Snow Plan

Everyday here at 2 o’clock the managers have their “snow plan”.  We don’t know what goes on there, but then again they don’t know what goes on here either, good plan so far. They sit around in that office and plan and scheme, we ski.

Zack skiing on a ribbon of snow March 29.

So here’s your snow plan.  Thursday it will be in the high 50’s and sunny up here, Friday the 60’s and sunny, Saturday,yeah Saturday too. Up at Bryant Cabin the snow is 4 feet deep, still firm no corn snow. Come Thursday it will start corning up and the skiing will be the best it’s been in weeks. So Thursday and or Friday morning get up a little late. Don’t make coffee, put on some sun glasses (it will be sunny).  Put the work phone number on speed dial. Now go in the kitchen and get some chili powder, take a good snort, (keep those sun glasses on) press the speed dial…..Yeah you know what to say, oh and you sound horrible.  You’ll feel and sound great in just a few minutes, go ahead take off the glasses and make some coffee, I’ll see you soon.  -Art

Equipment For Sale

Garmont Excursion Boots– rental equipment used for 5 seasons

Rossignol BC 90 Skis – rental equipment used for 5 seasons

(Scroll down for details)

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Garmont Excursion Boot $125  (retail $419)

Hard Plastic shell with 2 buckles and velcro powerstrap.  Garmont (link here) says they are best for backcountry, light backcountry and off  trail touring.     Really light but plenty stiff.

Some of the 3 pins holes are worn, but they still work well in non 3 pin bindings.

Boot Sizes Available (if the size is crossed out then it has been sold)

There is one pair of boots available in each size.

37

38

40

41

42

43

44

45

Rossignol BC 90 Skis $100 (retail $269)

Description– Backcountry touring ski with waxless base. Rossignol (link here) says- 100% OFF TRAIL  The BC 90 features a wide shovel, metal edges, and a positrack waxless base for any off-trail adventure you throw at it. These skis have a generous  side cut for easy turning 88/60/78

These skis are mounted with 3 pin bindings.

Ski Sizes Available (if the size is crossed out then it has been sold)

Small -160cm             skier weight:90-120 pounds

Medium-170 cm       skier weight: 120-150 pounds

Medium -170 cm      skier weight:    120-150 pounds

XL- 190cm                  skier weight:   over 180 pounds

XL- 190cm                  skier weight:   over 180 pounds

Skis and Boots- ($200)

Email (nordiccenter@boltonvalley.com), call 434-6876 or stop by the Nordic Center before April 4, 2010.

All Sales are Final.  Keep in mind that the skis and boots in the webpage links are the current style of the Excursion and BC 90.  They do not represent the exact look of the equipment we are selling.

What the skiing is really like.

Yes, the snow won’t go away, despite rain and warm temperatures, we still have a substatial base.  On the groomed trails it’s still quite good after the groomer has gone by, or on the ungroomed, after it warms up. So far we have closed deer run, that’s it!  That wonderful hairpin turn on world cup has a treacherous bare spot, so be careful there.  On Broadway we are only grooming to the bottom of Maple loop.

It is going to cold Thursday night and Friday, so the only good skiing will be the groomed trails on Friday.  Saturday will be warming up into the thirties, so hopefully the back country will be back to great spring conditions, but certainly Sunday will be very good spring conditions, with temperatures in the forties. – Art

Costume Relay Photos

Awards for Family Fun Day Costume Relay

Check out all the great costumes on the start line.

Nice skiing and Weekend Events

Happy first day of spring!  We have nice skiing.  It is thin in the open areas, but once you get into the woods there is great coverage and nice spring snow.   There are two events at Bolton Nordic this weekend.

Saturday is the UVM Winter Classic. This winter  triathlon includes a slalom, snowshoe and xc ski race.  Start time is 11am and we expect team to finish about 1pm.  It’s not a huge event, so it will not interrupt regular skiing and we are not closing trails.

Sunday is Family Fun Day. There are events going on all over the mountain.  At the Nordic Center we are hosting a Costume Relay and Snowball Biathlon.  Join us for these fun spring events!

Full Events Schedule

• 10am – Noon: Alpine Ski and Board Race on Beech Seal

• 10am – Noon: Waffles at the Nordic Center. (One Complimentary waffle per Nordic/Combo Season Pass holder. $5 waffles for non-Nordic/Combo season pass holders.)

• 11am – Noon: Costume Relay at the Nordic Center. Bring your own costume.

• Noon – 1pm: Snowball biathlon at the Nordic Center
• 1-2pm Progression Park Jam
• 3-4pm Ski and Snowshoe Scavenger Hunt at the Nordic Center

Spring Skiing

I just returned from a fun skate ski.  I think the skiing has improved over the past 24 hours.  Rick, our groomer, has done a  great job and consistent grooming has made for some perfect spring skiing conditions.  The base depths on most trails is 2′-4′ of snow.

The weather forecast for the next couple days looks great.

This photo is from March 17th on World Cup.

-Liz

Sylvia, Clem and Liz toasting St. Patricks Day and spring skiing with Hot Chocolate.

Catamount Trail Challenge: Fifty Ways To Tame the Catamount

Event Report

Fifty Ways To Tame the Catamount– Sunday March 14, 2010

By Jim Fredericks, Catamount Trail Director

Despite the warm temperatures, threatening rain, and ominous dark clouds, fifty ambitious skiers braved the unknown to tame the Catamount at the 3^rd Annual Backcountry Challenge Race and Tour. With temperatures in the low forties, 30 recreational participants and 20 competitive racers started the 17 km trek from the Trapp Family Lodge to Bolton Valley Nordic Center on one of the most popular sections of the 300-mile Catamount Trail.

Corn snow and soft forgiving conditions narrowed the guesswork for participants strategizing what equipment, wax, and accessories to use on this demanding course. Even with Bolton Mountain socked in by a heavy layer of clouds and looming steel blue skies overhead, participants’ spirits were not dampened by the adventure that lay ahead. As it turned out, about half the participants escaped the impending rain and occasional snow pellets soaking some of the later skiers.

Ninety minutes after the recreation skiers debarked on their journey, an energetic field of twenty competitive racers charged out of the start vying for the top positions on the podium or just trying to improve on their previous year’s results. With a blistering pace out of the start, Eli Enman of Sleepy Hollow Ski and Bike Center led the charge followed closely by two-time champion Eric Tremble of Jericho and Catamount Trail Chief and Olympian Marc Gilbertson from Hyde Park. The steep 2300 ft vertical climb up Bolton Mountain interrupted many of the top competitors grueling pace as they applied their kicker skins to increase their climbing ability. Faced with the lack of skins and blessed with the forgiving softer snow conditions, Eli Enman lengthened his lead keeping up his uninterrupted pace over the mountain and setting a new course record of 1:31:02. Eric Tremble passed Gilbertson on the highest point of Catamount Trail after removing his kicker skins at the optimal time and securing his second place finish in 1:34:19 followed by Gilberston in third place time of 1:36:25.

In women’s field, Betsy Rickert of Stowe took an early lead easily outpacing second place finisher Ann Bushey of Montpelier by over 47 minutes to secure the win in 2:24:46. Third place went to Sandra Owen of Benson in her first attempt at taming the Catamount with a time of 3:32:11.

Following their heroic efforts over the grueling course, all participants were treated to a meal and over $2000 in raffle prizes and award donated by sponsors Outdoor Gear Exchange, Rossignol Ski Company, Darn Tough Socks, Seventh Generation and Silversmith Jewelry Design Company. A special thanks goes out Trapp Family Lodge, Bolton Valley, and Stowe Rescue for making this Catamount Trail Association event so successful.

Full Results

Click here to read Sam vonTrapp’s Blog post about the Trapps to Bolton race.

Spring Skiing- Photo of the Day

Bolton to Trapps/Trapps to Bolton

The view from the high point of the Catamount Trail for the entire state.

What a day!  As you can see by this collection of photos, the Bolton to Trapps section of the Catamount Trail is fully covered with snow, and both the skiing and the views are phenomenal!

Conditions should be perfect for this Sunday’s Catamount Trail Challenge, with excellent coverage even on the section between the Trapp Family Lodge and Nebraska Valley Rd.

Conditions are certainly variable, dependent heavily on sun exposure, but who can complain with all this snow?  This diehard skinny skier would probably recommend metal edges for the event this year, however, as the downhills will likely be quite hard/crusty in sections.

Best of luck to those who are able to participate in this year’s event, and to those that can’t make it, there is still plenty of skiing to be done up here at Bolton.

Come 0n a sunny day and enjoy the great spring skiing! –Dan Sandberg

A beautiful spring day in 1985.

We have had some perfect spring skiing lately and it’s been wonderful to relax outside in the warm March sun.  It made me remember a great photo that we have from a Bolton Nordic archive compiled by Ann Gotham.  So today we got out the scanner today and made a digital copy of this perfect scene of Gardiner et al hanging out side the old Touring Center.  This old building is still on the Bolton Property.  When I was repainting the trim dark green last summer I noticed that if you look real close at the rough cut siding to the left of the front door you can still make out the outline of the old Touring Center letters.

– Enjoy the spring skiing,

Liz and the BV Nordic Staff past and present