If you’ve scoped out the webcams this season, perhaps you’ve noticed the new design. We’re excited to share that Yestermorrow Design/Build School has partnered with Sugarbush Resort to design and build brand-new snow stakes for our webcams, blending mountain function with thoughtful, local design.
In Episode 4 of This Mountain Makes Us, we sit down with Britton Rogers, Executive Director of Yestermorrow, to dig into the creative process behind these new additions to the slopes.
If you’re not already familiar with Yestermorrow, they’ve been a cornerstone of the Mad River Valley since 1980. What began in John Connell’s garage in Warren Village has grown into a vibrant campus along Route 100, where students of all experience levels gather year-round to learn by doing. Their philosophy is simple and powerful:
“We believe that architects should know how to build, and builders should know how to design. By uniting these concepts into a continuous feedback loop, we create better buildings and well-rounded tradespeople.”
That hands on, integrated approach made them the perfect partner for this project. This fall, Yestermorrow students took on the challenge of reimagining Sugarbush’s snow stakes from the ground up. The process wasn’t just about building something that looks good on camera. It was about solving a real mountain problem with creativity and intention.
What the students did:
- Presented design concepts directly to Sugarbush leadership
- Traveled to the existing mid-mountain stake to measure, observe, and visualize their ideas in real conditions
- Considered visibility against a snowy, forested backdrop
- Evaluated the best way to do the numbered stake for measuring snowfall
- Engineered durability for extreme summit weather and relentless winter exposure
Every detail mattered. The clarity of the measurement markings. The strength of the materials. The way the structure would hold up through storms. Snow stakes may seem simple, a reference point in the powder, but they’re part of the daily ritual for skiers and riders to check conditions before heading out. They’re part of the anticipation. The morning refresh. The “how much did we get?”
Now, they’re also a reflection of local collaboration.
These new stakes aren’t just functional tools—they’re a celebration of craft, community, and connection to place. Designed by students learning their trade. Built with intention. Planted firmly on the mountain we all share. Catch all the behind the scenes details in Episode 4 of This Mountain Makes Us. Because sometimes, even the smallest upgrades tell a bigger story.