Black Bear to Downeaster is a ski run of varying difficulties located at Stratton Mountain Resort. The trails run from the summit of the ski area down to the Sun Bowl Base Area. The run begins on Black Bear, an intermediate trail, which starts to the far skier's right of the summit of the ski area. The trail starts out narrow and mellow as it curves its way around the top of the mountain. Eventually, the trail turns to the right, widens, and runs underneath the Shooting Star chairlift. The trail then takes a turn to the left and not long after, I exited Black Bear to the right to ski onto Upper Downeaster, an expert trail. Upper Downeaster is a short trail that features two short but steep drops, with the second one ending at the bottom of the Shooting Star chairlift and the top of the Sunrise Express chairlift. Here, I stayed to the slight left to ski onto Lower Downeaster, an intermediate trail. Lower Downeaster is a fun cruiser that runs down the lower half of Sun Bowl. It features a few small drops but is mostly pretty mellow and features a few slight curves until it reaches the Snow Bowl Base Area.
Stratton Mountain Resort is a ski area located in Stratton, Vermont. The ski area is located in Southern Vermont, just east of Manchester, VT. The ski area is located in Vermont's "Golden Triangle" of skiing, along with Bromley and Magic mountains. The ski area is the largest ski area in Southern Vermont by skiable acres and the second largest in the area in terms of vertical feet, just behind Okemo. The ski area is easy to drive to, being located just a few miles off of Vermont Routes 100 and 31. The ski area is one of the closest resorts in Vermont to New York City and is, therefore, quite the popular ski area. Stratton is known for its family-friendly and a bit upscale vibe. The base area is littered with condos and features a nice, pedestrian village, with some nice restaurants and shops. The ski area's terrain is mostly made up of groomers but the ski area is also known for having some of the best tree skiing in Southern Vermont. The mountain also features a large amount of terrain for all skill levels on almost every area of the mountain. The ski area also features one of the best lift systems of any resort, featuring six high-speed lifts, of which, four are six-packs and one is a ten-person gondola. The ski area is owned and operated by Alterra Resorts and as a result, is a destination on the Ikon Pass. The ski area is unlimited without blackouts on the full Ikon Pass and unlimited with Blackouts on the Ikon Base Pass.
Vertical: 1,920 ft
Length: 1.70 mi
Filmed on March 23, 2022
Filmed on the GoPro Hero 9 Black with the Max Lens Mod attached
