Cross-country skiing
— UVM nordic ski team reorganizes; Change of leadership at Dartmouth — The University of Vermont Nordic ski program coaching staff has been reorganized. Patrick Weaver (pictured here) was recently named head coach of the men's and women's nordic ski program. Former head coach Paul Stone will continue on with the program as an assistant coach. Apparently he will begin work on a master’s degree while continuing to work with the team.Weaver, who has served as an assistant the past two seasons,...[Read more]
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
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Filed in: Alpine / downhill skiing, Cross-country skiing
Cross-country skiing
— UVM nordic ski team reorganizes; Change of leadership at Dartmouth — The University of Vermont Nordic ski program coaching staff has been reorganized. Patrick Weaver (pictured here) was recently named head coach of the men's and women's nordic ski program. Former head coach Paul Stone will continue on with the program as an assistant coach. Apparently he will begin work on a master’s degree while continuing to work with the team.Weaver, who has served as an assistant the past two seasons,...[Read more]
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
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Filed in: Alpine / downhill skiing, Cross-country skiing
I went summer skiing on a glacier in Austria once. It was June. It was raining. We couldn't take in the view because of the clouds. The snow was very soft. And the wind was cold and howling — so it was blowing the trash-bag type ponchos we were wearing to stay dry. I can still hear the wild flapping noise of the plastic!
Luckily yesterday's "summer skiing" was nothing like that. Vermont is having some lovely weather for summer skiing this week and weekend.
The Skimeister and I went for...[Read more]
Friday, April 2, 2010
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Filed in: Bolton Valley, Cross-country skiing, Spring skiing
It was sunny but chilly on Saturday here in northern Vermont. The Skimeister and I went over to play around on the cross-country trails at Bolton Valley, then to watch some of the pond skimming action.
We skied around Picnic and the Valley Loop a bit. The snow was mostly frozen granular, and it was softer in the sunniest spots. They had done a good job grooming after the fluctuations of temperatures we've seen in the last couple of weeks! The snow coverage was still good in this part of the...[Read more]
Sunday, March 28, 2010
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Filed in: Alpine / downhill skiing, Bolton Valley, Cross-country skiing, Spring skiing
On the Sugar Road at Trapp nordic center today — the first day of spring — we heard birds chirping away, saw families out enjoying mild temperatures, and watched die-hard cross-country skiers try to make the most of a melting ski surface.
With the extraordinary stretch of warm weather we have had lately in Vermont, Sugar Road — Trapp's major thoroughfare — is melting down in a big way. In many places we had to tip-toe around muddy or rocky spots. Otherwise we were scraping along frozen...[Read more]
Saturday, March 20, 2010
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Filed in: Cross-country skiing, Food, coffee & après ski, Spring skiing, Trapp Family Lodge
Over the last week and a half I've tried to make the most of the sunny days to hit the slopes or cross-country ski trails. I'm thankful that I can work odd hours, so that often gives me flexibility to do so.
Today was forecast to be warm and sunny so we did some spring nordic skiing at Ole's Cross-Country Center in Warren, Vermont. They still have quite a bit of snow there. Some sunny spots are starting to melt out a bit, but overall the skiing was very good at midday today.
When you nordic...[Read more]
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
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Filed in: Cross-country skiing, Ole's, Spring skiing
A friend and I took quite the cross-country skiing tour at Trapp Family Lodge today. We skied up to the cabin, around the hill called Roundtop and then down to the maple sugarhouse to see the sugaring in progress.
We arrived when the nordic center opened at 9 a.m. I had seen some blue sky on my drive up Route 100, but by the time I put my boots on, the clouds had moved in. We would see a few minutes of sun later during our outing and luckily not a drop of rain or sleet. I made use of my...[Read more]
Saturday, March 13, 2010
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Filed in: Cross-country skiing, Spring skiing, Trapp Family Lodge
Can it get any better than this?
The Skimeister and I hit Ole's cross-country center in Warren, Vermont, this afternoon for a ski tour. It was absolutely gorgeous out. No clouds. Warm temperatures. And the snow was still firm in many places because of our cold evenings and excellent grooming at Ole's.
I was on skating skis while the Skimeister took to the trails in a sit-ski. He rented it recently so he could get out skiing despite a major knee injury that he sustained last month. Yup, he...[Read more]
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
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Filed in: Cross-country skiing, Food, coffee & après ski, Ole's, Spring skiing
This week I've seen sap buckets collecting their precious liquid. I've seen a ski technician working on his motor boat. And I've driven through mud to skate through corn snow. It must be spring skiing time in Vermont!
This weekend has been absolutely gorgeous. I was supposed to be in Colorado, but the clear blue skies and warm sun made me feel like I was there anyways!
The Skimeister and I loaded up the car on Saturday and went to check out Blueberry Hill Inn cross-country center in Goshen,...[Read more]
Sunday, March 7, 2010
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Filed in: Blueberry Hill, Cross-country skiing, Spring skiing
When you arrive at Ole's nordic center in Warren, Vermont, you can't help but notice the ski lodge looks a bit like an air traffic tower. And the orange windsocks make you really start to suspect something.
Ole's is in fact a small airport during the summer months. But to those who don't know any better, this cross-country center just seems to have a big, wide, snowy field right out its back door.
When I arrived on Wednesday afternoon, local children were wrapping up their school skiing...[Read more]
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
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Filed in: Cross-country skiing, Ole's, Spring skiing
What a gorgeous day it turned out to be in Stowe, Vermont, today. I headed to Stowe with two goals in mind: check out some of the 2010 Stowe Derby race action and then take a ski myself.
The 16km race course starts atop Mt. Mansfield and wends its way down into town to follow the recreation path all the way to the church in Stowe Village. Just think — most skiers do all this on skinny skis.
It was fun to see how they actually got people through the course — having to cross a couple busy...[Read more]
Sunday, February 28, 2010
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Filed in: Cross-country skiing, Stowe, Trapp Family Lodge
This storm has dropped about two feet of snow on many Vermont ski resorts thus far — some are reporting more. The weather is affecting lift operations here and there today, so check my Vermont ski resorts snow conditions page. It has direct links to the resorts' ski report pages.
This stuff is really helping to beef up our base. So happy!
I'm planning on skiing on Friday, so I'll let you know where I end up and you can be sure I'll post some photos and a recap.
Meanwhile, this weekend also...[Read more]
Thursday, February 25, 2010
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Filed in: Alpine / downhill skiing, Backcountry skiing, Burke, Cross-country skiing
Well the winter storm warning has delivered. Several Vermont ski resorts from Okemo to Jay Peak are reporting a foot or more of new snow this morning. And it continues to snow today. Yippee!
Visit the snow report links on my Vermont Ski Resort page for the latest conditions.
And here's a link to National Weather Service snow reports from towns across the state. Note that these are often in-town measurements — not mountain-top...[Read more]
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
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Filed in: Alpine / downhill skiing, Backcountry skiing, Cross-country skiing
Note to self: Bring a neckwarmer and glasses when you go cross-country skiing, even if you don't think you'll need them.
I had a nice cross-country skate ski at Bolton Valley this afternoon. The snow was falling and I was finally getting a workout after a week of back pain. It was great to be on the snow again!
There was up to an inch of fresh snow on the nordic trails (see my first tracks?) and probably more up in the backcountry trails and alpine area. I worked my way up the hills, but then...[Read more]
Sunday, February 14, 2010
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Filed in: Bolton Valley, Cross-country skiing
I was glued to the TV last night to watch the opening ceremonies of the Winter Olympics. It's really exciting to watch the Games, and even more so since we have such a strong American team.
Vermont is definitely a winter sport kind of state. And this bears true as we've sent a contingent of athletes to the Winter Olympics in Vancouver.
Olympic athletes with Vermont ties include:
Cross-country skiers
Andy Newell (from Shaftsbury)Liz Stephen (from East Montpelier)Caitlin Compton (grew up in...[Read more]
Saturday, February 13, 2010
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Filed in: Alpine / downhill skiing, Cross-country skiing
On Friday, eager skiers will take a test run on the Toll Road of Stowe ski resort. It's a reconnaissance mission for those who will ski in the Stowe Derby later this month. Most will be wearing skinny skis as they board the chairlift.
The Stowe Derby will have its 65th running on February 28. This race is a true skimeister kind of race. You have a long downhill ski run and then cross-country terrain. So you must pick your equipment wisely and be a versatile skier.
It started in 1945 as a...[Read more]
Thursday, February 11, 2010
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Filed in: Alpine / downhill skiing, Cross-country skiing, Stowe
Vermont ski resorts are reporting between one to 8 inches of fresh snow this morning — the farther north you go, the higher the total. Some resorts have been getting a little bit of snow every day this week.
This will be an exciting weekend around Stowe, Vermont. The University of Vermont Winter Carnival takes place Friday to Sunday with both alpine and nordic ski racing.
The alpine events are at Stowe Mountain Resort, while the cross-country races are at Trapp Family Lodge. We're planning...[Read more]
Thursday, February 4, 2010
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Filed in: Alpine / downhill skiing, Cross-country skiing, Stowe, Trapp Family Lodge
I don't know if you call it cabin fever or just plain old work stress, but by mid-afternoon today I needed to get outside and exercise! I convinced the Skimeister to join me for an end-of-the-afternoon classic ski at Bolton Valley Nordic Center.
We arrived and saw that we would not be alone in our late-day ski. Ski team members from the University of Vermont and Colchester High School were on the trails, too. We set out for a nice loop out on Maple Loop and only passed a handful of kids.
An...[Read more]
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
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Filed in: Bolton Valley, Cross-country skiing
The kids that go to Middlebury College have it good. They can ski at the Middlebury Snow Bowl and the Rikert Ski touring Center; both are owned and operated by the college.
To get to Rikert from Middlebury, we drove Route 125 up and along the Middlebury River, through the micro-village of Ripton, and then to the college's scenic Bread Loaf Campus. Rikert nordic center is based in one of the barns on this historic summer campus known for its writers' conference. The mustard-colored historic...[Read more]
Monday, January 25, 2010
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Filed in: Cross-country skiing, Food, coffee & après ski, Rikert
I absolutely hate it when it rains in the middle of winter. It feels like we took two steps forward to only take one step back. Aargh!
It is indeed raining in Vermont today. The temperatures will drop through the week, however, and will be accompanied by some snow. In fact, the lows will be in the single digits in many places by Thursday evening. Go figure.
We'll see what Mother Nature has to offer over the next few days. Let's hope for a strong rebound in the snow department.[Read more]
Monday, January 25, 2010
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Filed in: Alpine / downhill skiing, Backcountry skiing, Cross-country skiing
Gorgeous day here in Vermont's Champlain Valley. Bright sun, blue skies. The snow had frost on top of it this morning at Catamount cross-country ski center, making for some fast skiing. We stayed on the meadow trails to make the most of the sunshine. Here are a few shots from the ski.
What's on tap for this weekend? We're going to mix it up by doing some nordic skiing and some alpine skiing.
Saturday looks like it will be a gorgeous, sunny day in the 20s or so, and Vermont ski resorts were...[Read more]
Friday, January 22, 2010
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Filed in: Catamount, Cross-country skiing
When it comes to skate skiing, I'm sure glad that I had years of experience as an instructor of first-time alpine skiers. Why? Because long before I tried skating, I had already mastered climbing up hills quickly — with skis on — using a herringbone.
After I did a snowplow demonstration or chased down a wayward student, I would head uphill to regroup with the class — stepping from ski to ski in a wide "V." I put these hard-earned skating skills to work today as we explored Blueberry Lake...[Read more]
Sunday, January 17, 2010
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Filed in: Blueberry Lake, Cross-country skiing, Food, coffee & après ski
We did some skating at Catamount nordic center today in Williston. It was our version of a jog.
We skied on about 1.5 inches of new snow. The temperatures were warmer today, so the snow was quite soft.
We skied on the hill on the south side of the cross-country center and only passed one person. The coverage was good and we were out among the milkweed.[Read more]
Thursday, January 14, 2010
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Filed in: Catamount, Cross-country skiing
Remember that snowstorm a few days ago? Well it dumped a lot of snow on the cross-country ski trails at Catamount Outdoor Center in Williston, Vermont.
We took a late lunch break and hit the trails for some skate skiing. It was our first this season so we just did one big loop. We skied Night Trail to 3 Rivers to Sandman's.
I felt really out of balance to start. I laughed a lot as I nearly wiped out a few times! The snow was soft so I wasn't feeling super steady until the end of the...[Read more]
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
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Filed in: Catamount, Cross-country skiing
It's time for all you cross-country skiing and snowshoeing never-evers to hit the trail!
Nearly a dozen Vermont nordic ski centers are offering free introductions to these winter sports on Saturday, January 9. Now there is no excuse not to try them!
I've grown to love nordic skiing and snowshoeing over the years. It's a quieter scene than downhill skiing, and it can be a wonderful workout. There's nothing like quietly gliding or walking through a winter wonderland.
Follow this link to read...[Read more]
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
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Filed in: Bolton Valley, Craftsbury, Cross-country skiing, Highland Lodge, Mountain Top, Smugglers' Notch, Ticket discounts
How many ways do you know how to say "snow"?
Perhaps la neige (French)?
la neve (Italian)
śnieg (Polish)
der Schnee (German)
снег (Russian)
sněhu (Czech)
la nieve (Spanish & Portuguese)
雪 名 (Japanese)
muruaneq (Yup'ik Eskimo - Specifically soft, deep fallen snow on the ground)
Or how about pow-pow (American skier dialect)?
Any way you say it, we are currently getting slammed with it in Vermont this weekend! Here's what the NWS had to...[Read more]
Saturday, January 2, 2010
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Filed in: Alpine / downhill skiing, Backcountry skiing, Cross-country skiing
Several Vermont ski resorts are reporting about 10 inches or so of new snow over the last 24 hours. Yee-ha!
But with all this snow has come quite a bit of wind, so check with your favorite resort to see what lifts are open; many of the high lifts were on wind hold this morning. Visit my Vermont Ski Resorts page for links to snow and lift reports.
Here's a recap of snowfall from the National Weather Service/NOAA. Keep in mind that many of these observations are taken in towns, not in the...[Read more]
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
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Filed in: Alpine / downhill skiing, Backcountry skiing, Cross-country skiing
Geez, I go away for a couple of days and things go to hell in a handbasket.
OK, it isn't that bad, but we did see warm temperatures in Vermont on Sunday that brought some rain with them. Argh. So the stake atop Mt. Mansfield is now reporting three fewer inches of the white stuff. It now reads 27 inches.
But, just as quickly as the spring-like weather hit, we will plunge back down into a deep freeze by Tuesday, with snow on Monday. Weather forecasters are saying we might get 6 inches or so in...[Read more]
Sunday, December 27, 2009
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Filed in: Alpine / downhill skiing, Backcountry skiing, Cross-country skiing, Mt. Mansfield
The two largest cross-country centers in Stowe, Vermont, are in the midst of a tiff over a forest trail that connects the nordic centers.
Because of the falling out between the Trapp Family Lodge and neighboring Stowe Mountain Resort, the Ranch Camp trail will not be groomed for at least part of its length — causing skinny-skiers to think twice about moving between the two resorts.
And the Catamount Trail Association is now saying that those who want to ski the Catamount Trail, which follows...[Read more]
Monday, December 21, 2009
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Filed in: Backcountry skiing, Cross-country skiing, Stowe, Trapp Family Lodge
As if trying to make up for the tropical weather we experienced in November, Old Man Winter is really putting the chill on this week. It will be cold again tomorrow but I'm hoping to get out in the snow for a bit. I'll do some kind of nordic to keep the blood flowing; probably backcountry skiing.
The cold temperatures have made for light, fluffy overnight snowfalls. The kind of snow that you can blow off your car with sheer lung power. This morning Vermont ski areas were reporting between one...[Read more]
Thursday, December 17, 2009
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Filed in: Alpine / downhill skiing, Backcountry skiing, Cross-country skiing, Jay Peak, Okemo
Perhaps you haven't noticed, but the US Cross-Country Ski Team is turning heads these days. The team has become a force in a sport that has been traditionally ruled by the Europeans.There are a couple New England skiers on the team including superstar Andy Newell from the town of Shaftsbury in southern Vermont. He recently placed seventh in a World Cup classic sprint. He was behind guys from Norway, Russia and Finland.
Newell's teammate Kris Freeman of New Hampshire just last week place...[Read more]
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
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Filed in: Cross-country skiing
