Before the Lifts Spin: Inside Stowe’s Snow Report with Matt Testa
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Shortly after 4:00 a.m., long before the lifts start turning and the parking lots fill, Renoun athlete, Matt Testa, is already driving uphill into the dark.
Sometimes he’s breaking trail up Mountain road, long before the state plows arrive. Sometimes it’s calm and clear, other times it’s storming. But every winter morning, one thing is the same: Matt is one of the very first people on Stowe, home to Vermont’s highest peak.
That’s because Matt is one of Stowe’s three official snow reporters. He is the voice behind the daily conditions to report what thousands of skiers check before they decide where (and how hard) to ski. If you’ve ever called the Stowe snow phone before sunrise, you’ve probably heard him.
The Mountain, Measured in Inches
Being a snow reporter isn’t just about checking an app or glancing at a webcam. Matt and the other reporters track conditions across the entire mountain using four separate snow plots, each placed in different zones and elevations. We have 4 different snow plots, the Barnes Camp snow plot is our base area 1550’ snow plot, Lookout Snow Camera and plot is at 3,300’ on the Quad Side, High Road Snow Plot is 3,040 on Gondola side and The Fabled Mount Mansfield Summit Stake sits high atop the Toll Road at 3,900’. Every storm hits differently, and the only way to understand how it will actually ski is to be there.
On his reporting days, Matt’s alarm goes off at 4:00 a.m. He drives to the mountain before traffic and plows, checks the base-area Barnes Camp snow plot, talks directly with grooming and snowmaking, then sits down to write the morning report.
By 6:00 a.m., he records the snow phone recording; the same update skiers call to hear or read online before leaving the house.
Matt Testa phtographs the plowing of Stowe's parking lots
“Being one of the Snow reporters requires you to constantly be in sync with the Mountain and know what is happening at all times. An inch of snow does not fall on the mountain without me or the other Snow reporters knowing about it.”
Matt and his team take great pride in systematically measuring Stowe’s snowfall and have receipts for every inch that falls on the mountain. “We take a lot of pride in our accuracy.” Matt added.
Matt testing an area's snow depth
Thousands of People, One Morning Voice
On busy powder weekends, thousands of skiers tune in. The snow phone still matters because it’s real—not automated, not scraped from a weather model—but written by someone standing in the snow, watching the storm unfold.
Even before the report goes live, Matt’s phone is already buzzing. Friends, locals, and fellow skiers message him asking what’s happening up there.
Is it windy?
Are the lifts going to open?
How deep is it really?
Matt photographs sunrise from base operations
Storm Days and Breaking Trail
Some of the best mornings are the stormy days, when Matt is literally the first and only person on the mountain.
There are dozens of days each winter when he’s breaking trail up Stowe Mountain Road through untouched snow, before the state plows have even made it up. It’s quiet, raw, and wild... a real-life front-row seat to winter before the crowds arrive.
Three Seasons Deep
This season will be Matt’s third at Stowe, after first cutting his teeth as a snow reporter years earlier at Bolton Valley after graduating from the University of Vermont.
What started as a college side gig has grown into one of the most trusted voices on one of the East Coast’s most iconic mountains.
The snow stake in action
For Matt, it’s about more than first tracks or early mornings.
“It’s something I’m really passionate about,” he says. “And it’s kind of an honor.”
Header image Photographed by: Brooks Curran (@Brookcurran)
The Author: Will Chaltas
Will has over a decade of ski industry experience. With PSIA ski instructor certifications, thousands of hours logged ski instructing, and a lifetime spent on-snow, Will is an expert in the sport. Will also spent time working in brand management, media, product journalism, marketing and customer service before joining the Renoun team full-time in 2023. His favorite chairlift snack is a PB, banana and honey sandwich.
Why Trust the Renoun Reviews Team?
Renoun Skis Reviews team has over a decade of ski design and manufacturing experience, and decades of combined ski-industry experience ranging from certified PSIA ski instructors to shop technicians, racers, and coaches. We also have a deep passion for and love of all things skiing. The team utilizes this experience to provide unparalleled reviews that dive deep to help guide your purchase for just about any ski-related item and help inform you of any ski-focused tips and tricks about maintenance, on-hill performance, and even the best places to enjoy your Après-Ski. Through written and video content, the Renoun Skis Reviews team is here to help inform you on all things ski-related.
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