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Smugglers' Notch ski resort
Tier D — Late bloomer — aim Feb–Mar

📷 Smugglers' Notch

North America

Smugglers' Notch

Closed for the season

Season ended April 12, 2026

Conditions data updated Fri, Aug 28, 09:04 AM UTC · informational only

Closed for the season — closed April 12

Weather data is still collected for informational purposes.

Last Snowfall

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Past 24 Hours

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Past 48 Hours

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Past 10 Days

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14-Day Forecast

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Snow Depth

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🎿

Powder Days

4

2026–27 season

Updated: Aug 28, 9:04 AM•Weather at base: 314m

Overview

Smugglers' Notch is a ski resort in North America, United States, currently closed for the season (Season ended April 12, 2026). Conditions last updated 2026-08-28 09:04 UTC.

Resort Guide

Smugglers' Notch Resort is located in northern Vermont and offers a family-friendly atmosphere with three interconnected mountains and over 1,000 acres of skiable terrain. The resort is known for its diverse trails, award-winning children's programs, and a variety of winter activities including skiing, snowboarding, tubing, and snowshoeing. Key amenities include slope-side lodging, dining options, and a vibrant village with year-round events, making it a popular destination for both families and groups. Smugglers' Notch stands out for its focus on family experiences and comprehensive on-mountain services.

Resort Info

Summit1110m
Base314m
Vertical796m
Lifts8
Runs78
Skiable Area1000 acres
Average snowfall248 inches / 630 cm
CountryUnited States
Visit Resort Website →Follow on Instagram →View Trail Map →

Season dates

Season endedApril 12, 2026
Projected openingNovember 28, 2026

Future dates are operator estimates and may change.

Ski passes

No ski pass found

Access tiers change by season — confirm benefits on the pass operator's site.

Top Après Ski

The Black Bear Tavern – Known for its welcoming atmosphere, live music, and classic Vermont après-ski fare, this slopeside tavern at Smugglers' Notch is a favorite gathering spot for skiers and riders to unwind with local brews and hearty comfort food after a day on the mountain.

Snow Summary

1110mECMWF Model

Updated Aug 28, 2026 at 9:04 AM

0cm
24h
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Past 10d
14-Day Forecast
0
Prev10d
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Now28
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S29
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S30
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M31
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T1
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W2
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T3
Past
Today
Forecast

Snowfall Forecast Maps

Northeast US region

Current Conditions

Reported Fri, Aug 28, 09:04 AM UTC

Base

314m

Temp

16.6°C

Wind

5.4km/h

Snow Depth

--

14-Day Forecast

0cm

Mid-Mountain

712m

Temp

--°C

Wind

6km/h

Snow Depth

--

14-Day Forecast

0cm

Summit

1110m

Temp

11.5°C

Wind

5.4km/h

Snow Depth

--

14-Day Forecast

0cm

El Niño Outlook · Winter 2026-27

Smugglers' Notch El Niño rank & forecast

Smugglers' Notch ranks #320 of 488 SnowSure resorts — Tier D, −8% in strong El Niño winters.

Tier D — Late bloomer — aim Feb–Mar: Often a bit lighter early (−3% to −8% vs normal). History favors waiting for peak-depth months (often Feb–Mar) rather than skipping the resort.

#320 of 488Tier D — Late bloomer — aim Feb–Mar

Strong-event signal: −8% vs this resort's 30-yr avg

In the three strongest El Niño winters on record ('97-98, '15-16, '23-24), Smugglers' Notch averaged -8% versus its own 30-year snowfall baseline. Historically this is a timing play rather than a reason to stay home: aim for late winter (February–March) in winter 2026-27. Analog winters: '97-98 +7%, '15-16 -42%, '23-24 +13%. A pattern, not a promise.

'97-98 +7%'15-16 −42%'23-24 +13%

Signal = average snowfall in the three strongest El Niño winters since 1996 ('97-98, '15-16, '23-24) vs this resort's own 30-year ERA5 baseline. n=3 — a lean, not a law. Updated monthly against measured snowfall Dec–Mar.

Full El Niño report →

Live Conditions

Smugglers' Notch Webcams

All Webcams

Smugglers' Notch Resort

Smugglers' Notch Resort

2 webcams • Click to expand

Local Reports

0 reports
SnowSure™ Forecast Range

Daily Snowfall Forecast by Model

Black line = verified SnowSure™ blend (not a simple average). Weights update weekly from measured snowfall at SNOTEL stations and resort reports.

SnowSure™ blend — verified model weighting

The black line is not a simple average. For Smugglers' Notch (rockies), we combine seven global weather models using weights learned from daily forecast verification — comparing each model's prediction to measured snowfall (SNOTEL, resort reports, ERA5).

  • 1.Horizon buckets: days 1–3, 4–7, and 8–14 each get separate weights — short-range skill differs from long-range.
  • 2.Regional calibration: weights come from verified error in this geography (Rockies, Alps, Japan, etc.), recalculated weekly.
  • 3.Ground truth only: we never grade a forecast against another model — only against measured snow.

Building verification history for this resort.

How we verify forecasts →

Hourly Forecast Detail

AM / PM / Night breakdown with wind and freezing level

NWP models refresh up to 4× daily · Last synced Aug 28, 9:04 AM

Hourly Forecast Detail
 
Today
16 / 81.8mm
Sat, Aug 29
16 / 5
Sun, Aug 30
17 / 114.2mm
Mon, Aug 31
16 / 113.3mm
Tue, Sep 1
21 / 96.9mm
Wed, Sep 2
20 / 1414.1mm
PeriodAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNight
Snow (cm)000000000000000000
Precip (mm)0.31.500000.31.52.4003.32.13.90.92.72.19.3
Temp (°C)14151110169141612121612111912151915
Wind (km/h)713858611128584872435
Gusts (km/h)233828182821313929182824292925323431

14-Day Snow Forecast by Model

Summit elevation (1110m)

ECMWF
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GFS
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GEM
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JMA
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ICON
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Météo-Fr
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SnowSure™
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10-Day Forecast

Today

28

🌧️

16°

7.9°

15 km/h

Sat

29

☁️

16.4°

5.2°

11 km/h

Sun

30

🌧️

17.2°

10.6°

14 km/h

Mon

31

🌧️

16.4°

10.7°

10 km/h

Tue

1

🌧️

20.7°

8.8°

11 km/h

Wed

2

🌧️

19.9°

14.2°

7 km/h

Thu

3

🌧️

16.3°

10.4°

13 km/h

Fri

4

🌧️

14.1°

9.1°

14 km/h

Sat

5

🌧️

14.3°

8.9°

10 km/h

Sun

6

🌧️

13°

8.2°

6 km/h

Summit elevation (1110m) • ECMWF model

Avalanche

No bulletin for this mountain

Avalanche.org (US avalanche centers)

This resort lies outside every forecast zone published by its national warning service, so no bulletin covers it.

Read the official bulletin ↗

SnowSure relays the official avalanche bulletin and does not issue avalanche forecasts. Read the full bulletin at the issuer’s link and make your own terrain decisions. Not a substitute for avalanche education, equipment, or local knowledge.

Getting There

Drive times & access

Last updated 1:45 PM

6 cameras · 3 sensors nearby

Official map ↗

Drive conditions

Caution — Go prepared — roadside sensors show wintery pavement

I-89 is flagged closed 25.8 km away — not the nearest approach to Smugglers' Notch. Nearest roadside sensor (Chittenden County, 9.6 km): Below freezing — ice risk, air 0°C. Confirm the official map if your route uses that road. The resort road status and the official DOT map are authoritative — re-check before you drive.

SnowSure take, grounded in live DOT sensors. Not the resort's road status.

Closed

Road closed near here: Closed on I-89 (NewEngland511) — Richmond · All lanes closed · I-89 SB Exit 11 on-ramp in Richmond will be CLOSED to all traffic beginning at 7:00 PM on September 3 until 6:00 AM on September 4 to support the resurfacing project. Follow signed detours. Emergency vehicle tr. Check the official map before driving.

Roadside weather sensors

Chittenden County

9.6 km · NewEngland511

Below freezing — ice risk

Road surface
0°C
Air
0°C
Wind
0 km/h

Updated 8:07 PM

Lamoille County

19.3 km · NewEngland511

Below freezing — ice risk

Road surface
0°C
Air
0°C
Wind
0 km/h

Updated 1:08 AM

VT-100 WATERBURY

19.7 km · NewEngland511

Above freezing

Road surface
17°C
Air
17°C
Wind
2 km/h
Precip
Dry

Updated 1:45 PM

Highway cameras near Smugglers' Notch

Stowe VT-108 road camera
Stowe VT-1087.2 km · NewEngland511
Waterbury VT-100 road camera
Waterbury VT-10019.7 km · NewEngland511
BOLTON I-89 South road camera
BOLTON I-89 South25.6 km · NewEngland511
BOLTON I-89 SB RT2 North road camera
BOLTON I-89 SB RT2 North25.7 km · NewEngland511
WATERBURY I-89 Exit 10 South road camera
WATERBURY I-89 Exit 10 South27.5 km · NewEngland511
WATERBURY 1-89 Exit 10 North road camera
WATERBURY 1-89 Exit 10 North28 km · NewEngland511

Live highway sensors & cameras within ~30–40 km, via NewEngland511. Conditions on the drive, not the mountain — the resort's own road status is authoritative. Always re-check before a winter drive.

Season vs Historic

Updated Fri, Aug 28, 09:04 AM UTC

0cm

Season Total

This Season to Date

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vs 5-Year Avg

Off-season · 205cm full-season avg

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vs 30-Year Avg

Off-season · 206cm full-season avg

205cm

5-Yr Avg by Now

The last completed season totaled ~198.9 cm. That's 3% below the 5-year average (205 cm). Versus the 30-year baseline: 3% below the 30-year average (206 cm).

Smugglers' Notch Snow History

Average annual snowfall is 221cm with an average of 103 snowfall days per season. The table below shows monthly averages across 30 seasons of archive data (modeled snowpack at mid-elevation).

Average monthly snowfall history
MonthAvg SnowfallSnowfall DaysAvg Base DepthMax Base DepthBiggest Snowfall
November27.3cm13 days5cm15cm8.7cm
December43.8cm21 days20cm34cm10.4cm
January40.4cm21 days36cm51cm8.9cm
February40cm18 days50cm64cm11.7cm
March39.6cm17 days44cm62cm11.8cm
April20.9cm9 days13cm35cm8cm
May2cm1 days0cm3cm2.8cm

Source: SnowSure archive · Open-Meteo ERA5 reanalysis at mid-elevation. Depth is modeled, not resort-reported.

Season at a Glance

19 tracked seasons

Last completed season(2023-24)

143 days↑ +7d

Nov 24, 2023 → Apr 14, 2024

Prior season (2022-23): 136 days

Average season length

135 days

Across 19 tracked seasons

Range: 110–149 days

Next season(2026-27)

Opens Nov 28, 2026

Tracked seasons

2023-24

143d

2022-23

136d

2021-22

130d

2020-21

122d

2019-20

110d

2018-19

143d

ENSO seasonal analog

History · not a forecast

In 10 past El Niño winters at Smugglers' Notch, ERA5 season snowfall median was 226 cm (89 in), about 2% above this resort’s long-term median. This is a historical analog from reanalysis — not a prediction of this winter’s storm track.

Prevailing ONI

El Niño

MJJ 2026 · ANOM +1.39°C

Analog season median

226 cm

10 El Niño winters · 2% above median

All-season median

222 cm

Across 30 ERA5 seasons (2026-27)

PhaseSeasonsMedianp25–p75Recent analogs
El Niñocurrent10226 cm197 cm – 245 cm2023, 2019, 2018, 2015, 2014, 2009
La Niña12227 cm189 cm – 242 cm2022, 2021, 2020, 2017, 2011, 2010
ENSO-neutral8218 cm210 cm – 232 cm2025, 2024, 2016, 2013, 2012, 2003

Season snowfall from Open-Meteo ERA5 reanalysis (~9 km). ENSO phase from NOAA CPC Oceanic Niño Index. Relative phase differences are more trustworthy than absolute cm totals. Source: NOAA CPC Oceanic Niño Index + Open-Meteo ERA5 via SnowSure season archive.

Best Months to Visit

February

Peak Season

January

Peak Season

March

Good

December

Good

Note: Based on typical ski season patterns for this region.

Back to All Destinations

Frequently asked questions about Smugglers' Notch

Where is Smugglers' Notch?
Smugglers' Notch is a ski resort in the United States.
How high is Smugglers' Notch?
Smugglers' Notch runs from a base elevation of 314 m (1,030 ft) to a summit of 1,110 m (3,642 ft), giving a vertical drop of 796 m (2,612 ft).
How big is Smugglers' Notch?
Smugglers' Notch has 1,000 acres (405 hectares) of skiable terrain, 78 marked runs and 8 lifts.
Which ski pass covers Smugglers' Notch?
Smugglers' Notch is on the No ski pass found. Access terms such as blackout dates and day limits vary by pass tier, so check the pass operator for the current season.
When is ski season at Smugglers' Notch?
Smugglers' Notch typically operates from November to April. Exact opening and closing dates shift each year with snowfall — check the resort's current season dates before booking.
How much snow does Smugglers' Notch get in a typical season?
Smugglers' Notch averages 248 inches / 630 cm of snowfall in a typical season. Any individual season can run well above or below that.
How will El Niño affect Smugglers' Notch in winter 2026-27?
El Niño Signal Rank: #320 of 488 SnowSure resorts · Tier D · strong-event signal -8% vs its own 30-yr average. In the three strongest El Niño winters on record ('97-98, '15-16, '23-24), Smugglers' Notch averaged -8% versus its own 30-year snowfall baseline. Historically this is a timing play rather than a reason to stay home: aim for late winter (February–March) in winter 2026-27. Analog winters: '97-98 +7%, '15-16 -42%, '23-24 +13%. A pattern, not a promise.