Ski Vermont Magazine 2015 by Ski Vermont

PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID BURLINGTON, VT PERMIT NO. 19

STAT E

OR IG I NA L WINTER IN ITS

Courtesy of Jeb Wallace-Brodeur

Courtesy of Deshler Photography

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Ski_VT & RideVermont

@Ski_Vermont & @RideVermont

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COVER PHOTO Justin Cash Randy Elles skiing the Juanita Glades at Killington Resort.

Getting set for another iconic winter in Vermont.

4 MOUNTAIN HAPPENINGS

ASSISTANT EDITOR Hilary DelRoss

Where to go and when to be there.

DITOR E Kyle Lewis

PRINTER Lane Press

CONTACT INFO Ski Vermont P.O. Box 368 Montpelier, VT 05601 T: 802.223.2439 F: 802.229.6917 E: info@skivermont.com DESIGN Methodikal, Inc.

PUBLISHER SKI VERMONT Sky Foulkes, Chair Parker Riehle, President Kyle Lewis, Director of Marketing

2 FRESH TRACKS

8 NORTHERN VERMONT Story by Sky Barsch With something special for young and old alike, life is good on top.

15 CENTRAL VERMONT Story by Iseult Devlin Vermont’s midsection is packed with places to ski, ride, dine and play.

24 SOUTHERN VERMONT Story by Luke Q. Stafford Highlights from the cradle of snowboarding, on and off the slope.

30 DIARY OF A CURIOUS SNOWBOARDER Story by Hilary DelRoss One rider gets a taste of life on two boards.

37 THE UPHILL ALL STARS Story by Mike Hannigan The top-10, can’t-miss, gotta-ride-’em lifts in Vermont.

50 THE LONG TRAIL Story by Peter Biolsi Celebrating 25 years of a bottled legend.

60 ALPINE AND NORDIC SKIING FACTS AND STATS Get the details on Vermont’s diverse array of skiing and riding destinations.

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Courtesy of Jeb Wallace-Brodeur

FRESH TRACKS

ICONIC VERMONT Big red barns. Narrow, winding mountain trails. Sweeping views. Deep snow. Warm fires. Covered bridges. Chairlifts and gondolas. Snowboarding. Rosy cheeks. A trip to Vermont fills a camera roll with icons. This edition of Ski Vermont magazine is dedicated to those singular moments, people and places that define the Green Mountain State.

Speaking of which, we have an icon of a different sort to help you track your ski and ride days all winter long; just click on the AlpineReplay icon on your smartphone to Check In to Win (p. 49). You’ll earn Vermont medals as you explore the slopes in Vermont, and the first person to check in at every alpine resort in Vermont wins new skis or a snowboard.

Of course people flock to Vermont to play during winter, with its 20 downhill and 30 Nordic member resorts. But it’s those only-in-Vermont experiences that make visitors come back again and again. For some, it’s because they can’t get enough of the powerful snowmaking systems, and the incredibly reliable conditions they produce. For others, it’s because they want to experience innovations off the slope, like Vermont’s world-renowned beers, epitomized by the story of Long Trail Brewing (p. 50).

VISITING VERMONT IN WINTER IS BOTH A TRIP DOWN MEMORY LANE AND A PEEK INTO THE FUTURE.

Often, the best way to find and experience Vermont’s icons is with the sage advice of a local. Each region has something special to offer, so we’ve asked three different authors to be your guide to all the must-see, must-do and must-eat experiences in Northern (p. 8), Central (p. 15) and Southern (p. 24) Vermont. We also count down the state’s most iconic chairlifts and other means of uphill transit, with tales of bullwheels and cables and chairs, as well as the people who created them and who make them tick (p. 37).

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We hope these stories inspire you and your family to visit Vermont and create your own enduring memories. If you ever need help, our revamped website, skivermont.com, is the perfect vacation-planning tool, with a full view of where to slide, stay, dine and imbibe. Share your own stories of Vermont’s icons with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube. Here’s to another iconic Vermont winter. See you here soon.

Kyle Lewis, Director of Marketing

FRESH TRACKS

2014–2015 MOUNTAIN HAPPENINGS DECEMBER SMUGGLERS’ NOTCH RESORT: BREWFEST The popular Smuggs BrewFests bookend the ski and ride season in the winter and the spring, with local and regional beers for sampling, live music, food, prizes and a souvenir glass. smuggs.com Saturday, December 6, 2014 Saturday, March 28, 2015 MOUNT SNOW RESORT: FOUNDERS DAY/ MOUNT SNOW’S 60TH BIRTHDAY To celebrate 60 years of fun, Mount Snow Resort will offer $12 advance purchase lift tickets, a comprehensive historical display, birthday parties and more. mountsnow.com Friday, December 12, 2014

2 BOLTON VALLEY: SANTA SUNDAY On the shortest day of the year, dress as Santa for your day of skiing or riding and get a FREE lift ticket. boltonvalley.com Sunday, December 21, 2014 SUGARBUSH RESORT: NEW YEAR’S EVE CELEBRATION AND DOG PARADE FEATURING K9 COUTURE Bark in the New Year at the Fifth Annual Dog Parade with your K9 friend wearing his/ her most festive costume or just a furry coat. The night rolls on with a torchlight parade, fireworks, live music and more. sugarbush.com Wednesday, December 31, 2014 OKEMO MOUNTAIN RESORT: FAMILY NEW YEAR’S EVE Midnight arrives early for friends and family enjoying an assortment of family-friendly activities: mountain coaster rides, horse-drawn wagon rides, cookie decorating, bingo games and a trivia tournament. Families can ring in the New Year before bedtime with a DJ dance party. okemo.com Wednesday, December 31, 2014 4

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JANUARY

FEBRUARY

SKI & SNOWBOARD MONTH

JANUARY IS LEARN TO SKI AND SNOWBOARD MONTH IN VERMONT. Beginners can get a full beginner’s package with lift access, instruction and equipment for just $29, non-holiday dates, in January. Must purchase in advance; see website. skivermont.com/learn January 2015 (Non-holiday) JAY PEAK RESORT: THE USASA SKIER/BOARDER CROSS Bumps, jumps, berms and turns. Bring your skis or a board, a helmet, and a mouthguard, and leave your fear at home for one of the burliest race courses on the USASA circuit. jaypeakresort.com Saturday, January 10, 2015 KILLINGTON MOUNTAIN RESORT: MINI SHRED MADNESS This one is for the groms! Killington believes that children are the future, and they prove as much in the Easy Street progression park as they bust out their best tricks and earn their first podium visit. killington.com Saturday, January 17, 2015 STOWE MOUNTAIN RESORT: WINTER CARNIVAL ICE CARVING FESTIVAL Watch professional ice carvers turn ice into creative masterpieces in the Spruce Peak Plaza! stowe.com Saturday, January 24, 2015

MAD RIVER VALLEY: SKI MOUNTAINEERING RACE This backcountry race from Mad River Glen to Sugarbush Resort tests competitors’ endurance, equipment and skiing skills while they skin up and ski down the Green Mountains. madriverglen.com Sunday, February 1, 2015 BROMLEY MOUNTAIN RESORT: MOM’S DAY OFF Hey Mom! Show the folks at Bromley a picture of your child and you ski or ride all day for just $15, which Bromley will donate to the Southwestern Vermont Regional Cancer Center. bromley.com/news/calendar Thursday, February 5, 2015 SUICIDE SIX SKI AREA: FISK TROPHY RACE This year’s Fisk Trophy slalom race, the 78th consecutive running of the event, embodies why ski racing is so easy to love! The race has been in existence since 1937 and is the oldest alpine trophy race in North America. suicide6.com Sunday, February 8, 2015 MOUNT SNOW RESORT: CLOUD NINE NUPTIALS Couples can renew their vows or tie the knot for the first time at the top of Mount Snow. Everyone can celebrate Valentine’s Day (well, the day before Valentine’s Day) because Mount Snow is offering two lift tickets for $49 when they are purchased online in advance. mountsnow.com Friday, February 13, 2015 MIDDLEBURY COLLEGE SNOW BOWL: WINTER CARNIVAL The Middlebury College Snow Bowl and Rikert Nordic Center host a college NCAA Division 1 Alpine and Nordic ski competition. Ski Vermont will provide the snacks during Specialty Food Day. middleburysnowbowl.com Saturday–Sunday, February 14–15, 2015 SMUGGLERS’ NOTCH RESORT: 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 lots of family fun on the snow! smuggs.com Thursday, February 19, 2015

FRESH TRACKS

MARCH MOUNTAIN TOP INN & RESORT: NEW ENGLAND BILL KOCH LEAGUE FESTIVAL The New England Nordic Ski Association’s annual weekend-long cross-country ski festival brings together young skiers across New England to celebrate their love for the sport. nensa.net Friday–Sunday, March 6–8, 2015 SUICIDE SIX SKI AREA: SPECIAL OLYMPICS VERMONT WINTER GAMES This annual three-day competition offers four winter sports for athletes to compete in: Snowboarding, Snowshoeing, Alpine Skiing and Cross-Country Skiing—creating an everlasting event for all involved. suicide6.com Friday–Sunday, March 6–8, 2015 OKEMO MOUNTAIN RESORT: LIGHT THE NIGHT RAIL JAM Okemo is lighting up the snow for skiers and riders of all ages with $5,000 in cash and prizes up for grabs. A new rail garden, constructed specifically for this event, will give skiers and riders an optimal venue for showing off their best moves. okemo.com Saturday, March 7, 2015 MAGIC MOUNTAIN: SKI THE EAST FREERIDE TOUR The best and wildest skiers in the East compete on the most difficult terrain for prizes and glory. skitheeast.net Saturday, March 7, 2015 JAY PEAK RESORT: RANDO RACE If you know what skins are and have no problem skiing up a mountain, this event’s for you. jaypeakresort.com Saturday, March 7, 2015 MAD RIVER GLEN: NORTH AMERICAN TELEMARK FESTIVAL The 40th annual festival marks the world’s largest and oldest gathering of telemark skiers. telemarknato.com/festival Saturday–Sunday, March 7–8, 2015

APRIL STRATTON MOUNTAIN RESORT: VERMONT OPEN Celebrate snowboarding with a multiday halfpipe, big air and banked slalom competition that brings big-name riders and local heroes together to compete on the same hill. stratton.com Thursday–Sunday, March 12–15, 2015 OKEMO MOUNTAIN RESORT: SUGAR DAZE CONCERT When the maple sap starts running, Okemo will be tapping into the sweet sounds of notable musical artists with Sugar Daze, a free concert series that culminates with a huge outdoor concert extravaganza in the Jackson Gore courtyard. okemo.com Saturday, March 14, 2015 STOWE MOUNTAIN RESORT: ’80S WEEKEND Break out those stretch pants and straight skis and come join us on the slopes as we turn back the clock to relive 1980s fashion, equipment and lifestyle. stowe.com Saturday–Sunday, March 14–15, 2015 BOLTON VALLEY: SILLY SLALOM It’s part boarder-cross, part slalom, part slopestyle and all fun. Costumes are encouraged while you race this fun on-snow course under the warm spring sun. boltonvalley.com Saturday, March 21, 2015

KILLINGTON MOUNTAIN RESORT: BEAR MOUNTAIN MOGUL CHALLENGE The Bear Mountain Mogul Challenge is a spring rite at Killington. The bump-and-jump venue rises from Outer Limits, the East’s most intimidating trail, in plain view of the Bear Mountain Quad and the party at the lodge below. killington.com Saturday–Sunday, April 11–12, 2015 JAY PEAK RESORT: THE TAILGATE SPECTACLE A celebration of the most ancient rite of spring—drinking in the parking lot while lying in a lounge chair surrounded by mud-caked plastic pink flamingoes. jaypeakresort.com Saturday, April 18, 2015

BROMLEY MOUNTAIN RESORT: SPRING FLING WEEKEND A springtime festival to commemorate warmer days: live music and fun family events, pond skimming, and the not-to-be-missed Duct Tape Derby on Sunday. bromley.com/news/calendar Saturday–Sunday, March 21–22, 2015 STRATTON MOUNTAIN RESORT: 24 HOURS OF STRATTON For one night only, Stratton lights up the trails for teams of skiers and snowboarders who ski and ride all night, while raising money for the charitable works of the Stratton Foundation. strattonfoundation.org Saturday–Sunday, March 21–22, 2015

FIND OUT WHAT ELSE IS GOING ON AT

SKIVERMONT.COM/EVENTS

SkiVermont.com

Everything you thought you knew about yourself will be attending a refresher course.

OVER 300 INCHES ANNUAL SNOWFALL • GOURMET DINING WORLD-CLASS SPA • PERFORMING ARTS CENTER • A REAL TOWN

It’s Bigger Than A Mountain

Book your vacation at STOWE.COM today. Because once you stay at Stowe, Stowe will stay with you.

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FIFTH GRADERS SKI FREE IN VT

NEED A LIFT?

Get the kids outdoors this winter to explore the wonders of Vermont’s snowy peaks. Fifth graders can ski free all season in Vermont. Visit skivermont.com/FGP to sign up for the Ski Vermont Fifth Grade Passport program.

LEARN There’s no better time to get a child started with a winter sport than in the early years. Research shows that introducing preteens to lifelong sports can help them develop healthier habits in life. The fifth grade passport will help newbies get started on Vermont’s slopes with free lift tickets. EXPLORE The fifth grade passport includes three tickets to each alpine resort and one, two or three tickets to each Nordic resort in Vermont. Use the passport as an incentive to pack up the family and start fresh traditions at new-to-you resorts. SHARE You won’t be the only ones reveling in the savings and fun of the passport program. Share your stories on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to join the fifth grade passport community of families who love to ski and ride Vermont! #5thGradePassportVT

You don’t have to leave winter in Vermont behind when you head home. Before your memory melts away, scoop up the latest and greatest Ski Vermont poster to adorn your wall. Grab the one that speaks best to your day on snow, or make the entire collection yours. We’ve got you covered at SkiVermont.com/store, where you’ll find pricing details and how to place your order.

Sarah Wojcik ❄ SkiVermont.com

or r then Jay Peak Resort PHOTO: JUSTIN CASH

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NORTHERN VERMONT By Sky Barsch

The biggest—and best—decision I’ve ever made was to move to Vermont, when I was 18 in 1999. I’ve been exploring the hiking trails, singletrack bike trails, lakes, cross-country centers and downhill resorts ever since. I can’t imagine living in a place where outdoor recreation is less accessible, or isn’t the cultural priority it is in Vermont. Ski Vermont asked me to share the best of the best of northern Vermont, and these are my picks! I N T O T H E WO OD S Maybe it’s because Jay is where I skied my first trees, or maybe it’s because the glades are universally considered awesome, but I just don’t think it gets any better than skiing the woods at Jay Peak. Jay has a liberal in-bounds woods policy, and whether you get to the glades by the Tram or the Flyer, the resort welcomes you to go off the beaten path. Dip into the trees off the Northway for woods runs that follow the pitch of Milk Run and Power Line, or try Andre’s (off the Flyer) for fun and

bragging rights. Kids and intermediate skiers can also get in on the action—try Kokomo or Bushwacker for low-angle tree skiing. The mountain is riddled with so many secret stashes you’re bound to discover a few of your own. N IGH T L I F E & E N T E RTA I N M E N T Relive the best moments of the day and toast the diggers of the day at the most happening après-ski scene in northern Vermont at Stowe Mountain Resort. While you can drink Vermont microbrews, sip cocktails made with Vermont spirits, and even try Vermont wines, there’s a lot more to Stowe’s social scene than the après hot spots. There are special events, such as performances by nationally known musicians and comedians in an intimate setting at Spruce Peak Performing Arts Center. The annual Stowe Winter Carnival will amaze you—the intricate ice carvings on the resort grounds are true works of art. The New Year’s Eve mountain fireworks and Torchlight Parade is a unique and unforgettable way to ring in the New SkiVermont.com

Burton Riglet Park, Smugglers’ Notch Resort

Jay Peak Resort

PHOTO: SMUGGLERS’ NOTCH RESORT

PHOTO: JUSTIN CASH

Smugglers’ Notch Resort PHOTO: JIM DESHLER

Year. The list goes on, so check the resort’s website (stowe.com) for updates throughout the year. B E ST C H I L DR E N ’ S PRO GR A M M I NG The term “children’s programming” has virtually become synonymous with Smugglers’ Notch Resort, thanks to a conscious effort to make the facility uber–family friendly. Its ski school programming is second to none, and Smuggs has racked up the awards to prove it. Kids can start skiing at 2½ years old, can learn snowboarding at 3, and can take part in the wickedly fun camps too. Organized by age group, the camps offer fun and safe instruction, entertainment and lunch. Participants wear GPS trackers so they can share their accomplishments, including vertical feet, mileage and speed. Little ones not old enough to get on the slopes? The kind and 10

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patient staff at Treasures will care for kids as young as 6 weeks, so you can enjoy an on-snow day, and maybe take a lesson yourself—to keep up with your kids! BR E AT H TA K I NG V I EW Perhaps it’s a longer drive to get to Q Burke Mountain Resort, but once you hop off the Willoughby Quad and begin your descent down Upper Willoughby, every “Are we there yet?” will fade into memory. The view of Lake Willoughby, framed by Mount Pisgah (at right) and Mount Hor (at left), will take your breath away. The lake was carved out by a glacier several million years ago, and from Q Burke, you have a perfect view to imagine the glacier’s path through this part of the Northeast Kingdom. And like this rural area of Vermont, Q Burke never feels crowded, so take your time traversing the

Bolton Valley Resort PHOTO: JUSTIN CASH

NORT H ER N V ER MON T by the numbers

View from Wilderness Trail, Bolton Valley Resort PHOTO: BOLTON VALLEY RESORT

trail and taking in the billion-dollar view. N IGH T R I DE R The only sad part of a day on the slopes is when you hear the call for last chair. At Cochran’s and Bolton Valley, however, the party doesn’t stop when the sun sets. Skiers and riders can enjoy the magic of nighttime lift access at Cochran’s on Fridays and at Bolton Valley Wednesdays through Saturdays. Never gone night skiing or riding? Both Cochran’s and Bolton are excellent places to try, as they boast super-welcoming atmospheres and the trails are well-lit. Plus, Bolton serves up brews at the James Moore Tavern, where the window affords a view of your friends rippin’ and ridin’ down the mountain. Sky Barsch is the associate publisher of Vermont Life magazine and the former editor of Vermont Sports magazine. She lives in Barre Town, Vt., with her powder hound, Siena. ❄

6 ALPINE RESORTS

NORDIC RESORTS

45 HAPPINESS IS...

a warm bed at the foot of the mountain.

LIF TS

2,715 ACRES OF FUN

Visit boltonvalley.com/skivermont to save 10% on a ski and stay package. 12

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RESORTS FOR NIGHT SKIING

FRESH TRACKS

INSIDER GEAR GUIDE

DARN TOUGH SOCKS: Darn Tough Vermont’s new Vertical category redefines the ski/ride category into one powerful and fun collection featuring 12 new models for men and women. Each Vertical sock will be available in either Ultralight or Cushion, for the ultimate performance fit. www.darntough.com

ROSSIGNOL: Racing DNA meets freeride. Precision and power meets effortless float. It’s everything you need for the ultimate one-ski quiver. The all-new EXPERIENCE 88 features Rossignol’s award-winning Air Tip technology, delivering an elevated all-mountain experience across all terrain and snow conditions. Auto Turn Rocker provides powerful edge grip with effortless maneuverability and speed control, while Rossignol’s patented Air Tip technology keeps tips afloat through variable snow while providing instant turn initiation on hard pack and groomers. The entire mountain awaits. www.rossignol.com

BURTON: A terrain-slaying alternative to more traditional twin shapes, the NEW Burton Flight Attendant is a freethinker that finds the sweet spot for everything from steep lines and spontaneous slashes to windlips and pillows of the untracked canvas. A sustainable FSC™ certified wood core and recycled PET topsheet enhance performance and positive feelings. www.burton.com

KOMBI: The Sanctum glove is a premier style within Kombi’s Lifted collection. A strategic combination of three-layer soft shell, goatskin leather palm and down insulation create a stylish glove with superior performance. The down insulation and Gore-tex® insert will keep your hands warm and dry, while the fleece cuff adds to the soft and comfortable fit of this glove. The wrist strap, dual-pull cuff closure and removable Kombi Keeper leash give the glove the technical features to match its timeless style. www.kombisnow.com

ANON: The A2 collection from anon takes integration to a new level. The A2 collection is the culmination of the industry’s most elite goggles and helmets. The featured M2 goggle and Rodan helmet A2 combination includes anon’s premier goggle technology, Magna-Tech—now the benchmark of magnetic innovation—resulting in quick and accurate lens change-outs with an ultra-secure lens-to-frame seal. All M2 goggles come equipped with spare lowlight lenses and compression-molded goggle case. The ultra-lightweight Rodan helmet features a 360° Boa® Fit System, a quick-release Fidlock® Snap Helmet Buckle and a Strap Stash allowing you to comfortably run your goggle strap under the helmet for that skate-inspired, ultra-low-profile look, enhancing anon’s standard Simple Fit ready design. www.anonoptics.com

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www.madriverglen.com

ctrenl a Mad River Glen PHOTO: M. P. HOGAN PHOTOGRAPHY

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CENTRAL VERMONT By Iseult Devlin

As a girl who learned to ski in New Jersey, I couldn’t wait to play in the big mountains of Vermont. Once I arrived, I fell in love, not only with the beautiful peaks of the Green Mountains, but also with the personality of each ski area and the picturesque and charming towns that marked them. After sampling Vermont, I ventured to the Alps to teach skiing at Kitzbuhel and then traveled to ski resorts around the country for my job as a Skiing Magazine editor. I always loved returning to Vermont and the mountains that felt like home to me. After participating in ski house shares at Okemo and Killington, my husband and I finally settled in South Londonderry, near Stratton, where my son has grown up skiing and competing in moguls—even winning the Vermont State Mogul Championships in 2013. It’s been a great family adventure for us, spending winters exploring Vermont’s slopes together, sometimes taking time “off” skiing to snowshoe with our yellow lab, Buster, and retriever pup, Aspen. 16

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Here are my top spots for central Vermont. Enjoy! FAVOR I T E ST E E P S No matter how many times I ski Killington, I always forget how steep the runs can be, from the heart-pumping Ovation and Downdraft to tamer steeps like Double Dipper, Cascade and Superstar. You just can’t beat the Superstar chair to get maximum runs in record time. If you are a bump skier, then Outer Limits on Bear Mountain is a must-ski. Easily the most challenging mogul run in the East, it is the site of the annual challenge where the best mogul skiers come to compete to be king or queen of Killington moguls. It gives me a rush every time I ski it. Also a favorite, Devil’s Fiddle always gets my heart pumping with steep drops and a bowl-like feel. M A D R I V E R VA L L EY SK I I NG At Sugarbush, I like to head straight to Castlerock for its natural snow, since there’s no snowmaking in this section of (CONTINUED on PAGE 18)

Making time fo r c on ne ct io an ns d la ... st i

m . ies or em

5 Life goes by faster than we want it to sometimes. Okemo offers

#itsokemotime 1- 8 0 0 -7 8 O K E M O (1- 8 0 0 -7 8 6 - 5 3 6 6 )

L U D L O W, V E R M O N T okemo.com

an alternative. Taking the time you want...with the people you love. And with new programs and family-friendly amenities, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re making it easier to rejuvenate and reconnect. Add to that unbeatable terrain, top-rated snowmaking and the friendliest ski culture in the eastâ&#x20AC;Ś itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the best way to make the most of your time. Named Best Family Resort in North America by OnTheSnow.com

Paradise Trail, Mad River Glen PHOTO: JEB WALLACE-BRODEUR

The Wobbly Barn, Killington PHOTO: JUSTIN CASH

Sugarbush Lincoln Limo PHOTO: SUGARBUSH RESORT

(CONTINUED from PAGE 16)

the mountain. The double-black-diamond Rumble, tucked between dense stands of birch and spruce trees, always gets the adrenaline going. Castlerock’s all-expert terrain is rarely groomed and the old double chair carefully spreads out traffic so it doesn’t crowd the narrow, steep and rocky terrain. Known as the East’s most consistently steep, lift-served skiing, Mad River Glen’s Paradise is one of my favorites. I was happy to ski it with my son during spring break last year, after he challenged me to jump off the frozen waterfall to access the run. This beautiful trail is dotted with trees, chutes, powder shots and more. Plus, you can’t beat the social scene in the lift line at Mad River Glen’s single chair, which services most of the mountain. The experience of adventure is well worth the wait to get to the top. B E ST E AT E R I E S Farm-to-table food is one of the most compelling reasons to come to Vermont. Who doesn’t love fresh ingredients? Many chefs source meats from local pastures and even grow their own gardens for fresh produce. The Downtown Grocery restaurant in Ludlow has many house-made items, including pasta and ricotta cheese. Check out the pimento cheeseburger with house ground beef. If you want an on-mountain experience, try Okemo’s Epic for a relaxing sit-down lunch with beautiful 18

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views from the Solitude Lodge. Lentil stew and duck quesadillas are personal favorites. Killington’s rustic Wobbly Barn has great steaks and the best salad bar around, offering plenty of variety. After dinner, party away on the dance floor upstairs with live music on weekends. A Mad River Valley favorite, American Flatbread serves all-natural flatbread-style pizza cooked in a primitive wood-fired earthen oven at Lareau Farm in Waitsfield. I also love Chez Henri in Sugarbush Village for its French onion soup, the atmosphere with its French bistro music and Henri himself, the owner since ’64, who will greet you in his classic beret and scarf. P O OL S A N D C OA ST E R S You can’t beat Okemo Mountain Resort for its non-skiing activities, starting with its Timber Ripper Mountain Coaster. The five-minute, 1,600-foot climb takes you to the top, where a 375-vertical-foot drop, banking loops and speeds of up to 25 miles per hour are sure to spike your adrenaline. I also love Jackson Gore Inn’s outdoor heated pool and pair of hot tubs for the ultimate wind-down. Over at Sugarbush Resort’s luxurious Clay Brook property, the outdoor heated pool and hot tubs are also soothing and offer views of the unique Vermont architecture and classic Sugarbush trails.

S OM ET H I NG DI F F E R E N T Snowcat rides aren’t just for accessing powder stashes. At Killington, take a ride in a snowcat over to the Motor Room Bar, housed in the original drive terminal of Killington’s first four-passenger lift at the top of Devil’s Fiddle. Enjoy drinks and light Vermont fare while hanging out with resort executives for a powwow. The Ledgewood Yurt offers an intimate ski-in/ski-out lunch experience, or you can climb aboard for a blanket-covered sleigh ride followed by a fivecourse dinner featuring a variety of inventive small plates to share. At Sugarbush, take the Lincoln Limo to Allyn’s Lodge for a dinner adventure, a candlelit gourmet meal at the top of Gadd Peak. Skiers and riders can choose to don a headlamp to schuss down under the night sky on the freshly groomed slopes in this exhilarating end to the evening. B E ST A PR È S Even before it got voted a top après-ski bar by Men’s Journal, I loved the atmosphere at General Stark’s Pub at Mad River Glen. It’s a real locals’ joint, whose regulars gather in the fireplace room with its floor-to-ceiling windows looking out at the single chair and the mountain. Behind the bar, the Wall of Fame features shots of Mad River’s iconic “Ski It If You Can” bumper stickers taken all over the world. Many Vermont microbrews are served here, including Lawson’s Finest Liquids, brewed just down the road in Warren. At Okemo, avoid the access road traffic and stop in at Tom’s Loft Tavern, with its Boston sports memorabilia and ski stickers on the walls, and

Vermont microbrews on tap. Owner Tom smokes his own meat and is reputed to have the best wings around. SK I C E L E BR I T I E S Vermont has its fair share of World Cup–worthy skiers and snowboarders, and a few have stayed in the Green Mountain State to spread their love and teach us amateurs a thing or two. Olympic gold medalist Donna Weinbrecht developed her mogul talents on Killington’s Outer Limits, and she now offers mogul clinics at the resort several times a year. Extreme skier John Egan gives private lessons and runs group clinics to improve the skills of those who want to take their skiing to the next level at Sugarbush Resort. I’ve skied with him in the trees at Sugarbush, including the 2,000-acre Slide Brook Wilderness Basin. What a thrill! All those years of starring in Warren Miller films have only increased his contagious enthusiasm for skiing. Find John’s brother and fellow Warren Miller skier Dan Egan over at Killington teaching all-mountain skiing clinics and backcountry sessions. SM A L L EQUA L S VA LU E The smaller areas in Central Vermont exude Vermont charm. The Quechee Club skiers and riders hop on horse-drawn wagons to move around the resort. And, given its 13 trails and 100 percent snowmaking coverage, the club’s $40 lift ticket is a bargain. Nearby Suicide Six, whose founders used the country’s first rope tow after relocating it from its original spot on Gilbert’s Farm just over the ridge, offers a good variety of

ski. smile. explore. Whether it’s challenging steeps and glades or smooth cruisers and gentle learning terrain - you’ll find it all at Pico Mountain. Pico’s vertical drop of 1,967’, taller than 80% of ski areas in Vermont, will excite even the most selective of skiers and riders. Pico’s central base area, featuring a cozy lodge with stone fireplaces, makes it easy to stay connected with family and friends throughout the day. When it’s time to recharge you’ll find a variety of fare including homemade waffles, hot sandwiches and kid-friendly food options to keep you going. Pico Mountain is open Thursday - Monday and peak periods from mid December through March.

Open THURSDAY thru MONDAY & PEAK PERIODS 57 trails ° 7 lifts ° 1,967’ vertical

(866) 667 PICO

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Sugarbush Resort PHOTO: M. P. HOGAN PHOTOGRAPHY

Killington Motor Room

Woodstock Inn & Resort

Suicide Six Ski Area

PHOTO: JUSTIN CASH

PHOTO: WOODSTOCK INN & RESORT

PHOTO: JUSTIN CASH

terrain with the classic showoff bump run right under the lift where skiers and riders can strut their stuff. Every spring, Suicide Six hosts an Antique Ski Race that allows only skis made prior to 1975. The event, with ties to the Vermont Ski and Snowboard Museum in Stowe, pays homage to the roots of skiing, while celebrating the sheer fun of the sport. On the Western side of the Green Mountains, Middlebury College Snow Bowl has a local feel and is mainly frequented by folks who live nearby, especially college students. It’s rarely crowded and has a few impressively steep pitches and plenty of intermediate terrain. If you want to keep your feet on the ground, head to the T-bar and rope tows of Northeast Slopes, with its $15 tickets. On Wednesdays, it’s only $2 for the little tow, but the price soars to $5 on weekends. D ON ’ T M I S S T H E SE T OW N S The list of iconic villages in central Vermont is long, but Warren Village is one of the most coveted, with its picturesque covered bridge, the beautiful New England architecture and the one-andonly Warren General Store with its delicious homemade food, including yummy stacked sandwiches. Quechee is also overthe-top quaint, with a covered bridge over the Ottauquechee River. Enjoy epic views of the bridge and river from the Simon Pearce glassware factory and store, featuring an award-winning restaurant and glassblowing demonstrations. Just down the road, Woodstock is another top pick. The Woodstock Inn & Resort 20

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was voted among the top 500 hotels by Travel + Leisure in 2014 and is a beautiful place to stay, featuring extensive, private Nordic trails on the property. B E ST V I EWS When I first went to Killington’s Peak Lodge last winter, I was blown away by the views. The atmosphere reminded me of the panoramic lodges I’ve visited in the Alps. On a clear day you can see the Green, White and Adirondack Mountain ranges, five states and Canada. Inside, floor-to-ceiling windows, a high vaulted ceiling and leather lounge bar seating create a relaxing atmosphere topped off with live music on weekends. The food is upscale with a farm-to-table emphasis. Try my favorite, the turkey chili. Top it off with bacon, homemade cornbread croutons and shredded cheese, or grab some of the house-made chips or gourmet coffee served in a ceramic mug. Bragg Hill is another great spot for views of all the legendary ski areas that the Mad River Valley has to offer, including Mad River Glen and Sugarbush’s Mount Ellen and Lincoln Peak. Famous shots of Bragg Farm’s large historic barn, open meadows and iconic views of the Green Mountains have appeared on many postcards and posters over the years. SI ST E R MOU N TA I N S RO C K Pico Mountain is a remarkable place for those who prefer uncrowded slopes, an old-fashioned base lodge and classic,

CENTR AL V ER MON T by the numbers

winding trails that curve around corners—all at a bargain price. Weekend lift tickets were $67 last season and around $40 with a Pico Express card. It’s got 2,000 vertical feet of skiing, with 53 trails serviced by seven lifts, including two high-speed quads. Pico is also the home of Vermont Adaptive Ski & Sports in the new Andrea Mead Lawrence Lodge. Another often overlooked treasure, Mount Ellen at Sugarbush Resort, tops out at just over 4,000 feet and offers a 2,600-vertical-foot drop. From the top, check out FIS, a double-black-diamond mogul run, and Rim Run, a cruiser that wraps around the mountain, offering some of the best views of New England. Iseult Devlin writes a weekly ski column for New Jersey’s Bergen Record and contributes to a variety of other publications. Working as a part-time instructor at Stratton helps keep her ski day count healthy—last season she got 70 days under her belt. ❄ VSAA Winter Ad FINAL ver1.qxp_Layout 1 6/24/14 5:15 PM Page 1

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SOUTHERN VERMONT By Luke Q. Stafford

Southern Vermont owns a distinction that can never be disputed: Snowboarding was born here. It was Jake Burton Carpenter, working out of a barn in Londonderry, Vt., who turned a dream of selling snowboards into a thriving global business. Burton Snowboards had a bit of a rocky start in the late 1970s, but Carpenter persisted and sales took off. Then, in 1984, he convinced Stratton Mountain to be the first ski resort to allow snowboarders. Over the next three decades, southern Vermont would churn out some of the most decorated snowboarders on earth, including Ross Powers, Kelly Clark and Lindsey Jacobellis. Snowboarding’s legacy—especially its freestyle roots— continues to be nurtured in the southern Green Mountains. Carinthia Parks at Mount Snow boasts a full 100 acres of terrain parks spread across an entire mountain face. Carinthia has been voted Number One for East Coast terrain parks in

Transworld Snowboarding magazine and top 10 in the country in Freeskier Magazine for the 2013–2014 season. It’s in these awardwinning parks that 2014 Winter Olympic medalists Devin Logan, Kelly Clark and Nick Goepper honed their skills on their way to becoming the best in the world. My first trip to Vermont was for a weekend of snowboarding at Stratton when I was 14. I immediately knew I’d someday call the Green Mountain State home. Five years later, I was in college in Vermont, shredding every day that I didn’t have classes (and some days that I did. Shhh). Twenty years later, I’m raising a family in a small town halfway between Stratton and Mount Snow, with Magic Mountain and Bromley less than an hour away. Mount Snow and Stratton, with their expansive terrain and fun-for-the-entire-family atmosphere, tend to get most of the attention in this part of the state. But Magic Mountain is my SkiVermont.com

Matt Cote on Caper Day, Magic Mountain PHOTO: JUSTIN CASH

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SOU T H ER N V ER MON T by the numbers

Green Door Pub, Stratton Mountain PHOTO: STRATTON MOUNTAIN RESORT

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Black Line Tavern, Magic Mountain PHOTO: JUSTIN CASH

absolute favorite spot to hit on powder days. Why? Because Magic has kept it real for all these years (it was founded in 1960). It still spins just two fixed-grip lifts. The trails are skinny, winding and fun as heck. As long as you’re in bounds and not on a closed trail, the entire mountain is your playground, meaning you can dip into glades anywhere you’d like. Bromley Mountain, just a 13-minute drive from Magic, is where you go on a sunny day...simple as that. It’s the only south-facing mountain in the state, meaning it’s in the sun all day long. Ahhhh. And aside from a few peak holiday mornings, I can honestly say that I’ve never waited in a lift line at Bromley for more than two minutes. N IGH T L I F E I could fill five pages of this magazine with stories about the iconic bars that dot the foothills of Stratton, Mount Snow, Bromley and Magic, but I’ll stick to a synopsis of my three favorites. Located in the very underbelly of glitzy Stratton Village, the Green Door Pub is the lovable basement bar with tall-boy beer specials, a pool table and fried food. The Black Line Tavern, squatting right in the Magic Mountain base lodge, is just so dang convenient that you’ll have to stop in for a pint or two. The Snow Barn at Mount Snow has been hosting solid live music

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Verde Restaurant, Stratton Village PHOTO: JUSTIN CASH

Stratton Mountain PHOTO: HUBERT SCHRIEBLEF

acts for decades—it’s where I saw an off-the-hook Eminem performance during the 2000 X Games. EV E N T S Two events have stood the test of time in southern Vermont: the 24 Hours of Stratton and the Glade-iator at Mount Snow. The 24 Hours of Stratton sees teams of athletes skiing and riding for, you guessed it, 24 hours...straight. If you’re picturing a grueling marathon-like event with ultra-athletes in skintight racing suits, though, you’re way off. It’s more like a laid-back day with up to a dozen of your friends/teammates—anyone can participate—and a party that lasts all night. The Glade-iator at Mount Snow sends brave skiers and riders down an extreme mogul course on Ripcord, a super-steep double black diamond on the mountain’s north face. Just as with 24 Hours of Stratton, anyone can participate. The crashes are spectacular and the beer-fueled crowd of onlookers acts as an applause-o-meter in choosing a winner. DI N I NG If you’re at Stratton and pulling out all the stops, go for Verde, a casual-yet-refined restaurant in Stratton Village. It’s about as classy as you can get while still wearing ski pants. When the lifts close at Mount Snow and you’ve got a famished family,

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beeline it to Last Chair Bar & Grill, about a mile down the road on Route 100. Mom, Dad and Uncle Jerry will appreciate the impressive beer and wine list, and the kids will stay busy at the on-site arcade before chowing down on excellent pizza. After a day at Bromley or Magic, make your way to Johnny Seesaw’s, a ski lodge–style restaurant with a classic menu of steaks, seafood, chicken and pasta. I won’t be forsaking the northern Green Mountains anytime soon. (Don’t be surprised to see me riding the Bench at Stowe on a good powder day next season.) But southern Vermont— with its quirky little towns, rich snowboarding and skiing history, and close proximity to metropolitan areas to the south—is always going to be my home base. If Long Trail Brewing would just move a satellite brewery down here, I’d be set for life. Luke Q. Stafford is a writer living in Williamsville, Vermont. He has been snowboarding at resorts in the Green Mountains for two decades, and is currently clearing his 15-acre patch of land for backcountry riding. He owns Mondo Mediaworks, a marketing agency based in Brattleboro. ❄

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Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s never too late, or too ea rly, to learn to world-class b turn on Verm eginner terrai ontâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s n. Whether y sport, hone a o u r g o al is to tr y a new new skill, kee p up with th and family to e k id s or introduce your favorite friends cold-weather the right beg p a st ime, you can inner program find in Vermont. It of each of thes was a combin e goals and th ation e proximity to programs that ex ce ll ent beginner propelled me into the unkn pick up winte o w n . Most of us d r sports in ho onâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t pes of fame, fo We become en rt u ne or gold m thusiasts bec edals. ause of the th snow. Ever yo rill and fun o ne has a story f sliding on of how they g ot started. Th is is mine.

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Up From th e G round I first learned to snowboard as a young adult after graduating college. With a car full of friends in tow, I commuted from my shiny new desk job in the city to the mountains of northern New England each weekend to get reacquainted with nature after four years of urban exploration. Sure, I had been on the snow before. I had skied some as a child by following my dad around our small local ski hill. This will be no problem, I thought. But by the time I got back on the snow as an adult, I had lost my ski legs. With my new freedom from school and weekends away from the office, I was determined to find them again. It took a while. My friends had been skiing and snowboarding for years and boasted about how they had learned to ride. They never took lessons. They had learned from watching older siblings or had grown up just goofing around and eventually—over the years—picked it up, they told me. To be fair, the lessons that were offered back then were not as robust as the programs available now. In my naive young mind, I assumed it would come as naturally to me on my first day as it had for my friends who grew up submerged in the culture. I spent lots of hours on the ground that first season, but after many weekends struggling my way down the easy trails, I learned to turn—and my love affair with winter was reignited.

Taking Flight I’ve been happily snowboarding for 10 years since that fateful first season on a board. The sport has taken me on epic adventures, initiated many great friendships and even helped foster my career. Most recently it planted a seed and inspired me to try a new sport and further deepen my love of winter. Now that I live in Vermont and have the expertise of all the ski area instructors close at hand, I was determined to shorten the learning curve this time around. I enrolled in ski school. Learning to snowboard, and then sticking with it, was one of the best decision s I’d ever made. Taking ski lessons turned out to be a great decision too. From the moment I arrived and put on the boots for the first time in 20 years, I connected with the ski community in a new way.

As a beginner, this time around, I becam e a student again.

(CONTINUED on PAGE 34)

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(CONTINUED from PAGE 31)

For the LOVE of Lea rning The patience and dedication of ski school and rental staff are rivaled by none. I was in a group of clueless, nervous beginners, and we didn’t know how to get our feet properly buckled into our boots, never mind the awkward stumbling around afterward. The staff patiently helped fit us into our boots and explained why they were designed to be so unwieldy—they were for skiing, not walking, of course! They showed us the right technique for moving around in them (we actually practiced walking on a carpeted obstacle course) and they helped us store our extra layers and street shoes in lockers before heading out on the snow. At this point, we had mastered only the boots. See what I mean about patience? Next up, stepping into bindings, holding on to poles and maintaining balance. I was nervous about my form and feeling some anxiety regarding the decision I had made to switch stances. I was used to wearing more forgiving boots and standing sideways—what was I thinking? My instructors put me and the rest of the hesitant group at ease by

LEARN TO TURN

someo ne who is? Ski Vermo nt Are you new to skiing and snowboarding, or do you know and deals for you, your friends and and Vermo nt resorts offer fun Learn to Turn progra ms everyo ne in the family. Because friends don’t let friends sit inside all winter. is no better place to learn a new winter sport

JANUARY IS LEARN TO SKI AND SNOWBOARD MONTH NATIONWIDE, and thereequipment, gain access to beginner terrain, and nt can rent than in its original state. FOR JUST $29, beginners in Vermo s) and lessons available throughout January (except holiday take a lesson from a professional instructor. This offer is Limit one per person. rn. om/lea must be reserved in advance at skivermont.c

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FOR COMPLETING THEIR MULTIDAY PROGR AMS:

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season. lift tickets, lessons and full-day rentals for the rest of the

ain program. Beginners to the sport are

BROMLEY MOUNTAIN RESORT: Start Fun, Start Free is a great Bromley Mountber 21, 2014, January 19, 2015, or March

on Decem invited to join the Bromley Ski & Snowboard School this winter er skiers and snowboarders on these three days. beginn to spots free etely 15, 2015. Bromley will offer 75 compl e. ent and instruction. Ages 6 and up; must register in advanc Participants will receive a Learning Zone lift ticket, equipm ms receive free Elan skis or a Burton

KILLINGTON RESORT: Adults enrolled in Killington’s 4-day Discovery progra lesson. Then, those who want to further hone

their fourth snowboard, with mounted bindings, prior to completing can continue learning with the MORE Discovery slopes the on days cutive conse nal additio their new skills with program discounts on ski and stay packages. consecutive full-day lessons, equipment, lift tickets and For kids ages 4–6, Ministar Discovery Camps offer four boots and Elan skis. Plus, every Ministar Discovery lunches. At the end of the program, new skiers keep their to be used each day in conjunction with the program. ticket Camp enrollment includes a complimentary adult lift Inventory is limited. Month lesson with the First Timer

oard SUGARBUSH RESORT: Follow up your $29 January Learn to Ski and Snowb s in the First Timer progra m get a lesson three finish who rs Learne t. Resor bush progra m at Sugar to Life Timer of the seaso n. free Sugar bush all-mountain seaso n pass for the rest

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explaining concepts and practicing movements until the group was ready to progress as a whole. No one got left behind. I may be slow, but at least I was steady by the time we started sliding. During the first few lessons I felt lucky that I was already competent on snow, but I don’t think my overall experience would have been any different without my snowboarding background.

Stic king with It After just one season, my ski legs are coming back, but I’m not as good at skiing yet as I am at snowboarding. I often stumble and tumble (and laugh out loud at myself sometimes), but I’m confident on the green trails and I enjoy pushing myself on the blues. I knew that I would continue skiing after my lessons ended, so I chose the beginner program at Killington Resort that gave a new pair of skis to everyone who completed four lessons. Killington even offered discounts on new boots and a season pass so I could continue practicing my new skills! At the end of my last lesson, I skied off into the proverbial sunset and told everyone who would listen about the benefits of taking lessons versus striking out on your own or trying to get pointers from friends. I was converted and happy to spread the word, one family at a time. My expert snowboarder friend signed his kids up for the children’s program at Pico Mountain. Other beginner friends of mine saw my success with lessons and signed themselves up for private lessons at Mount Snow Resort. My co-workers and I switched sports for the day (the skiers learned to snowboard and the snowboarders skied) in lessons at Smugglers’ Notch Resort. After a 30-year hiatus from winter sports, my parents got on board too. My family took lessons together at Sugarbush Resort, and we now have another activity to enjoy together. I am also lucky to have many friends in Vermont who are ski and snowboard instructors, and I was able to spontaneously pick their brains while we skied and rode together at Jay Peak Resort, Middlebury College Snow Bowl and Bolton Valley. I had such a great experience learning the skills required to tackle a new sport that I continue to explore new activities paired with professional instruction. For example, I learned to mountain bike over the summer at one of Vermont’s cross-country areas, Catamount Outdoor Family Center, where I had an equally rewarding experience.

Imagine you are in a group of strangers converging on the mounta in early in the morning to tackle a challeng e that’s outside your comfort zone. You know that on the other side of the class you will gain so much more than a new set of skills. You will discover your love of winter, too, and have a story of your own to tell about how it all started back during your first lesson. ❄

ggle rs’ Notch Resort First day on 2 plan ks at Smu

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We make winter arrive two months early, and stay two months late. We make winter. Longer.

800.621.MTNS killington.com

TH E P U

L L I H

A LL

STARS

Ten iconic lifts that changed the face of Vermont skiing and riding. by Mike Hannigan

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ccording to the stats in the back of this magazine, there are 177 chairlifts in Vermont. Although all of them are a worthy means to get to the top, a few of these mechanical beasts separate themselves from the herd. Some are lightning-fast, some slow and steady. Some are solitary experiences, while others resemble a flying city bus. Some use cutting-edge technology, and some make you feel like you’re in a vintage car. Some would hardly seem to merit a second glance, while others inspire rapt devotion. At least two have beers named after them, so there’s that, too. In no particular order, but with a sideways nod to the retiring David Letterman, here are the Top 10. #1: RED CHAIR AT MAGIC MOUNTAIN Most people spend their time on chairlifts thinking about snow. Dave DeMatteis spends his time thinking about the lifts themselves. He started researching chairlifts in second grade, founded the website Chairlift.org, is arguably the country’s foremost expert on chairlift history and personally owns 10 chairs and two gondola cars. “I don’t know why,” DeMatteis offers, stumped. “I guess it beats collecting stuff from the Franklin Mint. It’s definitely odd. I’m sure one day my daughter will look at me and say, ‘Why this?’ And I’ll say, ‘Because your dad was a nerd and now I’m old enough to admit it.’ They’ve always fascinated me.” DeMatteis’ fascination with chairlifts became a personal crusade for one chair in particular: The Red Chair at Magic Mountain, originally built in 1971. “It was super high end at the time,” he explains. “If it’s still running today, it’s because it was really well built. It’s no longer the fastest around, but it works really well. And it just exudes quality.” 38

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Courtesy of Magic Mountain

A few years ago, DeMatteis and his friend Greg Williams were riding the chair and saw it needed some love. “We were looking at the paint, which at that point was more rust than paint. The mountain had painted the towers, but had run out of money to paint the chairs. So we decided the chair deserved a little more dignity than that.” The duo started a campaign, asking people for $100 to fund a chair. They sold out all 178 chairs so fast that they even sold the rights to paint the bullwheel. “The lift looks awesome. We did it up in Sherwin-Williams ‘Safety Red,’ which I think is what they paint fire trucks with. You can see that chair from downtown Londonderry. It’s so bright red now. It really was a big morale booster for the folks who ski the place. “We looked at the paint job as, that chair has given us a lot of memories, and we want to give her a little dignity. That was the most important part of putting a fresh coat of paint on it and was completely emblematic of the mountain. It’s skiing the way it used to be. It’s a mountain where you go to ski. It’s a mountain where you go to see your friends, but it’s not a mountain where you go to be seen. There are no frills. “It’s a total Vermont thing,” he adds. “People don’t build them that way anymore.”

And although that request was denied (thank you, Atomic Energy Commission), the concept of enclosing skiers in a protective lift without their having to remove their skis did—and does—make sense. Back then, Schoenknecht called them “skis-on gondolas.” “Our guests started calling the chairs ‘the flying couches,’” says Dave Meeker, communications manager for the resort. “They are plush. Super comfortable, high-back seats. The bubble itself, even though it’s a big enclosure, it’s very easy to pull down. When you have five or six adults in there, and you pull the bubble down, it’s toasty within 60 seconds, regardless of the temperature outside.” Asked if the lift reminds him of any other modes of transit, Meeker is quick with an answer. “A Cadillac: smooth ride, strong engine. People like to park their Cadillacs in their garages at night, and every night we take every single chair off the line and we store them in a timberframe barn right next to the lift. So it gets pampered like a luxury vehicle and it rides like one, too.” Schoenknecht would have been proud of the new bubble, according to Meeker. “He was the Walt Disney of the ski industry. He pioneered a lot of modern snowmaking technology. He had this thing called ‘fountain mountain.’ It was (CONTINUED on PAGE 41)

Courtesy of Robert Bossi

#2: BLUEBIRD EXPRESS AT MOUNT SNOW RESORT The Bluebird Express, Mount Snow’s sixperson bubble chair, is at the forefront of lift technology, but it’s not the first bubble chair to adorn the slopes of the southern Vermont resort. Mount Snow’s founder, a guy named Walt Schoenknecht, was long on imagination and chutzpah, although occasionally short on business acumen and possibly common sense. How else do you describe a man who once asked the Atomic Energy Commission to detonate an underground nuclear bomb in the hopes of creating a new bowl for skiing and some additional vertical feet?

Courtesy of Smugglers’ Notch Resort

Courtesy of Chandler Burgess/Killington Resort

(CONTINUED from PAGE 39)

a geyser in Snow Lake, powered by a couple of diesel engines that fired water 350 feet straight up into the air. During the course of a winter, that geyser just froze and turned into this big, 350-foottall pile of snow and ice. They actually held ski races on it. Just crazy, quirky stuff like that. Not all of them were smart business practices, but it turned Mount Snow into what it is today: a popular place that people know has personality.”

#3: MADONNA AT SMUGGLERS’ NOTCH RESORT If the Bluebird Express is a Cadillac, Madonna at Smugglers’ Notch is a more utilitarian means of getting to the goods. “It’s a Jeep,” opines Steve Wry, Smuggs’ VP of mountain operations, “because it’s rough, and it deals with rough terrain. It goes over stuff that most vehicles won’t. “You can see some of the best skiers around when Upper Lift Line is open. It’s just a real throwback with challenging terrain. It’s not all mowed and manicured, with snowmaking guns all the way up it. It’s gnarly terrain underneath it.” Installed in 1963, the Madonna lift was the brainchild of Thomas J. Watson, Jr., the man responsible for making IBM a technological powerhouse, as well as for turning Smuggs into a major Vermont resort. The lift rises 2,150 vertical feet and ushers skiers and riders two by two to the top, where on a clear day they’re greeted with incredible views in every direction. Given the vistas of neighboring Mount Mansfield,

Mount Washington to the east, and Lake Champlain and the Adirondacks to the west, it’s easy to see why Watson wanted to put a chair here. But it’s when you turn downhill that you realize Madonna’s true greatness. Sure, there’s plenty of intermediate terrain off the top, but it’s the trails known as the Fab Five that’ll really get you going. And if those five double black diamonds aren’t enough, there’s always the Black Hole, Smuggs’ triple-black trail. Before long, you’ll be down at the bottom, legs burning, climbing back aboard Madonna to get some more.

#4: K1 GONDOLA AT KILLINGTON RESORT From its beginnings, Killington has invested in the best available lift technology, in search of giving its guests a cutting-edge skiing and riding experience. These investments have taken the form of the original gondola, the longest in the country when it was installed, the Skyeship Express Gondola installed in the mid-1990s, and the newest one, the K1, which replaced the original Killington chair as the way to get to the top of Killington Peak. (CONTINUED on PAGE 43) SkiVermont.com

SOME LIKE IT COLD

for the latest on snow, lift tickets and lodging

BE AMONG THE FIRST TO RIDE THE NEW GONDOLA CABINS LAUNCHING NOVEMBER 2014.

(CONTINUED from PAGE 41)

What makes the K1 iconic? Karen Lorentz should know. She wrote the book on Killington, literally. Her 1990 history of the resort, Killington: A Story of Mountains and Men, explores how “the Beast” became Vermont’s largest resort. “To me,” she says, “it’s the technology and guest comfort. Using technology to provide me with a vastly improved way to get to the summit. The old chair could take 20 minutes. Now it’s fast. You barely have time to wipe your goggles and loosen your jacket and then you’re there.” It’s hard to miss the K1. As with the Skyeship, each gondola car has its own distinct graphics, with a style that could be at home on a Duran Duran album cover from the mid-1980s. Yet despite its New Wave look, the K1 lives firmly in the present. Today, skiers and riders are deposited at the top right next to the new Killington Peak Lodge, a glass-walled gem with commanding views all around. Even the method of powering K1 is progressive. Many a tall tale has been told on chairlifts, but the K1 is literally powered by BS. As part of Green Mountain Power’s Cow Power program, the K1 and the Peak Lodge are fueled by electricity derived from cow manure, processed 6 into gas by anaerobic digestion on nearby farms.

and among the first in North America. That led to some initial consternation among those trying to ride it. “It was a little challenging to figure out how to load it. It was new to us, obviously, and it was new to our customers,” says Sky Foulkes, Stratton’s president. “So it took a little while to get the rhythm of a six-passenger lift. As I tell people, you would think it would be one-third harder to load than a quad, but really it’s three times as hard.” With growing pains firmly in the rearview mirror, the six-packs have clearly been embraced by Stratton. The big chairs are less susceptible to wind gusts because of their weight. They’ve eliminated the need for other lifts. They’ve made areas like the Sun Bowl more accessible and, most important to Stratton’s guests, they’ve cut lift lines by two-thirds, even on busy days. Another bonus: More people to chat up, despite the shorter ride. “It creates that gondola-type social experience on a chair,” says Foulkes. “You’ve got six people and two or three different conversations to eavesdrop on. It’s kind of fun.”

Courtesy of Hubert Schrieblef

Courtesy of Andrew Lanoue

#5: AMERICAN EXPRESS AT STRATTON MOUNTAIN RESORT It’s hard to find skiers or riders who don’t appreciate a six-pack, whether their tastes run on the PBR end of the spectrum or they prefer to get their hops on with some of Vermont’s now legendary craft brews, such as Long Trail Limbo. Stratton Mountain Resort also has embraced the power of six, and not just at the bar. The resort now has four high-speed, detachable six-person lifts to whisk skiers and riders to their terrain of choice.

#6: THE AERIAL TRAM AT JAY PEAK RESORT Of all the lifts on this list, the Aerial Tram at Jay Peak certainly looks the most impressive. Like two city buses suspended by a 1.9-mile-long cable, the Tram takes 60 passengers at a time to the summit. There, it docks at a top station that makes you feel like you’re entering a scene from Where Eagles Dare, ready to fight the Nazis alongside Clint Eastwood for the rights to fresh tracks when the Jay Cloud has produced yet another powder day.

Like an endless string of Chevy Suburbans, the six-packs are people haulers, and the first of them was the American Express. When it was installed, it was the first six-pack in New England

Who needs multiple lift towers? Just two will do on the Tram, with its dueling cars suspended up to 180 feet above the trails below. It’s also a lift of contradictions; it’s both Vermont’s least SkiVermont.com

Courtesy of Chris Milliman

Courtesy of Stowe Mountain Resort

efficient lift, moving just 360 people per hour, and Vermont’s fastest lift, cruising along at some 2,000 feet per minute. “It’s a totally different animal,” says Craig Parrish, Jay’s lift operations manager, when asked to compare it to a regular lift. “A ski lift is basically a bunch of chairs fixed to a cable. A tram is hauled up and down the mountain by a cable, but it rides on two track cables. Our tram is considered a jig-back tram, which means when the bottom car goes up, the top one comes down at the same time. “It’s what everybody knows Jay Peak for,” he adds. “It’s always been here, almost since this place started up. It’s our flagship lift, and everybody who comes here has to ride the Tram at least once.” #7: THE POMA AT Q BURKE MOUNTAIN RESORT If you watched the Winter Olympics last year, you couldn’t miss Mikaela Shiffrin. In commercials, athlete profiles and race coverage, there was Shiffrin’s photogenic mug beaming back at you. But before she ever rose to the medal podium, she put in countless hours going uphill on a seemingly less glamorous ride in Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom. The Poma at Q Burke is the main lift for Burke Mountain Academy, which counts Olympians Diann Roffe, Julie Parisien, Erik Schlopy and Nolan Kasper, as well as Shiffrin, among its alumni. What it might lack in frills, it more than makes up for in ability to help train elite athletes. That’s a concept Daniel Coyle explores in his 2009 book The Talent Code, which looks at centers of excellence around the globe in sports, music and the arts. Coyle calls them “chickenwire Harvards,” places that might not look like much, but that have an outsized impact in their fields. According to the academy’s headmaster, Kirk Dwyer, the Poma is “very efficient because you’re only going up the lift for the length of the course. And you’re by yourself, so rather than socializing 44

SkiVermont.com

with someone else, you’re thinking about what your coach just told you, or what you notice watching other skiers. And it’s right at the same level with the ski course, so you have many of the top skiers in the country skiing down right next to you. “While we’ve upgraded it, we’ve deliberately tried to retain the originality,” he adds. “It definitely looks much as it did back in the 1950s, but it functions very well. For anyone who’s trained at Burke, the Poma lift is something that’s been ever-present. And that’s truly iconic.”

#8: THE FOURRUNNER QUAD AT STOWE MOUNTAIN RESORT This apple didn’t fall far from the tree. The current FourRunner Quad is actually the third lift to chase its way up the same path on Mount Mansfield. In 2011, it replaced the original FourRunner Quad, which itself replaced the famous single chair in 1986. The placement of the single chair “was a decision made primarily by Charlie Lord,” explains Stowe’s semi-official historian with 43 years on patrol, Brian Lindner, referring to the original architect of Stowe’s trail system. “And since 1940, we’ve had three lifts occupying the exact same footprint, which shows you the wisdom of his decision. There is no better place to put a lift on Mount Mansfield. Period.” He continues, “The single, at the time, was just a marvel of technology. It was the world’s highest and longest chairlift when it was built. That lift was there from 1940 to 1986, and then in 1986 we put in the first FourRunner, which was the first high-speed detachable quad east of the Mississippi. So you’ve got another first in that same footprint. And then the quad that’s there today…that thing is the absolute Mercedes of ski lifts. It’s just amazing how it’s shortened lift lines.” The latest FourRunner is also a model of consistency. Last (CONTINUED on PAGE 46)

Courtesy of Sandy Macys/Sugarbush Resort

(CONTINUED from PAGE 44)

winter, of 1,220 scheduled hours of operation, the lift was out of service for just a hair over eight hours, resulting in a 99.33% uptime. Although the latest quad runs like a clock (or a Benz), the first quad did endure some “teething” pains when it arrived in the 1980s. “It was so exposed to the elements up there, and [the manufacturer] hadn’t anticipated the brutal Vermont winters on top of Mount Mansfield,” says Lindner. “Parts of the bullwheel just couldn’t take the cold. As I recall, there was a bearing they had to replace very early in the game, and they couldn’t get everything to fit back together properly, so they took big chunks of it into the Octagon restaurant, and put it into the pizza oven to heat it up as hot as they possibly could. Then they’d run back outdoors with this giant bearing and it fit back in OK.” Is the new FourRunner the best yet? “Absolutely,” exclaims Lindner. “It’s just built first class and it runs first class. It’s been absolutely trouble free. Most lifts, when you first put them in, your first year, you’re always fiddling with it, playing with it, trying to get it to run right. And right out of the box, this thing has been marvelous.”

#9: SLIDE BROOK EXPRESS AT SUGARBUSH RESORT The Slide Brook Express is unique in so many ways. Unlike the other nine lifts on this list, its primary job is not to take people up, but rather across. Despite rising a mere 382 vertical feet, the lift travels 11,012 feet, linking Sugarbush’s Lincoln Peak and Mount Ellen base areas. It’s the longest detachable quad in the entire world. And then there’s the waving; since you can take the Slide Brook Express in either direction, you’re constantly passing people going the other way. Like people out on boats in the summer, the riders all wave at each other.

SkiVermont.com

“You know what, that happened from Day One,” recalls Blaise Carrig. “You’d wave to people.” Today Carrig is president of the mountain division at Vail Resorts, but in 1995, he was the VP of operations at the ’Bush when the Slide Brook Express was built. The lift crosses over the Slide Brook Basin, 2,000 acres of land that includes protected bear habitat. This presented some logistical challenges when Sugarbush built the lift, as the crew could work in sensitive areas for only a very short window of time. Carrig explains that the sheer size of the cable presented its own hurdles. “The cable was so big and heavy—it was one large cable—that in terms of getting it from the docks to Sugarbush, they had to map out a very specific route because the weight of the cable on the truck was not going to be able to be sustained by just any bridge. So they had to really figure out which bridges they could drive the cable over to get to Sugarbush. It was a massive spool. It was unbelievable.” It’s hard to argue with the results, though. Two decades later, the lift is still running, the people are still waving, and the experience is still one of a kind. “I do think it’s a unique lift,” concurs Carrig. “It’s a very cool experience. It goes over unique terrain. You go from the development of the two ski resorts into this wild, pristine area, and you go over the brooks. It’s a cool ride.”

#10: THE SINGLE CHAIR AT MAD RIVER GLEN In 2007, for $1.3 million, Mad River Glen could have installed a brand-spanking-new two-person chair that would have doubled uphill capacity. Instead, the resort decided to spend $1.8 million to replace the old single chair with a new single, a premium of $500,000 for less capacity. We’ll keep it one at a time, thank you very much, said Mad River’s shareholders.

Clearly, Mad River Glen marches to the beat of its own drummer. And although he’s not a drummer (so far as we know), Aust could well be considered Mad River’s house deejay. From his perch at the mid-station on the Single Chair, Aust has spent the last 11 seasons pumping out the good tunes while making sure everyone’s having a good time. He’s seen the attachment people have to the lift. “I wondered what would happen if I created a Facebook page just for ‘Midstation Singlechair,’” says Aust. “It’s caught on. People check it for the snow reports, people check to see what music I played that day.” He laughs. “It’s pretty funny, actually.” (Editor’s note: Friend it yourself at facebook.com/midstation.singlechair.) Courtesy of Jeb Wallace-Brodeur

“I’ve really grown attached to that spot. It’s a special place. Mad River Glen is a special place, and the Single Chair— there’s nothing else like it, really.

Gone are the diesel fumes from the old engine, which was replaced by an electric motor, and the 158 old chairs were auctioned off to help pay for the new one, raising about $275,000 as part of a major fundraising campaign. The last chair alone went for $8,500 on eBay; 2,000 people, all told, kicked in; and some kids even forked over their piggy banks, according to the resort. For a chair you can ride only by yourself, the Single Chair is very much a social experience. Mad River skiers tend to be a close-knit bunch, something you quickly

sense standing in line. Soon enough, it’s your turn to slide onto the green wooden platform in front of the yellow clapboard lift station, and away you go. “On a busy weekend day, you might have a 45-minute wait to get on the chair, but all those crowds are at the bottom,” explains Brian Aust, a liftie on the Single. “Every time the single chair comes to the top, it’s just one person, then another, then another…This is what people will wait for; they’ll wait for an uncrowded slope so they can feel more connected to nature and the mountain.”

“It’s more like a living exhibit,” Aust continues. “If you go to a national park, they have reenactments—people doing things that folks living 150, 250, 300 years ago used to do. And that’s what the Single Chair is. It’s the only chair that’s doing it in this way. And at mid-station, things happen that do not, cannot and will not happen at other places.” Even when he’s ready to retire from his full-time winter gig, Aust thinks he’ll still come back and work at least one day a week. “It’s going to break my heart to not work there. I love it. I absolutely love it. I cherish the time that I have up there…I’m a part of the place and it’s a part of me.”❄

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Courtesy of Dennis Curran

FRESH TRACKS

Ski Vermont’s Check In to Win program, now in its third season, rewards you for trying new resorts around the state. When you log your days on Vermont’s mountains using the AlpineReplay app on your smartphone, you’ll earn medals as you reach milestones, be entered to win cool prizes and compete against other skiers and riders on Vermont’s slopes. Download the AlpineReplay app on iTunes and Google Play to track your stats on the mountain. See your top speed, lift time, air time, total vertical, rest time and calories burned for the day and broken down by run. You can even challenge your friends! The best part about using AlpineReplay at Vermont resorts is that you’ll automatically be entered to win sweet swag from Ski Vermont without any extra effort on your part. We’re giving a pair of Rossignol skis to the first skier to reach all 19 resorts this season. The first snowboarder to ride at all 18 snowboardfriendly resorts will win a new Burton board. You’ll also be entered to win prizes along the way from our friends at Cabot Cheese, Rossignol, Burton, anon, Darn Tough and more just by logging your stats at the mountain. Don’t worry about keeping track—we will handle that. All you need to do is log your days on AlpineReplay and you will be automatically entered to win when you earn the Vermont Explorer, Vermont Trailblazer, Vermont Marathoner,

Vermont Green Mountaineer and Vermonster medals. The more mountains you visit in Vermont, the more times you are entered to win! Get ready to feel the burn in your muscles as you compete in the Ski Vermont Vertical Challenge. Ski and ride at Vermont’s 19 alpine resorts and see how many feet of vertical you can amass

throughout the season. The person who logs the most vertical this season will win a two-night ski and stay package for next season. Who will take home the bragging rights? It could be you! Check out SkiVermont.com /checkin to get started.

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The

LONG By Peter Biolsi

SkiVermont.com

TRAIL

In Vermont, the name “Long Trail” has a double meaning. On one hand, there’s the 272-mile footpath—the oldest long-distance hiking trail in the country—running from Massachusetts to Canada over the Green Mountains’ highest peaks. On the other, there’s Long Trail Brewing Company, which each year produces 95,000 barrels (about 9 million pints) of craft beer, including its flagship altbier, Long Trail Ale. Their differences are obvious, but these two “Trails” converge at what, and who, makes them iconic symbols of Vermont. Long Trail hikers need determination, endurance and an appreciation for their natural surroundings— not unlike the staff and members of the Green Mountain Club, who’ve worked tirelessly over the last 104 years in maintaining and protecting this historic route. Similarly, it’s the blend of these qualities that’s driven Long Trail Brewing’s success and popularity for 25 years running. So crack open a bottle. It’s time to take a hike. (CONTINUED on PAGE 53)

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Adventure Here!

{Coming December 2015}

Courtesy of Justin Cash

(CONTINUED from PAGE 51)

n the mid-’80s, Vermont’s craft brewing scene was uncharted territory—a hard thing to picture today. German and English imports dominated the shelves, and styles were, well, limited. Andy Pherson, an electrical engineer from New Hampshire, had taken up permanent residence in his Plymouth, Vt., ski home and was eager to make his mark in the brave new world of beer. From his travels to Düsseldorf, Germany, he recognized the altbier—a “top-fermented” ale, with dark amber color—as a good fit for the American palate and not a huge step to take for a population accustomed to drinking yellow beer. In November 1989, Pherson and his business partner Jim Negomir, a co-worker at Killington Resort, opened Mountain Brewers (which later became Long Trail Brewing) with the release of their first beer, Bear Mountain Gold, which was named after a peak at Killington Resort. Housed in the old woolen mill in Bridgewater Corners, the brewery was soon pushing the limits of its original, custom-fabricated 15-barrel brew system. Since there were no dedicated brewing equipment manufacturers at the time, Pherson turned to a local resource that was abundant: Vermont farmers. Harvesting retired materials from local dairy farms, he expanded the system with elaborate Rube Goldberg–like creations of his own design, such as a refrigerated milk tank he retrofitted with glycol solution as a wort chiller and named the “goat-milker.” “Eventually we upgraded to a 30-barrel ‘Franken-system’ that wasn’t sexy, but it made great beer,” recalls Long Trail Director of Operations and Brewing Historian Matt Quinlan. “It’s where our commitment to sustainability began, and it

forced us to really think about what it takes to make beer the old-fashioned way.” Things continued to grow quickly. By 1995, the need for more serious expansion spurred the relocation to a hayfield just up the road on the banks of the Ottauquechee River. Here the current 20,000-square-foot production facility took the form of a traditional Vermont barn in a conscious effort to maintain the natural landscape. In Bridgewater Corners, as in most of the rest of Vermont, municipal utilities like water, sewer and threephase power don’t exist. So out of necessity and the company’s mission to be a steward of the land, the facility was designed to be as simple, self-sustaining and efficient as possible. And it is. Today, the brewery operates with notable efficiency and enough Vermont flowing through its hoses and fermenters to avoid any confusion over the beer’s native heritage. The water comes from an artesian well on the property— named “Vermont’s best drinking water” by the Green Mountain Water Environment Association. The brewery uses just five gallons of water for every one gallon of beer produced (roughly half the industry’s average ratio). Maple syrup from Hartford, Vt., sweetens the fall seasonal Harvest Ale. Local hops add aroma and taste to the super-limited, small-batch Farmhouse Ales, brewed in a separate 360-squarefoot farmhouse-turned-pilot-brewing-facility. And all of Long Trail’s yeast is propagated in-house. To reduce waste, spent grains are donated to local dairy farms to feed cattle, ultimately making their way to the methane burners SkiVermont.com

Courtesy of Justin Cash

Vermont, by the bottle K illington’s Skye peak was the original logo for Mountain Brewers

O ne of the kettles being used to brew beer is the original one that Andy Pherson designed on the back of a napkin more than 20 years ago

Courtesy of Deshler Photography

L ong Trail was the third brewery started in Vermont, behind Catamount and Vermont Pub and Brewery

“Everyone knows that Long Trail’s beer is outstanding, But so are their values. They’re rooted in the local community.” that convert the bovines’ steamy deposits to usable energy as part of GMP’s Cow Power program, which fuels Killington’s K1 Gondola. All wastewater is also treated on-site in the state’s largest permanent leaching field. Outside the brewhouse, Long Trail plays an active role in the community—not just for the cows’ sake.

resident of Bridgewater. Since 2012, the brewery has partnered with Vermont Adaptive to present the annual Long Trail Century Ride—a 100-mile cycling event that starts and ends at the brewery and supports year-round programming and equipment needs at the disabled sports nonprofit organization.

Kim Jackson is the director of outreach & communications at Vermont Adaptive Ski & Sports. She’s had an up-close view of the brewery’s growth as a nearly 20-year

“Everyone knows that Long Trail’s beer is outstanding,” says Jackson. “But so are their values. They’re rooted in the local community.” In 2013, the event raised (CONTINUED on PAGE 56)

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9 5,000: the number of barrels of beer produced every year

T he brewery produces 22 million 12-ounce bottles annually

L ong Trail is sold in 13 states plus Washington, D.C.

4 0 percent of Long Trail beer is consumed in Vermont

5 -to-1: the ratio of water used to beer produced in the current beer-making process; the industry average is 11-to-1

1 00 percent of the beer labels are made with post-consumer-waste recycled fiber

(CONTINUED from PAGE 54)

$75,000 for adaptive sports, and had set a goal of $125,000 (at the time of this writing) for the 2014 ride. In the aftermath of Tropical Storm Irene, the Long Trail Brewing Company visitor center became a recovery area where employees provided meals to residents and work crews in the area, while National Guard helicopters made supply drops in the adjacent field. “It hit our area hard and we knew that we had a responsibility to support all the locals who have supported us from the beginning,” Quinlan recalls. To further support the recovery effort, Long Trail turned to doing what it does best: brewing beer.

Courtesy of Justin Cash

Marooned in the farmhouse brewery for the week following the storm, Quinlan and other stranded employees, including Brewmaster Dave Hartmann, hatched the idea for a tribute beer called Goodnight Irene. The initial Vermontonly release raised more than $10,000 for the Vermont Foodbank and Vermont Community Foundation. By popular demand, the beer was re-released to a wider market in 2012, allowing Long Trail to match its initial donation two years running. This year, the brewery donated 50 percent of proceeds from its quartercentury celebration to the Green Mountain Club to aid ongoing conservation efforts for the Long Trail. And this season, its libations will continue to keep Vermont resort guests and après-ski crowds—not to mention the Ski Vermont staff—well lubricated. In fact, powder hounds playing hooky can expect a new full-bodied “Sick Day” Dark IPA (whose alcohol content weighs in at just over 6 percent) to begin pouring this season. “Vermonters work hard,” says Jackson. “But they also take care of their own. The folks at Long Trail are an example of that for sure. Their spirit is a natural crossover to what the state of Vermont is all about.”❄

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Follow the leader.

Overall Resort in the Eastern U.S! Kid-Friendly Resort in the East! — SKI Magazine Reader Survey 2015

This Winter, join us at Smugglers’ Notch Vermont where family fun is guaranteed! On and off the slopes we’ve got something for every age and interest!

Call our Vacation Planning Specialists today!

1.855.746.0541 or visit smuggs.com/skivt

FIRST TRACKS

NEWPORT

JAY PEAK

SMUGGLERS’ NOTCH

Ca na da Ma in e

Q BURKE

Ne w Ha mps h ire

STOWE 26



BURLINGTON

Ve rmo n t

22 27

BOLTON VALLEY

5 20

N e w Yo r k

STOWE ST.

Ma s s ac h us e tts

JOHNSBURY

COCHRAN’S

C o n n e c tic ut R h o d e I s la n d

MONTPELIER 13

MAD RIVER GLEN WAITSFIELD

P e n n s y lva n ia New Jersey

SUGARBUSH 17 2

19 MIDDLEBURY

NORTHEAST SLOPES

MIDDLEBURY SNOW BOWL

HOW DO YOU GET HERE? De lawa r e

PICO KILLINGTON



Ma r y la n d

SUICIDE SIX QUECHEE 18 SKI AREA

RUTLAND

BY CAR WHITE

RIVER JCT.

OKEMO 16

Vermont resorts are an easy, convenient drive from anywhere in the East. Interstates 89 and 91, and Vermont Route 100, the fabled skiers’ highway, provide excellent access to our mountains and villages. BY TRAIN

BROMLEY MANCHESTER

At l a nt i c O c ea n

MAGIC

Two Amtrak routes operate between Washington, D.C., New York City and Vermont, providing daily passenger service to many of Vermont’s mountain communities. For information, log onto Amtrak.com or call the resort you plan to visit.

STRATTON 24

MOUNT SNOW THE HERMITAGE CLUB 25 9

BY BUS

BRATTLEBORO

Green dots correspond with Nordic ski areas listed below. //

Amtrak Stations

NORDIC SKI AREAS 1. Blueberry Hill Ski Center

16. Okemo Valley Nordic Center

2. Blueberry Lake XC

17. Ole’s Cross Country Center

3. Bolton Valley Nordic Center

18. Quechee Ski Area

4. Brattleboro Outing Club

19. Rikert Nordic Center

5. Catamount Outdoor Family Center

20. Sleepy Hollow Inn Ski & Bike Center

6. Craftsbury Outdoor Center

21. Smugglers’ Notch Nordic Center

7. Grafton Ponds Outdoor Center

22. Stowe Mountain Resort Cross Country Ski Center

8. Hazen’s Notch Association

23. Strafford Nordic Center

9. The Hermitage Inn

24. Stratton Mountain Nordic Center

10. Jay Peak Nordic Center

25. Timber Creek XC Ski Area

11. Kingdom Trails Nordic Adventure Center

26. Topnotch Resort

12. Memphremagog Ski Touring Foundation

27. Trapp Family Lodge XC Ski Center

13. Morse Farm Ski Touring Center

28. Viking Nordic Center

14. Mountain Meadows XC Ski & Snowshoe Center

29. Wild Wings Ski Touring Center

15. Mountain Top Inn & Resort

30. Woodstock Inn & Resort Nordic Center Catamount Trail Association

The Greyhound bus system connects Vermont communities with Boston, Montreal, New York and other regional and national destinations. Call 1-800-231-2222 for information. BY AIR

With excellent air service, Burlington International Airport is a convenient point of access to northern and central Vermont resorts. Major air carriers include Continental, Delta, JetBlue, Northwest, United and US Airways, and Porter out of Toronto. For those who prefer charter flights or have a personal aircraft, Heritage Aviation is ideal. Visitors to central and southern resorts often fly to Albany; Boston; Hartford; Manchester, N.H.; Newark, N.J.; and Rutland, Vt. Gateway cities for international visitors include Boston, New York, Montreal, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. Rental cars are available at all airports, and many resorts offer ground transportation. SkiVermont.com

Courtesy of Deshler Photography

ALPINE

JAY PEAK RESORT

KILLINGTON RESORT

MAD RIVER GLEN

MAGIC MOUNTAIN

Jay, VT 05859 www.jaypeakresort.com

Killington, VT 05751 www.killington.com

Waitsfield, VT 05673 www.madriverglen.com

Londonderry, VT 05148 www.magicmtn.com

General Info:......... 802-988-2611 Snow Conditions:.... 802-988-9601 Reservations:........ 800-451-4449

General Info:........ 800-621-MTNS Snow Conditions:.... 802-422-3261 Reservations:....... 800-621-MTNS

General Info:......... 802-496-3551 Snow Conditions:.... 802-496-3551 Reservations:............................ —

General Info:......... 802-824-5645 Snow Conditions:.... 802-824-5645 Reservations:........ 802-824-5645

Vertical:............................ 2,153´ Trails:......................................78 Trail Acreage:........................385 Lifts:.........................................9

Vertical:............................3,050´ Trails:....................................155 Trail Acreage:......................1509 Lifts:.......................................22

Vertical:............................2,037´ Trails:......................................45 Trail Acreage:........................120 Lifts:.........................................5

Vertical:............................ 1,700´ Trails:......................................43 Trail Acreage:........................195 Lifts:.........................................4

Snowmaking Acreage:.............308 Snowmaking Coverage:..........80% Lifts Serving Snowmaking:.....9 of 9

Snowmaking Acreage:.............602 Snowmaking Coverage:..........80% Lifts Serving Snowmaking:..22 of 22

Snowmaking Acreage:...............20 Snowmaking Coverage:.......... 15% Lifts Serving Snowmaking:.....3 of 5

Snowmaking Acreage:.............133 Snowmaking Coverage:..........75% Lifts Serving Snowmaking:.....4 of 4

PICO MOUNTAIN AT KILLINGTON

Q BURKE MOUNTAIN RESORT

QUECHEE SKI AREA

SMUGGLERS’ NOTCH RESORT

Killington, VT 05751 www.picomountain.com

East Burke, VT 05832 www.skiburke.com

Quechee, VT 05059 www.quecheeclub.com

Smugglers’ Notch, VT 05464 www.smuggs.com

General Info:..........866-667-PICO Snow Conditions:.....866-667-PICO Reservations:.........866-667-PICO

General Info:......... 888-BURKEVT Snow Conditions:.... 866-496-1699 Reservations:........ 888-BURKEVT

General Info:......... 802-295-9356 Snow Conditions:.... 802-295-9356 Reservations:........ 802-295-9356

General Info:......... 802-332-6841 Snow Conditions:.....802-644-1111 Reservations:.........855-814-7325

Vertical:............................ 1,967´ Trails:......................................57 Trail Acreage:........................468 Lifts:.........................................7

Vertical:............................ 2,011´ Trails:......................................52 Trail Acreage:........................270 Lifts:.........................................6

Vertical:...............................650´ Trails:......................................13 Trail Acreage:........................100 Lifts:.........................................3

Vertical:............................ 2,610´ Trails:......................................78 Trail Acreage:........................ 310 Lifts:.........................................8

Snowmaking Acreage:.............199 Snowmaking Coverage:..........75% Lifts Serving Snowmaking:.....7 of 7

Snowmaking Acreage:............. 216 Snowmaking Coverage:..........80% Lifts Serving Snowmaking:.....6 of 6

Snowmaking Acreage:.............100 Snowmaking Coverage:........100% Lifts Serving Snowmaking:.....3 of 3

Snowmaking Acreage:.............192 Snowmaking Coverage:..........62% Lifts Serving Snowmaking:.....8 of 8

SkiVermont.com

ALPINE

Vermont’s Sun Mountain

BOLTON VALLEY

BROMLEY MOUNTAIN RESORT

COCHRAN’S SKI AREA

THE HERMITAGE CLUB AT HAYSTACK MOUNTAIN

Bolton Valley, VT 05477 www.boltonvalley.com

Peru, VT 05152 www.bromley.com

Richmond, VT 05477 www.cochranskiarea.com

West Dover, VT 05356 www.hermitageclub.com

General Info:.........802-434-3444 Snow Conditions:...802-434-SNOW Reservations:......... 877-9BOLTON

General Info:......... 802-824-5522 Snow Conditions:.... 866-856-2201 Reservations:........800-865-4786

General Info:......... 802-434-2479 Snow Conditions:.... 802-434-2479 Reservations:............................ —

General Info:......... 802-464-7734 Snow Conditions:........................ — Reservations:........ 802-464-3511

Vertical:............................ 1,704´ Trails:......................................71 Trail Acreage:........................300 Lifts:.........................................6

Vertical:............................1,334´ Trails:......................................45 Trail Acreage:........................ 178 Lifts:.........................................9

Vertical:...............................350´ Trails:........................................8 Trail Acreage:..........................15 Lifts:.........................................3

Vertical:............................1,400´ Trails:........................39 + Glades Trail Acreage:........................194 Lifts:.........................................6

Snowmaking Acreage:.............180 Snowmaking Coverage:..........60% Lifts Serving Snowmaking:.....5 of 6

Snowmaking Acreage:.............153 Snowmaking Coverage:..........86% Lifts Serving Snowmaking:......9 of 9

Snowmaking Acreage:................10 Snowmaking Coverage:..........66% Lifts Serving Snowmaking:.....3 of 3

Snowmaking Acreage:.............. 127 Snowmaking Coverage:..........85% Lifts Serving Snowmaking:.....6 of 6

MIDDLEBURY COLLEGE SNOW BOWL

MOUNT SNOW RESORT

NORTHEAST SLOPES

OKEMO MOUNTAIN RESORT

Hancock, VT 05748 www.middleburysnowbowl.com

West Dover, VT 05356 www.mountsnow.com

East Corinth, VT 05040 www.northeastslopes.org

Ludlow, VT 05149 www.okemo.com

General Info:.........802-388-4356 Snow Conditions:....802-388-4356 Reservations:............................ —

General Info:.........802-464-3333 Snow Conditions:.... 802-464-2151 Reservations:.......800-245-SNOW

General Info:......... 802-439-5789 Snow Conditions:.... 802-439-5789 Reservations:........ 802-439-5789

General Info:......... 802-228-1600 Snow Conditions:.... 802-228-5222 Reservations:.......800-78-OKEMO

Vertical:............................1,000´ Trails:......................................17 Trail Acreage:........................125 Lifts:.........................................4

Vertical:............................ 1,700´ Trails:......................................80 Trail Acreage:....................... 588 Lifts:.......................................20

Vertical:...............................360´ Trails:......................................12 Trail Acreage:..........................35 Lifts:.........................................3

Vertical:............................2,200´ Trails:....................................120 Trail Acreage:........................655 Lifts:.......................................19

Snowmaking Acreage:...............56 Snowmaking Coverage:..........45% Lifts Serving Snowmaking:.....3 of 3

Snowmaking Acreage:.............472 Snowmaking Coverage:..........80% Lifts Serving Snowmaking:..20 of 20

Snowmaking Acreage:................ — Snowmaking Coverage:.............. — Lifts Serving Snowmaking:........... —

Snowmaking Acreage:.............605 Snowmaking Coverage:..........96% Lifts Serving Snowmaking:.. 19 of 19

STOWE MOUNTAIN RESORT

STRATTON MOUNTAIN RESORT

SUGARBUSH RESORT

SUICIDE SIX SKI AREA/ WOODSTOCK INN

Stowe, VT 05672 www.stowe.com

Stratton Mountain, VT 05155 www.stratton.com

Warren, VT 05674 www.sugarbush.com

Woodstock, VT 05091 www.suicide6.com

General Info:......... 802-253-3000 Snow Conditions:.... 802-253-3600 Reservations:.........800-253-4SKI

General Info:......... 802-297-4000 Snow Conditions:.....802-297-4211 Reservations:.......800-STRATTON

General Info:.........802-583-6300 Snow Conditions:...802-583-SNOW Reservations:....... 800-53-SUGAR

General Info:......... 802-457-6661 Snow Conditions:.... 802-457-6666 Reservations:........ 888-338-2745

Vertical:............................ 2,160´ Trails:.................................... 116 Trail Acreage:........................485 Lifts:.......................................13

Vertical:............................2,003´ Trails:......................................97 Trail Acreage:........................625 Lifts:.......................................11

Vertical:............................2,600´ Trails:.................................... 111 Trail Acreage:........................578 Lifts:.......................................16

Vertical:...............................650´ Trails:......................................23 Trail Acreage:........................100 Lifts:.........................................3

Snowmaking Acreage:.............485 Snowmaking Coverage:..........90% Lifts Serving Snowmaking:. 11 of 13

Snowmaking Acreage:.............594 Snowmaking Coverage:..........95% Lifts Serving Snowmaking:.. 11 of 11

Snowmaking Acreage:.............405 Snowmaking Coverage:..........70% Lifts Serving Snowmaking:.. 15 of 16

Snowmaking Acreage:...............50 Snowmaking Coverage:..........50% Lifts Serving Snowmaking:.....3 of 3 SkiVermont.com

NORDIC Resort

Location

E-mail & Website

Phone/ Toll-Free

Blueberry Hill Ski Center

Goshen, VT 05733

info@blueberryhillinn.com www.blueberryhillinn.com

Blueberry Lake X-C

Warren, VT 05674

Bolton Valley Nordic Center

Trails

Machine Tracked/ Skating Terrain

Instruction/ Rental

802-247-6735 -

50km

0km/0km

N/Y

www.blueberrylakeskivt.com

802-496-6687 -

30km

21km/21km

Y/Y

Bolton Valley, VT 05477

info@boltonvalley.com www.boltonvalley.com

802-434-6876 877-9BOLTON

100km

15km/15km

Y/Y

Brattleboro Outing Club

Brattleboro, VT 05302

xc@brattleborooutingclub.com www.brattleborooutingclub.com

802-254-4081 -

33km

25km/18km

Y/Y

Catamount Outdoor Family Center

Williston, VT 05495

mail@catamountoutdoor.com www.catamountoutdoorfamilycenter.com

802-879-6001 -

35km

20km/20km

Y/Y

Catamount Trail Association

Burlington, VT 05401

info@catamounttrail.org www.catamounttrail.org

802-864-5794 -

500km

50km/50km

Y/Y

Craftsbury Outdoor Center

Craftsbury Common, VT 05827

stay@craftsbury.com www.craftsbury.com

802-586-7767 -

✔

135km

85km/85km

Y/Y

Grafton Ponds Nordic Center

Grafton, VT 05146

info@graftonponds.com www.graftonponds.com

802-843-2400 -

✔

30km

15km/15km

Y/Y

Hazen’s Notch Association

Montgomery Ctr., VT 05471

info@hazensnotch.org www.hazensnotch.org

802-326-4799 -

60km

40km/0km

Y/Y

The Hermitage Inn

West Dover, VT 05356

www.hermitageclub.com

802-464-7734 -

14km

14km/14km

Y/Y

Jay Peak Ski Touring Center

Jay, VT 05859

info@jaypeakresort.com www.jaypeakresort.com

802-988-4693 800-451-4449

20km

10km/10km

Y/Y

Kingdom Trails Nordic Adventure Center

Lyndonville, VT 05851

info@kingdomtrails.org www.kingdomtrails.org

802-626-6005 -

60km

40km/60km

N/N

Memphremagog Ski Touring Foundation

Derby, VT 05830

PLHarris969@comcast.net www.mstf.net

802-334-7676 -

30km

30km/30km

N/N

Morse Farm Ski Touring Center

Montpelier, VT 05601

info@skimorsefarm.com www.skimorsefarm.com

802-223-0560 -

25km

25km/20km

Y/Y

Mountain Meadows XC Ski & Snowshoe Center

Killington, VT 05751

basecampvt@mac.com www.xcskiing.net

802-775-7077 -

57km

57km/57km

Y/Y

Mountain Top Nordic Center

Chittenden, VT 05737

stay@mountaintopinn.com www.mountaintopinn.com

802-483-6089 -

60km

40km/40km

Y/Y

Okemo Valley Nordic Center

Ludlow, VT 05149

info@okemo.com www.okemo.com

802-228-1396 800-78-OKEMO

22km

0km/0km

Y/Y

Ole’s Cross Country Center

Warren, VT 05674

ski@olesxc.com www.olesxc.com

802-496-3430 -

45km

45km/40km

Y/Y

The Quechee Club

Quechee, VT 05059

info@quecheeclub.com www.quecheeclub.com

802-295-9356 -

25km

25km/12km

Y/Y

Rikert Nordic Center

Ripton, VT 05766

rikertnordiccenter@middlebury.edu www.rikertnordic.com

802-443-2744 -

✔

50km

30km/15km

Y/Y

Sleepy Hollow Inn Ski & Bike Center

Huntington, VT 05462

info@skisleepyhollow.com www.skisleepyhollow.com

802-434-2283 866-254-1524

✔

35km

30km/25km

Y/Y

Smugglers’ Notch Nordic Center

Smugglers’ Notch, VT 05464

ski_ride@smuggs.com www.smuggs.com

802-644-1173 800-451-8752

30km

18km/26km

Y/Y

Stowe Mountain Resort XC Ski Center

Stowe, VT 05672

info@stowe.com www.stowe.com

802-253-3688 800-253-4SKI

75km

45km/30km

Y/Y

Strafford Nordic Center

Strafford, VT 05072

info@straffordnordicskiing.com straffordnordicskiing.com

802-765-4309 -

30km

10km/30km

Y/Y

Stratton Mountain Nordic Center

Stratton Mountain, VT 05155

feedback@stratton.com www.stratton.com

802-297-4567 800-STRATTON

12km

12km/12km

Y/Y

Timber Creek XC Ski Area

West Dover, VT 05356

timbercreekxc@gmail.com www.timbercreekxc.com

802-464-0999 -

14km

14km/14km

Y/Y

Topnotch Resort

Stowe, VT 05672

info@topnotchresort.com www.topnotchresort.com

802-253-6497 800-451-8686

30km

0km/0km

Y/Y

Trapp Family Lodge XC Ski Center

Stowe, VT 05672

info@trappfamily.com www.trappfamily.com

802-253-5755 800-826-7000

160km

60km/60km

Y/Y

Viking Nordic Center

Londonderry, VT 05148

skiandstay@vikingnordic.com www.vikingnordic.com

802-824-3933 -

39km

35km/30km

Y/Y

Wild Wings Ski Touring Center

Peru, VT 05152

wwxcski@sover.net www.wildwingsski.com

802-824-6793 -

28km

28km/0km

Y/Y

Woodstock Inn & Resort Nordic Center

Woodstock, VT 05091

email@woodstockinn.com www.woodstockinn.com

802-457-6674 888-338-2745

30km

30km/30km

Y/Y

SkiVermont.com

Snowmaking

✔

Community is Betterat sugarbush There’s something more to the Sugarbush experience than the legendary terrain variety, the meticulous snowmaking and grooming, the fabled history, or the authentic Vermont mountain setting. Come discover what makes Sugarbush different.

Named a “Best Town” by Outside Magazine and a “Top 10 Emerging Ski Town” by National Geographic.

800.53.SUGAR

sugarbush.com

Courtesy of Jennifer Langille

AND LAST, BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST, A VERY SPECIAL THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR PARTNERS.

SkiVermont.com

FRESHIES LONG TRAIL. KEEPING OUR BEERS CHILL SINCE 1989.

速

LONG TRAIL BREWING CO. B R I D G E W AT E R C O R N E R S , V T

LONGTRAIL.COM