October 8, 2009

Volume 19, Number 19

The Hills are Awash in Color

It has been a banner week to enjoy the ever-richer colors of the annual foliage spectacle. Gold, crimson, vermilion and a myriad of other tones dapple the sides of mountains and valleys as the canopy of hardwoods in northern Vermont’s diverse forests turn from green to a host of other colors, each species marked by its own unique tint. The show should continue throughout Columbus Day weekend, now just over a week away. Guests and locals both are out enjoying the display, taking back roads through quiet hamlets, mixing some sightseeing in with visits to quaint shops and the last few farmer’s markets. It is a very nice time to be here. A highlight in Stowe this weekend is the return of the annual Stowe Foliage Arts Festival from Friday to Sunday at nearby Topnotch Field. This event highlights the works of some great artists and craftspeople, offering an early opportunity to start thinking about the holiday season.

Stowe Country Club Celebrates the End of Golf Season with a Benefit Day for the Vermont Food Bank

Preventing hunger in Vermont is as easy and enjoyable as swinging a golf club in Stowe. On October 19, one day after the scheduled seasonal closing day, Stowe Country Club will host a VT Food Bank Day. The cost for a round of golf will be $20 with non-perishable food items. You must call ahead for reservations, 802.760.GOLF (4653), tee times are limited. All food goes to benefit the Vermont Food Bank. Don’t miss this last chance to golf before the snow flies.

The Vermont Food Bank serves nearly 270 not-for-profit organizations with meal programs, community kitchens, shelters for the homeless, domestic abuse programs, food shelf programs, rehabilitative centers, and services for the elderly and children. The Vermont Food Bank receives financial and product support from organizations, corporations, foundations and individuals.

Marketfest Ends on Sunday

Marketfest will be continuing in Burlington through this Sunday, 10/11. Visit the shops of the Church Street Marketplace in Burlington. Collect receipts for purchases from participating stores and save what you spend during Marketfest (up to $350). Here comes the good part though. You can use the credits earned through purchases from the stores to reduce the cost of your 2009-2010 Stowe Season Pass (Adult StoweSeven+, StoweSeven or StoweSix). For the list of participating merchants visit stowe.com

Spruce Peak Plaza This Week

Expect to find an assortment of visitors from all over the world this weekend, exploring the diverse offerings of the Spruce Peak Plaza. Shops will be open and the Spruce Peak Sports shop continues to offer some excellent pricing on 2009 skis, boards and soft goods, all of which will be useful when the new winter season gets underway next month. The Alpine Slide, Bungee Trampolines, Climbing Wall, Obstacle Course, Gondola and Toll Road will be open all weekend. On Saturday from 12-3pm there will be music in the Spruce Plaza with the tunes being provided by Peter Miles. If you are looking for a nice meal, try the Solstice Restaurant serving lunch and dinner in the nearby Stowe Mountain Lodge. Visitors on Sunday can enjoy the weekly arts seminar, which this week offers the mural painting expertise of Jess Graham.

Winter is Just Around the Corner

Anyone who loves skiing and riding had to be excited by the photographs posted this past week on stowe.com. Last Wednesday it began to snow up high and it did not take long for enthusiastic riders to grab old boards and head on up the hill eager for the first turns of the 2009-2010 Season on some ‘fast-grass.’ Now realistically, the presence of a dusting up top hardly constitutes the equivalent of a powder day, but you can't fault those who are eager to undertake a 2000 vertical foot hike for the first taste of winter. Late September and early October snowfalls are pretty common but it is usually toward the end of October and in the opening week of November that snow begins to fall more frequently. Of greater importance is the fact that it begins to accumulate. Opening day, scheduled for November 21, skiers and riders will be all set for that first run down the face of Mount Mansfield from the top of the FourRunner high-speed quad. Stay tuned to the stowe.com website for updates on the impending arrival of the new winter season.

Mountain Operations Update

The first snows of the fall turned up the dial on Mountain Operations. Testing of the snowmaking system continues. As October rolls along, snowmakers focus more and more on the long-range forecast. When the window of opportunity presents itself, the snowmakers will begin to blow some snow at the top of the system, confident that even warmer days will not melt their first piles of snow. This far north in Vermont winter comes earlier at elevations above 3000 feet than it does in more southerly locations. It can be awfully pleasant down in the village of Stowe in late October, while up at the top of the Quad the needle of the thermometer will be hovering around forty degrees. On good days, the seasonal tasks of mowing and brushcutting continue. In the minds of veterans of the Mountain Operations team the month of October is all about winter being just around the corner.

Retail Sale at Spruce Peak Sports

Now is the time to get great deals on winter gear at the Spruce Peak Sports Annex. The Clearance Sale is located in the Adventure Center Building at Spruce Peak. Open daily 10:30am-4:30pm.

Save up to 70% off on a great selection of 08-09 winter gear from Burton, Marmot, Cloudveil, Mountain Hardwear, Spyder, Volkl, K2, Rossignol, Smith, Giro, Grandoe, and many more. We have everything from Skis (new and demo) and Snowboards to Mitts and Gloves. Don’t miss this great opportunity to get completely outfitted and save tons of money. This sale will end on Sunday, October 18, 2009.

Clearance items are also on sale in the Spruce Peak Sports Alpine Club Shop. Summer/Fall products from Isis, Orage, Mountain Hardwear, Rossignol and Spyder are all 50% off. Merrell footwear is also on sale. You can also shop new winter arrivals from Isis (not on sale), Smith Sunglasses, Maui Jim sunglasses and more. This shop closes for the season on Sunday, October 11.

The Gondola Sky Ride

In winter, skiers merely call it ‘The Gondola.’ Running at speeds as fast as 1200 feet per minute, this lift whisks skiers and riders high upon the broad shoulders of Mount Mansfield, Vermont’s highest peak, to enjoy some great skiing and riding. It is particularly popular on colder days because of the shelter it offers in the eight-passenger cabins. In the summer and fall the lift is transformed in personality. For many of whom have never skied and some who have never even seen snow, the lift provides a spectacular journey to the Cliff House, perched high on a mountainside looking out over Smuggler’s Notch and the broad valley winding its way down towards Stowe’s quaint village. In early summer, wildflowers bloom in riotous profusion, intermixing with the soft greens of high mountain pastures that in winter become the trails of Stowe Mountain Resort. A sharp-eyed observer can spot a shy doe with fawns grazing at the edge of the forest or a raven or peregrine falcon gliding high overhead. In fall, gondola passengers gape open-mouthed at the colors of autumn’s spread across hills stretching as far as the eye can see. As the leisurely journey, taken at a gentler pace than in winter, brings the passengers to the summit station, what waits is the opportunity to enjoy both the views and the cuisine of the Cliff House Restaurant.

Summit Dining

The opportunity to enjoy a meal at the Cliff House is not one to pass over lightly. This restaurant which was recently renovated offers both great views and great cuisine. A trip to the top in the Gondola can be combined nicely with a wonderful lunch. Of particular note are the highly-acclaimed dinners of the Summit Series. This weekend on Saturday, October 10th, the Cliff House presents a Fall Harvest Dinner. A six-course dinner featuring locally raised provender from the Vermont Fresh Network, this evening will allow gourmands and casual diners alike to enjoy a distinctive dinner based around locally grown foodstuffs presented by the Vermont Fresh Network. Stowe Mountain Resort has had a strong emphasis on serving food that is healthy, fresh, and best of all, locally grown. Vermont has become one of the nation’s most prolific providers of specialty foods and the resort has recognized how much it means to its guests to have the opportunity to enjoy some of Vermont’s special foods in spectacular settings. To learn more about the Cliff House Restaurant, call 800-253-4754.

Stowe Country Club News

The Stowe Country Club is now hosting some very happy golfers. Fall golf has a rather unique flavor. The greens, recovered from recent aerification, are rolling true. However, it is inevitable that some of the leaves coming off the hardwood trees or needles off nearby evergreens find their way to the putting green. Each morning when the greens are mowed they are cleared but soon the leaves return. No one minds. You just find the line for your putt and clear a path to the hole. What is more satisfying than watching a 15-footer roll along a cleared route on its way to a par or birdie? The club is expected to remain open through October 18, with a special closing to benefit the Vermont Food Bank on Monday, Oct. 19. Lots of merchandise remains in the pro shop and “Make-a-Deal” continues. At this point everything is priced to sell and the staff is licensed to haggle. Remember: Stowe Points Card holders also get the after-3pm greens fee rate of $48.75 plus tax at 1pm…through the end of the season. Come browse & buy. Call the pro shop at (802) 253-4893 to learn more about the Stowe Country Club as well as upcoming events of interest.

Open Season on Reduced Season Pass Rates

Don’t be one of those folks who talked all summer about getting a pass for this winter and then didn’t follow through. Very special winter season pass offers will only be available until October 30. Act now. Please call 800-253-4754 or purchase online at stowe.com

Calendar

October 8: Special Cottage Evening – The Collection highlights quiet dining, wine tasting and pleasant companionship at the Cottage.

October 10: Stowe Foliage Arts Festival – Check out the great displays at Topnotch Field and experience artisan goods from all over Vermont and New England. Music and food round out the festival activities.

October 10: Music at the Spruce Plaza – Peter Miles will be providing the music in the Spruce Peak Plaza 12-3pm.

October 10: Summit Series Dinner – This week the Cliff House presents a Fall Harvest Dinner; a six-course event featuring locally-raised provender from the Vermont Fresh Network. Call (802) 253-3665 for reservations.

October 11: Arts & Crafts at the Spruce Plaza – This week learn more about the world of mural painting with Jess Graham. The session runs from 12-4pm.

October 18: Last Day of Summer Attractions – This will mark the end of summer service for Stowe Mountain Resort’s summer attractions.

October 30: Season Pass Discount Deadline – purchase online or call 802-253-3000.