If you’re collecting adventurous Vermont summer experiences, put the Alpine Slide at Bromley Mountain Local favorite: Bromley Mountain near the top of your list. This Southern Vermont ski mountain transforms into a summer adventure park once the snow melts, and its signature attraction is a Vermont tradition that has been sending riders down the mountain for decades.
Bromley is home to the only operating Alpine Slide left in Vermont and North America’s first triple-tracked Alpine Slide. Stretching approximately two-thirds of a mile down the mountain with an 850-foot vertical drop, it’s an impressively long ride with Green Mountain views along the way.
The best part? You’re in control of the speed.
Riding the Bromley Mountain Alpine Slide
The experience begins by heading up the mountain before climbing aboard your own wheeled Alpine Slide sled for the trip back down. Unlike a traditional amusement park ride where you’re simply along for the ride, the Alpine Slide puts the controls in your hands.
Push forward to pick up speed or pull back to slow yourself down as you follow the track’s curves down the mountainside. That means the experience can be completely different depending on who’s riding. Thrill seekers can make it a fast trip down, while riders who prefer to take their time can slow things down and enjoy the surrounding mountain scenery.
With three tracks running alongside one another, there’s also something particularly fun about heading down the mountain with friends or family nearby.
How Long Is the Alpine Slide at Bromley?
Bromley’s Alpine Slide stretches approximately two-thirds of a mile and descends roughly 850 vertical feet, making it one of the longest Alpine Slides of its kind.
It’s also historically significant. Bromley introduced North America’s first triple-tracked Alpine Slide, helping make this style of summertime mountain attraction popular at ski areas long before today’s mountain coasters became common.
At one time, Bromley wasn’t the only place you could ride an Alpine Slide in Vermont. Both Pico Mountain and Spruce Peak in Stowe had Alpine Slides of their own. Those attractions are now gone, leaving Bromley as the only Vermont ski mountain where you can still experience this throwback summer tradition.
Who Can Ride the Bromley Alpine Slide?
The Alpine Slide is an adventure the whole family can potentially experience, but Bromley has height and age requirements for riders.
Riders must be at least 3 years old and at least 38 inches tall. Guests taller than 48 inches must ride alone, while smaller eligible children can ride with an adult according to Bromley’s current rider requirements.
Because attraction requirements and operations can change, it’s always worth checking Bromley Mountain’s current policies, operating dates and weather conditions before making the drive.
More Summer Things to Do at Bromley Mountain
Don’t drive to Bromley just to ride the Alpine Slide once and immediately leave. During the summer, the ski area becomes Bromley’s Mountain Adventure Park, with enough activities to easily turn your visit into a full day outside.
One of the other major thrills is the Giant Swing, which sends riders soaring high above the ground. You’ll also find the Big Splash waterslide, Mountain Towers and a collection of additional rides and activities designed for different ages and adventure levels.
The combination makes Bromley an especially good summer destination for families or groups where everyone has a slightly different definition of adventure. You can race down the Alpine Slide, cool off on a waterslide, tackle another attraction and then head right back up the mountain to ride the slide again.
And chances are, one trip down won’t be enough.
A Vermont Summer Tradition Worth Revisiting
Vermont ski mountains are understandably associated with winter, but some of my favorite reasons to visit them happen after the skis have been packed away.
There’s something wonderfully nostalgic about the Bromley Alpine Slide. While newer mountain attractions rely on increasingly sophisticated technology, this one still revolves around a simple formula: get yourself up the mountain, climb onto a sled and use a lever to control just how quickly you’re willing to make your way back down.
Whether you’re riding for the first time or grew up making summer trips to Bromley, it’s one of those Vermont experiences that’s worth revisiting.
And with Bromley now home to the last operating Alpine Slide in Vermont, there’s even more reason to keep this particular summer tradition going.
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