I guess the ground hog really knew what he was talking about! With Wednesday’s storm dropping over a foot of snow in many areas of Vermont, winter is clearly far from over. Not only should skiing be great, but cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and snowmobiling which rely on natural snowfall will welcome participants throughout Vermont. With Valentine’s Day next week, why not make plans with a special someone to head to Vermont to celebrate? Take advantage of lower mid-week rates to make your celebration go even further.
If If a picture is worth a thousand words, these photos tell the complete story. Submitted from Jessica at the Sterling Ridge Resort in Jeffersonville, near Smugglers’ Notch, she says, “We just got a ton of fresh, fluffy powder for a fun winter weekend in Vermont.” Photos thanks to Laura Gibson.
Hugh Johnson kept his message simple when describing conditions at Smugglers’ Notch Resort – ” 30 inches of snow in the past week and more for the weekend.”
Wednesday’s storm didn’t shortchange the resorts in southern Vermont. Here’s what Paul from Bromley Mountain in Peru reports, “Today’s report could really be just one word: POWDER! 15 inches of it. We had received about 8 inches when lifts stopped spinning yesterday, and it continued to dump until 9 or 10pm, bringing the storm total up to 15 inches. I don’t think I need to tell you that it’s going to be epic out there today!
We groomed out 23 trails for you fans of silky smooth, effortless corduroy. That leaves 22 trails of deep untouched pow for the rest of us! We had some strong Southeast winds during this storm, so the trails, especially on the East Side, have a lot of big snow drifts. That also means a lot of the snow ended up in the woods, so the glades should have some VERY deep stashes.
What are you waiting for? Get out here and shred some pow!”
Savannah Strom, also from Bromley, tells us that Feb. 10 will be an early Valentine’s Day celebration on the mountain. “Love in the Mountains” will award two free lift tickets to the winners. All you have to do is post a photo of you and your special someone at Bromley. Find details here.
At nearby Stratton Mountain, conditions are also “epic.” Here’s their report: “There’s one word for today. Powder! Wake up to 15 inches of new snow blanketing all 97 trails. That’s right, we are wide open with 31 left untouched for fresh tracks. The other 66 were groomed overnight and lined in soft carvable snow. Our Nordic Center saw a fresh groom, and with over 15 inches of snow, conditions make for an ideal snowshoe excursion. The early bear gets the snow, so who’s going to claim first tracks of our biggest single day storm of the season yet?”
Not to be outdone, Magic Mountain in Londonderry also predicts a lot of great skiing into the weekend. “It’s a Thursday all-out POW DAY! 10-12″ has fallen and still snowing! 100% open, although many obstacles still exist on steeps and glades so always ski with care.
Also, in looking ahead to Valentine’s Day on February 14th we have a very special promotion with our new friends at Lycored (lycored.com), so bring your loved one (or just your loving self) for a free, yes FREE, ski day at Magic!”
Julie at the Golden Stage Inn in Proctorsville reports, “The first weekend of February brought over a foot of snow to Okemo Mountain and another foot of snow is anticipated for later in the week! All of this fresh powder also means that it’s not just about downhill skiing in Okemo Valley. Our guests at Golden Stage Inn enjoy sledding, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing … and snowman making too, of course! Remember, travelers who can take advantage of mid-week skiing enjoy better rates (on lodging and skiing alike) and fewer crowds. Its a double win!”
Up here on top of the mountain in Woodford, winter has taken on a magical fairyland quality with tree branches and pine boughs frosted with a layer of sparkling snow. At night we can watch the lights of the snowmobiles as they zip across the lake like large fireflies. We have no problem at all with 6 more weeks of winter.