Let’s be honest, many skiers love this coast. After all, the Green Mountains sure beat the canyons of Manhattan.
Weekend life, then, for many skiers, brings continual, loving escapes to Vermont. And yes, skiing is only part of the draw. Wander through the Green Mountains from Wilmington or Manchester Center toward Brattleboro, for instance, and the mountains reveal devilishly different angles and views. Compare and contrast Wilmington and Brattleboro and folks can glimpse a balancing of small town life, small urban development, weekend tourism, and architectural reflections of times past and yet to be.
The balancing contrasts of Vermont are enticing. Many weekend skiers are truly smitten. The truth is, I like these contrasts. Sure, the skiing is the draw, but the charm can’t be beat. And, judging by the crowds who wander in and about the shops, stores, and valleys, Vermont is above all else perhaps, a true study in contrasts. Close to city life, yet removed. Full of great skiing, yet balanced by quiet cross-country trails and exciting snowmobile adventures.
True, Vermont has changed. So too, though, have the people who live, travel, and play in the region. Truthfully, though, the same can be said for ski regions in Colorado and Utah. In fact, times have changed. Tourism has changed, Skiing has changed. It’s just life.
In truth, though, the popularity of Vermont as a tourist destination is, to a great degree, a product of the ski industry. Yet the industry remains dictated to by the whims of Mother Nature. And Mother Nature remains fickle. One year - last year, for instance, the snow was extraordinary. In contrast, while not poor, this season does seem unusual when Washington, DC, snowfall seems to rival New England. Still, whatever the snowfall, the ski experience is only part of a weekend or winter escape.
Vermont is more than just a great place to ski. It is an intangible place. Much more than a destination. Much more than a spot on a map. Vermont personifies a spirit, a composition of yesterday and today, a feeling which can touch our hearts, as well as a place to rest, work, play, and escape.
A friend of mine, a native Vermonter who lived in Vail briefly before settling permanently near Mount Snow, once told me he loves the mix of people who visit Vermont. He loves the natives. He loves the weekend guests. And he loves the second-home owners who add necessary tax dollars. I smiled when he told me because he was also telling me that we can all enjoy his great state, without necessarily being from his state. He’s from Vermont of course. And I’m not. And his wife’s not. But he also told me we are all from different places.
I guess it’s not where we come from, really, that matters. What matters, to my friend at least, is who we become. Who we love. How we treat others. And how we treat each other. Sweet.
Vermont, is of course, marketed by resorts to weekend guests. Like other places. We see Maine, as a contrast, marketed through photos of lighthouses and red lobsters. Vermont, too, is marketed. Sold. But in a different way. It too is packaged. With scenes of winter beauty. Covered bridges. And packed powdery slopes. But the past and present converge most comfortably on the byways – off the highways – in and about the mountains. We see it in the scenes and steeples. We see it at the covered bridges. And we see it on the slopes. Okay. A covered bridge is classic Vermont!
On the lifts, at Mount Snow or Stratton, for instance, it is common to hear one skier or rider ask another if they are a local or tourist. Resident or visitor. As if, at that moment, it matters. I mention this, because at that moment – however brief – it does not matter. It will later, when one returns home. When one pays bills. And when work and daily life resume. But for that ever brief moment, on the lifts, both share a similar set of values and views. A view of Vermont’s mountains. A feeling for the snow. And a brief escape from other life events.
See if you agree: Nature can comfort. Mountains can soothe. Skiing can bring peace.
There is something infinitely precious, then, about winter escapes to Vermont. So precious, actually, that while working in Lincoln, NH, for several weeks some time ago, I was not surprised to hear a resort worker tell me of his ski vacation to a Vermont resort. And tell me about his enjoyment of the Green Mountains. Wow! He lives in the mountains, he can ski free at the mountain where he works, and he took a vacation to Vermont. Is that drama or dramatic?
We know, of course, that the ski industry is driven by dollars. Money. So is life. But, the sport of skiing and money may not always have to get in the way of each other. Or shouldn’t. Vermont is more than just a place for skiing. It’s more than just about nostalgia, more even than stories like this. It’s a guardian of people. Of values. And a skiing life.
The great poet T.S. Eliot once wrote that it is the journey in life that matters. For all who journey to ski, whether for a day, weekend, week, or lifetime, that journey can be profound. Here at The Deerfield Valley News, we think skiing, riding, and Vermont is about more than a run. It’s about more than a single day in the mountains. We think this is a special place. Whether visiting for a day, a week, or a lifetime, may you treasure your time in the Green Mountains. From your first run to your last run.
Carpe diem.
Contributing writer Tony Crespi has served as both a ski school supervisor and development team coach. A frequent contributor to publications throughout snow country, his column is published throughout the season.
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