Snow Storm 2 24 10

You’ve seen the News, You have or had it in your own Back Yards but don’t forget we have the Snow, Mountains, Views, quaint Villages, and Open Space to enjoy it. Come to Central Vermont and see for Yourself.

Central Vermont has what you need for excellent skiing, boarding, snow shoeing, snow mobiling, and more. Mother Nature has delivered several signinficant snow storms of 12-36″ each time.  The latest snow fall of significance was just a bit over a week ago and that left over 2.5′ here in Mendon Vermont.  If December, January and February weren’t perfect enough, we are surely set for a fantastic month of March snow play!

I know first hand how wonderful the snow has been in Central VT -I’m not just blogging about something I don’t know and haven’t personally been enjoying all season. My daughters are ski racers so I have been all over mid-Vermont. I have skied the large mountains like Okemo and Killington a half a dozen times each or more. Each time was excellent. Stowe Resort once and it too was great. Yes after a bit of rain one week Suicide Six, Ascutney, Quechee – could have been better but to be expected skiing a few days after significant rain.

And I do more than ski in my free time… after our latest 2.5′ snow fall I did some snowshoeing with a friend in Chittenden – what a workout that was and this week with my husband off of Wheelerville Road right here in Mendon, a very nice 2 hr walk.  So there you have it but don’t just take my word for it- get to Central Vermont and Experience it for yourself.

Check out the latest ski conditions at Killington Resort, Pico Mountain, and Okemo Mountain.

Cross Country Skiing anyone? We have two resorts sure to please. Check out Mountain Top Inn Cross Country Ski Center and Mountain Meadows Cross Country Ski Center.

What could be better than a peaceful walk in the woods? Put on some snowshoes and try it out. We have LOTS of snow in the woods here. I tried it out myself just the other day. Want a guided snowshoe tour? We have you covered in Central VT. Check out Vermont Adventure Tours and their guided tours and moonlight tours.

Snowmobiling anyone? Check out Killington Snowmobile Tours for a guided tour or if you have your own, jump on the VAST trail system for some back country snowmobiling. You will love it!

Remember -The temps are warmer in March in Central Vermont- mid 30s today but that doesn’t mean there isn’t some serious skiing and winter recreation still left to enjoy. Daylight savings time is March 14th so it is lighter longer as well.

See you on the slopes or the trails.

Jennifer

A day of “market research” on the slopes of Killington. Mobile phones with call forwarding and e-mail with Verizon allow us to take calls anywhere we go.

We only skied for 3 hours but in a few hours we did get some great skiing in, well….at least until Mitchell decided to do a face plant on Launch Pad. That was our last run for the day. A total wipe out but he is fine. He is nursing a bruised and swollen thumb with ice as I type. He is so much appreciating that helmet that he has now! Rule #1 for everyone venturing to the slopes this year- buy a helmet before hitting the slopes. We each have one and they are so important. Compare it to having a seat belt on while driving in a car. Everyone is wearing them now, they keep your head warm, and they come in many stylish colors. Be smart. Invest in a helmet if you haven’t done so already. That’s my health and safety tip of the day!

Back to the skiing… conditions were more than decent. For midweek and early in the season we thought it was a bit busier than we would have expected but we soon learned that there is a ski instructor clinic going on all week and there is a contingency of students from the UK visiting for holiday for the week. Not a big deal though for us or really for anyone else. Just a few people in the gondola line but it went smoothly. Most runs were pretty nicely covered, eight lifts were running, and the temps weren’t too bad. I even conquered the poma lift today. Not my favorite way to get up a mountain but I did it just so I could tell my kids I did it. It is a lot easier to take that lift as beginner poma rider when there is no one there but you and the poma lift operator.

We skied until noon, used the 15% discount on food and retail we get as season pass holders, at the K1 lodge for lunch, and then made it back to the Inn by 1:30.

Bottom line: Killington looks great and with the forecasted colder temps, the snow making scientists up there will be making lots and lots of snow!

Jennifer & Mitchell Duffy, Innkeepers
The Vermont Inn, the True Vermont Experience

Attention Skiers: New snow at Killington Resort!

Alex &Shannon Duffy at the peak of Killington Resort

Yesterday and last night mother nature delivered another snow fall and just
in time for some early season weekend skiing! It started snowing Saturday mid morning and it kept going into the evening. Here in Mendon we woke up to probably 2″ or more of fresh snow on the 6 acres here on our little mountain, which meant Killington received even more. Our girls were so excited yesterday that they pulled out the sleds and with their friends they went sledding for nearly an hour and a half on our hill with just that couple inches of snow. They had a blast and were so thrilled to finally have enough natural snow on the ground.

So… this morning we woke up at 7:30 and I packed the girls and all the skis in
the car and were on the gondola by 9:30 am. 15 trails and 4 lifts were running
today to help get those skier legs ready for another season. The runs were nice, the snow very decent, and the crowds were there but that is what you get on a Sunday, especially with limited lifts and terrain open. It was the first time I have had to park in parking lot #5 and hoof my way up to the K-1 with bags and skis in tow but it was worth it. We all had fun enjoying the cool air, sun, and fresh white stuff. Of course, keeping up with my racer girls is getting harder and harder each year. They humor me and hang with me for a few runs before venturing out to poma lifts and harder terrain. Oh well… we created the monsters so to speak.

The weather here in Vermont for the month of November was a bit unusual, but the good news is that this time…. everything indicates that this snow on the ground will be here for some time. The 10 day forecast looks great with temps in the low 20s and teens each night and perfect for Killington and Pico to be pumping out that snow while we sleep. During the day it looks like we are past those unusual spring like days and the temps are going to return to typical Vermont December days with temps in the 20s and low 30s. So…. dust off those skis, get the ski racks ready, and get up here as fast as you can. No more excuses. The snow is here to stay.

Killington Resort is now open daily and each day more and more terrain will be opening and more and more lifts will be running. Pico Mountain will be opening Saturday, December 12th and from the looks of Pico driving by today, I would say plans are going according to schedule. Yesterday Pico was making and blowing snow on the front runs during the middle of the day and they should continue through the night. Pico Mountain is looking great!

Tips for Season Pass Holders- I just learned today that season pass holders this year will get 15% off all food at Killington lodges. Very cool!

Bottom line- it took some time for winter to get here but WINTER HAS ARRIVED here in Central Vermont. Make your plans today to come up and check it out for yourself. I did this morning and it was beautiful.

Jennifer Duffy
The Vermont Inn, the True Vermont Experience

It’s that time of year ….. Time to plan the annual ski vacation for the family.
How to decide the where, what month, what type of lodging, how much to budget, etc can take a bit of planning and research. Read on for our interpretation on what to consider when making your decisions and, of course, our opinion on the best ski mountains here in Central Vermont.

Central Vermont has plenty to offer for all skiing levels and abilities. Whether you like small family mountains with a trail map that fits on one small sheet of paper in your pocket or the larger resorts that allow you to ski a different trail each run during a six hour skiing day but will also need a strategy prepared before hitting the trails with the family, Central Vermont has it.

Prior to moving to Vermont from New Jersey three plus years ago, we struggled like you to decide where to go with our young family. Several factors came into play… we wanted a place that was family friendly, had lessons or daycare available half day for the girls so we could ski a few runs on the harder trails in the a.m., had friendly staff that was consistent for the kids and had a good reputation for kid’s programs, had some family friendly restaurants, and lodging accommodations that allowed us some alone time without worrying about where the kids were in the hotel or lodge and accommodations that had family suites with two bedrooms. Ticket prices of course were always a factor since we wanted at least a half day to ski with the kids but knew we wanted value for the ticket if we new at the start we would be spending at least half a day on greens and easier blues, while stopping and starting along the way.

These are some of the items to consider for the Where in our introduction.

On to the When – we found when skiing with children that avoiding holiday periods with all the people on the mountains, additional holiday rate expense, worked for our family. Many years we found ourselves at resorts mid-week where we paid for group lesson rates and the girls had private lessons and the instructors really got to know the girls and remembered their names one day to the next. This made the experience so much nicer for the girls, who after all were a bit nervous on
occasion to being left in a lesson while Mom & Dad skied off. So.. if your children are on the younger side in school and missing school a day or two can be less of a concern at that age anyway, pull them out a Thursday and Friday or a Monday and take a trip over a longer weekend so you get some of that mid-week benefit. Of course as a mom with one in junior high years, I might not do that so quickly now but early elementary for us was fine.

Now for which month – well if you or your family don’t like the possibility of skiing in some single digit temps, you might want to consider late February or March. We took our girls the first week of March every year from the time they were 3 years old. There are no guarantees that late February or March will have those lower temps in Vermont, but normally it is warmer. If temperature is not a concern and you have the right gear, then January is a great time of year because not only do you avoid holiday rates but we find that January is not as busy as February and that may be in part because people in general don’t take vacations in a month of year when they are also paying off holiday shopping expenses. This last item played a part in our decision making for our family. January was not as good for us for that financial factor- holiday bills to pay off before purchasing a ski vacation was a priority.

Where to go – Well there are several nice mountains in Central Vermont, all with great reputations and each a little unique from the other. We have skied them all and as our girls got older the resorts did get larger for us but we always went back to the smaller mountains as well where many fond memories of learning to ski all began. So.. if you are new to skiing yourselves or a skiing with others that are new to skiing, you might want to consider some family friendly smaller resorts:

Pico Mountain is our top choice with Bromley Mountain just a bit further south at the very top of our list as well. These family resorts can keep even an experienced skier busy and challenged with their beginner to expert terrain. However, if you are ready for a few more lodges, a few more lunch options during the day, a decent terrain park or two, and some kind of Apres ski experience at the mountain, while still also being family friendly – consider Okemo Mountain and Sugarbush Mountain. If you are all about alpine skiing and terrain parks and are ready for even more terrain, the longest runs of top to bottom skiing, six lodges, 141 trails and 70 acres of skiable terrain, first to open and last to close for the season, and night life beyond just Apres ski, consider the Beast of the East – Killington Resort.

We have skied all of these mountains and many others not mentioned here in Vermont and New Hampshire, and those mentioned above in Central Vermont are our top picks and right up there with the best skiing in New England!

How Much To Budget is really harder to address as it really depends on the experience you are seeking and the resort you end up at. Here is a line-up of day ticket adult pricing to use as a benchmark for planning. This is only one of the pieces to the whole skiing vacation but it is a vital one.

Prices are window ticket rates for adults:

Pico Mountain – $45 Mon & Thursday, $57 Weekend

Bromley Mountain – $39 mid-week, $65-68 for Weekend and Holiday

Okemo – $72 mid-week, $77 weekend

Sugarbush- $77 midweek, $82 Weekend and Holidays

Killington -$77 mid-week including Friday, $82 weekend and Holidays

These are window rack rates. Keep in mind that many if not all of these mountains offer ways to save on lift tickets, and in some cases even for the one day tickets. Consult each website for E-ticket pricing. Many mountains offer deep discounts for certain dates of skiing at times of the season when they want to draw traffic and with those offers they run like airline ticket sales where there are a certain # up for sale and you have to grab them when you can. Another good option is the lodging properties that spend marketing dollars to market with the mountains – they have discount tickets. Most savings off the rack rate occur when you can ski two days or more at the same mountain. Check the resorts websites often for their Deals of the Day.

Most importantly – Have Fun! You’ll have a great time no matter where you go!

Jennifer & Mitchell Duffy, Innkeepers

The Vermont Inn, the True Vermont Experience

Fall is in the air and on the trees here in Central Vermont!

The first day of Autumn was September 22nd and the colors were right on time. Soon enough Killington, Rutland, Woodstock and off the rest of Central Vermont will be at peak foliage. We are completely decked out in fall color, just waiting for your visit to the beautiful Green Mountains. There is limited room availability in the area at this time of year, so if you want to catch the magic of Mother Nature you should make arrangements very soon. Don’t forget about dinner reservations as well if you are visitign in the area. The better restaurants fill up fast this time of year.

While you’re in the Killington area check out some of the hay bale sculptures. There are some very well done, creative pieces all around the area.

This weekend there is plenty going on in Central Vermont. Enjoy Antiquing? This weekend there will be many Antique shows in the area, including the highly acclaimed Weston Antique Show, running Friday and Saturday from 10-5 pm each day. Make a day of it and stop by the famous Vermont Country Store where you will be taken back in time with your favorite foods, candies, toys, clothing, and household items. My kids love this place, sampling the candies, marveling at the old fashioned toys and games. I personally enjoy shopping for the household items.

Enjoy beer ? Don’t miss Killington’s annual Brewfest at Killington Mountain’s Snow Shed Lodge. 60+ brews, food, and live entertainment this Saturday 1-6 pm. Tickets are just $25 and includes a souvenier tasting glass.

Enjoy comedy and music? Get to the new News in Revue - straight from NYC, this group of talented artists will make you laugh all night long. Sit back at Ovations Restaurant inside Killington’s Grand Hotel. I went last week with a friend and had a great time. It is definitely worth visiting. Tickets for the 7:00 evening show are $30 pp.

The colors are beautiful and you can enjoy them a number of ways: We have guests that prefer to walk or hike the trails and villages to see the colors and we have guests that prefer to cover larger areas of the Green Mountains, and will travel by car to several different scenic routes, while stopping in one village after another to explore. A third option is a guided tour and for this I would suggest you check out Vermont Backroad Tours. Owner, Kelly Socia, will take you out by van to the backroads of Vermont with narrated friendly discussion on what you are seeing. He is a Vermonter and knows the area better than most. My parents and kids took his tour last fall and had a great time; they went to places that my girls had not been to and learned quite a lot about Vermont in the process. A fourth option for exploring Central Vermont this fall is to pick up one of the color maps that focus on one of Vermont’s many famous Vermont made products: maple syrup, cheese, and marble are a few items that have their own trail maps where you can travel from one dairy farm, maple farm, or marble quarry to another.

No matter which way you prefer to see Central Vermont, you won’t be disappointed. There is plenty to do and see in the area so when making your plans to come explore the Central Vermont region of New England, consider needing several days to take it all in.

New England Fall Travel Tips

Travel Tip #1 – Airline travel
If you are traveling to Vermont by air make sure you pack correctly. Don’t keep any liquids or creams or anything sharp in your carry-on bags. They will usually be confiscated and hold up your check-in process. Wear shoes that are easy to take off and put on while going through security, it will make things much less awkward. If you are flying into Burlington or really any city airport and arriving late at night into rural areas of Vermont, once you get on the main interstates there will be few options for exits with late night convenience stores and food, so make sure you have enough gas, snacks and coffee before you leave Burlington. A lesson I learned personally when traveling Rt. 89 late after 10 pm.

Travel Tip – #2 Reserve Early and get the GPS address

The weather here in Central Vermont can surely be unpredictable and this includes the summer. Going on three years now living here in Central Vermont and this is the first time in a while we have hit 90 degrees. The inground outdoor pool received plenty of use last week by my own family and plenty of visiting guests and their families, making all the effort we put into maintaining this pool really worth it. There is nothing like jumping into a cool 68 degree pool, creek, or stream on a humid 90 degree day here in Vermont! You don’t need a pool, of course, here in Vermont, as there are plenty of natural swimming opportunities within just a few minutes but a pool is nice to have on days like we have been having.

A few other Duffy favorites on ways to stay cool:

Quechee Gorge is a pleasant 40 minute drive east on Route 4. Take the short walk down to the bottom via the Visitor’s Center and wade in tidal pools while witnessing some beautiful running water from this vast gorge or for those interested in getting completely wet – jump into the deep water from some rock cliffs from the side.

Buttermilk Falls is located in Ludlow, route 4 west to 100 south. This is a great day trip and involves walking a bit and exploring the several waterfalls. Bring a lunch, towel, water shoes, and make it a day. Rock diving and swimming in many areas. Walking and hiking trails to enjoy as well.

Tubing on the White River at Vermont River Tubing is also a favorite past time on a hot day. Located on Route 100 north in Stockbridge, this a great way to soak up some sun (with the appropriate sun screen) and get wet.

Crystal Beach at Lake Bomoseen is another perfect location to enjoy a beach, swimming, picnicking, volleyball, and many other fun summer activities. Didn’t pack a lunch- no problem, the Lake Bomosseen Bar Grill is just a quick stroll from the beach and great place to grab a glass of wine and a bite right on the deck at lakeside.

Chittenden Reservoir – just 10 minutes from Mendon and The Vermont Inn, this is a perfect location for kayaking, canoing, and swimming. Rentals are available in several locations nearby. Have your own? Great – port it right at the public boat launch on the reservoir and paddle away. While out there on the reservoir – run your kayak or canoe to land and explore the many little islands out there where you’ll often find locals camping, star gazing, and enjoying all that the reservoir has to offer.

Rope Swing at Quechee/Woodstock – Are you a little more adventurous? Ok then…take River Road from Billings Farm to the river or go over the Taftsville bridge from Route 4 and drive along the river until you find cars parked along the side. This is where many local youth hang out and where this a rope swing that flys you out to the middle of the river. My kids LOVE this place. Nothing like swinging like Tarzan from a rope swing on a hot day and dropping 25 feet into some really cold water.

Swimming Hole in Gaysville – Located on Route 100 North below the Gaysville Post Office and just 20 minutes from Mendon VT, you will find a very popular swimming hole. Rock diving, jumping with different cliffs to jump from and a sandy and a rocky beach to hang out on.

The Vermont Inn – for those that prefer more modern approaches to staying cool and wet, The Vermont Inn located on Route 4 in Mendon has a newly renovated pool area that is cooled with our very own well water. Lounge chairs, perennial gardens, tables with umbrellas and picnic tables at pool side.

Jennifer & Mitchell Duffy, Innkeepers
The Vermont Inn, the True Vermont Experience

Sorry it has been several weeks since our last post. July was a busy month here at The Vermont Inn and in the Killington region as well. The month started with the first annual Killington Triathlon and then right after that we were at the Killington Wine Festival. Both events were very successful. The Killington Triathlon in its first year from Piranha Sports did very well. The Killington Wine Festival in its 8th year saw more participants on Saturday, July 18th than in any prior year. Our very own 2nd wine dinner at The Vermont Inn and as part of the Killington Wine Festival went very smoothly on July 18th. Forty-Seven (47) wine lovers had a wonderful time enjoying wine from Australia and New Zealand with a perfect presentation from David Faulkner of Country Vintners and Gerd from Vermont Wine Merchants and of course a perfect four course meal prepared by our own chef, Stephen Hatch. Thank you to all of you: David, Stephen, and Gerd.

Other news and happenings in the area: Rutland hosted this weekend its annual Ethnic Festival. I attended tonight with my two young daughters. It was lively with good food, music,and shopping. If you missed it this year, I do recommend that you catch it next year. Rutland Vermont is the 3rd largest city in VT and as such has so much to offer. This festival is just one of many that are held throughout the year.

Coming Soon – Woodstock will be hosting its first Taste of Woodstock event on August 8th on the streets of Woodstock. Local restaurants will be pulling out the stops to present to everyone the finest in food. This is an event not to be missed. I do hope to get there myself.

I did break out of VT for 2 days with my two young daughters. We went across the border to NH to the White Mountains and to visit a popular waterpark: Whales Tales Water Park in Lincoln NH and Loon Mountain. A great two days. The park was very nice and a perfect theme like park involving all water rides. The stay at Mtn Club at Loon was very nice with plenty to do for us all. The White Mountains are nice but I’m still very partial to the Green Mountains of VT. Tuesday they leave for two weeks for MN to visit grandparents- trading in mountains for lots of lakes and more lakes for just two weeks.

Summer has arrived here in Central Vermont. Ignore the media…the rain is past us now. The flowers and grass look great as a result of June’s rain but now we’re into the low 80s but without the humidity. At night it is still cool and sweater weather and very comfortable for sleeping without air conditioning! Come up to the mountains. You won’t regret it. Pull out that kayak or rent one while here and jump in a mountain lake or reservoir for a peaceful day of reflection and a bit of exercise. I did just that this week with a friend and hit the Chittenden Reservoir at 10 am. Paddled for an hour or so, got a good workout on my arms, took in some great mountain views, and then was ready to take on the world…or at least another busy week and weekend at The Vermont Inn.

Jennifer Baxter Duffy, Innkeeper
The Vermont Inn, the True Vermont Experience