Best of Vermont skiing

The solemn ride up to the top of Mad River Glen on the famous Single Chair. (John Williams for the Boston Globe)

Looking for a few inside tips? The Globe has surveyed the scene from top to bottom and taken notes:

Best 'they're not kidding' double-black diamond

Part of Stowe's fearsome foursome of double-black diamond trails, Goat is an impossibly narrow, twisty, steep, obstacle-laced sluice through the woods that can be either one of the most harrowing or most exhilarating runs you'll ever experience in New England. It routinely rates a respectful spot in national top 10 difficulty lists, but until you've slid your skis or board over the icy lip of the drop-off and attempted the first of an endless series of hard turns through the trees, you don't have clue what you're in for. - T.D. THORNTON

Most accurate marketing slogan

OK, you've seen "Ski it if you can" on enough bumper stickers to wonder if it's cliché, but it's not. When they say it at Mad River Glen, they mean it, and don't really give a hoot if you agree or not. Rocks, sheer ice, ungroomed trails, lots of free-heel skiers, liberal out-of-bounds rules, and an adamant policy of refusing to allow snowboards sets this history-rich mountain apart. - T.D. THORNTON

Best place to get warm at high altitude

Atop Madonna Mountain at Smugglers' Notch, you can take in a 360-degree view of the Northeast - Lake Champlain to the west, the White Mountains and Washington in the East. A truly awe-inspiring spot. Another is Panorama atop Sugarbush, where you look west to Whiteface ski area at Lake Placid, N.Y., and the Adirondacks.
- TONY CHAMBERLAIN

Best place to eat, drink, and be merry

Killington Road is Vermont ski country's Bourbon Street. Anchored by the rocking Wobbly Barn, the action-packed strip to the Big K showcases prime-time après ski. Though there is much to consume, it's the friendliness at Casey's Caboose, with its smoke-free happy hour chicken wings, that keep locals and tourists returning. Put out the fire with a Long Trail. - MARTY BASCH

For feather-smooth snow

Try Okemo's groomed cruisers such as Jolly Green Giant, Timberline, and Tomahawk. The snow groomers on Okemo make two passes each night to ensure the kind of corduroy that skiers and riders truly appreciate on the morning's first run. - TONY CHAMBERLAIN

Best non-skiing/boarding mountain activity

Stratton's full-moon snowshoe hikes are scheduled every month through March, offering a unique perspective of winter at night in the mountains. On some evenings, the piercing moonlight against the shimmering backdrop of pristine snow is so clear and intense that it's like putting on a pair of night-vision goggles as you trek through the woods. Hikes depart from the golf course parking lot at 6 p.m., and reservations are required ($10 for resort members, $15 for nonmembers). Rental snowshoes are available at First Run Ski Shop or the Sun Bowl Adventure Center, and a discount is available for those who mention the full moon hike. Hot chocolate and a light snack will be provided during a rest break at the Pearl Buck House. The dates (on or around each full moon) are Dec. 23, Jan. 20, Feb. 21, and March 22. - T.D. THORNTON

Dining high off the hog

At Stowe, the Cliff House high atop Mount Mansfield presents its "Summit Series" dinners beginning Dec. 29. This Tyrolean-style restaurant serves two seatings nightly on weekends. The evenings begin with a cat ride to the summit, hot cider and blanket included.
- TONY CHAMBERLAIN

The best Philly cheesesteak

Although most delis should be charged with false advertising for promoting these sandwiches, the true, heartwarming genuine article really does exist in Vermont. Check out the Paradise Deli in the Sugarbush Valley for a Philly cheesesteak that will bring you back to Geno's on South 9th Street. - TONY CHAMBERLAIN

All aboard!

The old-fashioned ski train is making a comeback, and Vermont boasts several options that get folks from the city to the slopes if you're stuck far from New England and are in need of a ride. The Ethan Allen Express runs daily between New York's Penn Station and Rutland, Vt., and Killington Ski Tours (killingtonskitours.com) offers packages that include train, transportation to the mountain, lodging, and lift tickets. The Comfort Coach on Amtrak's Vermonter line departs daily from Washington, and drops skiers and boarders 5 miles from Ascutney at Windsor Station. - T.D. THORNTON

Best bet for a day trip from Boston

No area in Vermont rates as an "easy" drive from Boston, but Ascutney, with a one-way ride of 145 miles (all Interstate except for the last 10 miles) is an underrated mountain with an unpretentious atmosphere that doesn't require a full-blown forge into the Green Mountains. The ambience is decidedly tilted toward families, but there is a surprising amount of room to spread out, especially if you make this trek on a weekday. - T.D. THORNTON

Best place to discover a connection with nature

Route 100 may be Vermont's skier's highway, but the 300-mile top-to-bottom Catamount Trail is the backcountry skier's byway. Ski or snowshoe the length of the state from Quebec to Massachusetts through portions of the Green Mountain National Forest on groomed cross-country ski trails, logging roads, and snowmobile routes. There are plenty of options from kicking around a touring center for an afternoon to doing the whole hearty thing. - MARTY BASCH

Best chance for some extreme fun

The vibe's mellow, the tricks huge, and the parties go all night at the Burton US Open Snowboarding Championships at Stratton every March. For spectators, it's a chance to see Snowboard Nation's ace athletes, as well as energetic up-and-comers. The Open remembers the roots in grass-roots despite its growth. - MARTY BASCH

Best place to meet Mother Nature

At Smugglers' Notch, a character by that name shows kids how she feeds birds out of her hands, tells real Native American lore as she displays her native dress -- long skirt and twigs in her hair. She appears Wednesdays and Saturdays on Lower Morse Mountain.
- TONY CHAMBERLAIN

Best chance to spot an Olympian

After years at Stratton, Vermont native Ross Powers has moved camp to Okemo. The two-time Olympic snowboarder will host a number of events and special snowboarding workshops. He'll also be training for a shot on the 2010 Olympic snowboardcross squad, so keep a heads up to spot him. - MARTY BASCH

Best throwback mountain - but for how long?

Burke Mountain has a well-deserved reputation as a timeless gem, a hidden portal into New England skiing circa 30 years ago, a place where the crowds are sparse and the snow isn't. The joy of snowsports at Burke is not limited to the mountain's fun, rolling, cruise-centric terrain, because the blissfully rural Northeast Kingdom experience has always extended into its bare bones, but pleasant, ski village. But that's all changed over the past 18 months as a Florida-based development company has invested in the area and begun a five-year master plan to build hundreds of houses and condominiums, complete with golf, tennis, swimming, spa, and retail amenities. - T.D. THORNTON

Where it all began

Outside Woodstock, Suicide Six has been quietly rolling along for 70 years as a low-key, low-cost medium-size alternative to the big boys down the road. While not at its original site, the first Suicide Six is just over the ridge at Gilbert's Hill, where the country's first ski lift towed skiers up a rope tow powered by a Model T engine.
- TONY CHAMBERLAIN

Best pick-me-up

In an era of high-speed everything, leave it to old-school Mad River Glen to spend $1.54 million on a historic rehabilitation of its "Old Faithful" single chair. Made possible by nonprofit fund-raising from the Preservation Trust of Vermont and the Stark Mountain Foundation, the new single chair is nearly identical to the 1949 original, matching the original lift capacity of 500 skiers per hour. You can ride the relic yourself when the new/old single chair has its grand reopening Dec. 15.
- T.D. THORNTON

Best place to double up on deals for single lift tickets

The creative edge in this category goes to Okemo. Select Tuesdays are $39 Ladies' Days (Dec. 4, 11, 18; Jan. 8, 15, 22, 29; March 4, 11, 18, 25). Vermont and New Hampshire residents ski for $39 on select Wednesdays (Dec. 5, 12, 19; Jan. 2, 9, 16, 23, 30; March 12, 19, 26), and in April (2, 9, 16) the price drops to $29. Okemo offers a season-long military discount for those with an active-duty ID (half-price weekdays; $15 discount on weekends and holidays). The month of January features discounts for military veterans, police officers, firefighters, and ambulance personnel: All get half-price lift tickets every Tuesday and Thursday (Jan. 1 excluded). - T.D. THORNTON

Freestyle at the top end of the sport

Some of the finest freestyle terrain in the state is found at the Gut Superpipe and terrain parks at Mount Snow. This year, a new park -- the Vermonster -- will open for advanced freestylers. And if you want to keep track of your high-flying kids, Mount Snow will have a webcam focused on The Gut. - TONY CHAMBERLAIN

Prettiest, preppiest place to shop

The town of Woodstock, along Route 4 on the way to Killington and Pico, is anchored by the Woodstock Inn, and features all sorts of high-end shops, bookstores, and excellent dining. The town is attractive enough just to make walking around a pleasure.
- TONY CHAMBERLAIN

Best mountain worth the ride

Why drive nearly to Canada to ski? Jay Peak, that's why. Boasting an annual average snowfall of 355 inches - nearly 30 feet - the northern Vermont mountain routinely gets the most snow around.
- MARTY BASCH

When you come down from the mountains

This state has the greatest array of country stores in the Northeast, and the most famous of them is the Vermont Country Store in Weston, near Londonderry. This is a step back into the 1890s, when the original store was founded, and features all sorts of exotica from the past, from ongoing checkers games and root beer barrels to genuine Davy Crockett coonskin hats.

- TONY CHAMBERLAIN