My first two ski weekendS this year involved considerable stretches of two-lane. Long, winding, mind-numbing two lane. Granted, those trips didn’t require a seven-hour (or more) haul that many of my friends in the West take on. But a drive of three- or four-plus hours can still suck the life out of … [Read more...]
Gone too soon, Jake Burton’s passion for snowboarding endures
There’s always been something about Jake Burton Carpenter that I intrinsically liked. I never personally met the founder of Burton Snowboards, a reality that I’ll always regret after Carpenter passed away from cancer in late November at the age of 65. Not only was Carpenter — known as Jake … [Read more...]
Uncertain future does little to diminish the fun at Vermont’s Jay Peak
The Sky Haus sits atop 3,968-foot Jay Peak, looming precariously over the ski resort like a medieval castle from Tim Burton’s “Nightmare Before Christmas.” The edifice has been perched there proudly for half a century, offering breathtaking views of Quebec’s Eastern Townships to the north. It’s also … [Read more...]
Vermont B&B welcomes pets (and people) to popular inn near Jay Peak
Owning a dog (or several) is one of life’s great joys. Taking care of the family pooch when we’d like to run off for a weekend getaway or a longer vacation is one of life’s great headaches. As much as we love them, our family canines require total commitment. That’s the very least they deserve, in … [Read more...]
Location is everything at The Glen House
According to an engraved plaque atop the Northeast’s highest peak, Mount Washington and its neighboring Presidential Range summits in northern New Hampshire are part of one of the oldest mountain ranges on the planet. Scientists estimate that they once rivaled the Swiss Alps, before the elements … [Read more...]
A primer to help you take the cross-country plunge
Man does not live by downhill alone. Well, that’s not entirely true — I have friends who worship at the altar of the alpine gods. But by doing so, they ignore the very origins of the sport. Nordic skiing — or cross-country, to many folks — was the first way men and women went gliding over the snow, … [Read more...]