Ski & Ride, February 2015

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EASY TIPS TO SKIING

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Preview: next year’s

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OUR 50 SWEETEST

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Vermont Ski & Ride Magazine, February/March

From Mount Snow’s Snowdance to Sugarbush’s Spring Fling to Jay Peak’s Vermonter, we introduce you to 50 of the sweetest groomers in the state.

10-11 Tough Events

Here are 10 ways to test your skiing ability and stamina with some of the state’s toughtest events in February and March.

12-13 Pounder Hounds

Lisa Densmore, a former US ski team member, provides 5 easy tips to master the art of

Cover Photo: Aidan Casner of Montpelier gets air while skiing the woods off the single chair at Mad River Glen during a recent storm that dumped three feet of snow in a week.

Photo by Jeb Wallace-Brodeur

skiing powder — whether you’re out West or right here in snowy Vermont! The first rule — be first!

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Editor/Publisher, Angelo Lynn angelo@vtskiandride.com

14-15 Guided trips

If you’re looking for more ways to enjoy the winter, consider a guided trip. From dogsledding to ice climbing, night snowshoeing to unique adventures at the state’s ski resorts, there are dozens of ways to explore winter in Vermont.

20-21 Hottest new skis

From powder to off-piste to park, we test drove dozens of next year’s skis and give you the inside tips on more than 20 skis — from brand favorites to obscure up-andcomers — you’ll want to know about.

Advertising Sales Christy Lynn

Assistant Editor Evan Johnson

Contributing writers Polly Lynn, Biddle Duke Graphic Artist/Production Stephanie Manning, Sue Leggett, Jennifer Sabourin, Brian King For news tips or to advertise call 802-388-4944 or email: info@vtskiandride.com Advertising & Editorial Office: Vermont Ski & Ride Magazine 58 Maple Street, Middlebury, Vt. 05753 802-388-4944 (also offices of the Addison Independent)

Vermont Ski & Ride Magazine is owned and operated by Addison Press Inc., a Vermont company locally owned since 1946. Vermont Ski and Ride Magazine is published monthly November through March.

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Vermont Ski & Ride Magazine, February/March

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Photo by: Ryan Denning ryandenning.com

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Publisher’s Desk

********** Powder has become this year’s mantra. How to ski it; how to love it; how to smile when you’re knee-deep in it.

To that end, and for anyone who struggles when the snow is over your shins, former U.S. ski team member Lisa Densmore provides five easy tips that will make skiing through deep powder a joy. Her tips are on pages 12-13 — hands forward, weight balanced, shoulders facing down the

Review: The Fall Line is a riveting account of world’s top ski racers

By Biddle Duke

A prediction: At some point reading “The Fall Line” you’re going to surrender to Nathaniel Vinton’s deep affection for the world’s top ski racers, the big World Cup races, the Alps and the Rockies — that sparkling, snowy world of tradition and mind-blowing athleticism.

Vinton delivers his account of America’s rise to the top of the World Cup of ski racing in the newswriter’s style of his day job at the Daily News, where he covers scandal and deceit in big American sports, mostly baseball.

“The Fall Line” is exhaustively well-reported and colorfully told — little gems of gathered information, from Lindsey Vonn’s start-house routine to a visit to Tina Maze’s tiny Slovenian hometown, speckled here and there into the larger narrative about America’s rise in that European circuit.

Through it all, you hear Vinton’s heart beating, pounding actually. He loves ski-racing people, its places, the blinding magic of that elite snowy world. And, with that, you swim easily with his story as if carried on a current.

The book focuses on the years between

2003 and the Vancouver Winter Olympics, dipping deeply into the history of many of the sport’s top athletes, most penetratingly into Lindsey Vonn, Julia Mancuso and Bode Miller: their rise as juniors, their feuds and rivalries, their injuries, their sometimes uneasy relationships and what drives their ambition to win. The author also assesses the current state of the sport and its greatest challenges: terrible accidents and the retreat of snow due to climate change.

READY FOR THE WORLDS “The Fall Line” could not be more timely.

It sets the stage for Bode Miller’s comeback from injury — perhaps his grand finale — at the World Championships in Beaver Creek, and for Vonn’s run at the Worlds after terrible injury that kept her out all last season.

Though Vonn has not been at the top of the podium in the first week of the worlds and Miller was badly injured in the downhill, they

Vermont Ski & Ride Magazine, February/March

nonetheless headline a powerful American team that includes the next-generation phenom, Mikaela Shiffrin, and giant slalom world champion Ted Ligety, among many others.

The examination of Mancuso and Vonn, born the same year, 1984, and ascending to the team at the same time, reveals how two completely different personalities and approaches nonetheless can result in champions.

Mancuso is the easy-going Western powderhound who’s close to her teammates, surfs in Hawaii in the off-season, and is driven by an ambition to be better and cooler than her sister, April.

Vonn is the methodical Midwesterner, raised on ice, who plots and works tirelessly and whose ambition is fueled by a sense of debt to her family for their sacrifices that

He loves ski-racing people, its places, the blinding magic of that elite snowy world.

And, with that, you swim easily with his story as if carried on a current.

enabled her skiing life.

Interspersed throughout the book are passages about lesser-known athletes, who fought just as hard and wanted it just as much, but were thwarted by injury, just enough fear, or just an inexplicable lack of added athletic success to get into the top 30 in the world.

In his search for the breaking point between great skiers and World Cup winners, Vinton spends a few pages on Jeremy Transue, one of many Green Mountain Valley School graduates covered in the book. He was on and off the U.S. Ski Team for several years, struggling with injury and bad luck. In his off periods, he tuned skis in Stowe, at Edgewise. The Stowe Reporter chronicled his struggles in a series of articles through the winter of 2006-07.

“Worm,” as Transue is known to his pals, was a top 2001 prospect. But his top performances on the World Cup were just not fast enough, and Vinton surmises Transue was haunted by his teammate TJ Lanning’s terrible career-ending crash in the downhill at Lake Louise.

CONSTANT RISK (See Book Review, Page 7) Pa g e 5

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There’s a photo on Page 19 I’d like you to check out. It’s in the center of the photo spread.

Go on, flip to it. It’s just 14 pages away; takes a couple seconds, then come back and we’ll carry on.

No, really, do it.

Well… been there?

Compelling, don’t you think? Makes you want to be with her, reveling in the joy she must have found; that unabashed pleasure in something so mind-blowing you’ll want to experience it over and over again — daily in your dreams, weekly at the very least. Gorgeous, too, in the sheer delight of the moment. Being present, because why be anywhere else?

If you saw the photo, you’d know we’re talking about skiing and riding deep powder. If you didn’t, check it out now. It’s about having fun in deep snow, which Vermont has had in abundance since the first week of February when it dumped three feet of the fluffiest champagne powder this state has seen in ages.

But just what puts a smile that big and genuine on her face?

Powder hounds know.

It’s face shots when skiing waist-deep stashes. Soft bumps. Softer landings. Fluid turns that seem effortless. Letting it rip down the fall line and knowing you can pull it out whenever you want. Floating with speed.

Think back on the powder days you remember most vividly.

I have several. Unmatched days while cat-skiing at Chatter Creek in northeast British Columbia, once doing figure 8s with my daughters for 2,000 vertical feet on a high alpine glacier; or doing quick jump turns down steep runs as the snow sloughs past; or making big carving turns in virgin snow until your quads ache but it’s too much fun to stop. Or last year taking Sugarbush Resort’s Lincoln Limo for early runs after a big storm that gave a dozen of us runs to remember in the untracked terrain on Lincoln Peak and down Slide Brook.

Or once, in my early 20s as a ski bum in Steamboat, when I bounced through the trees in Shadows, sinking over my head and out again, in what I can truly say was my first “aha” moment of skiing powder. I floated. I bounced ever-so-gently over the moguls underneath and got a rhythm that kept the fall line straight-ahead with my speed in check and my knees doing all the work. I had it going on. I finally knew what it felt like and what I was supposed to be doing every day, deep powder or not. I’ve been practicing ever since.

fall line, skis shoulder-width apart, and plant your poles (or at least go through the motion just in case the snow is too deep for the pole to hit bottom).

She provides plenty of photos to help show the correct body positions, with one feature that would be impossible to explain without visual aid — her smile that’s as wide as a full moon. That shows the sheer joy of skiing powder well.

How do you master it? Practice, although good instruction will make the learning process a lot faster. Take a lesson to reinforce good habits and eliminate the bad ones, then practice some more. Give it a few days and you’ll be hooked — ready to pile in the car at a moments notice and drive for hours to get ahead of the next big storm just to catch those first trackless runs the morning after. ********** In this issue, we also follow-up on last month’s story featuring 76 of the state’s toughest runs with a look at more than 50 of the state’s greatest groomers — those intermediate, finely groomed jewels that make skiers feel and look like rock stars. It’s called “hero snow” for a reason, and this year Vermont’s resorts have had plenty of great conditions to make some of the finest groomed trails in the country.

For starters, there’s Spring Fling at Sugarbush, Thanks Walt and Snowdance at Mount Snow, Gondolier in Stowe and Vermonter at Jay Peak. There’s Youngman and Ross at the Middlebury College Snow Bowl, or Drifter, Chilcoot and Rumrunner at Smugg’s, and the west-facing Cobrass at Bolton Valley offers spectacular sunsets over Lake Champlain. In Killington don’t miss Great Eastern and Great Northern, or Snowdon’s Bunny Buster. Stratton, Bromley and Magic sport an abundance of groomers with such names as Show Off and Mystery at Magic, Stratton’s Sunriser Supertrail or Bromley’s Route 100. Okemo Mountain Resort is known for its superb grooming and perfect intermediate pitches on runs like Jolly Green Giant or Timberline or this jewel, Sapphire.

These are the slopes that beginners aspire to, that intermediate skiers never tire of, and that advanced skiers are happy to cruise first thing in the morning and last thing when calling it a day. It’s just good skiing: fluid, rhythmic, casual, pleasurable — a word too many of us don’t often embrace in our zeal to push limits. ********** Looking for more of a challenge? We preview the 10 toughest events of the upcoming month — from the iconic Stowe Derby to Mad River Glen’s “Ski It If You Can” Triple Challenge. Sign up and have your fill. Or tackle a guided winter adventure. Whether you want to try your skills at ice-climbing or high-speed sledding, dog-sledding or skiing deep powder, there are adventures awaiting your call in any corner of the state.

If your adventures require skiing — whether it’s a powder morning or a backcountry trek — skis that perform well are key to making the experience more enjoyable. Our roving reporter and assistant editor Evan Johnson spent three days in early February at the retail demo center in Stratton testing more than 20 pairs of skis, and getting advice from pros in the field, on what’s hot in next year’s skis. See pages 20-21.

There’s more, of course, including an insightful book review of Nathan Vinton’s ode to the ski racing world, The Fall Line — a love story of ski racing, if you will, but also a riveting account of the world’s top racers and America’s rise in one of the world’s most dangerous sports.

Indulge. Enjoy. And like the recent Facebook phenomenon says, “Ski to the Level of Your Smile” — which brings me back to that photo on Page 19. She sets the bar darn high, and we’re betting she really rips on that snowboard.

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Book review: The Fall Line Injury — the gnawing, scary threat of it, the frightening sight of it — stalks ski racers from the moment they go fast. Death and debilitating injury happen in a sport where men and women slide down steep, icy slopes in skintight plastic body suits at speeds exceeding 80 mph.

Vinton documents accidents in the sport going back decades and meticulously reports what is done to make safer what is probably the most dangerous competitive sport in the world — course safety netting, padding, changes in skis and other equipment, and ultimately changes in the race tracks themselves.

The danger began in 1911 with a mass skin up Crans Montana organized by Sir Arnold Lunn. The 20 competitors bunked for the night near the summit before the mass start the next morning, signaled by a whistle from the oldest competitor in the race.

New races followed — Wengen’s Lauberhorn, Kitzbuhel’s Streif, among others — tracks that intentionally took skiers from the top of the local mountain to the bottom, often through picturesque and dangerously steep woods, logging tracks and rolling farm fields.

Safety wasn’t a concern; everyone knew it was unsafe, and if you wanted to be safe, you lost the race. But as equipment improved, speeds increased, and so did the danger.

GOING FOR BROKE “Each year they take away some of the teeth

Continued from Page 5

of these downhills,” Bode Miller says, mourn- formance art, than the number of his wins. ing the modernization of racecourses in the Despite his many victories, for example, name of safety. Miller’s is the latest of genera- his fourth-place finish in the Beaver Creek tions of racers lamenting the changes, and his downhill in 2009 (his 341st World Cup start) comments say as much about himself as the stands among his proudest moments, Vinton changes in his sport. Vinton devotes consid- reports. Why? Because the big American skier erable space analyzing Miller, was coming back from an American sensation raised injury and wasn’t sure by hippies off the grid in New he still had the touch. As Hampshire. He comes away a usual, he went all out and fan. flew awkwardly off the Who isn’t? You have to love Pumphouse Pitch, having a guy who risks everything in to make a near impossibly his sport on the most dangerathletic recovery. He was ous slopes imaginable and forced to use his most prethen complains that officious skills, and he found, cials are defanging the race elated, that he still had courses. A complex portrait them. of Miller emerges in Vinton’s Miller is openly disbook: a conflicted man who heartened when races are pushes himself and the sport won by strategic, uninperhaps more than anyone in spired skiers, racing “as if his era. they have everything to Bode Miller sprang onto lose.” “Dumbing down” of the scene in 1997 with a skiing the sport, Miller calls it.

Author, Nathan Vinton style — arms outstretched, Amen to that.

Photo credit: Jonathan Selkowitz weight back, hell bent for By about 2005 Miller leather — as mesmerizing as was all twisted up by his his brash and uncompromising personality. own success, which he both loved and hated.

He said out loud that he loathed mediocrity, In an ironic observation, Vinton writes: “By in himself and others, and prioritizes creativity the time (Miller) reached the age his parat all costs. He propped up toilet seats with ents were when they renounced materialism World Cup medals and seemed to care more and went in to the woods, Miller could have about the quality of his skiing, likened to per- looked around and seen that he’d aligned

Vermont Ski & Ride Magazine, February/March

himself with some of the most extreme manifestations of international capitalism.”

Miller has been winning on the tour for almost two decades now. The most successful American male skier in history and among the most successful in the world, his fame exceeds skiers with more wins, simply because no one skis the way he does.

There was the season opener at Solden where he introduced the stivot, a sliding turn that is effective in the steeps; and the unforgettable run in the downhill portion of the Bormio combined where he lost a ski near the top and skied most of the course on one ski. Austria’s Benni Raich won the race, but it was Miller who got the loudest applause.

“You have to listen to yourself,” he told one of his teammates before the Whistler Olympics and his sensational combined win there.

Vinton continues: “Yes, coaches’ counsel and mimicry of better racers had contributed, but what made Miller great was how inventive he was in responding to the powerful and even deadly forces he encountered in ski racing, how bravely he had committed himself to engaging those forces with his own body and his own mind.”

“The Fall Line” is a gripping ride through the sport that has defined great mountain towns for a century. Vinton’s reporting and reflection contribute to a colorful tale that continues to unfold but, as he says, is in peril as glaciers recede and winter snows creep ever higher.

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Bode Miller, in the Birds of Prey World Cup downhill 2011, exhibiting his usual all-out style, dragging a hand, arms out... reckless, but fast as hell. Photo courtesy USAA

8 A tele-skier cruises down Thanks Walt, a superb intermediate run at Mount Snow.

Photo by Dave Meeker

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50 sweetest runs

From ‘hero snow’ to spectacular scenery, groomers reign supreme

By Evan Johnson Earlier this winter we outlined some of the hardest trails in the state – 76 knee-pounding, teeth-rattling trails for those looking to challenge themselves. And that got us thinking about the wealth of other trails around the state that are just as worthy of attention.

Whether you’re a beginner looking to build up confidence for more advanced runs or an advanced skier looking to take it easy, here are 50-plus of the sweetest runs from around the state. Click in your bindings, or strap on the board and get ready to cruise.

Mount Snow: The southernmost ski resort in the state features plenty of sweet runs. Frontside favorites include the classic Snowdance, accessed by the Canyon Quad, and Ridge and South Bowl, which descend from the summit.

South Bowl has a narrow entrance from the summit, which then opens to a wider bowllike formation. When the coverage is great, this trail truly shines. For one more, check out Thanks Walt, named for founder Walter Schoenknecht, near the Sunbrook base area.

Stratton: At Stratton, look to the Sun Bowl area for sunshine and great runs. Myra Foster, Marketing Manager for Stratton, says the Sunriser Supertrail is a terrific example – it is a wide, rolling intermediate trail that gets lots of

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sun in the morning.

Bromley: On Vermont’s Sun Mountain check out Upper Throughway, which connects to the wide-open Plaza. For a solid, top-tobottom blue run, connect Upper Twister, Route 100 and Lower Twister.

Magic Mountain: At Magic Mountain, skiers and riders head to the Upper and Lower Wizard, a winding intermediate trail that rolls from top to bottom. For shorter runs, check out Show Off or Mystery.

Okemo: Home to some of the best intermediate terrain in the state, Okemo Mountain’s faces are covered in accessible and spacious trails for skiers of all levels. On the front side of Okemo Mounain Peak, try the Jolly Green Giant or show off on Timberline under the Green Ridge Triple and Sapphire, located just next door.

Killington: Killington’s extensive trail network features skiing and riding for all ability levels, including many sweet intermediate trails, some of which are so long you might need to stop and take a break before reaching the bottom. Great Eastern and Great Northern are two fun trails, with the former stretching

over 5 miles to the Skyeship Gondola base at Route 4, and the latter traversing the North side of Killington Peak and Snowdon Mountain toward Ramshead Mountain. Rime and Reason on North Ridge are the first two trails open each season at Killington and Snowdon’s Bunny Buster is a true intermediate test. Snowdon’s lift line trail Chute and Ramshead’s lift line trail Header are also fun sustained steeps with their own quirks and challenges.

Middlebury College Snow Bowl: Tucked in the very center of the state, just 25 miles from either Killington to the south or Sugarbush resort to the north, the Snow Bowl is nestled in a sweet spot in a remote section of the Long Trail. While a small ski area, it has rich racing tradition as home to the Middlebury College racing program, along with an active racing club. Two trails reign supreme: the Allen and the Ross, which are well known for giant slalom and slalom races, respectfully.

The Allen is steeper on the top half (officially a black diamond slope), but the lower half is a solid intermediate. As a giant slalom run, it’s one of the most challenging in the state for its variety, consistent pitch at the top with two dramatic rolls that launch racers into high speeds. The Ross starts off with a steep drop, but levels out to a beautiful, wide intermedi-

ate trail that makes a last dive right down a longish steep to the bottom. Both are among the more challenging intermediate trails in this grouping, but certainly count as two of the top 50 sweetest trails in the state. For less intimidating intermediate trails at the Snow Bowl, try the undulating Youngman trail off the back side and ride the triple chair back to the top.

Sugarbush: Lincoln peak’s Spring Fling is great for season-long enjoyment and is best enjoyed in the spring afternoon. Its vista down onto Sugarbush resort is stunning in late afternoon light. From the top of the mountain, take Jester’s zig-zag cruiser to midmountain (the resort’s first run is an old logging road), then cruise over to Spring Fling or Lower Snowball to Racer’s Edge. This makes a quintessential cruiser top-to-bottom for 2,400 vertical feet. Over at North Lynx lift, head for Sleeper, a gentle intermediate run through wide open glades, or for something a little steeper, hit Birch Run from the top of North Lynx. Over at Mount Ellen, you can link intermediate cruisers from top to bottom on trails like the upper and lower portions of Rim Run and Elbow and then connect with Cruiser or Which Way.

Vermont Ski & Ride Magazine, February/March

9 Mad River Glen: While known for some of the most advanced terrain, bar none, Mad River is home to some great intermediate trails that are a ton of fun for those looking for a classic Mad River experience.

Quacky from the top of the Sunnyside Chairlift is an all time Mad River favorite leading to Porcupine and a number of other exciting trails. Off the Single Chair, Antelope is the ultimate intermediate experience with two miles of challenge. Sorry – skiers only!

Groomed corduroy on Stowe’s Gondolier is one of the sweetest groomer runs in the state — and among the most recognizable.

Photo courtesy Greg Petrics

Stowe: On Stowe’s main face, take the Four runner Quad to access trails like Upper and Lower Lord or Sunrise, which enjoy great views of the surrounding area as you travel to even more intermediate terrain.

With the Mountain Tripple as your lift, you can enjoy some of Stowe’s best intermediate trails like Gulch, T-Line and North Slope. Off of the Stowe Gondola, you can enjoy trails like Perry Merrill and the classic Gondolier. While at Spruce Peak check out Sterling, a classic, topto-bottom run.

Smugglers’ Notch: Drifter, Chilcoot and Rumrunner are quintessential Smugglers’ trails and are all nice long cruisers with great views

Q Burke: In Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom, the upper mountain of Q Burke has plenty of intermediate terrain to explore. Be sure to try Upper and Lower Willoughby, as well as Upper Dipper, Big Dipper and the lower connector, Dipper Doodle. All of these trails wind up at the same mid-station lift, so you don’t have to worry about winding somewhere else if you want to try them again (which you will).

Jay Peak: The northernmost mountain in Vermont is home to scenic and fun terrain like Vermonter, which travels down the ridge from the summit with views north into Canada. Be sure not to miss Jay’s longest run, Ullr’s Dream, which stretches three miles from the top to the bottom. Then you can hop on Vermont’s only aerial tram for a six-minute ride back to the top.

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Bolton Valley: For a classic cruiser go with Cobrass. This trail is far left off of Vista Peak and features stunning views of Camel’s Hump, Lake Champlain and the Adirondacks. It’s a classic cruiser with amazing views facing west, and is particularly great for winter sunsets over Lake Champlain. The trail itself is typically groomed wall to wall from the top to the middle. Mid-way down the grooming is more focused on the center and left of the trail, leaving the right side un-groomed and slightly bumped up with some fun, small drops, which add an element of challenge for advanced skiers and riders.

- definitely runs that you don’t want to rush.

Both Drifter and Chilcoot come off the top of Madonna - enjoy the Madonna 1 lift ride up and then savor the 360-degree views at the summit. For new intermediates, Rumrunner on Sterling is a great trail to graduate to when ready to make the move to the upper mountains. To add some spice, duck into the intermediate glades Poacher’s Woods, which reconnect to Rumrunner a bit further down.

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

www.middleburysnowbowl.com Vermont Ski & Ride Magazine, February/March

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h Tougt s n e v E

By Evan Johnson

Stowe Derby

When: Feb. 22 Where: Toll Road, Stowe Mountain Resort

This legendary race is exciting for both spectators and the competitors alike.

Nordic skiers make a hair-raising descent on Stowe’s historic Toll Road and then ski on the bike path to the center of the village.

The skilled will make it down the course and to the finish line and the exceptionally skilled will complete it twice. This year, fatbikes get to be part of the action.

For more information, visit www.stowederby.com.

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Southern Vt. Freeskiing Challenge When: Feb. 28 Where: Magic Mountain Competitors tackle Black Magic, the area’s toughest trail, to crown the top skier/rider on the mountain. Skiers and riders pick their way down technical cliff bands at the top towards a steep portion at the bottom with multiple pitches. The event is part of the Ski The East Freeride Challenge.

For more information, go to www.magicmtn.com.

Castlerock Extreme Challenge When: March 7 Where: Sugarbush Resort

Sugarbush Resort hosts the third stop of the Ski The East Freeride Tour on the challenging Lift Line trail on Castlerock Peak. Competitors pick the best line for a piece of the $1,000 cash purse.

For more information, visit www.skitheeast. com.

skier. The series kicks off with the Unconventional Terrain Competition where skiers are challenged with “Ski It If You Can” steeps, cliffs, jumps, and rocks, as they plunge down the relentless Lift Line course. The grueling Vertical Challenge is the second leg of the Triple Crown, testing how much vertical competitors can rack up in one day on the demanding Chute and Lift Line trails. The Triple Crown wraps up unrelenting knee-pounding in the Mogul Challenge. If you think you have what it takes, sign up today - slots are limited.

For more information, visit www.madriverglen.com.

Mad River Glen’s Triple Crown Series

When: Unconventional Terrain Competition, Feb. 21; Vertical Challenge, March 6; Mogul Challenge, March 14 Where: Mad River Glen

The “Ski it if you can” mantra has defined the skiing at one of Vermont’s classic areas.

This three-event series is a search for the best

Mad River Glen Backcountry Challenge When: March 21 Where: Mad River Glen

In this event your only opponent is the demanding Vermont backcountry. There are no winners or losers – just those that finish.

The event is open to all types of gear as you trek along the spine of the Green Mountains on the Long Trail, gaining over 2,000 vertical

Jay Peak Snow Leopard Challenge When: March 7- 8 Where: Jay Peak Resort, Owl’s Head Resort

Jay Peak, along with Owl's Head Resort in Quebec will make up a weekend of USSMAsanctioned randonee racing. This year’s races are sanctioned as Category II, meaning the courses will have approximately 4000 vertical feet, five to ten transitions, 50 percent offpiste skiing, with a sub-three-hour finishing time. The Dynafit Snow Leopard Challenge is a two-day event at both resorts with the overall champion receiving a grand prize of $500 cash. A dollar from each entry fee will go towards The Snow Leopard Trust.

For more information, visit www.jaypeakresort.com.

Peak Races Snowshoe Vermont Open Half Marathon/ Snowboard and Marathon/100 miler When: March 7 Music Festival Where: The Aimee Farm, Pittsfield

The Aimee Farm in Pittsfield is home to some of the hardest races in the country in every season of the year. The National Snowshoe Championship in March is no different.

This winter, the weekend of snowshoe races will include distances of 6 miles, half-marathon, marathon and 100 miles on a rugged 6.5-mile loop course with a gain of 1,200 vertical feet. The 100-mile race has a 34-hour time limit – no exceptions.

For more information, visit www.peak.com.

When: March 12 – 15 Where: Stratton Mountain Resort

Stratton’s snowboarding competition designed by snowboarders for snowboarders features four days of competitions and music all over the Stratton base area with over $20,000 in prize money up for grabs. The competition is open to all snowboarders and is designed for pros and amateurs alike to compete in the same arena. Proceeds benefit the Ross Powers Foundation.

For more info, go to www.stratton.com.

A skier catches air down the challenging Chute at Mad River Glen, home of the Triple Crown Series, which runs from Feb. 21 to March 14 this year. One of the toughtest skiing events of the year, this three-event challenge crowns the best all-around skier in the area.

Photo by John Williams

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Vermont Ski & Ride Magazine, February/March

11 feet. Registration starts at 9 a.m. and the starting gun goes off at 10.

For more information, visit www.madriverglen.com.

www.carinthiaparks.com.

The COMP

Dos Equis Bear Mountain Mogul Challenge

The third annual Carinthia Open Mega Plaza, park builders will construct a one-ofa-kind plaza-style setup with rails, boxes and other features that won’t be found at any other competition statewide. Athletes compete for gear from sponsors or a piece of the cash purse. This is the third year of the event that Mount Snow expects to grow into the biggest snowboard competition on the East Coast. The plaza will be located near the base area of Carinthia, easily accessible to spectators.

For more information or to register go to

The highly-anticipated competition and on-snow party returns to Bear Mountain as 200 amateur skiers take to the bumps on the Outer Limits trail for a shot at the finals. The top 32 men and top 16 women will compete in a head-to-head competition for the mogul challenge cup. No USSA members or anyone who has been a member of USSA as a competitor in the past five years will be allowed to compete.

For more information go to www.killington. com.

When: March 21 Where: Carinthia Parks, Mount Snow

When: April 11 - 12 Where: Bear Mountain area, Killington Mountain Resort

Cyan Magenta Yellow Black Lift ticket discounts valid non-holiday only. Not valid: 2/14-2/22/15. No other discounts apply.

OF THE HOUSE AND ON THE SLOPES THIS WINTER! 1.800.523.2754 â?† smuggs.com/disclifts Vermont Ski & Ride Magazine, February/March

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Powder hounds:

5

KEYS TO SKIING POWDER

BY LISA DENSMORE BALLARD A number of years ago, John Egan, Director of Fun at Sugarbush Resort, and I paused briefly at the top of a steep slope covered with 18 inches of new snow. “Do you know the first rule of powder skiing?” he asked, with a twinkle in his eyes, “Be first!”

With that, he catapulted onto the pristine piste, hooting with pleasure. I cursed him for his brash hogging of the virgin snow, then laughed with delight as I followed him through thigh-deep drifts, our tracks crisscrossing to form perfect 8’s behind us.

John and I are both powder hounds, skiers in dogged pursuit of the crystalline champagne that falls from the sky and blankets the ski slopes. It doesn’t happen often in Vermont, but when a Nor ‘easter hits, John’s advice, to be first, is worth taking to heart.

That is, if you like skiing ungroomed snow. For many, powder is more a leg-frying exercise in frustration than weightless nirvana.

Skiing powder with aplomb takes some adjustments to your technique. Choice of terrain matters, too. Here are five tips to help you become a powder hound:

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1. Stay centered. In the old days, we used to sit back in powder to keep our tips up, but modern skis, with their wide tips, naturally stay up. They also perform better if you stay centered. If the snow is heavy, it helps to emphasize unweighting during the transition between turns rather than sitting back.

2. Choose steeper terrain. Powder causes friction against your legs which slows you down and can feel like a drag on a slope on which you normally have plenty of speed.

A steeper slope helps you maintain your momentum. Gravity does the work rather than your legs. On a powder day, trails that normally seem steep and challenging suddenly have the perfect pitch.

3. Make shorter turns. A short-radius turn is your friend on a powder day. Though big turns can also be fun, they come with a higher chance of getting off-balance. When making shorter turns, your torso should face down the hill. Be sure to use a pole plant every turn, well, pole “touch”. If you plant your pole too hard, it might sink in too far, potentially causing a fall.

4. Use a neutral (narrow) stance. Keep your feet about hip width apart, no wider or narrower. When your feet are hip-width apart, your skis form a platform in the snow which helps you feel balanced and more relaxed. If your feet are too wide, each ski becomes more independent and thus more likely to catch and spin you off your line. If your feet are glued together, you won’t be as agile and your hips will likely drift behind your feet causing severe leg burn.

5. Put weight on both skis. In Vermont, where snow conditions are often firm, we’re programmed to put most of our weight on the outside (downhill) ski to create better edge grip. What’s more, high performance turns on the groomers require pronounced angulation (the legs go side to side while the torso stays quiet and upright). In powder, it’s better to distribute your weight about 60 percent to the outside ski and 40 percent to the inside ski. Back off on the body angles, too. The most graceful powder skiers still roll their feet from side to side but with a steady finesse rather than powerful pressure.

When skiing powder, remember to keep your hands forward, pole plant and keep your weight evenly distributed and centered — and smile — as in these two pictures above.

Photos by Jack Ballard

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POWDER SKIS MAKE A DIFFERENCE!

Most skiers know the fatter your skis are, the more float they give you in powder. HowVermont Ski & Ride Magazine, February/March

13 ever, with the trend over the last decade toward increasingly wider skis, a ski’s footprint is no longer the only thing that matters. The perfect powder ski has these attributes: Waist greater than 90 mm. Many powder skis are much wider, over 110mm, but if you’re skis are at least 90 mm, you’re in the realm of fat skis.

Rocker: If the ski has at least tip rocker or pre-bending in the front of the ski (sometimes called “early rise”), it tends to ride up in the snow rather than plow it.

Length: Most powder skis are much longer (10 – 30 cm. longer) than skis designed for the groomers depending on your weight and ability level. The extra length gives you more buoyancy, and if they are rockered, they feel much shorter because the effective running surface is less than the measured length of the ski.

A former member of the U.S. Ski Team and a long-time Vermont skier, Lisa Densmore Ballard is the founder and host of the “Your Turn” women’s ski events and pro days. Her favorite days on skis are powder days! www.LisaDensmore.com.

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In this photo and the sequence below, note hand position, knees shoulder width apart, slight angulation of the hips and ankles (but not as much as skiing hardpack, and an aggressive forward stance with weight centered over the skis.

Vermont Ski & Ride Magazine, February/March

In this photo, Lisa is in a textbook position with her hands forward, shoulders square to the fall line, reach ing down the hill for a pole plant with her knees shoulder-width apart. And remember, in deep snow, the steeps are your friend.

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14

Guided Winter

Adventures

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From extreme sledding to ice climbing to dog sledding to unique adventures at the ski resort, if you’re looking for something out of the ordinary, look into guided trips throughout the state.

Photo by Evan Johnson

By EVAN JOHNSON STOWE — When it comes to guiding, Steve Brownlee, owner and co-founder of Umiak Outfitters, says variety is important – especially in Vermont.

“When you work in Vermont, you have more than one job,” he explains. “Our economy is small enough that we have to be diversified to be successful. There are places in the country where the need for diversification

isn’t there because they have such a strong, year-round presence. But in a place like Vermont or Maine, people have to be diversified because our seasons are more concentrated.”

With that in mind, the Stowe-based outfitter has grown and expanded since he started the company 27 years ago when he split from what had been the Mad River Canoe Company.

“Our passion then was canoeing and kayaking,” he says. “And we opened to be a Nordic ski shop in the winter. When Tubbs introduced the first aluminum snowshoes, that’s when things really took off.”

Services offered by guides in Vermont have since gone well beyond snowshoeing and kayaking. In the winter, Umiak in Stowe and Clearwater Outfitters in Waitsfield are two outfitters that offer full lines of tours, clinics and rentals as well as snowshoe walks and sledding adventures. But they’re not alone; Vermont is full of outfitters that will get you into the woods

SNOWSHOES, CABINS AND FONDUE

Snowshoes are a terrific way for friends and families to explore the outdoors in recreational and competitive capacities. Tours are available for families, couples and larger groups of friends.

Umiak offers a guided half-hour tour in Pa g e 1 4

the nature preserve behind the Ben & Jerry’s factory in Waterbury. Along the way, participants learn about the natural history of the area. The snowshoeing is on easy terrain and finishes at the factory with a tour. For a more extended trip, Umiak also offers a nighttime trek through pine forests and wetlands to a secluded sugar shack in a stand of maples for a rest with a woodstove, Vermont cheeses, smoked meats and spreads.

Max Post, winter programs director for Umiak, says the programs are on easy terrain and can appeal to people of varying fitness levels and ages.

“You could send a three-year-old out there and they’d have a blast,” he says. “Or, you could send a college couple who are really fit too. They’re having fun and they also learn a lot.”

Guides are also knowledgeable about Vermont’s natural history and can point out animal tracks or glacial moraines in the landscape while en route to the final destination.

For the romantics, there’s also a moonlit snowshoe to the Stowehof Inn for a threecourse fondue dinner featuring potato pancakes and beef bourguignon followed by chocolate fondue with fresh fruit and pound cake. The tours feature Vermont products, including Stowe-based Laughing Moon Chocolates, Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Cabot Cheese and Vermont Smoke and Cure meats.

Clearwater Sports in Waitsfield offers its own snowshoe outings of varying difficulties in the Mad River Valley. For an evening in the snow, Clearwater Sports offers an outing in the woods of Waitsfield before dinner at the Lareau Farm Inn for a dinner featuring, among other fare, their famous flatbreads.

Longer snowshoe treks head through beech, hemlock and maple forests to a sugaring shack for a lesson in syrup production. For those looking for a more strenuous adventure, they guide up the nearby Lincoln Gap road (which is also closed in the winter) before a thrilling sled ride back down.

Even longer adventures include hikes along the spine of the Green Mountains on snowshoes with sleds in tow. In Fayston, one trek travels up the Hedgehog Brook Trail over frozen rivers and through dense forests before ascending onto the Long Trail. Then, pass trekkers pass through the Lincoln Gap and climb to the summit Burnt Rock Mountain. Guides will also lead up the eastern flank of Mount Abraham as well as journey on the Catamount Trail to Sunset Ledge before riding sleds down the Lincoln Gap Road and back into Warren.

PERFORMANCE SLEDS

For an exhilarating downhill ride, the newer, high performance sleds have come a long way since those flimsy plastic disks and heavy wooden toboggans. Among the most popular

Vermont Ski & Ride Magazine, February/March

15 tour offerings are those on Smugglers Notch and the Lincoln Gap roads, but guides tours are offered from one end of the state to the other.

The Hammerhead sleds are reminiscent of the wood and steel Fexible Flyers, but with front independent skis as runners and a 21st century design that makes them lighter, faster and more agile. Riders wear helmets, lie stomach-down and fly headfirst downhill. The steering is sensitive and is done from a prone position by adjusting a crosspiece connected to the flexible rails to create surprisingly responsive turns.

At Clearwater Spsorts in Waitsfield, the hill for their sledding tours is the Lincoln Gap Road, featuring a steep pitch at the top and plenty of narrow, winding turns, and a few choice backcountry lines.

While Umiak prefers the Hammerhead sleds, the sled of choice at Clearwater Sports is the Mad River Rocket, designed

by Sellers and Company in Warren. The Rocket is like a kneeboard towed by a motorboat. Riders remain in a kneeling position with the board strapped across their thighs. The sled features a negative keel that packs a monorail shape into the snow, lending stability on wider turns without runners.

While the Hammerhead performs best on hardpack or even firmer conditions, the Rocket dominates in softer snow. Craig Richardson, a guide at Clearwater, says the sensation of riding these new sleds is like skiing on any powder day.

“It’s got a lot of curvature to it from the front to the back,” he says. “So it floats in deep snow really well and you use your whole body to control it. It’s kind of like powder skiing only you’re sledding on a kneeboard.”

DOGSLEDDING

SKI CATS, MOTOR ROOM BARS AND FIRESIDE DINNERS

From first tracks on a snow cat to après refreshments in a motor room bar, there’s a new way to experience your favorite resort.

At Smugglers’ Notch, early every Saturday, intermediate and expert skiers can board a 12-passenger snowcat bound for the Vermont Ski & Ride Magazine, February/March

Sugarbush Ski Resort

Warren, Vermont Accommodations, Backcountry guided and self-guided snowshoe, skiing and riding 1840 Sugarbush Access Rd.,Warren VT 05674

Abenaki Outfitters & Guide Service

The Woodstock Naturalist

Champlain Valley Canoeing, Kayaking, Nature, Hiking, Snowshoeing P.O. Box 283, Shoreham, VT 05770-0283

Statewide Custom nature programs and guided hikes featuring interactive training and lectures, nature writing, and special programs for corporate and professional retreats.

114 Evergreen Ct, Woodstock, VT. 05091

Adventure Spirit Guides

Operating throughout Vermont and the entire Northeast Rock, ice and alpine expeditions in the Northeast

Umiak Outfitters

Central & Northern Vermont Kayaking, Canoeing, Snowshoeing, Sled Tours 849 S. Main Street, Stowe, Vt. 05672

Bredeson Outdoor Adventures

Statewide and Beyond Guided, Self Guided, Back Country Cross Country Skiing, Snowshoeing, Inn to Inn 595 Forrest Road; Bridport, VT 05734

Vermont Adventure Tours

Southern, Central Vermont Orienteering, Mountain Biking, Mountaineering, Winter Camping, Women's Challenges, Youth Programs 223 Woodstock Avenue, Rutland, VT. 05701

Clearwater Sports

Central Vermont, Mad River Valley Winter Gear & Clothing, Guided Mad River Rocketsled and Snowshoe Adventures &Tours 4147 Main Street, Waitsfield, Vermont 05673

Wonder Walks

Guided and self-guided walks in Vermont, the Adirondacks, Berkshires, Finger Lakes Region, North Carolina, California’s northern coast and Hawaii’s big island. Innto-innsnowshoeing, multiple-day tours or day outings.

2619 Monkton Rd., Bristol, VT 05443.

Country Inns Along the Trail

Self-guided and Guided inn-to-inn Cross Country Skiing, Snowshoeing 52 Park Street, Brandon, Vermont 05733

Green Mountain Adventures& Middlebury Mountaineer Central Vermont Gear & Snowshoeing, Backcountry Skiing 2 Park Street, Middlebury, VT 05753

D

ogsledding

Eden Dogsledding & Dogsledding-On-Wheels

Northeast Kingdom Year-round touring on groomed trails for all ages in the Eden snow-belt.

390 Square Road, Eden Mills, VT. 05653

Head North, LLC

Southern Vermont Accommodations, Survival, Guided Snowshoeing & Skiing, Yoga, P.O. Box 6 Plymouth, VT 05056

October Siberians Sled Dog Adventures

Kroka Expeditions

Central Vermont Operating sledding tours with Siberian huskies in Hinesburg and Stowe, Vermont.

1088 Texas Hill Hinesburg VT. 05461

Southern Vermont Guided, Winter Camping, Backcountry Skiing, Nordic Skiing, Snowshoeing 767 Forest Road, Marlow, N.H., 03456

Petra Cliffs Mountaineering School Northern Vermont Guided Alpine Mountaineering, Ice and Rock Climbing, Snowshoeing, Telemark, Downhill 105 Briggs Burlington, VT 05401

Peace Pups Dogsledding

Northern Vermont Dog sledding, fall dog carting, dog scooter lessons, skijor lessonsand School Presentations P.O. Box 165 Lake Elmore, VT. 05657 * List provided by the Vermont Outdoor Guides Association

top of Madonna Mountain and grab first tracks of the day well before anyone else. The resort also offers guided ice climbing adventures on the ice walls of the Madonna Canyon, next to the Madonna lift and dog sledding adventures in the Jeffersonville area.

In the Mad River Valley, Sugarbush offers a similar experience with their own Slide Brook Express, a luxury 12-passenger Piston Bully trip to the top of Lincoln Peak to take advantage of the untouched corduroy or powder after a big storm. The same cat with take you to the top of Gadd Peak for a fireside dinner at Allyn’s Lodge. After, ski down by the light of the moon (or headlamp).

For a more remote experience, Sugarbush’s resident extreme skier John Egan leads backcountry skiing adventures in the Slide Brook Basin. Sugarbush’s team of professional coaches lead tours and lessons for skiers ready for black diamonds and above.

But whether it’s a dogsled ride in Stowe, an hour-long snowshoe up a gap for a thrilling sled-ride down, a snowcat or backcountry tour at Sugarbush, or any other guided treks, this take-away is worth noting: There is a lot going on at most of the state’s ski areas that offer terrific partial-day activities full of excitement for the entire family. Give a guide a call and discover for yourself.

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Dogsledding is another popular activity with a longstanding tradition in Vermont. The Vermont Outdoor Guides Association (VOGA) lists a number of kennels around the state with tours and clinics of varying lengths. Some even run year-round with huskies pulling carts and scooters long after the snow is gone.

Musher Rob Farley, owner and operator of October Siberians has been managing his kennel in Hinesburg since he got his first husky in 1994. While working fulltime for the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation, his kennel has extended its lineage and has recently welcomed its fourth generation.

“I didn’t know I was going to be a musher,” he says. “But I met a husky that I thought was great,” and he was hooked.

Mushers teach guests about the sport of dog sledding as well as dog behavior and pack dynamics, while also allowing guests to spend some quality time with the dogs. Alaskan huskies are larger and more powerful, while Siberian varieties are smaller, a tribute to their hard-working lineage.

“The native people that bred these dogs wanted an animal that would work hard, but at the same time wouldn’t eat them out of house and home,” he says.

Farley has a kennel of 18 Siberians – boys and girls that he’s raised since pups.

“These guys are like classic cars,” he says, describing his kennel of 18. “They had their heyday and now they’re just fun to drive.”

And the dogs love to mush. As soon as Farley starts unloading them from their mobile kennel built onto the back of his truck, they bark until they’re in their harnesses, clipped into the sled and ready to go. The ride typically last 20 minutes, winding around gentle golf-course style terrain, starting and ending at a gazebo behind the Stoweflake Inn in Stowe. Farley also offers tours at Little River State park in Waterbury. In the future, he says, he hopes to offer overnight dogsled trips, staying at lean-tos and cabins in the area.

“It be great to organize something more than just a brief ride,” he says. “With these dogs, there’s a lot more to experience than in just 20 minutes.”

S

nowshoeing and Alpine Guides

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Winter Events | 2015 February:

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Hope on the Slopes Thu |

Winter Carnival The Middlebury Snow Bowl and Rikert Nordic Center host the NCAA Division 1 Alpine and Nordic ski competition. Ski Vermont will provide the snacks during Specialty Food Day. www.middleburysnowbowl.com Sun |

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FamilyFun Winter Carnival Smuggs’ teams up with FamilyFun magazine to host the FamilyFun Winter Carnival, an afternoon of games, giveaways, face painting, music, free barbecue and more. www.smuggs.com sat |

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Introduction to Overland Touring The Catamount Trail Association holds an introduction-level clinic at the Bolton Valley Resort on traveling the Catamount Trail or other backcountry terrain on lightweight Nordic touring equipment. www.catamounttrail.org Cyan Magenta Yellow Black

Telemark Turn Clinic The Catamount Trail Association hosts an introductory level class for the beginning and intermediate telemark skiers looking to develop and refine their skills. The clinic will be held at Bolton Valley Resort. www.catamounttrail.org

Camel’s Hump Challenge Camel’s Hump Nordic Ski Area hosts an annual backcountry loop traversing around Camel’s Hump, Vermont’s third-tallest mountain. The event is a fundraiser for the Vermont Alzheimer’s Association. Details are available on the event’s Facebook page.

Ro Jam Bo Rail Jam Stratton hosts a rail jam series with the chance to win $10,000 in cash. www.stratton.com

Unconventional Terrain Competition As part of MRG’s Triple Crown Series, the Unconventional Terrain Competition challenges skiers with signature “Ski It If You Can” steeps, cliffs, jumps, and rocks, as they plunge the lift line course on the Paradise Trail. This event is part of the Ski The East Freeride Tour. www.madriverglen.com Sun |

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Jay Peak hosts an eight-hour ski and snowboard event that raises money to support the American Cancer Society. Participants can compete in teams or as individuals in fundraising or vertical feet challenge. Contact: Bryan Smith, 802327-2154 or bsmith@jaypeakresort.com. www.jaypeakresort.com/HOPE

Rally on Burke Mountain Q Burke hosts a USSMA-sanctioned race. The Race Class will include 4,300 ft vertical gain, seven transitions and a descent with trees, black diamond trails, bumps as well as groomed surfaces. www.usma.org

Introduction to Mountain Touring The Catamount Trail Association holds a clinic for expert level skiers and riders who are new to exploring the backcountry. This course will take the form of an instructional tour and will cover layering strategies, what it means to be prepared, navigation, efficient touring and uphill techniques, etc. www.catamounttrail.org sat |

Stowe Derby This annual event races down the Stowe Toll Road on cross-country skis into the village of Stowe. This year features a fatbike division. www.stowederby.com

Kare’s 30’s Annual Tele Fest Bromley hosts the Kåre Andersen Telemark Festival with tele events like clinics, the annual Race, clinics and fun for the entire family. www.bromley.coim

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13th Annual Romp to Stomp Out Breast Cancer Snowshoe Run/Walk Stratton hosts a snowshoe fundraiser for Susan G. Komen for the Cure foundation. The event features 3K, 5K and kids snowshoe races. www.stratton.com

Backcountry Bash at Mount Greylock Using climbing “skins” with alpine touring or telemark bindings (or even splitboards), racers start at the base of Mount Greylock, ascend, then descend (on marked in-bounds ski area trails), as fast as possible, over multiple laps. www.nerandorace.blogspot.com

Mountain Dew Vertical Challenge at Bolton Valley Bolton Valley hosts a free ski race open to the public. Skiers and snowboarders are divided by gender and age group to compete for medals in each category. In addition to the race, prizes are given away throughout the day. www.boltonvalley.com

Competitors tackle the hardest trail at Magic to find out the best skier/rider on the mountain. The Black Magic trail under the chairlift is riddled with technical cliff bands at the top of the course, with a wide-open pitchy section towards the bottom. The event is the second stop in the Ski The East Freeride Challenge. www.magicmtn.com

March:

fri |

Bolton Valley hosts a ten hour adventure race with unpredictable challenges in navigation with topographical map and compass, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, postholing and tyrolean traverse. www.boltonvalley.com

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Triple Crown Vertical Challenge The second part of Mad River Glen’s Triple Crown Series challenges competitors to ski as much vertical feet as possible on the Chute and Lift Line trails. www.madriverglen.com sat |

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Castlerock Extreme Challenge Sugarbush Resort Hosts the third stop of the Ski The East Freeride Tour on the challenging Castlerock trail. Competitors pick the best line for a piece of the $1,000 cash purse. www.skitheeast.net

Mountain Dew Vertical Challenge Killington hosts a free ski race open to the public.

Skiers and snowboarders are divided by gender and age group to compete for medals in each category. In addition to the race, prizes are given away throughout the day. www.killington.com sat - sun |

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Jay Peak Snow Leopard Challenge Jay Peak, along with Owl’s Head Resort in Quebec will make up a weekend of USSMAsanctioned randonee racing. This year’s races are sanctioned as Category II, meaning the courses will have approximately 4000 vertical feet, five to ten transitions, 50 percent off-piste skiing and a sub-three-hour finishing time. A grand prize of $500 cash goes to the winner and a dollar from each entry fee will go towards The Snow Leopard Trust. www.jaypeakresort.com. sun |

Frigid Infliction

A skier bashes his way through the trees at Stratton Resort, here and above, after early February storms dumped more than three feet of snow in a week.

Photos by Carter Davidson Pa g e 1 6

Southern Vermont Freeskiing Challenge

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Triple Crown Mogul Challenge The third and final phase of Mad River Glen’s Triple Crown Series is a mogul competition on MRG’s black diamond terrain. The awards for the series will follow. www.madriverglen.com

Vermont Ski & Ride Magazine, February/March

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Winter Events | 2015 Jack Jump World Championships The 2015 Jack Jump World Championships features homemade jack jumps, prizes, crashes and plenty of racing action at Mount Snow’s Charlie’s Chase racecourse. www.mountsnow.com thu - sun |

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Vermont Open Stratton’s freestyle series hosts competitions in rail jams, slopestyle, big air and banked slalom divisions – all with $20,000 in prize money up for grabs. www.stratton.com fri - sat |

lessons this season. Available for ages six and older, the package includes rental equipment, lift access and instruction. Must call to register at (802) 824-5522 x301, space is limited. www.bromley.com

Mountain Dew Vertical Challenge Bromley hosts a free ski race open to the public.

Skiers and snowboarders are divided by gender and age group to compete for medals in each category. In addition to the race, prizes are given away throughout the day at a mountain. www.bromley.com sat |

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Mad River Glen Backcountry Challenge The Carinthia terrain parks at Mount Snow host the annual AFP-certified event with a cash purse for the pros and prizes for skiers in the amateur divisions. www.mountsnow.com sat |

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Sugar Daze Concert Okemo hosts a free concert series that culminates with a huge outdoor concert extravaganza in the Jackson Gore courtyard. www.okemo.com sat - sun |

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Slash and Berm Banked Slalom Killington hosts a banked slalom race in The Stash terrain park. Riders will be rewarded for picking the best lines and nailing the best tricks on rock jibs, log rides, rainbow trees and miniature buildings. The action continues on Sunday with a Shop Team Invite only banked slalom event. www.killington.com sun |

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Catamount Trail Classic Fun-raising Tour A classic tour designed for the experienced skier with a sense of adventure prepared for the unexpected runs from Bolton Valley Resort to the Trapp Family Lodge. This event raises funds for the CTA’s Ski Cubs Youth Ski Program. www.catamounttrail.org

Start Fun, Start Free: Intro to Skiing and Snowboarding The Bromley Ski and Snowboard School offers three free days of introductory skiing and riding

In this even your only opponent is the demanding Vermont backcountry. There are no winners or losers – just those that finish. This event is open to all types of gear as you trek along the spine of the Green Mountains. www.madriverglen.com

The C.O.M.P Carinthia parks at Mount Snow host the third plaza-style snowboard competition. www. mountsnow.com

Spring Demo Day Okemo hosts a full day of demos from top ski and snowboard companies at the Okemo base area. . Participants can visit the demo tent area in the Jackson Gore Courtyard to test-drive the latest in equipment at no charge. A credit card imprint and signed waiver is required. www. okemo.com

Silly Slalom Bolton Valley hosts a springtime event that combines competition with springtime fun.

Racers take on a combined slalom and boardercross course while spectators enjoy the sun. Costumes are encouraged. www.boltonvalley.com

Bromley Rando Race Using climbing “skins” with alpine touring or telemark bindings (or even splitboards), racers start at the base of the mountain, ascend, then descend (on marked in-bounds ski area trails), as fast as possible, over multiple laps. www.bromley.com sat - sun |

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24 Hours of Stratton Participate as an individual, or as a team of up to 12 friends, family, colleagues or neighbors in

Vermont Ski & Ride Magazine, February/March

Skiers take in the magical sunsets at westerly facing Bolton Valley Ski Resort.

Photo provided by Bolton Valley Resort

a 24 hour fundraiser for the Stratton Mountain Foundation. Sign up for free and raise your minimum requirement to enjoy skiing and boarding from dusk to dawn, live bands, event swag, fireworks and more. Please contact with questions or about sponsorship opportunities: Tammy Mosher at 802.297.2096 or strattonfndn@yahoo.com

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Spring Fling Race & Party Magic Mountain hosts a celebration of spring with its annual race, BBQ, live music and dancing on the deck après ski. www.magicmtn.com

Smugglers’ Notch BrewFest

Ski the East Freeride Tour Championships Jay Peak hosts the final round of the Ski the East Freeride Tour over two days. The preliminary runs will be on Saturday on Green Beret or Upper River Quai trail (depending on conditions) where the competitors will get a chance for 1 run to win over the judges. The finals will be on Sunday down The Face Chutes, where overall standings are judged based off of two runs. www.skitheeast.net

Spring Fling Weekend Bromley hosts a springtime festival dedicated to warmer days with live music and fun family events including pond skimming and a duct tape derby. www.bromley.com fri - sun |

sat |

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Bud Light Reggaefest Mount Snow hosts a weekend of Reggae music and events including pond skimming and the duct tape derby. www.mountsnow.com

Smuggs’ popular BrewFests bookend the ski and ride season in the winter and the spring, with local and regional beers for sampling, live music, food and prizes. www.smugglersnotch.com

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April: Sugar Slalom at Stowe

This classic race, organized by the Mount Mansfield Ski Club combines top-level racing action and a fun springtime celebration. The Sugar Slalom is held in a Mardi Gras atmosphere with on-slope barbeque, and costumes while licensed USSA racers ages 10 and up compete for points. Sugar on snow awaits the racers at the finish line. www.teammmsc.org. sat - sun |

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Bear Mountain Mogul Challenge The Bear Mountain Mogul Challenge is a spring rite of passage at Killington. The bump and jump venue rises from Outer Limits, one of Killington’s toughest runs, in plain view of the Bear Mountain Quad and the party at the lodge below. www.killington.com Pa g e 1 7

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Competing on world stage ‘is more Woodie Guthrie than Taylor Swift’

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Storied and romanticized, life on the road sounded pretty good to me when I first started skiing full time at age 20. First class travel, incredible sights and a tour bus? Yes, please!

Turns out, Nordic skiing professionally is a little less Taylor Swift and a little more Woody Guthrie. Less Times Square, more town square.

A little less glamour, maybe, but certainly much more adventure.

I write this two weeks into my European tour, for which I qualified at U.S. Nationals in January. I, along with a group of 20 other American skiers, will race the remainder of our season hitting a different country every weekend until April. The circuit is considered a development tour, one step below the World Cup/Olympic level. We’ll be racing in Kazakhstan, the Czech Republic, Switzerland, Slovenia and France before returning home to Spring Nationals in Sun Valley, ID. We typically spend one week at each venue, traveling by road in crowded rental vans on Monday and racing the following Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Doing so for seven weeks makes us creatures of a certain routine, one that surrounds packing, unpacking, finding food and, of course, racing as fast as possible at the end of each week.

Packing is where it all begins. In my 40-pound duffle, I have a few layers, several pairs of spandex, and plenty of socks. My layers are made of wool or other non-washable materials (laundry is expensive and hard

that earn you that final millisecond at the finish. It’s one thing to compete against other teams in high school competitions, and quite another to be competing against racers on a world-stage, many of whom also have Olympic dreams.

It is true that cross-country skiing is hard work. We train 700 hours a year, put more time than that into fundraising, and commit ourselves to months of travel in order to get to Europe, where the real work can start. And yet, there is nothing I would rather do. Nothing defines a person better than who they are when they are giving their total selves to something. I never feel more like myself than I do in the silent moments before the gun goes off, or when I’ve exhausted every ounce of energy in my body at the top of a hill, and find it within myself to push harder.

There’s a thrill in competing with the best athletes in the world and completely destroying your limits in the process. When you do well, you shatter your own expectations and begin dreaming higher; when you don’t, you’ve never been so hungry for more.

To have the opportunity every weekend to experience these moments, to better myself and experience the triumphs of my competitors, is a life worth living over and again.

Ten years ago, I couldn’t have dreamed that these kinds of elite racing and travel opportunities would be available to me. Sure, I had daydreams of my world-tour singing career, but, compared to what I get to do every week, I’ll take the skis over the tour bus.

to find in small European towns) and I usually can be competitive at the Olympic level.

What an experience, to step to the line with only bring one casual outfit, knowing that I’ll find some incredibly cheap goods in the East- these racers each weekend. You learn to up ern European malls. I roll, not fold, my clothes your tempo, follow good technique and try and leave plenty of space for chocolate and things you wouldn’t at home, like absolutely souvenirs that may or may not make it back hammering off the line. In the U.S. the field is small. You know your competito their destination. That is my tion well enough that you can duffle, my home since October. control the pace of races until We pack those homes into the final kilometers, because rented Euro vans, joining our you have seconds of cushion compatriots in tightly packed between you and the racer seats for our journey through behind you to make mistakes. the mountains to our next Here, you lose 15 places in a few venue. The road is witness to seconds, leaving each racer no many new friendships as we choice but to go 100 percent join competitors turned teamfrom the start and hope to make mates in a generally long, windit to the finish. ing and, oftentimes, dangerous Sometimes it goes well, you ride. Slender lanes and speeding place high in a race or exceed lights define our drives through Annie Pokorny is a writer the Alps, giving us just the from Spokane, Wash., who your expectations. Other times, amount of near death bonding skis professionally for SM T2 it doesn’t, and you drop to the bottom of the result sheet in an we need to support and moti- at Stratton Mountain, Vt. instant. Either way, it’s all part of vate each other on race day.

Because that’s what we’re here to do, after the routine. You pack your bag, including new knowledge and skill, and move on to the next all: race.

We come to Europe to race Slavic and stop, where you put on your spandex and go Europa Cups because the fields are both for it again.

The challenge is to move up in the rankdeeper and more competitive than those in the U.S. Many of the racers we face come ings each week, competing against a world from nations where Nordic skiing is a national of racers who aim to do the same thing. We pastime. They come from vast, well-funded are all fit, we all have good technique, and development programs, and have been racing we are incredibly persistent. On race day, it’s at the international level their entire lives. We not our training that makes the difference, come to learn from them, so that soon, we but the falling together of many small details

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Powder!

Valentine’s Day came early this year as Mother Nature delivered the sweetest gift with three feet of powdery snow throughout the first week of February. Vermont received more than five feet of snow in January, making it one of the snowiest on record, and February is following suit, giving Vermont some of the best snow conditions in many years and the best throughout most of the nation! Here are a few shots from that first week of February, with more photos posted online at www.vtskiandride.com.

From top left to right, Sugarbush’s John Egan takes an aggressive line in waist-deep powder at Sugarbush Resort, while a young skier busts through the powder near the tree-line, and a female snowboarder flashes a smile that tells it all — all taken by John Atkinson at Sugarbush. Bottom right, photographer Carter Davidson captures Tim Dyer in the trees off Kidderbrook Ravine at Stratton Resort, and bottom left, photographer Andrew Lanoue catches a snowboarder busting through deep powder in the woods at Jay Peak.

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Vermont Ski & Ride Magazine, February/March

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20

Hot skis for 2015-16: Picking favorites with the pros

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BY EVAN JOHNSON Stratton — It was another year for the New England Winter Sports Retailers, with over 400 representatives from every wellknown national brand touting everything from boots to skis and boards to goggles and everything else you’d need to outfit yourself for a season. The gathering of reps and buyers from all over New England and Mid-Atlantic region coincided with terrific snowfall during the expo. For those of us out on the hill, that meant ideal conditions for testing.

Vermont Ski & Ride Magazine spent three days at Stratton trying out 20 pairs of skis from 13 ski manufacturers – some were the largest in the industry and some had just made it out of the garage they started in.

Walking around the small city of tents a snowball’s throw from the summit gondola, it quickly becomes apparent that there are just too many skis and not enough time. While we couldn’t ski everything, we asked the pros for their recommendations.

Here are some of their top picks for freestyle, piste, powder and allmountain: Line: One of freestyle skiing’s most recognizable brands had plenty to offer. For his alpine touring set-up Keith Shipman likes the lightness and width of the Supernatural in a 110mm underfoot. “It’s my dream touring ski,” he said. The flatter tail easily accommodates climbing skins for the ride up, while the lightweight construction makes for a floating ride on the descent. His colleague, Brandon Bunnewith picked the Sir Frances Bacon in a 104mm underfoot. With new Cloudcore construction, it’s a lightweight ski that’s versatile in a variety of conditions and turn shapes. “It’ll ski the groomers and hardpack as easily as

the powder when it comes,” he said. Kevin Merchant picked the bigger all-mountain ski, The Chronic. “Everything’s more fun when you’re on it,” he said.

K2 While helping interested skiers and riders get outfitted in the latest full line of goods at the K2 tent, Bob Kwong took the time to point out some of the skis that has him excited. He’s been working with the company for 15 years as a tech rep.

“This is a total reboot for K2,” he said. “All the men’s skis have different construction, names, shapes and story and the same goes for the women’s skis.” That reboot is reflected in the next generation of K2 skis that set a new benchmark for how the company designs skis. To demonstrate this, Kwong pointed out two of his favorites, the iKonic and the Pinnacle.

These skis feature heavier and denser wood around the perimeter of the ski with a lighter material on the inside and at the tip and the tail.

“As the skis have gotten wider, they’ve also gotten heavier,” he said. “The point here is not only to reduce the overall weight of the ski, but also reduce the swing weight.”

While wider, the skis enter and exit turns as easily as slimmer models. They’ve also got a full titanium edge to hold firmer snow. Kwong also said the latest OoolaLuv, for women, is another ski that will be a hit. Like the men’s versions, this ski places weight around the perimeter of the ski with a women’s specific blended wood core and a thinner profile for smooth, natural flex through turns.

Rossignal Keith Rodney is a PSIA level III alpine and telemark instructor and the vice president for the United States Telemark Ski Team. He’s also taught skiing at Mount Snow’s ski school for 26 years. That means he’s looking for a variety of skis that can perform in telemark and alpine disciplines in the East as well as when he travels to points west.

On alpine days, Rodney reaches for the Hero Master, which has a tighter turn radius

and a hard-charging carve. After that, his second favorite is the Experience 88, his top choice for telemark.

“It’s probably the East coast’s best all around ski,” he said. “It has the variety of being able to handle the hard and the soft – the typical New England winter.”

When venturing out West or skiing the softer snow at Mount Snow, he prefers the Soul 7, another top choice for telemark.

Atomic Bruce McDonald is a 30-year veteran of the Atomic team and was most excited about the updated Vantage series, a quiver of skis available in a variety of widths that update the popular Theory, Alibi and Ritual. The new Vantage series is the result of a three-year development plan. McDonald’s top choices were the 85mm, 90mm and 100mm (underfoot) versions.

“For Atomic, this was a huge focus year on the all-mountain ski,” he said. “The old Vantage series were great, reliable skis, but we had to take a hard look at the design holes we needed to fill. So far, the verdict is thumbs-up; we did it.”

Blizzard Steve Brown is a newcomer to the Blizzard promotions team and joined this August, but he’s already taken a strong liking to a number of skis that Blizzard will be rolling out for next winter, starting with the beefy, but maneuverable, Bonifide.

“I can ski anywhere I want,” he said. “I can make big arcing GS turns or slow it down to smear them. It plays well in the woods and floats in the powder. It really does it all.”

His next pick is the Peacemaker, with a full-wood core and vertical sidewalls and a cambered profile for enough grip on firmer snow.

“To have 104 underfoot and still be able to arc turns on ice is incredible,” he said.

The ski that has surprised him the most this winter is the Latigo, which features early-rise tip and tail rocker and a slimmer profile than its bigger siblings. At 70mm underfoot, it can make 13-meter slalom turns all day long or you can really turn it loose for 35 meter Super-G turns, he said.

“I did not realize it was going to be that

good,” he said.

Nordica Drew Catano, a tech rep helping out with the Nordica group, enjoys holding form and carving hard and fast on trail, but also likes to get into the woods for the soft snow. For the variety of skiing that he enjoys, Nordica had a number of attractive options, his favorite being the Soul Rider in a 77mm waist.

“The shape is very user friendly and very maneuverable if I take it into the glades,” he said. “It stays nice and lightweight so it’s easy to manipulate, but it still has enough punch so if I’m on a tight groomer, it still lays over a 16.5 meter arc, which is pretty quick.”

For the soft snow, Catano looks to the Patron, a wider ski that still puts down that quick 16.5-meter turn. For a third ski he likes the allmountain NRGy 90, which features a combination of camber and rocker with a lightweight construction for comfort on bumps, groomers, crud or powder.

Volkl Barclay Rappeport, a visiting rep for Volkl, liked the 2015-2016 Kendo so much the first time she skied it, she hugged Volkl’s German sales manager. The Kendo is a ski for the advanced to expert skier who likes a mid-fat ski and is looking for aggressive medium to long radius turns on groomed trails. She said the ski is nimble, floats and powers through anything. After that, she liked the RTM 84, a smooth carving ski she said would make a great daily driver when she coaches the U8 racing program at Mad River Glen.

“That’s a ski I could coach my kids on, run through gates and still ski the trees,” she said.

For a third favorite, she chose Volkl’s newest version of the Aura, a playful, allmountain ski. Thanks to the wider waist and early taper in the tip, it will perform well in the soft snow while two sheets of titanium and improved sidecut mean a solid hold in the hard snow.

The new guys: Up-and-comers keep pushing the edge of design

BY EVAN JOHNSON Thanks to the web and modern ski pressing technology, even the smallest brand can establish a dedicated albeit small – corner of the ski market. The first day of the demo was proof – with just as many smaller companies drawing the same crowds and hype as some of the bigger names. Every year brings new skis to try and these are some of the young guns in the industry to watch for Pa g e 2 0

this season and the next; your next pair of skis could be here.

White Doctor White Doctor was founded in 2007 by Eric Bobrowicz, known by his friends simply as Bob. Bob cut his teeth in the business as Rossignol’s head ski shaper for eight years and designed some of their most iconic skis. Bob’s desire for simplicity drove him

to start his own company that emphasized simplicity and performance and now produces his skis by hand with a team of just eight other employees in Annecy, France.

Picking one of White Doctor’s five models of skis is as easy as picking your style of skiing – powerful, efficient or fun. Bob has designed shapes to go with each of those styles: The powerful GT shape that has a flat tail with a fully-cambered shape with

metal and carbon; the efficient FT, which features a wood core, carbon, a flat tail and touch of tip rocker; and the fun XT with rockered tip and tail that’s cambered underfoot.

“White Doctor is one of the few companies that still makes a true-camber ski,” Joe Palatucci, sales rep for White Doctor says.

“Bob’s focus is on the finishing and quality of materials and the skiing experience.”

Vermont Ski & Ride Magazine, February/March

21 With White Doctor, don’t look for flashy features or advanced ski technology, instead, you’ll find simple but extremely effective skis for a beautiful skiing experience.

Liberty Liberty got its start in 2003, when founders James Satloff and Dan Chaflant hit the ground running thanks to a win from the craps tables in Las Vegas, while there the Ski Industry of America conference. Today, Avon, Co. –based Liberty continues to make versatile and strong skis from eco-friendly materials and has earned the recognition of major ski publications.

“As they’ve grown over 12 years, they’ve expanded their line but without the simple repetition,” says Carter Davidson, New England Sales Rep for Liberty. “It’s more than having just one ski in a variety of widths and that’s where they’ve excelled.”

While faithfully designing skis with the Colorado skier in mind, the crew of five introduced new models and updates that will make the northeast skier smile as well. A perennial favorite, the Helix now features lighter weight, thanks to carbon fiber

Icelantic Working out of the Never Summer Industries space in Denver, 58 pairs of hands touch every pair of skis produced by this small Colorado company. With their ten-year anniversary, Icelantic expands their line of skis and updates old favorites.

Artist Travis Parr rolls out next year’s theme “Mountain Cultures” with striking graphics including native peoples and some of the first explorers of the mountains from which the company draws their inspiration.

East coast skiers will be interested in the expanded SKNY line, which updates some of their most popular models like the Shaman for the full spectrum of northeast conditions from teeth-rattling boilerplate to blissfully soft powder. With a unique, shovel-shaped 140mm wide nose, a significant sidecut and 90mm underfoot, the slimmer Shaman blasts through snow like a Ferrari equipped with a snowplow.

“The overall brand awareness has taken off,” says Cian O’Connor, Eastern Sales Manager for Icelantic. “People are interested in the independent companies and we’re chasing the heels of some of the bigger players. Our name is getting thrown into the same conversations as Volkl, K2 and Rossignol.”

After skiing next year’s skis, it’s easy to see why. Next winter, Icelantic rolls out the Pioneer, a versatile, go-anywhere ski that beginners and advanced skiers will enjoy. It features a simplified construction for a reduced weight and pricetag (Icelantic’s first pair of skis for under $600).

It has 96mm underfoot and rocker in the tip and tail.

“It’s an all mountain ski for everyone from advanced beginners to expert level skier,” O’Connor says. “And it’s going to be great for everyone from the northeast and mid-Atlantic area.”

Vermont Ski & Ride Magazine, February/March

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Black Crows With a line of skis 21 deep, Black Crows is a project of big mountain skiers Bruno Compagnet and Camille Jaccoux who wanted a quiver-of-one ski that could handle the variety of conditions they experienced on the slopes of Chamonix, France. Black Crows started in 2006.

“They were looking for one ski that could do it all,” Palatucci says. “From steeps, to bumps, to powder fields to the softest snow. They’re unique skis for European skiing and a rite of passage for big mountain skiers.”

While Black Crows has experienced popularity around their European base, skis like the flagship model Corvus and the updated Navis are designed to be as comfortable on the slopes of Stratton as the couloirs and powder fields of Europe. With cambered shape and construction that performs in all conditions and makes stable turns at any speed, you can expect an athletic ski that wants to charge.

an energetic bamboo backbone and a refined shape and rocker design that won’t dive, quickly enters turns and floats easily.

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23

It takes 15,000 tons of ice and 20 days to create ice castles as spectacular as the one featured in Stratton and four other places in the country. It’s a commercial operation open to the public for viewing day and night.

Photos by Evan Johnson

Stratton’s Ice Castle captures winter’s fancy

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By EVAN JOHNSON cisely placed and carefully maintained. While Stratton — When the chairlifts stop it took 19 days to fully construct the towers, spinning, Stratton Mountain Resort is host to Livingood and his crew weren’t finished when a different attraction. At the Sun Bowl Base the towers reached their estimated height of Area, imposing towers of ice soar up to 20 feet around 20 feet. When people walk around high and delicate arches form an icy maze to the towers, they are standing on four to five explore. The score from the popular Disney feet of ice that accumulates as the towers animated movie expand and grow. The “Frozen” provides a fitstaff continue to spray ting soundtrack. on more ice nightly The landscape of ice and closely monitor is a project of Ice Casa number of factors, tles, a company that including the temperspecializes in making ature, humidity and these winter wonwind-chill. No two derlands every year days are alike and the around the United ice demands constant States. In addition to attention.

Stratton, this winter “As the winter proIce Castles opens sites gresses, the ice loses its in Lincoln, N.H., Eden integrity unless you’re Prarie, Minn. and continually spraying Midway, Utah. on it,” he says. “We’ve Cory Livingood is got to put more ice on the site manager for to strengthen it. They the Stratton Ice Castle become porus as the and began preparing sun eats away at them the site in October and more water evapon what is normally orates.” a paintball course in Throughout the Stratton’s Sun Bowl course of a season, area. On Dec. 29, Livingood estimates they started to make they’ll use three to ice with the help of six million gallons of two miles of sprinkler Cory Livingood is site manager for the Ice Castle water to build and system. The icicles are at Stratton’s Sun Bowl area, which opened in maintain the castle. grown by hand in “gar- late January and willl likely be open to the The castle is open dens” with sprinklers public into mid-March. seven days a week, and are attached to 31 including from 2.pm. towers around the site. It takes 100 individual to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 2 p.m. icicles to grow a tower one foot. to 10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. Livingood Livingood recalls nights of working on the anticipates the ice to last through February ice castles when he would leave with an inch and into March, depending, of course, on the of ice coating his jacket, beard and hair. weather.

“We get people all the time that ask if “We’ve been able to stay open into April people made these towers or if they occur before,” he says. “The ice will actually be here naturally,” he says. “There’s a lot of work that well into the summer. Fifteen thousand tons goes on behind the scenes.” of ice takes a while to go away.”

The finished result is 15,000 tons of ice pre-

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Killington’s Highline plays host to Russian, Japan and US freestylers during break in World Cup action this coming weekend. The U.S. World Cup team is also considering spending a few days training on Highline as well.”

KMS welcomed the World Cup athletes to their new course on Highline, which is part of a three-phase Trails Initiative built in partnership with Killington Resort. KMS athletes joined them on the course and in their workout facilities at the school and enjoyed learning about their experiences. Some of the World Cup skiers on the Russian team also visited Killington Elementary School for a meet and greet session, Tuesday, Feb. 3.

Members of the Russian, Japan and U.S. World Cup freestyle teams, right, practiced on Killington Mountain School’s new training venue on Highline, Sunday, Feb. 1 during a break in World Cup action in neighboring Lake Placid.

Photo by Polly Lynn

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By POLLY LYNN KILLINGTON — Killington Mountain School’s training venue on Highline has been living up to its “world class” billing welcoming the U.S., Japan and Russian Freestyle World Cup teams for training during the latter part of January and into February. Flips, twists, speed and big air were on display as the athletes lapped the mogul course on Highline.

Glenn Eddy, freestyle program director at Killington Mountain School, has known the head mogul coach for the World Cup Russian ski team, Stephen Fearing, for 20-something years, so he was glad to welcome the team to train on the new freestyle course that KMS built on Highline. This year’s World Cup schedule had some breaks around the FIS Freestyle Cup, Jan. 29-31 in Lake Placid and Val St. Come (in Quebec), which allowed for the visit, Eddy explained.

“I thought it would be a good showcase for our new dedicated site on Highline so I invited them to come and train,” Eddy said. “They will be back again for a couple days after the Lake Placid competition

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VBA and Vermont Grape & Wine Council initiate Passport programs for guests who visit Vermont’s breweries and wineries.

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If you’re a lover of micro-brews and wines, the Vermont Brewers Association and Vermont Wine and Grape Council have developed Vermont Passport Challenge programs for guests who visit breweries and wineries in 17 the state.

Those who visit four breweries, get a “Drink Vermont Beer” bottle opener; those who visit 10 breweries earn a “Drink Vermont Beer” t-shirt; and those who visit all the breweries get the grand prize: a “Collectors Set of Vermont Beer Gear.”

The rules are simple: Visit a brewery or brewpub that is part of the challenge (listed on the Vermont Brewer’s Association website (www. vermontbrewers.com); enjoy a glass or pint and get your “passport” stamped at that brewery with their official VBA symbol. (The passport card is available on the VBA website or at most of the breweries.)

Prizes are given out when the passport is mailed into the Vermont Brewers Association, 142 Kirk Meadow Rd., Springfield, Vt. 05156. (Be sure to indicate your shirt size if you qualify. The offer is valid while supplies last and is good only for breweries & brewpubs, not at wineries or cideries.)

A similar program is being run through the Vermont Grape & Wine Council. For info on rules go to www.

VermontGrapeandWineCouncil. com.

4. Boyden Valley Winery & Spirits

1. Lawson’s Finest The Warren Store

284 Main St. Warren, Vt 05674 802-496-3864 www.warrenstore.com Lawson’s Finest Liquids Warren, VT 05674 802-272-8436 www.lawsonsfinest.com The Warren Store is open 7 days/week, 8 a.m.

– 6 p.m, bringing in a rotating line-up of bottles delivered every Friday.

“Straight from the Green Mountains to your head!” The Warren Store is the best location to find Lawson’s beer, a small batch artisanal microbrewery. Lawson’s goal is to provide local brews of the highest quality and freshness, while crafting unique new recipes and emulating the best of widely appreciated styles.

2.

Kingdom Brewing

353 Coburn Hill Road Newport, Vt 05855 Tel: 802-334-7096 w w w.King d omBrewingVT.com Tasting Room Hours: Thursday, Friday and Saturday, 3:30- 6:30.

We are the northernmost brewery in Vermont. This working farm has a sustainable ecosystem from a greenhouse for food production to a Black Angus beef herd for spent grain and trub recycling. Geothermal cooled and wood-fired hot water... we are Vermont Green.

3. Harpoon Brewery

336 Ruth Carney Drive Windsor, Vt 05089 802-6475491 www.harpoonbrewery.com Open daily, Sun-Weds 10am-6pm, Thurs-Sat 10am-9pm. We started the Harpoon Brewery in 1986 because—like today—we loved beer and wanted more quality choices, and we have spent as much time spreading the joy of beer drinking as we have focusing on recipes, ingredients, and brewing equipment.

Hopefully our sense of gratitude is reflected in both the quality of the beer and the spirit of fun and enjoyment surrounding our beer and breweries. We invite all of you to visit our beautiful brewery in Windsor, Vermont.

64 Vt Route 104 Cambridge, Vt 05444 802-644-8151 www.boydenvalley.com Open daily, year round, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Ten Dollars per person includes a taste of six different types of wine, plus one cream liqueur and you receive a local chocolate truffle and a logo Boyden Valley Winery glass to keep. Tours (FREE) 11:30am & 1:00pm, “French Gourmet” Cheese Plates ($19.95+tax) seasonally 10am4pm.

Boyden Valley Winery, a fourth generation family farm, produces international award-winning Vermont wines; bold red wines, elegant white wines, light and flavorful rose and fruit wines, “Vermont Ice”: the premier line of Vermont ice wines, and the Vermont Ice Apple Crème and Vermont Ice Maple Crème liqueurs.

5. Drop In Brewing/American Brewer’s Guild

610 Route 7 South Middlebury, Vt www.dropinbrewing.com and on Facebook as Drop-In Brewing Company Open daily 11-7, Sundays 12-5. 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 with a focus on drinkability.

Running a Newlands 15-barrel brewing system with a capacity of 750 barrels a year, Drop-In distributes to establishments all throughout Vermont. In a small but fun atmosphere tasting room customers can try our 6 beers on tap and take home any of three different sized growlers.

6. Switchback Brewing Company 160 Flynn Avenue Burlington, Vt 05406 802-651-4114 www.switchbackvt. com Tap room and retail shop hours change seasonally.

Please check the website for most current info.

Vermont Ski & Ride Magazine, February/March

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Switchback Brewing Company has been locally owned and operated in Burlington’s South End since 2002. Visit our brewery on Flynn Ave to learn about our unique brewing process! Join us in the Tap Room and check out the bottling line while enjoying a refreshing pint or sample of our flagship Switchback Ale, one of our Rotating Specials or a Tap Room exclusive beer.

7. Long Trail Brewing Company

5520 US Route 4 Bridgewater Corners, VT 05035 802-672-5011 www.longtrail.com Open 7 days/week, 10 a.m. – 7 p.m.

Sales and sampling and self-guided tours at the visitor center.

Enjoy Vermont’s #1 selling craft beer at one of the most popular destinations in the state, the Long Trail Visitors Center. Whether you are interested in enjoying some of our yearround, seasonal, cask-conditioned or limited “pilot brew” releases, you will find there is a flavor for everyone!

8. Rock Art Brewery

9. Zero Gravity

American Flatbread 115 St. Paul St. Burlington, VT 05401 802-861-2999 www.zerogravitybeer. com Zero Gravity Craft Brewery is located inside American Flatbread Burlington Hearth where you will find 10-15 house brews on tap all year long. Beers that are brewed for food are our main focus and German and Czechstyle lagers and a variety of Belgian styles are usually well represented. Our TLA I.P.A. is a crowd favorite as is our medieval style Gruit

10. WhistlePig Whiskey

2139 Quiet Valley Farm Shoreham, Vt 05753 802-897-7700 www.whistlepigrye.com WhistlePig produces a straight rye whiskey, aged for at least ten years through a unique double-barrel process. Their three products available have each won accolades and great critical acclaim from reputable spirit journals and tasters around the world.

WhistlePig embodies the perfect combination of proof, purity, and age — hitting “the sweet spot” in all three categories.

11. Magic Hat Brewery and Artifactory

5 Bartlett Bay Road South Burlington, Vt 05403 802-658-BREW MagicHat.Net Winter Hours: MonThurs 10-6, Fri-Sat 10-7, Sun 12-5 Winter Tours: Thurs-Fri 3,4,5 Sat 1,2,3,4,5 Sun 1,2 NOTE: We have changed our winter tour times on Sunday to be 1:00 & 2:00 PM 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!

12. Woodchuck Cidery

1321 Exchange Street, Middlebury VT 05753 802-385-3656 www.woodchuck.com Come check out our new cidery in Middlebury, Vermont! The Cider House welcomes visitors with a tour center, gift shop, and of course, Woodchuck© Hard Cider on tap.

The Cider House is now open and we are so pleased to finally be able to invite you over for a cider!

13. Fresh Tracks Farm Vineyard & Winery

4373 VT Route 12 Berlin, VT 05602 802-223-1151 www.freshtracksfarm. com

Vermont Ski & Ride Magazine, February/March

Taste internationally award-winning Vermont wines made from grapes grown right here in our Central Vermont vineyard! Visit our renewably powered tasting room, picnic under the pergola, wander through our vineyards, and take home a free souvenir wine glass with your wine tasting. Try our unique dessert wine made entirely from our own maple sap. Visit our website for upcoming events, specials and update to date hours.

We’re just 3.2 miles south of Montpelier!

14. Lincoln Peak Vineyard

142 River Rd New Haven VT 05472 802-388-7368 www.lincolnpeakvineyard.com Winter Hours: Open Wed-Sun 11-5 Jan-May: Sat 11-5, M-F by chance or appt Jun-Oct: Daily 11-5 Tastings; wine by the glass We—the Granstrom family—grow 12 acres of grapevines, make wine right here from our own grapes, and love to share how grapes grow in Vermont. Come taste our wines, enjoy a glass by the cozy wood stove or on the winery porch, and walk around the vineyard. Our wines have won three best-in-show awards at the Intl Cold Climate Wine Comp in recent years. 3 miles north of Middlebury, just off Rte 7.

15. Champlain Orchards

3597 Route 74 West Shoreham, VT 05770 802-897-2777 w w w. c h a m plainorchards.com Open daily 10-4 November-June Open daily 9-6 July-September Please call ahead if possible. We offer guided tastings of our Pruners Pride, Pruners Promise, Semi-Dry, and Cranberry Hard Ciders, as well as our Sparkling and Honeycrisp Ice Ciders - all made onsite with our ecologically grown apples. Picnic or take a short walk for stunning views of Lake Champlain and the Adirondacks.

16. Appalachian Gap Distillery

88 Mainelli Road Middlebury, VT 05753 802-989-7359 www.appalachiangap.com Tasting room hours: 1-5 Daily.

Visit our tasting rom to sample our fine spirits, made right here in our solar-powered distillery. Our spirits are balanced, rich in flavor, and utterly unique.

17. Jasper Murdock’s Alehouse at The Norwich Inn

325 Main Street Norwich, VT 05055 (802) 649-1143 w w w. n o r w i c h i n n . com Yearly Hours: Monday 5pm-9pm Tuesday - Thursday 11:30am - 9pm Friday & Saturday 11:30am - 9:30pm Sunday 12pm - 9pm Jasper Murdock’s Ales are crafted from fine English malts, with hops grown in England, locally, and in our own hop garden at the Inn. Our beer is pumped underground from the beer cellars to our pub at the Inn. Our brewery is not open for tours but the Alehouse is open for you to wet your whistle during the above hours.

Our ales have won 4 silver medals and 1 gold medal in the last three years at the Great International Beer Competition and are sold only at The Norwich Inn.

18. East Shore Vineyard

Sugarbush - Lincoln Peak Sugarbush Access Rd. Warren, VT 05674 and 28 Church St Burlington, VT 05401 877-ESV-VINO www.eastshorevineyard.com Sugarbush Tasting Room: Open Friday-Sunday – Noon to 6PM. Burlington Tasting Room: Open Everyday except Tuesday - Noon to 6PM, open later weekends – Call for details.

Wine tasting ($7+tax) receive complimentary glass. Join us at our two premier tasting rooms for tastings and pairings with some of Vermont’s finest chocolates and cheeses. East Shore Vineyard produces a variety of international award-winning Vermont made wines including: Traminette, Summer Snow, Cab Franc, Marquette, and Vidal Ice Wine.

19. Trapp Lager Brewery

700 Trapp Hill Road Stowe, Vermont 05672 802-253-5705 • www. trappfamily.com The Trapp Lager Brewery offers a selection of authentic Austrian lagers. Stop by for a pint and enjoy our mountaintop views in our DeliBakery, lounge, or dining room. The Trapp Family Lodge is a mountain resort in the European tradition by the family that inspired “The Sound of Music”.

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632 Laporte Rd./Rt. 100 Morrisville, Vt 05661 802-888-9400 www.rockartbrewery.com Open Monday – Saturday, 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Tasting daily until 5:30 p.m.

Tours run at 2 & 4 daily and you are welcome to see the brewery from the viewing window on your own ANYTIME! We are celebrating 15 years! Enjoy samples of our beers during your visit and have a growler filled to take home and enjoy later. We have the best selection of our bottled beers and we also have several local Vermont foods and cheeses to pair nicely with the beers.

ale, released twice a year on the summer and winter solstices.

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Cross Country Ski Areas N rthern Verm nt Bolton Valley XC Nordic and backcountry skiing are hallmarks of Bolton Valley Ski Resort. The highest elevation of Vermont’s crosscountry ski areas ensures great snow, usually from early November well into April. With over 100 km of Nordic trails, Bolton is considered by many to be the ‘best backcountry in Vermont’. The Nordic Center offers both Classic and Skate skiing lessons as well as guided tours and ski clinics. Snowshoeing is another popular activity; the resort uses Tubbs Snowshoes as rentals. Nordic ski and snowshoe packages with lodging are available.

Contact: 4302 Bolton Valley Access Rd., Bolton Valley, VT 05477 Main phone: 802.434.3444 Phone 2: 877.9BOLTON • Fax: 802.329-6871 nordiccenter@boltonvalley.com stats: Typical season:............................................December - early April Total Terrain...................................................................................88 km Machine-tracked..........................................................................26 km Skating Terrain...............................................................................26 km

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Burke XC/Kingdom Trails Two centers located on Darlng Hill and near Burke Mountain offer something for everyone. At Kingdom Trails the atmosphere is noncompetitive, our focus is the quality of skiing and your awareness of the surrounding countryside.

Eight main loops make up 50 km of trails to accommodate all skiing abilities. At the two Nordic centers on Darling Hill and Burke XC you can warm your feet and enjoy the splendid views. contact: PO Box 204, East Burke, VT 05872 Main phone: 802.626.0737 Phone 2: 802.535.5662 info@kingdomtrails.org stats: Typical season:..........................................mid December - March Total Terrain................................................................................... 80 km Machine-tracked.......................................................................... 50 km Skating Terrain............................................................................... 35 km

Catamount Family Center All year long enjoy recreating on our trails as you discover the four corners of our beautiful family farm. Go at a leisurely pace, taking time to enjoy yourself and your family. You can pull off the trails at scenic points to soak up memorable views of Mt. Mansfield or Camel’s hump to the east or Lake Champlain and the Adirondacks to the west.

This farm is rich in history. The first governor of Vermont, Governor Chittenden, built the main house in 1798 for his son Giles. It has since passed to our family and is in its 6th generation of ownership. contact: 592 Governor Chittenden Rd, Williston, VT 05495 Main phone: 802.879.6001 Phone 2: 888.680.1011• Fax: 802.879.6066 www.catamountoutdoor.com Pa g e 2 8

stats: Typical season............................................mid December - March Total Terrain................................................................................... 35 km Machine-tracked ......................................................................... 35 km Skating Terrain............................................................................... 35 km

Craftsbury Outdoor Center For over 35 years, this year-round resort in the Northeast Kingdom on over 400 private acres has offered outdoor activities for the whole family. In 2008, it was re-organized as a non-profit entity whose mission focuses on lifelong sports, stewardship and sustainability. Members (both day or annual) and winter time guests can enjoy 85k of groomed nordic ski trails, snowshoeing, orienteering, iceskating, backcountry tours, biathlon programming, and more. The Center has space for up to 90 houseguests in its variety of trailside accommodations. Choose from private cabins to comfortable lodges - all room prices include your meals in their Vermont Fresh Network Member dining hall.

You’ll enjoy lots of fresh, local ingredients with every meal!

If you’re ready for some indoor time, guests have access to amenities such as free wifi, massage therapists, sauna and fitness room - plus homey public spaces. Babysitting can be arranged with advance notice. contact: 535 Lost Nation Rd, Craftsbury Common, VT 05827 Main phone: 802.586.7767 • Fax: 802.586.7768 www.craftsbury.com stats: Typical season............................................ mid December - March Total Terrain ................................................................................ 135 km Machine-tracked ..........................................................................85 km Skating Terrain ..............................................................................85 km

Ski through fields and valleys, delineated by rows of trees and sugar bushes, with stunning views over open pasture lands of Mount Mansfield to the west, Burke Mountain to the east, the Lowell Mountain Range to the north and Caspian Lake below. There is no finer place for spring skiing and picnics. contact: Caspian Lake, 1608 Craftsbury Rd., Greensboro, VT 05841 Main phone: 802.533.2647 • Fax: 802.533.7494 www.highlandlodge.com stats: Typical season..................................................... December - March Total Terrain .................................................................................. 60 km Machine-tracked ......................................................................... 60 km Skating Terrain ............................................................................. 40 km

Jay Peak Nordic

and

Snowshoe Center

The Jay Peak Nordic and Snowshoe Center is located in the Golf Clubhouse and offers 20km of groomed and tracked terrain for beginners and experts alike. Pristine winding trails that amble through unspoiled wilderness coupled with unparalled mountain views are the hallmarks of our trail network. Snowshoers are welcome to experience the backcountry by day or be guided in the evenings on our fireside tours. A true destination resort, Jay Peak also offers ice skating, curling, lodging , dining, an indoor water park and plenty of night life.

Contact: 830 Jay Peak Road, Jay, Vermont 05859.

Main Phone (802) 988-2611 x4653 Reservations 1-800-451-4449 • Fax (802) 988-4049 info@jaypeakresort.com. stats: Typical season......................................... Thanksgiving - mid-April Total Terrain....................................................................................25 km Snowshoeing trails.......................................................................... 5 km

Hazen’s Notch Located at the top of Vermont in the “Covered Bridge Town” of Montgomery near Jay Peak Resort, Hazen’s Notch is on the western edge of the snowy Northeast Kingdom.

70 Kilometers of groomed and marked trails pass through mixed maple, birch and evergreen forest and across gentle, open meadows. There are spectacular views of Hazen’s Notch and numerous peaks over 3,000 in elevation in the Jay Range and Cold Hollow Range of the Green Mountains, which completely encircle the trail system. 30 trails for all abilities provide loops of different lengths for classical cross-country skiing and or snowshoeing. Trail difficulty is evenly divided between easy, moderate and difficult. contact: P.O. Box 478, Montgomery Center, VT 05471 Main phone: 802.326.4799 • Fax: 802.326.4966 www.hazensnotch.org stats: Typical season......................................................... December - April Total Terrain ...................................................................................70 km Machine-tracked ..........................................................................60 km Skating Terrain ..............................................................................20 km

Highland Lodge & XC Center

Morse Farm Ski Center Visit Vermont’s newest, family friendly cross-country touring center, with views of Camel’s Hump and the Hunger Mountain range. Professionally designed scenic trails offer a diverse choice of terrain, through softwood forests, sugarbush and across gently rolling open pastures. Suitable for all skill levels, from first-timers to seasoned experts, who will appreciate the banked turns on our many challenging downhill slopes. contact: PO Box 1200 • 1168 County Rd., Montpelier, VT 05601 Main phone: 800-223-0090 www.skimorsefarm.com stats: Typical season......................................................December - March Total Terrain ...................................................................................20 km Machine-tracked ..........................................................................20 km Skating Terrain ..............................................................................15 km

Sleepy Hollow Inn & Bike Center Come cross-country ski or mountain bike with us! Our trails are challenging and great fun. Visit Butternut Cabin, Vermont Ski & Ride Magazine, February/March

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Cross Country Ski Areas with a stunning view of Camel’s Hump and Vermont’s rolling Green Mountains. Our eight bedroom newly renovated country inn is gaining a reputation for great service and hospitality. We offer skiing, ice-skating, night skiing, snowshoeing, single-track mountain biking, and hiking. Our full line of rentals will surely make your visit hassle-free and memorable. contact: 1805 Sherman Hollow Rd, Huntington, VT 05462 Main phone: 802.434.2283 Phone 2: 866.254.1524 info@skisleepyhollow.com www.skisleepyhollow.com stats: Typical season......................................................December - March Total Terrain ...................................................................................40 km Machine-tracked ..........................................................................30 km Skating Terrain ..............................................................................25 km

Smugglers’ Notch Cross Country

Stowe XC Stowe Mountain Resort’s 35 kilometers of groomed and 40 kilometers of backcountry trails are the highest in Stowe. Also available are 5 kilometers of trails specifically for snowshoeing. They’re all part of the largest connected cross-country trail network in the East... a nordic skier’s dream, that also connects with the Trapp Family Lodge XC Center, Topnotch and Edson Hill ski touring centers. contact: 5781 Mountain Rd., Stowe, VT 05672 Main phone: 802.253.3688 Phone 2: 800.253.4754 * Fax: 802.253.3406 info@stowe.com • www.stowe.com

Vermont

stats: Typical season................................................December - late April Total Terrain ...................................................................................70 km Machine-tracked ..........................................................................35 km Skating Terrain ..............................................................................35 km

Trapp Family Lodge Cross Country Center Located on the spine of the Green Mountains, they are blessed with good snow conditions all season long. The center offers 55 km of groomed trails that are interconnected to the Stowe Mountain Resort, Topnotch and Edson Hill ski touring centers, making a trail network of 120 km groomed trails and another 100 km of back country trails. The center has a complete retail store with accessories, clothing and equipment, a repair shop, a ski school and rentals of all kinds. contact: 700 Trapp Hill Rd, Stowe, VT 05672 Main phone: 802.253.8511 Phone 2: 800.826.7000 • Fax: 802.253.5757 info@trappfamily.com • www.trappfamily.com stats: Typical season........................................................December – April Total Terrain ................................................................................ 100 km Machine-tracked ..........................................................................55 km Skating Terrain ..............................................................................55 km

Vermont Gran Fondo Gran Fondo rikertnordic.com

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Ongoing programs ~ check website for details ~ PSIA instructors

Please join us throughout the 2014-15 ski season for activities and events for individuals and families.

Check our website for program and event details, trail pass rates and more.

Watch for our online shop, coming soon!

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equipment rental ~ xc skis ~ fat bikes ~ snowshoes day passes ~ season passes ~ multi-day discounts rikertnordic.com open 7 days a week 8:30 – 4:30, Dec. – Mar. • 802-443-2744

Vermont Ski & Ride Magazine, February/March

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Smugglers’ Notch Nordic Ski and Snowshoe Adventure Center is conveniently located at the center of this yearround resort, providing a host of exciting activities for every member of the family. PSIA-Certified instruction in both classical and skate skiing; daily guided snowshoe treks and night tours on 24 kilometers of dedicated snowshoe trails; ice skating on a natural outdoor rink. With over 100

pair of Red Feather Snowshoes and plenty of skis, boots, poles and ice skates, Smugglers’ can outfit age 5 and older. contact: 4323 VT Route 108 South, Smugglers’ Notch, VT 05464 Main phone: 802.644.1173 Phone 2: 800.451.8752 • Fax: 802.644.2713 smuggs@smuggs.com • www.smuggs.com stats: Typical season........................................................December – April Total Terrain ...................................................................................34 km Machine-tracked ..........................................................................23 km Skating Terrain ..............................................................................28 km

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Cross Country Ski Areas Central Verm nt Blueberry Hill Blueberry Hill Blueberry Hill is continually expanding its trail network and maintaining high grooming standards. The ski lodge sits at just over 1,600 feet, ensuring a fair dumping with any snowstorm. 65 kilometers of groomed and wilderness trails spread across the beautiful Vermont countryside, with connections to the Catamount Trail and Vermont’s Long Trail. The Halfdan Khlune Trail climbs to 2,800 feet, making it the highest maintained ski trail in Vermont. The rental shop offers a full line of touring, backcountry and skating skis on a fi rst come, first served basis. We also have 40+ pairs of snowshoes, for both adults and children. contact: RFD 3, Goshen, VT 05733 Main phone: 802.247.6735 Phone 2: 800.448.0707 • Fax: 802.247.3983 info@blueberryhillinn.com www.blueberryhillinn.com stats: Typical season.........................................December to mid-March Total Terrain ...................................................................................65 km Machine-tracked ..........................................................................25 km Skating Terrain ..............................................................................25 km Cyan Magenta Yellow Black

Blueberry Lake “The Snow Bowl of Sugarbush.” For the last two years, we have skied everyday of the season after opening. The ski area offers 31 km of trails all of which are groomed. Some of the trails are lit for night skiing. contact: 424 Robinson Road, Warren, VT 05674 Main phone: 802.496.6687 • Fax: 802.496.5198 stats: Typical season........................................ December to mid-March Total Terrain .................................................................................. 31 km Machine-tracked ......................................................................... 31 km Skating Terrain ............................................................................. 31 km

Catamount Trail Association The Catamount Trail is a 300-mile public cross country ski trail that spans the length of Vermont. It offers a mixture of ungroomed backcountry terrain and groomed trails - a ski experience for everyone. Guidebook available. Maintained by the member-supported nonprofit Catamount Trail Association. contact: Main phone: (802) 864-5794 info@catamounttrail.org www.catamounttrail.org

contact: 209 Thundering Brook Rd, Killington, VT 05751 Main phone: 802.775.7077 Phone 2: 800.221.0598 • Fax: 802.747.1929 www.xcskiing.net Stats: Typical season.................................................................November – April Total Terrain ............................................................................................... 57 km Machine-tracked ..................................................................................... 57 km Skating Terrain........................................................................................... 57 km

Mountain Top Inn

and

Resort

Eleven miles from Killington, 60km trails (40km groomed) classic, skate and pristine backcountry for skiing or snowshoeing on 350 of acres at elevation up to 2,100 ft. Varied terrain for all skill and age levels. Private or group lessons, rentals, snowmaking, daily grooming, ski shop (Rossignol demo equipment & rentals, Tubbs snowshoe rentals), snack bar. Designated pet friendly trails. Nordic ski and other seasonal packages available. contact: 195 Mountain Top Rd, Chittenden, VT 05737 Main phone: (802) 483-2311 Phone 2: (802) 483-6089 Reservations: (802) 483-2311 • Fax: (802) 483-6373 stay@mountaintopinn.com stats: Typical season..........................................................................late Nov.-April Total Terrain ................................................................................................60 km Machine-tracked ......................................................................................40 km Skating Terrain .......................................................................................... 60 km

Okemo Valley Nordic Center Okemo Valley Nordic Center features 22 km of traditional Nordic track trails and skating lanes that wind their way through pristine meadows and Nordic hillsides and along the Black River. The Nordic Center also has an additional 13 km of dedicated snow-shoe trails. Okemo Valley features modern trail grooming and terrain ideally suited for all ability levels.

Cross-country ski and snowshoe rentals are available, along with group and private lessons. contact: 77 Okemo Ridge Rd, Ludlow, VT 05149 Main phone: 802.228.1396 Phone 2: 800.78.OKEMO • Fax: 802.228.7095 info@okemo.com • www.nordic.okemo.com stats: Typical season..................................................................December – April Total Terrain ............................................................................................... 22 km Machine-tracked ..................................................................................... 22 km Skating Terrain .......................................................................................... 22 km

Ole’s Cross Country Center Mountain Meadows XC Area Located in the heart of the Green Mountains, Mountain Meadows cross-country ski area has been attracting skiers from all over the world for the past 35 years. Snowmaking, new trail marking system, improved trails through spectacular meadows and hard woods.

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The combination of snow and scenery at Ole’s Cross Country Center in the Mad River Valley is perfect for skiing and snowshoeing. Discover 30 miles (50K) of moderately rolling trails groomed for classic skiing and ski skating. All abilities can ski to panoramic views of Sugarbush or into the rare quiet of the deep woods. Rent cross country ski gear and snowshoes at Ole’s, including skating skis. Learn to cross-country ski bet-

ter. We offer fun lessons for beginners to coaching for racers.

We love to share our favorite sport. Adventure with us on a guided ski or snowshoe tour. contact: PO Box 1653, Waitsfield, VT 05673 Main phone: 802.496.3430 Phone 2: 877.863.3001 • Fax: 802.496.3089 www.olesxc.com stats: Typical season................................................................November – April Total Terrain .............................................................................................. 50 km Machine-tracked .................................................................................... 50 km Skating Terrain.......................................................................................... 45 km

Rikert Nordic Center Located 12 miles east of Middlebury on Route 125 in Ripton, VT - 2 miles west of the Middlebury Snow Bowl. Situated on the Bread Loaf Campus of Middlebury College bordered by the Green Mountain National Forest and the Robert Frost Homestead, the center offers 50 km of carefully groomed trails for classic and skate skiing and snowshoeing for all abilities. Included in this terrain is a new world class 5km FIS sanctioned race course that was built this fall. The newly renovated shop offers rental equipment, repairs and maintenance and is fully ADA accessible. A staff of instructors offer both private and group lessons.

Contact: Route 125 Middlebury College Bread Loaf Campus, Ripton,VT Phone: 802 - 443- 2744 mhussey@middlebury.edu • www.rikertnordic.com Stats: Typical Season: ...........................................................December - March Total Terrain: .............................................................................................50 km Machine Tracked:....................................................................................50 Km Skating Terrain:..........................................................................................40 km

Three Stallion Inn Touring Center Come and enjoy the “Sporting Life” on 35 km of x-c skiing and snowshoeing trails that criss-cross our 1,300 wooded acres and open pastures. contact: Three Stallion Inn, Randolph, VT 05060 Main phone: 802.728.5656 Phone 2: 802.728.5575 • www.3stallioninn.com stats: Typical season............................................................. December – March Total Terrain ...............................................................................................50 km Machine-tracked .....................................................................................35 km Skating Terrain ..........................................................................................17 km

Woodstock Nordic Center Just out from the ski center are 10 km of gentle “meadow” skiing that connect to our fitness center and the 20 km of woodland trails on Mt. Peg. There are also 30 km of trails located across the village green on Mt. Tom – and these quite often become the favorites of those who discover them. Skiing or snowshoeing Mt. Tom puts you on century old carriage roads Vermont Ski & Ride Magazine, February/March

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Cross Country Ski Areas in the midst of Vermont’s first tree farm and Vermont’s first National Park site. contact: Route 106, Woodstock, VT 05091 Main phone: 802.457.6674 Phone 2: 800.448.7900 • Fax: 802.457.6699 email@woodstockinn.com • www.woodstockinn.com stats: Typical season............................................................. December – March Total Terrain ...............................................................................................60 km Machine-tracked .....................................................................................50 km Skating Terrain ..........................................................................................20 km SouthernR egion

S uthern Verm nt

Brattleboro Outing Club

Grafton Ponds Outdoor Center Grafton Ponds focuses on cross country skiing, snowshoeing, ice Skating (no ice skating) Biathlon, and tubing on a 600-foot hill. There are 15 km of Nordic trails groomed with a snow-cat and a tiller (which includes 5 km with snowmaking) and 15 km of back-country trails, along with another 10 km of snowshoe trails. They offer a wide variety of terrain and a full service cross country center including rental, retail and snacks. A series of winter activities, including family and kids programs, demos, clinics and races, take place throughout the season.

Grafton Ponds is part of the Grafton Inn, which offers special ski & stay packages. contact: 783 Townshend Road, Grafton, VT 05146 Main phone: 802.843.2400 Reservations: 800.843.1801 • Fax: 802.843.2245 info@graftonponds.com • www.graftonponds.com stats: Typical season..................................................December – Mid-March Total Terrain................................................................................................45 km Machine-tracked......................................................................................15 km Skating Terrain...........................................................................................15 km

Vermont Ski & Ride Magazine, February/March

Hildene, The Lincoln Family Home Hildene is a historic house built by Robert Todd Lincoln primarily as a summer home. It is open year-round and includes the mansion and gardens, farm and restored Pullman palace car. In the winter months, we offer ski and snowshoe rentals for children and adults, and lessons by appointment. contact: 1005 Hildene Rd, Manchester, VT 05254 Main phone: 802.362.1788 • Fax: 802.362.1564 www.hildene.org stats: Typical season............................................................. December – March Total Terrain................................................................................................14 km Machine-tracked......................................................................................14 km Skating Terrain..............................................................................................0 km

Prospect Mountain Cross Country Ski Center Prospect Mountain Cross-Country Ski Center is located on Route 9 in Woodford, Vermont, just 7 miles east of Bennington. At the highest base elevation of any ski area in the state, Prospect Mountain has earned its reputation of being the “snow magnet”. Prospect has over 35 km of expertly groomed ski trails, and offers excellent skiing to everyone from racers to families. The full service ski shop includes a heated waxing room and a professional waxing service. Adult and children’s skis, snowshoes and baby sleds are available for rent. The spacious Base Lodge Restaurant is open 7 days/week. Open everyday from 9 am to 5 pm. contact: Route 9, Woodford, VT 05201 Main phone: 802.442.2575 stats: Typical season................................................................November – April Total Terrain .............................................................................................. 35 km Machine-tracked .................................................................................... 35 km Skating Terrain ......................................................................................... 30 km

Stratton Mountain Nordic Center Stratton Mountain Nordic Center is located out of the Sunbowl Lodge at Stratton Mountain Resort. We offer 10 km for cross country skiing and for snowshoeing. The beautiful wooded trails are groomed for both classical and skate skiing.

The terrain offers something for novice to advanced skiers.

Inside the base lodge we have a full service rental and retail shop. Open daily from 8-5. Lessons available. contact: RR 1 Box 145, Stratton Mountain, VT 05155 Main phone: 802.297.4114 Phone 2: 800.STRATTON • www.stratton.com stats: Typical season............................................................. December – March Total Terrain ...............................................................................................10 km Machine-tracked .....................................................................................10 km Skating Terrain ..........................................................................................10 km

Across from Mount Snow, cradled by the Green Mountains, is Timber Creek… a very high quality cross country ski area.

With a dependable mountain climate and a high elevation, an abundance of snow becomes a way of life at Timber Creek.

The skier has a choice of adventures on a trail system that meanders and explores where you can ski the forested hills or reach up to the high Green Mountain ridges. contacts: Route 100 North, West Dover, VT 05356 Main phone: 802.464.0999 Fax: 802.464.8308 www.timbercreekxc.com stats: Typical season............................................................. December – March Total Terrain................................................................................................14 km Machine-tracked......................................................................................14 km Skating Terrain ..........................................................................................14 km

Viking Nordic Center Viking Nordic Centre is one of the oldest cross-country ski centers in North America. With 40 kilometers of trails we offer something for every skier. From the rolling gentle terrain of our inner trail system to the long loops through the woods of our outer trail system, beginners and experts can find terrain that will both please and challenge them. After a long day of skiing you can enjoy a hearty cup of soup in our Olympic Café; or bring your own lunch for a picnic at our warming hut overlooking Vermont’s Stratton Mountain. contact: 615 Little Pond Rd, Londonderry, VT 05148 Main phone: 802.824.3933 Fax: 802.824.4574 www.vikingnordic.com stats: Typical season....................................................December – March Total Terrain .................................................................................. 40 km Machine-tracked ......................................................................... 35 km Skating Terrain ............................................................................. 30 km

Wild Wings Ski Touring Center Classic skiing at its best. Family skiing or ski to train. Tracks set with Piston Bully — they last longer. Ski through the woods or along the brook. The animal tracks we see regularly include bobcat, rabbit and deer. Rental and lessons available. contact: Box 132, Peru, VT 05152 Main phone: 802.824.6793 wwxcski@sover.net • www.wildwingsski.com stats: Typical season.................................................... December – March Total Terrain ...................................................................................25 km Machine-tracked ..........................................................................25 km Skating Terrain ................................................................................ 0 km

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Cyan Magenta Yellow Black

The BOC Ski Hut is the place to cross-country ski in Brattleboro. It’s so close and convenient, it’s practically XC in your backyard! Just two miles from town, the Ski Hut is where friends and family gather to make the most of winter. Learnto-ski programs after school, ski and snowshoe rentals on weekends, special events that celebrate the gift of winter. We maintain trails for all tastes- — Classic-only trails meander through the woods, while our fairway trails are groomed wide with both skating lanes and stride & glide tracks. In fields adjacent to the fairways, our Hunde-loipes (Hound loops) for dog-lovers and their pets are groomed regularly. contact: 348 Upper Dummerston Rd. • PO Box 335 Brattleboro, VT 05302 Main phone: 802.254.4081 Contact our web page at BrattleboroOutingClub.org xc@brattleborooutingclub.org stats: Typical season...................................................mid December – March Total Terrain ...............................................................................................33 km Machine-tracked .....................................................................................25 km Skating Terrain ..........................................................................................20 km

Timber Creek Cross Country Ski Area

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Final Days of

February Vacation

Specials Feb 23 – Mar 3

3-day Mt. EllEn tickEt for

$89

Valid three of four consecutive days.

Start dates: 2/23 – 28. 48-hour advance online purchase required.

upcoming EVENTS

2-for-1 youth lEssons Ages 3 – 12, reservations required.

Midweek only.

Presidents Week events Feb 14 – 22 Check out sugarbush.com for a full listing of the week’s events.

buy a youth lEsson, gEt an adult tickEt FREE Ages 3 – 12, reservations required.

Midweek only.

HiGH Fives FAt ski-A-tHOn

stay four nights, gEt thE fifth FREE

Sun, Mar 1

MOuntAin deW verticAl cHAllenGe

Starting at $97/person/night with lift tickets.

Cyan Magenta Yellow Black

Sun, Mar 1

cAstlerOck extreMe Sat, Mar 7

kids cOOkinG clAss

Roots are better at

Sat, Mar 7

WOMen’s discOvery cAMP Mon – Wed, Mar 9–11

suGArinG tiMe FestivAl Sat, Mar 14

tOur de MOOn

Sugarbush

Mrv MOuntAineerinG rAce

localvore is nothing new—Vermonters have been doing it for centuries, preserving autumn’s harvest in root cellars for the months to come.

Sat, Mar 14

(RESCHEDULED) Sun, Mar 22, Mad River Glen to Sugarbush

Recurring EVENTS tOur de POint cAstelrOck Music series Saturdays, 9 PM – 12 AM

$30 tHursdAys at Mt. ellen Thursdays, non-holiday

At Sugarbush, we cherish our Vermont roots and are dedicated to providing local food year-round. That’s why we preserved 1,800 pounds of veggies from Gaylord Farm to serve at Timbers Restaurant this winter. Take part in this Vermont tradition of eating local, and save when you show your Vermont ID.

TON OF FOOD PROMOtion 20% OFF tiMbers dininG w/ Vermont ID Mon – Thu, non-holiday*

w e e k ly

raw bar every tue & Wed

* Holiday dates: 2/16/15 – 2/19/15. Offer expires: 4/23/15.

Not valid on alcohol. Not valid with any other discount.

For reservations and more information, call 802.583.6300 or visit sugarbush.com.

liFt OPerAtiOns: Midweek, 9 AM – 4 PM Weekends & Holidays*, 8 AM – 4 PM * 2/14/15 – 2/22/15 For more information on restaurants, activities and events call 800.53.suGAr or visit sugarbush.com.

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Vermont Ski & Ride Magazine, February/March