Spring skiing
Last week we were in the midst of a freak spring snowstorm, while the last few days have been warm — almost too warm as we hit around 80 degrees. Things are looking very green in northern Vermont. And purple and pink and yellow and white, depending on what tree or bush is in the vicinity. Even the mountains which looked frosty white last week are now taking on their springlike appearance.
Yet, a look at the official snow stake on the top of Mt. Mansfield illustrates that there is still a lot...[Read more]
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
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Filed in: Alpine / downhill skiing, Backcountry skiing, Jay Peak, Mt. Mansfield, Spring skiing
Spring skiing
Last week we were in the midst of a freak spring snowstorm, while the last few days have been warm — almost too warm as we hit around 80 degrees. Things are looking very green in northern Vermont. And purple and pink and yellow and white, depending on what tree or bush is in the vicinity. Even the mountains which looked frosty white last week are now taking on their springlike appearance.
Yet, a look at the official snow stake on the top of Mt. Mansfield illustrates that there is still a lot...[Read more]
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
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Filed in: Alpine / downhill skiing, Backcountry skiing, Jay Peak, Mt. Mansfield, Spring skiing
Here's a peek at what things looked like at higher elevations today in northern Vermont. I messed around on the Bryant and World Cup trails on Bolton Valley's nordic system this afternoon. Yesterday's freak spring storm and today's bright sunshine made this a must-do exercise.
I'd say there was at least 14 inches in these shaded trails, which are located at about 2,100 feet. The snow was heavy, so what I did it was more like a snowshoe walk than a ski. But it was so nice being outside where I...[Read more]
Thursday, April 29, 2010
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Filed in: Backcountry skiing, Bolton Valley, Jay Peak, Spring skiing
You know, I haven't put away my ski equipment yet. My ski pants and jacket still hang from hooks in my entryway. My boot bag has been waiting patiently in the corner of my office. I think I might have to take my gear out for another spin at the end of the week because IT IS SNOWING in northern Vermont again!
This was the word from the National Weather Service as of 7 a.m. today:
* 6 TO 12 INCHES OF HEAVY WET SNOW IS EXPECTED BEGINNING THIS MORNING THROUGH WEDNESDAY ACROSS THE HIGHER...[Read more]
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
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Filed in: Alpine / downhill skiing, Jay Peak, Mt. Mansfield, Spring skiing
Updated afternoon of 4/26/10
Well it's clear that Killington has stopped running its lifts: they switched over to their summer homepage today. Yesterday was the last day for spring skiing at the ski resort.
So who is left?
Jay Peak is the only Vermont ski area saying they will be open again this season. They plan to reopen from Thursday, April 29, to Sunday, May 2.
Here's a photo from the resort taken on Saturday during what was a gorgeous weekend here in northern Vermont. Many residents...[Read more]
Monday, April 26, 2010
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Filed in: Alpine / downhill skiing, Jay Peak, Killington, Spring skiing
We're taking bets. First, which Vermont ski resort will claim the title for staying open the latest this ski season: Jay Peak or Killington?
Second, will the number of Vermont skier visits hit the 4 million mark? Some say yes in this article in the Rutland Herald.
And third, some of Vermont's mountain peaks — and some towns — have seen a couple of inches of snow this weekend; will this be our final snow of the season?
Killington held a pond skimming contest yesterday while snow was falling...[Read more]
Sunday, April 18, 2010
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Filed in: Alpine / downhill skiing, Jay Peak, Killington, Spring skiing, Sugarbush
Updated 4/21/10
Vermont's ski season is winding down -- way down -- this week. Here's an idea of which Vermont ski resorts are open, which have closed, and when the others are expected to close. Be sure to double check before you head out for the slopes by visiting the ski conditions links on my Vermont ski resorts page.
These ski areas are still open:
Jay Peak -- will stay open through Sunday, April 25, then close midweek, then reopen for May 1 - 2.Killington -- will close on afternoon of...[Read more]
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
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Filed in: Alpine / downhill skiing, Jay Peak, Killington, Mount Snow, Okemo, Spring skiing, Stowe, Stratton, Sugarbush
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
After some wet weather (and some snow at higher elevations) we are heading into a really warm and sunny stretch of weather in Vermont. In the coming days you'll want to ski in the morning because it will get very warm, and slushy, by afternoon. Oh, and wear your sunscreen. You'll need it.
These Vermont ski areas have succumbed to spring. They are now closed for the season:
Suicide SixAscutneyMiddlebury Snow BowlCochran's Ski Area
Easter Sunrise Services at Vermont Ski Resorts
This Sunday is...[Read more]
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
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Filed in: Smugglers' Notch, Spring skiing, Stowe, Stratton, Sugarbush
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
To skim, or not to skim. That is the question.
Well if you're game, you have a good selection of pond skimming contests at Vermont ski resorts to choose from. Here are a few to consider watching, or participating in, below.
The alpine ski areas are still enjoying spring skiing, while the nordic centers are winding down, and some up north are closed already.
Mount Snow: Saturday, March 27. Dress in costume and descend Canyon in an attempt to cross a 100' man-made pond.
Bolton Valley:...[Read more]
Thursday, March 25, 2010
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Filed in: Alpine / downhill skiing, Bolton Valley, Burke, Killington, Mount Snow, Okemo, Spring skiing, Sugarbush
How cool is this?
US Ski Team star Ted Ligety just wrote on Twitter that he helped shovel snow onto the T-Bar line at Cochran's Ski Area in Richmond, Vt., in preparation for tomorrow's slalom race! The race benefits the small ski area and its skiing program which has turned out its fair share of Olympic skiers.
Ligety is the Overall World Cup GS Champion, and his teammate Jimmy Cochran is the best US slalom racer right now (ranked 20th in the world). I see Olympian Sarah Schleper's name on...[Read more]
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
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Filed in: Alpine / downhill skiing, Cochran's, 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
I'm going to let the photos do the bulk of the talking on this post.
Basically:
- I skied Bolton Valley Wednesday afternoon.
- My friends and I skied mostly in the Timberline area.
- I had to slather on sunscreen.
- I was carving sweet turns in the corn snow.
- The snow coverage was still very, very good.
- The views were tremendous.
- I was sad when it was over.[Read more]
Thursday, March 11, 2010
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Filed in: Alpine / downhill skiing, Bolton Valley, Spring skiing
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
The recent extraordinarily warm weather in Vermont has been great for biking and yard work, but not so good for skiing. This past weekend I packed up my gear and headed to Stowe. No, not for skiing, but for a wonderful bike tour around town.
Stowe's got a scenic recreation path (about 7 miles long with 11 bridges!) and rather quiet dirt roads. I like to plan out a loop up and down hills and around town so I can take in all the views.
Mt. Mansfield still was snowy near the summit and on...[Read more]
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
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Filed in: Alpine / downhill skiing, Ski towns in summer, Spring skiing, Stowe
Here's the latest on late-spring skiing in Vermont. The resorts are the usual suspects at this time of year...
Killington is still open. They hope to ski into May.
Stowe is open until Sunday, April 19, which is the Stowe - Vermont Food Bank day. Bring at least two non-perishable food items and ski for $35.
Jay Peak is still in operation. They have pond skimming this weekend.
Sugarbush plans to stay open through Sunday, April 26. Depending on snow and weather, they may re-open for May 2-3....[Read more]
Thursday, April 16, 2009
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Filed in: Alpine / downhill skiing, Jay Peak, Killington, Spring skiing, Stowe, Sugarbush
[For Easter 2010 sunrise service information, follow this link.]
We did it. We were out the door on Easter Sunday by 5:15 a.m.
The Skimeister and I wanted to attend our first-ever Easter Sunrise Service, and it would be atop Sterling Mountain at Smugglers' Notch.
At 6-ish, we loaded the lift with about 70 other people. The light was faint, but it wasn't dark at this hour. People had skis, snowshoes and plain old boots. The lift crept along because they had to extract the non-skiers from...[Read more]
Monday, April 13, 2009
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Filed in: Alpine / downhill skiing, Food, coffee & après ski, Smugglers' Notch, Spring skiing
You know it's April in Vermont when on the way to skiing you stop in to look at a lawn mower.
The Skimeister and I saw a used reel mower (you know, the human-powered kind that your grandparents may have had) in Craigslist so we arranged for a look-see. We were lukewarm on the mower, but we really enjoyed our late-afternoon runs at Smugglers' Notch today.
The highest parts of the mountains in northern Vermont have continued to receive some snow. At the very top of Sterling Peak (the only lift...[Read more]
Thursday, April 9, 2009
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Filed in: Alpine / downhill skiing, Smugglers' Notch, Spring skiing
Mother Nature is not ready to let go of winter yet here in Vermont. On Saturday night and Sunday morning, northern and central Vermont ski resorts reported about 7 inches of new snow. For some resorts, such as Bolton Valley, this snow came in time for their final day of operation for this ski season.
Stowe, Jay Peak and Sugarbush ski resorts all reported about 7 inches in the last 48 hours. This morning Sugarbush encouraged skiers to hit the trails early today because "immature snow" (aka...[Read more]
Monday, April 6, 2009
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Filed in: Alpine / downhill skiing, Jay Peak, Killington, Okemo, Spring skiing, Stowe, Stratton, Sugarbush
Believe it or not, many Vermont resorts picked up a few inches of snow early this week. I skied in it a bit late Thursday afternoon in the Bolton Valley backcountry trails.
With the warm temperatures and sunshine we have been having it was like skiing through sticky mashed potatoes. But there continues to be a lot of snow in the woods at this higher elevation and we had fun making the most of it. Although, we had to cross a stream to finish our descent on Gardner's Lane. There's a lot of...[Read more]
Friday, April 3, 2009
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Filed in: Alpine / downhill skiing, Ascutney, Backcountry skiing, Bolton Valley, Jay Peak, Killington, Mount Snow, Okemo, Smugglers' Notch, Spring skiing
The Skimeister and I went to Bolton Valley Resort on Friday afternoon for an afternoon spring ski on the backcountry trails. I wasn't completely sure what to expect back there, but the snow was very soft and there was still a lot of it.
I noted that trying to make telemark turns on soft snow that hadn't been traveled recently was challenging. It's much easier when you are doing alpine skiing and you are on well-trodden moguls.
Even still, I was able to make a handful of decent telemark turns...[Read more]
Saturday, March 28, 2009
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Filed in: Backcountry skiing, Bolton Valley, Spring skiing
Our Wednesday afternoon ski at Smugglers' Notch, Vermont, turned out to be terrific.
It's that strange time of year when it remains cold at night—setting up the snow so it's very firm in the morning—yet it gradually softens to corn snow and even gets a little slushy in the afternoon. We worked through lunchtime and then headed up to the ski resort to ski in some of that springtime corn snow that can be so much fun.
Every once in a while I'd come upon some slick, hard-packed surfaces. These...[Read more]
Thursday, March 26, 2009
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Filed in: Alpine / downhill skiing, Smugglers' Notch, Spring skiing
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 ski, 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 / downhill skiing, Cross-country skiing, Spring skiing
Must be the luck of the Irish. We had a beautiful day of spring skiing at Stowe today!
Stowe had special $35 lift tickets for St. Patrick's Day, so the Skimeister and I — and several hundred other people — made tracks for Mt. Mansfield.
Blue skies ruled the day. We loaded the gondola about 9 a.m. We didn't think the runs off the quad were soft, and we didn't see anyone skiing Liftline or National until late morning.
Gondolier and Perry Merrill were already quite soft. We took a number of...[Read more]
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
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Filed in: Alpine / downhill skiing, Food, coffee & après ski, Mt. Mansfield, Spring skiing, Stowe
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 / downhill skiing, Cross-country skiing, Food, coffee & après ski, Mad River Glen, Spring skiing, Stowe, Ticket discounts
