Conditions to be Grateful For

Guns are firing on Mt Mansfield! Snow guns, guys. Stowe Mountain Resort's enormously prolific snow-making is readying for opening day of skiing and riding, TOMORROW! Snow reports from the hill put the snow-making trails average base depth at 24-54 inches. The quad lift is on track to be open, with 8 trails accessible. Weather guru (no kidding, he really is!) Roger Hill predicts dribs and drabs of snow for the next couple of days, and pre-Thanksgiving the clouds will be giving it up with accumulations of "several inches possible". Rumor has it that we're in a cold cycle that will guarantee the guns will be working overtime, piling up the good stuff. Rumor also has it that Spruce Peak will be open by Thanksgiving, and the Gondi by December 6.

A colleague paid a visit to the new and soon-to-open, state-of-the-art luxury Spruce Camp base lodge last week and reported it was "jaw-dropping". Services include a bar, indoor & outdoor fireplaces, restaurants, shops, rental shop, tickets, ski school and public lounge areas. With the new Over Easy inter-mountain transfer gondola, new trails, a new beginner area, new high-speed detachable quads and that amazing and fully-automated snow-making, Stowe is in grand shape this ski season.

And, not to be outdone: This just in from the Sultan of Snow-making, Nordic Style, Sam von Trapp, VP of Special Projects for Trapp Family Lodge. Sam is making good use of their brand new (last year) snowmaking guns, and says, "We plan to open with limited (very limited at the moment) XC skiing for Thanksgiving Day. Trail will be very short, but better than not skiing. Day passes will be at reduced rate."

The chatter right now is "how will the economy affect skiing?". We're pretty optimistic. Stowe is not only the premier ski destination in the East, but easily drive able for tens of millions of travelers: 3.5 hours from Boston, 6 hours NYC, a deuce from Montreal. Then there's the train! Wouldn't it be great to bring back the old Ski Trains? If you've got an extra day or two (high-speed rail remains a fantasy...) it's a super way to decompress while you roll along passing time with a good book or a movie on your laptop. Bonus? Amtrak powers through when the airlines are still contemplating take-off, especially in snowy weather.

Another tick in the affordability column: Stowe Mountain Resort offers discounts on lift tickets all season long, including holidays. Buy multi-day (from 2 days to 7 days) tickets at least 7 days in advance and you'll get 15% off, holidays included. Stowe's Vacation Rewards Program combines lift tickets with other on-mountain services and many Stowe area lodges package it with rooms. One stop shopping. And another budget-friendly tip: Shop Savor Sip Ski promotion nets discounted lift tix. See last week's blog for info.

Thanksgiving Day looms near. Stowe restaurants have some nifty specials for those who choose not to cook (me, me, me!) Drive safely, whether inbound to Stowe or outbound to family/friends. Think Thankful Thoughts.