CRAFTSBURY – There is skiing to be had at the Craftsbury Outdoor Center. The trail is only a kilometer long or so, but it provides a start to the season.
photo by Eric Hanson
Snow storage is not new, as many places in Scandinavia have been doing it for decades, but there are only a handful of places in North America that try this method of early season skiing.
photo by Eric Hanson
During these years where temperatures are not cold enough to make snow and when early natural snow is sparse, this stowed snow has allowed the outdoor center to open for Thanksgiving reliably for the past six or so years. The snow is made in January and February during the previous winter on the coldest days when snowmaking is most efficient.
photo by Eric Hanson
In March, the 25-foot deep pile is covered with wood chips. It is estimated that 10 to 15 percent of the pile is lost to melting over the summer but the rest is ready to go for distribution in November.
photo by Eric Hanson
Over the Thanksgiving week, six New England college ski teams, many high school teams, and hundreds of individuals will go around and around on the short loop to train for the upcoming ski season and just have fun getting out on skis.
