Middlebury Snow Bowl: Let it snow!

A simple change in the weather makes all the difference in the world of skiing. That change in the weather occurred Dec. 28-29 and the staff of Middlebury College's Snow Bowl were almost dancing in the snow. The popular Vermont alpine destination is located atop the Green Mountain range a few miles east of Middlebury, along Route 125. Peter Mackey, the Snow Bowl's veteran general manager, was smiling after the snowstorm passed through Addison County. "We opened Dec. 6, but this was our first significant snowfall of the season," he said. "We'll sure take it. And it's only about a week late than most years." More than 10 inches of white stuff helped transform the Snow Bowl from a tawny November mountainside into an alpine wonderland bedecked by snow-covered spruce, pine and fir trees. Mackey said a similar snowfall had occurred just before Thanksgiving but the Snow Bowl was still closed at the time. "We lost 15 inches of the November snow thanks to rain and warmer temperatures," he said. "But we made up for lost time this week." On Dec. 30, the Snow Bowl had three trails and one lift open for its enthusiastic customers. On top of the still-closed Allen Trail, snow guns were erupting to get the trail ready for January skiing. Water from two artificial ponds, located behind the main lodge, are siphoned via pumphouse equipment and forced, through hoses, to the Snow Bowl's array of snowmaking gear. More than 500 skiers and snowboarders rushed to the Snow Bowl to take advantage of the fresh Dec. 28-29 snowfall. On Thursday morning, the parking lot was packed with vehicles. ACTR's Snow Bowl-edition shuttle van also appeared bearing skiers to the main lodge—the carless or those who simply prefer to leave their vehicles in town seem to like the no-fuss bus service with its storage space for skis and snowboards. Mackey said news of the snowfall traveled up and down the Eastern Seaboard. His office received a telephone call from a Maryland woman wondering if there was enough snow; she was planning a 10-hour drive just to ski at the Bowl. As Mackey pointed out the snowmaking guns on the ridge top behind the lodge, young people were lining up for a ski lesson while adults, and accomplished youngsters, were queuing up for lift chairs. Everyone seemed cheerful and strangers were talking to strangers about the near-perfect skiing conditions. "The Snow Bowl is small enough to feel like a community," he said. "We have many locals but also college alumni and other visitors. They like it here. Prices are reasonable and the skiing is terrific. Parents feel secure with their children here." Mackey said snowmaking is key for survival in many East Coast ski resorts. The technology of making snow works best when the humidity is below 50 percent, he said. "The drier, the better," for making fake snow, he said. But the snowmaking process does not come cheap. Compressed air adds to the cost of faux snow, but the Snow Bowl's twin ponds—now frozen—have ample juice, liquid H2O below the ice caps. Obviously, water is the main ingredient of both natural and man-made snow. "Overall, I am happy with the snow we've received," Mackey said. "The forecast is iffy through New Year's Day. But we'll see how it goes." In the ski world, unlike the world of commuting by car to work, the good news is always cold temperatures and bad weather—lots of snow that is.

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Middlebury Snow Bowl: Let it snow!

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