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Backcountry skiing

First sliding on snow of the season!

Posted 11/24/17

After spending time with family for Thanksgiving, the Skimeister and I wanted to play in the snow. We took our older, waxless, light backcountry gear out for a spin in Bolton, Vermont. We found…

Reflecting on the Vermont winter that was 2016 - 2017

Posted 5/1/17

It's hard to let go of winter, but we hold on to wonderful memories of being in the woods and on the trails surrounded by — and sometimes wallowing in — beautiful piles of powdery snow. Check out…

Spring skiing in Vermont - April 2017

Posted 4/16/17

We get people sending us questions through social media and our blog. Sometimes they ask whether they should book a ski vacation in Vermont in April. "Will there be snow?" they ask. We usually…

It felt like winter on Saturday; spring on Sunday. A fun, snow-filled April weekend!

Posted 4/10/17

I had to double check the date that was appearing on my phone on Saturday. We went out for a backcountry ski and it felt and looked like February rather than April 8! Saturday in the Backcountry We…

Earning turns and surfing the new snow in northern Vermont

Posted 3/25/17

Some northern Vermont peaks picked up several inches of snow over the last couple of days. While in the valleys we saw a mix of precipitation, the snow piled up in high places such as Stowe, Bolton,…

Deep snowpack in the backcountry on the first day of spring

Posted 3/21/17

Today I sampled the deep snowpack at a variety of elevations and aspects in the backcountry trail network in Bolton, Vermont. If it faced north or was in the shade of pine trees, the snow was somewhat…

Snow-filled, laid-back backcountry turns in Stowe, Vermont

Posted 3/18/17

The snow has been amazing this week so we were thinking the ski resorts might be bonkers today. Instead, we wanted to enjoy the quiet, snowy woods and deep blue sky so we headed out to earn our turns…

Hello, Stella! Snow expected to pound the state of Vermont

Posted 3/14/17

By Tuesday afternoon, the snow had been piling up in southern Vermont and starting to accumulate in northern Vermont. The snowstorm named Stella is expected to be a doozy! Check out the projected…

Springtime exploring in backcountry was challenging on Saturday

Posted 2/26/17

As we started a ski tour on the Bolton Valley backcountry trail network on Saturday, it was immediately clear: The snow was melting in a big way. The river and brooks were gushing with water that was…

Soft-snow skiing for our Sunday

Posted 2/19/17

Friday we enjoyed mid-February powder. Today we enjoyed mid-March "powder." OK, it was more like a deep bowl of mashed potatoes, but it was pretty fun to ski in the backcountry! We skinned up into…

Day two of earning turns this weekend

Posted 1/30/17

I must admit: I am exhausted after a second day of earning turns this weekend! The Skimeister and I ventured into the Bolton backcountry trails at midday on Sunday. There were quite a few other…

Say "wow" to January "pow"! It was fun to ski in the Stowe woods!

Posted 1/29/17

Pow! We got some fine backcountry turns today in the woods of Stowe, Vermont! A weather system or two put it all together to deliver 11 inches or more of snow at higher elevations in northern Vermont…

A Friday afternoon in the snowy woods

Posted 1/21/17

What a difference there is in snow from the bottom of the Bolton Valley access road to the top! We arrived Friday afternoon to witness snowy white peaks emerging from puffy mountain clouds. It…

Exploring new-to-us Nordic trails over the last few days

Posted 1/11/17

Have you ever skied by a trail, stopped in your tracks and asked yourself out loud: “I wonder where that trail goes?” During our most recent Nordic outings on Saturday and Tuesday, we took the bull…

Checking out backcountry trails to end the week

Posted 1/7/17

We’ve had some strange weather lately. While there have been surprise snow squalls that have added up on some Vermont peaks, others have experienced frozen and “other” precipitation. I’m glad to…

Fresh, light powder + tasty turns earned on Saturday

Posted 12/18/16

What a difference a day can make. This morning it's raining thanks to a wild weather roller coaster ride. (The roller coaster plummets later today so this wetness will freeze up.) But Saturday — oh…

December 2016 Vermont backcountry skiing

Another snow-filled December ski today!

Posted 12/10/16

Knowing that the higher elevations in northern Vermont had continued to get snow this week, the Skimeister and I headed out to investigate. We stuffed our packs and grabbed our Nordic season's passes…

A fun ski tour on a snowy Saturday!

Posted 12/3/16

You might not have guessed it down in the valley, but it was full-on winter up in the mountains this morning! As we ascended the Bolton Valley access road the trees suddenly became all-white. And…

First turns of the season have been earned — in October!

Posted 10/29/16

So the higher peaks in Vermont have been covered in snow and social media has been buzzing with shots of people skinning and hiking for turns. After a rainy work week, we really wanted / needed to get…

The 2016 Vermont ski swap round-up. Here’s the updated swap list!

Posted 8/28/16

<<CLICK HERE TO GO TO THE 2021 LIST OF SKI SWAPS!>> Updated 11/18/2016 As soon as a few maple leaves start to turn color, a Vermont skier’s thoughts turn toward winter. Yes, fall is lovely but it’s…

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Take a look through other blog posts by month and year. Or go to our home page for the most recent SkiMaven blog posts.

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