Enough of “someday.”
In the midst of another ski season, it can become all too easy to remain complacent with our skiing and riding adventures. Then again, with a new year upon us, perhaps it’s time to dedicate ourselves to some resolutions to create a different winter environment than we might normally enjoy. Since we’re a bit past the point of committing to stay in shape, lest we avoid the burn of our legs after a day on the hill, here are just a few things I hope to accomplish in 2017.
Ski someplace new Take a lesson Ready, set, go The first chair on a powder day Get the kids excited Do some good Ski more
In more than three decades of skiing across New England, I’ve been lucky enough to experience nearly every ski area and resort in the region. But I’ve never skied in Connecticut. I’ve never had the opportunity to enjoy Rhode Island’s Yawgoo Valley, or Jimmy Peak in Western Mass. Gunstock, in Gilford, N.H. has always been on my “to-do” list, as has Mad River Glen and Shawnee Peak. At least one of them will go onto this year’s itinerary.
You’re never too old to stop learning, and frankly, it’s a given that I could use more tutoring when it comes to skiing in the glades. They’ve got some of the best tree skiing in the East at Smugglers’ Notch, combined with one of the best ski schools in the country, making the transition to quick turns and deep powder a rewarding experience.(Non-holiday: $105 first person, $75 per additional person, $75 per additional hour. Holiday: $125 first person, $75 per additional person, $75 per additional hour).
The Hannes Schneider Meister Cup, held at Cranmore Mountain Resort in North Conway every March, has long been on my bucket list. This fun-filled race is a tribute to skiing’s roots in New Hampshire, including dressing up in vintage ski attire to create the perfect retro environment.
It can take some work, depending on how fierce the storm was, but a true powder day really begins by standing first in line, awaiting for the lift to spin at 9 a.m. Track the snow and followed the scent to first tracks at a prime location. Few things are better than being the first to dive into a new snowfall.
My daughter will be four years old in February, which makes this the perfect season to pop her into a pair of bindings and at least get a feel for the snow. As for my two sons, they’re ready to take the next steps in their skiing pursuits, that is when they’re not tied up with basketball or indoor soccer practice. That’s why we are setting a schedule of dedicated “ski weekends” this season. The hope is that they’ll come to feel the passion that their father has for the sport.
The 13th Annual 100,000 Foot Vertical Challenge will take place on March 13 at Wildcat Mountain in Pinkham Notch, N.H. Skiers are required to raise at least $250 to benefit Make-A-Wish New Hampshire, in order to log 48 runs on the mountain’s Lynx Trail, or 100,000 combined vertical feet.
Well, obviously.
Ski resolutions for 2017
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