Small Town Charm

There is an upside to all of the snow we have piled up in our yard - skiing. Not for me of course, but for my girls, hubby, and anyone who is lucky enough to live in this area and happens to love flying through clouds of white fluff. After just a short 15 minute drive north, we can arrive at Crotched Mountain and enjoy fresh powder and some of the best snow-making in the Northeast. But what I love about Crotched most is its small, family-friendly atmosphere. It doesn't have the cache of a big ski mountain - there are no quads, no triple black diamond trails - but you usually don't have to wait in long lines either, making it the perfect I'll-just-ski-for-a-few-hours-after-school sorta place. My girls learned how to ski on this mountain, and even though they cheated a little last year to test their skills at some of the better known, a.k.a., bigger mountains here in New England, the first thing they both said during their first visit of the season was, "I've really missed this place."

Skiing is just part of the culture here. As soon as the snow starts to fly, children trade in their soccer cleats and field hockey sticks for boards or skis, pack up their bags, grab their helmets and their books, and go. Parents now journey to neighboring towns to pick up and drop off groups of children and mountains of equipment. One run required the use of the SUV and the minivan – six girls and six pairs of skis take up a lot of room.

 

I took these shots just last week while I braved the cold wind and tried to find them in various stages of going up and coming down. The smiles on their faces were reward enough for taking the time to work in the lodge (and my car) instead of my warm office. And the best part is we’re home in that same 15 minutes. Sated and happy, the girls plant their skis in the snow just outside our door so they can grab them quickly for the next trip.