Vermont Ski + Ride, December 2015 by AddisonPress

FREE! HOLIDAYS 2015

Vermont Mountain Sports & Life

THE

BEST OF VT! 6 VERMONT MICROSKIERIES & BOARD BUILDERS

35 NEW APRES-SKI HOTSPOTS

REDNECK RACERS

5 HIDDEN BACKCOUNTRY POWDER STASHES

THE WILDEST KRATT

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CONTENTS / 01.02 FEATURES THE JOY OF SNOW, p. 28

The greatest gift a parent can give? The joy of a Vermont winter. Photo essay by Brian Mohr and Emily Johnson

VERMONT’S NEW MICROSKIERIES, p. 34

6 Vermont-based companies are building skis and boards that challenge the status quo. By Evan Johnson

THE REDNECK RACERS, p. 40

Why join the U.S. Ski Team when you can travel the world as a Redneck Racer from Vermont? By Biddle Duke

For one day each year, Santas get presents. Break out your Kris Kringle best to ski for free at Bolton Valley (shown here) on Dec. 20 or at Bromley on Dec. 25.

Photo by Josh Arneson/Bolton Valley

FIRST TRACKS

COLUMNS

HAUTE CUISINE | HEAD FOR THE HILLTOPS, p. 4 This December, some of Vermont’s finest dinners will be served on summits.

HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE | WITH LOVE, FROM VERMONT, p. 48 Simplify holiday shopping with these beautifully crafted, made-in-Vermont gifts.

APRES SKI | 35 GREAT NEW APRES SKI SPOTS, p. 7

The best new restaurants, skating rinks, breweries and wine bars in ski towns.

RETRO VT | THE ACCIDENT THAT STARTED IT ALL, p. 51 The backcountry rescue that started the National Ski Patrol. By Greg Morrill

THE NEWS | NEW GLADES, AIRPORT & SNOWGUNS p. 10 Five new backcountry stashes, Stowe’s new airport, VT jumpstarts winter.

COACH | 5 WAYS TO DEAL WITH FEAR; 7 TIPS FOR HARDPACK p. 55 Coach Bud Keene on how the pros face fear; Mike Morin’s tips for holding on ice.

LIVING THE DREAM | THE TINIEST SKI HOUSE, p. 17

CALENDAR |

LODGES | 3 CLASSIC XC SKI INNS,

CHAIRLIFT Q/A | WILD CHRIS KRATT, p. 64 The wildlife TV show host talks about “creature adventures” at home in Vermont.

Ethan Waldman’s amazing tiny house is not only mobile, it’s gorgeous p. 25 Far from the alpine bustle, these classic Vermont inns offer quiet trails.

EVENTS, MUSIC, RACES AND MORE p. 58

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PUBLISHER, Angelo Lynn Angelo@vtskiandride.com EDITORIAL Editor/Co-Publisher, Lisa Lynn Editor@vtskiandride.com Creative Director, David Pollard Assistant Editor, Evan Johnson Evan@vtskiandride.com IT Director, Eric Whittaker Contributing Editors: Biddle Duke, Bud Keene, Brian Mohr, Greg Morrill ADVERTISING SALES & DISTRIBUTION Christy Lynn, Advertising Manager Christy@vtskiandride.com | 802-388-4944 David Payne David@vtskiandride.com Greg Meulemans greg@vtskiandride.com Circulation and Distribution Manager: Lisa Razo subscribe@vtskiandride.com Business Manager: Elsie Lynn Parini Elsie@vtskiandride.com

JOIN OUR TRIBE

his past fall, as warm temperatures caused World Cup races to be cancelled in Finland, there was a buzz in Vermont: FIS, ski racing’s international governing body, chose Killington to host next year’s World Cup women’s events, Nov. 26-27. On October 18 any questions whether Killington’s Superstar would be ready for the likes of Lindsay Vonn and Mikaela Shiffrin were erased: Following a quick cold snap, snowmakers had two trails up and running and my husband Angelo and I logged our first day. Around the state people hustled for a few sweet turns. Skiers and riders were euphoric. High fives flew in the parking lots. Ski buddies who hadn’t seen each other in six months hugged. Watching them, I realized then what makes Vermont skiing different from so many other places I’ve been: Vermont’s mountains are places people return to year after year. And it doesn’t matter whether you are a Waitsfield bartender or a Manhattan hedge fund manager, when you get to the mountain, you’re part of a tribe —an instant family. For our literal family, skiing is both our vocation and recreation. Four of us (my husband Angelo, daughters Christy and Elsie, and I) work on Vermont Ski + Ride as well as Vermont Sports, The Addison Independent and a number of other local publications. Polly, the eldest daughter, and her fiancé Jason Mikula run The Mountain Times in Killington. This winter, we’d love to have you be part of our tribe and join our extended Vermont Ski + Ride family. To do so, connect with us on Facebook or Twitter and sign up for our e-newsletter and free digital editions at vtskiandride.com. We’ll see you on the hill. —Lisa Lynn, Editor

MEET OUR CONTRIBUTORS

HEADQUARTERS

Photos courtesy Lisa Lynn, Evan Johnson, Greg Morrill, Brian Mohr

VT SKI+RIDE is published four times a year by Addison Press Inc., 58 Maple Street, Middlebury, VT 05753 VT SKI+RIDE subscriptions are available for $24 (U.S.) or $35 (Canada) per year. Subscribe online at vtskiandride.com

Assistant editor Evan Johnson wrote “Vermonts New Microskieries.” A true Vermonter, Evan has skied 18 of Vermont’s ski areas and much of its new backcountry terrain. Look for Evan in between the trees and he just might show you his secret stashes.

Our Retro VT columnist, Greg Morrill knows more about the history of skiing in Vermont than just about anyone. A board member of the Vermont Ski and Snowboad Museum, he’s a wealth of historic knowledge. Have a question for him? Send it to us and we’ll get you the answer.

Photographers Brian Mohr and Emily Johnson and their two beautiful little girls, Maiana “Lil Snoflake” and Lenora, can be found out adventuring in the Green Mountains pretty much any day of the year. Their photos truly capture “The Joy of Snow.”

ON THE COVER: Scott Braaten captured this snowboarder plowing the pow on Stowe’s Nosedive, November 29, 2014.

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Beyond glamping, Killingtonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Ledgewood Yurt dishes up five-course meals. Inset: Sugarbushâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Allyn Lodge hosts intimate candlelit dinners for groups of 10 or more.

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FIRSTTRACKS HAUTE CUISINE For a magical dinner, head to the hilltops.

Photo by Chandler Burggess/Killington; Inset of Allyn Lodge by Mary Simmons/Sugarbush

ome winter, some of the best meals in Vermont are prepared on mountaintops. Intimate, book-ahead, prix-fixe affairs, they feature many of the state’s top chefs and showcase the best of Vermont’s small farms and craft beers, wines and spirits. This December, take a sleigh ride to Killington’s Ledgewood Yurt for a five-course dinner. The dinners are scheduled nightly from Dec. 26 - Jan. 2 and then on weekends through the rest of the season. Ledgewood also serves lunch each day with dishes such as lobster salad and caramel whiskey and butternut bisque. Dinners range from $65 per person for the special “Family Nights” to $129 for New Year’s Eve. www.killington.com. On December 28, for a novel night out ride the Cabin Cat to the top of Sugarbush’s Gadd Peak for a candle-lit wine-pairing feast in Allyn’s Lodge. There, chef Gerry Noonan prepares roast lamb, chicken and other meats over the open fireplace. Allyn’s Lodge can be booked for dinner on other nights too. “We just need a minimum of 10 people,” Noonan says. One of the best parts of the evening? Says Noonan: “After dinner, if the conditions are good, you can ski down by headlamp or moonlight.” Cost is $200 per person for a five-course meal with wine. www.sugarbush.com. On Dec. 28 and 29, Okemo chef Jason Tostrup kicks off his season of special dinners, which start with snowcats transporting guests from the Jackson Gore base across the mountain to Epic. The restaurant’s menu might include Vermont Wagyu beef carpaccio, Cavendish Farms quail and mini maple pot de crème. Fireside dinners are served at Epic each Saturday with special pairing dinners on Sunday, Jan. 17 and on Sunday, Feb. 14. Dinners are $125 per person. www.okemo.com. A gondola ride away, the Cliff House at Stowe hosts select weekend dinners over the winter. In the past, its Summit Farmhouse Dinner series has featured the state’s exceptional cheesemakers and small batch distillers who pair their spirits with each course. Details at www.stowe.com. ■

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Apres Ski

Lamb chop lollipops from Mad River Barn’s new chef Sergio Shantoza, right. Cask & Kiln, below, opens in Wilmington.

35 GREAT NEW WATERING HOLES

The hills are alive with new chefs and restaurants, wine bars and watering holes. Here’s a rundown of who’s new in town, —and a few of our old-favorites—from south to north.

Photos courtesy Mad River Barn; Cask & Kiiln

SOUTHERN VERMONT

Brattleboro If you are driving north or south on I-91, stop in Brattleboro. The downtown has experienced a culinary renaissance in recent years, thanks to the reopening of the historic Brooks House Building where several new restaurants have set up shop. Try Turquoise Grille, which serves Turkish cuisine for lunch and dinner seven days a week. The top-rated Denver, Colo., restaurant Duo opened a classy outpost here last season where it’s been serving modern farm-to-table cuisine, such as warm beets with orange ricotta, hazelnut basil pesto and porter beer-braised lamb with Moroccan couscous.

Wilmington Over the mountain in Wilmington, three new restaurants have come online in the past few months. In August, Mangia e Beve opened with elegant Italian fare and homemade breads, pasta and gelato. Earlier this year, Cask & Kiln Kitchen set up shop in the restored Parmalee & Howe Building at the intersection of Route 9 and Route 100. The main dining room downstairs features a more formal setting, serving dishes-toshare such as wood-fired cobia cassoulet. Upstairs has a casual adults-only bar and lounge. The restaurant offers upscale comfort food, seasoned meats, seafood and modern takes on classic cocktails. Another newcomer, the Village Roost specializes in non-GMO foods and serves up soups, sandwiches and burgers just off its retail market. Manchester/Stratton The new Taconic Hotel is scheduled to open December 20 with Burlington chef Adam Raftery (of The Wooden Spoon) preparing Vermont-based fare at the helm of its restaurant The Copper Grouse.The 87-room hotel is part of the San Francisco-based Kimpton chain of boutique modern hotels. Meanwhile Stratton Mountain Resort welcomes new chef Jan Giejda (formerly of Dorney Park, Pa.) to revamp the menu at Table 43.1 and oversee the resorts’ other eateries, including Grizzly’s in the remodeled base lodge.

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u Ludlow Ludlow draws people from around the state to The Downtown Grocery for its smoked meats and local fare, wine bar Stemwinder and the Cajun/Creole/Mexican menu mashup at Mojo. This season’s surprise newcomer is the Homestyle Hostel in a yellow Victorian. True to its name, Homestyle serves up homemade gnocchi and fried chicken with waffles that are getting rave reviews. The hostel itself is clean, fresh and very affordable.

Bluestone brings its wood-fired pizza to Waitsfield.

Killington/Pittsfield If you didn’t make it to The Backroom after it opened mid-season in Pittsfield last winter, book now. Chef Kevin Lasko cooked in such New York greats as Montrachet, Mercer Kitchen—and ran Park Avenue—before he decamped to Pittsfield. He and Katie Stiles have turned the backroom of the Pittsfield General Store into an intimate dining room for 20 where the menu changes based on what local ingredients are best that day. Each meal is a delightful surprise served in what feels like a private dining room. Waitsfield/Warren Bluestone Pizza, arguably the best pizza in Waterbury, is opening a second location at the junction of Route 100 and Route 17 inWaitsfield. Meanwhile, Chris Harmon, the chef formerly at The Elusive Moose, moves over to the cozy Hyde Away. Sergjio Shantoza, who moved from San Francisco to open Waterworks in Winooski, is the new chef at the beautifully redesigned Mad River Barn, an institution that new owners Heather and Andrew Lynds have turned into a stylish country inn and tavern. Stop in for beer and burgers specials on Mondays or for a date night meal of duo of duck confit with apple chutney and spaetzle. Waterbury With Cork wine bar, Bluestone Pizza, The Reservoir and Hen of the Wood all within a short walk, the craft food and beverage scene inWaterbury is booming. Last winter Prohibition Pig expanded, adding a brewery that serves small bites, house-cured meats and a fabulous line up of beers.The new digs are just across from the Craft Beer Cellar. And in late November Fairfield Inn and Suites opens an 84-room hotel just across from Shaw’s on Route 100.

NORTHERNVERMONT

Stowe This past October, former ski racing coach Danielle Nichols Moffat and her sisters, Katie and Morgan, opened a stylish new outpost of their Waterbury wine bar, Cork. Meanwhile, Eric Warnstedt of Hen of the Wood fame cranks up a new brewpub, Doc Ponds, just across the street from the new Field Guide boutique hotel. Doc Ponds has a stellar line-up of Vermont craft brews on tap along with signature cured meats and a killer selection of vinyl classics. Stop by before or after bowling at the new Stowe Bowl at the Sun & Ski Motel. Or try the new skating rink outside TopNotch’s The Roost.

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Up at Stowe Mountain Resort, check out the new Spruce Peak ice rink and plaza. Also make sure to reserve at Solstice at Spruce Peak and see what the new executive chef Ronnie Sanchez—a three-star Michelin chef who just moved from Snowmass—is concocting. On the beer front: This summer Trapp Family Lodge revved up its new brewery, which it hopes to open to the public by spring. Until then, you can taste the brews at the resort or buy bottles of its awardwining Bohemian Pilsner. Michael and Laura Kloeti of Michael’s on the Hill fame are now running Crop Bistro and renaming it the Idletyme Brewing Company, after the camp that was once at the location. The Alchemist, famed brewers of Heady Topper, is busy finishing construction on a brewery to open in the spring. With all that good beer, you may want a strong coffee the next day. KatrinaVeerman has the answer: she’s opening PK Coffee in the small retail complex just across Route 108 from Piecasso.

Sisters Morgan Nichols, Danielle Moffat and Katie Nichols open Cork.

Photo courtesy Cokr/TruckieLoo Photography; Bluestone Pizza

CENTRAL

Stratton’s new executive chef Jan Giejda will focus on local foods.

Morrisville A plethora of new eateries and drinkeries, if we can call them that, are joining the stalwart local favorites in Mo’Vegas. An offspring of 10 Railroad Street, the MoVegas Fill Station opened in early November with a wide selection of beers on tap to fill your growlers as well as cigars, snacks and other sundries. Also new this past November is a tasting room at Green Mountain Distillers down Route 100 where you can sample new one-offs. The Rogue Artisan’s Café opened in July on Portland St. as both a gallery for beautiful cutting boards and other crafts and a bakery/café and dinner spot. One of the great surprises is at Bourne’s gas station and mini mart at 18 Bridge St. There you will not only find a freezer of local meats, but excellent take-out Nepali food, thanks to Nepali Cuisine. You can also sample a slew of some of Vermont’s finest craft beer at Lost Nation, which opened on Old Creamery Rd. two years ago. The brewery’s tap room, which stays open until 9 pm, also serves up home-cooked favorites such as Cubano sandwiches and herb grilled chicken dinners.

Photo courtesy Stratton Mountain

Jefferson/Johnson Last season, French Way Bakery opened above 158 Main Restaurant & Bakery in Jeffersonville. Grab a crusty baguette and get at least a dozen of chef Jean Marie Rabot’s melt-in-your-mouth montecao lemon cookies. Then head across the street to the Farm Store where you can pick up all sorts of local meat, produce and even grains.

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Montgomery If you want a locally sourced breakfast or lunch, scrumptious cakes or handdipped candy apples, try the Kilgore Cafe. Since it opened last summer, it’s been the place to stop in Montgomery Center on the way to or from Jay Peak. It’s now open for dinner with nightly specials and an open-mike night on Tuesdays. And if you have not been since it was remodeled and reopened in 2013, head to the The Inn (formerly The Inn at Trout River) for their concerts and elegant dinner specials, such as pork medallions served with a local maple glaze and apple sweet potato cake.

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THE NEW BACKCOUNTRY GET YOUR FAT SKIS OUT: AROUND THE STATE, VOLUNTEERS ARE WORKING TO CHART NEW BACKCOUNTRY AND SIDECOUNTRY TERRAIN.

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or the hard-core Vermonter, skiing isn’t just about heading to the resorts—it’s also about getting up before dawn and venturing into the backcountry to find some fresh powder. This past October,Vermont became the first place in the country where local skiers worked directly with the National Forest Service to map out an area for backcountry skiing. It’s the next logical step in a growing movement toward creating backcountry ski zones on both public and private land around the state. While we are not going to give away the GPS coordinates to our very favorite stashes, here are a few good places to look for sweet untracked. See www.vtskiandride.com for more info. BRAINTREE MOUNTAIN FOREST, BRAINTREE Located in the heart of the Green Mountains, Braintree Mountain Forest is 1,500 acres spread out across four peaks near the towns of Randolph, Braintree and Rochester. In the last year, volunteers with the Rochester Area Sports Trail Alliance (RASTA) worked with trail builders and foresters to create a several lines with 1,000-foot vertical drops. RASTA has also raised $9,286 to develop four more glades, renovate a cabin and create a parking area. GOSHEN MOUNTAIN, GOSHEN In October, the National Forest Service approved a plan to develop four backcountry skiing glades totaling approximately 210 acres on land in the Green Mountain National Forest in the towns of Goshen, Rochester and Chittenden. The plan calls for the glades be accessed from two parking areas on Route 73 near the top of the Brandon gap. The Long Trail, can be used to access all four of the glades, which run from the top of Goshen Mountain eastward to the Bear Brook drainage.The four zones include beginner to advanced terrain, with drops of 1,200 feet. It may take a year to approve, though, so leave your handsaws at home for now. MOUNT ASCUTNEY, WEST WINDSOR Located in West Windsor, the former Mount Ascutney ski area sat idle for the past five years. No longer. A new nonprofit, Mount Ascutney Outdoors has plans to install a rope tow at the base and maintain a community ski area. The uppermost portion of the mountain will remain open to skiers willing to hike or skin for their turns.

Photo courtsey Mad River Glen

HOGBACK MOUNTAIN, MARLBORO Near the town of Marlboro sits Hogback Mountain and a small cluster of peaks, including 2,418-foot Mount Olga, site of the ski area that closed in 1986. Starting in 2013, the Association began a ten-year plan to restore one trail every two years, starting with the 3,000-foot Meadow trail.This fall, the Association begins work on another novice trail, the 1,700-foot Great White Way.Three more trails are planned for trimming by 2021.

For years, backcountry skiers have flocked to Mad River Glen’s sidecountry. Now, there’s new golden terrain to explore in Vermont.

MOUNT WILLOUGHBY STATE FOREST Meanwhile, up in the Northeast Kingdom, a group of skiers has organized what they hope to be the catalyst for building a backcountry network in the area around Lake Willoughby. Working with state forest officials and the Vermont Backcountry Alliance, the Northeast Kingdom Backcountry Coalition plans to pursue glading opportunities in the Willoughby State forest, using old logging roads, existing hiking trails and an old Nordic ski area. —By Evan Johnson

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u CLEARED FOR TAKEOFF

Photo by Mark Greenberg

Thanks to one local family, grand plans for Stowe’s airport are coming to life with direct flights and expanded services. “Here’s where the café will go, and the flight school is over there,” says Russell Barr, as he pored over drawings of his dream project last spring. Ever since Barr’s son Harrison announced at age 14 that he wanted to learn to fly, the idea of an expanded airport has been buzzing in the Stowe attorney’s head. “Airports are huge for economic development,” Barr says. “Just look at every resort town out West that has one.” Five years later, Harrison is an accomplished pilot and Barr’s airport dream is coming to life. Beginning in early December, 2015, the first commercial flights will fly directly from White Plains, N.Y., to Morrisville-Stowe, taking advantage of the recently rebuilt runway. “There’s no TSA to go through, parking is free, there’s no traffic, and we have taxis and rental cars when you get here,” notes

Dreaming big: Rusell Barr has been working to expand Stowe’s airport. This winter direct flights are scheduled from White Plains, N.Y.

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Tom Anderson, Stowe Aviation’s chief operating officer. “How easy is that?” The four weekend flights (two on Friday afternoon, and two returning on Sunday) will be operated by Tradewind Aviation, which also flies to Boston, Nantucket, Martha’s Vineyard and St. Bart’s. Tradewind’s turboprop Pilatus PC-12s can take 8 passengers and flight time is an estimated 75 minutes. “It’s all about saving time,” notes Toni Barr, Russ’s wife, who has been involved with raising money for the project. “You can buy a book of 10 one-way tickets for $250 each. That’s not much more than flying anywhere else and look at the time you save.” For private pilots, the rebuilt runway, de-icing services, heated hangars and aircraft maintenance are a plus. “Having a good airport and direct service here will be a lifechanger,” notes Jeff Wise, the marketing and communications director at Stowe Mountain Resort.Wise should know. More than 20 years ago he was a passenger in a private plane that was diverted due to weather and landed in Stowe. After visiting the town,Wise never left. For airport and flight details visit www.stoweaviation.com

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Justin Woods Chapman of Hinesburg won our fall Facebook photo contest with this photo (above) taken at Mad River Glen on October 18, 2015.

JUMPSTARTING WINTER

A cold snap and the best snowmaking systems in the country, gave Vermont the first skiing in the U.S. this year. For many Vermonters, winter began on Oct. 17 with a hike for first turns. Just a day later, Killington was loading chairs, thanks to massive snowmaking. The past few seasons have seen snowmaking improvements all over the state from the largest alpine areas to Nordic networks such as those at the Trapp Family Lodge and Middlebury’s Rikert Nordic Center. Last year, Killington added a fleet of 400 snowmaking guns. In one hour they can cover 80 acres with 12 inches of snow. To get ready for opening day, the jets ran for 28 hours straight, building up a base depth of a foot. Okemo expanded snowmaking to two of its signature black diamond trails this past summer, bringing the resort’s snowmaking coverage to 98 percent. It has also boosted its snowgun capacity from 3,000 gallons of water per minute to 9,000—enough to open any one of its 120 trails in a day. Stowe continues to reap the benefits of a three-year, $10 million investment in snowmaking. Spruce Peak’s fully-automated system measures humidity, temperature and wind and then uses the data to adjust the amount of water and air needed. Thanks to the new technology and a 110-million-gallon reservoir, the resort can cover 56 acres in a foot of snow in 24 hours. Sugarbush recently completed a five-year, $5 million project that delivered snowmaking upgrades at both Lincoln Peak and Mt. Ellen. That included the installation of 351 new guns, which are expected to help reduce statewide energy consumption and save 2,324,392 pounds of carbon emissions per year. Last year, Ski Vermont and Efficiency Vermont partnered for the Great Snow Gun Roundup to help resorts purchase some 2,300 new low-energy snow guns and send 1,800 older guns to scrap. The estimated annual energy savings : 10,500 MWh, enough electricity to run 1,500 Vermont homes for one year, and enough diesel fuel saved to heat 340 homes. Take that, climate change.—Evan Johnson

Photo by Ryan Denning ryandenning.com

POWDER PASS $199 ADULT $149 YOUTH 5 lift tickets for less than the price of 3. Use your tickets any day this season, you can even redeem multiple tickets in one day. Hurry, The Powder Pass will not be on sale after Dec. 13!

Cyber Monday Specials Head to boltonvalley.com/cybermonday on Nov. 30 to save on lift tickets and more.

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Photo credit: ©Brian Mohr/EmberPhoto

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Living the Dream

THE TINIEST SKI HOUSE

Photo by Oliver Parini

He set out to build a little house that he could move with the seasons. Along the way, Ethan Waldman became a voice of the tiny house movement.

ess than 40 minutes from Smuggler’s Notch, Jay Peak and Stowe, a tiny little house sits in the middle of a snowy field. “It could be the ideal ski house because I could conceivably move it to follow the snow,” says owner Ethan Waldman. Working with his friend, designer Milford Cushman, Waldman made sure the 232-square-foot house was mobile. For instance, the tile in the shower is made of copper roofing panels so they wouldn’t crack. And at 7 feet, four inches wide and 20 feet, 6 inches long, the house is the maximum size allowed on Vermont roads. But, as Waldman is the first to admit, “It’s kind of a pain to move.” So far, there’s been no need to go anywhere. The idea for the house started after Waldman returned

from a 2011 bike trip across the country. At 26, he quit his job and decided to downsize. “Biking across the country, I realized just how little I needed to get by,” he recalls. During the trip, he’d stayed in some tiny houses. He showed kit designs to Cushman, but the family friend shook his head. “I told him we could do better,” Cushman said. Though he regularly designs multimillion dollar homes in Stowe, Cushman is a former Outward Bound instructor who lived for a while on a boat. “I love working on small spaces and thinking about efficiency—that’s a greater challenge for an architect than building something big.” With the help of a local builder, they constructed the house complete with kitchen, a loft bed with windows for stargazing, a composting toilet and heat. Af-

Though he could move his tiny house (it’s set on a trailer) Waldman has been happy to make this meadow his home. It’s within striking distance of Stowe, Jay Peak and Smuggs.

vtskiandride.com Holiday 2015 17

◆

Designer Milford Cushman helped Waldman maximize space. A second loft holds a full-size bed. Boots go under the couch and a shallow shelf holds spices and dry foods.

ter much sweat equity, $30,000 in materials and another $12,000 in labor, Waldman had himself a home. “One of my goals was to downsize my life,” he says. “I don’t buy as many things and my house doesn’t cost much to live in so I have more freedom to work fewer hours.” Waldman can backcountry ski right out his back door. Skis stay in an outbuilding. Ski boots get tucked into bins under the “couch.” His loft bedroom has shallow open closets. Waldman and his girlfriend also often stay at her apartment in Burlington, but he considers this house his home. Rather than return to a job, Waldman chose to work as a tech consultant, and has become an expert on tiny homes. In his book Tiny House Decisions and on his blog

ROBBIE MEEHAN

(www.tinyhouse.net) he covers everything from how to heat a tiny home to how to find places to both park it (the subject of his second book, Tiny House Parking) and secure it. “Yes, tiny houses do get stolen,” he admits. It’s easy to see why.—L.L. ■

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FOR THE 2015 SCHEDULE, VISIT BUDKEENE.COM 18 Holiday 2015 vtskiandride.com

ORDER ONLINE

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Photo by Oliver Parini (far let) and Rikki Snyder (left)

Dream Homes

Photo by Brett Simison/Middlebury College

VERMONT EDUCATION SPECIAL SECTION

COME TO SKI STAY TO LEARN IF YOU’RE THINKING ABOUT COLLEGES, YOU SHOULD THINK ABOUT VERMONT.

With 23 colleges and universities, Vermont has more places of higher education per capita than any other state. These range from Middlebury College (shown above), known for its liberal arts curricula and internationally acclaimed language programs, to Vermont Technical College, which prepares students for jobs in growing technical ﬁelds ranging from advanced manufacturing to nursing. Vermont schools also specialize in emerging studies such as Castleton University’s sports administration curricula, Johnson State College’s tourism and hospitality programs, or Lyndon State’s electronic journalism arts degree. While the University of Vermont with its medi-

cal school is the state’s one research university, there are six master’s universities, an art school, culinary school, a law school and a number of colleges that oﬀer baccalaureate degrees. Over 42,000 students from across the globe come to study in Vermont and learn the skills that prepare them for jobs of tomorrow. And when it comes time to ﬁnd a job, Vermont students are well situated. With one of the lowest unemployment rates in the country, Vermont businesses are actively looking for both interns and full-time employees. The state is home to leading tech companies such as Global Foundries, Dealer. com, Mack Molding and Keurig Green Mountain. It is also headquarters for consumer brands such as Burton, Ben & Jerry’s and King Arthur Flour. Whichever college, university or academic institution you may be considering, Vermont has options

to ﬁt most avocations and interests—and to top it oﬀ, campus is never far from an abundance of recreational activities. Students have access to 212 miles of shoreline on Lake Champlain, 700 miles of hiking trails and the most skiing and riding in the East. Vermont is also a leader in protecting the environment, boasts a creative entrepreneurial ethic and practically invented the farm-to-plate food movement. We have more microbreweries per capita than anywhere in the county and the state is a top producer of U.S. Olympic skiers and riders. Consistently rated one of the safest states in the nation, Vermont is a great place to go to school. For more information, visit the Consortium of Vermont Colleges at www.vtcolleges.org.

vtskiandride.com Holiday 2015 19

Photo by Brian Coons, Class of 2009

VERMONT EDUCATION SPECIAL SECTION

jsc.edu

A leader in high-impact education, nestled in the heart of Vermontâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s majestic Green Mountains

Experience Castleton. Explore Vermont.

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Vermont is more than a beautiful place to visit. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a place to learn. To push yourself. To make friends for life. To experience the best in American education. www.middlebury.edu

vtskiandride.com Holiday 2015 19

VERMONT EDUCATION SPECIAL SECTION

Work hard. Play hard. 100%

of Vermont Tech’s degrees are earned by doing. We’re a college where you can build you own skis or board in the lab before testing it out on our rope tow located steps away from our Randolph Center campus. Cool? Totally.

Small College. Big Outcomes. vtc.edu | 800 442 8821 | admissions@vtc.edu

HELPING YOU PLAN, SAVE, AND PAY FOR EDUCATION

For 50 years, VSAC has been assisting students and families on the pathway to college. As a public nonprofit, VSAC is committed to reducing the cost of financing education—not only for Vermont residents but for all students attending colleges in Vermont. PAY FOR SCHOOL VSAC’s mission is to ensure that students have the information and financing needed to pursue education or training after high school, whatever that path may be. VSAC helps students and families navigate the financial aid process and has financing available to help with college costs that exceed the amounts covered by grants, scholarships,

and family resources. It is also the sponsor of Vermont’s 529 college savings plan. Throughout the fall and winter, VSAC hosts workshops at high schools and colleges around the state designed to help students and parents with the planning involved in applying to college and the applications needed for ﬁnancial aid. As a partner in managing and minimizing education debt, VSAC can help students learn what to look for when selecting education loans. Because any education loan is borrowed money that will need to be repaid with interest, it’s important to choose carefully. VSAC’s Vermont Advantage loan may have more favorable terms than the federal Direct PLUS loan or bank loans, depending on your situation. So students coming to Vermont for college may pay less with VSAC.

VSAC’s Vermont Advantage loan offers:  Undergraduate or graduate education financing for out-of-state students coming to Vermont.  Undergraduate or graduate education financing for Vermont residents attending college in the U.S. or abroad.  A fixed rate for the life of the loan, as low as 5.50% APR.  Your choice of repayment option.  Local Vermont servicing. PLAN FOR A CAREER VSAC supports career and college outreach throughout Vermont for students of all ages. To help students choose the right training to pursue the careers that match their interests, VSAC provides a “Roadmap to College” that can help students assess what careers are out there and what pathways they might follow. The website provides links to all of Vermont’s colleges as well as options for short-term training. Find out more about VSAC’s events and publications at www.vsac.org. And discover how you can learn more in Vermont and spend less to get the education you need.

VSAC

Vermont students and families have access to low-cost education financing that others don’t have. Take advantage of the rates and service of the state’s nonprofit Vermont Student Assistance Corporation (VSAC). VSAC’s Vermont Advantage student loan for the 2015-2016 academic year offers: • a fixed interest rate as low as 5.50% APR • your choice of three repayment options • no or low origination fee, based on the cosigner’s credit rating • no penalty for prepayment • local Vermont service

Take advantage of your Vermont connection. Any Vermont student can apply. • Vermont residents attending college in the U.S. or abroad • Out-of-state students attending college in Vermont

To learn more and apply online: www.vsac.org/VTconnection

vtskiandride.com Holiday 2015 21

VERMONT EDUCATION SPECIAL SECTION LyndonState.edu

Live, work, and learn in the outdoors.

THE BEST OF

BOTH WORLDS Rigorous college prep in the heart of the mountains with easy access from the city USSA, FIS, and Interscholastic Racing

WITH DEGREES IN

Mountain Recreation Management AND NATIONALLY ACCREDITED Exercise Science Nationally acclaimed professional programs; a strong liberal arts core; hands-on experiential education. It’s all right here. Learn more at: 1-800-225-1998 Lyndonville, Vermont 05851

Head Coach, Christine Booker Past Women’s Coach Dartmouth College 2007 NCAA Champions

10 minutes from I-91 and I-89 • 20 minutes from Dartmouth College

603.469.2100 • www.KUA.org • Meriden, NH

Weather bad? Need to get your legs in ski shape? The good news, you can now train to ski gates or moguls indoors. In South Burlington, Gonzo’s HD Sports recently installed one of only two high definition ski simulators in the country (the other is in Los Angeles). Clip into skis or a snowboard and in 10 minutes, if you push it, you’ll be sweating a river and your thighs will be burning as if you’ve just gone top to bottom skiing the moguls nonstop at Sugarbush’s famed Stein’s Run. No fooling. It’s that real. Crank up the simulator to 60 mph and take the gates on a simulated giant slalom course, or do a high-speed run down Mont Blanc. The more you edge, the faster you go. Better yet, the computerized data can gauge precisely what angulation you have when turning to the right or left. Have a weak side when skiing? Most of us do, and the simulator can help teach you to make your weak side stronger. Steve Gonzales, owner of Gonzo’s HD Sports in South Burlington, bought the simulator this fall. “It’s good training for the every-day skier and rider,” Gon-

24 Holiday 2015 vtskiandride.com

zales says, “but it’s also approved by the US Ski Team and should be great for the ski academies, college and high school racing teams. The edging is unreal. It’s a tool that can really teach you how to roll your ankles, bend and angulate your knees and get on your edges.” The simulator rents for $60 an hour and there

are plans to hire PSIA certified ski instructors to conduct lessons at the facility.You bring your own ski or snowboard boots and clip into bindings, and you’re ready to go. Gonzales, a Burlington area golf pro, also has golf and several other sports simulators. www.gonzohdsports.com —Angelo Lynn ■

Photo by Angelo Lynn

RACING INDOORS

◆

Lodges

3 CLASSIC XC INNS Hidden away in the hills, these three inns offer crosscountry skiers quiet, groomed trails, stunning views and a taste of classicVermont.

Photos courtesy the Mountaintop Inn and Landgrove Inn

Mountain Top Inn’s barn (top) looks out across Chittenden Reservoir. At Landgrove (top right), you can ski for miles without seeing another person.

andgrove, population 158, is tucked away in a quiet valley of hardscrabble fields just north of Londonderry. Fence posts literally outnumber people here. One of the oldest ski lodges in the state, the Landgrove Inn has been welcoming guests since 1935 to its land, the site of an 1810 farmhouse and dairy farm. Today, Landgrove’s 15 kilometers of groomed trails snake through still-pristine meadows and protected woodland. And, at 1,400 feet of elevation the valley holds snow far longer than many places in southern Vermont. When you’re done skiing, innkeepers Tom and Maureen Chechia will fix you a hot chocolate by the fire or prepare a dinner of crispy roast duckling or grilled lamb chops with apricot salsa. After, you can retire to one of the 18 bedrooms, many furnished with four-poster beds and antiques. On December 12, Landgrove Inn hosts Sankta Lucia, a Scandinavian feast with a choir and carols. Throughout the year the inn holds art classes and writing workshops. Rooms are $100 to $250 a night. www.landgroveinn.com Just 11 miles west of Killington, the Mountain Top Inn and Resort feels like it’s a world apart. Set high on a hill on 350 acres, the inn looks out on Chittenden res-

ervoir and the surrounding mountains with nary a sign of civilization in site. The more than 60 kilometers of groomed Nordic trails open on December 12. If you want to explore farther, the Catamount Trail (which runs the length of Vermont) crosses the property and accesses more backcountry terrain. The inn also offers tubing, horse-drawn sleigh rides, yoga and a spa and salon. The inn had a recent makeover and rooms, furnished in stylish country décor, start at $170. www. mountaintopinn.com Last, you can’t think of winter in Vermont without thinking of the Trapp Family Lodge in Stowe. The hilltop lodge is still owned by descendants of the family that was the subject of “The Sound of Music.” A new generation is in charge and the network of more than 37 miles of groomed trails is in better shape than ever with snowmaking and regular grooming. Ski 10 kilometers up to Trapp’s Slayton Pasture Cabin for a bowl of soup by the fire or explore some of the backcountry terrain. For après-ski, head to the deli bakery where you can taste a flight of some of the award-winning beers Trapp’s new brewery is producing. At night, tuck under a down duvet and watch the stars come up over the mountains. Rooms are $195 to $470. www.trappfamily.com ■

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NORDIC centers of vermont

Trapp Family Lodge XC Center, Stowe

Bolton Valley, Bolton

Rikert Nordic Center, Ripton

NORTHERN VERMONT Ski Area

Total Terrain

Machine Skating Typical Season Tracked Terrain

Town

Phone

Website

Blueberry Lake

31 km

Dec-March

Warren

802-496-6687

www.blueberrylakeskivt.com

Bolton Valley XC

100 km

15 km

Dec-April

Bolton Valley

802-434-3444

www.boltonvalley.com

Catamount Family Center

35 km

Dec-March

Williston

802-879-6001

www.catamountoutdoor.com

Craftsbury Outdoor Center

105 km

Dec-March

Craftsbury Common

802-586-7767

www.craftsbury.com

Hazen’s Notch

65 km

60 km

Dec-April

Montgomery Center

802-326-4799

www.hazensnotch.org

Highland Lodge & XC Center

40 km

Dec-March

Greensboro

802-533-2647

www.highlandlodge.com

Jay Peak Nordic & Snowshoe Center

20 km

Nov-April

Jay

802-988-2611

www.jaypeakresort.com

Kingdom Trails

45 km

20 km

Dec-April

East Burke

802-626-0737

www.kingdomtrails.org

Memphremagog Ski Touring Foundation

35 km

Dec-March

Derby

802-334-1357

www.mstf.net

Morse Farm Ski Center

28 km

20 km

15 km

Dec-March

Montpelier

802-223-0560

www.skimorsefarm.com

Ole’s Cross Country Center

48 km

50 km

45 km

Nov-April

Warren

802-496-3430

www.olesxc.com

Rikert Nordic Center

55 km

50 km

40 km

Nov-April

Ripton

802-443-2744

www.rikertnordic.com

Sleepy Hollow Inn & Bike Center

35 km

30 km

25 km

Dec-March

Huntington

802-434-2283

www.skisleepyhollow.com

Stowe XC Ski Center

75 km

35 km

Dec-April

Stowe

802-253-3688

www.stowe.com

Stoweflake Resort

5 km

Dec-April

Stowe

802-253-2232

www.stoweflake.com

Trapp Family Lodge XC Center

160 km

55 km

Dec-April

Stowe

802-253-8511

www.trappfamily.com

The Nordic Center is the gateway to Bolton Valley’s legendary backcountry terrain. It offers guided tours, lessons and rental equipment to get you out to enjoy some of the best Nordic skiing and snowshoeing in New England. Bolton has a 100 km Nordic trail system with 15 kilometers of groomed trails. www.boltonvalley.com • 802-434-3444 4302 Bolton Valley Access Rd • Bolton, VT

Trapp’s XC Center, one of the premier Nordic centers in the East, features 160 km, with 55 km of tracked and skating terrain. Plus: • Full retail shop and rentals • Professional instruction Don't miss Slayton Pasture Cabin for a warm lunch and a roaring fire in the hearth. www.trapfamily.com • 802-253-8511 700 Trapp Hill Rd • Stowe, VT 05672

Rikert's 55 km of trails wind through old forests, farm fields and past Robert Frost's summer cabin. The Center offers a full service rental shop and ski school. Jump on early season skiing with 5 km of snowmaking. Open 7 days a week and home to the Middlebury College Panthers. www.rikertnordic.com • 802-443-2744 106 College Cross Road • Ripton VT

NORDIC centers of vermont

Mountain Top Inn & Resort, Chittenden

Timber Creek XC, West Dover

The Landgrove Inn, Landgrove

SOUTHERN VERMONT

Snowmaking

Ski Area

Total Terrain

Machine Tracked

Skating Typical Season Terrain

Town

Phone

Website

Blueberry Hill

60 km

Dec-March

Goshen

802-247-6735

www.blueberryhillinn.com

Brattleboro Outing Club

33 km

25 km

20 km

Dec-March

Brattleboro

802-254-8906

www.brattleborooutingclub.org

Grafton Ponds Outdoor Center

60 km

30 km

Dec-March

Grafton

802-843-2400

www.graftonponds.com

Hildene, The Lincoln Family Home

20 km

14 km

Dec-March

Manchester

802-362-1788

www.hildene.org

Landgrove Inn

15 km

Dec-March

Landgrove

802-824-6673

www.landgroveinn.com

Mountain Top Inn & Resort

60 km

40 km

Nov-April

Chittenden

802-483-2311

www.mountaintopinn.com

Okemo Valley Nordic Center

22 km

8 km

Dec-April

Ludlow

802-228-1396

www.okemo.com

Prospect Mountain XC

30 km

Nov-April

Woodford

802-442-2575

www.prospectmountain.com

Quechee Club

25 km

12 km

Dec-March

Quechee

802-295-9356

www.quecheeclub.com

Strafford Nordic Center

30 km

Dec-March

Strafford

802-765-4309

www.straffordnordicskiing.com

Stratton Mountain Nordic Center

12 km

Dec-March

Stratton Mountain

802-297-4567

www.stratton.com

Three Stallion Inn Touring Center

35 km

17 km

Dec-March

Randolph

802-728-3475

www.threestallioninn.com

Timber Creek XC

14 km

Dec-March

West Dover

802-464-0999

www.timbercreekxc.com

Viking Nordic Center

39 km

35 km

30 km

Dec-March

Londonderry

802-824-3933

www.vikingnordic.com

Wild Wing’s Ski Touring Center

25 km

Dec-March

Peru

802-824-6793

www.wildwingsski.com

Woodstock Inn Nordic Center

50 km

Dec-March

Woodstock

802-457-6674

www.woodstockinn.com

Ti m b e r Cr eek

verm nt Timber Creek XC is known for our thoughtfully groomed trail system, we have been called “one of the finest small XC ski areas in the country…bar none.” TimberCreekXC.com • 802-464-0999 Mount Snow • Rt. 100 North • West Dover, VT

800-824-6673 802-824-6673 www.landgroveinn.com

• Located on 32 acres in a pristine valley • 19 uniquely decorated rooms • On-site restaurant open 5-7 nights/week • 15km of groomed and tracked nordic trails with skating

132 Landgrove Rd. • Landgrove, VT

The Mountain Top Inn & Resort offers 60 km of XC ski trails (40 km groomed, snowmaking on a 2km loop). With terrain of all types, onsite rentals, spectacular views, delicious food and luxury accommodations, the Mountain Top Inn & Resort is the perfect XC ski destination. A short drive to Killington. Trails open 8am-4pm. www.mountaintopinn.com • 802-483-2311 195 Mountain Top Rd • Chittenden, VT

The Joy of

Snow Photos by Brian Mohr and Emily Johnson

Leah Johnson (Emilyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sister) gazes in awe at the huge flakes of snow that fall from the sky, the result of compressed moisture from Lake Champlain.

28 Holiday 2015 vtskiandride.com

w vtskiandride.com Holiday2015 29

hey come softly, those first few flakes, quieting the world. In these early days of winter, we marvel at each one, gazing up to catch a crystal on our tongue, running our hands through the light mounds of snow that pile up on fence posts. This is the enchanting season. “Lil’ Snowflake” is the nickname Brian Mohr and Emily Johnson of EmberPhoto gave their first born daughter, Maiana. Professional photographers, adventurers and leaders in Vermont’s growing backcountry movement, they have taken her skiing before she could walk. In doing so, they have introduced Maiana (and now their second daughter Lenora, too) to a gift that will last a lifetime: the joy of snow and the beauty of Vermont winter

30 Holiday 2015 vtskiandride.com

One of the most intense snowfalls we’ve ever witnessed happened on December 28, a few winters back, when moisture from Lake Champlain fueled upslope snow showers over the ridgelines of Sugarbush and Mad River Glen. In the mountains, more than eight inches fell in two to three hours. Emily ventured out then (left), as she does now, sharing snowy days with Maiana (below). At two, Lil’ Snowflake has learned to love a good snowstorm as much as anyone—as long as she’s geared up for the occasion. As the snow accumulates, it makes our favorite front country and backcountry terrain more accessible, letting our buddy Andy Weis sneak into relatively steep and obscure lines like “The Skinny” (above). One late afternoon, we skied from Sugarbush to Mad River Glen, and sat Lil’ Snowflake on the historic single chair (below right). It was the perfect little swing.

vtskiandride.com Holiday 2015 31

We ski every day in the winter months, even if it means just a quick skin (or three) to carve some fresh turns in the fields near our home in Moretown (above). Emily skied up until the evening she went into labor with Maiana. We first took the girls out skiing in our chest carriers when Maiana was was just 10 days old and Lenora, three weeks. Now Maiana is two and a half and already trying out her own skis. Lenora, now three months, has grown into her sisterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s carrier and our adventures continue.

32 Holiday 2015 vtskiandride.com

The Dodge Story

ittle has changed since 1959 when engineer Bob Lange ingenuously used plastic to revolutionize ski boot construction. Until now.

Lighter Weight

Dodge Ski Boots was founded on a simple, yet bold idea: Make the best ski boot possible. So, in 2009 when the stars aligned, longtime ski racers Dave Dodge and Bill Doble launched their company focused on that single premise, and a dogged determination to make a carbon fiber boot that was superior to anything on the market. For many believers and converts, they have. What’s so special about Dodge Ski Boots? To start with, they’re lighter — 3.5 pounds compared to 5-plus pounds. They have consistent flex that doesn’t change when temps are too cold or too warm. Then, there’s Dodge Boot’s exclusive composite materials designed to deliver power, comfort and feel that is simply not found in other boots. Check out the full story and what makes the boots so unique at www.dodgeskiboots.com

30% lighter than other boots

Custom Fit Exclusive factory-direct fitting 2 widths 2 liner lengths Custom punching High Volume/Low Volume

Carbon Fiber/ Composite Superior edge control Superior damping Easy on/off even when cold

“Dodge Boots are not only the best boots I’ve ever owned - but the most ‘hands-on’ customer support crew in the ski industry. Period.” Art Rothafel, Villa Park, CA “They are simply the best performing boot I have ever had!” Gord Blake, Ski Patrol Director Kimberly Ski Resort, B.C., CAN Canadian World Cup racer Patrick Biggs American World Cup racer Warner Nickerson

vtskiandride.com Holiday 2015 00

Charging hard without the chatter, RENOUN’s hyper-damping skis use new technology that’s winning founder Cyrus Schenck, 24, international awards.

34 Holiday 2015 vtskiandride.com

NE W

Photo courtesy RENOUN

VE RM ON T’S

E R A IS S IE SK N A OF P S GE ON M D O EE EN NS C T BR LL OH N A NJ O W H M NE T C VA R E UT A YE V H B T Y O . S IN G D UO T IN R SIX RN OA S Q TU D B TATU AN E S TH

MI CR OS KIE RIE S vtskiandride.com Holiday 2015 35

in desperate need of a breath of fresh air. “There was this constant excitement around snowboarding that didn’t exist in skiing,” he says. For his senior design project at the University of Buffalo, Levinthal used a press he built himself to create a pair of skis that were half the width of a snowboard and had twin tips. In one afternoon he found he was able to ski switch, slide rails and spin off jumps far better than he could on his old straight and narrow Rossignols. Levinthal brought his prototype and his company, Line, to the Ski Industry of America Convention in Las Vegas in the winter of 1996. Shortly after, he received an order from a Japanese distributor to produce 1,000 pairs. After graduating from college, he practically lived out of the warehouse for a summer, working nonstop to fill that first order and ship it. When Salomon began producing its own twintipped skis and marketing them, the rest of the ski industry took notice. And as the X Games began to include slopestyle skiing (Levinthal took bronze at the X Games in 1998), this new form of skiing drew even more attention. Levinthal sold Line to K2 in 2006, and continued to serve as Line’s president for seven years, developing and releasing every kind of ski product, including Full Tilt boots, which used articulated parts inspired by the first space suits. In 2013, Levinthal left with the idea to try something new: a small company of his own, simply named “J,” that would sell high-quality skis directly

ermont has a reputation as a place that values quality over quantity. If you’re looking for the world’s best craft beer (think Hill Farmstead), an intricate $10,000 wood puzzle (try Stave) or wool socks so reliable they come with a lifetime guarantee (Darn Tough), Vermonters make them. You can add skis and snowboards to that list. You may know the story of Line skis and Burton and Rome snowboards, all born in Vermont. Now, there’s a new generation here using innovative designs and materials to craft limited-edition, custom skis and boards. While four out of the six brands we feature here manufacture their products in Quebec, the design and marketing originates here in Vermont. The people behind these brands come from a variety of backgrounds: Jason Levinthal worked for over 20 years in the ski industry, launching Line skis before deciding to start a new venture with J Skis. Harrison Goldberg, founder of HG Skis, works fulltime as a mechanical engineer. Cyrus Schenck, who invented the first ski with adaptable damping technology (RENOUN), washes windows for extra cash. The one thing they all have in common is a love for the sport. What’s more, their designs are receiving rave reviews, snagging international awards and commanding attention from some of the biggest names in the ski industry. No matter whether they are custom-made for absorbing chatter at high speeds, dodging trees in the backcountry, running laps in the park or cruising frontside groomers, these Vermont ski and board brands are challenging the status quo.

LEVINTHAL’S LATEST INNOVATION: J SKIS Last summer, Jason Levinthal, a 42-year-old from Burlington, Vt., stood in a high school auditorium in Worcester, Mass., and recounted a story he’s told many times as part of a TEDx talk: how he looked around at the state of skiing and decided to try something different. In the 1990s, Burton’s first snowboards were taking the slopes by storm but the skis of the day relied on the same tired designs. The biggest ski brands were

“NOBODY NEEDS MORE OF THE SAME THING. YOU ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO THINK DIFFERENT.”— Jason Levinthal

00 September 2015 vtskiandride.com

Photo courtesy J Skis

Jason Levinthal crowd-sources ideas for graphics.

Photo courtesy RENOUN

to the skier, bypassing reps and shops. This was a significant departure from the business model of larger companies. By Christmas, he designed a prototype with the help of some trusted professionals: Francois Sylvain, a ski engineer who worked on Line skis from 1999 to 2007, and designer Mark “Fank” Fankhauser, who has produced graphics for Line Skis and Ride Snowboards. Levinthal’s first two models of skis included the 90-mm waist Whipit and the 98-mm waist Allplay. The skis’ construction features pre-cured, prestretched carbon fiber laminates and maple and aspen cores. This keeps the skis energetic, lightweight and extremely shock absorbent, while also holding the binding screws securely. For added durability and shock absorption, the skis feature full-height sidewalls and the thickest edges available on the market—2.5 mm by 2.5 mm. These top-quality materials are popular among many leading brands, but by selling each pair directly to the consumer, Levinthal cuts out the middleman and keeps the price tag low; a pair of J’s cost between $550 and $700, compared to similar skis from other brands that can cost upwards of $800. Last year, Levinthal raised just over $42,000 through crowdfunding on Kickstarter to begin production of “The Friend,” a wider, 114-mm waist ski for soft snow and powder days. J’s first-ever pair of powder-spec skis won an Official Selection award from Skiing magazine. The first production run of The Friend sold out and this year, in addition to bringing it back, J has released two more models: the Vacation, a 106-mm freeride ski inspired by pro skier Giray Dadali, and The Metal, which features similar specs as the Vacation, but with a titanal metal laminate in the core for a powerful and responsive ride. The Metal is Levinthal’s first design to claim awards from Backcountry, Freeskier, Powder and Skiing magazines all in the same year. Levinthal produces as unique a ski as you can find with graphics that may feature cats in space, bikini models, Canadian flags or super villains. Only 90 to 100 pairs of each graphic are produced and Levinthal initials every pair of skis he ships. Customers supply their input on J’s new graphics or designs via Twitter, Facebook or Instagram. By using social media for marketing and keeping his operations as small as he can, Levinthal is able to keep costs down and interact directly with the people using his skis. “Nobody needs more of the same thing,” he says. “You absolutely have to think different.” Cost: $549-$749. www.jskis.com. RENOUN’S HYPER-DAMPING SKIS Seated in the stylish offices of the Vermont Center for Emerging Technologies, a business incubator and coworking space in Burlington, Cyrus Schenck insists RENOUN is more of a tech company than a ski company. “These are highly designed instruments,” he says. “We have an innovative solution to an age-old problem.” The 24-year-old eschewed the idea of becoming an aerospace engineer when he left college. Instead, he

brought that same high-tech attention to detail to a one-man ski brand of his own. And it has some of the biggest names in the ski industry taking notice. Born and raised in Shelburne, Vt., Schenck went to college at Clarkson where he studied aeronautical engineering for two years before heading west for an internship with General Electric. His role: installing highly sensitive monitoring equipment on massive gas and water turbines. After his internship, Schenck returned to school. During a science class, he and his classmates were introduced to a new material that seemed to disregard all the rules of modern physics: D3O actually stiffens on impact. D3O has been used in tennis rackets and iPhone cases and is being tested for use in body armor. Schenck’s idea was to apply it to skis, the theory being that the new material would allow the ski to adapt—flexing in softer conditions and stiffening on hardpack to provide a stable performance no matter the snow conditions. In 2012, Schenck decided to leave Clarkson and begin work on what would become RENOUN. What followed was a period of hard work and late nights, but with some very big payoffs. In February 2015, RENOUN won a gold medal at ISPO (the leading international sporting goods trade show) in Germany, beating out larger brands. Just three months later, he won $30,000 in cash and $45,000 in in-kind services from LaunchVT, Vermont’s statewide business pitch competition. The reviews for RENOUN have been positive. Threetime X Games champion Mike Nick is “a total believer,” and Tecnica’s Director of Innovation, Richard Morin, described the Endurance as “the silver bullet in today’s ski industry.” RENOUN launched in earnest this past fall with two models: the Endurance, an all-mountain ski with a 98-mm waist, and the Z90, a frontside carver available in a 90-mm waist. This winter RENOUN will be selling skis at shops in Vermont and at points west. It’s now been three years since Schenck left college and he says he has never looked back. “I’ve got the opportunity to bring something new to the ski industry,” he says. “I want this to be a symbol of a job well done.” Cost: $1,000 and up. www.renoun.com.

With RENOUN, Cyrus Schenck, 24, found a technical breakthrough.

HG MAKES SKIS TO TAKE A BEATING If you’re spending a day lapping the terrain park or getting towed into hits on handrails, you’re going to need a pair of skis that will stand up to the abuse. That was Harrison Goldberg’s plan when he and partner Connor Gaetta teamed up to create HG Skis. The goal: make the most durable park ski available. The two met in 2007 at the University of Vermont. Both were mechanical engineering students who spent their downtime skiing. “I spent way too much time on my skis,” Goldberg, now 26, remembers. “I would sit down to do homework and still be thinking about skiing.” As a freshman, Goldberg made his first pair of skis on a homemade press and took the prototypes to Sugarbush to test. After skiing hard, he managed to bash his skis beyond

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recognition. But he noticed other people’s skis weren’t faring much better: tips were blowing out and the edges were cracking underfoot. In short, many skis couldn’t hold up to urban pounding and the new freeskier moves. This spelled an opportunity. In 2011, the pair launched their first skis. Today HG’s line consists of the Stinger, a fully symmetric cambered ski that’s designed for freestyle and park use. The thicker edges don’t wrap around the full tip of the ski, which allows the tips to hold a tighter bond and prevents blowouts. New for this winter, HG rolls out the El, a 114-mm powder-specific ski that’s designed to be nimble and responsive where the snow is deepest on the East Coast—in the trees. “We wanted a powder ski for the East Coast,” Goldberg says. “We made it as big as possible without it being unnecessary for this part of the country.” Today, the company includes a group of four employees (including Goldberg and Gaetta) and a team of five East Coast skiers, which Gaetta captains. Being a small company, HG isn’t able to provide for their athletes what larger companies can, but Goldberg says he wants the company to be a starting point for freestyle skiers with exceptional talent. “I always want to think of us as the Juilliard of skiing, where going forward, every famous skier will have gotten their start with us,” he says. You can watch HG’s skis and skiers in action in the videos the company releases throughout the season (links are at vtskiandride.com.) The latest title, “Children of the Guan,” features HG team skiers tackling every staircase, parking garage gap and handrail within driving distance of Burlington with nary a powder shot or chairlift to be seen. While that may have some purists upset, in an age when a season’s pass or a lift ticket can be prohibitively expensive that’s exactly where Goldberg and company see the future of the sport and continue to make skis that can stand up to the abuse. “If skiers are taking it to the streets, then they need a ski that allows them to do anything,” Goldberg says. Cost: $400-$699. www.hgskis.com

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Vermont’s first eco-friendly board company, Powe, is cleaning up.

to Bolton Valley to clean up trash around the resort and compile data on the varieties of trash to create solutions. This winter, Powe plans to release 32 boards of each model and 10 kids’ boards. The group also plans to build a press and begin producing limited edition boards with hand-painted graphics by Vindigni. For most of the team of recent grads, Powe is still a passion project. Two are working for a moving company in Burlington, another works at an elementary school in Richmond, Vt., and another at the Magic Hat Brewery. “We’ve all got our side jobs for now. But when we get home from work it’s all about Powe,” Vindigni says. Cost: $399 and up. www.powesnowboards.com POWDERJET’S DIY BOARDS Founded in Rupert,Vt., a town of 1,000, Powderjet has been producing old-school style boards that have established a loyal following well beyond New England. A carpenter by trade, Jesse Loomis, 41, found his calling in 2008 when he took

Photos courtesy Powe, HG Skis

Made to take a lickin’ and keep on kickin’, HG skis are urban-proof.

POWE’S ECO-FRIENDLY SNOWBOARDS In the winter of 2014, Adam Vindigni went through five snowboards—bashing, breaking or losing them. When he went to the manufacturers to inquire about a warranty, they refused to help him. So the senior art student at the University of Vermont decided to make a dream he’s had since eighth grade into a reality: he started a snowboard company with four friends and called it Powe. The partners decided that not only would their boards be bulletproof, they would be made with an eye toward preserving the planet and emphasize sustainability in all parts of the brand. Powe boards are made with materials all found in abundance: topsheets are made with hemp, sidewalls of bamboo and cores made with a blend of Northeastern poplar and maple. Bioresin epoxies hold the construction together. Vindigni claims the materials Powe uses are lighter and more durable and perform best in simple designs. “We’re sticking with more traditional shapes because we feel like there’s no need to adjust the design of today’s boards,” he says. Powe’s mission also includes several environmental initiatives. For every board sold, Powe will plant a poplar tree and send poplar seeds to the customer with the order. Last winter, Powe held its first Powe Mountain Mentors programs, where students from the Burlington YMCA traveled to Bolton Valley for lessons in forestry and mountain ecology. This winter marks the inaugural year of the Powe Mountain Project where the Powe team will head

“PEOPLE WERE COMING FROM ALL OVER TO THESE WORKSHOPS. IT’S TIME WE TAKE THE SHOP TO THEM.”

Truly custom ride: Powderjet’s board (left) and, here, WhiteRoom’s handcrafted skis.

Photo courtesy Powderjet/Shem Roose; WhiteRoom/Greg Maino

—Jesse Loomis a spin on the first board he’d ever owned and found the old board could still perform in the deep snow. He was looking for a board that could maneuver through the tight woods of Vermont and float through deep snow: that early design had it. “I realized I could tie all those qualities into one board and it actually worked,” he says. “My mindset was to create the cleanest, simplest snowboard with as small an environmental footprint as I could manage,” he says. Powderjet boards are shaped with FSC-certified maple and poplar wood sourced from the United States. They use an environmentally friendly resin. The retro shape has a surfboard-like performance for powder days. “This isn’t about death-defying acts,” Loomis says. “We’re about having fun.” It’s an appeal that has attracted many. Team riders include Lukas Huffman, Mikey LeBlanc and Hisanori Katsuyama. Customers send Loomis pictures and videos of Powderjet boards in the Alps, Japan and the woods of New England. Powderjet landed on the cover of Transworld Snowboarding in 2013. Later that year, Loomis relocated Powderjet’s production from Vermont to York, Maine, to share space with a friend’s surfboard company. Powderjet customers can design their own boards on the website, selecting from 12 tail profiles and 13 tip profiles to create a custom ride. If you’re itching to get your hands on a jigsaw, you can travel to the York workshop for a weekend of instruction from Loomis, leaving at the end with a board you designed and shaped. “They’re basically giant snowboard nerd-out sessions,” he says of the weekend shaping classes. Loomis is presently designing a trailer system to take his workshop on the road as part of his “Speed of Sawdust Tour.” Starting in February, he’ll drive from Maine to Steamboat Springs, Jackson Hole and more, leading board-shaping workshops and hopefully getting more snowboarders to try a Powderjet. “People were coming from all over the country to these workshops,” he says. “It’s time we take the shop to them.” Cost: $550-$600. www.powderjets.com WHITEROOM’S CUSTOM WORKS OF ART While the other companies mentioned here fabricate their products in Quebec or Maine,Vin Faraci can claim his WhiteRoom skis are 100-percent made in Vermont, from the wood cores to the topsheets. Faraci works full-time as a physical therapist at Copley Hospital in Morrisville,Vt., but spends his evenings pressing

skis for the discerning skier looking for a truly one-of-a-kind ride. (To see how Faraci makes his skis, see “In the White Room” at vtskiandride.com.) Pressing skis started as a hobby for Faraci. He started designing and building his own press in 2007 and gradually accumulated the tools and parts he needed. Like so many other hobbies that quickly grow out of control, he needed a place to put it and so moved his operation to his workshop behind his house in Hyde Park. And he called it WhiteRoom. Faraci admits his first pair of skis, pressed in early 2010, was less than satisfying. “Compared to what I build now, they were a disaster,” he says. “I think I put them in the press tip and tail reversed, the base wasn’t flat and the edges were wavy, but they weren’t bad.” In the five years since, Faraci’s technique has improved—a lot—and he recently began producing shapes pioneered by the now-defunct Middlebury ski company, Worth Skis. Faraci embellishes his skis with inlays of abalone, exotic woods and metals. Faraci’s skis look less like something you’d see in the lift line and more what you might see hanging in an art gallery. But Faraci is quick to assure that his skis are up to the task: “Most of my customers want a powder or a freeride ski,” he says. “I really start customizing based on what the customer wants.” Ordering a pair of WhiteRoom skis is more than picking a pair off the rack and choosing a length. Faraci requires input throughout the design process. Customers fill out a questionnaire with the skier’s height, weight and skiing style as well as the desired turning radius, preference of camber versus rocker, intended use and conditions. Faraci uses the questionnaire as the basis for creating a series of prototypes that the customer critiques.When the customer is satisfied, he presses the pair right there in his shop. The result: A pair of skis unlike anything else on the mountain. Last year, Faraci pressed and sold 12 pairs of skis, a satisfying number, he says, as the project is only his part-time business. In the future, he hopes to build 20 pairs a year. “I am WhiteRoom Skis and I do this because I enjoy it,” he says. “I like the hands-on work. I love skiing and the process of building a ski, it’s relaxing and fun to me.” Cost: $925 www.whiteroomcustomskis.com. ■

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THE REDNECK

Why join the U.S. Ski Team when you can travel the world as a Redneck Racer from Vermont? Robby and

Men on a mission: Vermonters Tim Kelley, Andrew McNealus, Robby Kelley and Tucker Marshall formed Redneck Racing. Their uniforms? Camoufllage, flannel and denim, of course.

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RACERS

BY BIDDLE DUKE

Photo Susie Theis

Tim Kelley and two friends did just that.

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LAST SPRING, THREE MEMBERS OF VERMONT’S FAMOUS COCHRAN SKI RACING FAMILY were invited to join the U.S. Ski Team for this 2015-16 season.Tim Kelley, son of one-time national champion Lindy Cochran Kelley, said yes, joining his cousin Ryan CochranSiegle on the squad. But in a move that surprised many, Tim’s younger brother, Robby, declined. Not because he didn’t want to compete on the international circuit, but because he wanted to do it on his own. Not since Bode Miller formed his own “Team America” in 2007 has any American athlete competed successfully at the international level without the help and support of the U.S. Ski Team. But for the past season, both Tim and Robby Kelley—along with fellow Vermonters Andrew McNealus and Tucker Marshall—have traveled the international circuit as the homespun, self-funded,Vermont-proud “Redneck Racing” team. Scrappy and hard-working, the Rednecks turned up at the biggest ski races in Europe and North America, bringing with them more than a touch of underdog defiance and a healthy dose of fun. They competed against members of national teams that traveled with an entourage of coaches, team vehicles, ski technicians and trainers.

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Instead of sporting the U.S. Ski Team suits, the Redneck Racing team had sponsor Podiumwear make them speed suits designed to look like flannel shirts and denim overalls or hunter’s camouflage. Instead of staying at luxury digs, the Vermonters crammed into a single hotel room, sharing beds, and sometimes found floor space, in other racers’ rooms. “We’d always rent the cheapest cars we could,” Robby recalls. “So last year at the Kranjska Gora (Slovenia) World Cup I was driving around a little convertible in the winter because that was the cheapest car they had. I felt pretty cool rolling up to the race with the top down.” Instead of having specialized training programs and fancy gyms, they rode bikes (Tim is a champion cyclocross racer). To test his sprints, Robby will play a game of throwing a football, and then race forward to catch it himself. (The caption for a video of this on the Redneck Racing Facebook page reads “Robby playing football with his friends.”) For training, the Rednecks raced and coached each other at the tiny Cochran ski hill in Richmond and at the Mt. Mansfield Ski Club in Stowe. For energy, they downed packets of the Slopeside Syrup the family produces from a sugarbush just off the slopes where Robby and Tim grew up skiing. To pay for their race entries and travel, the Rednecks raised money every which way they could: They launched an online fundraising campaign and they signed on equipment and other sponsors. Robby, who studied art and graphic design, made T-shirts, one of which featured a skiing bear.They sold like hotcakes.

SKI RACING’S UNLIKELY ROYALTY

Though they grew up skiing on a tiny Vermont ski hill with just 350 feet of vertical and three surface lifts, Robby and Tim Kelley come from one of the strongest racing lineages in the United States, and perhaps the world. Their mom is the former Olympic ski racer and national champion Lindy Cochran Kelley. Her

Robby Kelley shows the form that earned him a win at Australia’s national championships this past fall and put the racing world on notice.

For both Kelleys, the 2014-15 Redneck season was a success. Tim, at 29 the elder statesmen of the current crop of Cochran progeny, notched two North American Cup slalom wins and finished in the top ten in three others. The NorAms, or “continental cups,” are qualifiers for the World Cup. Tim’s finishes earned him a spot in the biggest show of the season, the World Championships at Vail, last February. There, he stormed into 23rd in the slalom, the second fastest American in the race, just two positions behind Ted Ligety. He finished out the season with a third in the national championships in Maine.Those results secured Tim a starting position in this season’s World Cup races and got him back on the national team. For his part, Robby won six major FIS races and was top five in nine others, including three NorAms. But even though Robby’s 2014-15 results were excellent, they failed by a thin margin to qualify him for the team. The U.S. Ski Team coaching staff wanted Robby anyway. “Though he didn’t make the criteria for the B or the C team, Robby was nominated to the C team on coaches’ discretion,” head men’s coach Sasha Rearick said this fall. “Robby and (U.S. men’s Europa Cup team coach) Ian Lochhead wanted to work together. Ian really wanted Robby in the group; he has a lot of respect for him.” The admiration was mutual. Still, Robby said “no.” “It was really difficult,” Robby said solemnly in a recent interview. “I really like Ian and I have a lot of friends on the team.” He paused, then added: “But I wanted my own program where I can focus solely on myself.”

Photo courtesy Podiumwear

MAKING IT AS A REDNECK

two sisters—Barbara Ann and Marilyn—and her brother, Bob, were all Olympic skiers and champions in their own right. All three of Lindy’s children (Tim, Jessica and Robby) have made the U.S. Ski Team at least once. In all, 10 Cochran family members (see “The Cochran Dynasty” on the following page), spanning two generations, have competed for the U.S. Ski Team. As a junior skier, though, Robby failed to make the U.S. Ski Team so he enrolled at the University of Vermont (UVM) where his brother Tim was also in school. There, his results on the college circuit earned Robby another look from the U.S team coaches. They offered him a national team spot for the 2011-12 season. Robby didn’t disappoint: he won both the U.S. National and North American Cup titles in giant slalom. That was followed in 2012-13 with top World Cup finishes, 26th in the giant slalom in Schladming, Austria, and 28th in the famed Adelboden giant slalom in Switzerland. Robby was on an upward roll and enjoying every minute. Then came setbacks. Robby wasn’t selected for the 2014 Sochi Olympic squad and, subsequently, was cut from the national team altogether. By that time,Tim had lost his U.S. Ski Team spot but was winning for UVM— he was NCAA slalom champion in 2011—and winning FIS races (the elite international-level races). By 2014, both brothers were off the team but skiing well and injury-free, and looking to return to the highest world stage: the World Cup circuit. “I definitely feel like I have another level or more,” Robby said at the time. Tim and Robby were already traveling together off and on, sharing expenses and experiences and often teaming up to train with their Vermont buddies, Andrew McNealus and Tucker Marshall. Working together more officially was a logical next step. “We’re all from Vermont,” Robby said, “and we’re all trying to make it to the top.” The Redneck Racing Team was hatched in the spring of 2014.

“What’s a Redneck?” the website www.redneck-racing.com asks, and then answers: “Anyone who defies the odds of society and is lacking a general compliance with those who say you are done.” When Bode Miller went off on his own to form “Team America” in 2007, it was an acrimonious split with the U.S.Team, something that had been brewing for several years. His defection, his second “American” team on the World Cup, and his poaching of U.S. coaches, deeply irked U.S. Ski Association executives. Even harder for them to take was that Miller would go on to win the overall World Cup in 2008. But that was followed by an unsuccessful injury-plagued season and he subsequently returned to the U.S. team. This October, Miller, 38, announced he would not be racing. Robby and Bode have some similarities: the two racers are both exceptionally talented skiers, and unconventional, creative people—“strong-minded,” is how Rearick described Robby recently. But Robby’s decision to turn down the national team came with no acrimony, and his case is clearly different. Bode left a fully funded slot on the A team where he was a star with wide name recognition and top-ten world rankings; Robby is ranked 52nd in the world and 6th in the United States in slalom and his C team offer came with a price tag. While the U.S. Ski Team helps defray the more than $100,000 it costs for a team member’s training, travel and coaching (among other things), those who are on the B, C and D teams have to fork up at least $20,000 of that from their own pockets. For Robby, that was just too steep. Robby’s choice raises perennial questions about U.S. funding for team athletes and whether the sport’s governing body, the United States Ski and Snowboard Association, has structured the best program to produce world champions. When I reached out to the U.S. Ski Team about Robby’s decision, both Rearick and USSA CEO Tiger Shaw got on the phone. “We wish Robby had accepted, obviously,” said Shaw, himself a former Olympian whose extended family still owns Shaw’s General Store in Stowe. “He’s a great guy and a terrific athlete. The coaches wanted him.” Rearick said his coaching staff encouraged Robby to consider the obvious upsides of joining the U.S.

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THE COCHRAN DYNASTY Politics has its Clintons and Bushes and Kennedys. In the world of ski racing, no family has dominated like Vermont’s three generations of Cochrans.

1ST GENERATION Gordon T. “Mickey” Cochran (1924–1998) Virginia Davis “Ginny” Cochran (1928–2005) The patriarchs of the Cochran ski racing dynasty, Mickey and Ginny set up Cochran’s Ski Area in their Richmond backyard along the Winooski River in 1961. Mickey was the alpine director of the U.S. Ski Team during the 1973-74 ski season and coach of the University of Vermont Ski Team throughout the 1970s. He led the UVM team to its longest regular-season undefeated streak in NCAA history. 2ND & 3Rd GENERATIONS All four of Mickey and Ginny Cochran’s children, and six of their grandchildren, have skied for or currently ski on the U.S. Ski Team. Marilyn Cochran Brown was the 1969 World Cup giant slalom champion, the 1970 World Championship bronze medalist in the combined and a member of the 1972 US Olympic and 1974 World Championship teams (and a three-time U.S. national champion). Her son Roger Brown won the NCAA slalom championships in 2002 and was a U.S. Ski Team member from 2004-06. Her other son, Douglas Brown, raced for St. Lawrence and now helps make syrup from the more than 20,000 trees on the Cochran property.

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Barbara Ann Cochran was on the U.S. Ski Team from 1967 to 1974. During that time she won the slalom gold at the 1972 Olympics in Sapporo, Japan, and slalom silver at the 1970 World Championships. She was also the U.S. slalom and giant slalom champion. Her son, Ryan Cochran-Siegle, is a current member of the U.S. Ski Team and defending champion of the Nor-Am Overall Title. He was a five-time junior national champion and gold medalist in downhill and combined at the World Alpine Junior Championships in 2012. His sister Caitlin Brown also coached ski racing. Lindy Cochran Kelley skied on the U.S. Ski Team from 1970-78. She won both the U.S. national slalom and giant slalom titles and was a NCAA AllAmerican while at the University of Vermont. Her oldest son, Tim Kelley, is a former NCAA slalom champion and is currently on the U.S. Ski Team. Lindy’s daughter, Jessica Kelley, skied with the U.S. Ski Team from 2001-10. She has been a three-time NorAm champion and was the giant slalom silver medalist at the 2002 World Junior Championships. The youngest, Robby Kelley, was on the U.S. Ski Team from 2011-14. In 2012,

he was the U.S. National Champion in giant slalom and North American Cup Champion in giant slalom. In 2015, he had six international slalom wins. Robert “Bob” Cochran was the first American to ever take the gold in the legendary Hahnenkamm combined event in Kitzbuhel, Austria. That same year, 1973, he became the first American man to win a World Cup giant slalom. Bob Cochran was also a two-time

U.S. national champion in slalom, giant slalom, and downhill. His son Jimmy Cochran was on the U.S. Ski Team from 2005-09 and on the U.S. Olympic Team in 2006 and 2010. He raced in three World Championships (2005, 2007, and 2009) and is a four-time U.S. national champion. Daughter Amy raced for the University of Vermont and other son, Tom, left ski racing to pursue a career as an emergency room physician.

True Vermonters: when they are not training Robby (front), Tim (at the wheel), Andrew and Tucker help out at the Cochran sugarbush just

Photo courtsey Tucker Marshall

off the family’s Richmond ski slopes.

team—the coaching, the logistical support, the training facilities, the equipment technicians and more. Even with the pay-to-join fee, most athletes would never think of turning down an offer from the U.S. team; it’s every ski racer’s singular objective. And, if it comes with a bill, well, you scratch together the money from family, sponsors and friends and you do it. When decision time came, Robby conferred with coaches, mentors, family and friends. He knew the pros of being with the team. He added up the cons of going it alone. In addition to the coaching, off-slope training, physical therapy, ski and equipment preparation and behind-the-scenes support, he’d miss intangible psychic and emotional benefits of working shoulder to shoulder with the best skiers in America. With Tim and cousin Ryan Cochran-Siegle moving onto the U.S. squad, the choice to go it alone was even more difficult. “It made sense for them. Ryan is coming off an injury and Tim has World Cup starts all season,” Robby said. For Robby, it came down to money and the desire to design his own season and train independently and with the two remaining Rednecks. “I’m going to be getting more runs in, I’m going to be able to listen and respond to my own body,” he said. He would be able to rest and heal when he needed to, without worrying he might lose standing with the coaching staff. “I will be able to have total control over my race and training program, and I will be able to focus on slalom,” rather than following the national team’s training and racing script.

ROBBY’S O.P.

When asked about Robby’s decision, his long-time friend and Mt. Mansfield Ski Club coach Scott Moriarty replied: “Expected. Robby is and always has been O.P. (on his ‘own program’). He’s always been committed to his own ideas and he has always followed through on his own ideas.” Since he was a teenager, Robby has had a reserved, soft-spoken manner about him, Moriarty says. And an inner intensity: He took all his sports very seriously. He’d fight for the wins, and take losses hard. “Robby and Timmy are kids with roots who are humble and engaging,” said Lori Furrer, the director of the Mt. Mansfield Winter Academy where both Kelleys were students. “They never made a fuss or complained about how hard anything was—they put their heads down and got it done.” Robby has set a goal of raising a little less than $20,000 to cover all his expenses for the 2015-16 season. He’ll train with Mt. Mansfield Ski Club (MMSC) and at Cochran’s—perhaps getting occasional coaching from his aunt, Olympic gold medalist Barbara Ann Cochran, and the mind-boggling web of other champion family members, such as cousin Jimmy Cochran. So far, the independent thing is working. “I’m able to work with different groups and I had a lot of help throughout the summer and fall,” Robby reported in late October. “I had two weeks in France with the Mt. Mansfield Ski Club, a month in Australia with Mt. Hotham Racing Squad and am currently in Pitzal, Austria with Race Center Benni Raich, which was set

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The decision to charge some athletes is a matter of trying to include as many as possible on the team, Shaw explained. The teams now comprise a record 200 athletes, combined. The prevailing wisdom is that maximizing that number—exposing more athletes to top training and competition—increases America’s chances of producing champions. The alternative would be to cut team ranks and extend funding to every member, or to raise more money, which is what Shaw is doing. The other question Shaw and USSA higher-ups hear constantly:Why does the USSA charge while most of the top European teams don’t? As a rule, top European teams spend more per athlete than the Americans and don’t require athletes to share in the costs, Shaw concedes.That has a lot to do with the fact that in Europe, to varying degrees, ski teams get government funding. The Americans get none. The USSA raises all its funds from corporate and private sponsors and donors, and derives income from an endowment. Out of the USSA’s operating budget of about $32 million, $20.8 million is spent on athletes.The money is used for everything from running competitions to building and sustaining the teams (snowboard, Nordic and alpine), Shaw says.

up by Aldo Radamus.” (Radamus, the director of Ski and Snowboard Club Vail, is Redneck Andrew McNealus’s uncle. Thanks to that connection they not only lined up training in Austria, but in Vail as well.) “So I’ve had a ton of help to make this possible. But I don’t have any coach of my own.” Having a top athlete decide to go it alone got Tiger Shaw’s attention, as the question of athlete funding is a chief concern. Shaw said he can justify charging U.S. Ski Team members but he’d rather not have to. “What people don’t understand is the overall financial picture, the cost of creating the infrastructure of what makes a team. We are actively working on a new campaign to bridge the funding gap,” Shaw said, in the hopes that in the future athletes like Robby may not have to cover so much of the cost—or any of it.

46 Holiday 2015 vtskiandride.com

Visit vtskiandride.com to get updates and video footage of the Redneck Racers. To follow Robby Kelley or to help with his season, visit www.robbykelley.com or follow Redneck Racing on Facebook. n

Photo by Susie Theis

THE INDY RACER

Individualism like Robby’s is key to ski racing success, and a good coach strikes the right balance between the needs and objectives of the individual and those of the team, Rearick said. Many of the stars on the tour, including Americans Lindsey Vonn, Mikaela Shiffrin, Ted Ligety and Julia Mancuso, have earned the space to operate more independently while remaining key members of the team. Some get their own coaching and training regimens, among other things. They can pick and choose their rest days and races without fear of slipping in the coaches’ eyes. The successes that result from that independence are why Robby Kelley’s choice resonates. But Rearick is emphatic: skiers need the right coaching to reach their peaks. “The coach’s role,” he said pointedly, “is to guide athletes to places they can’t get to alone.” Robby, however, is reaching peaks on his own. This summer he competed in the Australian national championships (foreigners can enter national championships anywhere) and won. Tim was sixth. Ten days later Robby scored the best slalom finish of his life, winning an Australian/New Zealand Cup race ahead of a handful of guys who regularly score well on the World Cup. Robby’s objective for this season, which began in late October, is to compete in races that are automatic qualifiers for the World Cup. It’s pretty much what he would be doing as a member of the national team. Instead, he’ll be the Redneck Vermonter in the race. And proud of it. n

Made in

To make holiday shopping easy, we’ve hand-picked a few of our favorite things. Each item is from a Vermont company known for its quality craftsmanship and unique attention to detail. There’s a present here for everyone. Even you.

LAKE CHAMPLAIN CHOCOLATES

Unwrap the flavors of Vermont! Make your holidays merry with this Tower of Treasures. Loaded with milk chocolate and dark chocolate coins, our signature Chocolates of Vermont are made with pure maple syrup, butter, fresh cream and honey, and dark chocolate nonpareils. Made to be shared and guaranteed to delight! www.LakeChamplainChocolates.com | 800-465-5909

MAPLE LANDMARK NAMETRAINS

Maple Landmark in Middlebury crafts a wide variety of wooden toys, games and gifts. Items for all ages, from rattles to family games. Customize a NameTrain for a special someone. www.maplelandmark.com

DARN TOUGH SOCKS

Coveted by skiers and riders for its true seamless construction and streamlined fit, Darn Tough’s ultra-light, all-mountain socks come in a variety of cool patterns and colors that men, women and kids will love. Nothing feels better than merino wool when the mercury drops. Still made in Vermont. Guaranteed for life. www.darntough.com

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RAINTREE’S 802 BRACELET

Conceived, created and handmade in Vermont by Michael and Shannon of Raintree Jewelry in Vergennes. The 802 Bracelet is made with springhardened sterling silver wire and a hook-style clasp. Available in sterling silver for $120 or with eight 14k yellow or rose gold beads for $480 www.802bracelet.com | www.raintreevt.com

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Vermont Holiday Gifts

URSA MAJOR STELLAR SHAVE KIT

Ursa Major’s new Stellar Shave Set includes everything your guy wants for an out-of-this-world shave. Not included? All the toxins found in most shaving products. See this and other great skin-care products for men at www.ursamajorvt.com.

FERRO SNOWFLAKE PENDANT

Ferro Jewelers of Stowe and Woodstock has created custom-made replicas of jewelry in the Vermont Ski and Snowboard Museum’s collection. The first piece in this series is a highly detailed snowflake pendant with crossed skis and a pole, all hand cast in gold and embellished with diamonds. www.ferrojewelers.com

DANFORTH PEWTER’S ONION OIL LAMP

MAD RIVER ROCKET SLEDS

Each of our lustrous Onion Oil Lamps is handmade and signed and bears Vermont’s Danforth lion touchmark. Using the finest lead-free pewter and fitted with a fine quality burner and stiletto globe, the Onion Oil Lamp makes an exquisite gift and comes in a gift box. $215. www.danforthpewter.com

Mad River Rocket, the fully controllable sled for backcountry powder runs or backyard jumps and tricks. Made from 100% recycled plastic. Strap into on one of these Vermont sleds this season! www.madriverrocket.com

vtskiandride.com Holiday 2015 49

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RETRO VT BY GREG MORRILL

THE ACCIDENT THAT STARTED IT ALL Long before there were ski lifts on Mt. Mansfield, backcountry skiers discovered the hard way that a ski patrol might be a good idea.

Photos courtesy Stowe Mountain Resort (top) and Rick Hamlin/ Vermont Ski Museum

ost of us hope our interactions with the ski patrols are limited to the times when we’re asked to lower the bar on the chairlift or are scolded for ducking onto a closed trail. But what if you crashed and were injured in the backcountry? It was just such an accident that helped get the nation’s first ski patrol started. It all began on the backwoods hiketo-ski trails of Stowe’s Mt. Mansfield more than 80 years ago. The story begins with Roland Palmedo, who grew up in Montclair, New Jersey. He graduated from high school in 1912 and spent a year touring and learning to ski in Europe. When he returned, he entered Williams College and joined their ski team. In those days ski competitions were primarily cross country and jumping. Slalom hadn’t been invented and downhill racing was limited (the first organized downhill race in the U.S. wouldn’t happen until 1932). Even after he began a career on Wall Street working for various firms, including Lehman Brothers, Palmedo remained infatuated with downhill skiing. There were no lifts at the time so he and his friends kept exploring, looking further and further north of NewYork City to find adequate skiing terrain. In 1931, he founded the Amateur Ski Club of New York with the goals of promoting skiing and locating good skiing terrain. In February 1932, Palmedo’s search brought him to Stowe to check out Mt. Mansfield. His host was Craig Burt whose son,

Craig Burt Jr., acted as the ski guide for Palmedo. Palmedo was impressed with the terrain: the Toll Road looked suitable for less skilled skiers and the logging trails offered a challenge for more advanced skiers. Palmedo returned to New York and reported what he had found. From that time on New York Ski Club members became Stowe regulars. While skiing in the Alps, Palmedo had been impressed with the Swiss Army Ski Rescue Unit that looked out for skiers’ safety. So when the Mt. Mansfield Ski Club was incorporated on January 16, 1934, Palmedo made sure it included a committee responsible for the safety of its members. This was the start of the Mount Mansfield Ski Patrol, the oldest, still-operating ski patrol in the United States. Another member of the Amateur Ski Club of New York was a New York insurance broker named Charles Minot Dole, “Minnie” to his friends. Over New Year’s 1936, Dole, his friend Franklin Edson and their wives came to Stowe to ski. January 2nd was a drizzly day, but the two couples started up Toll Road anyway. As soon as they started to ski down, Dole fell and broke his ankle. While there was a Mt. Mansfield Ski Patrol, it did not include organized patrol activities to spot accidents. There were usually some volunteers around who, if notified, would help an injured party. The two

A cabin at the top of Stowe where Mt. Mansfield Ski Patrol continues an 80-year heritage of rescuing skiers.

It was hours before the women returned with two volunteers and a piece of corrugated tin roofing that could be used as a toboggan. It was after dark before they got down to where he could be transported to the hospital. vtskiandride.com Holiday 2015 51

RETRO VT

(above) broke his ankle on the Toll Road there were no tobaggons or regular patrollers. He and Roland Palmedo (bottom right) worked to establish the first ski patrol.

wives set off to find some help. It was hours before the women returned with a couple of volunteers and a piece of corrugated tin roofing to be used as a toboggan. The roofing was not long enough to support all of Dole’s body so they used it to support the leg and ankle while Minnie dragged his butt in the snow. It was after dark before they got down to where he could be transported to the hospital. Minnie Dole would be laid up for 15 weeks recovering from the break. During that time his friend Franklin Edson entered the Quadrangle Downhill Race held on the Ghost and Shadow trails near Pittsfield, Massachusetts. Edson went off the course and hit a tree suffering a broken arm, fractured ribs, and a punctured lung. Well-meaning volunteers helped him off the mountain and to the hospital, but Edson would die the following evening from his injuries. He was 28 years old. These two incidents would drive Minnie Dole’s interest in improving safety for skiers both in terms of better response time to an injured skier and also better quality care for the injured. For the next two years he would study the types of accidents skiers were having and the injury types. His efforts resulted in the comprehensive “Report of the Committee on Ski Safety of the Amateur Ski Club of New York.” In March of 1938 Stowe hosted the National Downhill and

VISIT THE VERMONT SKI MUSEUM: The Vermont Ski & Snowboard Museum’s exhibit on The National Ski Patrol opened on November 14 in Stowe village. There, you can find out about National Appointment #4 and why his contribution to Stowe skiing is still in use every day of the ski season. Or, learn what a patroller carries in his or her pack and how the patrol communicated before there were radios or cell phones. The Museum store is also a terrific place for holiday shopping. It carries beautiful sterling silver replicas of the Museum’s historic charms and ski pins (reproduced by Stowe’s Ferro Jewelers) as well as the classic Moriarty hats, posters, books, old magazines and retro art. For hours , more info or or to shop online, visit www.vtssm.com

52 Holiday 2015 vtskiandride.com

Retro VT columnist Greg Morrill is the author of Retro-Ski, a Nostalgic Look Back at Skiing and writes for The Stowe Reporter. Follow his blog at retro-skiing.com.

Photos courtesy Rick Hamlin/ Vermont Ski Museum

In 1936 when Minnie Dole

Slalom races. The Mt. Mansfield Ski Club asked Minnie Dole to coordinate the safety efforts for the races along with the Mt. Mansfield Ski Patrol, the Burlington Ski Patrol, and the Pittsfield Ski Patrol. This “super patrol” developed a system of stations with toboggans and scheduled volunteers. President of the National Ski Association Roger Langley was so impressed with the system that he asked Dole to become chairman of a National Ski Patrol Committee. Dole said “sure” and according to Dole they sealed the deal with a glass of Vat 69. Minnie Dole officially started the National Ski Patrol in 1938 naming Roger Langley as National Appointment #1, Palmedo as #2, and Dole himself as #3. Despite being #3, Dole would become the head of the National Ski Patrol, a post he would hold until 1950. The Vermont Ski and Snowboard Museum’s current exhibit, “Service and Safety, the National Ski Patrol,” celebrates the rich history of the National Ski Patrol and its ties to Vermont. There can be no better place for this celebration to take place than at a museum that lies in the shadow of Mount Mansfield, where the National Ski Patrol began. n

VTSki&Ride-winter15-3.67x4.51.pdf 1 11/5/2015 2:33:56 PM

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COACH BY BUD KEANE

Keene helped Olympic

5 WAYS TO DEAL WITH FEAR

stars Gus Kenworthy (left) and Shaun White (below) manage fear.

Fear can be a good thing: getting you prepped to do something you never thought you could. Or it can be a paralyzer. Here’s how to use it to your advantage.

Photos courtesy USSA

ou are standing at the top of the gnarliest run that you’ve ever thought of attempting. It could be your first blue square or a double black diamond, or a woods line that you have aspired to. Maybe a virgin voyage in the halfpipe or a trip off a bigger jump. Perhaps it’s your first try at a new trick— whatever. What matters is that it represents a big step up for you. And you’re scared. You’ve never been here before. You think often about pushing yourself. But now that it’s right in front of your face you’re not so sure. It seemed like a good idea while après-ing with friends yesterday by a warm fire, and then again this morning while driving to the mountain fueled by a strong cup of coffee. But now that you’re actually face-toface with the challenge the questions creep in: “Is this what I really want?” “Do I absolutely have to do this”? “Am I really ready?” Right now you have two choices: To follow through with your plan, or to bail. And you know exactly where each road leads. It’s a choice between glory (or some measure of it), and guaranteed safety. The lion inside you wants to roar and just dive in, but the chicken within you isn’t so sure. You stand there for far too long and grow cold, looking on helplessly as your confidence drains, blown away by the icy wind. Finally, you scuttle off with your tail between your legs toward a run you’ve done a thousand times, which you predictably rip, but that doesn’t make you feel any better. In fact, it makes you feel worse. It didn’t have to be like this. Overcoming fear is a skill like any other, and one that can be improved upon. It is the most obvious ability that distinguishes us from our sports heroes. But contrary to what we might think, it doesn’t come naturally to them either. By looking at the way great athletes digest and deal with fear we can acquire new tools; tricks that will allow us to step outside of our self-imposed boundaries and to do so with a margin for safety and self-confidence.

Do Shaun White and Gus Kenworthy get scared? As their coach, I’ve spent countless hours working with them to try new tricks and you bet they do. Though two of the greatest actionsports athletes of all time, their enjoyment of sport comes in part from taking that next step—pushing themselves. True, they are typically jumping from 11 to 12 on the volume knob, and you are probably looking to nudge things up from about a two to a three. But the relative magnitude of the step is exactly the same, and they feel the same fear as you and I do. Shaun and Gus, and pros in general, have a list of tricks that allow them to overcome their fear and to take the next step. Here are five of the most common: 1. GET PREPARED Like you, these guys don’t dream that they can do something far above their level and then just go for it the next day. That’s a good way to get hurt. Instead, they work themselves into a position where that next thing is just about ready to happen. For example, before Shaun did his first 1080 he probably did three hundred 900s. Through practice he reached a point where he became bored with 900s, and found himself stopping the trick at 900 degrees of rotation instead of letting it go on to 1080. Then, when the conditions were perfect, he took the 900 to a 1080—another half rotation. Prepare yourself for any challenge by practicing all of the skills you’ll need to succeed. Then, when you’re standing at the top getting ready to drop-in, take stock of everything you have done to get ready for this moment. This will remind you that you really are ready for this. 2. CHOOSE THE PERFECT SITUATION Is the best time to try something new and challenging when you’re alone, it’s cloudy, 30 below zero, icy, and 3:30 pm? Or would it be smarter to push yourself when temps are mild, it’s sunny out

vtskiandride.com Holiday 2015 55

COACH with great visibility, you’re looking at a perfect slope or feature and you’re with friends you like and who support you? The answer should be pretty obvious. For years, Gus Kenworthy has worked on his skiing, learning more and more difficult tricks along the way. Now he certainly knows when to pull the trigger on something new, and when not to. We were together at a camp out West a couple of years ago where we had a private 80-foot jump, a sled to give Gus lots of laps and perfect weather. Gus knew he had that perfect situation and he took advantage of it, learning four new tricks that had been on his mind for a while. Three of those were firsts in the world of freeskiing, and he used two of them to win the 2014 Olympic silver medal in Sochi.

4. GET THE FIRST TRY OUT OF THE WAY Often when trying something new both experts and amateurs will falter on the first try. The difference? Typically the first words out of the pro’s mouth will be “OK, glad I got that one out of the way.” What pros mean is that they have now come face-to-face with the challenge and understand it far more than they did before. They may have failed on the first try, but the mystery—and a lot of the fear associated with it—has been removed. They now know exactly what to do. The second time they usually nail it. COACHING COACHES

5 Phrases That Help

“You’ve got this.” “Trust yourself.” “You’ve visualized it, now do it.” ‘Take a few deep breaths and relax, then go when you’re feeling it.” “You’ve done all of the preparation and you know you’re ready, now believe in yourself.”

4 Things You Should Never Say “I do this all the time, it’s no big deal.” “Stop being a p#$$Y and just do it!” “What are you waiting for, just go!” “Come on, you can do this!”**

**Though even experienced coaches say “You can do this,” it is a phrase that I avoid for a simple reason: It implies that you “can” do this, not that you will. I don’t like those odds, and I don’t want to put the idea that things “might” work out into the head of whomever I am trying to help. I want to be more positive, and certain, of their success.

56 Holiday 2015 vtskiandride.com

Do Shaun White and Gus Kenworthy get scared? As their coach, I’ve spent countless hours working with them to try new new tricks and you bet they do. 5. HAVE A MOTIVATING SONG During the period of my life when I was doing first ascents and steep first descents on my snowboard, I had a song that played in my head (no iPhone or earbuds back then) and that got me through the most challenging moments. It was the Allman Brothers’ “You Can’t Take It With You.” In it Greg Allman wailed over and over “You can’t take it with you when you go!” A fatalistic message, yes, but one that cleared my eyes and mind and made me think to myself, “OK, Bud, this is it. Freeze up and fail and you’ll get hurt or die. Loosen up and focus, and you succeed!” It worked every time. It doesn’t have to be a fall-or-die situation for this to work. It is well accepted that music has the ability to relax us and enhance performance. Stack the deck in your favor. Find your own song that elicits the same attitude and response, and then press “play.” I want to make one thing very clear: Control your fears, don’t try to eliminate them. Though unchecked fear can be paralyzing, you should always have a healthy respect for the challenge. Fear has the positive effect of putting you on edge. Being on edge makes sure that you are awake and sharp, just like you want to be. Trust me, it’s not only ok to be scared, it’s a good thing.

“Coach” columnist Bud Keene was named National Coach of the Year, the highest coaching award in Olympic sports, in 2006. He has coached Olympic snowboarders ShaunWhite and LouieVito, freeskier Gus Kenworthy, extreme snowboarder Jake Blauvelt and dozens of other stars. He lives just north of Stowe with his wife Alex and hosts coaching camps around the world. To learn more about Keene, see our Fall 2015 feature, “Bud Keene Will PushYou To Greatness” at vtskiandride.com.

Photos courtesy U.SSA

3. EMBRACE THE BUTTERFLIES To most people, the queasy feeling that they get in their gut before dropping into something new is interpreted as a bad thing. That couldn’t be further from the truth! Here’s the reality, and what I tell my athletes: The butterflies are adrenaline pouring into your system that prepares you for what you are about to do. Adrenaline is a powerful natural stimulant that, once released into your system makes you stronger, quicker and more capable.Your body is making sure that you have the best chance for success. The next time that you are challenging yourself and feel those familiar butterflies, embrace them. Say to yourself; “Yeah, I’ve got my butterflies, and I’m ready!” Trust me, if you step up to a challenge and don’t have butterflies, something’s wrong.

HOW TO HOLD ON “FIRM SNOW”

A former Olympic coach, Stratton Mountain School’s Mike Morin shows how to hold on hardpack and ski ice like a racer. BY LISA DENSMORE BALLARD

Putting your skis on angle lets the edges grip and cut into the slope.

better the edge grip. “You need to be willing to let your skis get out from under hen the ski report hiccups “loose granular,” conditions are likely to get icy, especially on early season weekends. For many of us, you with your weight concentrated on the outside ski,” says Morin. “If you keep your feet under your body, your skis will be too flat, and they’ll slide.” that’s a time to head to the lodge. But for ski racers, a hard slick 3. Create angles with your body. As your skis move surface is something they look forward to. While the rest of side-to-side, your torso should remain upright. Rather than us skid and scrape, they carve turns like the surface was butStratton ice master Mike Morin. leaning into the hill, create an angle at the hip. “In powder, ter. How do they do it? inclination [leaning into the hill] can work,” explains Morin, Mike Morin spent 10 years as head technical coach of the “But on hard stuff, you need to separate your upper and U.S. SkiTeam helping Olympians win on race courses purposely lower body as a turn progresses. That not only forces weight injected with water to make them as firm as possible. Now, as onto the outside ski, but also allows the ski to roll much alpine director of Stratton Mountain School, one of the premier higher on edge.” ski racing academies in Vermont, he teaches athletes of all levels 4. Engage the tips early in the turn. After your ski’s how to carve turns on firm conditions. He offers these seven tips tip bites, the rest of follows aggressively on edge around the to help skiers get a better grip: arc. If you slam all of your weight into the middle of your skis 1. Tune your skis. Most ski racers have their skis proat once, your skis will chatter. fessionally tuned before every race. Recreational skiers may 5. Let it flow. A common mistake is staying in a turn wait a month to sharpen their edges. If you want to hold like too long, especially if you start to skid. “Don’t hang on for a racer, you need to tune your skis like one: visit a local ski your life,” says Morin. “Move from one turn to the next. And shop to have your edges honed professionally. For reference, if you do skid, don’t worry. Just get a better grip the next turn.” most elite skiers have at least a 3 degree side bevel on their skis, the angle that lets 6. Aim for tiny traces of snow. The spray from other skiers tends to acthe edge of the ski cut into the surface like a knife. World Cup racers may have 7 cumulate along the sides of trails, just before a roll and on the tops of moguls. degree side bevels. 2. Ski with lots of edge angle. Now that you have that beveled edge, The middle of trails, the downhill side of a knoll and places where skiers commake it work.Think of using a knife to cut cheese.You wouldn’t use the flat part, monly stop, such as trail merges, tend to get scratched off quickly. 7. Don’t get psyched out. “You need to be ready,” says Morin, “An icy right? You’d use the vertical serrated edge. Same thing with skis: Edge angle patch can surprise you. Be ready for it, rather than reacting defensively.”n refers to the amount you tilt your skis in a turn. The higher the edge angle, the

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vtskiandride.com Holiday 2015 57

THE GREEN MOUNTAIN CALENDAR NOVEMBER 11/21 Cambridge Rotary Ski Swap Twenty percent of proceeds benefit Cambridge Elementary School’s Winter Wellness Days at Smugglers’ Notch. Equipment drop-off: Friday, Nov. 20 at the Cambridge Elementary School, 6 to 8 p.m. Sale hours: Saturday, Nov. 21 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday, Nov. 22, 10 a.m. to noon, at the Cambridge Elementary School. 11/27 Snowlight in Vermont at Stratton Stratton hosts a tree-lighting fundraiser for the Stratton Foundation in the resort’s base area. www.stratton.com 11/28 Torchlight Parade at Mount Snow Mount Snow hosts its first torchlight parade of the season, followed by fireworks. www.mountsnow.com

12/20 Santa Sunday at Bolton Valley Dress as Santa and ski or ride for free. www.boltonvalley.com 12/20 World Snowboard Day, various resorts. Okemo and Stratton celebrate World Snowboard day with clinics, contests and giveaways in the terrain parks. www.okemo.com; www.stratton.com 12/20 Start Fun, Start Free at Bromley. The Bromley Ski & Snowboard School holds clinics in the Terrain Based Learning Zone for free. Package includes a Learning Zone lift ticket, equipment and instruction. Also held 3/13. www.bromley.com 12/26 Sugarbush’s Tour De Moon Take a guided skin or snowshoe to the Glen House at Mt. Ellen for some hearty food and drink, followed by a moonlit ski down the mountain. www.sugarbush.com

11/28 Stratton Form and Flow Yoga Stratton hosts a free yoga workshop with Paula Pelkey in the Black Bear Lodge, 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. www.stratton.com

12/26 Torchlight Parade and Fireworks at Okemo Okemo hosts a torchlight parade followed by fireworks. www.okemo.com

DECEMBER

12/27-31 Sugarbush Twilight Snowshoe Tour Snowshoers ride the last chair on Sugarbush’s Gate House Quad for an evening snowshoe and a chance to see wildlife. www.sugarbush.com

12/4 Killington Vermont Holiday Festival The Killington Grand Hotel hosts a family holiday party. Proceeds benefit the Vermont Foodbank. www.killington.com 12/5-6 Waitsfield/Warren 17th Annual Country Christmas Open House The towns of Waitsfield and Warren host festive holiday shopping at participating businesses and open art studios. www.sugarbush.com 12/5 BrewFest at Smugglers Notch Smugglers’ popular BrewFest has local and regional beers for sampling, music, food, and prizes. www.smuggs.com 12/6 Okemo Cares & Shares Food Drive Day Get a coupon for a $39 lift ticket when you donate at least five non-perishable food items, a new child’s toy or new clothing item. www.okemo.com 12/11 Jay Peak Presents: The John Kadlecik Band The Foeger Ballroom hosts The John Kadlecik Band. www.jaypeakresort.com 12/12 Okemo Full Moon Hike Okemo hosts a guided full moon hike to the summit of Jackson Gore for a nighttime perspective. www.okemo.com 12/12 Sugarbash at Sugarbush Sugarbush hosts an ’80s prom party at the Gate House Lodge. www.sugarbush.com 12/14-19 Valley Ski & Ride Week at Sugarbush A 50-year tradition continues at Sugarbush with five half days of ski or ride lessons with top coaches, a breakfast and après-ski party for $315. www.sugarbush.com 12/17 Festival of Lights Celebration at Sugarbush. Timbers Restaurant hosts a holiday celebration with the Mad River Valley Chamber of Commerce. www.sugarbush.com 12/19 Stowe’s Spruce Peak Skating Rink Grand Opening & Artisan Craft Show Stowe’s Spruce Peak unveils the new skating rink in the Spruce Plaza, along with a tree lighting ceremony and the third annual Artisan Craft Show. www.stowe.com 12/19 Fifth Annual Mount Snow Film Fest The Sundance Base Lodge hosts ski and snowboard films along with footage from last year. www.mountsnow.com

58 Holiday 2015 vtskiandride.com

12/26-27 Bromley’s Sun Mountain Sessions Snowboard Camp Snowboard instructors Tim Benasich and Andrew Maness hold a two-day snowboarding clinic for all levels of snowboarders with contests and giveaways. www.bromley.com 12/28-31 Sugarbush Holiday Race Camps Over the holiday week, Sugarbush Ski & Ride School hosts a week-long racing clinic for skiers ages 7-12. www.sugarbush.com

JANUARY

1/2 Mad River Glen Women’s Only Alpine Ski Clinics MRG holds a day of clinics by and for women. www.madriverglen.com 1/8 The World’s Largest Ski and Snowboard Lesson Vermont resorts collaborate in an attempt to set a world record for the largest group ski lesson. All skiers and riders are encouraged to attend. To date, participating resorts include: Bromley, Okemo, Jay Peak, Smugglers’ Notch, Bolton Valley, Pico, Mad River Glen, Stratton and Mount Snow. Check for updates. www.learntoskiandsnowboard.com 1/10 Winter Trails Day at Bolton Valley Bolton Valley offers introductory lessons in snowshoeing and cross-country skiing. www.boltonvalley.com 1/16 Okemo Let It Glow Laser Light Show & Fireworks Spectacular. Okemo hosts a laser show with digital graphics in front of The Sitting Bull. Fireworks serve as a grand finale. www.okemo.com 1/23 Stowe Saturday Night Lights Uphill Event The Gondolier trail will be lit for evening skinning while skiers and split boarders earn their turns. www.stowe.com

WATCH

Get your stoke and make a movie date The Big Kicker, American Flatbread at Lareau Farm, Warren, Vt. 11/21; Warren Miller Presents: Chasing Shadows 11/28 Killington Resort; 12/2-3 Town Hall Theater, Middlebury; 12/4 Flynn Center, Burlington; 12/27 Okemo’s Jackson Gore Inn.

1/26 Vermont Specialty Food Day at Mad River Glen Ski Vermont and Vermont Specialty Foods team up to offer samples. Vermont food producers include Cabot Cheese, Vermont Maple Syrup, Northeast Kingdom Mustard, Cold Hollow Cider and others. www.madriverglen.com 1/29-31 Sugarbush Women’s Discovery Camp. Sugarbush offers a fun and inspiring multi-day ski and ride camp with instruction, demos, video analysis, equipment discussion and more. www.sugarbush.com 1/30 Okemo’s 60th Birthday. Celebrate with Okemo in the Clock Tower Base Lodge. Sing “Happy Birthday” and enjoy a piece of birthday cake. www.okemo.com

2/13 Stratton Fireworks and Torchlight Parade Stratton Resort holds a fireworks display and a torchlight parade at the main base area. www.stratton.com 2/13 Bromley February Festival Bromley hosts an annual celebration benefitting the Bromley Outing Club with fireworks, torchlight parade, silent auction and live music. www.bromley.com 2/17 Mount Snow Torchlight Parade Mount Snow ski and snowboard school instructors and ski patrol descend Canyon in a torchlight parade, followed by fireworks. www.mountsnow.com

1/30 Mad River Glen Co-Op’s 20th Anniversary Grand Soiree MRG celebrates 20 years of co-op ownership with a party. www.madriverglen.com.

2/20-21 Harris Hill Ski Jump Ski jumpers from around the world head to Brattleboro to compete on southern Vermont’s historic ski jump. www.harrishillskijump.com

1/30-31 Wounded Heroes Weekend at Bromley. The Bart Center hosts the tenth annual Wounded Military Heroes weekend, giving service veterans an opportunity to experience skiing or snowboarding. www.bartcenter.com

2/21 Kare’s 31st annual Tele Fest at Bromley Renowned tele skier Kåre Andersen hosts an annual telemark festival with races and clinics. www.bromley.com

1/31 Bromley Ski for Heat Bromley hosts a fundraiser to help local neighbors in need of heating assistance. www.skiforheat.org

2/26-27 EISA Championships at the Middlebury College Snow Bowl The Middlebury College Snow Bowl hosts the Eastern Intercollegiate Ski Association’s championships on the classic Allen and Ross courses. Nordic races will be held a mile down the road at the Rikert Nordic Center in Ripton. www.eisaskiing.blogspot.com

FEBRUARY

2/6 Stowe Saturday Night Lights Uphill Event The Gondolier trail will be lit for evening skinning. www.stowe.com 2/12 Mount Snow Cloud Nine Nuptials Mount Snow offers the opportunity to renew vows or get married at the top of Cloud Nine. www.mountsnow.com 2/13 Okemo Fireworks and Torchlight Parade Okemo holds a fireworks display and a torchlight parade at the main base area. www.okemo.com

LEARN

Ongoing clinics, lessons and tours (some listings require prior registration and additional fees) Bolton Valley/Catamount Trail Association Backcountry Days The Catamount Trail Association holds a series of clinics for alpine touring and telemark skiing in the Bolton Valley backcountry. Dates: 2/1, 2/8, 2/15, 2/22 www. boltonvalley.com Mad River Glen Women’s Only Telemark Clinics, MRG holds a day of clinics by and for women. Dates: 1/9, 2/13 www.madriverglen.com NATO Telemark Workshops: Bromley and Mad River Glen Telemark clinics for all levels of skiers. Dates: Bromley, 12/19-20, 1/23-24; Mad River Glen, 1/2-3; 2/6-7. www.telemarknato.com Stratton Women on Snow Camps A multi-day women’s ski camp coached by guest coaches. Dates: 12/11-13; 1/24-26; 2/5-7 www.stratton.com Stratton Girls’ Time Out Specialty Series Stratton invites women riders to a Sunday morning group lesson focused on specific skills. Dates: 12/11-13, 1/10, 1/24, 1/29-31, 2/7. www.stratton.com Sugarbush Kids Cooking Classes Sugarbush hosts evening cooking classes designed for kids ages six to twelve. Dates: 12/30, 1/1, 1/16, 2/6, 2/20. www.sugarbush.com Sugarbush Fresh Tracks Film Camps Fresh Tracks Film Camp at Sugarbush offers teenage skiers and riders the opportunity to take their passion for filmmaking onto the mountain. Dates: 1/23-24, 2/6. www.sugarbush.com

One Main Street Stowe, Vermont www.vtssm.com

Museum & Gift Shop: Open from 12-5 every day but Tuesday

Sugarbush Essential Elements – Breakthrough Sugarbush Ski & Ride School hosts a four-week series of clinics designed to take the novice or intermediate skier and rider to the next level. Dates: 1/9, 1/16, 1/23, 1/30. www.sugarbush.com Sugarbush Essential Elements – Ski Mountaineers Sugarbush offers an introduction to alpine touring skills and equipment on black diamond terrain. Dates: 2/6, 2/13, 2/20, 2/27. www.sugarbush.com

vtskiandride.com Holiday 2015 59

THE GREEN MOUNTAIN CALENDAR COMPETE 11/21 Stowe Parks: First Trick Rail Jam, The First Trick Rail Jam opens the Stowe Parks season on Lower North Slope. Competition open to skiers and riders. www.stowe.com 11/22 Killington Loaded Turkey Rail Jam Killington serves up a rail jam with frozen turkeys and Thanksgiving dinner fixings for the top three finishers. www.killington.com 12/5 Rails 2 Riches at Killington The East’s most lucrative rail jam, Rails 2 Riches, officially kicks off the shred season for pro and amateur skiers and riders from across the US. www.killington.com 12/2 Killington Dos Equis Ski Bum Race Series Local teams of skiers and riders race in pursuit of ski bum glory and points every Wednesday. www.killington.com 12/19 Jingle Jam at Killington A holiday rail jam to benefit the Boys & Girls Club of Rutland County. Bring one unopened present and receive half off the registration fee. www.killington.com 12/19 Okemo Mountain Dew Vertical Challenge Okemo kicks off an annual eastern race series with a free ski race on Okemo’s Bull Run open to all ages and abilities. www.okemo.com 12/28; 1/18; 2/15 Mount Snow Grommet Jams Mount Snow hosts the first of three amateur rail jams of the season for skiers and riders 12 and under. www.mountsnow.com 1/2; 1/17/2/14 Stratton USASA Rail Jam and Slopestyle Series Stratton hosts three weekends of rail and slopestyle competitions in the Suntanner park. www.stratton.com 1/5 Stowe Ski Bum Race Series at Stowe Stowe’s recreational races starts and continue every Tuesday. www.stowe.com 1/9 Okemo Grommet Throwdown Okemo designs a park specifically for skiers and riders 13 and under. Clinics in the morning, followed by a competition in the afternoon. www.okemo.com 1/16 Killington Mini Shred Madness A rail jam for skiers and riders ages 13 and younger. www.killington.com 1/18 Mad River Glen Family Tournament. Mad River Glen’s most popular race includes a competition between generations to find the overall family winner. www.madriverglen.com 1/23 Junior Unconventional Terrain Comp at Mad River Glen An all-terrain competition for skiers 14 and younger, top finishers will qualify for the Triple Crown Unconventional Challenge as well as all the Ski the East Freeride Tour events. www.madriverglen.com 1/29-31 NASTAR Eastern Championships at Okemo The Eastern Championships provide recreational racers a chance to qualify for the Nature Valley NASTAR National Championships at Snowmass, Co. www.okemo.com 1/30 35th Annual Craftsbury Marathon. Ski either 25k or 50k on some of the most scenic ski terrain in New England with up to 1,000 competitors of all ages. www.craftsbury.com

60 Holiday 2015 vtskiandride.com

DEMO NEW GEAR

Try new skis, boards and other equipment for free at these demo days. Visit resort websites for more information: 12/12 Okemo December Demo; 12/15 Killington Test Fest; 12/19 Jay Peak: Powe Snowboard Demo; 12/12 Stowe Mountainfest Demo Day; 1/16 Mad River Glen RAMP Sports Demo Day; 1/24 Bolton Valley Rocky Mountain Underground Demo Day; 1/26 Mad River Glen RAMP Sports Demo Day; 2/7 Bolton Valley Uphill Demo. 2/6 Killington’s Neffland Space Jam A rail jam for skiers and riders in the Neffland terrain park. www.killington.com 2/6-7 Stowe Parks Freeride Challenge The UVM Freeskiing Team hosts a competition down Lift Line. www.stowe.com 2/20 Winter Wild Uphill Race at Okemo Skiers and riders race up to the summit of Okemo and then down to the finish line at the base. www.okemo.com 2/20 Triple Crown Unconventional Terrain Competition at Mad River Glen MRG hosts the first leg of the Triple Crown Competition Series. The first stop of the Ski the East Freeride Tour sends skiers under the single chair on the Lift Line trail. www.madriverglen.com 2/22 Triple Crown Vertical Challenge at Mad River Glen The second leg of the Triple Crown Competition Series sees how many vertical feet competitors can ski in a day. www.madriverglen.com 2/27 Slash and Berm Banked Challenge at Killington Killington hosts a banked slalom snowboard race in The Stash on Bear Mountain. www.killington.com 2/28 71st Stowe Derby Over 900 competitors race from the top of the Toll Road to the village of Stowe. Separate start for skate skiers and fat bikes. www.stowederby.com 2/28 Mountain Dew Vertical Challenge at Bolton Valley Bolton Valley hosts the popular eastern race series. A free, fun race open to all ages and abilities. www.boltonvalley.com

GOT AN EDGE? BASIC TUNING ONLY $34.95 Includes stone ground tuning on our state-ofthe-art Wintersteiger Mercury, with ceramic disc edge finish and hot wax. Overnight Service • Affordable Leases • Daily Rentals Main Street, Richmond Open 8 to 6 Daily 434-6327 or 863-FAST www.skiexpressvt.com

DRINK

VERMONT

The Green Mountain State is home to some of the world’s best breweries, wineries, cideries and distilleries. Many of them use the finest Vermont products including local apples, grapes and pure Vermont maple syrup to create their unique libations. For more information on each location check out www.vtskiandride.com.

Steve Parkes and Christine McKeever, owners of Drop-In Brewing and the American Brewers Guild pride themselves on educating brewers and creating worldly beers with Vermont character. In a small but fun atmosphere tasting-room customers can try our 7 beers on tap and take home any of three different sized growlers.

46 Log Yard Drive, Hardwick, VT (802) 472-8000 www.caledoniaspirits.com Caledonia Spirits is a craft distillery in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont. Raw honey distinguishes our Barr Hill vodka, Barr Hill gin, and Tom Cat barrel aged gin by imparting a pure and soft botanical essence into each bottle. All of our spirits reflect our deep connection to the land and Vermont’s agricultural heritage.

Open daily 12-5 for free tours and tastings at the distillery.

3597 VT-74, Shoreham, VT 802-897-2777 www.champlainorchards.com 4373 VT Route 12 Berlin, VT 802-233-1151 freshtracksfarm.com Sample estate-grown wines from our sustainable winery, just outside the capital city of Montpelier. sponsored content

WhistlePig showcases the tremendous flavor potential of rye while maintaining a smooth and balanced profile, identifying it with the most acclaimed whiskeys in the world.

We offer guided tastings of our locally-made hard cider including our Original Hard Cider, Mac & Maple, Limited Edition Ginger Spice as well as our Pruner’s Pride and Honeycrisp Ice Cider. All our ciders are made on site with our ecologically grown apples. 100% of our electricity is generated from our solar orchards. 2015 Winner of Vermont Cider Classic.

Open daily 9-5. July-Nov. Please call ahead.

Warren, VT 802-272-8436 www.lawsonsfinest.com Lawson’s Finest is a small artisanal brewery located in Warren, VT, producing an array of hopforward ales, specialty maple beers, and unique creations of the highest quality and freshness. Find our beer at lawsonsfinest.com.

5 Bartlett Bay Rd South Burlington, VT 802-658-BREW MagicHat.Net Where ancient alchemy meets modern-day science to create the best tasting beer on the planet. Come watch our spores dance and play! Visit the Artifactory for FREE samples, FREE tours and the most unusual shopping experience!

VERMONT BEER, WINE, CIDER + SPIRITS

610 US Route 7, Middlebury, VT 802-989-7414 www.dropinbrewing.com

52 Seymour Street Middlebury, VT 802-897-7700 whistlepigwhiskey.com

316 Pine Street, Suite 114 Burlington, VT 802-497-1987 www.citizencider.com We are cider makers who love to take fresh local apples and ferment them into delicious, refreshing, dynamic, clean and fulfilling cider! We use 100% locally sourced apples and cider for 100% of our products, 100% of the time. Never made from concentrate, ever! Our goal is bold, yet simple: Make cider for the people, by the people. Visit us on Pine Street in Burlington for tastings and a great meal.

VERMONT BEER, WINE, CIDER + SPIRITS

716 Pine Street, Burlington, VT 802-497-0054 www.zerogravitybeer.com Zero Gravity Craft Brewery recently opened a 30-barrel brew house, full canning line, tasting room, retail shop and a sun-drenched beer garden on Pine Street in Burlington, in addition to the original location in American Flatbread Burlington Hearth. Beers brewed for food are our main focus; German and Czech-style lagers and a variety of Belgian styles are usually well represented. Our TLA IPA is a crowd favorite as is our medieval style Gruit ale, released twice a year on the summer and winter solstices.

353 Coburn Hill Road Newport, VT 802-334-7096 kingdombrewingvt.com This working farm is the northernmost brewery in Vermont. It has a greenhouse for food production, a Black Angus beef heard for spent grain and trub recycling, a geothermal cooling system and wood-fired hot water... we are Vermont Green.

East Fairfield, VT 802-782-5999 www.elmbrookfarm.com Premium Sipping Vodka and Barrel Aged Maple Spirits made from 100% pure Vermont maple. Our products are entirely fermented, distilled and bottled by hand on our Vermont farm!

RAIL DOG

3 Artisans Way, Windsor, VT 802-674-4220 www.silodistillery.com SILO Distillery, located in Windsor, Vermont, is a sustainable craft distillery that distills all of their small batch spirits completely in-house from local grains and ingredients. They offer tours, free tastings, a full bar for craft cocktails, retail and free local music 3 times a month. www.silodistillery.com

150 Main Street, Newport, VT 802-334-1808 www.edenicecider.com Founded in 2007 on an abandoned farm in the Northeast Kingdom, Eden produces high quality ice ciders, aperitif ciders and naturally sparkling hard ciders from heirloom and true cider variety apples grown at our own and 5 other local orchards. Slow Food Snail of Approval, Good Food Award Gold Seal, Great Lakes International Cider Competition Best in Show 2015.

Did you miss the

LAST CALL? 632 Laporte Road, Route 100 Morrisville, VT 802-888-9400 www.rockartbrewery.com Enjoy samples of our beers during your visit and have a growler filled to take home to enjoy later. We have the best selection of our bottled beers. You’ll also find great Rock Art swag, Vermont foods and wonderful items from local artisans.

622 Keyser Hill, St. Johnsbury, VT 802-745-9486 www.duncsmill.com At Dunc’s Mill, we know that true craft spirits take time, care and effort. That’s why we try to do everything the right way. We have one goal: to create from scratch the highest quality spirits that can be produced. We do every step of the process by hand, and it’s all done in house. Find our rums at over 50 locations around Vermont, or call and arrange a time to come visit.

Call us today. 802-388-4944

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1333 Luce Hill Rd. Stowe, VT 802-253-0900 www.vontrappbrewing.com

4445 Main St, Isle La Motte, VT 802-928-3091

von Trapp Brewing is dedicated to brewing the highest quality Austrian-inspired lagers with a Vermont twist. Experience “a little of Austria, a lot of Vermont,” in every glass.

We make the most distinctive Hard Cider, Ice Cider and Apple Wine in the world. Enjoy them around your meals or as wedding favors & toasts or sitting on your front porch watching a sunset.

www.hallhomeplace.com

Prohibition Pig 23 South Main Street • Waterbury • VT 802-244-4120 www.prohibitionpig.com Two restaurants, one location. Business in the front. Party in the back.

Brewery opens at 11:30 a.m. everyday for lunch + supper.

Mix it up this holiday season Drink recipes for winter festivities

Serving specialty mixed-drinks at a party is easy to do. Hosts can create a signature flavor to go along with the theme of the event. This way only one selection of ingredients is needed, rather than assembling spirits for a multitude of different recipes.

201 Vt Route 112 Jacksonville, VT 802-368-2226

Here are two of our favorite drink recipes for holiday parties:

A new artisan craft brewery in the heart of the 05342. We have 3 revolving brews on tap to taste along with selling Growlers and Crowlers. We also have Honora Winery wines and tastings available.

Vermont Eggnog Ingredients 4 cups milk

2 1/2 cups rum

5 whole cloves

4 cups light cream

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

12 egg yolks

Cinnamon sticks

1 cup maple syrup Combine milk, cloves, 1/2 teaspoons vanilla, and cinnamon in a saucepan, and simmer 5 minutes. Slowly bring milk mixture to a boil. In a large bowl, combine egg yolks and syrup. Whisk hot milk mixture slowly into the eggs. Pour mixture into saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly for 3 minutes, or until thick. Do not allow mixture to boil. Strain to remove cloves and let cool for about an hour. Stir in rum, cream, 2 teaspoon vanilla, and nutmeg. Refrigerate overnight before serving. Garnish with cinnamon stick. sponsored content

Mulled Wine

Open Wednesday -Sunday 11-7.

Ingredients 1 (750 ml) bottle red wine

8 whole cloves

1 orange, sliced

2 star anise

1/4 cup brandy (optional) 1/4 cup honey

2 cinnamon sticks Orange twist or licorice bark

Combine all ingredients in a nonaluminum saucepan, and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, and let simmer for at least 15 minutes. Strain, and serve warm. Add a twist of orange or stem of licorice bark to spice it up.

DRINK

VERMONT

www.vtskiandride.com/drink-vermont

276 Main Street, Jeffersonville, VT Barrel House Tasting Room 2657 Waterbury Stowe Rd. Waterbury Center, VT 802-309-3077 www.smugglersnotchdistillery.com Drawing on the alchemy of a father/son dream, Smugglers’ Notch Distillery creates Vermont inspired, small batch, and remarkably distinctive vodka, bourbon-barrel aged rum, hopped gin, 802 Blend gin, bourbon and wheat whiskey.

Open daily for tastings at both locations 11 to 5.

VERMONT BEER, WINE, CIDER + SPIRITS

he holiday season is a festive time, full of lavish parties or more intimate gatherings at home where food and drink are important components of the celebration. Many people toast with a glass of champagne, but those who would like to buck tradition can raise a glass of any cocktail.

The Chairlift Q+A BY LISA LYNN

WILD CHRIS KRATT

Wildlife TV show host Chris Kratt talks about his “creature adventures” at home in Vermont.

Kratt monkeys around with a snow monkey he met while skiing and filming in Japan.

What chairlift are we on right now?

Right now I mainly ski Stowe, so it would probably be the Forerunner Quad. However, Jay Peak and Burke are where a lot of things started for me. I grew up in New Jersey, but my parents were part of a ski club so we would go up to northern Vermont each winter and ski those two mountains. They eventually bought 200 acres in the Northeast Kingdom.We lived in a pop-up trailer and tents all summer long, getting our water from a well and picking wild raspberries.

You’ve been nominated for three Emmys, Gwen Stefani came to your L.A. show, and The New York Times once called you “more popular than Springsteen in New Jersey.” What’s your secret?

We’ve always seen animals as fellow creatures, not just scientific objects. We like to learn about them the same way you’d get to know a friend.

What’s the craziest wild encounter you’ve had? We’ve been fortunate to film a pride of

lions that regularly hunts elephants, to go cave diving with great white sharks and help orphan orangutans learn to live in the wild in Indonesia. We’ve filmed pods of wild spotted dolphins that not only wanted to play, they came up to us and wanted to copy our moves: if we did a spin, they would spin too! And one time I was scratching a manatee and she took my hand in her flippers and moved it to another part of her belly—so I just kept scratching and she leaned right into it. She loved it! What wildlife adventures do you have here in Vermont?

I’m a jack of all trades: I ski, ride and telemark. Now that Aidan is 13 and rides and Nolan, 6, is learning to ski, I’m getting more time on the mountain.

I once was hiking in Stowe and came upon a bobcat and two cubs. Mink are water-loving weasels that I see pretty regularly on our pond and even watched one swim under the ice, catch a frog and then eat it. You can also strap on a pair of skis and occasionally see moose if you know where to look.

How did you go from growing up in Vermont to hosting a kids’ wildlife show?

Where would I be likely to see a moose in the winter?

Do you ski or ride?

We’d spend all summer in the woods, finding porcupines and bumping into moose. It was the start of our creature adventures. I studied biology and knew that I wanted a career that had something to do with animals and science. I realized that there were lots of great wildlife documentaries, but nothing specifically for kids. So my brother Martin and I went to Costa Rica and made videos we thought were fun. We sent the tapes out and got a lot of rejections. One producer told us it was too “frivolous.” I laughed: if you’re a kid, “frivolous” is great. You’ve made Kratt’s Creatures, Zoboomafoo and now Wild Kratts. What else?

Right now the focus is on Wild Kratts. The series explores natural history and science through the lens of the incredible “creature powers” that animals possess. It’s been so popular that we’re extending the learning and fun through other media such as companion apps, books and toys. We hope to release a movie too!

64 Holiday 2015 vtskiandride.com

During the winter their diet shifts to twigs and bark. So tree stands of poplar, birch, maple and willow are good places to look. In fact, the word “moose’”comes from the Algonquin language, meaning “twig eater.” How does conservation fit into what you do?

Early on, a little girl named Katie sent us $3.17 from her lemonade stand and asked us to please use this money to help animals. So we started a not-for-profit and asked our audience—kids—which animals they wanted to help. Grizzly bears came out on top so we did a Zoo tour sponsored by the Gap Foundation and Old Navy and raised over a million dollars to protect critical habitat for grizzlies and other animals. Working with The Nature Conservancy we established Grizzly Gulch, a wildlife refuge on the eastern edge of the Rockies. n

Photo courtesy Chris Kratt

ou never know who you’ll meet on a Vermont chairlift—it could be a Wild Kratt. Chris Kratt (along with his brother Martin) writes, directs and stars in PBS’ “Wild Kratts,” one of the three highest-rated shows on TV for kids 11 and under.This past year, the Kratts have been touring the country doing live shows for sell-out crowds of 3,000 to 5,000. In between touring and filming wildlife, Chris and his wife Tania Armstrong Kratt (the designer behind Stowe’s Plate restaurant) and their sons spend time at their home near Stowe.

Come visit Vermont’s 3rd oldest ski area and learn why the Snow Bowl is beloved to all who know it!

$35

www.middleburysnowbowl.com

Weekday ticket (Season passes discounted through November)

$100

Lease packages for ages 10 and under. See more rates online.

ailable at ates av 43-7669 c fi i t r e C Gif t 802-4

500+

acres of trails, glades & woods with a border-to-border all-access terrain policy. New this year is a designated uphill route!

amily-friendly atmosphere includes FREE access to our Sunkid Wonder Carpet, a cozy lodge with wireless internet and great food. On-site ski shop open 7 days a week starting Nov. 2 with lease packages, rentals, retail and full tuning. Middlebury Snow School has over 40 instructors who offer all levels of coaching in skiing, snowboarding and telemarking. Ask about the Middlebury Ski Club activities for kids, they’re phenomenal!

140

Days of nordic skiing with the help of our state-of-the-art snow making system in each of the past two years.

Ski Middlebury Terrific skiing • Unbeatable value • Authentic Vermont

Middlebury was ranked amoung the Best 12 towns in the nation to live in by Outside Magazine in 2015!

Gift certificates for pa s s es lessons and more, 802-443-2744

ikert Nordic Center is located on VT Route 125 just down the road from the Snow Bowl. The 5km snowmaking system allows for a jump on early season skiing on a certified FIS trail. Season passes and multi-day passes available. On-site rental shop with xc skis, fat bikes, snow shoes, sit skis and more! Open 7 days a week from Nov.-March. Great rates, terrific value, tons of fun!

www.rikertnordic.com

vtskiandride.com September 2015 00

Winter in Vermont... at your pace.

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for information on events, activities and restaurants, visit sugarbush.com.