Velo Escapes Green Mountains Camp · By Invitation
The Epic
Vermont gap to gap — the steepest, most beautiful climbing in the Northeast.
The Idea
Five days where the only thing you spend energy on is the riding. Lodging, routes, SAG, meals, recovery — all of it scouted, booked, staffed, and on the schedule before you arrive.
We're posted up at the Sun & Ski Inn Stowe — a comfortable Vermont inn with everything a rider needs after a long climbing day. Walking distance to Stowe village. Real fireplace in the lounge. The kind of base camp that gets out of your way.
Routes climb Mt. Mansfield, Smugglers' Notch, and the steeper gravel roads of the Lamoille Valley. SAG support every ride. A pro-level bike mechanic on staff full-time, riding with the group. Massages on the long-ride day. Group dinners at the best of what Stowe has to offer — and yes, kit gets washed.
Bring your bike (gravel-ready), your kit, and your legs. We've got the rest.
Ride Profile
Itinerary
Arrive between 2 and 6 p.m. (check-in at the inn starts at 3). Drop your bags. Pool, hot tub, fireplace lounge. Walking-distance stroll into Stowe village if you have the legs. Evening: 7 p.m. group dinner at Doc Ponds — locally famous gastropub, walking distance from the inn.
Included meals: Dinner, Snacks
45 mi · 3,800 ft climbing
An honest opening day. 45 miles through the Lamoille Valley back roads — 40% gravel, 60% tarmac, mostly rolling with one solid climb to Cabot Hollow. SAG along the way. Lunch: 12:30 p.m. at The Cabot Creamery Visitor Center in Cabot — Vermont cheddar samples, sandwich lunch on the porch. Back at the inn by 3. Pool, hot tub. Evening: 6 p.m. group dinner at Idletyme Brewing — Vermont-brewed ales and gastropub food.
Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Snacks
60 mi · 5,000 ft climbing
A real day in the saddle. 60 miles up the Mt. Mansfield Auto Toll Road gravel climb (5 miles to 3,800 ft) and back down through Smugglers' Notch — one of the great cycling roads in the East, closed to cars during August. SAG support. Lunch at the Stowe Mountain Resort base lodge — soup, sandwich, and the best mountain views in the state. Back at the inn around 2. Evening: 6 p.m. group dinner at Plate — modern Vermont, walking distance.
Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Snacks
90 mi · 7,500 ft climbing
The day everyone's here for. A 90-mile gravel century looping through the Lamoille and Worcester ranges — long fast doubletrack sections, three steep gravel climbs over 12% grade (Worcester Mountain, Mt. Hunger Road, the back side of Hardwick), and a fast pavement descent into Stowe at the finish. Vermont Overland-style riding without leaving the area. SAG support throughout. Lunch on the road at Hardwick Village Restaurant — gravel-cyclist friendly, refuel stop. Back at the inn: 30-to-60-minute massages (included). Evening: dinner delivered from The Whip Bar & Grill at the Green Mountain Inn. Optional foliage-preview chairlift ride at Stowe Mountain Resort available before dinner ($85/pp, see below).
Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Snacks
42 mi · 2,400 ft climbing
A recovery spin in the morning before checkout. About 42 miles on the Lamoille Valley Rail Trail and back — flat-ish, mostly crushed-stone, gentle. Loose legs, a full breakfast at the inn beforehand, goodbye until next time.
Included meals: Breakfast, Snacks
A note on fitness and ability
The riding is open to intermediate to strong riders — you don't need to race, but you should be able to sit in with a group at 16–18 mph average on rolling terrain for several hours.
Off the front is fine. If you want to push, push. Take your segment, find your gas station, regroup later — we won't hold you back.
Off the back is not. A group this size has one SAG, and it stays with the group. If you can't hold the group's pace, the day breaks — for you, and for everyone else. That's the only line.
E-bikes welcome — a quick note on charging
E-bikes are a great way to enjoy these routes. A couple of practical notes so the day goes smoothly: bring your own charger, and have a look at each day's distance against your battery range. Be smart about taking on the full distance if your battery won't make it — there's no way to recharge mid-ride, so if a day looks tight, plan to ride a shorter loop or sit that one out rather than risk running flat.
Base Camp
We've taken rooms at the Sun & Ski Inn Stowe — a comfortable Vermont inn within walking distance of Stowe village. Outdoor heated pool. Indoor hot tub. Fitness room. Complimentary continental breakfast every morning. Mountain views from every window.
Two room types — both two-queen, both quad occupancy. Standard rooms are mountain-side; the upgraded king suites add a small sitting area and a private balcony. Significant others welcome — Stowe village has galleries, breweries, and some of the best small-town New England dining anywhere.
New This Year
We've put a pro-level bike mechanic on staff full-time — riding with the group every day, in camp every evening.
Before each ride: every bike is greased, lubed, and dialed in. After each ride: every bike is cleaned, checked over, and set up for tomorrow. Flat on the road? Handled. Skipping in the cassette? Handled.
No one is fixing their own flats. No one is lubing their own chain at 6 a.m. This isn't a guide with a multi-tool — this is a pro mechanic, on staff, just for your bike.
Bring your legs. The bike is our problem.
Everything Is Handled
Your own bedroom and your own bathroom. Not a dorm. Not a shared bunk. Significant others welcome.
A real bike mechanic, on staff full-time, riding with us every day. Bikes prepped before every ride, cleaned and dialed in after. Flats on the road? Handled. You don't fix anything yourself.
All meals included — every breakfast, every lunch, every dinner — plus on-bike nutrition and snacks at the villa.
Saltwater pool. Hot tub. Massages on the long-ride day. Indoor fireplace. Sunken fire pit.
On-route navigation support with GPS files and daily ride briefings
A dedicated support vehicle following the route for safety and logistics
A custom-designed cycling jersey for the trip
Laundry service so you can pack light and ride fresh every day
A curated digital photo album capturing the highlights of your escape
An experienced guide riding with the group for navigation and support
Mid-ride snacks and fuel stops to keep you energized on the road
Electrolyte drinks and hydration supplies provided daily
Cold drinks and refreshments waiting for you at the finish each day
A mesh laundry bag for easy drop-off and pickup
Gratuities for local experts, restaurant staff, and hospitality teams
Stowe sits at the foot of Mt. Mansfield, Vermont's highest peak, in the heart of the Green Mountains. Steep narrow tarmac. Endless gravel back roads through dairy country. Smugglers' Notch — the legendary closed-to-cars-in-winter pass — opens to cyclists every August. And after the ride — a New England village that knows what tired riders want for dinner.
Travel
Closest airport:
Patrick Leahy Burlington International (BTV) is about 35 miles from the inn, roughly a 45-minute drive through the Lamoille Valley. Direct flights from most major Northeast hubs, plus seasonal direct service from Florida and DC.
Rental cars available at the airport. Or pick our optional private SUV shuttle from BTV at checkout — door-to-door, no rental-car detour. (The drive in is genuinely beautiful — Vermont two-lane all the way.)
Weather
Mid-August in Stowe is high-summer in the Green Mountains — warm dry days in the upper 70s, cool mornings in the mid-50s (long-sleeve roll-out weather), low humidity, and reliably blue skies. The maples are still deep green; fall hasn't started yet.
Afternoon thunderstorms can pop up, especially on the western slopes — pack a light rain shell. Sunrise around 5:50 a.m., sunset around 8:00 p.m. — plenty of daylight.
Vermont dairy farms are everywhere — the roads can smell properly agricultural in places. The view makes up for it. Bring arm warmers for the morning starts.
Official Partner
Mellow Johnny's Bike Shop in Austin is an official partner of Velo Escapes — and our go-to recommendation for any rider coming to this trip who needs a high-quality road rental.
Flying in without a bike? Reach out to the team at Mellow Johnny's directly. They know our trips, they know the kind of roads we're riding, and they'll set you up properly before you head out.
Note: they ship rentals nationwide — so wherever the trip is, they can get a bike to you.
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More About This Trip
About the routes. All four rides have been scouted and ridden by us personally. Routes mix tarmac and gravel — we'll send a detailed gravel-readiness packet before the trip so you know what tires and gearing to bring (40c+ recommended; 1:1 low gear strongly advised).
Route flexibility. Vermont weather can shift fast — we reserve the right to change routes if conditions make a route unsafe or unenjoyable. We have backup routes mapped out for every day.
Time of year. Mid-August in Vermont is high-summer in the Green Mountains — warm dry days in the upper 70s, cool mornings in the mid-50s, low humidity, and the kind of weather you'd build a camp around. The maple leaves are still green; foliage doesn't start until late September.
Bike setup note. This trip is gravel-focused. Most rides include 30-40% gravel by mileage. You'll want a gravel bike or a cyclocross bike — road tires won't be safe on the gravel descents.
One more thing. Bring a positive attitude and a willingness to push when the road kicks up. We'll handle the rest.
