by Mitch Kaplan

When it comes to Smugglers’ Notch, sometimes that old New England bromide comes to mind, "Ayh yep. Ya cahn’t get de-haerh from hea-arh."

Yet, somehow, the long trek to northern Vermont for skiing is worth it.

No, wait. More than worth it. Downright fun and unique. Why? Well, this is no ordinary ski resort. And here are at least 10 reasons we’re always happy to shlep up there.

1. Peter Involdstad. Peter’s the guru of Snowsport University, and has been since anyone can remember. And, while we love Peter himself, we love more what he represents: an unending list of Smuggs people who’ve committed long-term to making the place great, and who, well, care.

2. Doc Dempsey’s Run. The first time we skied gladed, double-diamond-rated Doc’s, my then grade-school-age daughter, Laina, laughed so hard we had to ski it again. Why? Traffic signs posted in the trees telling her to "Yield," "Stop" and not to park. Smuggs, to many folks surprise, is neck-deep in seriously challenging trails - a bit of a shock for such a family-oriented place. So are other resorts, of course. But, how many of them have double-blacks with humor?

3. The Cookie Race. At age four, Laina won the Cookie Race - a kids’ obstacle course challenge that requires eating a cookie as you go. On every Smuggs trip since, we’ve gone back to watch the race, which not only engages kids, parents and on-lookers, but symbolizes Smuggs’ uniquely creative approach to on-snow programming. Whether it’s Sir Henry’s Night School for Boarding that lets everyone easily try snowboarding, or MAX5 a 2.5-hour session ski-school session maximizes the group size to five for more personal attention, these guys are always making learning fun and easier.

4. Snowmaking Factory. Education is a good thing. Education that’s done in a cool way is even better. So, when you can ski through a snowmaking "factory" to see how artificial snow is made, or attend "Ecotrivia around the Bonfire" to heighten your "green" knowledge, you know this place rocks.

5. Gone Swimming. I’ve never skied with a kid who didn’t want to swim apres-ski. At Smuggs, that’s no problem - there’s plenty of water play to be had. But, wait; it is a problem. Because there’s the Fun Center and two Teen Centers at which to play dryland style, The I-Did-A-Sled sled-building event, airboarding, tubing. Choices, choices.

6. Homework Hall. As we said, education is a good thing. Which is why parents and kids may have a hard time handling vacations when there’s schoolwork to be done. Bring ‘em here, and they can spend an hour or two in Study Hall, getting it done with tutor supervision, eliminating parental guilt and the need to find a replacement for the age-old "dog ate my homework" canard.

7. Kid Care. Witness the level of care that goes into Smuggs’ Day Care, and you just might think these guys invented the concept of day care. Take a tour of their Treasures Child Care Center, and you’ll know they’re on the cutting edge in facilities and programs. Nice.

8. Science Magic. Not all apres-ski has to be about more physical activity. It can be about entertainment. We’ve attended The Winter Wizard and Professor Pinhead’s Science Show almost as many times as can be counted on our fingers, and we’re still amazed, amused and - yes - even somewhat astonished. The kids are, too - especially after they’ve watched Marko the Magician perform, or witnessed the weekly Mogul Mouse Musical Show, not to mention playing Family Bingo or singing Karaoke.

9. Winter Walking. It might be hard to believe, but not everyone in the family wants to ski or ride. While some of us can’t imagine why not, we must acknowledge that as fact. So, you come to Smuggs, you can snowshoe or Nordic ski, of course, but for some, even that’s too much hassle. So, you can go winter walking, a get-you-outdoors program that requires only enough skill to, you guessed it, walk. Don’t want to exercise? Try tours to Montreal, Ben & Jerry’s ice cream factory, crafts and yoga classes, whatever. You’d have to be a real curmudgeon to be bored here.

10. A Snug Condo. Snug as a Smugg in a rug? On our very first Smuggs visit, we lodged in a condo that was pretty basic, but you could walk to the lift. These days, those basic condos are still here, but so are roomy and downright cushy condos with all the latest accouterments. No matter your style (or budget), however, everything here is within stone-throwing distance to everything else, much of it still walkable. If you’re traveling as a family, it’s the ideal village set-up for giving everyone freedom of movement and happiness of convenience.

Okay - that’s 10. But, don’t be fooled - there are many more reasons we love Smuggs (affordability, beautiful scenery, uncrowded - the list goes on; and on; and on), but we’ll stop now. After all, we don’t want to sound too effusive. You might not believe us. But, as Tweety Bird says (or Madeline Kahn in Blazing Saddles), "It’s twue! It’s twue!"