New Uphill Travel Policy

We're caught in a little snow squall this morning, picking up 1" of fluff so far and nothing makes me want to hit the slopes more than new snow falling from the sky. It also makes me yearn for steep & deep effortless pow turns later in the season when our backcountry fills in. Sadly, we're not quite there yet, thanks to Mother Nature's latest cruel joke, but give it a few more weeks. 

Since it's not quite deep or soft enough to trek through our 100km of backcountry terrain, some people might be jonesing to get their uphill winter hike on and test out some new gear on our alpine slopes. We understand, empathize with and appreciate your enthusiasm for skiing with us. That's why, this season, we've outlined a brand new Uphill Travel Policy designed to allow our guests to skin or splitboard uphill both during and outside of operating hours. Please read the guidelines through before attempting to skin or hike uphill, stay only on highlighted routes and obey the restrictions set forth. Happy hiking!

Bolton Valley 2014-15 Uphill Travel Policy

Uphill travel on skis is permitted at Bolton Valley. Skiers are advised to adhere to the following guidelines:

• During hours when lifts are open, uphill skiers must have a lift ticket for the day, season pass, Nordic day ticket for the day, or Nordic season pass. Uphill skiers do so at their own risk.
• During hours when lifts are not open, uphill skiers access Bolton Valley property at their own risk and do not need a ticket or a pass.
• AT ALL TIMES the two routes designated for uphill skiing are:
• Wilderness: Turnpike to Peggy Dow’s
• Timberline: Twice as Nice to Woods Hole to Brandywine
• Access to uphill skiing is limited to theses routes both during and outside of operating hours. 
• No uphill traffic is permitted to the top of Vista.
• Skiers should stay to their left when traveling uphill.
• Please form single file lines when skiing uphill.
• No dogs.
• No snowshoes. Access is limited to skiers and split snowboards only.
• Use headlamp and reflective clothing at night.
• Do not travel alone. Always have at least one other person with you.
• In case of an emergency when lifts are open contact Ski Patrol at 802-434-6892. Please carry a cell phone.
• In case of an emergency when lifts are closed call 911.

WARNING

• Be aware of grooming machines and snow machines and let them pass.
• Yield to all downhill traffic. Downhill traffic has the right of way.
• Do not access trails that you can see are being groomed.
• Please do not access trails where snowmaking is occurring.
• There are no rescue personnel on duty at Bolton Valley Resort after regular operating hours.
• Be prepared for extreme winter conditions and sudden weather changes.
• Use properly maintained equipment.
• There are many inherent dangers to winter mountain sports. Use care and caution at all times.

Access to Bolton Valley Resort premises for recreational use after hours is governed by Vermont law [12 V.S.A. 5791 et seq].

Access Is At Your Own Risk.

Tele Turns, Dance Parties and Torchlight Parades

Welcome back to another weekend! This is one of my favorite times of the season because there's so many events going on every day, everybody is in a great mood (presents, duh) and the skiing and riding is typically pretty fun. This season, we were gifted nearly six feet of snow since Dec. 1 which has us well ahead of our pace a year ago. We suffered through the recent warmup along with all our neighbors, but thanks to our award-winning groomer pilots, everything has been fixed up and you can expect wall-to-wall whiteness on all our open terrain.

Sure, the skiing is great, but that's old news. Like I said, some of the most fun parts of this time of year are the events happening off the snow. From campfires to snowshoe tours to inflatable bouncy madness, check out what's happening in our backyard this weekend, other than soft turns.

Holiday Week Events Schedule:

Saturday, December 27^th

2:00 – 7:00 p.m.                      Indoor Amusement Center: Inflatable Games and Video Games.*

4:00 - 8:00 p.m.                      Bolton After Dark: $19 lift tickets, nightly beer & food specials.

4:30 – 6:30 p.m.                      Camp fire, cookies and hot chocolate. Sit and warm up or just stop by in between runs! Fire will be held slopeside outside BV Sports.

Sunday, December 28^th

2:00 – 7:00 p.m.                      Indoor Amusement Center: Inflatable Games and Video Games.*

2:00 - 5:00 p.m.                      DUX the Balloon Man: Free balloon sculptures for everyone!

3:00 - 4:30 p.m.                      Complimentary snowshoe tour. Meet at the Nordic Center.**

Monday, December 29^th

2:00 – 7:00 p.m.                      Indoor Amusement Center: Inflatable Games and Video Games.*

4:00 – 5:00 p.m.                      Free magic show in Fireside Flatbread, upstairs in the Base Lodge

Tuesday, December 30^st

2:00 – 7:00 p.m.                      Indoor Amusement Center: Inflatable Games and Video Games.*

6:00 – 8:00 p.m.                      Free Ice Cream Social and kids’ movie in the Gardner Lane Room (A.K.A. the Family Room, fifth floor of the hotel)

Wednesday, January 31^st

2:00 – 7:00 p.m.                      Indoor Amusement Center: Inflatable Games and Video Games.*

7:00 - 9:00 p.m.                      Snowshoe to the top of Snowflake lift to watch Fireworks & Torchlight parade from above. Meet at Nordic Center.

8:30– 9:00 p.m.                       Torchlight parade and Fireworks: best viewed from the base lodge.

9:00 - 11:30 p.m.                     Teen Dance Party at the Indoor Amusement Center

9:00 - 1:00 a.m.                      New Year's Eve Party in Fireside Flatbread featuring live music from Full Cleveland.

Thursday, January 1^st

2:00 – 7:00 p.m.                      Indoor Amusement Center: Inflatable Games and Video Games.*

*Complimentary for hotel guests. $8 for general public, $6 for Bolton Valley lift ticket holders. $5 for Bolton Valley season pass holders. The Indoor Amusement Center is located in the Sports/Nordic Center, the white building at the opposite end of the parking lot from the main base lodge 

**Complimentary snowshoe rentals for hotel guests and season pass holders. $20 rentals available for general public.

Welcome Back Wednesday

How's that for an opening weekend?

Wow. I've had that stupid powder grin plastered to my face since Friday and I think my legs are still struggling to catch up with my stoke level. Everyone I talk to can't remember an Opening Day where the snow was so good and the enthusiasm so high, so I'll give Mother Nature a quick shout-out here for the epic storm, but extend a bigger thanks to everyone who came out last weekend. There was no shortage of smiles and you all made the day unforgettable. Cheers to a killer start and let's keep it going!

It's Wednesday, which kind of stinks (because it's not a weekend), but is kind of great as well. You're halfway there! A few more meetings, conference calls and extended lunch breaks and you'll be sliding on snow here once again. To energize and keep you going, here's what to expect for the next few days.

Weather: A little mixy this morning, turning back to snow by afternoon and possibly leaving us with a few new inches by Thursday/Night. Temps will slowly drop again, which is great news for snowmaking, and we might finally see the sun on Saturday. Really! Looks like a banner weekend.

Events: THIS SUNDAY, Dec. 21 is Santa Sunday. Dress head-to-toe in your best Kringle attire and receive a free lift ticket for the day. Reindeer, cookies and gifts for your friendly neighborhood snow reporter are optional, but highly, highly encouraged.

Deals: Late Night At Bolton Valley (every Friday): Two extra hours of skiing, live music, weekly food & drink specials and $19 lift tickets from 7-10pm. Oh, and Fireside Flatbread is scheduled to open this weekend. Wicked.

Bolton After Dark (every Saturday): $19 lift tickets starting at 4pm, food & drink specials and a ski movie from Meathead Films.

Buy Tickets Online: Always lower than the window rate. Always a great value. Order ahead of time and save your dough.

Don't forget - when you're visiting us this season, make a post on social media using #FoundAtBV and you could win FREE lift tickets & other prizes! Just take an awesome photo while you're here, upload it using #FoundAtBV and tag us in the photo and you're done! We'll pick out favorites and you'll be notified if you win. It's that simple.

10 Essential Things You'll Forget On Opening Day

It's almost here! Opening Day is FINALLY upon us, and we just got a bunch of new snow. If you're like me, which you probably are because you're reading this blog, you've been itching to slide around on some snow for a few months now. Thankfully, the wait is over and it's time to break out the gear and head up to the mountain on Friday Dec. 12 for the Longest Opening Day in Vermont. 10am-10pm w/$19 night skiing starting at 4pm. Get. Excited.

With that in mind, it seems like every season I ALWAYS forget something on Opening Day. One year, it was gloves, another it was boots (I know!), an iPod or a second pair of socks. I think one time I even drove all the way up to the mountain pumped to shred some lines, and when I arrived, I didn't have my skis... crushing. So I've created a list here of 10 things you'll probably (but hopefully not) forget this season when you step on the slopes for the first time. Please, prove me wrong and let's all have a fantastic season.

1. Skis/Snowboard - Pretty self-explanatory. You'd think this must be impossible, but if you keep your gear in a season locker at your favorite resort, it's an added thing to double-check before you leave the house. Have you brought them up to the mountain to store them yet? Are they still at the shop? That back corner of your closet or garage? Sneakily high chance to misplace these.
2. Poles - Some people plain can't ski without them. Don't be that person.
3. Gloves/Mitts - It might be early season, but it still winter and it's still Vermont. Put something on your hands, or you're gonna have a bad time.
4. Optics - For some reason, people forget/lose goggles pretty easily. Whether you're in the goggles or sunglasses camp, eye protection is vital when you're soaring down the slopes at 30+ mph. Bonus Tip: Don't lose your eyewear in the lodge after the first day on snow! 
5. Helmet - Yes, it's exciting to be on snow again. Yes your muscles will remember how to do it. Yes you're going to have a blast. NO, you can't cab triple cork 1440 on your first day. But I know you're going to try anyway. Protect your head while your body catches up to your stoke.
6. Dry Socks - Most people forget this. Don't drive to the mountain in the same socks you plan to ski in. They'll be damp with sweat by the time you boot up, and that leads to cold feet. Cold feet lead to a short day of skiing & riding. Bring extra socks.
7. Music - Because who can ski without Katy Perry blasting through their helmet speakers. If you forget this one, might as well just skip the access road and keep driving all the way home.
8. Boots - Again, pretty self explanatory, but triple-check your car before you leave the house. It's a real sinking feeling to get all the way to the lodge and have nothing to boot up in. Just don't do this.
9. Pass - Arguably more important than any piece of gear on your body, your pass can't be replaced. Worst case scenario, you could rent equipment for the day, but you can't get anywhere without a season pass. Stick in your ski pants pocket and leave it there. If you only wear one pair of pants, you'll be good all season.
10. Winter Tires - We're skiers & riders in Vermont. We know ski areas have access roads, and most involve driving up pretty steep slopes to get there, including ours. Please, please, PLEASE get snow tires. You won't just be making your own life easier, you'll be making the roads safer for everyone else on it as well. 

Lastly, don't forget your STOKE! Winter is back and it's going to be a wicked fun season. Get excited and stay excited. Show off your smiles all day long and if you're feeling great, come find me on the hill for some photos & videos of yourself. You might just make it onto the final cut for Bolton Valley Access! Ski & ride with care and passion, and make this season your best one yet.

~Mike

Winter On The Way

UPDATE (11/26 @8:30am): There's a Winter Storm Warning in effect from 9am today through 7am Thursday and we're now forecasted for anywhere between 4-12" inches of new snow by tomorrow morning. The map below has been updated to include these totals as well. Wax your skis and buy a season pass already!

We had a few inches of snow last week, and by "a few", I mean 7-10". Things are looking pretty great up here as we move toward the end of November and Opening Day (Dec. 13). As the average temperatures continue to plunge (supposed to be around 13 degrees on Friday) we should start to see more precipitation in the forecast as well.

Speaking of that, here's the latest forecast map for a storm that's been making its way across the continental US over the past few days. Looks like it's going to hit us Wednesday night through Thursday afternoon and it could be a big one, depending on how it tracks.

Looks like it's going to be a white Thanksgiving! 

UPDATE (11/26 @9am): OpenSnow.com has us pegged by name for at least 6-10" by Thursday morning. Wahoooooo!

It's looking more and more likely that we'll pick up AT LEAST 6" out of this storm, which would go a long way toward making Opening Day our best one yet. Keeps the snowmakers happy too. They're running guns on Sherman's Pass, Bear Run and Spring O' Pine. What it also means is the snow gods are as ready as we are to get winter up and running again. Keep an eye on the webcam this weekend. I'm always optimistic about a better winter when I see snowstorms on the horizon in November and December. Hopefully, they give us their full attention early-on and we'll have a great start to this season.

See you on Saturday, Dec. 13! Don't forget to check out our Cyber Monday deals if you're looking for some awesome discounts on products you'll probably buy later in the year anyway. Purchase early, save money, smile bigger.

Dreamweaver

Photo taken on one particularly gorgeous Autumn day here at BV

I had a dream about snowboarding last night.

I brought my 2 decks into some random hypothetical shop to be tuned and waxed for the start of the season. Just a new layer of hot wax and an edge. No base grinds, beveling or rebuilding work - pretty simple stuff. So, I handed over my gear to the technician with the promise of, "No worries bro" and planned on returning later to pick it up.

Then, as dreams so often do, the scene magically transformed into "later" and I was once again standing in front of the same technician, eager to pick up my snowboards and get out on the hill to slash my favorite pow line. Imagine my surprise when the tech responded with "Uhh... we don't have any tuning equipment here yet, man... It's only October..."

Well, that about sums it up, doesn't it? Like many of you, I'm wicked excited to hop back on my favorite piece of wood & plastic and slide down some snow. For me, autumn just accelerates the anticipation of what's to come, and it's easy to look past the end of foliage, Halloween & Thanksgiving and move right into snowy thoughts. Now, don't get me wrong, I love your snowy thoughts. When they all get together with our staff's snowy thoughts and have a snowy thoughts party in the ethereal plane, it's awesome. So awesome that sometimes we get the snow gods to party with us too, and the heavy wet stuff falls for a month straight. But I digress...

The point of this story, and this dream, I think, is to be excited for winter, yes, but to also dial it back a little and enjoy the "Now". To enjoy things like the photo above, which wasn't taken today, but you get the idea. We live in a pretty wonderful place where scenes like this can occur and it's easy to take it for granted - to just keep looking ahead to the first major snowstorm and skiing & riding season. We're all stoked in our anticipation for another winter, but let's enjoy the shifting seasons, enjoy the lead-up and enjoy the anticipation. BV will still be here in two months, so for now, keep on dreaming of pillowy snow drifts, 100-foot kickers and stomach-clenching fall lines. They'll be here before you know it.

Plus, if we skipped ahead two months, you wouldn't have any time to get your All Access Season Passes, Powder Passes or sign your kids up for season-long lesson programs like Ridge Runners. You'd be standing there at the bottom of Vista on Day 1 thinking, "Whoops. Guess I should've thought about this back in October."

Duh.

Wake Me Up When September Ends

I like to think of September as kind of a teaser kind of month, and in case you missed it, yes, we are more than halfway through September now. The summer is over and we're not quite ready for winter yet, but nature hasn't really kicked fall foliage into high gear either. It's just teasing us with a few colors here and there. A handful of days below 60 degrees. Nights below 50 degree. Just teasing us, filling our heads with crazy anticipation. Plain and simple, this is the month we start feeling the itch for winter.

It's kind of a weird time of year, but also a vital one to us die-hard snow worshippers. I hate the "calm before the storm" cliche, but there's a reason why it's a cliche to begin with, and that reason perfectly applies to this time of year.

Everything is better with anticipation, right? A thrilling football game, the smell of a home-cooked meal after a long hike, Apple's latest "invention", your favorite TV show's season finale. For those of us who plan our winter months around skiing & riding, the first snowfall of the season is tantamount. This is the month where anticipation runs as high as the mountain ranges in our backyard. This is the month we want to wear shorts and t-shirts everyday, yet welcome the warmth of pulling on our favorite sweater. This is the month we start to yearn for the crispness of cold air in our lungs. This is the month our minds wander to snow fields and wide-open bowls of the white stuff. As September continues to mock our feelings, keep in mind your anticipation for winter. We're getting there!

So, whether you're pretending to sit at work and actually work or sifting through videos from last season, consider this next month a primer for what's just over the horizon. In a few weeks time, we'll start to see snow in our backyard once again, and yours will likely follow shortly thereafter. Make some plans to find yourself here.

~Mike

Signs Of Winter

Yes, it's been a hot week. But, as I write this I'm looking out my window and I see some red leaves peeking back at me. Down at the Sports Center, there's over $1 million in ski and snowboard equipment and accessories. I also saw a particularly fat caterpillar the other day. Like the squirrel hiding nuts in a tree, we should all be getting ready, winter is on the way.

If you missed the ski sale last weekend, you have one more shot at it this weekend. Doors open today at noon and it runs through Sunday. You can purchase and pick up your season pass at the sale and pass holders receive an extra 5% off all items purchased at the sale.

Speaking of season passes we've got a little news to share. For the 18-25 year old set we have just introduced the Ski Bum Pass. The pass is only $159 and provides season long access to Bolton Valley. We've also added new benefits for all our season pass holders including a $100 gift certificate to Wendell's Furniture, discounts at the Alpine Shop and reciprocal skiing benefits at six partner resorts.

One final reminder, prices on season passes go up after Sept. 15. A family of four can save up to $160 if they purchase before the deadline. Get yours today and save!

Labor Day Weekend Events

Be sure to join us for dinner and drinks at Bailey's on Friday night, hit the Hop Jam After Party at Fireside Flatbread on Saturday, and grab breakfast at Bailey's on Sunday morning.

Thursday, August 28

• 4:00 – 8:00pm 
• Ski and Snowboard Sale at the Sports Center 
• 8:00am – 4:30pm 
• Bolton Valley Deli is open for breakfast and lunch

Friday, August 29

• 8:00am – 8:00pm
• Bolton Valley Deli is open for breakfast, lunch and light dinner
• 10:00am – 8:00pm 
• Ski and Snowboard Sale at the Sports Center
• 5:00pm – 1:00am 
• Bailey’s is open serving dinner (appetizers, salads, entrees and full bar) till 10:00pm, drinks till 1:00am.

Saturday, August 30

• 7:00am 
• Registration opens for the Bolton Valley 5K to Benefit Vermont Adaptive Ski and Sports. Race begins at 9:00am at the Sports Center.
• 7:30am – 8:00pm
• Bolton Valley Deli is open for breakfast, lunch and light dinner
• 10:00am – 8:00pm 
• Ski and Snowboard Sale at the Sports Center
• 11:00am – 8:00pm 
• Hop Jam Beer and Music Festival. Slopeside of the main base lodge.
• End of Hop Jam – 1:00am 
• Hop Jam after party in Fireside Flatbread and the James Moore Tavern. We’ll be serving Flatbread with six beers on tap. Dance the night away in the James Moore Tavern with live music by The Full Cleveland.

Sunday, August 31

• 7:30am – 3:30pm 
• Bolton Valley Deli is open for breakfast and lunch
• 8:00 – 11:00am 
• Bailey’s is open serving a breakfast buffet
• 10:00am – 6:00pm 
• Ski and Snowboard Sale at the Sports Center

Monday, September 1

• 8:00am – 4:30pm 
• Bolton Valley Deli is open for breakfast and lunch
• 10:00am – 4:00pm 
• Ski and Snowboard Sale at the Sports Center

Labor Day Weekend Events

Did you feel that chill in the air the other night? It wasn't quite frost weather but it's getting closer. Before we get to full-on winter we have to at least get through Labor Day Weekend, and we've got a few events to help you pass the time. 

Vermont's Largest Ski and Snowboard Sale kicks off on August 28th. The sale will be here all weekend with over $1 million in inventory and deals up to 70% off. 2014-15 Bolton Valley season pass holders get and extra 5% off at the sale and we'll be on site selling and printing passes. A friendly reminder, if you have not already purchased your 2014-15 season pass, prices will go up after September 15th. 

Saturday, August 30th is the day you really want to be here. In addition to the ski sale we'll have an opportunity for you to get your workout in then cool off with some of the finest beer in the world.

Start the day off with the Bolton Valley 5K Trail Run to benefit Vermont Adaptive Ski and Sports. Registration is open and all proceeds go back to Vermont Adaptive Ski and Sports. The race kicks off at 9am and is run on a course consisting primarily of Bolton Valley Nordic trails.

Then, stick around, we'll make it worth your while with the Hop Jam. This event is bringing together some of the best beer in Vermont (and beyond) for one sudsy day of beer and music. Check out their official web page for the beer and music line up. Tickets are on sale now.

Spiderman Can Rip!

Ahhhh, spring skiing. Every year, we suffer through the -40 degree days, the 50+ mph wind gusts and icy roads just to get to this time of the season. 50's and bluebird skies always help us send off the season right. It means shorts & tee shirts. It means no-glove runs and sunglasses for days. And above all, itt means costumes. Awesome, weird, flashy costumes.

The other day in our Silly Spring Slalom, we saw a butterfly, squid, moose, Marvin Martian, Fred Flinstone, Wonder Woman, a few minions and the title-mentioned Spiderman. When I was riding yesterday, things got even better. Orange and yellow hair wigs, full body 80's spandex, oversized sunglasses, bright pink snow pants and more. You can't help but let out some laughs watching this wave of wackiness slowly take over the mountain.

Spring skiing is about having a great time on the slopes in every way possible. Sure, the snow is great, but it's those people sliding around on it that make it memorable. We're in the home stretch of the season now (closing April 6), so throw on a wacky wig, bring a cool costume or just dress down this week. It's time for spring skiing! What will you be sporting?

As for me - well, you'll just have to wait and see.

Get Silly at this year's Spring Slalom!

We all love pond skimming, it's a fact. Sadly, we're not able to do it this season due to a lack of water in our snowmaking ponds and a frozen Joiner Brook. "Why does that matter?" you might ask. If you remember January's epic thaw (seems like more than two months ago, right?) we had to really tax the snowmaking system to resurface all our terrain to keep pumping out the best product for skiing and riding. Once that was complete, ponds were low, and it really hasn't been over 30 degrees since then, so we're pretty much at the same level. We need water to fill the skimming pond, and if we can't draw anything from the brook, we can't fill said pond. Therefore, no pond skim.

Fortunately, our staff has put together a neat idea that's a little different, and that's the Silly Spring Slalom, happening on Saturday, March 29 at 1pm. Don't fear change, because this is going to be fun.

For starters, it's a downhill race (hence the "slalom") but with a twist. You'll start at the top of Butterscotch and head down the hill where there will be gates, banked turns and a few surprise challenges for each person to complete before you can move on to the next section. Judges will camp out on each section to grade your performance.

Speed will count, but it won't be the only factor. You'll also be judged on whether or not you complete the course (finish all challenges, don't skip any sections, etc.), costume creativity, attitude and overall impression left on the judges. So, by all means, go all out for this. This year's theme is cartoon characters. Any cartoon/animated character will count, so have some fun with it but keep it PG, kids. Overall winner gets a 2014-15 Season Pass! Entrance fee is just $5.

Vermont Peanut Butter Day

If you haven't checked in since last weekend, let me bring you up to speed. This week has brought us more than a foot of new snow, and we had some wind issues in the last two days. That sounds bad, but what it really means is that the entire upper-mountain hasn't been skied much at all this week... You picking up what I'm putting down? There should be some awesome powder up there, so go find it!

I took a few laps on Mid Mountain and Snowflake yesterday, and snapped the above picture to illustrate how much snow was on an open and ski-able trail. That's Butterscotch at 12:30, with over-the-ankles snow. Imagine what Vista Glades, Preacher and Wilderness Liftline look like...

It's Vermont Peanut Butter Day! Save $20 on your lift ticket when you bring in a new jar and donate it. No bringing in a half-eaten, jelly-mixed jar with breadcrumbs inside it. Peanut Butter and skiing - sounds like a healthy combination! And who doesn't love saving some dough?

How's the snow?

C'mon guys... Four-and-a-half feet since March 1 and you're still wondering how the snow is up here? Don't ask questions to which you already know the answers! Seriously. It's out of this world. Best skiing & riding of the season.

Trails of the weekend, alphabetized for your convenience: Bolton Outlaw, Hard Luck, Schuss, Showtime, Spellbinder & Vermont 200

Weather

See, this is the interesting stuff. Yesterday, winds were worse than forecasted and we didn't get Vista spinning until around 6pm. This morning, the report actually looks worse, but in reality, the winds haven't come through yet and it's a little warmer than anticipated. Can't make this stuff up, folks. Welcome to skiing & riding in Vermont.

Keep an eye on the snow report for the livest (yep - made that word up) updates if anything does go down, but other than wind, it should be a really nice March day up here on the mountain. We're expecting the mercury to tease us with temps around 32 degrees, and there's snow coming in throughout the day. We could see anywhere from 3-6" by this evening, and when you couple that with the 5-7" in the last 48 hours that nobody has skied yet, it could be a surprise pow day up here!

Tomorrow it's going to get cold again, but that's nothing we're not used to after this Winter. Partly cloudy skies and temps in the low 20's.

Grooming & Parks

Grooming is a tough job, and our crew has been a little short-staffed recently, but the product on the hill remains as good as ever. That deserves recognition. Piloting a huge machine all night and leaving perfect corduroy behind isn't easy, so when you're cruising down Cobrass or Sherman's today, take a second to appreciate the guys who made it happen. They hit 49 trails last night, which is almost everything we have, so you'll be hard-pressed to find a turn you don't like out there. 

As far as the parks go, both are open with around 20 features. Remember, the Jungle Jib is our beginner park while the Grom Park is meant for more advanced skiers and riders. Please observe Smart Style guidelines and don't camp out on or underneath landings for the features.

What's Going On?!?

Bolton After Dark: $19 night skiing on Saturday evening, followed by $2 pizza slices and sodas at Fireside Flatbread.

JMT Entertainment: Dewey Drive Band will liven up the Tavern this evening, so if you're looking for something to do from 8-11 p.m. - check out some live music. Labatts will be on special from the tap.

Subaru & Hyundai Day: The LAST one of the season, so get in on this action tomorrow! Owners of those brands ski for free starting at noon by showing current registration at Guest Services.

50/50 Mondays: Guests over 50 years of age receive 50% off every Monday at the following locations: Lift tickets, BV Sports, rentals, Ski & Ride School group lessons, JMT special lunch menu.

Silly Spring Slalom: We don't have enough water left in the snowmaking ponds to do pond-skimming this year, but check out our alternative, which should be fun as well.

Pond Skim set for March 29

Llllllllllllleeeeeeeeet's get ready to POND SKIMMMMMMMM!!!

It's nearly Spring (supposedly). It's been a long cold Winter. You're tired. You're sick of snow (maybe?). You just want to have a little fun in the sun, and maybe dress a bit wacky whilst doing so. What do you do?

The answer is, you join in our annual pond skimming contest, tentatively set for Saturday, March 29, weather permitting. That's 10 days from now. Yeah. It just got real. And you gotta come up with a BA costume to wear while you do it! That's half the fun. This year's theme is cartoon characters. Any cartoon you want, just keep it PG, kids. Entrance fee is $5 and the winner gets a FREE 2014-15 Season Pass!

Never been to a pond skim? It's exactly what it sounds like. Just like skipping rocks down at your local pond or lake. Except that the lake is a man-made four-foot deep puddle wrapped in plastic on the side of a mountain, the rocks are people on skis & snowboards, and you don't get to throw them. So, it's really nothing like skipping rocks. Except for the fact that both the rocks and the people skim across the water. So, it's kind of like skipping rocks. I'm done now, I swear.

Anywho, it's tons of fun and the goal is to get from one side of the pond to the other without wiping out fantastically. Although, that's kind of what we root for... Feel free to come watch if you're not skimming, just be prepared to get a little wet!

Your Powder Weekend

I've just been informed that yesterday was Pi Day, named for the date (3/14 -- 3.14 -- get it?). You celebrate this mathematical holiday by sharing a pie of your choice with some friends or family. Or eating one yourself. So, I should have been stuffing my face full of glorious apple, blueberry, cherry and any other kind of delicious baked fruity treat on the market all day. You see, I love pie, and any obscure occasion where it's publicly acceptable to consume an exorbitant amount of it, is okay by me. I say publicly because what's to say I don't already do this on the regular? Go ahead, judge me. You'll never know.

So, what does this have to do with skiing and riding? Glad you asked. Not a thing. I just really like talking about pie. And now I'm a little hungry...

Moving on!

Sadly, I couldn't eat any pie because I was a little busy getting swallowed up by Vulcan's gift of powder. Two feet of it, to be exact. Floating, dipping, flying through it - we were doing it all up here yesterday, and likely will be all weekend. Trust me, there's plenty of snow to go around. And, with that, let's get into the nitty gritty of your weekend update.

How's the snow?

Really??? We just got 34" in the last week! If you have to ask...

Trails of the weekend, alphabetized for your convenience: Adam's Solitude, Bolton Outlaw, Old Turnpike, Preacher, Vermont 200 & Vista Glades

Weather

Ah, now here's a question worth asking, and an answer worth talking about.

Yesterday, it was quite pleasant outside. We expected wind, got none, and even saw some intermittent sunshine. Temps were in the 20's and everyone was happy. Today, we're raising the mercury about 10 more degrees and locking the sun away for sure. Because we can't just hand you a perfect weekend. At least not until Sunday.

Sunday, oh Sunday. If you're lucky, we'll give you back partly sunny skies, but only if you dress for January temperatures again. Yep, expect it to hover in the single digits, but I do think it will stay above zero before wind chill. Speaking of wind, we're reeeaaalllyyyyy hoping it stays out of our way this weekend. Nobody likes you, wind. Just go away.

Grooming & Parks

After a powder day, creating a grooming plan becomes much more strategic. You can't just pack it all down, because then you're wasting a perfectly good waist-deep paradise, but you can't leave it all untouched either. When you do that, it's easily affected by winds and skier traffic, and it's wicked easy to get stuck. Not to mention, some people don't like skiing deep powder. Therefore, our award-winning pilots are generally trying to pack down all the trail runouts, flat areas and wind-threatened portions of the slopes, while still leaving great stashes around. What you end up with is half-groomed and half-powpow on most of the trails, and a handful have bumps as well. It sets us up well for spring skiing, gives everyone an easier way down and still gives powderhounds their day in the whiteroom.

Parks! If you love parks, you're going to LOVE this weekend. Anthony and the crew worked overtime yesterday and completely rebuilt BOTH terrain parks. To give you an idea how difficult this is, imagine digging out your car in the morning. Then imagine having to dig out everyone's car in our parking lot. Twice. By yourself... It's not easy, so show those guys some love if you see them. Both parks will be open today, and Sunday is our Night Riders Final! The all-day extravaganza begins at 11 a.m. and if you've never watched a freestyle competition before, I highly recommend you check this one out. These kids can BOOST!

What's Going On?!?

Bolton After Dark: $19 night skiing on Saturday evening, followed by $2 pizza slices and sodas at Fireside Flatbread.

JMT Entertainment: Peter Gosseling will liven up the Tavern this evening, so if you're looking for something to do from 8-11 p.m. - check out some live music. Magic Hat #9 will be on special from the tap.

Skier & Rider Appreciation Day: This one is all about you guys! We've lined up events and discounts on Sunday, March 16, as a way say thank you to everyone for another great season. Balloons, freestyle competitions, free beer - we've got it all going on this Sunday, so come enjoy the snow with us!

50/50 Mondays: Guests over 50 years of age receive 50% off every Monday at the following locations: Lift tickets, BV Sports, rentals, Ski & Ride School group lessons, JMT special lunch menu.

There's A Storm Coming...

Get up here!

Your Weekend Update

I'm assuming you've heard of 3D printing. If not, here's how it works. Basically, you imput a 3D design into a computer and it literally prints out whatever that design was using melted plastic. Your finished product is a 100% to-scale plastic model of whatever the design was. You can print anything: toys, phone cases, auto parts etc.

So, who cares? Well, as we've experimented more with this technology, now people are starting to get really creative. Two companies have now successfully 3D printed skis and snowboards.

Mind. Blown.

Signal Snowboards and Stratasys each wanted to experiment and see if the printers could create real, usable equipment, and how well it would hold up. Long story short, they took their products to Colorado and Tahoe, respectively, and it worked. It's now completely possible to create 3D printed skis and snowboards that actually rip down real terrain! Pretty cool, huh?

How's the snow?

I wish I could take that 3D printed snowboard down trails like Vermont 200 or Spillway (which have been excellent this week) and see how it performs. Speaking of those two steep favorites, they're just a small part of what's open this weekend. All six lifts are going 'round their bull-wheels and ropes are dropped on 67 runs across all three mountain faces. We're nearly 100% open and let me assure you - after doing some extensive product testing in the past 48 hours, I've never seen the mountain skiing this well. It might even top a powder day. Maybe. I'm not blowing smoke, folks. It's really, REALLY good out there right now.

A quick recap of my favorite runs yesterday - Adam's Solitude (yup!), Old Turnpike, Vista Glades, Spillway and Lower Tattle Tale. If you know this mountain, you know that covers a huge variety of terrain, meaning there really is something for everyone right now. And it's all great.

Weather:

The mercury reached a high of 38 degrees yesterday and gave us a fantastic preview of what late-March is going to bring. This is why we love spring skiing and riding. It quickly turned into a no-jacket, no-gloves, funky sunglasses kind of day and everyone was loving it. After a winter of below-zero temps, 38 felt more like 68.

The next 48 hours aren't going to be as sunny, but we're looking at temps in the high 20's again today under mostly cloudy skies with a chance of flurries. On Sunday, things will get a little firm again when the thermometer reads temps in the teens, but it should be a little sunny again.

Not to get too excited here, but keep an eye on Thursday. We've seen a few weather models showing the possibility of another big storm headed our way. It's too far out to forecast right now, but something to stew on, for sure.

Grooming & Parks:

Our grooming staff deserves the highest praise this season. They've kept up the highest standards after a strange and bi-polar Winter, and the weekend should be no different. We groomed 42 trails last night so there should be soft, fun turns wherever you look. Like I said, Spillway has been fantastic, and cruisers like Cobrass and Wilderness Liftline are skiing great as well.

Both terrain parks are open and tons of fun. The Grom Park jumps got a little bigger in the last rebuild and our crew added some new features. Over in the Jungle, Anthony, Jeremy and the guys are ready to put on a youth park clinic today, beginning at 10 a.m. for kids who want some tips or help with their freestyle acrobatics. They're great guys who really know what they're doing, so check it out if you need a little advice. 

What's Going On:

Ski & Ride New England Party: Head up to the Tavern from 8-11 p.m. where there will be over $2000 of giveaways, including a pair of skis. Gift cards, goggles, tee shirts, and more! Harpoon wil be on special from the tap and there's also a raffle to benefit Children's Hostpital at Dartmouth.

Bolton After Dark: $19 night skiing on Saturday evening, followed by $2 pizza slices and sodas at Fireside Flatbread.

50/50 Mondays: Guests over 50 years of age receive 50% off every Monday at the following locations: Lift tickets, BV Sports, rentals, Ski & Ride School group lessons, JMT special lunch menu.

Subaru & Hyundai Days: Ski for FREE when you present your registration at Guest Services! Next date is scheduled for Friday, March 14.

2014-15 Season Passes are now on sale!

How's your season been? Fun? Memorable? Incredible? Or, maybe you haven't skiied at all yet.

Well, we're already looking ahead to next year, trying to make your lives easier. I know, we're good like that. 2014-15 Season Pass are now on sale, so make the call ahead of time and don't be left scrambling next October when it starts snowing again. Let's be real. You know you're going to ski & ride next Winter. We know you're going to ski and ride next Winter. Why not just get everything done early? That means less time spent trying to figure out when to come order your Season pass and more time on the slopes come December.

If you've never had a pass with us, you're missing out. To show you how confident we are that you'll have a great time, we'll let you ski for FREE the rest of this season when you buy next year's season pass. One pass, two seasons. It's that easy. And, did I mention, cheap?

Purchase before April 1 and save up to $120 on an individual pass. Want to sign the whole family up? Great! A family of four saves $360 by ordering early. That's a new pair of boots, a few lessons or a great weekend at the Tavern. 

Bolton's western facing slopes allow you ski and ride in direct sunlight late into the day. With night skiing until 8pm Wednesdays - Saturdays, you'll get more time on the mountain and you'll be set up for next season too.

All 2014-15 Bolton Valley All Access Season Passes include:

• Unlimited alpine skiing and riding
• 100km of Nordic and backcountry skiing
• A 20% discount on rentals, retail shop purchases, group ski and ride lessons, and lodging (includes condos, suites, or hotel rooms)
• Sports Center Membership including access to an indoor heated pool, hot tub, and sauna

Our pricing allows you to build your own family pass. Adult passes are just $449 and passes for youth 17 and under are just $99 when purchased with a parent's pass.

February Totals and Vermont Week Events

Did anybody catch the sunrise this morning? The moon and sun were in fairly close proximity to each other from my vantage point, and it made me feel a bit like I was on some desert planet with two suns in the Star Wars universe. Eerily cool feeling actually. But I digress...

It's been about a week since I last addressed you all, and with that, we got another 7" or so of new snow, which is always a welcome sight. Our monthly total now sits at 52" or, if you prefer, more than four feet of shred sugar. I can't even remember the ancient history that is January. That's probably a good thing.

We're halfway through Vermont Week up here at the mountain, so if you're local, the kids are on vacation and you're trying to find something for them to do - obviously this is the case - then bring them up to visit us. We've got events going on through the weekend with some pretty cool people, so come get a balloon hat from Dux, take a snowshoe tour from the Nordic Center or do your best Iditarod impression on a dog sled tour - sans the heavy parka and foreboding dark, arctic atmosphere.

Come play in the snow!

Over the Hump

The second half of the winter, from Mid-February to mid-March, is my favorite half. It's, like, almost daylight when I drive in to work now, there's actually a few other humans up and around that early and it's not even dark when I clock-out! Snow keeps falling by the truckload, temperatures are starting to mellow out a little and yet there's still plenty of season left. Personalities start to come out both in people's clothing and their faces, and it's pretty difficult not to have a great time on the mountain. It's awesome.

We've added 2-4" in the last 24 hours, 7" since the time I last addressed you, and 45" in this month alone. We're about 98 percent open and I can say with confidence, that after testing our product extensively in the last week, these are the best conditions we've see all season. The groomers are soft and easy to edge, the trees are thin but fun with the proper caution, and we've let a few trails bump up, which adds a whole other dimension of enjoyment. Now, if only we could get this annoying wind to move out over the ocean where it belongs!

Pretty soon, it will be March, another snowy month for us, and, before you know it, April will come calling and we'll be skiing and riding in tee shirts again. The season goes faster than you think, folks. So make an effort to get up here and enjoy the next two months. There's plenty of snow to go around, and if history means anything, it's only going to get better from here. So get excited like the colorful guy in the photo above. It's the best two months of the year.

Get outside and play.

21" of powder in the last 24 hours!!

It's beard-deep out there!

Woooooooooooooooooo!

Sorry, had to get one last powder yell in from yesterday. In case you've been living in a cave, I should probably tell you that the reason for my powder yell is Winter Storm Pax. As in, the Nor' Easter that dumped 17-21" of snow on us in the last 24 hours! Mother Nature must be feeling a little guilty about how she treated us in January, because she gave us a Valentine's Day to remember. There's so much to talk about this holiday weekend, so let's drop in...

Weather:

I mean, if you like snow, you need to get up here. If you like your powder sticks but never get a chance to use them, you need to get up here. If you like Wilderness and Timberline with freshies everywhere, you need to get up here. Simple as that. 29" in the last week and 41" since February 1 - it doesn't get much better than that, kids.

Oh, wait - it does! Believe it or not, there's actually a chance of flurries again today, with a possible accumulation of an inch or two. It might turn out to be nothing, but I like to deal in positive thinking. Temps will cool off a bit today, but the mercury shouldn't dip below about 20 degrees. A.k.a. perfect conditions for an epic weekend of skiing and riding!

How's the snow:

Oh. Em. Gee. It's an absolute dream out there. We don't get more than a few real pure powder days each year out here on the East coast, but days like yesterday remind you why it's the most invigorating and enthralling skiing there is. Pure, unadulterated, dry, fluffy powpow! Almost everything is open, and I can say with first-hand experience that it's all pretty amazing. Preacher. Brandywine. Wilderness Liftline. TNT. Show Time. Vista Glades. You name it, and it's skiing great. Pillowy fluffiness is my phrase of the weekend, and I think it perfectly describes how it feels to float through this new snow. Awesome!

Wilderness? More like Wilder-yessssssssss! For the first time this season, all six lifts will be running today and we're skiing and riding on 65 open trails. Winter Storm Pax was the best Valentine we've had in a long while and our trails are just begging for you to ski them. So, what are you waiting for? Get after it!

What's going on:

Bolton After Dark: $19 lift tickets TONIGHT, $2 slices and sodas at Fireside Flatbread, and we're showing the Olympics on the big screen!

JMT Entertainment: Dewey Drive Band live from 8-11pm TONIGHT.

Late Night at Bolton Valley: Every Friday night in February, we'll keep our doors open and the lifts running until 10 p.m. That means you'll have an extra two hours of night skiing on those days. Lift tickets will be just $19 from 7-10 p.m.