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Today I buckled into my aging, but lovable, Tecnica ski boots (this is the year that I'm getting new boots—and I mean it this time!) and saddled up my Völkl skis to remember what it means to really carve a turn.
Having grown up as a downhill skier, I feel so much more confident with my heel attached to my ski and my boots pushing back against my shins as I flex and crank out some turns.
Bring on the bumps! Bring on the powder! I've got my downhill equipment on!
The downhill runs at Bolton Valley were not all fully covered with snow, but it really was quite good for this early in the ski season. The Skimeister and I got up to the mountain early today and did laps on the Vista quad before calling it quits at lunchtime. We have a low-cost season pass to all of Bolton Valley so we consider ourselves lucky to be able to come and go as we please. The combination of downhill and backcountry trails at Bolton has made us regular visitors to this small resort, which is about 40 minutes from Burlington.
This ski area once was looking like it would go the way of the dinosaurs. But, thankfully, some people saved it from extinction and now brand-new owners are trying to make the resort do more than survive—they are looking to make it thrive.
The new Vista quad chairlift and a conference and event center are two of the most visible additions to Bolton Valley in the last couple of years. For this year, the resort has also added new snowmaking equipment to add to the abundance of snow that dumps on this loftily situated resort.
Now if only they'd pay someone to update the snow conditions and operating information on their website in a timely fashion. That's something that their competitors are doing—so it's time to catch on!
Bolton Valley Resort at a glance:
Base Elevation: 2,100 feet (reportedly Vermont's highest base)
Summit elevation: 3,150 feet
Vertical drop: 1,704 feet
Lifts: 2 quads, 3 doubles, surface lift
Trails: 27% novice, 47% intermediate, 26% advanced
