A few months ago, we presented a wide-sweeping Winter Sports special issue meant to introduce the novice New England based thrill-seeker to the different mainstream and alt-sports available in this area from something of a macro vantage point. A general listing, if you will, of key mountains and their stats in a state-by-state breakdown, from sledding to skiing to skijoring (read: horse-drawn skiing). And that was great. But considering the season is well upon us, this second Winter Sports issue is meant to give you the skinny on where to go and why, and which gear, tech, deals, and parties to focus on from now until the sun returns and we can start wearing shorts in warm weather, instead of in the snow.
Wearing shorts in winter: so Boston.
FRIENDLY INSIGHT
We asked a few of our friends in the media, music, and culinary scene about their choice spots for winter-y fun throughout New England.
KEENAN LANGLOIS
CHEF AT THE SINCLAIR
PLACE: Mount Snow in Vermont.
SKI VS. BOARD: Ski.
GO-TO APRÈS-SKI: The Snow Barn for live music, and to get a local beer like Long Trail.
GO-TO FOOD: A Hawaiian pizza to get me thinking of warming up.
ROB COCUZZO
EDITOR, NANTUCKET MAGAZINE
PLACE: [John] Sherburne Ski Trail, Mount Washington, New Hampshire, for backcountry skiing.
SKI VS. BOARD: Skis—the fatter the better.
GO-TO APRÈS-SKI: Moat Mountain Brewery, North Conway. Great suds.
GO-TO FOOD: White Mountain Cider Co. in Glen, New Hampshire. Insanely delicious food and handcrafted cocktails set in a fire-crackling cozy environment. Get there early.
KYLE ALLAIN
BASS PLAYER IN DOOM LOVER
SKI VS. BOARD: Board
PLACE: Bretton Woods is my jam. I like the wide trails, and it does not get too crowded.
GO-TO APRÈS-SKI: I like to sneak into the Mount Washington Hotel.
ROCK BAND
SKI VS. BOARD: Can we choose sledding? WE CHOOSE SLEDDING!
PLACE: Ringer Park in Allston, with a fresh flask of whiskey, because who the fuck can afford to ski?!
GO-TO APRÈS-SKI: Lone Star in Allston, for that post sledding margarita and taco!
EVENTS
Maybe you need a reason to get up to the slopes this year. Maybe you don’t. Either way, below you’ll find a fun cross-section of a spattering of different parties and events taking place this season at a selection of mountains throughout New England. Happy trails.
Distance: 3hr 30min
Price: $90/day
Snow guarantee: Yes
Trails: 80
Bud Light Mardi Gras – Feb. 17
Get your fill of beads, alcohol-induced wipeouts, and live music while celebrating the festive holiday. Hey, it’s cheaper than flying to NOLA.
Jack Jump World Championships – March 8
A tradition of people racing down a slope on a seat mounted atop a ski. Balance and coordination extremely necessary. Knowing how many beers you’ve had beforehand, also necessary.
Distance: 2hr 30min
Price: $52/day
Snow guarantee: Yes
Trails: 53
’70s Weekend & Toga Party – Jan. 30-31
Nothing beats going to an Animal House-themed toga party after a long day of skiing, and, as a bonus, stay for the next day to hit the slopes in your best ’70s attire.
Star Wars Day – Feb. 28
Discounts and contests for those dressed in full Star Wars costumes (yes, you can bring your faux lightsabers), and all proceeds go to charity. No, “Help get me out of my parents’ basement” isn’t a charity.
Distance: 2hr
Price: $62/day $29/students (College Week only)
Snow guarantee: No
Trails: 25
11th Annual Cardboard Sled Derby – March 14
A competition determined to find the best of the best of cardboard sleds. Duct tape recommended. We’ll add helmets to that recommendation knowing you, you animals.
Distance: 2hr 30min
Price: $72/day $59/student
Snow guarantee: Yes
Trails: 73
Pirates of the High Skis – Feb. 7
Dress like a pirate, hunt for treasure, and even visit the temporary tattoo parlor, all while on your skis.
Distance: 3hr 30min
Price: $89/day & night
Snow guarantee: Yes
Trails: 132
White Out Weekend – Feb. 6-8
Crazy mountain party in partnership with OutRyders, New England’s largest GLBT ski and snowboard club, with special events and parties including après-ski socials, fireworks, a zip-line parade, and the headline event, a mid-mountain themed DJ party.
Distance: 3hr
Price: $60/day $40/students $35/night
Snow guarantee: No
Trails: 42
Mascot Day – Feb. 22
Imagine a regular day swooshing your way down the slopes, except now add throngs of people in mascot costumes ranging from Acorn to Wolverine careening at top speeds all around you. You may want to pack an extra bag of weed for this one.
Distance: 2hr 30min
Price: $81/day
Snow guarantee: Yes
Trails: 61
Bunyan’s Legendary Nights – Every Saturday Through March 28
21+ après-ski party in Loon’s Bunyan room spanning everything from ’90s cover bands to DJs spinning all ’90s tracks, all for no cover charge. Basically, if you love the ’90s there’s a party for you here.
Distance: 3hr 45min
Price: $108
Snow guarantee: No
Trails: 118
NICA Ice Carving Festival – Jan. 24
For four hours, some of the best ice carvers in the region will be battling for the win right before your very eyes in an event sanctioned by the National Ice Carving Association. Which is a thing.
70th Edition of the Stowe Derby – Feb. 22
The tradition of the epic race from the top of Vermont’s highest peak to the historic village of Stowe itself continues, for the first time adding fatbikes as a competition class. Fatbikes, people. Fatbikes.
Sure, there’s nothing wrong with making a sojourn to the mountains with the same snow pants you’ve been wearing since puberty. But thanks to The Ski Monster (where you can even bring in your ride for same-day tuneups pre-slopes if needed), you can find a lot of killer gear right on Canal Street by the TD Garden. Here are some choice picks that are relatively easy (ish) on the wallet. THESKIMONSTER.COM
BLACKSTRAP HOOD BALACLAVA
This face mask comes in an array of colors, and is designed to increase airflow and deal with heavy breathing by holding minimal moisture. Translation: no more spit icicles on the slopes. $28.99
MAMMUT BORMIO PANTS
Made for both men and women, these pants have reinforced cuffs to protect against ski edges, and the gait grips around your boots. And they’re insulted for extreme cold as well as spring skiing. $249.95
TRANSPACK BOOT BAG
If you make the slog to the slopes with a ton of gear, this is great for holding it all: boots, helmet, spare goggles, and even an extra jacket. You know how you’re always trashing your jackets. Especially that one time, which shall not be mentioned here. You know what you did. $79.95
DAKINE HELI PRO PACK
Outfitted to keep a small snow shovel, a rescue whistle, and your hot and cold drinks (which will stay hot or cold), this pack also has room on the back where you can strap on your board or skis before you hit those backcountry trails. Sadly, the “heli” doesn’t mean you get a helicopter with it. We asked. $70.00
SMARTWOOL ULTRA LIGHT SKI SOCKS
Crazy snug and warm ski socks with Merino wool material and calf cut for hold, ventilated for moisture management. Sweaty foot stank is part of lodge life, but it doesn’t have to be with these. $20.95
PRET CYNIC HELMET
Easy to adjust, even with a gloved hand, with a turn of the tightener wheel, great unisex head protection that’s lined with a fleece/wool blend to stay warm and comfy. It’s also designed with ear-flap pouches to allow for in-helmet tech. $100
SAGA ZIP UP HOODIE
Nothing tech-fancy here. Just an insanely comfortable, oversize fleece zip up that comes in all manner of funky urban designs. It’s a little more lasting than just adding graffiti to your favorite hoodie. $74.99
CHIPS BLUETOOTH UNIVERSAL HELMET SPEAKERS
Universal and wireless Bluetooth in-helmet speakers. You can play, pause, control volume, answer calls, and even skip tracks and talk to Siri, all without taking off your gloves. Choose your thrashing soundtrack wisely, people. $129.95
FULLY CUSTOM SKIS OUT OF EASTIE
If your current skis seem to have lost their luster in your eyes, or if you just want to create a pair that are 100% customized for New England terrain (all mountain, powder, woods/backcountry) and can be designed from the color to the artwork, check out Parlor Skis off Rt 1A. You start by creating a profile for your ideal type of core material and preferred style, then can dream up just about anything for design. If you’re not that artsy, don’t worry, they have a stable of independent artists that can work with you. They can’t help if you suck at skiing, however. PARLORSKIS.COM
When headed up north this winter, be sure to not skimp on the technology that’s easy (and free) to keep in your pocket. Especially when it’s designed to enhance or support all your gnarly shredding on the slopes. Note: this does not mean duct-taping your old smartphones to your feet will accomplish anything of value. Probably.
LIFTOPIA SKI REPORTS
Think of Liftopia as the TripAdvisor of ski resorts. It gives you the lowdown on which places are worth visiting and where the best snow is, and gives a hearty discount on almost everything you’ll need once you get there, from lift tickets to lessons. Great for those on a budget. Or if you’re just cheap. liftopia.com/iphoneapp
SNOWBUDDY
Priding itself on being one of the most social winter sports apps, snowbuddy, and its mascot Cristof, goes beyond the usual user statistics and weather updates to include plenty of weird (read: yodeling) and quirky games you and your friends can play on the slopes. Which may or may not involve pants. snowbuddyhq.com
TRACE SNOW SKI + SNOWBOARD TRACKER
Handy for tracking vertical data, airtime, calories burned while frolicking (you do frolick), and everything in between. Recent updates let you sync it with a GoPro video recorder and make the app record your greatness on the mountain as it happens. Or just use GoPro’s editing powers to make yourself seem great. snow.traceup.com/landing
ONTHESNOW SKI & SNOW REPORT
The app boasts that it is essential for winter sport enthusiasts, giving real time weather and snow updates, creating customized lists of chosen resorts, and hitting you up with powder alerts set at any depth to let you know when it’s fresh. Or to avoid skiing on bare rock. onthesnow.com/mobile
DEALS FOR BUDGETING YOUR WINTER SPORTS-DOM
Skiing, snowboarding, and whatever else you do outside of sledding at killer resorts around New England is expensive. Even more so if you’re an undergrad or grad student living on a budget. So the next time you want to get to the slopes, remember you have options for doing so on the cheap. Or cheapish, anyway. See below.
STUDENTS
Every Friday night starting Dec. 26, Crotched Mountain hosts an all-night event from 5pm to 3am. Pay $39 with college ID and your get a lift ticket, live music, and drink specials.
With access to Killington, Okemo, Pico, and Mount Sunapee for college students, this is a one-time fee of $419 for endless lift tickets and additional discounts for the season. Call it a way to spend next semester’s book money from grandma. On second thought, maybe don’t call it that. Especially if grandma is around.
From January 30 through Feb. 2, college students with valid ID visiting Okemo can take advantage of discounted lodging, and one- or two-day lift tickets.
EVERYBODY ELSE
Nothing worse than getting all your gear together, waxing your ride, loading up on carbs the night before (beer = carbs), and waking up early to hit the slopes, only to realize … you have no way of getting there (and where the hell is your car?). Well, here’s a rideshare system for people planning trips to the mountains. Hitch a ride or plan your own trip and find strangers to split the travel cost. In a non-creepy way. Hopefully.
A way to land unlimited access to Loon, Sunday River, and Sugarloaf for the season, all for one price: $529. Scrounge up extra cash and you can land even more discounts. It really comes down to you here.
The Ride and Ski Card, once purchased for $49.99, can be used repeatedly for lodging, lift discounts, and two-for-one lift tickets at New England spots like Shawnee Peak, Saddleback, and Attitash.
Sometimes you plan ahead. Other times you don’t. For the latter, Last Minute Ski Getaways works directly with Vermont ski resorts so you can land deals like 50 percent off tickets and lodging at go-to spots in the Green Mountain State. For the former … well, look who’s on top of things these days, for a change?
For $85 you get a lift ticket, a round-trip bus from Boston, bagels in the morning, and a beer tasting in the afternoon. It’s a weekend operation, and covers trips to resorts like Loon, Cannon, Waterville Valley, Wildcat, and Sunday River. Giddyap.
(FREE!) SKIING
Packing a gear bag and strapping your chosen slopes-ride to your back to take on remote and ungroomed ski areas is an oft-overlooked winter sport in New England. And contrary to the belief of the uneducated (and a few West Coast ski snobs) there are some great spots right in our collective backyard. Here’s a few choice spots for getting your backcountry ski on. And if you get caught in unauthorized terrain, blame your inability to escape. Not us.
A proper introduction to backcountry skiing, Mount Cardigan has a relatively quick ascent hike, large trails, and open snowfields that’ll allow you time to teach yourself the basics of the sport (first lesson: Don’t ski into a tree), while still giving a great trip down for any skill level.
Originally designed as an easier descent from Tuckerman Ravine, “Sherbie” is an intermediate-level trail and has become a local favorite. While only “skinning,” a kind of hybrid between hiking and skiing, is (technically) permitted on the trail, it takes just around two hours to hike to the top. Then it’s just you and the snow, and wide-open terrain.
Located in the same White Mountain National Forest as the Sherbie trail, “Tuck’s” is a six-mile round-trip trail of fairly challenging terrain. With the steep slopes, howling wind, and heavy snowfall, be sure to hit this one armed with proper skills and equipment. Yes, a flask of solid bourbon can be considered equipment.
Big Jay is a well-known spot close to Stowe, with 3.5 miles of trails and an elevation of 3,858 feet. Some years back, some fellas illegally cut down approximately 1,000 trees to create a new trail of their own, and while that was clearly a crime, chances are that if you find yourself navigating that path you won’t be calling the ski patrol on yourself.
Dan is a freelance journalist and has written for publications including Vice, Esquire, the Daily Beast, Fast Company, Pacific Standard, MEL, Leafly, Thrillist, and DigBoston.
