Snow Business: Okemo Once Again Stellar Early in the Season

LUDLOW, VT — A trip to Okemo Mountain Resort has become a family right of passage the second week in December. It's a tricky week, because it's kind of winter, but officially just fall. Plus, crews cannot start making snow on some part of the mountain because the bears, er, do not "retire" yet.

But Okemo always seems to pull it off every year.

Let's look at how and why?

The Snow

It was basically "go to bed bears" over at the Jackson Gore base area, Okemo's newest section way to the right on the map. It seems like only yesterday ground was broken on the hotel-condo complex, but it was back in 2001 when construction began. The place always seems posh and new.

Jackson Gore is where the the bears delay any snowmaking until early December, but last week it did not matter. Crews had the temperatures and turned Jackson Gore into winter in a just days and lessons were even being offered there, which is much more convenient to guests staying at the complex. Mountain operations executives said there was nothing fancy being done over the summer like the mountain's two orange bubble chairs but then quietly praised subtle improvements to the already powerful snowmaking system.

By the way, the rest of the mountain was good as well. This was, of course, before two storms dumped more than 2 feet of snow on Okemo last week. Solitude was particularly good, which was great considering the lunch destination.

The Food

Ah, Solitude. As far as the skiing is concerned the trails on Solitude peak are is not the most difficult. But they are off the beaten path and therefore are a draw away from the crowds late morning and early afternoon. Solitude is also home to Epic, an on-mountain dining experience at the Solitude base area. Chef Mark Weigand moved to Epic from two another kitchens at Okemo and showed off his diverse, fresh approach over a variety of styles.

Two dishes that stood out in a sampling session were the Chicken 'n' Waffle — a pearled sugar Belgian waffle with chicken chicharróns, local sausage country gravy and fresh herbs and the "Vegetarian Pho — which features fresh kohlrabi, Daikon radish, napa cabbage, carrots, green onions, Thai basil, rice noodles, vegetable-based ginger and a five spice broth with tune, chicken, tofu and shrimp add-on options.

Saturday was capped with a snow crab salad and blackened Mahi Mahi topped with Jamaican relish with spinach and coconut jasmine rice over at the Coleman Brook Tavern, Jackson Gore's signature restaurant.

Oh yeah, the Vernon goat cheesecake was a stellar way to end the meal.

The Ski and Snowboard School

After seeing three children take lessons there, it is safe to say Okemo has one of the best programs in the East. The staff is not only knowledgeable, but friendly and that is the perfect combination to pushing children to improve their skills while also making it fun. The terrain is varied and the grooming makes it easy for the youngsters to turn.

Lessons are also offered out of the base lodge area.

The Extras

The kids have a routine — the Spring House pool on Friday evening and the Timber Ripper mountain coaster and the indoor-outdoor pool complex at Jackson Gore apres ski on Saturday. The Spring House pool is an aquatic playground complete with a frog slide in a kiddie pool, a twister slide on the main pool, lap swimming and a hot tub. The Spring House is also a complete athletic facility with racquetball, a dance studio, steam room and sauna.

The pool a Jackson Gore pool features indoor-outdoor swimming (it's a must when it's snowing outside), two outdoor hot tubs a large indoor hot tub, steam room, sauna and massage rooms.

The Timber Ripper has been around for seven years. The Okemo mountain coaster, is a four-season, family attraction that offers rides (the riders control the brakes) through alpine forests at Jackson Gore.

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Chris Dehnel is Patch editor who has been writing about skiing and snowboarding since 1999 and a former president of the Eastern Ski Writers Association. The Snow Business column runs regularly during the snow sports season.

Photo Credit: Chris Dehnel