SnoNews

Willy Booker, head of Burke Mountain Academy which hones some of America’s finest ski racers, bemoans that kids are less active and athletic today and don’t get outdoors enough. 

One way to remedy that is to have fun at a mountain resort this summer.

Excitement for this snowy March continues at Okemo. (Okemo/Facebook)

How about this start to March? We’ve already had two nor’easters to kick off the month and another may be around the corner.

New trail Thunder cruises under the mountain coaster. (Berkshire East/Facebook)

Now with the most terrain in Massachusetts, Berkshire East cut two new trails last summer that bring sweeping views of the Berkshires, accessible for even the resort’s newest skiers and riders.

About one-third of American ski and snowboard resorts have strung ziplines to keep the mountain thrills going through the summer.
Hundreds of thrill-seekers hook up and slide every offseason, choosing from full-speed rides (60 mph in some cases!) to more leisurely flights using hand brakes. Many combine with suspension bridges and other aerial challenges for a tour. Most ziplines have age and height restrictions – and require parents or guardians for youngsters.

Hit high speeds on alpine coaster at base of Snowbird (Snowbird/Facebook)

Since the mid-1990s, summertime alpine coasters have sprung at winter resorts all over the country. The wind-in-your-face speeds, high-speed turns and mountain vistas mimic the sights and sounds what skiers and snowboarders feel during the snowy times. 

Vermont's Stowe Mountain Resort is one of the premier ski destinations in the region. (Stowe Photo)

From coast to coast, skiers have access to almost unlimited options throughout the United States for indulging their snowy ambitions. While the states of the mountainous West often grab the winter tourism headlines, the East Coast offers a unique skiing experience of its own.

Twelve miles of gravity-fed, lift accessed downhill mountain biking are now open at Massachusetts’s Berkshire East. Gravity Logic, the company that built Whistler’s bike park, the largest of its kind in the world, designed the park for Berkshire East.

UPDATE 2/8: Guess it wasn’t all hype this time. The widespread blizzard (dubbed Nemo) that has been top of the news all week is here. Governors of Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island have already declared state of emergency conditions.