There are several areas throughout the northeast with more artificial snow, more restaurants and more places to shop, but none are as beautiful as Sugarbush and it's neighbor, Mad River Glen. While plenty of trails have snow-making, it's the abundance of natural snow trails and skiable woods that distinguish Sugarbush from the rest. The conditions on natural snow trails are more variable, of course, but they haven't been widened, bulldozed and spoiled with equipment. It's a tradeoff that's particularly evident when you ski at Sugarbush. The local towns of Warren and Waitsfield offer a similar contrast with other resort areas. There's no big walkable concentration of shops and restaurants here, but there's no traffic or even a single traffic light either. The Mad River Valley is quintessential Vermont with all its natural splendor and quirks.