Big experience at Vermont’s S6

I start this tale with a disclaimer: I am totally, absolutely and always a lover of the small ski area. I cut my ski teeth on the trails of smaller spots – in Minnesota and then New Hampshire – and while I love skiing the big hills, I’m always looking for that “small hill moment” even there.

It’s a part of who I am as a skier.

So, take no offense when I say that on recent winter trip to Woodstock, Vermont, skiing wasn’t the top thing on my list. In fact, as I headed over to check out how things are going at Saskedena Six Ski Area (https://www.saskadenasix.com; the peak formerly known as Suicide Six), I was thinking “a few runs and done.” After all: Woodstock has so much to offer. Why would I spend all day on a smaller hill?

Many hours later, as soft snow fell outside, I was waving my cellphone at the Apres band and cheering along with a crowd of happy, dancing skiers and riders. How a quick few runs evolved into a full day – and evening – of ski fun tells the story not just of why you don’t need to go big to go big ski day, but why S6 – as locals like to call it for short – is a treasure of a spot.

Here’s how it all went down. My husband and I arrived just before the 9 a.m. lift bell expecting to be mostly alone. Far from it: the parking lot was already semifull, the base lodge (a super classic 70s base lodge throwback that I’m glad they update but don’t change too much) is bustling with activity.

There’s a race going on, a highlevel and important Slalom competition that has drawn top junior racers from all over. This makes sense: S6 was founded back in the early 1930s when then called “Peak 6” was a regular practice spot for the Amateur Ski Club of New York (It is said someone said it would be “suicide” to ski straight down the steep face; thus the former name).

We hop the shiny quad that serves as the resort’s main lift and it’s like grabbing front row seats to a major sporting event: the racers take on the tight course right below us. The runs, the challenges and yes, the crashes are spectacular.

At the top, we choose a first run, the gentle and fun Bunny’s Boulevard, named for the man who put the first lift there way back when. It’s delightful. Nearly a foot of new snow has helped things, and the trails are cut just right: narrower than most but wide enough to make things doable for all.

We jump the lift back up – a quick wait even on this busy day – and find that while the mountain is relatively small, the trails don’t feel jammed even on this busy day.

There’s a mix of guests that’s amazing: The racing parents chat us up on the lift (“This is a big one,” one Mom tells us. “My daughter usually places in the top 20 but here she’ll be in the bottom 20 because everyone wants to compete here; did you know Mikaela Shiffrin did?”) Over to the left of the hill, the learning area is packed with kids and families; I even see a few adults learning their first carves over there.

There are Woodstock Inn guests from all over and locals who call this their home peak. We meet dads taking their little ones out for runs while their older ones go to ski school, and weekenders there to ski with friends. Everyone’s happy.

We find that it’s lunchtime and we’re still out skiing – that’s how fun the trails are. On the wide, easy and pretty Easy Mile, I have instant memories of my now-adult daughters as small skiers. They would have loved this, I say to my husband. “That’s why we’ll bring the grandkids!” he reminds me, since we now have a next generation of skiers to please.

There are tougher spots too, and we lap them a few times, loving the ease of speed on this perfect snow day.

We head into the base lodge for a break and a burger: they make them the old-school base lodge way there and the grilled taste both brings back memories and satisfies our appetite. There’s a roaring fire that everyone wants to sit near, and – new since the last time I visited pre-pandemic – outdoor seating with fire pits to warm you and plexiglass to block any cold wind.

Before we know it, it’s last chair. We head inside to find a two-man band playing all the tunes we love – and a mixed crowd (young adult to senior skier) all singing along as one. It reminds us of a Monday evening pub night in Belfast we hold dear: music and location have bonded all.

The day flows into night and, hot cider with local whiskey in hand, I sway to the music with the crowd, memories of the great apres scenes I’d been a part of at other smaller hills in the past and think: Now this is a big ski day.

Saskedena means “Standing Mountain,” and I think it sounds just. Right. S6 may look small, but it delivers big.

Because sometimes, a big, beautiful and perfect ski day sprouts from the most unassuming of places. S6 is big on spirit. It’s worth your day – all the way through last call.