Ski Season Right Ahead

PHOTO: We can’t wait for the snow to cover the trails at Jackson XC. Jackson XC is extending its snowmaking to include additional distance on the Wentworth Resort Loops. White Mountain Nordic–six cross country ski centers around Mount Washington. Together they offer over 400 km of trails–Bear Notch, Bretton Woods, Great Glen, Jackson XC, Mt. Washington Valley and Purity Spring. WMNordic.com. And more than cross country skiing they offer fatbiking, snowshoeing, skijoring, snow tubing and guided tours.

by Amy Patenaude
Outdoor/Ski Writer

Stick season, the trees are bare and the hiking and mountain bike trails are covered with slippery leaves. Winter is near and skiers and snowboarders are waiting for Mother Nature to deliver snow and cold weather so the resorts can make snow.
Sunday River hosted skiers and snowboarders for a day on Halloween then promptly closed, to claim first to open for the season in the Northeast. Killington and Sunday River opened for the season last week and more resorts are making snow and will open as soon. Bretton Woods opened last Saturday.

It has been a warm Fall but hopefully these cold nights good for snowmaking will continue.
The women’s World Cup skiing circus returns to Killington soon. The giant slalom race will be held on Saturday November 30th and the slalom on Sunday December 1st. US Ski Team member Mikaela Shiffrin will be looking for her seventh and victory at Killington and I hope to be there cheering for her and the rest of the fast US gals.
I have to admit I have been caught a bit flat footed when it comes to being prepared for this ski season. I haven’t gotten any of my winter gear out and I still need to get my new ski boots fitted. I have been too busy riding my mountain bike but I am going to make time next week.
I did buy my season passes and took advantage of the best early bird pricing last Spring. I know that the prices for the Ikon and the Epic prices have already gone up.
The Indy Pass is currently sold out but put your name on their waitlist, I bet they’ll open it up again like they did last year.

Yikes, I just checked SkiNH.com and they are nearly sold out of their annual sale of deep discounted tickets to New Hampshire ski resorts.
Check out the season passes offered at your local ski area. Get your youngster in a ski program, sign-up for school lessons have begun.
SkiNH.com is offering once again their 4th & 5th Grade Passport program. For just $59, students will receive one lift ticket or trail pass voucher to each of the Ski New Hampshire’s 30 member ski areas.
Of course try to never buy a lift ticket at the window at the resort because it is a lot less expensive to purchase your ticket on-line and the earlier the better.
Don’t ignore those emails from your race league director. If you haven’t already signed your team up you better do it soon before your favorite night gets filled. And don’t forget to sign those race waivers and turn them in.

Registration for the New England Nordic Ski Associations Women’s XC Ski Day registration has opened and the annual event this year will be held on January 26th at the Woodstock Nordic Center in Woodstock, Vermont. I have been asked again to be a coach and happily agreed. If you want to have fun and to learn to ski better sign up soon, this popular event always sells out.

The New England Ski Museum’s annual holiday open house in North Conway is being held November 6th and the open house in Franconia on December 27th. Stop on by and meet up with your ski friends or make some new ones.
I hope my ramblings about the current and upcoming ski season helped get you excited and thinking about skiing! Have Fun.