
127 acres, 50 runs on Glebe Mountain. Authentic, uncrowded southern Vermont skiing, Indy Pass.
Magic Mountain's summit reaches 2,850 feet, dropping roughly 1,500 vertical feet to a base at 1,348 feet across 50 runs spread over 127 acres on Glebe Mountain near Londonderry, Vermont. Terrain splits 32 per cent intermediate, 26 per cent expert, 24 per cent beginner and 18 per cent advanced, with average annual snowfall of roughly 145 inches. The resort carries Indy Pass affiliation. Four lifts, including one quad chair and two double chairs, serve the mountain alongside one surface lift and one t-bar.
Magic Mountain markets itself as an authentic, deliberately unpolished throwback to an earlier era of Vermont skiing, prized for its challenging natural terrain and genuinely uncrowded slopes. The resort's substantial expert terrain, at 26 per cent of its trail count, reflects a character shaped by the steep, ridge-lined topography that first drew its founder to the mountain.
Swiss-born ski instructor and filmmaker Hans Thorner, searching Vermont in the late 1950s for a location reminiscent of his native Swiss Alps, found Glebe Mountain's steep ridgelines suited his vision, and opened Magic Mountain in 1960 with a T-bar serving the lower half of the mountain, adding a substantial 7,379-foot double chair in 1962. Magic formed part of Vermont's original 'Golden Triangle' alongside Stratton Mountain and Bromley Mountain, all within 10 miles of each other, and thrived through the 1960s, 1970s and early 1980s.
Boston Concessions, which also owned neighbouring Bromley, purchased Magic in the mid-1980s, but a downturn in the real estate market led Bromley's owners to close Magic entirely in 1991. The resort remained closed for years before reopening to the public in 1997, and in November 2016, following a poor winter and difficult operating results, Magic Mountain Management LLC sold the property to Ski Magic LLC, led by Geoff Hatheway. Adult daily tickets run from 96 to 116 US dollars, with children aged 5 and under skiing free.
Magic Mountain packs 50 runs into 127 acres (51 hectares) on Glebe Mountain in southern Vermont, running from a base at 1,350 ft (411 m) to a summit of 2,850 ft (869 m), a vertical of 1,500 ft (458 m). The split is steeper than its size suggests: 26% expert, 18% black diamond, 32% blue square and 24% green circle. About 145 inches of snow falls in an average winter. A quad, two double chairs, a T-bar and a surface lift keep the lift system simple, and lines stay short.
Black Line and Redline run side by side as the steep headline pitches, while Wizard is a narrow groomed cruiser down the west side of the mountain with double black terrain dropping away beside it. The gladed network is the standout, with trails such as Disappearing Act, The Hallows, Goniff Glade, Twilight Zone, Voodoo, Pixie Dust and White Tiger, said to be the most extensive tree skiing in southern Vermont. Magic suits advanced skiers who like natural, uncrowded terrain, and beginners have a modest but real share of the trails.
The 2025-26 season at Magic Mountain ran from 20 December 2025 to 5 April 2026, a roughly fifteen-week season supported by average annual snowfall of around 145 inches. Season dates can shift depending on early and late-season weather on Glebe Mountain's steep terrain.
Midwinter, from December through February, typically brings the most consistent conditions to Magic's genuinely challenging, expert-weighted terrain. As an Indy Pass resort, Magic draws some visiting skiers holding that multi-resort pass alongside dedicated visitors specifically seeking its authentic, deliberately uncrowded character within southern Vermont's Golden Triangle region.
Given Magic's proximity to major metropolitan areas as one of southern Vermont's ski destinations, the resort draws visitors seeking a genuine alternative to the more heavily developed mountains nearby, including former Golden Triangle neighbours Stratton and Bromley. School holiday periods bring some family visitation, though the resort's substantial expert terrain skews its visitor base toward more experienced skiers.
Specific event programming beyond standard operations is not confirmed in available resort information. Since Ski Magic LLC's November 2016 purchase, the resort has continued rebuilding on more than six decades of history since founder Hans Thorner's 1960 opening, including the multi-year closure of the 1990s. Magic's authentic, throwback character and challenging terrain remain central to its seasonal identity.
Magic Mountain sits on Glebe Mountain near Londonderry, Vermont, with a base elevation of 1,348 feet and a summit at 2,850 feet across a roughly 1,500-foot vertical drop over 127 acres. This southern Vermont setting places the resort within the historic Golden Triangle region alongside Stratton and Bromley mountains.
Londonderry and the broader southern Vermont region offer lodging and dining within a short drive of the resort. Manchester, a larger regional town, lies within a reasonable drive as well, providing additional visitor services and shopping.
Vermont State Route 11 provides access to the resort through southern Vermont. Winter driving conditions on this route can include snow and ice, though the well-travelled road is regularly maintained given the region's status as a significant ski destination cluster. There is no direct public transport service to the mountain.
Manchester's smaller regional airfield offers limited service, while Albany International Airport in New York and Bradley International Airport in Connecticut serve as more practical gateways for visitors flying in from further afield, given Magic's position within a reasonable drive of southern New England's metropolitan areas.
Hotels and lodges near Magic Mountain, powered by Stay22.

Two days at Sölden, two races decided by a hundredth somewhere on the podium, and one very quick Brazilian. Lucas Pinheiro Braathen led from the first run to win the men’s World Cup opener by 0.48 seconds, with Loïc Meillard second and Marco Odermatt third. River Radamus charged from 15th to fourth on a rutted course, and Britain’s Freddy Carrick-Smith banked his first World Cup points. Braathen still hasn’t lost a giant slalom since Olympic gold.

The Alps are about to swap mild, sunny October weather for something far more wintry. A cold front arrives Tuesday, and SnowStash forecasts have Monterosa Ski out in front with 64 cm over 14 days, ahead of Blatten Belalp (55 cm) and Verbier (43 cm). The snow line should fall below 2000 metres by Wednesday night, and glaciers across Switzerland, Italy and Austria are in line for the best of it. The wind will have a say too.

A large avalanche struck near Laguna del Inca adjacent to Ski Portillo on Saturday afternoon, killing four people and injuring four others. The group were day visitors mountaineering in the backcountry after reportedly being warned about elevated avalanche risk by resort staff.

Europe’s ski season is open, technically. After a record-warm summer, glaciers in Austria, Switzerland and Italy are running a few pistes apiece, Sölden, Stubai and Kitzsteinhorn started late, Titlis has pushed back to 24 October, and Zermatt reopens a few lifts on 14 October after more than two months shut. Finland’s Levi and Ruka are skiing on stored snow. Here is what is open, and what you actually get at each.

Zermatt is having another crack at a World Cup downhill, and this time nobody has to cross a border. Around 13 million Swiss francs is going into rebuilding the Gornergrat piste, including a jump fed by a roughly 300-metre in-run across the roof of the Gornergrat Railway gallery, with the Matterhorn lined up behind it for the TV cameras. First men’s race is pencilled in for March 2028, pending FIS homologation.

Lake Tahoe’s highest base elevation is paying off early: Mt. Rose has started making snow for 2026-27 after the first flurries and a cold snap. The Nevada resort is backing it with nearly US$2 million in upgrades, including a replacement snowmaking main line, a new PistenBully groomer and restraint bars on every lift. Opening day is yet to be confirmed, though Heavenly and Northstar are already eyeing 20 November.

Utah is still building flat out. For 2026-27, Powder Mountain opens a steep new Skytrac chair into more than 1,000 acres of advanced terrain, Deer Valley adds 200 acres on Hail Peak, Sundance gets a new quad and Park City adds a gondola from its new parking structure. Snowmaking is expanding almost everywhere, Eagle Point stays closed after the Cottonwood Fire, and the 2034 Games are setting the pace. Here’s what’s new, resort by resort.

Mt Hutt is getting busier, and its base lodge is about to catch up. NZ$12 million goes into a heated sun deck roughly three times the current size (430 m² to 1,300 m²), plus a new toilet block, heated steps down to snow level, extra storage and a new food and beverage outlet. Building starts after the 2026 season, with everything due for winter 2027.
Magic Mountain's 2026 - 2027 season typically runs from December 5 through April 3. That window is roughly 119 calendar days, though daily operations depend on snow cover, weather, and lift maintenance.
Resorts in Vermont, Usa often announce firm dates closer to winter; check the live snow report before you travel if you are planning around opening weekend or spring closure.
Magic Mountain lists about 127 acres skiable of marked terrain spread across 50 named runs (51 hectares alongside 127 acres skiable). That footprint is what most riders experience on a lift-served day. Side-country or hike-to terrain may sit outside these published numbers.
Use the trail map to see how the mountain is laid out and where the longest fall-line runs connect back to base.
Trail grading at Magic Mountain breaks down roughly as 24% beginner, 32% intermediate, 18% advanced, 26% expert. The advanced and expert share is substantial, so confident skiers and riders will find plenty of steeper fall-line options once they leave the nursery slopes.
Percentages describe the resort's published piste mix, not vertical feet. A mountain with modest "expert" stats can still feel demanding if the steep terrain is long or exposed. Read the trail map alongside these numbers when planning your route.
Magic Mountain operates 5 lifts across 4 lift types. The fleet includes 2 double chairs, 1 quad chair, 1 t-bar, and 1 surface lift.
Lift mix affects how quickly you can lap your favourite zones. Gondolas and trams move big crowds to mid-mountain, while shorter chairs and surface lifts often serve learning areas or local pods. Check the live snow report on ski days for real-time open/closed status.
Base elevation at Magic Mountain is about 1,348 ft (411 m), with the summit around 2,851 ft (869 m), giving roughly 1,503 ft (458 m) of vertical from base to top.
Higher start heights usually mean colder, drier snow holding longer into spring, but also thinner air and faster weather changes. Pack layers if you are riding from village level to summit lifts in one day.
Magic Mountain averages about 145 inches (368 cm) of natural snowfall per season. That is a long-term climate figure. Any single winter can run well above or below it depending on storm track and temperature.
For trip planning, pair this baseline with the live snow report and webcams: fresh cycles show up in overnight totals and summit cameras long before season averages tell you much about today's surface.
Magic Mountain is affiliated with the Indy. Pass holders should confirm current season benefits, blackout dates, and reservation rules on the pass issuer's site. Policies change year to year and can differ between international and domestic products.
If you are not on Indy, day tickets and multi-day bundles are still available; see the lift tickets page for published rates and purchase links.
Published single-day adult pricing on SnowStash currently spans US$69 to US$116, depending on date band and whether you are buying peak or regular windows. Multi-day products (season passes) usually lower the per-day cost if you are staying several days. Tickets can be bought online through the resort's official checkout (linked from our lift tickets page) or at on-mountain ticket windows, subject to availability.
Buying ahead of peak holidays and weekends generally saves money and guarantees access on sold-out days. Before you commit, scan the snow report and webcams so you are paying for conditions that match your expectations.
SnowStash pulls together 1 live mountain webcam, a downloadable piste map, and the daily snow report for Magic Mountain so you can plan from home. Webcams refresh on a short interval and are the fastest way to judge visibility, wind exposure, and whether storm snow is still falling.
The snow report adds structured totals, base depth where available, and lift/trail status when the resort publishes it. Use both together: cameras show what it looks like right now, and the report summarises numbers your group can compare day to day.
Yes. The downloadable PDF/image map is better for offline planning, marking meeting points, and understanding the full mountain layout at a glance.
Both versions are on the trail map page for Magic Mountain. If you are navigating with kids or meeting friends across separate lifts, screenshot or print the static map and keep the live map open on your phone for operational updates.
Magic Mountain sits in Vermont, Usa. That regional context matters for travel planning: airport transfers, snow tyres, and typical storm patterns all follow geography as much as resort marketing.
Browse nearby accommodation from the resort page if you are comparing village-base vs valley-base stays; where you sleep changes your first lift of the day more than most trail stats do.