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Heart of the Islands Bike Tour: Champlain Islands,Vermont

Patricia Lyon-Surrey — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 12:29:20 +0000

With a wine tasting awaiting at the end, we were ready to ride on the Champlain Islands in Vermont.

My partner Roger and I have been road biking for 25+ years. Adding variety to our rides keeps us loving the open road. Luckily for us we live in Vermont where biking opportunities are as numerous as, well, cows. Speaking of which — our most-recent adventure was with Vermont Farm Tours. This company offers, guided, culinary excursions for small groups throughout Vermont. The “Heart of the Islands” tour we went on is unusual for them because it is open to the public and teamed with a local event in the Champlain Islands, the annual Open Farm & Studio Weekend, a two-day focus on the history and culture of Grand Isle County.

The ride started at Snow Farm Vineyard in South Hero Vermont. The name Snow Farm and Vineyard seems an oxymoron, but the winery is situated on an island in the middle of Lake Champlain (the U.S.’s sixth largest lake). The local micro-climate makes Snow Farm’s growing season identical to Burgundy, France!

The 10, 24 or 35-mile self-directed loops all included stops at area farms, vineyards, cafés and artist studios. A free massage, roadside assistance and a tasting at Snow Farm Vineyard at the end of the ride made it just that much sweeter. We opted for the longest ride which would take us through South Hero, Grand Isle and North Hero, Vermont. Since we had pre-registered we only had to pick up our packet which included detailed maps with scheduled stops colorfully numbered and described. Altogether there were 38 possibilities!

The ride began with four miles of dirt on West Shore Road. Since I have a road bike, I was not looking forward to this part. However, before we had even gone half a mile a good omen appeared: An osprey flew across the road with what I thought was a fish in its mouth and landed on a tall pole alongside the road; “the fish” turned out to be hay being taken to its nest.

Lake Champlain with wild chicory in the foreground. (Patricia Lyon photo)

The route for the most part ran along the lake and since these are islands we sometimes biked with water on both sides of the road. The lightly traveled roads allowed us to look around without worrying about traffic. This was a good thing! We were treated to views of bobbing sail boats and rising cliffs, and, away across the lake, the Adirondacks of New York.

Sometimes, we biked tree lined roads with shaggy barked maple trees that formed a canopy over us, and past farm fields dotted with freshly baled hay. We came across a stunning antique round barn complete with slate roof and cupola and even spied a dinosaur (or was it Champ, the illusive sea monster of the lake?) in someone’s yard.

Shaggy Maple trees lined parts of our route along quiet country roads. (Patricia Lyon-Surrey photo)

Our first art stop was Across the Grain Pottery where raku and traditional pots are created by Sherry Corbin. Hand-thrown bowls that cried out to be touched and covered dishes in unique shapes were set up under two tents, with an offering of chocolate chip cookies and brownies that we couldn’t resist. Unfortunately we were too early for the firing of her Raku kiln. Next time!

At our second stop, Jessica Remmey’s studio specializing in unique photographs of the natural environment, I bought a note card, liking the perspective of a long line of maple buckets photographed at eye level.

In Grand Isle we passed the dock for the ferry to New York State thinking it would be fun to include the 20-minute ferry ride on one of our next bicycle outings. We were now at mile eight and it had been a long time since breakfast. We opted to bike directly to “the gut” which would take us onto North Hero via the only drawbridge in Vermont. Our lunch spot would then be 6 miles up the road.

Draw bridge in the Gut being raised to allow boats to go by (Patricia Lyon-Surrey photo)

Just on the other side of the bridge, Roger had the first of his two flats of the day. Not to fear, he is a bike mechanic supreme. When he saw that he had not only flatted but had split his tire he quickly ate a Clif bar and used the paper to wrap the tire at the weak point. It would last 10 miles.

By this time I was really hungry and voted for a fast ride to our planned lunch stop, Hero’s Welcome General Store. The café and bakery are in one of three century-old buildings offering thousands of items including Vermont products ranging from honey to Adirondack Chairs. We had eaten here before and knew that they offered generous sandwiches with names such as “The Norm” for Norman Rockwell and “The T.J.” for Thomas Jefferson. The sandwich fillings hint at the political leanings of the store owners.

The craft of rug hooking (Patricia Lyon-Surrey photo)

We ate on the steps of the nearby North Hero Community Hall, a beautifully restored white clapboard building. The North Hero Historical Society had set up all-day demonstrations of rug hooking, hand spinning, wreath making, and basket making on the lawn in front of the building. As we ate, a three-man band played fiddle, banjo and guitar.

This was the turn-around spot for our ride but before heading back we detoured to Savage Gardens, a small farm featuring pastured poultry, organic vegetables and fruit, and plants. An old St Bernard slowly rose and greeted us, tail wagging. The smell of basil wafted from a huge bucket of leaf basil that had just been picked by Hugo Gervais, who along with his wife Amanda, own the farm. He told us we were welcome to follow the path that led to their free range chickens and fenced cow pasture. I think he thought we were flatlanders. We didn’t tell him that I used to have chickens and that we live in Vermont.

Savage Farm roadside sign (Patricia Lyon-Surrey photo)

After crossing back to Grand Isle via the drawbridge, the route turned left onto East Shore Road and we encountered our first “hill.” By Vermont standards it was flat, still it was the first time we had to shift down on the mellow terrain of the islands.

Next stop: East Shore Vineyard. Here we were treated to cold water (a hose to cool off with in the mid-80 temperatures), and a wine tasting. Their vineyard has been in operation since 2000 on land that has been in the family for 40 years. East Shore has won some prestigious awards from Tasters Guild including Double Gold for their 07 Traminette. A Rose, a Traminette and a Cabernet Franc were offered (with a cracker in between of course). As the server poured our wine she explained that all the grape vines were winter hardy to -35F and, due to their growing popularity as wine producers, East Shore Vineyard is adding an additional acre each year to their six acre harvest.

East Shore Vineyard grape vines (Patricia Lyon-Surrey photo)

I rated the Traminette as number one, while Roger liked the Rose.

Luckily for us Roger’s second flat came just as we pulled up to the Island Homemade Ice Cream cart. This small company’s priorities are taste, fresh, local and organic. We both ordered Black Raspberry, barely talking as we savored both the flavor and the coldness.

Sydney in her grandmother's painting studio (Patricia Lyon-Surrey photo)

Flat repaired and back on our bikes, our final stop took us to Linda Coffin at the Maples, a watercolor artist with a studio in her home. When we arrived she was giving a tour to another couple, deep in conversation about her technique. We were shown around by Linda’s 10-year-old granddaughter.

The heat now was unrelenting and we kept thinking about that impending second wine tasting back at Snow Farm Vineyard. Looking at the map, we cut a mile off the bike ride to get back sooner. What a disappointment: the wine tasting was not free as suggested by the brochure and the promised tarts to be paired with the wine had all been consumed. Instead we climbed on the massage table for that free 20 minute massage.

We just may be back again another year for the biking and the wine tasting, rumor has it that this is now an annual event.

Our next organized bike tour is already on our schedule: The Tour de Taste: A Peddling Picnic out of Fairlee, Vermont.

Lounging in the Adirondack Chairs before our return home (Patricia Lyon-Surrey photo)

Upcoming Vermont tours:

August 14
HARPOON POINT TO POINT RIDE
25, 50, 115 miles

August 22
PEDAL FOR PAWS-NCAL’S RIDE FOR THE ANIMALS
25, 60, 100 miles

September 19
LE TOUR DE FARMS–10,25,30 miles

Beat The Heat With Memorial Day Weekend Skiing at Mount Snow, Stowe & Stratton!!!

David Shedd — Wed, 26 May 2010 20:42:22 +0000

Who would have known, months ago, that we’d have record breaking temperatures in New England in May? Apparently, the geniuses at Mount Snow, Stowe, and Stratton Mountain! They stockpiled snow in deep mounds expressly to make sure there was SOME way to escape the heat. Forget the beach…you can get a better tan from the rays reflecting off snow!

2009's Peace Pipe Jam was a show...and this year is expected to be even better! (Mount Snow photo)

On Saturday (that’s the 29th, if you’re suffering from heat stroke already), Mount Snow will be holding their “Peace Pipe Jam.” Apparently, the weather’s not the only thing that’s smokin’ hot. The event is FREE (yes, that’s free, as in you don’t have to pay to get in), with tunes, BBQ, and snow to play in at the bottom of, where else, Carinthia. This is the third year that Mount Snow has held the event, and the word from the mountain is to expect this to be the best yet! Save yourself some time and hassle when you get there, and download the waiver, sign it, and bring it with you…and walk right by the people who are waiting in line to get theirs.

Or, maybe Stowe is where you want to be on the 29th. They are having their annual Last Trick Rail Jam from 11 am to 2 pm on the remains of the halfpipe on Lower Standard at the base of Mount Mansfield. Expect boxes and rails galore, good tunes and a crowd that will throw props your way when you bust out big. Bring your sunscreen and summer attitude.

All of this snow, just waiting at Stratton Mountain for you to play! (Stratton Mountain photo)

Now, if you’re going to make the trek to Vermont anyway, grab a hotel room, pitch a tent, or sleep in your car, and head for Stratton Mountain on Sunday for “Mountain Mayhem.” Another pile of snow carved into sick terrain by the grooming gods, a DJ, BBQ, free stuff…oh, there’s that “free” word again. In this case, it’s the stuff that’s free, not the event…that’ll set you back a whole $20 to get in. Food, music, swag, CASH prizes for the best moves. Since you’ll have gotten warmed up the day before, you’ll be ready to rock the crowd and go home with all of the money and glory. At least, that’s the way it’ll play out in your dreams for the next few nights, but hey, if it doesn’t work out that way, you’ll still have been skiing while everyone else is sweating! Sign up for the event at Active.com in advance if you want to get a few runs in before everyone else does their paperwork. And remember your helmet…if you don’t have it, you won’t be skiing, boarding, or doing anything but eating BBQ, listening to tunes, and letting other people have the big fun! (And if you want some fun for now, go to http://twitpic.com/1ralyz and see what happened to the photographer behind the skier in the pic to the right.)

Remember, this is it until November…get your fix while you can!

The Balsams “Great North Woods 30K Classic & Tour” XC Ski Race…A CULINARY Delight???

David Shedd — Sun, 11 Apr 2010 21:06:17 +0000

Anyone who has ever been to a cross country ski race, and seen the beanpole thin racers, knows that XC is NOT about the food. So, how would The Balsams, a resort that is famous for their culinary expertise, manage to combine the two? When word came to us that they were reviving an old tradition of the “Feastival”, we simply had to check it out!

Non-racers line up to try the delicacies out on the course (David Shedd photo)

It turns out that we shouldn’t have worried. These people are true artists when it comes to innovative ways to get us off our diets…and they outdid themselves this time. The Great North Woods 30K Classic is exactly what it sounds like, a 30k XC race. But, the twist came in having 5k and 10k “tour” loops for the spectators…otherwise known as “diners.” In true Balsams fashion, they had 4 food stations out on the course. Now, it’s common in races to have tables with energy drinks, granola bars, that type of thing…but homemade energy bars? Or polenta with ratatouille (“a vegetarian option for the racers”…yeah, right)? How about white chocolate bread pudding with caramel apple sauce? The good news was that the 10k course was distinctly NOT flat, so in theory we worked the goodies right back off…in theory.

Racers climb the long first hill of their race at The Balsams (David Shedd photo)

The race itself is an impressive affair, with well over 100 racers appearing to test themselves against one of the more difficult courses on the XC circuit. Add to it the fact that it was snowing right up to the time of the race, and off and on during the race, and the difficulty ramps right up! Multiple times over the opening kilometers of the course, we passed racers who had stopped to change their waxes. In fact, the racers who were overall doing the best were those with waxless skis. That goes against most conventional wisdom, although the fact is that modern waxless skis, if prepped correctly, are surprisingly fast. The good news for us, given that we were of course on waxless skis, was that we could be certain to get to the food stations before they ran out of anything! However, that’s a silly idea from the start…The Balsams does not run out of food, ever. And a good thing it was for the racers, as they burned more energy than they had expected. One top finisher, when I spoke to him after the event, likened it to a 50k race he’d done recently in terms of effort.

Chef Josh Berry (right) with one of his band of merry men (David Shedd photo)

Unfortunately, we missed seeing the winners cross the line. Even though we only did about 15k to their 30k, it took a LOT of extra time to fully enjoy the efforts of head chef Josh Berry and his crew, who not only cooked the food, but were actually out on the course serving it! We weren’t the only ones to enjoy it; a flock of robber Canada jays was stealing things out from under Josh’s nose, to the delight of the passing skiers. But, we made it back in time to watch many of the racers come in, drenched with sweat and exhausted from the difficult course. Many of these racers are weekend warriors, and probably race for the same reason cyclists and runners do; they enjoy the effort, the competition, the camaraderie…and, just this once, the food!

Laughter and cheers could be heard throughout the hotel at the awards ceremony! (David Shedd photo)

The level of camaraderie was even more evident later in the day, when they had their awards ceremony inside. Laughter and cheers were the most obvious sounds coming out of the “Switzerland of America” ballroom, although there might have been other reasons for that. First and foremost, The Balsams was serving wine for their event; that certainly could have helped! Or, perhaps, they were anticipating the meal to come, since many of them were staying to find out what they’d been missing out on the trail.

The Balsams dinner buffet is justly famous; incredible quantities of incredible food, in a stunning setting. There’s certainly something for everyone, and it’s common to see plates piled high by people who can’t help trying just one more thing (and who can blame them?).

Redifining the word "irresistable" is The Balsams dessert table (David Shedd photo)

But, it was a different scene on this evening! Picture roughly 100 XC racers who have just put in hours of brutal racing, late in their season where they don’t have to watch every single ounce…and then put them into a room with unlimited food. I’ve been to The Balsams before, and I’ve never seen the staff running so fast to try to keep up. There was a constant stream of food coming from the kitchen to replace what the swarms of racers were eating. As always, the mood was happy; it’s hard to not enjoy an atmosphere like that. It’s not surprising at all to see how many racers showed up for the event; with the potential for that kind of enjoyment afterwards, who wouldn’t want to use a race as an excuse to stay a night?

All in all, there’s no question that the Great North Woods 30k Classic & Tour was a solid success for both racers and spectators. And, knowing The Balsams, I’m expecting nothing but improvements for next year’s event. We’ll be there, possibly even to race…but even if you don’t want to do that, we’d highly recommend that you go, do the 5k or 10k loops, and use it as an excuse to stay, maybe even to take a day to enjoy their wonderful downhill area. There’s never a bad reason to go to one of the grand hotels…but when you can combine XC skiing with world class food, what more could you ask for?

Skiing, Sculpting, & Socializing at Black Mountain’s 75th Anniversary!

David Shedd — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 22:46:20 +0000

“Windchill values today will be as low as 25 below.”

That’s not the kind of forecast that gives you warm fuzzies…in fact, it might even send a chill down your spine. Cover every square inch of skin, use handwarmers, 6 layers of clothing…and take 2 runs, then go into the lodge and warm up.

Or, go to Black Mountain in Jackson, NH.

One of Tim’s “Forgotten Favorite” ski mountains, Black has two things going for it that most areas don’t. First, it faces south…instead of the sun disappearing over the back side for most of the day, it warms you on the slopes and on the lifts. Second, it sits in the shadow of Mt. Washington…and when I say shadow, I really mean “windshadow.” The prevailing winds that come off that rockpile go around Black Mountain. On days when other ski areas are shutting their lifts down for safety reasons, it’s calm at Black. That’s a valuable thing to know…even if your ski trip is at another mountain in the Mt. Washington Valley, you may be able to save a lost day!

But on this day, Black Mountain was the intended destination. In 1935, an inventor named George Morton designed the first overhead cable lift in the country; and he just happened to live in Bartlett, right around the corner…and the rest is history. Black became perhaps the first ski area in New Hampshire, one of the first in the country, and has operated ever since. And, how can you have a 75th anniversary without a party???

And, to steal a phrase, they partied like it’s 1939. The Swingtones, a local 14 piece band that specializes in Glenn Miller-era big band had the dance floor packed. Well, except for when a group of skiers and boarders recreated a torchlight parade from Black Mountain’s history…and it was worth shivering outside to watch the lights swinging and swaying down the mountain.

Owner Andy & daughter Nicole take a break from serving to "cut a rug" (David Shedd photo)

Back inside, the party continued, with stories of Black Mountain’s history filling in gaps between food and dance. And the nature of Black was brought home by realizing that one of the owners was carving and serving the ham on the buffet…and his kids were doing the serving and cleaning up. Truly a family mountain, Black has been owned by two brothers, John & Andy Fichera, since 1996. They grew up skiing on the mountain, and bought it to retain its original character. John moved his family up from Massachusetts when they bought it, and basically lives and breathes the mountain; his 18 year old son is an active part of the mountain operations. Andy’s still down in MA, but obviously comes up with his family to help when he can!

And they’ve been successful in retaining the mountain’s original charm. Black is a classic old-style skiers mountain. No wide open cruisers here; the trails are narrow and twisty, winding through gnarled trees to the base area. Until you know the mountain well, you may be surprised when you come out into the open and find yourself in a totally different place than you expected! We were worried about the conditions we’d find; this was Saturday, and on Monday we’d had one of those horrible January rainstorms, dumping nearly 4 inches and melting everything in sight. Our fears were unfounded, though…virtually no boilerplate, and most of the runs a firm corduroy that took an edge easily. Even Susan, a relative beginner, had no problems, and later in the day was flying down the trails, having a total ball! This is the kind of mountain where anyone can have fun…enough steep areas, enough twisties to keep you focused, and no crowds. On a sunny Saturday, we literally didn’t wait in a lift line behind more than two groups at any time. Like the slopes, the lifts are in the wind shadow, so we had comfortable, quiet trips up…perfect for enjoying our companions.

Old style lifts, old style trails, and old fashioned fun define Black Mountain (David Shedd photo)

In an era of mega-mountains, of more trails, faster lifts, bigger terrain parks, the charm of areas like Black Mountain really hits you. There’s a totally different pace; people aren’t pushing to get into the lines (WHAT lines?) to make sure they get that one extra run in. Perhaps its because they aren’t feeling as much wallet pinch…if you manage to buy the most expensive lift ticket possible, you’re out a whole $39. Juniors, from 6-17, set you back $25…that’s weekend and holiday pricing. But keep your eyes open for deals…if you’ve got a group going up, drop them an email and see what they can do for you.

Or take advantage of the deals they’ve worked out with area lodging. We stayed at the Eagle Mountain Resort, a historic hotel that looks across at Black Mountain, and sits directly on the Jackson XC trails. An old-style “grand hotel”, it was built in 1916 and looks a bit like a pocket-sized Mt. Washington Hotel. Packages here are very affordable…their “Ski & Stay” package, which gets you a room, full breakfast, access to the fitness/spa area, and a ticket at Black or other local downhill or nordic areas, runs $124/person. There are family-friendly packages as well; you can spend a weekend skiing with your family here for less than one airfare to a Western resort!

For once, a "white elephant" is a GOOD thing! (David Shedd photo)

And then there’s the rest of the story, which is the town itself. Black Mountain and Jackson have an interwoven history, both supporting each other over the 75 years. Drive the whole 2 minutes from Black to downtown Jackson, and find a host of shops, restaurants, and activities. This year, Jackson decided to have their annual snow sculpting competition coincide with Black Mountain’s 75th anniversary…and the long partnership between the two paid off for them. That miserable rainstorm early in the week wiped out their snow for the competition, but Black came to the rescue. Their snowmaking equipment saved the day, and with the sculpting and judging moved to the ski area’s base lodge, the festive atmosphere grew. I’ve never skied down a mountain before to be faced with a white Art Deco elephant, or a giant hand holding a half eaten apple. Watching the sculptors at work was enlightening…the speed and precision of these people needs to be seen to be believed.

Unfortunately, you’ll have to wait another 75 years to see this repeated…but wait, just think what their 100th anniversary party will be like! In the meantime, take advantage of the warm slopes and warm family atmosphere at Black Mountain, and in Jackson as a whole.

How To: Winterfest, A Place To Learn Winter Fun

Tim Jones — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 05:22:44 +0000

This way to family winter fun at the Hulbert Outdoor Center in Fairlee, Vermont. (Tim Jones photo)

For some people in New England, cabin fever is already setting in by mid-January. The other day, I actually heard someone say “I can’t wait for Spring!” Good Grief! This is New England! Winter stays here at least until the end of March–mid April if we’re lucky!

There are lots of opportunities for winter grumblers to become winter lovers. You just have to get out and try new things. Who knows, you might actually find yourself sorry to see the snow melt away.

There weren’t any Spring wishers in evidence up in Fairlee, Vermont last

The skis are a little long and feel strange at first, but the Winterfest is a wonderful place to try something new for winter. (Tim Jones photo)

weekend. Instead there were just a whole lot of smiling, happy people—some experienced outdoors types, others clearly not—out playing in the snow or on the ice. Sure, it was cold and the wind was blowing. So what? This is January in New England—it’s supposed to be cold.

The Upper Valley Trails Alliance an impressively-active trails advocacy organization has joined forces the past several years with the Hulbert Outdoor Center (802-333-3405) and several local businesses including the Lake Morey Resort (800-423-1211), Nordic Skater, TSL Snowshoes (which makes excellent aluminum-framed snowshoes right in Vermont) and others to create the wonderful Lake Morey Winter Weekend. My sweetheart Marilyn have gone twice in the past three years and you can bet we’ll go again.

Your first adventure on Nordic skates feels awkward, but smiles are almost guaranteed. (Tim Jones photo)

We drove up early on Saturday morning with Nordic Skating on our minds. It’s something we both have enjoyed doing in the past, but don’t get to do often enough. The Skate-a-thon is the perfect way to try Nordic Skating—skating on long-bladed skates which attach to warm, comfy cross-country ski boots. It’s by far the best way to skate on a frozen pond, lake or river. Lake Morey is the epicenter of Nordic skating in America with the longest plowed skating trail in the country. The admission fee ($25 for adults, $15 for kids) included free skate rentals, lunch, skating instruction, and warm drinks.

Neither Marilyn nor I are particularly good at Nordic skating. Not enough practice. When we started out this cold, windy day, she joked that she was moving like an 90-year-old lady. I wasn’t doing much better. But we soon got back into it and where the ice was smooth, we cruised along at a pretty good clip. Nordic skates are designed to glide easily over rough ice, but we aren’t good enough yet to do that easily. Still we had a wonderful time on the ice, covered a couple of miles (my thighs felt it for sure . . .) and we can’t wait to go back.

While out on the ice I talked to a family visiting from North Carolina. They’d never skated on natural ice before . . . and they were having a wonderful time

The view out the window of the Lake Morey Resort shows how close the longest maintained ice skating trail in the U.S. really is. (Tim Jones photo)

That night we stayed at the Lake Morey Resort, ate a very nice dinner in their dining room, slept the sleep of the well-exercised a. The Resort is, literally, right on the skating trail, and they have reasonably priced packages available for the rest of the winter. If you want to try Nordic skating this winter, this is the place to do it.

The next morning (after breakfast, of course!) we headed for the 7th annual

Trying snowshoes for the first time at the Hulbert Center on lake Morey in Vermont. (Tim Jones photo)

WinterFest at the Hulbert Center. This is a very family-friendly, novice-friendly opportunity to try includes snowshoe hikes, cross country skiing, Nordic skating, and sledding. You could also learn about safe winter travel skills, igloo ice fishing, dog sledding, ski joring and take a hay ride. Imagine, a whole day of winter fun for just $5 per person or $15 per family and a chance to try sports that get you outdoors and having fun all winter long! Why would anyone want spring to come? Life isn’t a spectator sport. Get out and enjoy!

New Year’s Eve At Wachusett Mountain

Allison Kelleher — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 22:35:58 +0000

Having New Year's Eve fun on the slopes... (Allison Kelleher photo)

When I was younger, New Year’s Eve meant a night of good food, fun and a struggle to stay up until midnight and see the ball drop. Since I’ve gotten older, I have to confess that New Year’s Eve has lost some of its appeal. I seem to spend at least one or two nights each week unwillingly awake until the early morning, staying up with work and watching the clock switch over from PM to AM. Perhaps this is why my past few New Year’s Eves have seemed to fall flat. In search of rediscovering that magic, I decided to try spending it on the slopes of nearby Wachusett Ski Area in Princeton, MA. From the start this was a bit different from any other New Year’s celebration that I’ve had. It may have been because I had changed into my thermals in my office bathroom, but even after 8 hours of work, on the drive to the mountain it felt like I was just beginning my day. The weather report had it cold but not too

...and fun inside! (Allison Kelleher photo)

windy, and the snow report at Wachusett promised 18 trails freshly groomed and with natural snow from a few storms earlier in the week. I took part in what Wachusett calls the “New Year’s Eve Champagne Celebration”, which includes skiing and tubing from 4 pm to Midnight, a reserved table for the Gourmet Buffet at the Black Diamond Café , a live blues band, DJ, fireworks, champagne toast and a magician to boot. On our first trip up the chairlift, the dense fog over the mountain told us that they had been blowing a lot of snow in preparation for opening the “Look, Mom” Terrain Park shortly after the New Year. This was also my first time skiing at night this year, so I was ready for it to be a bit icey. To my surprise, most of the trails were in great shape, and I could dig my edges in with ease. My group took a quick 3 runs down Ralph’s Run, Challenger, and Frannie’s Folly in order to get our bearings, and decided to head back in to our table for hors d’oeuvres and much-needed water. On our way up to the table, it was nice to see many other families participating in the event. When so much of New Year’s is focused on the young revelers and heavy partying, it was refreshing to see families and people young and old at Wachusett to enjoy good skiing. The food was simply fantastic, not to

The food was as good as the skiing! (Allison Kelleher photo)

mention the amazing variety of desserts. While the fog made it difficult to see any of the fireworks, I was glad to take advantage of the no-wait chairlift as everyone else was squinting up at the sky from the lodge. Afterwards, we took a few more runs down the mountain, and then enjoyed the countdown from the Black Diamond Restaurant, complete with big screens showing Times Square and our very own balloon drop. Afterwards, I was almost sad to see a mountain fully lit but empty of skiers, lift chairs frozen in the midnight air. This was something I’d never experienced, as I’d usually finish my skiing just as the afternoon crowd is coming in. While I had been up for 18 hours straight, the energy and excitement I still felt on the ride home proved to me that I had once again found that New Year’s Eve magic!

Great Ways To Enjoy Winter

Tim Jones — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 16:15:29 +0000

Snowtubing, cross country skiing, snowshoeing are all at one low price at Great Glen on their "Family Snow Days" this winter. (Great Glen photo)

On January 2, February 6, and March 6, 2010 Great Glen Trails Outdoor Center (603-466-2333) in Pinkham Notch, NH is holding a Family Snow Day.” For $45 per adult and $30 per child you get a full day of cross-country skiing and snowshoeing (with rentals), snowtubing , group ski lessons (beginner or advanced) and an animal tracking program with a naturalist. The children’s package includes lunch.

The Lake Morey Skate-a-thon and Winter Skills Day are both scheduled for

If you want to try Nordoic Skating, the LKake Morey Skate-A-Thon is a wonderful winter event (Tim Jones photo)

Saturday January 9, 2010while the WinterFest is on Sunday, January 10 at the Hulbert Outdoor Center (802-333-3405). Both day’s programs are from 10 to 4.

The Skate-a-thon introduces you to Nordic Skating on Lake Morey, which has the longest maintained ice skating trail in the country. The admission fee ($25 for adults, $15 for kids) benefits the Upper Valley Trails Alliance and includes free skate rentals (while supplies last), lunch, skating instruction, and warm drinks. Winter Skills Day offers morning and afternoon workshops ($25 each session) on the tools and skills for living and playing outdoors in winter.

The 7th annual WinterFest includes

Winterfest offers you the chance to try snowshoeing and a host of other winter activities. (Tim Jones photo)

Nordic skating, snowshoe hikes, cross country skiing, winter travel skills, sledding, old fashioned ice cutting, igloo building, music, storytelling, winter skills, dog sledding demos and more.. All ages and skill levels are welcome. Bring your own snowshoes, skis and skates or borrow them at the Hulbert Center. Donation is $5 per person or $15 per family. Lunch and hot drinks are available.

February 13 and 14, the 44th annual Canadian Ski Marathon takes place on a specially-set ski trail between Lachute and Gatineau, Quebec, along the Ottawa River in the hills of western Quebec’s Outaouais Region. Marilyn and I visited this region of Quebec on our honeymoon this past October. It’s beautiful country, the people we’ve met there are fun and friendly, the accommodations are first rate and the restaurants marvelous.

The Canadian Ski Marathon is North America’s longest and oldest Nordic ski tour. There is an overnight stop in Montebello, the home of Le Château Montebello, the largest log structure in the world.

The two-day 160 kilometer event is divided into five 16 kilometer sections each day. There are food stations, first aid and toilets available at the end of each section and shuttle buses that run between accommodations and checkpoints. Unlike most ski marathons, there are no winners or losers. It’s meant to be fun, and you get to decide if fun for you means skiing as little as 16 kilometers or as much as 160 kilometers for the weekend. I suspect there’s a bit of partying associated with all the outdoor fun.

Maybe we’ll see you there.

Santa Sunday At Sunday River

Tim Jones — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 13:47:44 +0000

Want a smile? Watch 250 Santas joyfully celebrating snow at Sunday River on December 6. (Sunday River photo)

One of the most fun events of the 09/10 snow season will happen on Sunday, December 6, 2009. It’s the 10th Annual Santa Sunday at Sunday River (800-543-2SKI) in Newry, Maine, when 250 Santa-suit clad skiers and riders take to the slopes at once. My personal favorites are the Santas on Telemark gear—there’s something particularly charming about watching Santa genuflect gracefully down a snowy slope. . . .

Sunday River has been the only Northeast resort in continuous operation this season. If you haven’t visited yet, Santa Sunday is a great excuse. It’s fun whether you participate, or just take your enjoyment from the spectacle of so many Santas on the slopes while you ski or ride.

Even lift lines are fun when Santa's around! (Tim Jones photo)

Here’s how it works: the first 250 folks who pre-register on line starting Sunday, November 29 at noon, and who then show up and re-register in person on December 6 between 7:30 and 10:30 a.m., dressed in full Santa regalia (red suit, beard, hat with white pom-pom). In the spirit of Christmas each Santa must then make a $10 (or more, hopefully a lot more!) donation to the Bethel Rotary Club’s fund which provides gifts for needy children. For that, the Santas get a FREE lift ticket.

That ticket is good only until 11 a.m. At that hour, all sliding Santas must show up for a group photograph and a phot-op mass Santa start on the Broadway Trail at the South Ridge base. All the sliding Santas then get a lift ticket good for the rest of that day and two additional lift tickets valid through December 18, 2009. Surely Santa can afford to give a good cause more than a measly $10 for three FREE lift tickets.

Remember, there are only 250 Santa slots to fill, and you must pre-register. Remember, too, that you don’t have to be in Santa gear to make the charity donation. I’ve been to Santa Sunday a couple of times and I can tell you: if the sight of so many Santas on the slopes doesn’t make you smile, you’re definitely a Grinch with a heart (and probably underwear . . .) that’s two sizes too small.

The New Face of New Hampshire Skiing, Moe Snow!

Justin Jones — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 19:43:29 +0000

The EasternSlopes.com crew meets Moe Snow at the Boston Ski Show. (Jess Kellogg photo).

New Hampshire skiing has a fresh face this winter season: Moe Snow.

Moe is the new spokes-snowball of the New Hampshire Division of Tourism and Travel Development as part of a promotion with SkiNH, and made his first public appearance at the Boston Ski and Snowboard Expo on Nov. 19, where he was met with adoration and applause. He is a round, somewhat bluish ball of a snow with an animated grin on his face, and is a veritable blizzard of information of New Hampshire skiing and winter travel. You may find him at his home, www.MoeSnowNH.com, or out enjoying the slopes of New Hampshire this winter with his wife Constance Snow and children Powder and Joey. They are very cute, and devoted to skiing and riding.

We hope that Moe Snow will provide a fun way for skiers and snowboarders to keep informed about current snow conditions and travel deals. He will be posting video feed on his website and keeping up with his fans on Facebook and Twitter, as well as participating in special promotions and social media events all season. Needless to say, he will be very busy, as these things tend to, well, snowball.

How does Moe Snow compare with other winter sports mascots? You may already have heard of Miga, one of a troupe of animal friends who will be representing the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics. The way we see it, Miga is a slightly-confused creature, part Kermode bear and part Orca whale. One can readily imagine she might have a conflicting self-image which will give her problems later in life. Her friend Sumi looks like some kind of winged spirit-bear. Miga and Sumi and their friend Quatchi were the result of a large scale international design competition put on by VANOC, the games’ organizing committee. Frankly, we’re wondering exactly what they were on when doing the judging.

Moe Snow, on the other hand, is a local yokel and a down-to-earth kinda guy, the brainchild of designer Jess Kellogg and the NH Department of Tourism and Travel Development, who wanted a mascot who could connect with winter sports enthusiasts and provide a fun image of families enjoying the New Hampshire winter. Moe’s well-adjusted and KNOWS what he wants to be, which is out skiing and riding with his family and friends on the slopes of NH.

According to Tai Freligh, communications director at NH DTTD “This year we are taking an extra creative approach to promoting winter in New Hampshire with the introduction of our local spokes-snowball, Moe Snow, and his family,who clearly love everything about winter in New Hampshire, both on and off the slopes. We have partnered with Ski NH to include all the winter snow resorts and attractions in this fun and interactive program which we believe will be an engaging and exciting way to stay in touch with our winter visitors.” In addition to his website as www.MoeSnowNH.com, Moe can be found on Facebook and Twitter. I, for one, have already signed up to be Moe’s friend, which has left me with a nice, cold-fuzzy feeling.

We’ll be seeing more of Moe and his fun-loving family all winter at New Hampshire’s wonderful ski areas! Remember, we always need Moe Snow!

National Trails Day: The First Saturday In June

Tim Jones — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 11:17:19 +0000

If you are new to hiking, one of the group hikes offered on National Trails Day could be a wonderful introduction.

Not all trails lead to wilderness and mountaintops. Some, like the paths alongside the Cape Cod Canal are accessible to anyone.

It started back in 1993. Under the leadership of the American Hiking Society (www.americanhiking.org) and with many other organizations and businesses joining in, the first Saturday in June was set aside as National Trails Day. It’s happened every year since and shows no sign of slowing down.

All across the country various groups offer Trails Day events. You can find the complete listing of events at www.americanhiking.org/ntd.aspx. There are 15 events listed in Connercticut for this year, 48 in Maine, 20 in Massachusetts, seven in New Hampshire, 44 in New York, two in Rhode island and eight in Vermont. Chances are, you can find something near you.

These Trails Day events (not all of which occur on Trails Day, by the way) are most often opportunities to explore, celebrate and, in some cases, maintain the more than 200,000 miles of recreational trails which crisscross the nation.

Not all of these events are about hiking trails. Some of the pathways are meant to be pedaled on a fat-tire bike, some are water trails you can paddle in a canoe or kayak, others are urban recreation paths more suitable for a stroll than a hike. But a trail is a trail and they are all worth celebrating.

Some of these events are perfect for people who’ve never been out on a trail—a chance to go exploring in the security of a group and have some of the subtleties of the surrounding landscape pointed out. Many of these are a great opportunity to get kids out for the first time. We all have to start somewhere! Others are geared for the hard-core who want to pitch in and really make a difference. Choose your own level of involvement.

I’m pretty sure that some hikers think—if they think about it at all—that the trails they enjoy wandering appeared by some natural process. If enough people want to go from point A to point B, following the easiest route, a trail suddenly appears. You see it all the time on college campuses: landscape designers put in all these lovely walkways. But the students in a hurry to get to their next class take the most direct route and a well trodden path appears.

Sorry, folks, it doesn’t work that way in the great outdoors. Trails don’t just happen. Recreational hiking trails are no more “natural” than eight-lane superhighways. They are surveyed and laid out with care, engineered to handle the anticipated traffic and to shed rainwater and snowmelt with minimal damage.

Then they have to be maintained. No matter how carefully a trail is built, traffic and natural events are going to take their toll. Full-scale trail maintenance is best handled by teams working under the leadership of an experienced trail builder. There are all sorts of opportunities for volunteers to get involved with this kind of work from simply picking up any trash you see as you hike to getting really sweaty on a trail crew.

Somebody has to do the work. If it doesn’t get done, there won’t be any new trails for the future and the trails we enjoy today will be reclaimed by the inexorable forces of nature.

So, the next time you go hiking on a trail, whether it’s at a Trails Day event or an on-your-own adventure, take a moment to consider who built that trail and who maintains it. Maybe you’ll decide to give back to the trails as much as you take from them. Life isn’t a spectator sport. Get out and enjoy!

TAKING TRAILS DAY TO HEART

Carefully placed logs keep hiker's feet on bare rock to reduce erosion and plant damage--but someone had to do the work to save the trail.

The whole concept of celebrating trails is a good one. All trails get people outdoors, exercising and having fun. In other words, trails make people healthier, happier, saner.

The real message of Trails Day is appreciating the opportunities that our trail networks represent. The thousands of miles of recreational paths available here in the northeast are a major resource. Every inch of them is an adventure waiting to happen for someone.

If you are contemplating taking your first hike, this is the perfect opportunity. If you are an old hand at hiking, mountain biking, paddling, consider taking someone else with you who hasn’t had the experience you’ve had. Take the time to show them how to travel safely, how to minimize their impact. You’ll be helping to preserve our trails for the future.

TRAILS DAY FOR EVERYONE

The outdoors isn’t just for the young and the fit. More and more trails are being created for people with various disabilities and challenges in their lives.

A couple of weeks ago I told you about the new fully-accessible section of the Appalachian Trail at Thundering Falls in Killington, Vermont, Here are some others:

The Buttonbush Trail at the Salt Pond Visitor Center of the Cape Cod National Seashore (508-255- 3421;www.nps.gov/caco) in Eastham, Mass., is a quarter-mile long “multi-sensory trail” which features a guide rope allowing hikers with vision impairment to follow it on their own. Knots on the rope alert walkers to the presence of steps and nearby text panels printed in large lettering and Braille, which explain natural features encountered along the trail. Sighted hikers who explore the trail wearing a blindfold and have someone read the descriptions to them, find it, if you’ll pardon the pun, an eye-opening experience.

Crotched Mountain Rehabilitation Center (www.crotchedmountain.org) in Greenfield New Hampshire is in the process of building an entire system of fully accessible nature and hiking trails on their hilltop conservation property. This will be open to he general public as well as being a resource for the center’s programs. The first mile of gently hard-packed dirt trail through a variety of natural habitats is completed, and will be “officially” opened in early September, 2009. By then, it may loop completely around a wetland area. When funding allows, the system will be expanded to four miles of trails.

John Dillon Park (www.johndillonpark.org) in Long Lake in New York’s Adirondacks was created by International Paper and Paul Smith’s College. The park has two miles of accessible trails now open with a total of 3.5 miles planned and 9 fully accessible lean-to shelters (7 currently open) providing a wilderness experience for anyone interested. The park also has an accessible boat launch and fishing dock