Mount Mansfield
Stowe, Vermont
Topographic relief of Mount Mansfield, Vermont’s highest peak, with its long ridgeline above Stowe. Hardwood follows the mountain’s profile, summit structure, and steep eastern face. Laser-etched treelines mark the ski terrain while leaving the ridgeline as the primary form.
Complete topographic composition
Relief depth from ridgeline to valley
Detail of laser etched trails
Mount Mansfield is recognizable from a distance, especially the long ridgeline, the scale, and the profile above Stowe. The challenge was staying true to scale while preserving that recognition, keeping the mountain’s proportions faithful in relief.
The carving was shaped to hold silhouette and gravity while still making the resort legible. Trail etching was given enough contrast to orient the eye, but not enough to make the ski network the subject.
The terrain was kept visually primary because that is the lasting structure of the place. The trails were treated as a human layer on top of the mountain, present for orientation but secondary to the ridgeline itself.
Artist's Note