By Contributing Writer
Smugglers' Notch is located in northwest Vermont, two hours south of Montreal, Quebec. Smugglers' Notch is a type of mountain pass that separates Mount Mansfield and Spruce Peak in the Green Mountains. The mountains are heavily wooded and contain many trails, caves and caverns. The terrain of Smugglers' Notch combined with its proximity to
Canada helped gave the area its name as it formed a historic link with smugglers.
Embargo
Soon after the United States gained independence from England, America placed an embargo on English goods. In the late 1700s and early 1800s, English merchants soon began trying to find ways to bring goods into the U.S.
The Ideal Spot
Smugglers' Notch proved to be an ideal location to bring illegal goods into the country. The heavily-wooded mountains provided cover while the caverns and caves created storage spaces for smuggled goods. The close proximity to Canada allowed English traders to enter the U.S. via its northern neighbor.
Prohibition
Smugglers' Notch became a popular route again in the early 1920s, when alcohol was outlawed in the U.S. The cool climate in the caves provided perfect storage for smuggled alcohol.
Skiing
The first snow-skiing facility at Smugglers' Notch opened in 1956. Smugglers' Notch Ski Ways, located on Sterling Mountain, featured two poma lifts. The ski resort was sold to Tom Watson Jr. and his brother Arthur in the 1960s.
First Resort
After the third mountain, Morse Mountain, was developed, Stanley Snider was brought in to develop a resort. In 1973, Snider not only designed but bought the resort. In 1996, Snider sold the resort to William P. Stritzler.
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