Woot-woot! We got out on the snow for the first time this season!
There's been quite a bit of natural snow falling in the higher elevations of northern Vermont (13 inches now at the stake atop Mt. Mansfield), so we headed for the Stowe - Smugglers’ Notch area. We thought the skiing should be good on Route 108 going through Smugglers’Notch, and we were right!
This section of the road is closed in the winter because it's too tough to plow through tight corners and rocks that elbow their way to the edge of the road. Today we were among dozens of folks (and a number of dogs) making the most of the fully snow-covered road.
Some people skate skied, others did classic skiing like we did with light touring skis. It was a great way to get back in balance and practice some telemark turns down the steepest section of the road.
The snow was mostly packed by skier traffic and a couple inches deep. On the sides, however, there were a few inches of light powder to play in.
Among the skate skiers were high school Nordic racers and a very speedy woman in a uni-suit. This Vermonter turned heads as she zipped by everyone and charged up the hill.
Can you guess which World Cup / Olympic skier we saw in the Notch today? Answer below!
After we skied, we enjoyed lunch and a beer at Crop on the Mountain Road in Stowe. Hey, we couldn't forget to practice our après ski skills, too!
