"There is NO way I'm hanging up my skis for the season, not yet anyway!"

The chaperones knew it. However the majority of the Senior Ski Club members did not! After having to cancel the Okemo trip this past Saturday, the chaperones got together and decided that winter truly wasn't over yet. "There is no way I'm hanging up my skis for the season, not yet anyway!" exclaimed Frau Hill.

Even though Guilderland looks like a big mud bowl of brown and signs of Spring right around the corner, Vermont is still plastered with tons of snow! All of the ski areas in Vermont have been updating their websites with the latest snowfall totals, amount of base on their trails, and pictures to attract dedicated skiers and riders to their mountains. 

Many members of the club had been overheard making comments like "There's no snow left" and "It's too warm to go skiing." while the chaperones were busy making plans late Friday for a last minute trip to Sugarbush. After hearing about the plans one ski club member inquired, "Got any room for me?" Umm, no. Guess you should have signed up for the trip!

As we departed Guilderland at 6am it was dark and rainy. We knew however that as we drove north the rain drops would begin to freeze and turn into crystallized flakes of the white variety. No sooner than reaching the border of New York and Vermont did the snow flakes start flying. There was a dusting of fresh snow on the ground on top of the couple of inches that remained from previous storms. We continued to climb through the Green Mountains and noticed one thing, they were all white. White with a fresh blanket of snow. Then we noticed something else. The snow in the fields and on the mountains was getting deeper and deeper. Some spots had nearly 2 feet of snow! Mile upon mile we drove, comments like "Are we there yet?" or "How much longer?" were replaced by "WOW, look at all that snow!"

We arrived at Sugarbush around 9:30am, being slowed a bit by the snowy roads and noticed, there's nobody here. Must be they too looked out their window and saw the rain coming down and thought "There's no snow left." Inside the lodge we had our choice of tables and were able to stretch out on the benches after a long drive.

As we loaded on to the GMX and looked down we couldn't help but notice the trails, covered with 3" of fresh powder snow. This on top of the 6" of snow they received Friday morning. We could tell this was going to be a banner ski day.

  

Go ahead, click on the pict

Our first run down the mountain was incredible. Having to adjust for the fresh powder was a non-issue as we realized, there's no ice under this stuff! Just the squeaky powder under our skis. At one point Frau Hill spoke up, "Oh yea, we don't even have to check in with Ski Patrol." That was the moment when she realized for the first time in six years, she could ski worry free, for the whole day.

Yep, you can click on this one too

The day seemed to go on forever. And as our legs got tired we decided it was time to hit the road. Ms. Ford had one final request. She wanted to stop at her favorite little coffee shop before the drive home.  Once again Frau Hill commented, "We can do that? That's right, we CAN do that!" 

Skiing in March can be an experience of a lifetime. If the opportunity exists, seize it! For if you don't do it this year, you'll be one year older when you do! 

Enjoy the picts & Think Snow!