Lots of action on last week’s trivia question! The warming hut near the top of Big Spruce was called the Lookout. Bill “Shakey” Hay was one of the first to answer.
Just a few more thoughts from The Scribe as this strange time drags on.
Has cabin fever set in yet? Hang in there! We’re all in this together!
How’s everyone handling this new reality? Even though we use the term social distancing, I believe it’s still important to find ways to maintain social contact. Our connected electronic world provides ample opportunities to do that. We participated in our first two online “gatherings” this past week and I was surprised how much fun they were.
It is not looking too good at the moment for the 2019-20 ski season. Even in the best of moments, it was not what most would describe as a banner year.
“First wrap the strap to the left, through the loop, then around” — why no one misses safety straps.
All the signs were there. The weather oracles that live in the cellphones spoke in whispers of the possibility. It might snow on Monday. Down south maybe as much as 6-12 inches, up north not so much — but still — one could hope.
If we compare the skiing experience from RetroSki days to today, one of the big differences is the amount of technology we see on the slopes. Tickets are scanned, runs are tracked, and then there are the ubiquitous cellphones. However, there is one aspect that remains a throwback to the old days: the trail map.
From the viewpoint of Stowe’s skiers and riders, this past week is nothing if not surreal.
First, a follow up on last week’s column about Stu Campbell. After I submitted the column, I heard from Ellen and Stu Masters. They had known Stu Campbell and, in fact, the two Stus had skied together the year “Ski with the Big Boys” was published.
It's only 20 days into March and spring’s scheduled arrival is still more than a week away; nevertheless, it sure feels like spring around here. The miraculous Leap Year storm that hit Mansfield at the end of February provided a much-needed reprieve in this winter of uncertainty. While much of Vermont and New Hampshire, to say nothing of Massachusetts and points farther south, have waited …
This week’s column stems from a conversation I had a few weeks back with a Stoweite who’s lived here for a while. We were discussing ski technique and I happened to mention Stu Campbell, which provoked the response, “Who was Stu Campbell?”
A week or so ago, local phones — seemingly the source of most folks’ weather information — started to indicate the possibility of a snowstorm passing through the area. Past experience and a healthy dose of skepticism concerning the accuracy of weather prognostication combined to dampen enthusiasm among most of the mountain populace.
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