Trip report - Stowe, Vermont - 26 Dec 2003

I skied today at the Trapp Family Lodge in Stowe, Vermont. Conditions
were generally good, almost "very good", but there were a number of
water features to be dodged on many trails. Also, I was glad I had
waxless skis, with the temperatures right around freezing. The only
closed trails were the ones across the street from the Lodge. All in
all, it was reassuring to see that the silver white winter had returned
after the last couple of days when it threatened to melt into spring.
There was at least a half of foot of snow since Wednesday's deluge, and
now all is forgiven. The new snow probably fits the definition of
Sierra cement, but there wasn't enough of it to be a big problem -
although enough to trip me up a couple of times. The good thing (the
silver white lining, as it were) was that it hasn't been cold enough for
all the rain to freeze into ice. Maybe it will just go away before it
gets cold. In fact, it's supposed to warm up above 40 F. on Sunday and
Monday, at which point it will be a race to see if it starts raining
before it gets cold enough to turn back to snow.

Lew Lasher
Stowe, Vermont and Cambridge, Massachusetts