Madonna and Sterling both offer great runs on the steeps and in the trees. Running Madonna Lift Line shack to shack is a favorite when the snow is fresh and deep enough for the entire line to open. Once that gets tracked out, it's off to the woods, where the snow can stay good for days. When things aren't dumping, you'll find a lot of riders in the parks and at the pipe (especially if they have just been cut).

One drawback for boarders is occasional difficulty riding back to Morse Mountain (and your condo) from Madonna and Sterling. Meadowlark trail from the upper base lodge back to the Village has a gentle grade. If the snow is fast, it's fine; if it's spring and sticky, take the shuttlebus. Same goes for visitors staying in the condos around Morse Highlands, whose ski-in/ski-out access is too flat for boarding home. Fortunately, the shuttlebus operation is excellent. Just make sure everyone keeps a map and schedule handy. (Smuggs runs a shuttlebus every 20 minutes between the resort village and the upper mountain. An on-demand shuttle is available within the village.)

Parks and pipes

Smuggs has three progression parks and a halfpipe. Beginners stick to the park on the Hibernator trail on Morse, as well as the minipipe on the Logjam trail in Morse Highlands, then graduate to Birch Run Park on Sterling Mountain, which offers 1,000 feet of small thrills. Intermediate and expert riders looking for bigger air, head to the Zone on Sterling, with its rails, slopestyle hits and giant air ramps. The halfpipe is on Madonna. A Bombardier Super HalfPipe Grinder and the Zaugg Groomer keep the pipe, jumps, rails and jibs in tip-top shape.

Smugglers' Night School of Boarding meets twice a week at Sir Henry's Hill & Fun Park at the base of Morse Mountain. The three-hour sessions on Tuesdays and Wednesdays are open to novices ages 6 and older, with students taking advice from coaches positioned strategically on the hill.

SMUGGLERS' SNOWBOARD WEB PAGE WITH PARKS AND PIPES