Thousands of fans lined KIllington's Superstar Trail to cheer on the women's World Cup. (USSA-Reese Brown)
More than 16,000 fans cheered the best giant slalom skiers in the world at the base of Killington’s Superstar trail as the Audi FIS Ski World Cup returned to the east coast for the first time in 25 years.
Find terrain for everyone in the family at Jackson Hole. (JHMR)
With winter about to start in earnest, now is the time to check the SnoCountry snow reports and book a mountain retreat. With so many great options out there, here’s a few of SnoCountry.com’s favorite holiday getaways:
Killington grooms out Superstar in preparation for the first World Cup in the East in 25 years. (Killington)
Vermont's Killington Resort received the official approval from the FIS (Internal Ski Federation) for the Thanksgiving weekend Audi FIS Ski World Cup women's giant slalom and slalom events. Meanwhile, resorts across the country struggle to open for the 2016-17 season due to warm temperatures and lack of natural snowfall.
BEWI President Bernie Weichsel, Okemo's Tim and Diane Mueller, and Brian Halligan congratulate award winner Betsy McKeever. (Martha Wilson)
The 2016 BEWI Award was presented to two top sales executives from New England mountain resorts, Betsy McKeever, Group Sales Manager at Vermont’s Okemo Mountain, and Andrew Noyes, newly appointed VP of Operations and formerly Director of Sales & Revenue at New Hampshire’s Loon Mountain.
At least 100 guns on top to bottom Northern Lights, Borealis, Aludra, Lights Out, Lower Downdraft, and Paradigm at Maine's Sunday River. (Sunday River/Facebook)
As we transition into November in this week’s SnoCast, winter weather is making a more frequent appearance at our mountain tops. We’ll get shots of chilly air and snow at many mountains, both in the east and the west, so let’s dig in.
Killington is capitalizing on every snowmaking opportunity. (Killington/Facebook)
UPDATED 10-26-16: With long-term sights set on the longest season in the East, and short-term sights on the AudI FIS World Cup, Killington kicked off the 2016-17 season in the Northeast for season pass holders on Tuesday, Oct. 26.
Following a storm Sunday morning that brought snow to higher elevation peaks across the Northeast, Killington added to the five-plus inches of natural snow with snowmaking both on North Ridge ski trails Rime and Reason for public use, and Superstar trail, where the Audi FIS World Cup will take place November 26-27.
The first turns of the season were dedicated exclusively to Season Pass and Express Card holders, and the resort opened to the general public on Wednesday, October 26, 2016 at 9:00 a.m.
“With the World Cup coming up next month, we have been anxiously waiting for cold temperatures here at Killington, and now that we have a favorable window of snowmaking weather, our mountain operations team is running full steam ahead to make sure we’re once again the first ski area in the East to open for the season while also beginning production on the Superstar World Cup race course,” says Mike Solimano, president and general manager of Killington Resort and Pico Mountain. “After last season we are not taking anything for granted and will continue to make snow at every possible opportunity, at every elevation with the necessary temperature and humidity conditions.”
The BrewCentralNY.com Beer Garden has tastings from regional breweries for only $5 for five samples. (Mitch Wojnarowicz/Brew Central)
After more than five decades of bringing together skiers and riders with mountain resorts and snowsports retailers, the Northeast Ski & Craft Beer Showcase returns Nov. 4-6 to Albany at the Empire State Plaza Convention Center.
Okemo's Sunburst Six makes riding the lift a pleasure. (Okemo)
Vermont's Okemo is all about making it easy and comfortable to be out having fun in the snow. The Sunburst Six and Quantum Four signature-orange bubble lifts make getting to the top of the mountain a pleasure. And to load the lift, glide through special gates equipped with RFID readers that can be stowed safely inside jackets or pants pockets.
Jackson Hole may see snow at upper elevations from the coming storm. (Jackson Hole Mountain Resort)
Get ready, skiers and riders. There are more early signs that the season isn’t far away.
Snowmaking at Killington begins at the top. (Killington/Facebook)
Opening day is on the minds of skiers and snowboarders already, and brace of resorts have turned on snow guns – and turned eyes to the skies -- in hopes of being the first to open in 2016-2017.
Waiter at The Farm in Park City serves up plates from fresh, local produce (The Farm/Facebook)
The idea that local restaurants can hook up with nearby farms, ranches and food producers to create truly sustainable, “local” cuisine has caught fire not only in towns around the country, but also at ski and snowboard resorts.
Nowadays, it’s a common sight to see a chef checking out the veggies or baked bread at a local farmers market -- or on the organic produce aisle at the neighborhood grocery store – to stock up for the day’s menu.
More and more, they come from the fine dining rooms at mountain resorts. Here’s SnoCountry’s sampling of where to eat fresh at ski and snowboard resorts this season:
Canyons. Located right on the Ski Beach at the base of the Park City, Utah, resort, The Farm Restaurant lives up to its name by sourcing ingredients from local farms, cattle ranches and vineyards. A regularly revolving menu coincides with seasonally available foods. Taste treat: Utah corn soup.
Mount Snow. Harriman’s sits just up from the main base of the southern Vermont area. It combines classicly trained chefs with fresh food grown, raised and produced at 20 farms in the Green Mountain state. Taste treat: Aged cheddar from Jasper Hill Farms.
Stowe. In the heart of the base area, Solstice serves artisan-inspired plates inside Stowe Mountain Lodge, relying upon a partnership with farmers, cheesemakers and producers from the northern Vermont region for the freshest ingredients. Taste treat: Angus braised short ribs with Cabot Creamery grits.
Steamboat. Unbuckle your boots and stride into the Truffle Pig for apres-ski snacks, dinners and to-die-for desserts. Ingredients from pastures and gardens of northern Colorado valley inspire truly local menu. Taste treat: Truffle pig fries.
The new ski-in/ski-out, bike-in/bike-out Burke Mountain Hotel & Conference Center is now open.
After several months of uncertainly, Burke Mountain Resort has officially opened the Burke Mountain Hotel & Conference Center, the first hotel to ever open on its slopes.
The Black Chair will get needed updates this summer and fall for a return to use at Magic this winter. (Jeff Bankman/Magic Mountain/Facebook)
SKI MAGIC LLC announced Tuesday it had concluded a signed purchase and sale agreement with current title holder Magic Mountain Management, LLC to purchase all the property and assets of the 709-acre Magic Mountain Ski Area in Londonderry, Vermont for an undisclosed amount.
Although the Telluride Blues & Brews Festival is only three days and nights, once you get to Telluride, you won't want to go home. (Telluride Brews & Blues Festival)
What’s on tap for this summer of fun? Along with sampling some of the finest craft beers around, a trip to a beer festival this summer also means live music, tempting food, and another perfect reason to get outside and enjoy the mountains.
Come get a good look at all of Vermont (and a little bit of Canada) from the top of Jay Peak via the 60-passenger Aerial Tram. (Jay Peak)
Jay Peak recently completed a three-day inspection of its aerial tram. The resort, in cooperation with the state, flew in an aerial tramway specialist and worked with state inspectors to examine the tram and its operating systems. The tram carries up to 60 people from the Tramside base to the 3,968-foot summit.
Southern Vermont’s Magic Mountain, owned by Magic Mountain Management LLC, announced Thursday it has entered again into formal negotiations with SKI MAGIC LLC for the purchase of the ski area.
Health, fitness, and well-being are hot topics today. Once ski season winds down, the active outdoors lifestyle trend heats up at mountains resorts. Events like Spartan races and Tough Mudders challenge participants to be fit and mentally tough.
Vermont Gov. Peter Shumlin announced Thursday that the State of Vermont and U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) have filed similar civil actions alleging investor fraud dating back to 2008 at EB-5 development projects at Jay Peak and Q Burke in Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom.
On the heels of Mount Snow’s West Lake project that is creating a 120 million gallon snowmaking water reservoir, the southern Vermont resort will begin the next phase of upgrades in their master development plan.
West Coast ski resorts had seen a lack of snow for a few years and in the winter of 2015-16, it was the east and central regions’ turn. Alpine ski areas have been making snow for decades but it is relatively new for cross country ski areas.
