Cross-country 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 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 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 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 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 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, 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 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
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 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 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 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 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
Been in your basement or barn lately? Trying to figure out what to do with all that old ski equipment?
Two small companies in Vermont can help you turn some of your skis into some very cool furniture, like this Adirondack style chair made out of nordic skis. It's beautiful!
Based in Morrisville and Waterbury, Vermont — towns that bookend Stowe — these companies will take your old gear and suggest ways to create a ski chair, table, CD rack, coffeetable, or whatever the...[Read more]
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
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Filed in: Alpine skiing, Backcountry skiing, Cross-country skiing, Ski gear
In Vermont, fall brings cool mornings, apple picking, colorful foliage and trail work!
Over the next couple of months, skiers will meet up in small work crews to prepare Vermont's cross-country and backcountry ski trail, the Catamount Trail. Section by section they'll clear fallen trees, make sure trail markers are visible and generally clear the way for skiers this winter. This 300-mile-long trail is a treasure for freeheeled skiers who like to get out in the woods when...[Read more]
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
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Filed in: Backcountry skiing, Cross-country skiing, Fall & Early season
In the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont — the corner of the state nestled next to the New Hampshire and Canadian borders and easily accessed by Interstate 91 — one small ski town has found a winning solution for maintaining tourism throughout the year.
In East Burke, Vermont, home of Burke Mountain ski resort, landowners and business people have teamed up over the years to create an incredible network of mountain biking trails. They call them Kingdom Trails and they attract bikers from...[Read more]
Sunday, August 23, 2009
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Filed in: Alpine skiing, Burke, Cross-country skiing, Food, coffee & après
The US Ski Team has announced some of its rosters for the coming ski season, and as you may expect, they include Vermonters and our neighbors nearby. Many of these skiers are poised to be named to the roster for the upcoming Winter Olympics in Vancouver. The Olympic team will be named in January.
2010 U.S. Cross Country Ski Team
World Championship silver medalist Kikkan Randall (Anchorage, AK), along with World Cup sprint medalist Andy Newell (Shaftsbury, Vermont), Kris Freeman (Andover,...[Read more]
Saturday, June 6, 2009
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Filed in: Cross-country skiing
Vermont skiers are one fast bunch.This month, University of Vermont freshman David Donaldson of Toronto was named the Male Collegiate Skier of the Year by Ski Racing Magazine. Donaldson is the 21st Catamount to earn male or female collegiate skier of the year honors in the 31-year history of the award. The last Vermont skier to take the title was Greg Hardy ‘08 in 2006.Donaldson won the giant slalom at the 2009 NCAA Ski Championships hosted by Bates College in Maine. He also earned First-Team...[Read more]
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
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Filed in: Alpine skiing, Cross-country skiing, Stowe
We had another gorgeous skiing day on Saturday. It's been an incredible stretch of sunny weather for Vermont!
I wanted to go cross-country skiing so I looked at options that were at a higher altitude, where the snow coverage was still good. In the villages the sun has melted off much of the snow.
I decided to go to Stowe Mountain Resort's cross-country center, which is situated at about 1,500 feet or so. It has remained chilly in the mountains, especially overnight, so I was not in a huge...[Read more]
Sunday, March 22, 2009
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Filed in: Cross-country skiing, Food, coffee & après, Spring skiing, Stowe
Today may usher in springtime, but I'm still planning on some time on the snow!
The weather has been lovely and will continue to be for much of the next five days or so. The National Weather Service is calling for increasing clouds on Saturday evening and a chance of rain or snow on Sunday morning (20 percent chance, they say). Otherwise, we're looking at sunshine on the ski slopes of northern Vermont!
It is really nice to be able to ski in light layers and slather on the sunscreen at this...[Read more]
Friday, March 20, 2009
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Filed in: Alpine skiing, Cross-country skiing, Spring skiing
On Sunday I went to see if there was any snow at the Smugglers' Notch cross-country center. Nope. None. Nada. The sun had melted many areas and what little was left was all ice.
For some reason the attendant at the nordic center didn't realize that there wasn't enough snow to cross-country ski on. They were renting snowshoes, which weren't really needed either; you could just walk the trails in some decent boots. The Smuggs Web site also made it seem like there was plenty of skiing there. I...[Read more]
Monday, March 16, 2009
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Filed in: Alpine skiing, Cross-country skiing, Food, coffee & après, Mad River Glen, Spring skiing, Stowe, Ticket discounts
What a day!
Saturday was a warm and sunny day to strap on some skis. Enjoy our photos from Trapp Family Lodge Nordic Center, where spring conditions prevailed and the sap buckets were collecting maple sap. The snow cover was very good, and conditions called for waxless skis or Klister wax (very, very sticky stuff!).
In the afternoon we stopped in to see what was new at the West Branch Art Gallery, next door to the Rusty Nail. We then had a maple latté at the Stowe Coffeehouse near the...[Read more]
Sunday, March 15, 2009
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Filed in: Cross-country skiing, Food, coffee & après, Spring skiing, Trapp Family Lodge
Well this looks like it will be a lovely spring skiing weekend here in Vermont. If you look at the weather report, you see a bright sun smiling back at you day after day. Very nice.
We'll probably go to Stowe, Vt., to do some nordic skiing at one of their cross-country ski centers. (There are a handful to choose from!) I'll be sure to pack sunglasses and sunscreen, and some snacks to enjoy in the sunshine somewhere. Doesn't that sound great?
Have you noticed that sleds have become more...[Read more]
Friday, March 13, 2009
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Filed in: Alpine skiing, Cross-country skiing, Spring skiing
The sun shone brightly today on northern Vermont, so the Skimeister and I burned off some steam by taking a lunchtime nordic ski at Catamount Cross-Country Center in Williston, Vermont.
What a gorgeous afternoon it was. The blue skies and the warmth of the sun were fantastic. The snow coverage—not so good. Unfortunately Catamount is at a lower elevation here in the Champlain Valley so it got a few inches of that fluffy snow yesterday, but there was nothing underneath it. The previous warm,...[Read more]
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
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Filed in: Alpine skiing, Catamount, Cross-country skiing
I just had a lovely, blustery walk for some Vietnamese pho (a delicious noodle soup). It's snowing again in Vermont!
I discovered another great page on the NOAA/National Weather Service site. It gives estimated snowstorm totals:
www.erh.noaa.gov/btv/html/StormTotalSnow/StormTotalSnow.shtml
They also report:
TOTAL SNOWFALL ACCUMULATIONS OF 5 TO 9 INCHES WITH LOCALLY HIGHERAMOUNTS IS EXPECTED BY TUESDAY MORNING ACROSS CENTRAL ANDNORTHERN VERMONT...INCLUDING THE WESTERN SLOPES OF THE...[Read more]
Monday, March 2, 2009
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Filed in: Alpine skiing, Backcountry skiing, Catamount Trail, Cross-country skiing
The weather highs and lows are affecting my mood. Tuesday I was thrilled with an amazing powder day here in Vermont, but now it's likely to rain tomorrow—even at higher elevations—before it turns back to snow in the mountains.
Argh!
Well at least we have a substantial snowpack. Check out this NOAA page for the latest snow depths, which includes 87 inches at the stake on top of Mt. Mansfield! (Let's see: 87 divided by 12...hey, that's over 7 feet!)
After Friday's rain, the temperatures will...[Read more]
Thursday, February 26, 2009
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Filed in: Alpine skiing, Backcountry skiing, Cross-country skiing, Mt. Mansfield
-- MONDAY PM UPDATE: Lots of snow. Lots of wind. Mad River Glen says they've received nearly five feet in five days. Their single chair was closed today due to high winds which shut down many lifts around the area. Stowe had its major lifts on wind hold today and Sugarbush actually closed down all the lifts by 10 a.m. because the wind was howling so badly. With not many skiers making it to the higher slopes, Tuesday will offer some amazing fresh tracks. --
The Skimeister and I got out on...[Read more]
Sunday, February 22, 2009
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Filed in: Alpine skiing, Backcountry skiing, Bolton Valley, Cross-country skiing
Wow—along with some amazing new snow (it kept snowing yesterday in the mountains of Vermont), there are some hot skiing competitions happening here and abroad, as well.
As for the snow, Bolton Valley is reporting an overnight total of just over a foot, on top of the 6 inches from yesterday! Sugarbush is also reporting 17 inches in the last 48 hours. Yeow! I'm going to have to go out for a "business meeting" in the backcountry this afternoon.
Check this NOAA site for details on additional...[Read more]
Friday, February 20, 2009
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Filed in: Alpine skiing, Backcountry skiing, Bolton Valley, Cross-country skiing, Sugarbush, Trapp Family Lodge
Yay, fresh powder!
Which ski resorts got the most snow in Vermont? It looks like the storm benefited southern and eastern Vermont ski areas the most overnight. It's continuing to snow today at higher elevations, while it will rain or sleet a bit in many towns.
Here's the scoop from the National Weather Service as of 7 this morning. Visit this NWS site to see maps of new snowfall and current snow depths in Vermont. Check my Vermont ski resorts page for direct links to ski area snow...[Read more]
Thursday, February 19, 2009
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Filed in: Alpine skiing, Backcountry skiing, Cross-country skiing
What would we do without Pisten Bully, Bombardier and other wonderful grooming machines?
Well this past weekend, we wouldn't have done much cross-country skiing without them. As expected, the snow had frozen up after a bout of warm weather and some rain. We were up in Craftsbury, Vermont, for a weekend of nordic skiing with friends, so we decided to ski where they had a real grooming machine—the kind that can dig in and churn up the ice and snow. We headed for the trails of the Craftsbury...[Read more]
Monday, February 16, 2009
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Filed in: Craftsbury, Cross-country skiing
Thank goodness! Winter has returned to northern Vermont after several days of early springtime.
Last night the rain turned over to snow as the temperatures dropped to be seasonal once again. Ski resorts picked up about 3 inches of snow overnight. This morning it was 5 degrees at the top of the mountain at Smugglers' Notch. Welcome back, Old Man Winter!
To see the snow for yourself, check out these Web cams.
Smugglers' Notch Web cam
Killington Web cams
Also visit the snow report links on my...[Read more]
Friday, February 13, 2009
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Filed in: Alpine skiing, Cross-country skiing, Killington, Smugglers' Notch
Seems like several Vermont resorts are celebrating anniversaries this year. Killington is turning 50, Sugarbush is 50 and Trapp Family Lodge's cross-country center has turned 40. To commemorate four decades of skiing, Trapp Family Lodge cut a new trail and named it "The 40 Year Trail." I would have called it the Back 40, but hey, they didn't ask.During what must have been a 14-km loop, the Skimeister and I tried out this new trail on Saturday morning and also skied for the first time on Hare...[Read more]
Monday, February 9, 2009
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Filed in: Cross-country skiing, Food, coffee & après, Stowe, Trapp Family Lodge
This weekend's UVM Winter Carnival 2009 brought fast skis and fit racers to the courses at Stowe Mountain Resort and the Trapp Family Lodge. We caught some of the action at the Men's 10K Freestyle cross-country race on Saturday at Trapp's.
It was the inaugural event on Trapp's newly designed race course. It starts in the field right outside the cross-country center and proceeds down the practice slope, then sharply left and over to a long hill near Deer Pond. From there, the course switchbacks...[Read more]
Sunday, February 8, 2009
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Filed in: Cross-country skiing, Stowe, Trapp Family Lodge
The snow remains in great shape here in Vermont. Yesterday the Skimeister and I took a quick cross-country ski nearby and the coverage was excellent. It was very chilly, however, so we retreated to the warmth of our home rather quickly.
The weather will warm up by Saturday, when we expect to watch nordic ski racing in Stowe at the UVM Winter Carnival and ski around Trapp Family Lodge's cross-country trails.
With Valentine's Day coming up next week, I thought I'd share this article about...[Read more]
Thursday, February 5, 2009
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Filed in: Alpine skiing, Cross-country skiing, Okemo, Stowe, Sugarbush, Trapp Family Lodge
This is cool. I didn't know there was such a long history of international ski jumping in Brattleboro, Vermont. And now a community effort has brought an aged ski jump back to life.
On February 14 and 15, action returns to Harris Hill, the only 90-meter ski jump in New England and one of only six in the U.S. The 85th(!) annual competition comes after a half-million-dollar reconstruction of the original 1922 jump.
This is a United States Ski Association (USSA) sanctioned event, where you can...[Read more]
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
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Filed in: Alpine skiing, Cross-country skiing
The Skimeister and I had some work and house chores to do this weekend. We felt a bit guilty about skiing on Thursday, so this was our penance. But all work and no play makes the Skimaven cranky, so we made time to do some cross-country skiing this afternoon in nearby Williston, Vermont, at the Catamount Outdoor Center.
Catamount is the closest cross-country trail network to Burlington. It is pretty fun to ski in Burlington at Red Rocks Park or on the Burlington Country Club, but there are no...[Read more]
Sunday, February 1, 2009
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Filed in: Catamount, Cross-country skiing
Saturday dawned with clear, sunny skies and the Skimeister and I cemented our plans for the day over breakfast. Despite the expected drop in temperatures during the day, we would head over to Stowe, Vt., to tackle the lower Steeple trail. It would my first time on this backcountry skiing terrain to the west of the Stowe Mountain Resort nordic center, and to the south of Mt. Mansfield. It's a historic Vermont trail that I had read about in David Goodman's "Backcountry Skiing Adventures" book,...[Read more]
Sunday, January 25, 2009
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Filed in: Backcountry skiing, Cross-country skiing, Food, coffee & après, Mt. Mansfield, Stowe, Trapp Family Lodge
Friday afternoon update: The Skimeister and I took a longish lunch and did some cross-country skiing at Catamount nordic center in Williston, Vt. The coverage was good. My poles punched through about five inches of snow on the side of the trails. So, the higher elevations should have even better snow conditions!
Bundle up and have fun this weekend. Many Vermont ski resorts are nearly 100 percent open now.
Now onto winter carnivals, which take on two forms in Vermont. The first is a collegiate...[Read more]
Friday, January 23, 2009
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Filed in: Alpine skiing, Backcountry skiing, Burke, Cross-country skiing, Food, coffee & après, Okemo, Stowe, Trapp Family Lodge
The temperatures and snow were perfect for a nordic ski tour today, so after considering a few options, the Skimeister and I decided to explore Little River State Park. This park abuts the Waterbury Reservoir, which is in between Waterbury and Stowe, Vermont. We entered the park from Vermont Route 2 on the edge of Waterbury.
I had printed a map of the park from the Vermont State Parks Web site. They have a historical map of this area because at one time, years ago, it was home to bustling...[Read more]
Sunday, January 18, 2009
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Filed in: Backcountry skiing, Cross-country skiing
You know how some people go to the gym at lunchtime? Well I prefer clicking into some skis when I have the time. I took a late lunch today and headed over to the Catamount cross-country center in Williston, Vermont.
Catamount has pretty good snow coverage. It's not at a high elevation, so there isn't as much snow as you'd find in Stowe or at Bolton Valley Resort.
I had my skate skis on and I did a loop up on the hilly meadow before heading over to the wooded side of the nordic network. It...[Read more]
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
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Filed in: Catamount, Cross-country skiing
I thought I'd share a few photos with you from Stowe and the Trapp Family Lodge cross-country center. I had a really fun and informative day of nordic skiing on Saturday as part of the first-ever Catamount Trail Association's Ladies Expo. More than 100 women descended on the center to get coaching in classic and skate cross-country skiing and backcountry ski techniques.
Everyone I spoke with had a terrific day. The sun was out most of the day and we were doing all sorts of drills so we...[Read more]
Sunday, January 11, 2009
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Filed in: Backcountry skiing, Cross-country skiing, Food, coffee & après, Stowe, Trapp Family Lodge
OK folks, while our economic recession is still trying to find its bottom, here in Vermont we're in a rebound of sorts. After a warm-up around Christmas time, we've cooled off and enjoyed some significant snowfall. The base is growing and that makes me forget about the year-end retirement account report I received in the mail today. Well, mostly anyways.The word on the street points toward a bullish recovery:
51 inches of snow at the stake near the top of Mt. MansfieldAt Killington: 12 inches...[Read more]
Thursday, January 8, 2009
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Filed in: Alpine skiing, Backcountry skiing, Bolton Valley, Craftsbury, Cross-country skiing, Jay Peak, Killington, Mt. Mansfield, Stowe
Freebies don't come along every day, so this is one to take advantage of this weekend.
Several Vermont nordic centers are offering free or discounted trail passes, cross-country skiing lessons and ski or snowshoe rentals on Saturday, January 10. Check out the Winter Trails site for a list of participating resorts, which include places like Ole's, Woodstock, Blueberry Hill and Sleepy Hollow cross-country centers.
You may want to call first to confirm the details, and download the release...[Read more]
Monday, January 5, 2009
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Filed in: Backcountry skiing, Bolton Valley, Catamount Trail, Cross-country skiing
Friday night brought some snow our way in northern Vermont. As it was before Christmas, this stuff was super light and fluffy. Sugarbush resort reported seven inches of snow, Stowe says 5, Ascutney ski area reported 2 inches and Burke 1 inch. Looks like the spine of the Green Mountains won out on this little storm.
This light powder would be amazing if we had more of a base! The post-Christmas meltdown affected skiing terrain that didn't have a snowmaking base. That means that the mountains...[Read more]
Saturday, January 3, 2009
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Filed in: Ascutney, Burke, Cross-country skiing, Mt. Mansfield, Stowe, Sugarbush
Check out this weather forecast for Stowe, Vermont. It's a thing of beauty. Flakes, flakes and more flakes!
Yes, snow is on its way again after a weird week where we lost a bunch of snow on one day (we were looking at the grass again here in the Burlington area), and we woke up to a couple of inches of snow the next day.
Jeffersonville, Vt., near Smuggler's Notch, picked up 7 inches and Waitsfield, near Sugarbush, picked up 6 inches from that storm. Up at the mountain at Sugarbush, they are...[Read more]
Thursday, December 18, 2008
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Filed in: Alpine skiing, Backcountry skiing, Cross-country skiing, Mt. Mansfield, Smugglers' Notch, Stowe
On the way to Catamount Outdoor Center in Williston, Vermont, today, we saw about four cars off the road. It was quite unexpected. However, we had strong winds today and the main road that takes you to Catamount was drifted over by snow in places. I believe the road is called Mountain View Road. This is where the cars were—even Subarus, which are normally so dependable!
Our Subaru made it through, but we didn't push our luck after our ski. We took another route home!
This was my first classic...[Read more]
Sunday, December 14, 2008
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Filed in: Catamount, Cross-country skiing
I got an e-mail from Ski Vermont and it included a run-down of opening dates for Vermont ski resorts. Yay!
These are listed in chronological order. Please visit my Vermont Ski Resorts page and double check that they are open before you go—you just never know...
The temperatures here in northern Vermont are nice and cool through Thursday, but then it may warm up a bit, says NWS.
Vermont Ski Resorts — Projected Dates to Open
Mt. Snow: Projected re-opening weekend of November 14...[Read more]
Monday, November 10, 2008
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Filed in: Alpine skiing, Cross-country skiing, Fall & Early season
Very interesting...a traditional snow sport is holding a dry-land championship in Lake Placid, New York, this weekend. It makes one wonder if this a sign of global warming or of desperate marketing?According to usskiteam.com, the nation's finest ski jumpers and nordic combined athletes will compete on plastic jumps and roller skis for the first time in championship history. It takes place on October 11 during Lake Placid's annual Flaming Leaves Festival. The championships feature a K90 jumping...[Read more]
Friday, October 10, 2008
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Filed in: Cross-country skiing
Skiing marathons, ice harvesting and a Wassail Weekend are all on the list of Vermont's Top 10 Winter Events for 2008/2009. The list is issued by the Vermont Chamber of Commerce after judges comb through hundreds of snow-season festivities—big and small.
Take a moment to chill out this summer by perusing these Vermont winter events. Of note to skiers and riders: This year marks the 27th running of the Craftsbury cross-country skiing marathon; there's a nordic ski race benefit in Stowe; and the...[Read more]
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
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Filed in: Alpine skiing, Burke, Craftsbury, Cross-country skiing, Killington, Trapp Family Lodge
This news just came into my inbox...
The Catamount Trail Association (CTA) is one of five finalists for a $50,000 grant that could help secure some 90 miles of unprotected sections of the 300-mile-long ski trail.
Catamount Trail officials are asking skiers to visit their home page for a link to where they can vote for CTA. And you can add a vote every day! So, go on and use a disposable e-mail address from Yahoo or Hotmail and log in to vote!
These funds would be a huge boost to CTA's...[Read more]
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
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Filed in: Backcountry skiing, Catamount Trail, Cochran's, Cross-country skiing
I got an e-mail from the Catamount Trail Association, the caretakers of the 300-mile-long ski trail that covers the length of the state of Vermont. They are asking people to fill out their online survey so that they can prioritize their activities for the coming season.
Members and non-members alike are invited to respond. It took me about five minutes to fill it out.
I've enjoyed skiing sections of the Catamount Trail and I've made good use of my membership discount booklet at Vermont...[Read more]
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
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Filed in: Backcountry skiing, Catamount Trail, Cross-country skiing
What a difference a day makes.
On Saturday I was bundled up against the wind and cold while backcountry skiing, and by Sunday afternoon I had no hat and only wore a midweight fleece as I cross-country skied at Trapp Family Lodge nordic center in Stowe, Vermont. It was heavenly!
Before I skied, I stopped at the Stowe Coffee House, located near the three-way stop in Stowe Village. It's tucked back behind the Stephen Huneck gallery—you know, the dog art guy. I read the Sunday paper over a small...[Read more]
Monday, March 31, 2008
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Filed in: Cross-country skiing, Food, coffee & après, Mt. Mansfield, Trapp Family Lodge
Come and get it! Vermont just enjoyed a nice snowstorm this week with up to 16 inches of powder (so far) covering our cars, homes and mountains. Yeah!
I admit I love to sweep off my car after a snowstorm. Hey, I'm a skier!
I persuaded the Skimeister to take an hour break from his Web development work this afternoon to do a nordic tour at Red Rocks Park here in Burlington. It's a wooded park that is situated on a bluff overlooking Lake Champlain.
It's pretty amazing that you can be within...[Read more]
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
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Filed in: Alpine skiing, Backcountry skiing, Cross-country skiing
Late on Thursday afternoon, we headed for Bolton Valley Nordic Center to do a couple of laps of skate skiing. Conditions were firm and very fast.
It was a good workout as I climbed the hills on World Cup. Then I employed my much-practiced wedge, or snowplow, to keep things in check during the super-fast descents.
In Bolton Valley's Nordic Blog, they reported that they had tilled and groomed the snow on 20 km with an alpine grooming machine. My skis chattered on the small grooves as I wedged...[Read more]
Friday, February 22, 2008
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Filed in: Bolton Valley, Cross-country skiing, Ski gear
Sunday morning brought more blue skies to Craftsbury, Vt., and cold temperatures at 7 in the morning. By the time we had breakfast and gathered our gear, however, things were warming up nicely. I could tell this was going to be a good ski at the Craftsbury Nordic Center.
I had been to Craftsbury once before. Over the course of two days last year, we had hit most of the trails from Ruthie's Run Extension in the northeast, to the Grand Tour trail to the southwest. I remembered enjoying a ski...[Read more]
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
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Filed in: Craftsbury, Cross-country skiing, Highland Lodge
I may have found the most scenic cross-country trails in Vermont. They are at Highland Lodge in Greensboro.
A long climb up to the Barr Hill area at 2,100 feet afforded the Skimeister and I our first visual treat. We entered a meadow that could have been found in Colorado. Giant, snow-frosted evergreens were everywhere and the ones that lined the trail had long icicles because they had been facing south toward the warm sun. In the distance we could see rolling hills and mountains.
From there,...[Read more]
Monday, February 18, 2008
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Filed in: Craftsbury, Cross-country skiing, Highland Lodge, Winter photography
Snow was the word of the day. We were headed this morning for Mountain Top Nordic Center in Chittenden, Vt., near Killington and Rutland. I had heard good things about it, so this was the time to check it out as we were heading north from Okemo.
It was snowing during our drive, and it had snowed the night before, and as we prepared to hit the trails it really started coming down! I felt kind of silly, but I went back to the car for my goggles. (Hey, vision is a good thing when you are skidding...[Read more]
Sunday, February 10, 2008
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Filed in: Catamount Trail, Cross-country skiing, Mountain Top
Don't you love it when the National Weather Service reports:
...PERIODS OF MODERATE TO OCCASIONAL HEAVY SNOW EARLY THIS MORNING ACROSS MUCH OF THE NORTH COUNTRY...
It's been snowing this week and things are looking white and beautiful again in the Burlington, Vermont, area. The mountains have received several inches of snow over the last few days. Yee-hah!
Burke Mountain Resort sent out a Powder Alert on Wednesday, encouraging people to play hooky from work. Would have loved to, but...[Read more]
Thursday, February 7, 2008
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Filed in: Alpine skiing, Burke, Catamount, Cross-country skiing, Jay Peak, Mad River Glen, Ticket discounts
I recently found a little treasure in my mailbox. The Skimeister and I received our Catamount Trail Association membership cards and the discount booklets that come with them.
The Catamount Trail is a 300-mile cross-country and backcountry ski trail that crosses the state of Vermont from head to toe. Many private land owners and ski resorts allow the trail to pass through their properties. What a terrific gift to all of us skiers.
Our membership money helps to maintain this trail. As an added...[Read more]
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
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Filed in: Backcountry skiing, Catamount Trail, Cross-country skiing, Ticket discounts
Middlebury College squeaked by the University of Vermont to win the UVM Winter Carnival in Stowe, Vermont, this weekend. The Skimeister and I caught some of the nordic action on Saturday, which featured zippy 1.2 km sprints.
These were really short, fast races and from the meadow at Trapp Family Lodge you could see the racers for nearly all of the course. Real fun to watch! I just had to go inside once for a $1 cocoa to defrost. Ahhhh...
At a UVM aprés-ski event, UVM Director of Skiing Bill...[Read more]
Sunday, February 3, 2008
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Filed in: Alpine skiing, Cross-country skiing, Stowe, Trapp Family Lodge
Snow is on its way this weekend, but not before a potential mix of precipitation on Friday. Hopefully Mother Nature tosses out more of the white stuff than sleet!
The ski resorts are currently reporting good conditions and they are offering an abundance of open trails and lifts. Check the snow report links on my Vermont Ski Resorts page before you go. By Saturday you may be pleasantly surprised with reports of fresh powder up high in the hills!
This weekend is UVM Winter Carnival Weekend...[Read more]
Thursday, January 31, 2008
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Filed in: Alpine skiing, Cross-country skiing, Stowe, Trapp Family Lodge
On Sunday, I found a nordic center that's serious about nordic skiing. We enjoyed a sunny day of good classic skiing at Ski de Fond Mont Tremblant in Mt. Tremblant, Québec. The trail network offered plenty of choices with 68 km of groomed classic trails and the conditions were excellent.
We left the welcome center at Domaine Saint Bernard and had a big mountain view of the top of Mt. Tremblant. The welcome center offered quality rentals, a wax room, restrooms, snack bar and a restaurant....[Read more]
Monday, January 28, 2008
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Filed in: Cross-country skiing, Mont Tremblant (Québec)
I'm happy to report that there is some fresh snow up in the mountains of northern Vermont!
The Skimeister and I headed to Bolton Valley's cross-country trails to do some classic nordic skiing today. The conditions on the groomed trails were pretty good and the fresh snow on the side of the trails measured to about five inches or so. Nice, fluffy white stuff. Of course, we would like much more to really cover up the ice-covered base that's under there, but this is a start!
On our skinny skis,...[Read more]
Saturday, January 19, 2008
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Filed in: Bolton Valley, Cross-country skiing, Food, coffee & après
With a warm, rainy week behind us at last, we headed for some groomed cross-country trails today. The Skimeister and I set our sights on the high-altitude trails at Bolton Valley, hoping there would be some decent snow cover.
We clicked into our skating skis and made our way to the World Cup loop because it had been groomed—and boy was it fast! The zippy snow made the downhill sections very exciting and the sharp corners were challenging. Still, I only hit the ground once. Not bad!
It was a...[Read more]
Sunday, January 13, 2008
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Filed in: Bolton Valley, Cross-country skiing
If those twits at Heavenly, Vail and Beaver Creek send me one more e-mail ...
Their multimillion-dollar marketing machine keeps sending me mouth-watering photos of the three to 10 feet (that is not a typo) of snow that has piled up on their totally fabulous resorts in the last week. A photo in a Beaver Creek, Colo., e-mail even showed a skier (or what you could see of him) with a snorkel.
Please don't laugh, it just encourages them.
Normally, this would not phase me, but we've been...[Read more]
Friday, January 11, 2008
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Filed in: Alpine skiing, Bolton Valley, Burke, Catamount, Craftsbury, Cross-country skiing, Jay Peak, Mad River Glen, Stowe, Western skiing
Who says you can't get something for nothing?
Just this afternoon I was able to ski for free at Catamount touring center because I accompanied a Catamount center member. They offer this once a month as a membership perk. Sweet!
So off we went on the cross-country trails on the south side of the center. Today was in the low 40s here in Burlington and Williston, so wax-less skis were the order of the day. We had enough kick to move us along, but the downhills were pretty slow because of the...[Read more]
Sunday, January 6, 2008
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Filed in: Catamount, Cross-country skiing
Fore!
When the Burlington Country Club (BCC) turns from green to white, the members-only rules are lifted and Burlingtonians take to the course to ski and sled.
I brought my cross-country skis to BCC twice this week and enjoyed some quick exercise in a surprisingly nice environment. The course is lovely when there aren't people whacking balls around!
While Sunday was a busy day at the club—especially with droves of kids on the sledding hill—lunchtime on Friday was nearly a ghost town....[Read more]
Tuesday, January 1, 2008
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Filed in: Cross-country skiing
Before hitting the road for Christmas, I clicked into skinny skis and had an enjoyable cross-country tour at Catamount. The Skimeister and I met up with Father Skimeister for a 90-minute ski.
If you don't know Catamount, it's a great resource here in Chittenden County. Located in Williston, it features 35 km of groomed trails that cross open fields and snake through the woods. It's very pretty, yet it's only minutes from downtown Burlington.
Catamount now operates as a nonprofit and they...[Read more]
Saturday, December 22, 2007
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Filed in: Catamount, Cross-country skiing
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