Ski Vermont: Moonlight, Romance, Classic Resorts -
Vermont has been at the forefront of American skiing from the very beginning, and retains the cozy feel of New England tradition spiced with the best that modern life has to offer.
The names of Vermont ski areas are legend, among them Ascutney, Bolton Valley, Bromley, Burke Mountain, Haystack, Jay Peak, Killington/Pico, Mad River Glen, Magic Mountain, Middlebury College, Mount Snow, Okemo, Smugglers Notch, Stowe, Stratton, Sugarbush, and Suicide Six.
The first rope tow in the United States, powered by a Model T engine, hauled skiers up Clinton Gilbert's hilly pasture in Woodstock in 1934. "This ingenious contraption launched a new era in winter sports," states the historic marker at the spot.
Charles "Minnie" Dole and friends founded the National Ski Patrol at Stowe in 1938. Dole went on to persuade the Army to create the 10th Mountain Division, the famed mountain troops of World War II, and these troopers, in turn, recreated American skiing when they returned from war.
"White Christmas," Paramount Pictures' 1954 romantic comedy built around the classic tune, follows Bing Crosby, Rosemary Clooney, and Danny Kaye through a series of amusing misadventures set in a Vermont inn in the happy years after World War II. Two plots - will guy and girl finally hook up, and will it snow - are entwined with Irving Berlin's magical score.
Snow remains a major actor in the Vermont scene, where geography often means early winters, cold weather, and long seasons.
Time has marched on in Vermont as elsewhere, but the state retains the atmosphere and feel depicted in "White Christmas." That's quite an accomplishment, and hats off to everyone involved for giving top weight to the quality of time spent in the Green Mountain State.
Mad River's decision to refurbish its historic single chair further testifies to Vermont's reverence for tradition. Mad River prefers its cover au naturel, while the state's 24 other ski areas embrace the most modern snowmaking technology.
Lifts in the state include an aerial tram at Jay; 27 high-speed quads and six gondolas; 52 surface lifts; Mad River's single chair; 42 doubles; 26 triples; 22 fixed-grip quads, and four six-packs. The state's downhill areas offer more than 1,269 trails on more than 5,462 acres.
Annual rites of winter include Stowe Winter Carnival, Killington's Bear Mountain Mogul Challenge, and the Burton U.S. Open Snowboarding Championships at Stratton.
Throw in maple syrup, horse-drawn sleigh rides, Lake Champlain and Fort Ticonderoga, history and, in early season, the overwhelming beauty of fall sweeping over a landscape of New England farms and villages.
A visit to Vermont - whether by car up I-91, I-89 or along Route 100; by ski train, or by plane into Burlington International Airport - is enjoyable in itself. Add in modern comfort and local style, and the visit becomes memorable.
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