Early season riding in New England is usually like downhill ice skating with a thousand of your favorite friends. Killington and Sunday River are the usual suspects when it comes to early season carnage. More often than not, early season runs are a mix of pain and pleasure, the first rush of speed mixed with the realization that you just paid to be frustrated by sparse snow and ample ice. But, for the first time in years, opening weekend at Killington was a pleasant surprise.

“Quality over quantity” and “Good things come to those who wait” are the adages that come to mind when describing Smugglers’ Notch in Vermont. With the help of old-school double chairlifts that slow hill traffic to a crawl, powder days can last twice as long, and there is no aggressive, hyperactive vibe in the air to rip every pow line as fast as possible.