University of Virginia Library

THE FIFTH
QUARTER

by John Marshall

Winding along north on Route 100 it comes upon
you suddenly. You first see the steeple. Tall, gracefully-majestic,
and white, it quietly penetrates the New England
sky. You're on Main Street now, Main Street of Stowe,
Vermont. You pass the Community Church on the left
with its broad steps and four heavy pillars and you can't
help but marvel at how perfectly New Englandy the town
looks.

IN ITS UNSHAKABLE PRIDE and its sturdy beauty,
Stowe the town is itself very similar to the beautiful
steeple that tops the Community Church. Stowe just sits
there, picture post card sure of its reputation as Ski
Capital of the East. These Johnny-come-latelys-these Mt.
Snows, these Sugarbushes are no threat. If Stowe is a bit
smug, it is a smugness born of age and experience. Stowe
has been Stowe for around sixty years of skiing, is Stowe
now, and will always be Stowe. And that's simply the
best in the East. Amen.

Eight miles north of the town on Vermont 108, aptly
called the Mountain Road, are the two mountains of
Stowe. The monster is Mt. Mansfield, whose 4,393 feet
make it the tallest peak in the state. A quick run-and
that's about the only kind of run one can make-down
National or Nose Dive will dispel any thoughts one might
have that Vermont has only hills, that the only REAL
mountains are out West.

MANSFIELD'S STEEP, HEAVILY-MOGULLED trails
are thin, the turns are swift, and control is of utmost-necessity
if you don't want to end up lost somewhere in
the great, green pines at the edges. You had better know
your trails well, too, for Stowe still has not marked its
trails with the green, yellow, or blue signs that tip-off
trail difficulty. At Stowe, you get only names. Perhaps
this adds to the overall sport of skiing at Stowe. Perhaps.

A quarter mile from Mansfield is Spruce Peak, Stowe's
other mountain. Spruce is a kinder hill, tailored more
for the intermediate and novice, a hill with more gradual
and wider trails. But Spruce's relative easiness attracts a
large number of skiers, skiers who aren't set on beating
Jean-Claude, and, as a result, Spruce's trails tend to gather
ice spots which have the uncanny ability to appear under
your skies at just the wrong moment.

AFTER LIFE OFF THE SLOPES at Stowe usually
starts after nine. Favorite spots are the famed Sister
Kate's-rated one of the Dazzling Dozen best apres ski
places in North America by Ski Magazine-and the Black
Gull, a converted barn. As you would expect, Vermont
is religiously hung up about enforcing its drinking age
laws. If you're under 21, you'll probably end up stuck
with maple syrup.