rope across it. Our plan was to ski every trail, and more if possible. It is a rare occasion for the lifts to go on wind hold at Magic Mountain.Ĭlick image to open a full-size Magic Mountain trail map. The chairs hung below the tops of the trees, nestled in the windless confines of the forest. We could hear the wind howling above us as we admired the forethought that was put into the lift design. The passing storm that left us with a mixed bag of precipitation also left us with residual high winds. Was it really Saturday? Were we in a time warp? So where are all the people? There were no lift corrals, and not even any semblance of a line. Magic trail map full#We learned that riding the double ‘red chair’ was all we needed to do to access the goods and take full advantage of the 1,650 vertical feet. They both go up the same mountain, only the double continues to ascend one short pitch higher than the triple. There are currently just two chairlifts at Magic Mountain, a double and a triple. Where was everyone? They must be out skiing. There was no line of hungry skiers at the cafeteria. The tables were few and widely spaced, giving a vacant feeling. This added a good-ol’ down home vibe that brought smiles to everyone who walked in the door. The base lodge was scantily populated with lunching skiers and an old-time fiddle player in the corner filling the lunchroom air with fast-action, foot-stompin’ tunes. Thinking that a noon arrival on a Saturday in February would mean full parking lots or remote parking and riding a shuttle, we were quite surprised to find the upper parking lot was barely a quarter full, and it was the shortest weekend walk to the base lodge in all of Vermont! A few other people were also arriving for afternoon skiing drawn in by the $33 half-day lift ticket and the improving weather. As we drove up this short road to the ski area, we noticed the Swiss chalets and felt transported to another place and time. There is a sign, but it is not very flashy and it seems to blend in well with the scenery. The Magic Mountain Access Road could easily be missed. We continued east, beyond the quaint Vermont Village of Londonderry with its shops, restaurants and lodges. As we passed Route 100, the scenic by-way known as the “Skier’s Highway” that rambles the length of Vermont’s Green Mountains, connecting nearly all of the state’s ski resorts, many cars turned south to go towards Stratton. We had passed by south-facing Bromley and noticed the lift corrals with people waiting to load the lifts. We got a late start due to an ice storm the previous night, and did not arrive in southern Vermont until just before noon. These three uniquely different resorts are approximately 11 miles apart, forming a nearly equilateral triangle. There are no wide swaths or continuous ribbons to be seen, just glimpses of white peaking out from the trees, with one white snake visible meandering down one side and slipping behind the forest. Magic Mountain has a significantly different look to it. Bromley is a smaller, compact hill with its continuous white ribbons gently rolling down its lone face. Stratton stands out as the largest mountain with its many wide swaths of trail streaming down from its peak. Driving east down Vermont Route 11 from Manchester travelers are treated to a fabulous view of the ski areas of southern Vermont’s “Golden Triangle”.
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