Vermont Skiing is Open for Business
I just finished a story for The Boston Globe on the impact of Tropical Storm Irene on the ski areas of New England. The deluge of rain forced rivers to overflow, washing away bridges, collapsing roads, and causing structural damage at base lodges at ski areas. Well, we’re a resilient lot in New England, with work crews quickly coming to the rescue. The good news is that less than 2% of roads in Vermont are still closed and that number will surely decrease by the time ski resorts open in mid-November. The entirety of Route 100, which travels south to north along the spine of the Green Mountains, is now open. Not only is accessibility no longer an issue, but Vermont ski areas have made improvements. Mount Snow is installing America’s first high speed detachable six person bubble lift this season. Killington plans to unveil a new lift-served tubing park, a new outdoor bar overlooking Roaring Brook, and will introduce Olympic Gold Medalist Donna Weinbrecht as a women’s clinic instructor. Sugarbush is featuring a new Lincoln Park base area, while Stowe has replaced the FourRunner chairlift on Mount Mansfield with a new high-speed detachable quad. The fun continues at Okemo on their four-season mountain rollercoaster and at Jay Peak, which will open a new indoor waterpark. Good riddance, Irene. Don’t let the door smack you in the ass on your way out.