Killington Peak from the Superstar base station 

A brilliant blue sky greeted skiers and riders in attendance today at Killington. In the aftermath of heavy weekend snow, today was a bluebird day to be out on the mountain.

Although the Weather Channel had been predicting single digit temperatures with winds of 15 to 25, they were wrong (are you surprised?). Temperatures at the peak may have been in the single digits, but they were nicely overcome by (what amounts to) copious sunshine casting shadows across the landscape.

We started our ski day on the Superstar Quad. When we arrived at the top, we noticed that there was no rope across Gateway leading to Bear Mountain. The resort has been working on Bear Mountain for the last week or so. Rumors abound about when it will open. While not expecting it to be open this morning, the open trail was just too inviting. It demanded investigation. We followed Gateway to the old Snowshed Crossover trail (which does not appear on the current trail map). Snow making operations were visible thru out the trails of Bear. Bear Claw, the Stash, Skye Burst, and Dream Maker all looked like they are almost ready to go. Probably, given the snow depths, a pass with a grooming machine would be all it would take. Unless there is an epic cataclysm, they will definitely be open for the Christmas Holidays.

As we were in the area, we did laps on the Needles Eye chair through Cruise Control, Needles Eye, and Bittersweet. Needles Eye and Cruise Control were soft and sweet with wall to wall fresh snow. Bittersweet, because of weekend traffic, was very slick in a few spots, particularly just above the old Bittersweet mid wall.

As we were in the neighborhood, Superstar reached out and grabbed us. Soft and beautiful all the way from top to bottom. And although it was not in sun, due to the angle of the sun in the sky this time of year, the light was more than adequate to allow one to rip it down the trail.

Soft snow and blue skies was the order of the day at Killington. Click again to resume rotation.

From Superstar, we went over to Snowdon for a few laps on the Snowdon Quad. Great Northern, Highline, Bunny Buster, Chute, and Mousetrap were all soft and pliable. If we were starting our day, it would have been heaven. But as it was we had taken a lot of runs by now, so the leg rest on the Snowdon Quad was somewhat welcomed.

The Killington Resort is really set up nicely for the upcoming holidays. Cold temperatures are forecasted for the rest of the week, allowing them to continue to make snow to open more terrain. Winter is off to a great start.

Let it snow.

Heavy snow drapes the Birch Ridge Inn. 

The weathermen were right this time!

A major winter storm swept through Killington last night into this morning leaving a foot plus of fresh snow in it's wake.

Guest woke up this morning to see their cars enrobed on a dense cover of snow. Given that the temperatures were hovering in the single digits to around 10 over night, the snow pack was very dense. It should be the perfect base to allow the Killington Resort to rapidly expand available terrain at the resort as we head into the Christmas holidays.

Cold air and heavy snow are now firmly established in the Green Mountains. And with winter officially to begin in a little more than a week, it is a wonderful thing.

Let it snow!

The Birch Ridge Inn 2013 Christmas Tree 

Christmas Tree Monday 2013 at the Birch Ridge Inn had a lot of twists and turns this year. It even extend out 2 days.

It started with some anxiety. The Christmas Tree farm in West Rutland that we had been using for years was no longer operating. So Mary scrambled during late October to scout out locations where we might find a proper tree for the inn, and our friends. She found one just south of Ludlow VT off of Route 100. But there was a catch..(there is always a catch isn't there)

We only had access to the tree farm for 1 afternoon.. Saturday November 17th.

So on the Saturday before Thanksgiving, Mary, myself, and Peter Smith, the owner of the Forerunner Ski Shop, headed for a road trip to harvest 3 trees. We were among for 12 footers. But since we had never used this tree lot before, all bets were off.

By the end of the afternoon, after walking the property for over 2 hours, we had succeeded. After carefully wrapping the tree in a canvas tarp, we struck off back to Killington for what was, thankfully, and uneventful trip. However, on the way, we did formulate a new strategy for Christmas Tree Monday.. We would get the gang together, and go skiing at Killington instead of cutting down trees. The tradition of lunch at Sushi Yoshi would continue, as would the raising of the tree. It was oh so civilized.

This year the tree at Birch Ridge is the White Tree. It is decorated with crystal and silver ornaments, white lights, and ribbons. Unlike last years tree, there is no tinsel.. however a strand did sneak on the tree from last year somehow. It seems it was on the grass in the yard in front of the inn. The new tree picked it up some how as we were bringing it into the inn.

After some editing, I posted this years Christmas Tree video on Youtube. You can click on the player below to open up a window to play the video. It is quite long, at 4 minutes, as we covered 2 days.

Special thanks for helping us hunt down this years tree goes to Peter Smith. He was available at very short notice to trek south to cut down the tree. Also thanks also go out to Christmas Tree participants Ed, aka Froggie, and Howie for enjoying some skiing, some Chinese food, and for help raising the tree.

As for the skiing.. The Killington Resort is doing a great job blanketing the resort in a man-made blizzard. Snow making has been going full tilt to get the resort ready for the Christmas holidays. Expect Lower Superstar and Needles Eye/Cruise Control to open any day now.

Where ever you may be, aim your snow dance at Killington. Let it snow!

Mary hard at work finishing decorating the inn's Christmas Tree. 

Mary has been hard at work all week decorating the inn's Christmas Tree.

Standing 12 feet in the Great Room at the inn, the Christmas tree has over 1500 lights and hundreds of ornaments. This years motif is the "White Tree". The majority of the ornaments on the tree are crystal complimented by some silver accents to reflect light throughout the tree.

While we have been busy getting the inn ready for the holidays, there has been a mild warm up at Killington. Overnight, the several inches of snow that were around the inn have given way to grass. But never fear, the mountain is well covered with snow for people to enjoy. Temperatures this morning are dropping with light snow forecasted to return this evening.

The Christmas Tree will be officially revealed this weekend. If you are up in Killington stop bye for a libation or two..

Let it snow!

Birch Ridge Inn 2013 Christmas Tree taking center stage in the Great Room. 

Some people call today Cyber Monday. At the Birch Ridge Inn we call it Christmas Tree Monday. Each year, on the Monday after Thanksgiving, we put the inns Christmas tree into the Great Room. It stands bare overnight waiting for Mary to start the process of decorating it on Tuesday.

This year, we had a little twist. Due to the logistics of the tree farmer we worked with this year, we had to go and harvest the tree on a Saturday. For the last week, the tree has been waiting patiently, under a strong tarp, in the yard to finish its journey into the Inn.

As we re-formulated this years festivities, we began the day with a group ski at Killington. At 9:00 AM we all met at the K1 base lodge for several hours of skiing, prior to our traditional Chinese lunch at Sushi Yoshi. Skiing today was really nice; the result of the resort continuing to make snow over the Thanksgiving holidays combined with several inches of new snow provided by Mother Nature overnight. The run of the day was probably Chute under the Snowdon Quad. When we skied on it, the low clouds had given way to a mottled blue sky. When combined with zero other skier or rider traffic, and soft snow on an edge receptive base, it was just the perfect trail to let the skis get some early season open trail run time.

After lunch, we reassembled the group back at the inn to raise the Christmas Tree. After some minor adjustments with a chain saw, we hauled the tree into the inn and raised it in a little over an hour. Not bad for a 13 1/2 foot free standing tree.

Over the week Mary will be decorating the tree, and I will be processing some of the hours of video shot to document the festivities. Watch this space all week for postings on the progress of the 2013 Birch Ridge Inn Christmas Tree.

Let it snow!

Beautiful Thanksgiving Weekend at Killington 

The winter season at Killington is now "Official". Although we have been skiing and riding at Killington for over a month, the commercial element of the ski season kicks into high gear over Thanksgiving weekend. While Black Friday fills the shopping malls down south, snow aficionados know that if they want to get in some early season runs, that Killington over Thanksgiving weekend is the place to do it.

The mountain is in its full regalia this weekend. Skiing and Riding are taking place all across the Killington Basin area with lifts turning on Rams Head, Snowdon, Killington Peak, Skye Peak and Snowshed. Cold temperatures have allowed the resort to continuously make snow across the resort. The net is that every day the resort is opening more terrain for people to enjoy.

Snowmaking taking place across the Killington Resort

At the inn, we have just about recovered from yesterdays family and friends dinner, turning our attention to the many inn guests who are staying with us over the weekend. We are also gearing up for our traditional "Christmas Tree Monday" which takes place each year on the Monday following Thanksgiving. By the end of next week, the inn will be fully decorated for the Christmas Holidays. Which reminds me.. today is Black Friday.. need to plan my Christmas shopping.. Have you been naughty or nice?

Let it snow!

Veritable rogueÕs gallery this morning on Killington. From left - Howie, Dale, Mary and Chad 

This morning we woke up to a delightful surprise.. About 2 inches of new snow had fallen overnight. Since we were planning to go skiing for a few runs this morning, it was an added bonus.

For a pre-Thanksgiving ski day, the resort is in very good shape. Excellent cover is in place on the trails off Killington Peak, Snowdon and Skylark. Snow making operations were taking place on Snowshed in the Learn to Ski area and on Rams Head. The resort is clearly gearing up for the upcoming holiday weekend, building base everywhere.

Today was not a real serious ski day for us. We spent about an hour skiing off Killington Peak. We wanted to get some time on the mountain to check out terrain for our guests, and also to partake in some of the fresh air that permeated the environment in the Green Mountains. Conditions were primarily soft snow from 3 to 6 inches in depth over a firm base. I enjoyed it as it gave me some exercise, working the legs through the freshly fallen snow.

The whole resort is watching the forecast very carefully. Depending upon your favorite weather station, you can find forecasts ranging from a dump of snow to too much r@!n. If the storm track goes up the Hudson River and the western side of the Green Mountains, we will be getting wet. If the storm moves ever so slightly east, we will be getting dumped on. Either way, the cold air that is entrenched over the area will cause the storm to start as snow. And there also looks like there will be several inches as well on the back side as the storm clears the area sometime Thursday.

What ever your plans may be over the next several days, may your travels be swift and not bothered by the weather..

Let it snow!