How to Visit Stowe, Vermont Like a Local

"Set inside a lively office lobby filled with professional snowboarders, creators and a steady stream of dogs (including one that often sits right by the owner's side), this headquarters doubles as a workplace, a research-and-development lab, and a kind of living archive. Early product development is on display — the founder reportedly made 100 prototypes before landing on his final board — and visitors can request a tour from the resident archivist, Todd “TK” Kohlman. The location has been prized for product testing because, as the owner explained, "Here, you might have rain one day, below zero the next day, ice, powder, whatever you've got, you've got it all here. It's the perfect place to test products." The operation also connects to broader commitments: initiatives to "create a more equitable outdoor community," efforts to ensure gender parity, and board work with a climate advocacy group. As the owner put it about the company ethos, "We have a saying, 'Focus on the rider, and everything else will follow.'" - Stacey Leasca Stacey Leasca Stacey Leasca is an award-winning journalist and co-founder of Be a Travel Writer, an online course for the next generation of travel journalists. Her photos, videos, and words have appeared in print or online for Travel + Leisure, Time, Los Angeles Times, Glamour, and many more. You'll usually find her in an airport. If you do see her there, please say hello. Travel + Leisure Editorial Guidelines