Closing day at a ski area can be a festive thing.  After a long season, workers have been known to be a bit “punchy”, and you’re never quite sure what’ll happen.  Attitash is a relatively sane ski area, so we didn’t expect total lunacy, but with a beautiful morning on tap, it was worth a try!

Hard to believe that this was Attitash's base lodge at 9:00 on a Sunday morning! (David Shedd photo)

With the April 1 storm dumping a good amount of snow over most of New England, we expected to find more trails open than on a usual closing day; but, it had been a pretty wet snow and cold Saturday night, so even with a schedule that had us needing to leave the mountain around noon, we didn’t feel the need to be in a huge hurry for first tracks.  That meant an obligatory diner stop on the way up…spring skiing is supposed to be a relaxed affair, right?

Arriving at Attitash around 9, we were shocked to see how few people were there.  The lodge was effectively empty and the lift lines were the same.  WHAT lines?  The temperature was already coming up, so we dressed lightly and headed out, wondering if all the missing skiers knew something we didn’t.

What a treat--midwinter conditions, the slopes to ourselves, and Mt. Washington putting on a show (David Shedd photo)

And…they didn’t.  Riding up on the lift, it was obvious that the ungroomed areas were hard as rock. Clearly, we wouldn’t want to start there.  Conditions on the groomed trails, however, were pretty much midwinter: firm corduroy with very few icy spots.  We took a few fast runs down Upper Saco/Ammonoosuc/Lower Cathedral, enjoying having the trails to ourselves, and the spectacular view of Mt. Washington.  Then, we aimed down the other side of the mountain on Northwest Passage, and headed over to Bear Peak.

There, it was a different scenario entirely.  Morning Star was earning its name.  With a more easterly face to the slopes, it had already softened into gorgeous spring skiing.  Sure, Wandering Skis on the other side was still in winter mode, but that just made for a “pick your favorite skiing” situation.  Since we’d already had our taste of midwinter, we played on Morning Star a couple of times.  Clearly, the skiers who had slept in had missed an opportunity for remarkably good closing day conditions!

Perhaps the flamingo had migrated north a bit early, but it seemed to be enjoying the company of the other riders (David Shedd photo)

Alas, we had a time limit this day, so headed back to the main mountain.  The party atmosphere, while subdued, was in evidence there. All day long, a large, inflatable pink flamingo had been joining skiers on the Flying Yankee lift (apparently, he wasn’t skiing, perhaps concerned that contact with a sharp edge would deflate him).  The southern motif was carried on by the ski ambassadors, who were decked out in colorful leis, and some unusual headwear (one had a nice pinwheel spinning merrily away over her head). The slopes themselves seemed to have gotten the memo, as well. Conditions on Saco/Ammonoosuc/Cathedral had made the transition to spring.  A strong wind, though, was keeping the moisture in the snow under control.  Even though the snow had softened to corn, it wasn’t becoming the heavy, wet, slushy type…instead, it was remarkably light and easy to move around.  Carrying speed was ridiculously easy, while short radius turns were a blast, with our edges going deep into the corn for effortless control.  And still, the slopes were mostly our own!  Clearly, the majority of the skiing public thought it was going to take longer to soften than it actually had.

Even if the skiing hadn't been great, it would have been worth being there for the views on this bluebird day! (David Shedd photo)

Alas, our own schedule problems meant that noon found us headed to the car, rather than having lunch and heading back out.  The lodge was definitely getting busier, but even then it looked more like a midweek day than a weekend.  April brings an attitude with a lot of skiers that “spring’s here”, and not in the “spring skiing” way; rather, in the “we should be planting our garden” way.  Their loss. In 3 hours, we’d had a great day of skiing with both midwinter and ideal spring conditions, NO lines, NO wasted time, NO hassles.  Attitash clearly could have extended their season at least another week, but by cutting it off on the early side, they’d given us a remarkable array of trails to ski. If we’d stayed for the afternoon, we could have played on some of the ungroomed trails as well, since they’d have softened up too.  Yes, we’d missed the opportunity to do that, but we were so much better off than the skiers who had missed the beautiful morning of skiing!

As a former Mount Washington Valley local and a longtime Wildcat Mountain enthusiast, I have to admit that, like others who love this mountain, I felt some trepidation regarding the the acquisition of our beloved Cat by multi-resort conglomerate Peak Resorts. Would this change of ownership detract from Wildcat’s essence, grit and originality? To see for ourselves, my ski partner Raelyn and I  traveled to Wildcat for some early season turns. We went with an open mind and a plan to pick the brain of Wildcat’s marketing director, Thomas Prindle.

December turns at Wildcat. Notice the typical Sunday crowd . . . (Brett Lund photo)

Entering the lodge we realized immediately that this was still the same Wildcat we knew from years past: simple, friendly, beautiful . . . just as we had left it. I wasn’t sure if Thomas would have time to get outside, but being a true ski fanatic himself, he jumped at the chance to take a few runs, and talk about the acquisition and what it would mean to Wildcat. After strapping on the boards, we headed to the high speed summit quad, and under a bright blue sky had a chance to discuss Wildcat’s future.

Thomas was clearly excited about the possibilities and potential for improvement under the new management team, and explained that, while Peak Resorts is a conglomerate, they are still very much a “family run” business, with several generations of the family involved in the ski industry. According to Thomas, Peak’s philosophy for Wildcat this year would be to take a “wait and see approach” before deciding on any potential improvements. That was music to our ears, as it meant that they were willing to listen to the Wildcat community before making any changes. In many acquisitions this is simply not the case.

The first run from the summit was classic Wildcat. After the very fast ride to the top aboard the summit quad, you are immediately greeted by some of the best views in the Northeast(stunning all year ’round, as was found out at the Wildman Biathlon). If you have never skied Wildcat, you need to come for the views alone. The trail system at Wildcat is fantastic, and can be fun for all levels of skiers. Beginners to experts, anyone can find top to bottom runs that are sure to please. The mountain was still in early- season form. as the snow guns have been busy laying down a base. It was clear that 8 to 10 inches of natural snow  will quickly open most of the terrain. All in all conditions were very nice for mid December, and by Christmas week after the Sunday/Monday storm, Wildcat should be excellent!

Raelyn arcing some smooth telemark turns. (Brett Lund photo)

On our second lift ride, we asked Thomas about some of the ski deals that Wildcat had run in the past. While many of these have ceased to exist, (remember centimeter days?!?) there are some great opportunities for bargains. Check out  the “Vertical Value” card. This card, which can be purchased for $79, provides the card holder with significant discounts. If you ski on a holiday, you receive 10% off the lift ticket price; on a non-holiday weekend, 25% off; and a non- holiday midweek ticket can be purchased for 50% of retail. This is a great deal. Forget waiting for “Two For One Wednesdays”; now Wildcat is half price, every midweek day.

Thomas also explained perhaps one of the most exciting benefits of the acquisition by Peak Resorts, namely the ability to use your lift ticket at either Attitash or Wildcat. Or both . . .

To test this out, we left at lunch and, 25 minutes later, were at the Attitash ticket window.  For this season it’s necessary to go to the lodge and exchange tickets. The Attitash personnel were very pleasant, and quickly exchanged our Wildcat tickets without a hitch. Next year the bar code readers will be able to recognize tickets purchased at either mountain, making the process seamless.

While Wildcat feels remote and basic, Attitash is long on creature comforts. The lodge at Attitash is very modern with food/drink aplenty in and around the resort. The skiing is pretty solid as well. Not having the elevation advantage of Wildcat, Attitash has  an incredible snowmaking system, and is able to blanket the mountain in short order when the cold weather hits.

Attitash from the summit, heading toward Northwest Passage (Brett Lund photo)

We headed up the summit chair. While the trails from the top had some firm snow in the typical high traffic areas, softer snow was abundant along the edges. On this day, Attitash had clearly suffered a bit from the warm up of the previous weeks, but the snow makers were armed and ready, and the forecast for a cold week ahead, and a blizzard after Christmas looked to change their fortunes quickly, just in time for the holiday week.

Attitash has a little bit of everything for the family of skiers. Wide cruising runs, steep, turny, and narrow trails for the experts, and by mid season some really top notch bump skiing off Bear Peak. What Attitash does probably better than anyone in the valley is its terrain park. Jumpers, grinders and jibbers flock to Attitash to test their mettle, and some were  getting it done this December day. If you want to see some good young(no fear!) skiers and boarders,hang around the park at Attitash for a few minutes. These kids can fly.

Attitash terrain park residents take flight. (Brett Lund photo)

While our quads could not support too many Telemark turns on our first day of the season, we did make some worthy runs, and are looking forward to our next day at Attitash.

Overall I was very happy with the pre-Christmas conditions at both Wildcat and Attitash. Personally, I’m also looking forward to watching Wildcat develop under new management and with the financial backing the mountain has long deserved.

Of course Killington will be open for Thanksgiving . . .they've been open a couple of weeks now. (Tim Jones photo)

It’s been frustrating . . . as usual.  Mother Nature is teasing us with colder temps and snow flurries, but refuses to let real winter settle in and make us happy. So please, get out and do your sacrifices to Ullr and dances for snow or, at least,  cold weather so the resorts can make snow.

While Sunday River in Newry, Maine and Killington in Killington, Vermont have been open for awhile now (some people already have 10 or more days on snow this season!)  and even tiny Woodbury Ski Area in Hotchkissville, Connecticut managed to get open for five days last week,  other areas have been waiting for the magic words “extended cold spell” to fire up their snowmaking systems.

On Thursday morning, November 18, Sugarloaf in Carrabassett Valley, Maine started blowing snow.  They turned their first lift, the SuperQuad   Sunday, November 21. Read what the conditions were like on Opening Day here (the ES team skied Sunday River, too!). Bretton Woods in Bretton Woods, N.H., opened Monday, November 22.  Okemo Mountain Resort,  in Ludlow, Vermont opened Tuesday, November 23

Loon Mountain Resort in Lincoln, N.H. is making snow and plans to open on Tuesday, November 23. Stowe Mountain Resort in Stowe, Vermont is blowing snow and will open on November 24, the day before Thanksgiving.and Stratton Mountain Resort (1-800-787-2886; ), in Stratton, Vermont are  also blowing snow and trying for a pre-T-Day opener.

The cannons began firing the first salvos of winter at Sugarloaf in Maine this past Thursday. The lifts will be turning by the time you read this, (

Sugarbush in Warren, Vermont and Mount Snow in Dover, Vermont, started blowing snow last week and plan to open on Thanksgiving Day.

Cannon Mountain in Franconia, N.H., Cranmore Mountain Resort in North Conway, N.H., Gore Mountain in North Creek, New York, Smugglers’ Notch in Jeffersonville, Vermont, Waterville Valley in Waterville Valley, N.H., and Whiteface near Lake Placid, New York are all blowing snow and all planned to open the day after Thanksgiving but the weather didn’t cooperate at all and at least some had to postpone until Saturday

Jay Peak in Jay, Vermont. is blowing snow on Stateside and has six inches of natural on the ground.  They are looking to open Saturday, November 27.

Attitash (603-374-2368; ) in Bartlett, N.H, and Jiminy Peak in Hancock, Mass haven’t actually fired their snowguns yet, but they are ready and are hoping to offer skiing for the Thanksgiving weekend. Mohawk Mountain in Cornwall, Connecticut had hoped to open for Thanksgiving, but temperatures just haven’t cooperated . . .

As always, at this time of year, call ahead or check the website before you leave the house. Mother Nature can still be cranky and shut things down in a heartbeat. But right now, there’s snow on the slopes. What are you waiting for?

Other Projected Openings (Weather Permitting, of course . . .) :

December 3:  Bromley Mountain in Peru, Vermont; Gunstock in Gilford, N.H..

December 4: Hunter Mountain in Hunter, New York, Pats Peak in Henniker, N.H.; Wildcat Mountain in Pinkham Notch, N.H.

December 10: Bolton Valley (1-877-9BOLTON,  ) in Bolton, Vermont; Ski Butternut in Great Barrington, Mass.

December 11: Burke Mountain in East Burke, Vermont, Dartmouth Skiway in Lyme Center, N.H.; Saddleback in Rangeley, Maine; Shawnee Peak in Bridgton, Maine

A Different Drummer . . .

To prepare this story, I contacted every ski resort in New England, New York and Quebec asking if they were blowing snow and when they planned on opening. The reply from Eric Friedman at Mad River Glen in Fayston, Vermont (which, of course, does not make snow or allow snowboarders on its slopes) is a classic:

“Ummm, we’re  not exactly ‘blowing snow,’ but it is spitting a bit here and there and the slopes are in fact white! We plan to open anytime Mother Nature allows from Thanksgiving weekend on. THINK SNOW!!!!”

Good advice!

Wildcat Mountain's location in the shadow of Mt. Washington means tons of snow; imagine it with much better snowmaking! (Tim Jones photo)

In a major consolidation of power in the Mt. Washington Valley and New England skiing, Peak Resorts, owner of Attitash, Mount Snow, and Crotched Mountain, has entered into a purchase agreement to acquire all of the assets of Wildcat Mountain.

This is a major purchase for several reasons, and has the potential to provide major benefits for skiers.  First, Peak has a well-deserved reputation for their snowmaking; they introduced mountain-wide fan guns at Crotched in 2002, effectively starting a “snow war” that has benefitted skiers across the region.  They followed that with a huge refit of the snowmaking system at Attitash; we’re among the skiers who have seen a profound difference in the quality of the snow and skiing at that resort since the changeover.  They did the same with Mount Snow, and have proven that they aren’t “one note Johnnys” by continuing with other renovations; a half million put into Mount Snow’s Snow Lake Lodge this year, for instance.  Over the past decade, Peak has been one of the most innovative and stable of the ski area owners in New England; their purchase of Wildcat indicates a continued committment to the region.

As the coldest mountain in New England, Wildcat will benefit from the connection to warmer Attitash (Tim Jones photo)

What does this mean for you?  Simple…more, better skiing, and more options.  For starters, expect combined season’s passes for Wildcat and Attitash.  Wildcat, in the shadow of Mt. Washington, is probably the coldest ski area in New England.  So, on a brutally cold day, ski Attitash (or have Wildcat virtually to yourself).  Spring skiing?  When things turn to slush at other  mountains, head for Wildcat; or, ski Attitash in the morning, have lunch in Jackson, and head up to the ‘Cat for the afternoon.  Options, option, options…

And, of course, Peak won’t leave Wildcat alone.  Expect updated snowmaking, which will mean better conditions all winter PLUS an extended season.  More snow, greater snow depths, wicked cold mountain…April skiing?  Obviously.  May skiing?  Don’t bet against it and put your skis away early.  Some of the changes are planned for this ski season, so the benefit will be felt immediately.

Wildcat's classic New England trails are among our favorites, even without enhanced snowmaking (Tim Jones photo)

More to come as more information comes to us, but for now, we’re excited by the potential improvements to Wildcat, and by the fact that a major player sees the New England ski industry as alive, vibrant, and worth greater investment!

Single Resort Passes

In Great Barrington, MA, tucked in the Berkshire Mountains is Ski Butternut Resort. This season, Ski Butternut entices college kids with $35 lift tickets on weekends and holidays ($25 savings over the regular price!) and $20 lift tickets Monday through Friday, which is $20 less than a regular ticket. Their $18 tubing sessions are only $10 for students, too. To take advantage of these sweet deals, fill out this coupon and bring it and your valid college ID to customer service to get your cheap thrills!

Catamount Ski Area on the border between South Egremont, MA and Hillsdale, NY is cheap and easy: bring your valid student ID and pay $229 for a full season of unrestricted skiing and riding.

Jiminy Peak Resort in Hancock, MA offers up two deals for two kinds of college students; full-time students pay $299 for an unlimited season pass or part-time students can get in on their twilight/midweek pass for only $229. The twilight pass is good anytime Monday-Friday and after 3 pm on weekends and holidays. You need to bring your class schedule showing 12 credits for full-time and 6 for part time and your school ID to get in on the fun.

Pat’s Peak Ski Area offers a unique service to Boston students. They are bussing students twice a day on Saturdays starting January 15 directly from Beantown to the resort in Henniker and back once the ski area closes. The bus ride plus a lift ticket to ski or ride from 8:30am to 4pm is only $59, so call (781) 849-0200 book in advance. Pat’s Peak also offers a standard no-ride-included unlimited college pass that goes for $319 before November 11 and $369 after with a letter from your registrar and valid photo ID.

Stowe offers two options for part- and full-time students. Full-time students (defined by Stowe as at least twelve credits) can get the Unrestricted Stowe 7-Day Plus Access pass before October 31 for $399 and part timers (at least six credits) pay $599.

Sugarbush Resort is flexible with their college plans: you can get an all mountain pass for $319 plus tax or a Mt. Ellen only option for $219. College students can also become reps for Sugarbush and sell passes on-campus. If you sell ten passes for them, you’ll get one for yourself free and a $15 commission on every pass over ten sold. Plus, if you buy a pass from your friendly campus Sugarbush rep, you’ll get a $10 gift card when you pick up your pass.

Smugglers’ Notch kindly gives poor college kids a break with their pass which includes 20% off at their sport and equipment shops and 50% off single and multi-day group lessons and equipment rentals. The pass itself is $319 before Halloween and $419 after for fulltime students that present their ID.

Shawnee Peak in Bridgton, ME offers something a little different; their $199 college pass is open to full-time, part-time, graduate, online and medical resident students. Shawnee opens December 11.

In Rangley ME, Saddleback Mountain offers a super-inexpensive $99 college pass for a full season. Opening day at Saddleback is December 11.

Wachusett has the UPass which is a little more work for a lot less money. The pass is $189 before October 11 and that gets you a season of any night of the week from 4pm-10pm and Monday through Friday 9am to 4pm. With the UPass you also get $10 off lift tickets if you feel the need to shred on weekend days and holidays. You do need to present your valid college photo ID when you buy.

Multi Resort Passes

In New Hampshire, three areas have teamed up to offer the College Breakout Season Pass. Ski and ride Wildcat Mountain, Gunstock Resort and Mount Sunapee with one pass! Wildcat opens December 18, Gunstock opens December 3 and Sunapee opens November 26. Before December 18, the three-for pass is only $259 for full time students with your valid ID and signed and sealed letter from the registrar.

Mount Sunapee went all-out this year. Not only are they contributing to the awesome College Breakout Season pass, they teamed up with Okemo and Stratton to offer the SOS (get it?) Pass. Full-time students up to age 29 pay $279 before October 11 and $315 after for an unlimited season pass to all three mountains.

The  Higher Ed pass is a four-in-one: for $299 (and a letter from the registrar) , that lets you ski and ride all season at Mount Snow in VT, Attitash and Crotched Mountain in NH, and Jack Frost/Big Boulder PA. Go right to the lifts at Attitash and Mount Snow; bring your pass to the ticket window at Crotched Mountain and Jack Frost/ Big Boulder. Each Higher Ed Pass comes with a subscription to either Freeskier or Snowboard magazine and two discounted $40 Bring A Friend lift tickets that are good Monday through Friday non-holidays at Mount Snow.

Jay Peak teamed up with Mad River Glen and Bolton Valley to offer the Triple Major pass, pay $289 before October 11 and $399 after to hit all three all season. You can also get a Jay Peak-only pass for $269 before October 11 or $329 after. Bring your original registration showing twelve credits and student ID with photo and you’re all set!

In New York, students up to age 22 can hit both Whiteface and Gore all season for $375 (price goes up to $475 after November 19, so get moving!)

Okay, put down your pencils and pick up your wallet. Class dismissed!

Attitash

Season passes, go to full price on October 11. For more information on all the deals go here.

Ski Butternut

Before December 1, buy a 2010-11 Season Pass for: $275 Adult, $225 Jr., $100 Kids, $500 Corporate.

Cranmore Mountain Resort

Cranmore’s Season Passes are $179 for Juniors ages 6-12, and Adult limited Happy Trails passes are $339 (with holiday blackout dates but valid weekends!) These prices are valid through November 30.

Gunstock Mountain

The $259 College pass for Gunstock, Wildcat and Sunapee, has no blackout dates.

These  passes are discounted through November 7: Prime Time Adults  $499; Prime Time Teen  $409; Prime Time Child and Prime Time Senior  $279;  Night $229; Mid-Week $299.

Jay Peak Resort

If you buy before October 11, you’ll get Jay’s best  Season Pass Deals. An Adult Unlimited pass is $629 ($1179 per couple), Seniors are $479 (55-69, $199 for the over-70 crowd). They also have a variety of kid and family-pass options.

The Triple Major (college pass with Jay Peak, Mad River Glen and Bolton Valley ) is $289 if purchased before November 8.

Jiminy Peak

October 15th cut off date for season pass and Value Card savings.  Find all the pass deals here

Loon Mountain Resort

Before Columbus Day Weekend (October 11) season passes valid at Loon Mountain,  Sunday River,  and  Sugarloaf  start at $410 for an adult Bronze Pass, $669 for an adult Silver Pass and $975 for an adult Gold Pass. College passes are also available for $339 through November 30.

Mad River Glen

The MAD CARD ($139 until December 15)  gets you 3 transferable day tickets good any time during the 2010-11 ski season, $5 off any additional full day lift ticket purchased throughout the season (Limit: 1 per Mad Card/Day), buy a Midweek Private Adult Clinic and Bring a Friend Free (not available during holiday periods).

The FAMILY MAD CARD ( $189 before October 15) gets kids ages 12 and under (as of 1/1/11) FREE  SEASON PASSES and all other Mad Card benefits. Go here or call 802-496-3551 for details.

Mount Snow

October 11 is the deadline to save $150 on all Mount Snow  passes
The Noreaster Pass includes Crotched Mountain, Attitash and Jack Frost/Big Boulder in PA for $1049, the Classic Pass (Mount Snow only with holiday blackout dates) is $699 and mid-week passes are $549.

The Higher Education season pass (College Pass) is only $299 and includes Mount Snow, Attitash, Crotched Mountain and  Jack Frost/Big Boulder.

Mount Sunapee Resort

Mount Sunapee has a variety of season pass options, all on sale until October 11.

The Ultrapass includes, Sunapee, Okemo, Stratton and Crested Butte  for $1555 for adults. The adult Peak Pass (Mount Sunapee and Okemo) is $959. There are a variety of cheaper midweek, kid and senior options.

The unlimited SOS College Pass (Sunapee – Okemo – Stratton) is $279.

Okemo Mountain Resort

Okemo has a variety of Season Passes are on sale until October 11 including:

The $1557 Ultra pass for Okemo, Stratton, Sunapee and Crested Butte CO, the $741 Value Pass Plus for Okemo, Stratton and Sunapee with blackout dates, and the $1240 Peak Pass for Okemo and Sunapee.

Sunday One-Day Season Pass $299 for adults ($359 after October 11). This direct-to-lift season pass has four blackout dates, but is valid all other Sundays throughout the season.

Frequent Skier Flex Card $99, plus tax (prior to November 15 and $119 afterward), save: 50 percent on weekday, non-holiday (Monday through Friday), single-day lift ticket rates; 25 percent on weekend and holiday single-day lift ticket rates; 50 percent on single-day lift ticket rates every day in November, and from March 21 through closing day in April. Fifty percent savings will also apply on select Sundays in January and March. Flex card benefits are available at  Mount Sunapee Resort, in N.H. (days, dates and discount values may vary)

Okemo’s 8-Pack and 12-Packs are on sale until November 16. The  8-Pack is a pre-purchase of eight unrestricted, single, full-day lift tickets for the price of seven. The 8-Pack is valid every day of the 20010/2011 season with no restrictions and it is transferable. It may be applied toward the purchase of one or two tickets per day. Pricing is: Adults $557; Young Adults/Seniors $487; Juniors/Super Seniors $375. The Okemo 12-Pack is 12 unrestricted, single, full-day lift tickets for the price of ten. : Adults $790; Young Adults/Seniors $690; Juniors/Super Seniors $530. As an added bonus, 8-Pack and 12-Pack holders can present their valid packs at the Crested Butte, Colo., lift ticket window to save 20% on multi-day lift ticket rates all season long.

Pats Peak

Saddleback is offering a 10-year season pass for $5,000 this season!

Other passes  on sale  include their popular Peak Pass for Honor Roll Students ($59 for Maine residents, $99 for others), Adult Season Pass:   $649,Locals Pass:  $549 . Military personnel and First Responders also get huge discounts on Saddleback passes. For complete information, go here.

Shawnee Peak Resort

Buy College Student Season passes at Shawnee Peak for  $199.

Stratton Mountain Resort

Early Booking Offer: Book any winter 2010-2011 lodging by October 30, 2010, and save 30 percent off midweek, 20 percent off weekends and 10 percent off holidays. Also enjoy special savings on lift tickets, snow school and rentals too. With price protection and a relaxed cancellation policy, it’s all the reward without the risk.

The X2 Card $69 ($79 after November 23) offers a free day of skiing or riding plus $30 off midweek (non-holiday), $20 off weekends (non-holiday), and $10 on holidays.

Sugarbush Resort

College and Graduate passes are discounted through November 1.

College Students and Recent Grads pay $319 for all-mountain passes, $219 for Mount Ellen.

Sugarloaf

Before Columbus Day Weekend (October 11) season passes  good at Sugarloaf, Sunday River, and Loon Mountain start at $410 for an adult Bronze Pass, $669 for an adult Silver Pass and $975 for an adult Gold Pass. College passes are also available for $339 through November 30.

Wildcat Mountain

You can see all of Wildcat’s season pass deals here.

Mount Snow pulling out all the stops to make great conditions (Mount Snow photo)

Well, in a word…weather.  It’s been warm and rainy there, and Cypress Mountain has been closed to the public, with muddy, bare slopes.  The Olympic organizing committee is talking about bringing in hay bales and wood to build a substructure that they can then cover with trucked-in snow.  And, of course, they’re hoping the weather will change just in time to add some of the natural stuff, right when and where they need it.  It’s cold enough…but they don’t have the snowmaking capacity to  make all the snow that they need.

Now, if the 2010 Winter Games  were in an earlier Olympic venue, Whiteface, why, they’d just need to turn on some more snowmaking (although not at this moment, as they have already 68 trails open in a not-great natural snow year).  In really horrible situations, they might need to move some snow from one trail to another, not from one mountain to another.  The concern would be what was the easiest way to do it, not whether it was possible or not.

Mounds of manmade snow, waiting to be turned into fun moguls at SkiBromont (Francios Senecal photo)

The fact is, Eastern ski areas have spent hundreds of millions of dollars to bring in the finest snowmaking that exists IN THE WORLD.  Case in point: even a little family resort like Black Mountain was able to recover from a crushing winter rainstorm in only 4 days to provide great conditions for their 75th anniversary party…and they probably have less snowmaking capacity than 90% of their Eastern brethren.  A few weeks ago, I saw mounds at SkiBromont that were probably 30 feet high, being stockpiled to create a mogul run for the weekend.  This isn’t making snow for survival…this is making snow to create a varied, excellent experience for their customers.

Even on a sunny day, it "snows" for skiers at Bolton (Bolton Valley photo)

You can argue that Western resorts offer more powder, and they certainly can . . . sometimes. . . . But would you rather have a vacation scheduled for right now at a Western mountain that’s muddy and bare, or for an Eastern mountain that’s got 30, 40, 70, 100 trails open with consistent manmade snow?  As we found in “The Guns Of Attitash“, the quality as well as the quantity of manmade snow has increased dramatically in recent years…and we’ve enjoyed the benefits of snowmaking every time we’ve been out on Eastern Slopes.  Greater base depths, more runs open…the areas are giving us good skiing in lousy times, and spectacular skiing when Mother Nature cooperates.

So, the next time someone brags about their multi-thousand-dollar 5-day trip to Aspen, or Whistler, or wherever…think about your 40 days of skiing on great surfaces in the East, plus enough money left over to buy new skis . . . If that doesn’t put a smile on your face, nothing will!

The 3 musketeers, waiting to be deployed in battle (David Shedd photo)

After my experiences talking to snowmakers for the earlier” Fan Guns” article, it was time to get out and actually see them at work.  And where better to do it than at Attitash, which in the last few years has put $3 million into snowmaking, virtually all of it with fan guns?  Lucky for me, the head of snowmaking, Kevin Kasten, was willing to take me under his wing and show me the system.

First, some background on Kevin.  He’s been in snowmaking since 1983, when he started with Peak Resorts down in Missouri.  Sounds bizarre, doesn’t it…isn’t that one of those southern states where they eat crawfish and gumbo and sweat a lot?  Well…it’s not quite that bad.  The top of MO is about equal with the bottom of PA.  But, it’s a big difference from New England temperatures.  Concord, NH has a mean daily temperature of 21 degrees in January; Columbia, Missouri, 30 degrees.  That’s awfully close to the freezing mark, and that’s the coldest month of the year for them.  So, snowmaking has to be precise, efficient, focused, and take advantage of every bit of technology available.  Kevin started using early fan guns back then, so he literally grew up in the business with them.

Since then, he’s done a lot of travelling with Peak…pretty much blanketing the country east of the Rockies.  In addition, he spent time in the off-season up here down under teaching Australian ski areas how to use fan guns in their humid climate (and picking up some unusual tastes in beer and cookies along the way).  Now, what’s the problem with humidity?  Turns out that it’s the natural enemy of snowmaking.

The basic process of snowmaking is forcing cold water and cold air through nozzles, producing…well, slush.  Ever skied through the output stream of a traditional snow gun?  You’re soaking wet immediately, the stuff freezes to you, and you can’t see through your goggles until you scrape the junk off.  Not fun.  Add more humidity, and it’s even harder for the stuff to dry…making it icier and icier.  That’s why really cold temperatures are good for traditional snowmaking; the air is drier, and more of it freezes into small pellets before it hits the slopes.

This is where fan guns, and particularly tower fan guns, separate themselves from the old guard.  They use something called a “nucleator”, which produces a very fine pellet that freezes quickly.  Those tiny frozen pellets are then shot through the stream coming out of the main nozzles, where they get coated with water that freezes over them, making a larger “snowflake”.  Those “flakes” are then blown up and out of the gun at very high speeds.  So, rather than starting with a fully wet mix, by the time the pellet leaves the gun it’s already partially frozen. Then, by blowing it up and out with high speed fans, it has more “hang time.”  More time in the air means more time to dry out…and fine, relatively fluffy snow without even being groomed.  Put that gun on top of a tower, and it throws the output 35 or 40 feet in the air, allowing it to spread out, dry, and land over a large area, rather than creating a mound of slush that has to be shoved around.

When I went out with Kevin, it wasn’t particularly cold…29 or 30 F.  After he explained all of this stuff, he turned on the tower fan we were at.  First things first…I felt like I was standing next to a 747.  That fan is impressive.  When he turned on the water, I was holding a non-waterproof video camera, and wanted to get the heck out of there before it got sluiced down and turned into an iceball.  Turns out I needn’t have worried; under the fan gun, there was NO snow, slush, rain, anything.  It was all going WAY over my head, and headed over the trail.  So, Kevin and I took a walk out to the middle of the trail where it was all coming down.  I tucked the camcorder partway into my jacket and turned my back to the gun to protect it from the wet snow as it came down…except there wasn’t any.  What was landing on me was a fine, dry powder.  Looking across the slope, it felt like one of those storms where it’s cold, cold, cold…you can see through the snow because the flakes are fine, but it piles up fast. And that’s exactly what the snow was like.  Kevin stuck his arm out, and we watched the snow land on it…and then I tapped his sleeve, and it all fell off.  And this was at temperatures where natural snow would likely be heavy and wet!

Kevin & Donny, cheerful but cold! (David Shedd photo)

As evening descended, I followed Kevin and his lieutenant, Donny, up the slope, where they set up each gun individually.  Checking air temperature and humidity, they made adjustments to assure that the snow was of consistent quality.  As it got darker and colder, I developed a greater respect for the dedication of snowmaking professionals; at Attitash and around the East, at mountain after mountain, this same scenario was probably being played out simultaneously…highly experienced and trained people working to assure us of the best skiing conditions that they can.  After another hour or so, I headed off to a warm room and a good meal, but they soldiered on.  Thanks, Kevin, Donny, and all the other snowmakers…I look forward to getting back out there and learning more about what you do!

Mt. Washington on a rare clear day (Donny Noble photo)

With my sweetheart about to go back into classes until she finally gets her MSW in May (and, with any luck, gets a job where she can support me!), we decided to escape and get in a little more play time before the insanity hits again.  We’d had so much fun on our day trip to Purity Spring/King Pine, where we were able to do multiple things in a day, that we decided to expand that to a two day trip.  I needed to go to Attitash anyway to meet with the snowmaking people for “The Guns Of Attitash”, so the Mt. Washington Valley seemed to make sense.

With that in mind, we headed up early one morning to Conway.  There’s a place called “Bea’s Cafe” at 50 White Mountain Highway that’s one of our favorite breakfast places.  I like to use a day of skiing ahead as an excuse to get the chicken fried steak with sausage gravy…it’s as calorie-intense as it sounds, and tastes fantastic.  They serve breakfast all day…hmm.  Oh, never mind.  Anyway, on the way through North Conway to Attitash, we stopped at Eastern Mountain Sports, where I rented a pair of Black Diamond telemark skis.  I’d had fun doing tele at King Pine; I had to wonder what it would be like on the steep slopes of ‘Tash!  With my equipment ready, on we went.

On arriving at Attitash, Doug Tulin, their PR guy, took us under his wing, and dragged us around to show us the changes in their snowmaking system.  I guess “dragged” isn’t quite the right word…more like “skied our legs off”.  And this was in the morning, on alpine gear!  Doug’s got a bit of a history as a skier; he’s a 4 time world synchro ski champ, and the 2005 New England Powder 8

Doug explaining where the $3 million in snowmaking went (David Shedd photo)

champion. Translation…he’s a hell of a skier, and way beyond my skill level.  His idea of relaxed skiing is my idea of wide-eyed fear.  Luckily, he loves to teach, so spent his time working with Susan, which gave me a break.  Not a bad start to the adventure…free downhill lessons from a real pro!  The snow was wonderful, firm without any boilerplate across the entire mountain, and we all had a great morning.  Clearly, the effort (and money) that Attitash has been putting into new snowmaking equipment has paid off; early January had conditions that I’d expect in February.

At lunchtime, I caught a break…Doug had to actually go work.  So, we grabbed a bite, then pulled the telemark gear out of the car.  Okay, I’ll admit…this was a bit scary.  Only my third day on telemark skis, and I’m going to do the steep slopes of Attitash?   Maybe I’m starting to think I’m

Tower fans everywhere...but don't forget the views! (David Shedd photo)

Doug.  To make matters worse, he reappeared…oh, great, I have to try to chase him with tele skis on???  But, once again, his teaching nature came to the fore.  Of course he’d done tele before…and of course he was good at it.  Sometimes, I hate people like that…but hey, if he wants to give me pointers, all jealousy is gone!  With his comments building on Robin Roaf’s lesson of the previous week, I found myself feeling remarkably controlled, even on the diamonds.  Speaking of diamonds, the Black Diamonds performed beautifully…EMS  had clearly tuned them well, and they carved cleanly and snapped me in and out of corners the few times that my technique happened to be good enough to hit a corner right.  They’re already on my short list for when I go shopping for telemark skis!  I’m definitely hooked on telemark…there’s a freedom to it that’s very different from alpine.  I’ve got a long way to go, but I’m finding that in some ways, it’s actually easier to handle steep terrain due to the low center of gravity the turn provides.

A few hours of that fun, and my legs were turning to jelly.  Susan was feeling the same way…she’d never skied as much steep terrain in as short a time.  Two legs of my trifecta…alpine and telemark…in excellent conditions, beautiful weather, great views, and good company.  Life was good!  And it was about to get better, as we were headed to our lodging.  Being as this was an escape before Susan’s next descent into scholastic hell, we wanted to splurge…and we’d been told about suites at The Wentworth in Jackson Village that had private outdoor hot tubs.  That’s just an irresistable idea…after burning our legs out, to soak in that kind of luxury sounded divine.  Since it was mid-week, they’d had rooms available, so we booked ourselves there.  The Wentworth is a

The Wentworth lobby sets the stage for elegance throughout (David Shedd photo)

throwback to a more elegant time; like the Mt. Washington Hotel, it has a gracious charm that made us feel like F. Scott & Zelda Fitzgerald.  Beautifully maintained, the modern updates have been done in ways that don’t diminish that sense of being transported to a different world.  Our suite, in the Fairlawn building, was stunning…varnished wood trim, a gas fireplace, marble bathroom…oh, and that hot tub room!  Open to the outdoors, it’s still perfectly private…an ideal place to sit and sip a glass of wine while relaxing before dinner.  Susan, ever the charmer, reminded me that I was due back at Attitash to learn about the workings of the fan gun, but assured me that she’d test the hot tub out for me.  Great.

Off to Attitash I went, with Susan sending me text updates on her decadence.  I didn’t feel that bad

Head snowmaker Kevin Kasten giving me lessons (Doug Tulin photo)

about it, though…the time learning how the fan guns work was fascinating.  But, a couple of hours of that was enough to have me frozen solid (bare hands work best for shooting video, but not for making it comfortable to be out there on the slopes!).  Back I went, and directly into the hot tub.  Ah, bliss…and yes, I had brought a bottle of something with bubbles in it to sip while we soaked and chatted.  We still had plenty of time before our dinner reservations, so we thoroughly relaxed.  The room has a sense of peace to it; we actually sat on the bed and stared up at the patterns the cut-glass overhead light made on the ceiling!  We probably could have fallen asleep right then, but with a dining room headed by a graduate of New England Culinary Institute, we felt it was our duty to make sure we tested it.

And testing, it was worth.  The service was country inn impeccable; everything done just right, but very friendly and down-to-earth.  The food was sort of nouvelle-cuisine-meets-the-mountains (wild boar rib appetizer, anyone?), beautifully prepared, fragrant, and tasty.  The chocolate bomb dessert that we took back to the room (well, we DID have to get into the hot tub again, didn’t we?) was sinfully rich and worth every calorie.  One last comment on the dining room…breakfast, even if you aren’t staying there, has to be the best value in Jackson.  $10 gets you their continental breakfast with tons of fresh fruit AND a full breakfast plate from the menu!  Even if you stay somewhere else, you owe it to yourself to get over there in the morning and enjoy it.

After all of that decadence, we really needed to work off a week’s worth of calories.  Luckily, The

World class XC and country charm all in one! (David Shedd photo)

Wentworth just happens to be next door to the Jackson XC facility, allowing me to complete my trifecta without even driving anywhere.  For those who haven’t heard of it, this is one of the top cross country trail systems in the country.  148 kilometers of trails means a great variety of terrain to suit everyone, from open fields to gliding along a river to challenging twisty descents in the woods.  And starting this year, they’ve partnered with Gorham Bike & Ski to bring in a retail and service shop; if you need your skis waxed or need a new jacket, gloves, or whatever, there’s a great variety there.  So, on with our skis and off we went.  The grooming was perfect, and while there were a surprising number of people out on the tracks, we were able to get into our groove and enjoy the scenery while we worked out.  Nordic skiing is a wonderfully intense activity; within a

Jackson's impeccable grooming makes for easy skiing (David Shedd photo)

few hours, we’d beaten ourselves up as much as we had the day before, and were happy to get back in the car and head back home.  Yet again, we’d found that mixing up our types of skiing gave us a great workout, a lot of fun, and a desire to do it all again.  And clearly, the Mt. Washington Valley is a great place to do it…the trifecta was more like a perfecta!  We only began to sample the options…there’s other alpine mountains, other cross country facilities, and certainly other lodging and food options.  We’ll be back, if we can ever get Susan out of school!

Thanks to the New England ski industry and the Make-A-Wish Foundation of New Hampshire, Brendan got his wish . . . (Make-A-Wish Foundation of New Hampshire photo)

If you are reading this, you are probably wishing for more snow. Be patient, it’s coming.

But if you are really into seeing wishes come true, check out the Make-A-Wish Foundation, which grants the wishes of children with life threatening medical conditions. The stated goal of Make-A-Wish is “to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy.” Most of these kids need all the joy, strength and hope they can get to help them though unimaginable times.

The ties between the Make-A-Wish Foundation and the New England ski industry are deep and profound. Did you know, for example, that every current  “Wisher”

So did Rosie . . . (Make-A-Wish Foundation of New Hampshire photo)

from Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont and Massachusetts receives a VIP pass which entitles them and an accompanying adult to a full day on the slopes with lift tickets, rental equipment and lessons at one of 32 different resorts across New England. That’s offered with the cooperation of Ski NH, Ski Vermont, Ski Maine, and the New England Ski Areas Council.

Ski NH adopted the Make-A-Wish Foundation of New Hampshire as its official charity four seasons ago. They donate $5 from every $20 Ski NH Fifth Grade Snowsports Passport directly to Make-A-Wish.  On November 19, 2009 at the Ski NH Boston Media reception, Ski NH presented the Make-A-Wish

And "wisher," Michael (Make-A-Wish Foundation of New Hampshire photo)

Foundation of New Hampshire with a check for more than $10,000 from the winter 2008-09 passport sales.  Over the past three seasons, Ski NH and families of fifth graders have donated more than $20,000 in total. That kind of money makes a lot of wishes come true—and some of those wishes are for time on the slopes.

Here’s a list of the participating ski resorts. Wish them a prosperous New Year the next time you visit:

Massachusetts : Ski Blandford ,
Ski Butternut, Catamount, Jiminy Peak, Nashoba Valley, Wachusett.

Maine : Black Mountain of Maine, Lost Valley, Mt. Abram, Saddleback, Shawnee Peak.
New Hampshire: Attitash, The Balsams, Black Mountain, Cannon Mountain, Cranmore Mountain Resort, Crotched Mountain, Dartmouth Skiway, Gunstock Mountain Resort, King Pine, Loon Mountain, Mount Sunapee, Pats Peak, Ragged Mountain, Waterville Valley, Wildcat Mountain.

Vermont: Bolton Valley, Burke Mountain, Jay Peak, Magic Mountain, Mount Snow, Okemo.