Ski Season Starts Now

This is the time of year we start to twitch. Each cold night, each hint of snow, has us peering out the windows of our offices in Middlebury, glancing up toward the mountains to see if frost has glazed the hills.

There’s an excitement in the air that’s palpable. It’s a time when people are debating what passes to buy, which skis to try, what trips to plan, which ski bum teams to join.

Vermont Ski + Ride tries to help make those decisions easier. We asked nine top pros for their picks for not just their favorite skis for Vermont, but for what they would have a friend (who may not be as strong a skier) use.

That said, don’t just take their word for it: Vermont has some of the best ski shops around and there are plenty of opportunities to demo before you buy.  In this issue, too, you’ll find a comprehensive guide to the myriad  season pass options and lift ticket deals—a guide put together by Assistant Editor Abagael Giles (pictured left, with publisher Angelo Lynn at Killington’s Ledgewood Yurt). Sift through it and we bet you’ll find new ways to save money or reasons to ski at an area you might not have considered before.

Perhaps my favorite part of this issue is that it’s a reminder of what’s ahead. If you want to start dreaming, look at Brooks Curran’s photo essay “Snowvember.”

The good news?  We usually don’t have to wait for November to ski. With Killington Resort (see “Extra Beast”, page 44) often opening in mid-October, we might be skiing as you read this.  

Featured Photo Caption: Co-Publisher Angelo Lynn and Assistant Editor Abagael Giles at Killington’s Ledgewood Yurt. Photo by Lisa Lynn