SKIING & RIDING: Where to go
There are some great ski deals out there. Now is the time to shop for them.
By Roger Good
Observers have noted how the ski industry took a hit during the {ongoing?} recession. But surprisingly, not quite as badly as some other recreationally-focused industries. Yes, destination resorts in Colorado and Utah saw double-digit drops in skier days and accommodation bookings. Vail, for example, was down 30% two seasons ago.
Yet despite all of this, our good old New England resorts have been resilient and faired comparatively well. With discretionary vacation dollars not what they used to be, a three hour drive to northern New England seems far more appealing than flying the entire family across the country to an expensive resort. The other factor is snow. We’ve been blessed with lots of it over the last two winters. Resort managers will tell you that they’re always concerned about the economy, but acknowledge with a wink that if folks see a lot of snow in their back yards the hard-core skiers will always come.
So far, that’s been true. However, the issue now facing these managers is to keep the good times rolling and therefore you - lucky weekend or vacation planner - have a lot of enticing options out there. A few to consider:
Want to shorten the drive or ski for the day but still want a decent mountain with amenities and snowmaking? Wachusett Mountain, in Princeton, Ma., a family friendly spot only about an hour from Boston on Rt.2, fits the bill. Week day lift tickets for adults are $53 and $42 for kids 6-12. They offer a good ski and snowboarding school and have night skiing- an increasing rarity! Consider this scenario: because it’s so close to Boston, an afternoon arrival, a few runs followed by dinner in the base lodge, and some skiing in the evening still puts you back home in time to catch the late evening news. Now that’s convenient! http://www.wachusett.com
A little further out in Western Massachusetts in the Berkshires is Ski Butternut {an overlooked gem} boasting a mountain featuring 22 downhill ski trails and 110 skiable acres spread across a mountain that encompasses more than 430 acres. It has 10 lifts and 100% snowmaking. Lift tickets are reasonable at $25 on week days and $55 on weekends for adults and $20 and $45 for juniors 7-13. Butternut likes to throw some fun events such as annual Retro Day on February 26th where you “wear what you dare”. Think Wayne Wong, neon one piece ski suits, those tight stretch Roffe ski pants and skinny skis…Hey, if you’ve still got it, flaunt it! Butternut currently offers about 20+ deals including a “Ski & Stay Package” starting at $45/per person. http://www.skibutternut.com
The oldest {1933} and arguably one of the most quaint and charming ski villages in New England, Stowe Mountain Resort has taken the game to a whole new level when it comes to the total ski resort experience. Stowe has finally convinced eastern skiers to stay close to home {and other resorts are scrambling to catch up!} They’ve spent about a half-billion transforming the Spruce Peak side of the mountain to one of the most striking base lodges in the country. Most of that money was spent on the Stowe Mountain Lodge boasting a 312 room hotel plus a 21,000 square foot spa modeled after a great Adirondack Lodge. It is now the only luxury ski-in, ski-out hotel in Vermont. Wow! The lobby is plush offering an après ski destination called the Hourglass Bar that mom and dad can truly call their own, while the kids run wild in many of their video parlors. Old timers and Stowe purists alike won’t be disappointed, either, the legendary ‘front four’ ski trails remain intact but all of the lifts serving them have been updated. Don’t want to ski? The resort offers the Wellness Center at Stowe Mountain Resort where guests enjoy “wellness weekends” and can take advantage of wellness programs and seminars focusing on healthy lifestyle choices. Stowe will continue it’s Vacation Rewards Program again in 2011/2012. You can save 15% - featuring a 7-day advance sale cutoff date, with added value packages. Details at www.gostowe.com
Call it the convenient drive to southern Vermont, or the Ski magazine accolades for service, or the grooming and ski lifts, or the charming village at slope side, there is something to please everyone at Stratton Mountain Ski Resort and families have taken notice! Stratton prides itself on a very strong skills-development culture for skiers and snowboarders. With almost 500 full and part time instructors, the adult and junior snow sport schools have drawn industry attention for state-of-the art children’s programs. Additionally, the resort is celebrating it’s 50th Anniversary season with some hot events including a winter gala, fireworks, a huge snowshoe walk for breast cancer, a Burton Experience snowboard party, celebrity sightings, a massive winter snowball …and lots more. Go to Stratton’s website for ski and stay packages including a ‘50th Anniversary Special’; Fab 5 Lodging Deals and Classic Lift and Lodge Packages at www.stratton.com
Betty Tip: Roger is too shy to tell you, but he is {PSIA Certified} ski instructor and Stratton expert. He coaches all skier levels from “never ever tried it” to expert - every member of the family. If you want to learn the sport, improve your skiing, get an expert guide to the mountain, or help your teen up their skills, give him a call. A Cohasset guy, he’s our go-to for everything ski/board related. Go to his site for more insights and contact info {www.rngood.com} He’ll have you hooked on Stratton for your next ski vacation {Betty is!}
When it goes to ‘Finding Your Happy Place’ and then some, Maine’s Sunday River has it well figured out. They must have an overstaffed events department, because there’s something fun scheduled every weekend from the arrival of Master Stage Hypnotist Ian Stewart {he may have your teenager clucking like a chicken} on December 29th , to the Totally Tubular Hot Tub Party on March 31st . Their signature event that gets thumbs up from locals is the Parrot Head Festival on April 6th through 8th. It’s kind of a Jimmy Buffett inspired thing {think outdoor frat party for adults} that includes pond skimming, a key lime pie contest, and outrageous behavior condoned just for the day. Oh, did I mention that Sunday River has skiing? It’s a huge resort with 8 interconnected mountain peaks, 133 trails and 743 acres. From one end to the other it’s three miles of great skiing and riding terrain. Want to push the envelope a bit? Try Oz, which is a unique bowl with advanced and super advanced terrain including a mix of glades and steep lines. Vacation deals abound: Sunday River’s ‘Deal of The Century’ gets skiers two days of skiing, a lesson, one night’s lodging, breakfast and a $25 dining card at $119 per person. www.sundayriver.com
Want to experience the nostalgia of a true New England original? Then take a drive up to Cannon Mountain in Franconia Notch, NH. Sure, they have all the usual features like 10 lifts and a 2,180 foot drop {the longest in New Hampshire } but the real draw, in my opinion, is it’s heritage. The mountain that Bode Miller, a local, grew up on has a Tram {nick named “Old Girl”} that originally goes back to 1938. Trails on it’s ‘wild side’ like Avalanche, Paulie’s Folly and Zoomer, all overlooking Franconia Notch, have represented both terror and achievement for generations of young skiers trying to master the sport. Confirming Cannon Mountain’s rightful place as a national treasure, The New England Ski Museum is located here and is deserving of a visit. The resort’s relative proximity to Boston makes Cannon a day trip destination, but you just may want to stay longer. The Woodstock Inn, (www.woodstockinnnh.com ) offering two restaurants, microbrewery, and 33 unique rooms, is just 10 minutes from the base lodge. They currently offer a ‘Stay 2 Nights and Get the 3rd Half Price’ promotion. www.cannonmt.com
Want More?
Read about Okemo Mt. VT {skiing, shopping and food} here>
Read more about Stratton {shopping and restaurants} here>
Visiting a North American ski resort for the first time? Impress your friends and family with your knowledge of the ski lifts. Go to www.chairlift.org/pictures.html..… It will be our little secret!
