Downhill from here: Here it comes | Concord Monitor

And so it begins! Columbus Day weekend saw snow on the highest peaks of the Adirondacks in New York, Vermont's Green Mountains and the mountains of western Maine. The White Mountains caught the best of it with four inches on Mount Washington. Not quite enough to ski on, but certainly enough to raise the pulse of any true snow-lover--including myself.

It got cold again the following Friday, and on Oct. 13, Killington Resort (killington.com) in Killington, Vt. began turning its K1 gondola to bring skiers up and the North Ridge Triple to let season pass and Express Card holders to access the first manmade snow of the year on Rime. No, it didn't really "open" for skiing and riding. It billed it as a "Killington Season Pass

Appreciation Event," an early reward for skiers and riders loyal to the mountain. The announcement contained this warning: 'Early season conditions exist, walking is required and rock skis are recommended.'

At the same time, Sunday River (sundayriver.com) in Newry, Maine started snowmaking top to bottom on its T2 trail with an eye toward getting its Locke Mountain triple chair turning in the near future. I'm sure some local hardcores were out hiking for their first turns of the new season.

Admittedly, the snow was and is limited, and the natural stuff (man-made is much more "durable") can disappear as fast as it came, but early season is always that way; it's as much an exercise in hope and future promise as it is in enjoying the moment. The real point is that, somewhere in the northeast, skiers and riders were playing themselves on snow and riding a lift back up to do it again and again. The ski and ride season for 2012-13 has officially started! There's snow on the slopes. What are you waiting for?

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75x4 equals fun this winter

The winter of 1937-38 was a good one for the New England ski business. Four resorts opened that are still providing loads of fun for skiers and riders. All of them have modernized, of course. Three of the four have high speed lifts but, in some ways, they still feel like they provide an "old time" ski experience. Many of the trails on these hills were cut for skiers, not for grooming machines. Those are the trails you want to try this winter. In fact, do yourself a favor and help all four of these great resorts celebrate their birthdays this winter. You'll be amazed at how young and vibrant 75 can be.

??Cranmore Mountain Resort (cranmore.com) in North Conway.

??Gunstock Mountain Resort (gunstock.com ) in Gilford.

??Pico (802-422-3333; picomountain.com) in Rutland, Vt.

??Shawnee Peak (shawneepeak.com) in Bridgton, Maine.

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Plus 2

Two other New England resorts, one large, one small, "celebrated" (if that's a word you can use about last winter) their 75th anniversaries last season. That's sort of like throwing a birthday party with no cake, no candles, no presents and no party games. Sad.

Personally, I think you should just pretend that Bromley Mountain (bromley.com) in Peru, Vt., and Suicide Six (woodstockinn.com) in South Pomfret, Vt. are celebrating this year. These two great hills deserve to be part of your ski season.

Tim Jones can be reached at timjones@easternslopes.com.

Source: http://www.concordmonitor.com/article/361509/here-it-comes

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