What a ski winter! Ready for spring skiing?

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What an amazing snowy winter for skiers. Like pennies from heaven, snow storms have been very kind to New England ski resorts, and much of the west. The big winner for snow out west is Big Sky Resort -planning to keep skiing through Easter April 20! Snow season started late for Lake Tahoe, Mammoth, Colorado and Utah, but now they are catching up and catching fresh tracks. with more frequent snow

In New England, cold temps and continuous snow fall has assured skiers of a great ski season. I am at day 44, counting well over a 1,200,000 vertical feet!  And I am not done skiing... could make 50 days! Ironically I have not enjoyed some of the best skiing in New England, travelling from The Alps to Oregon's snowy volcano. And still to come  is my favorite part of ski season - Spring!

How did I miss out on much of New England's snowy winter? Let's see, we skied Big Sky Montana in January- enjoying the new Big Sky Moonlight ownership for the biggest skiing in America.

Early February we hit Western Canada to discover new ski resorts Kicking Horse and Revelstoke - both steep scenic exciting mountains in British Columbia. We also had the adrenaline fix of heli skiing inthe Purcell Mountains with Purcell Heli Skiing and the legendary heli ski terrain of the Monashees with Eagle Pass Heli Skiing.

March we made the epic trip to the Swiss Alps, our second visit there in two years! Skiing the Jungfrau Region was amazing, we'll not soon forget the White Hare off piste run at Wengen, racing down the Lauberhorn or fresh snow of the SchilthornPiz Gloria - very James Bond 007! Gstaad was a surprise - the ski region is spread out over 14 villages, and seven ski sectors - here we stayed at the best Swiss ski hotels - 5 star and fabulous. Two unexpectedly great ski resorts we enjoyed were Engelberg Titlis and Haslital - both incredibly scenic and not yet on most skiers lists...but they should be.

Last but not least, we skied a volcano! Mt Bachelor Oregon delivered fantastic skiing - you can ski all 360-degrees of this conical dormant peak. We had sunshine and superb views two days then got dumped on with 8 inches of dense powder the last two. Staying in the cool town of Bend kept us amused après ski - this great town has the most breweries per capita of any! Cheers to beers after skiing Bachelor's volcano !

So I will see you on the slopes. Sunday River still has all their trails open, 800 acres of springs skiing. Sugarloaf is the King of Spring - Reggaefest and Easter skiing are the Loaf's most loved events of the entire season. Killington has brought the Beast of the East back to life, indicating they will keep lifts spinning as long as they can to reclaim their longest ski season title.

How many days of skiing have you had this winter? Can you calculate your vertical feet accumulation? Or are you just grateful for any and every day on the snowy ski slopes? 

Serious snow!

Thanks Santa...I ask for snow every Christmas - and I am often disappointed that there isn't a big dump and a White Christmas. Well not this year! December has been super snowy - ski resorts and this ski reporter are very pleased with the abundant, frequent snowfall! New England, the Rockies and the Pacific Northwest have been getting serious now, and its been seasonably cold to preserve the frosty flakes.

 

The above snow total map from our friends at Alpine Zone shows signifcant snow depths exceeding last year's yeild across the country.

Already skiers have had more powder days this season than all of last in New England. Sugarloaf Maine in particular has been able to open their glade terrain in Brackett Basin and the Eastern Territory on all natural snow- with base depths of up to 40"...impressive.

My son is a ski instructor at Big Sky Montana and he calls on his way home from work with big stories about how Lone Peak and the Dictactor Chutes opened earlier this season than he can remember, he's been there for three seasons now so that is his "seasoned" perspective.

So thank you Santa, Winter Warlock or whomever is in charge of the frozen precipitation...and my subsequent elation.

Only downside is my friends know I asked for all this snow, and now they want me to come get "my snow" out of their driveways.
This is a great winter to plan that big ski trip. If you are traveling as a ski family, be sure to check out our Family Ski Trip site. If its just you and your sweety, a guys getaway or your gal pals looking for the perfect ski/spa vacation, go to our Luxury Ski Trip site! Happy trails!



The Client List, Zumba, Presidents and Prostitutes

My little town of Kennebunk is making national news. Yes, my Zumba instructor was also turning tricks, videotaping her johns, and evading taxes and its all over the web, TV, newspapers, and local gossip. Can I just say Alexis is a very attractive gal, her Zumba dance workout classes were fun and she is very fit? No defense, just little details. Zumba is like skiing, it's a great work out but you don't feel like you are exercising.  The music, the movement, the hour just flies by. That's all I have to say on the subject - I am not going to get into The Client List, Kennebunk's Coming Out Party for Johns and Janes. While the Zumba/Call Girl scandal has made for lots of humor around town, it will also do some harm to families and friends in our tight community.

Kennebunk and Kennebunkport have been in the national media spotlight before, as the Summer White House for two Ex Presidents. The Bush family has brought fame and fields of reporters to our seaside hamlet through the years. Now that we have two retired Presidents, the attention is more of what we call Bush Gawkers, eager to get a photo of Walkers Point or see George and Barbara in Church, on Fidelity - their boat,  or out at Mabels for Lobster.  George W, or as we call him - 43, versus his dad 41, actually mountain bikes with my friends - a fantastic athlete and great guy they say. Not a zumba guy. 
 

Kennebunkport's Christmas Prelude, a holiday celebration the first two weekends of December, has also brought tv coverage with the Today Show,  Travel Channel, HGTV and Food Wars. I rarely participate in Prelude as it conflicts with the start to New England's ski season and my small Maine town is more packed than the ski slopes. So welcome to my world, the Kennebunks - home of Presidents, Prelude and Prostitution... party on!

In other news, the leaves out my Family Ski Trips office window are turning faster than you can say Kennebunkport Zumba scandal. So soon it will be ski season.  We are preparing our editorial and travel calendar for winter 2012-13, ski resorts are blowing the mice out of their guns, and prepping for a much bigger snow year than last...ok maybe Oregon, Washington and Austria being the exception as they made out like snowy bandits during last year's snow drought every where else.

Our ski friends at Sugarloaf, Saddleback, Aspen and Lake Louise are posting frosty photos on facebook, Killington is making snow, one resort called the contrast of autumn leaves a fresh dusting of snow "snowliage" ... love that! So enjoy the snowliage...ski season will be here faster than you can fill in the blank_____. 

Think snow, do your Zumba snow dance, and be ready for the first ski resorts to open!