Beautiful snow on Upper Chute as seen from Snowdon Quad. 

Not bad... Not bad at all....

As far as ski days go, today was ok. Not a bluebird powder day... not the day after the mountain has been slimed by freezing r@!n. Today was more of a testament to the people who work at the resort. To the snow makers who have worked many long hours to make snow, and remake snow, and remake snow during this early season. Today was a working mans ski day. You had to make your turns, you had to skid a little, you had to put up with "la poussi�re sur la crožte"..."Staub auf Kruste"....and you also got to play in some nice soft snow. And it was many places to be found....

We started off the K1 Gondola for a few runs through Rime and Reason. Great Northern to Upper East Fall was well covered. There were a couple of skid patches where there were significant pitch changes, probably the result of people checking their speed on the terrain. But other than those few places, the early runs were nice cruises.

Great Northern back to Lower Bunny Buster was in excellent shape. There was a little "Dodgem Car" feeling in a few places, as there were many representatives of PSIA on the mountain doing their ski training at Killington this week. But, even then, the crowd was no more so than on a normal early season weekend.

We did the traverse over to Superstar off of Killington Peak down Launch Pad. It is nice to see the resort opening up the interconnect trails between Killington Peak and Sky Peak, as this makes it really easy to move around the mountain without getting on a lift.

From Launch Pad with picked up Upper Sky Lark to Lower Bittersweet. Upper Skylark was covered with relatively soft snow and small bumps, making one pay attention and make turns. Lower Bittersweet was more "dust on crust" with significant loose granular "beach sand" accumulating at the bottom; the result of many hard grooming sessions breaking up Mother Natures handiwork.

Superstar was "interesting" I went down the upper headwall and made a turn right into an ice trough. It was like riding in a r@!n gutter...not turning.. just along for the ride. I literally traversed from the Top Right to the Mid Right, before coming to rest, still standing, by the rope underneath the Superstar Quad. Such a nube... The end of the trough was a nice hump of loose granular.. A simple hop turn and I was on my way.

Once off the headwall, Middle Superstar was quite nice. Lower Superstar, as observed from the lift, was rock solid bumps, so I bailed at High Road to Lower Sky Lark, which was also quite nice.

All in all, a nice day to ski, on Killington's magnificent peaks.

Let it snow!

Covered Carriageway draped in new snow. 

Mother Nature can be a pretty fickle lady. But for the 3rd day in a row the ground is covered in white at the Birch Ridge Inn at Killington. Does that make it a trend?

Wintry mix has blanketed Killington the few days covering the country side in a sugar white coating. For the 36 hours prior to last night, light snow fell across the region. Over 3 inches were recorded at the snowstake at the inn on Monday morning. Last night, with a forecast that was awful at best, I went to bed thinking we would be back to a lush green around the inn. But at 2AM when I retired for the evening, the precipitation falling from the sky was a mix of little white styrofoam ball style snow capsules to a light freezing r@!n.

Cleaning up the mess this morning was, of course, a blessed event. While the moisture content was very high, the ground was still nicely covered in snow. The measurement at the snow stake only fell a 3rd of an inch to 3 inches. And, assuming it gets cold behind the storm, with any luck a good base has been laid to build a foundation for future storms. The resort, while it has been working valiantly to remake snow over existing trails, has to love the mix that has fallen from the sky because it will form a perfect base to allow terrain expansion for the holidays, once the humidity goes down and the wet bulb measurements allow for snow making operations to resume.

Birch Ridge Inn dressed up for the holidays in snow.

With any luck, twig season is now a thing of the past. And with more white precipitation forecasted for this weekend, it looks like good ski conditions will prevail for next weeks Christmas Holidays.

Let it snow!

Snow falling in the forest behind the Birch Ridge Inn at Killington. 

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim
Because it was grassy and wanted wear,
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I marked the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I,
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

Robert Frost

Which ever road you may take in this strange world of ours...make it good and make a difference!

Let it snow!

Skiing into the shadows 

All around the area, residents and guests alike were pointing to the fiery orb in the sky. It is a rare ski day in December when there is perfect sunshine at Killington; and today was the day.

We started several hours earlier today than on Wednesday, catching the Snowdon Quad from the parking lot at about 9:10. The temperatures were in the mid 20's. Once again the Killington Resort had snow guns working all across the resort. But with sunshine bouncing off my face during the ride to the top, it was clear that it was going to be a beautiful morning to make some turns on the snow at Killington.

We started out fairly easy with a run through the terrain park on Mouse Run. I looped over a couple of the features; no air yet cause the knee is still on the mend. The undulations in the park were just the right "kick in the pants" to get the juices flowing for more.

After a quick trip through the singles line on the K1 Gondola and the ride to the peak, we skied down to the North Ridge Area. Great Northern was getting a little "sandy"; the residual effect of nightly grooming of the frozen packed powder man made surface. Upper East Falls was very nice. A touch of a slide 2/3rds of the way down in the middle, but there was plenty of nice soft goodness all over to support some sweeping carves down the fall line.

Looping down Rime and Great Northern completed the cycle. East Falls (proper) was open, but Mary is still working on her ski legs. It was either that or a few runs off the Superstar Quad, so off to Superstar we went.

At Superstar, the resort is still pounding it with snow making. Snow Guns have been left to continuously operate on Superstar. After a grooming run or 3, it looks like Superstar will be opening again from top to bottom soon.

Sky Lark was nice machine groomed granular. We did it over a couple of times. Upper Bittersweet was a wind blown skating rink. The turn at the Needles Eye Quad Upper Station was particularly treacherous, as not only was it wind blow hard, but the lights went out as soon as you crested the down hill side of the trail. But so it goes.... nothing ventured nothing gained. No harm not foul. (Fill in the blank with your favorite self loathing phrase... Bittersweet was not a do-over!)

The resort is continuing to make snow in advance of the Christmas season. Now if Mother Nature can keep things cold and give us a little help... all will be right with the world.

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

The Birch Ridge Inn Christmas Tree 

On Monday November 26, 2012, a group of us left the Birch Ridge Inn at Killington in search of the 2012 Birch Ridge Inn Christmas Tree.

Although it may sound easier than it seems, Mary has identified several defunct Christmas Tree farms in the area which have overgrown trees suitable to fill the Great Room at the inn. This years tree stands, at the top of the star, 16 feet with 15 and 1/2 of that being a majestic Vermont grown Fraser fir.

This year the tree is decorated in traditional colored lights and colored glass ornaments. Thousands of strands of tinsel, each one hand placed by Mary, adorn the tree. The tinsel dances with the air currents in the Great Room causing the christmas tree to come alive.

After some editing, this years Christmas Tree video was posted this afternoon on Youtube. You can click on the player below to open up a window to play the video.

Special thanks for helping us hunt down this years tree goes to Walt, Peter, and Howie. They have now become old hands at the annual search, having gone with us for several years now on our annual trek. Thanks also go out to Christmas Tree Monday new comer Ed. While we have gotten trees for Ed and his wife in the past, this is the first year that Ed has officially joined the hunt (and enjoyed breaking egg rolls with the group at lunch!).

In a little bit of Killington news for today, the resort is continuing to hammer the slopes with round the clock snow making. Cold temperatures have settled over the Killington Region, allowing the resort team to continuously make snow. And it looks like (shish...don't tell anyone you might jinx it) that Mother Nature may be sending Killington an early Christmas gift next week. Stay tuned....

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

Superstar getting "Hosed" 

if Mother Nature brings you cold weather, it's time to turn on the snow guns!

In response to the immature snow which fell earlier in the week across the mountains of Vermont, the Killington Resort "hosed up" and once again is making a major move to make snow across their open terrain. And it is glorious!

Mary and I started skiing today at the rather leisurely time of 11:30 this morning. Temperatures across the mountain were in the mid to high 20's with the "Killington Cloud" dimming the sunshine overhead. We parked right at the Snowdon Quad, donned our boots, and were on the chair in less than 10 minutes from leaving the inn, ready to explore the mountain.

Immediately we noticed that the resort was actively making snow over much of their open terrain. Resurfacing operations were taking place on Mouse Trap, Great Northern, Cascades, Superstar, Sky Lark, Rams Head, Caper and Snow Shed. In addition, snow guns were making snow all around the Rams Head, Snow Shed, and K1 base lodges, with the K1 Umbrella Bars getting heavily coated by the lower fan gun on Superstar.

We started skiing up in North Ridge. Rime, Reason, East Falls, Upper Double Dipper, and Down Draft were all well covered. Firm spots prevailed, so sharp edges were appreciated. But there was also plenty of loose granular on most of the trail edges to provide some soft goodness to support turns on aging knees.

Snowmaking operations resume at the Killington Resort, December 12, 2012. Click image to stop rotation. Click again to resume rotation.

We skied out down Great Northern. It was nicely soft in many places from the large number of snow guns deployed along the trail. Mouse Trap and Lower Bunny Buster featured much of the same. While snow guns were not running on Lower Bunny, the large Fan Gun on Mouse Trap was blanketing the Mouse Trap, Great Northern, Chute intersection with loads of snow.

From Lower Bunny Buster we traversed over to Superstar. Snow guns were running from top to bottom to resurface the trail. Superstar was open from the top to the High Road cut off. It looked rather undulating with vestigial water bars present, so we decided to bypass it. Bitter Sweet was nicely covered, and also in beautiful sunshine. Mary called it a do over (probably because of the sunshine). I took a run down Sky Lark, which was also quite nice.

Temperatures in Killington look like snow making operations will continue around the clock for several days, allowing the resort to complete resurfacing and begin some terrain expansion(with luck!). In addition (shish) there is some cold weather event predicted for the north country starting Sunday that looks promising. Wether anything comes of it remains to be seen, but the local weather forecasters are beginning to get a little excited (so cross your fingers and dance the soles of your feet off!). I will believe it again when I can take a snow stake picture with some white stuff to measure with the ruler... But it will come soon enough...

Where ever you may be, keep cranking on your snow dances and aim them at Killington.

Let it snow!

The Birch Ridge Inn Christmas Tree 

....if you live at a ski resort.

But as they say... "when life gives you lemons... you make lemonade!"

The early winter season is now upon us. As is usually the case this time of year we are actively getting the inn ready for the Christmas Holidays and winter ski season. While we wish Mother Nature would drop some snow across the region, we are using the time that we would have spent with the snow blower on other activities around the inn.

Mary has basically completed decorating the inn for Christmas. The tree is fully up in the Great Room. This years tree features old fashion multi-colored lights and colored glass ornaments. The march of the animated toys has also begun. Guests over the weekend were serenaded by the usual culprits included the "Dancing Snowman".

Behind the scenes, I have been having fun once again upgrading the inn's internet network. While we are waiting for Vermontel to upgrade our network connection from 2 load balanced dsl lines to fiber optic service(next summer??), I have been working on the internal network to squeeze out as much bandwidth as possible for the inn's use and the use of our inn guests. Over the weekend I re-cabled our back building (with rooms 5-10) and installed a new wifi node. For the techies out there, that building is now covered by full 802.11N service in both 2Ghz and 5Ghz bands.

Business owners all around town are doing the same. With a stiff upper lip and an eye to the sky, the town is being primped to greet the arrival of holiday visitors over the next few weeks. For their part, the Killington Resort is putting up a fight, taking advantage of every opportunity available to make snow. And with cold weather settling over the area for the week, it looks like they might be able to make some progress.

The restaurant at Birch Ridge begins its regular winter schedule tonight. Once again this winter, our regular winter schedule features dinner in both the restaurant and the Great Room lounge Tuesday through Saturday night starting at 6:00 PM. With winter "officially" set to begin next week, all we need now is for a little cooperation from Mother Nature to make things right.

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