If you look on a map, you’ll probably be just a bit surprised to see how close together the two biggest resorts in southern Vermont really are. Mount Snow in Dover, Vermont, and Stratton Mountain Resort, in Stratton, Vermont are less than a dozen miles apart as the crow flies, not much farther even by twisting Vermont roads.

Mount Snow and Stratton: You’d think that two resorts so close would be a lot alike, and in some ways they are. I’ve enjoyed skiing both recently and here’s how they compare.

To start, both Stratton and Mount Snow have put a lot of money into lifts, snowmaking and grooming and it shows; both are powerhouses of the terrain park and competition scenes with Mount Snow’s awesome Carinthia Park, and Stratton’s SuperTrail  Slopestyle/Halfpipe where the US Open Snowboarding Championships are held.

And both mountains make a lot of skiers and riders happy.

But they are also different enough that you are likely to favor one or the other for those differences—at least on a given day. We’ll start with one quick difference: from most places, Mount Snow is a little easier drive than Stratton. And the Stratton access road can be treacherous in a snowstorm. But that small difference sometimes means fewer people at Stratton. Your call on who has the advantage here.

On snow quality, the similarities are striking—and not entirely accidental. Mount Snow, which was one of the first areas in New England to make a real commitment to snowmaking and grooming, is once again among the go-to resorts when Mother Nature isn’t cooperating with natural snow. Since Peak Resorts has taken over and made a huge investment in fangun technology, the quality of the snowmaking and grooming has improved almost unbelievably. But keep in mind that  the main reason they had to make these improvements was the fact that Stratton was consistently delivering some of the best snow conditions in New England. Stratton once had an advantage is in dry years when their HUGE snowmaking pond (one of the best summer swimming holes ever!) gave them more water to work with, but Mount Snow now has unlimited water, too, so I’d  call it a draw. At either resort, the snow is going to be as good as it can be.

In terms of lift capacity, it’s pretty much a wash. Mount Snow has 20 lifts including the new Bluebird Express covered 6-pack chair, Stratton “only” 11, but Stratton has a summit gondola and three detachable 6-packs. On really busy days, both areas have some out-of-the-way lifts that rarely have a wait. Sadly, Stratton removed the Kidderbrook lift, which used to be one of my favorites for this. Speaking of lifts, the two resorts are fairly comparable on ticket prices. For the 2009/10 season, a walk-up weekend/holiday adult lift ticket is $75 at Mount Snow, $84 at Stratton (but $79 if you buy it on line).

How about terrain? If you want pure variety, Mount Snow has the advantage. There’s nothing at Stratton that comes close to being as steep and challenging as Ripcord on Mount Snow’s North Face. But Stratton has more and better glades—at least in my opinion—for tree skiing when the snow’s deep. Both resorts have multiple terrain parks for all ability levels, so they are even there. Overall, I’d say Stratton has more interesting intermediate terrain. Novices have a lot of terrain to play with on both mountains.

The place where the difference between Stratton and Mount is clearest is in the “feel” of the mountain. Mount Snow has a better base lodges and caters more to day visitors, while Stratton is more focused on multi-day stays, (they offer some incredible ski-and-stay packages). While Mount Snow has a lot of condos nearby and a slopeside hotel, the base area is a ghost town after the lifts shut down. You pretty much have to have a car, though some of the inns near the mountain have lodging, dining and shuttle services. Stratton, on the other hand has a real slopeside village with shops and restaurants and nightlife galore. Park your car when you arrive, and you won’t have to move it until you leave.

For those who can afford it, Stratton has its own on-slope “private country club,” with its own restaurants. Nice touch, though not available to the casual visitor (but isn’t that the point?)

So Mount Snow and Stratton are very different in some ways. One one might suit you better than the other. But I really can’t remember ever spending a day at either when I didn’t thoroughly enjoy myself, so I’d recommend trying them both. They’ve got the snow, and if the lifts are turning, the choice is yours on which are you think you’ll enjoy more.