Snow Business: Wacky Weather is no Match for Wachusett

PRINCETON, MA — A return visit to Wachusett Mountain this past week showed one thing — no matter how wacky the winter, it offers a consistently good product just 90 minutes from Hartford.

Veteran Wachusett Marketing Director Tom Meyers likes to say trust the technology during challenging times and last Thursday, a smooth mountain experience was a testament to that philosophy.

"It is what it is," Meyers said when asked to describe a 2017-18 season that has included cold, snow, torrential rain and ice over an inconsistent weather pattern.

But that sentence could easily describe Wachusett in general. The Crowley family, which has been operating Wachusett on state land for parts of six decades, has never been afraid to re-invest in the grooming and snowmaking operations. A solid base was put down early and the groomers were able to do their jobs this season.

In the case of recent days, a hardpack was tilled out and two nights of snowmaking threw a fresh cover down that was transformed into a comfortable corduroy that was firm but easily navigable.

The entire Monadnock area was in good shape for two 8-year-olds to frolic.

The key to the summit was crews being able to keep the Balance Rock trail open. It gave the kids an uncrowded, woodsy option that continued to some turns on Conifer Connection to Lower Balance Rock to Lower 10th Mountain.

The run went right by the Bullock Lodge, an old stone Civilian Conservation Corps that offers what are arguably the best apple cider doughnuts around.

Meyers said there should be opportunities over the rest of the month to make more snow (there is certainly enough water). As it is, though, Wachusett has been pretty darn good, considering what the yards look like within day trip range.

Photo Credit: Chris Dehnel

Chris Dehnel is a Patch editor who has been writing about snow sports since 1999. He is a part-president of the Eastern Ski Writers Association. His Snow Business column appears regularly during the winter season.