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Stowe Mountain Resort hopes to cut new trails on Spruce Peak

The project is generally described as the clearing of .36 acres through the existing canopy for two new trails on Spruce Peak. Photo from Airbus, CNES / Airbus, Maxar Technologies

By Stowe ReporterPublished Oct 1, 2026, 5:17 PMUpdated Oct 2, 20263 min read

Aerial map of Stowe Mountain Resort showing ski trails, chairlifts, the Barnes Camp Visitor Center, and The Lodge at Spruce Peak.

The project is generally described as the clearing of .36 acres through the existing canopy for two new trails on Spruce Peak. Photo from Airbus, CNES / Airbus, Maxar Technologies

" data-large-file="https://vtdigger.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/stowe-mountain-resort-ski-trails-1200x679.jpg" /> The project is generally described as the clearing of .36 acres through the existing canopy for two new trails on Spruce Peak. Photo from Airbus, CNES / Airbus, Maxar Technologies

This story by Patrick Bilow was first published in the Stowe Reporter on Oct. 1, 2026.

Stowe Mountain Resort is on a mission to make some of its terrain more approachable for guests ahead of the upcoming season.

As the leaves change and crews test-fire snow cannons, the resort in August submitted an application to Vermont’s Act 250 Land Use Review Board-44) to enhance access to the Meadows East Glade on Spruce Peak, a project that involves the construction of two new trails through the glade and the removal of 64 trees with an average diameter of 5.6 inches.

The existing glade, located skier’s-left in the woods off Upper Meadows trail, is a popular byway for beginner tree skiers looking to test their skills in an easier part of the resort, as well as a shortcut for skiers headed to the Sensation Quad from the Meadows Quad.

Pending state approval, the resort will build two distinct trails through the glade that can be groomed, each approximately 350 feet long and 22 feet wide, according to Act 250 documents.

Arrowwood Environmental conducted an environmental review of the proposed site and determined the area is not a significant wildlife habitat; that there are no rare, threatened, endangered or uncommon plant species; and that the project will not directly impact nearby wetlands. The glade might be home to tricolored bats, however, according to application documents.

The period for public comment on the project closes Oct. 6, and the resort prefers building the trails before the season begins, according to Stowe Mountain Resort’s communications manager Samara Sausville.

The paths are intended as an easier route into the woods and through the trees for beginner skiers and riders, Sausville said. The rest of the tree canopy in the glade will remain intact for those who still prefer an off-piste line. The paths will also allow rescuers easier access to the glades during an emergency, the application reads.

Sausville said trails were also designed to support Stowe Mountain Resort’s Ski and Ride School and kids’ programming at the mountain. They will give instructors additional terrain options “to help young guests build confidence, develop their skills and progress into glade terrain,” Sausville said.

She said the improvements “will enhance an existing area of Spruce Peak, creating better connectivity and accessibility within the Meadows East Glades rather than developing an entirely new pod of terrain.”

Stowe is improving terrain access and elevating its equipment rental and lessons programs as its parent company, Vail Resorts, seeks to emphasize guest experiences at its 42 global resorts this season. In July, the company announced rental experience improvements through the My Epic App, expanded rental programs across resorts and elevated food offerings in lodges.

To allow more guests to experience skiing, Stowe Mountain Resort has also purchased two pieces of adaptive equipment for its rental program — a TetraSki, which is a sit-ski device with two planks that allows skiers to make independent turns, and a Snow’Kart, which is a motorized sit-ski device that can be operated with one hand.

With these guest experience improvements, Vail Resorts is leaning into the hospitality side of its business, which melds with its Epic Pass model in that more skiers and riders are traveling for turns these days.

“For years, Vail Resorts focused on building the Epic Pass model and expanding its resort network,” said Rob Katz, CEO of Vail Resorts. “That strategy helped establish the company’s position today, but the pass and acquisitions were not the end goal. The next chapter of growth for Vail Resorts is about delivering a guest experience that undeniably leads the ski industry and is best in class in the travel sector.”

Read the story on VTDigger here: Stowe Mountain Resort hopes to cut new trails on Spruce Peak.

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Stowe Mountain Resort hopes to cut new trails on Spruce Peak

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