Ascutney Mountain Resort

 

In this crazy, workaday world, job enjoyment varies a lot from person to person, but in the business of guest services, it is indeed a time of personal satisfaction when, after helping a family make the most of their vacation time, they take time to let you know what your efforts have meant to them. I don’t wish to sound particularly self-serving by relating this recent story, but rather, I hope to share how lucky I am to be able to do what I do: help people have a good time while on their vacations!

 

We were visited recently by Kristen F. and Dennis C. and their three kids from North Dartmouth, MA, and, since they were unable to schedule a time to come to the Guest Services Desk to arrange their vacation activities, I (not entirely out of character) paid them a personal visit in their suite here at the resort to go over what activities they wanted to do and all of the directions to those places of interest.

 

The Earl of Chesterfield was known to have said: “Anything worth doing is worth doing well” and you can feel quite good about a job well done no matter what your field of endeavor. However, when your efforts are appreciated so much that those whom you’ve helped take the time to express their gratitude with a thank you card, as Kristen, Dennis and their three kids did, you can count yourself among the very lucky who are regularly reminded of their great fortune by the returned kindness of others.

 

The front of their card read: “Kindness seems to come so naturally to some people”, with a very simple “Thank You” on the inside, along with a beautiful personal note, which read: “Jonathan, we want to sincerely thank you for all your help with planning our activities with the kids. You have everything so organized which made things so much easier for us! Thank you again!” Also enclosed was a small cross that one of their daughters had hand-crafted as a gift. 

 

At times such as these, it’s very hard not to be touched and humbled by the generosity and gratitude of others.

TGIF! What four-letter acronym is more beloved than that? Of course there’s so much more to be happy about in New England than just another Friday. Our beloved Red Sox are on a tear, with none more excited than the members of Red Sox Nation, at least those in attendance to watch last night’s game in Brown’s Tavern, where every night is Sox night (except for their days off!). The Celtics are charging ahead in the playoffs, en route to their 17^th championship banner…. and, of course, with another weekend of beautiful weather to look forward to, who could ask for anything more?

 

Don’t forget, Sunday is Mother’s Day, so be sure to tell your Mom how much she means to you!  Ascutney will be celebrating the day with a lavish Mother’s Day Brunch Buffet in the Harvest Inn from 11am – 2pm. To see the delicious menu in store, click here.

 

Have a great weekend everyone, go have some fun and remember to hug your Mom!

 

 

 

With May finally here, the countdown has begun for the opening of nearly all of the attractions and activities in the area, which will all be open for the summer by Memorial Day Weekend at the latest. The one that I’m most looking forward to is the Mt. Ascutney State Park’s 3.7-mile Auto Road. As the resort’s Activities Director, the Auto Road is generally the first place that I direct our guests for the best first overview (quite literally!) of our area. The road starts at the base of the mountain on the northeast side, at the entrance to Mt. Ascutney State Park, and ascends to within 300 vertical feet of the summit. Once at the parking lot on top, there is an easy-to-walk network of trails that lead you to the summit and the 30-foot high fire tower that gives an above-the-trees panoramic view to five neighboring states. You can also stroll over to enjoy the beautiful views from Brownsville Rock, where the hang glider pilots step off the mountain and take flight.

We’d also like to welcome Ascutney’s two new Park Rangers, Brian Cohane and Stephanie Amato. They were the Park Rangers at nearby Wilgus State Park on the Connecticut River until the end of last year. Former Ascutney Park Rangers Jim and Jackie Garrow will be missed, but we wish them well in their future endeavors!

 

Jonathan’s Blog - 5/5/08

You know, you couldn’t possibly count all the ways that people make a living in this world, but my job continually gives me the opportunity to reflect on how lucky I am to be doing what I do. As I write this, I’m sitting at my desk with the ski area and nearly all of Mt. Ascutney filling the huge picture window in front of me. What an unbelievably beautiful sight! Several patches of snow still dot the trails, as hang gliders soar overhead, having launched from the summit and playing on the updrafts and thermals that push their way up the sides of this massive monadnock. I think it would have to be pretty hard to beat the view of this gorgeous area from that lofty vantage point! If you’d like to see what that view is like, just take a look at our photo of the day, taken during one of Morningside Flightpark’s tandem hang gliding flights that are regularly enjoyed by our guests during the spring, summer and fall.

 

Jonathan’s Blog – 5/2/08

May is here! It won’t be long now until we’re into t-shirt weather for good, although the cooler temps have been hanging on just enough to allow spring to have her time before the hot temps of summer take over. The ice has gone out from all the local lakes and ponds, and with trout season upon us, local anglers can be seen along Rt. 131 and the Black River, doing their best to entice those elusive brookies and rainbows!

Mr. and Mrs. B.F. of Hingham, MA were here this week and enjoyed some early rounds of golf at nearby Crown Point Country Club. They were quite happy to learn of Crown Point’s early summer reduced greens fees that will be good through the month of May, only $35 per person, with cart included! Time to dust off those clubs and get to the practice range!

 

Jonathan’s Blog  – 4/29/08

 

The spring rains have finally come and the few patches of snow on the mountain are disappearing quickly, and it won’t be long before the last vestiges of winter have melted away. Of course, lush greens of a hundred hues are everywhere as the seasonal cycle continues on in its circle game.

Some recent guests reported that, of all the things that they did during their visit last week, the most fun they had was exploring the two Covered Bridge Tours. The tours are regularly enjoyed in two to three hours, but they were happy to report that they had made a whole day of it, stopping at each one, walking around a bit and then moving on to the next bridge. They particularly enjoyed the Salmond Bridge, off Rte. 131 on the southwest side of the mountain, as they sat and had a nice lunch at a picnic table in the small park adjacent to the bridge. 

 

Jonathan’s Blog  – 4/24/08

Spring has sprung here at Ascutney Mountain Resort! The summer activities are starting to kick in, with canoeing and kayaking on the Connecticut River and the local golf courses are nicely dried out and ready to be played! The snow on the mountain’s hiking trails has all melted off and the mountain biking trails are in fine shape! The tennis courts are up and running; and the annual trout stocking has begun in area streams and ponds. After a long, cold winter, the warmer temps have everyone smiling!

 

Jonathan’s Blog  – 4/14/2008

Well, now that the ski area has closed for the season again, we turn our efforts toward providing up-to-date information on the numerous activities that will fill the busy days of our spring, summer and fall guests. Of course, many of the activities that are available in mid-summer are not yet ready to be enjoyed in that ‘in-between’ season of April to mid-May, although there are still plenty of things to do and see during that time.

 I’ve already gotten word that there are canoe and kayak trips to be taken on the Connecticut River with our friends at Still River Outfitters in nearby Windsor, although the other canoe and kayak businesses in the area won’t be open for public use until mid-late May.

Other early spring activities that are available include: hiking (snowshoes may be helpful, especially on the mountain trails), mountain biking, road biking and tennis. Fly-fishing will get going by the first week of May (although trout season just got underway), with several outfits ready to have guided trips available to our guests.

Of course, our Fitness Center and Spa will always be a focal point of activities no matter what time of year it is, with heated indoor pool, hot tub, dry heat saunas, weight and cardio rooms, as well as basketball and racquetball courts.

As Activities/Guest Services Director, I will be at the Activities Desk, in the hotel’s front lobby, Monday through Friday from 9:00 -10:00 am to help answer any activity-related questions, and I will hold an informal weekly informational meeting in Brown’s Tavern on Monday afternoons from 4:00 – 5:00 pm. I hope to see you then.

 

Jonathan’s Blog  – 4/2/08

April weather can be a tough thing to love in the ski industry, especially since that weather can most often be a skier's worst four-letter word: RAIN!  Alas, it's true.  The relentless rain that fell yesterday was enough to erase much of the snow that Mother Nature bestowed upon us this winter, leaving us little option than to throw in the towel and, once again, call it a season.  We'd like to thank each and every skier and snowboarder that helped make this season another great success for us.  Although the April rains have come as expected, we'd also like to remember that we were treated to an abundance of natural snowfall over the course of the winter, making it one of the snowiest winters in recent memory.  I lost track of the powder days quite a while ago!

We now turn our sights toward spring, summer and fall, and all of the great activities that each season brings us. Soon, there will be Ascutney's Vermont Summer Adventures of canoeing, kayaking, horseback riding, golfing, swimming, hiking and every other way to have fun in the sun.  Before we know it, it'll be time to watch the leaves turn and the mercury will plummet toward another great ski and ride season!  THANK YOU!!

 

Jonathan’s Blog  – 3/31/08

Another Red Stripe Reggae Spring Fling Weekend is in the books, and what a GREAT weekend it was! We got the party started on Friday night in Brown’s Tavern with local reggae favorites Kaila, and then really got the ball rolling the next day at noon with The Alchemystics playing outside on the front porch of the base lodge, while everyone gathered below to enjoy a sumptuous Jamaican BBQ and cold drinks served up at the famous Ascutney Snobar! The sun was shinin’, the reggae was thumpin’ and everywhere you looked, people were having a ball! 

The Ski Limbo Contest was a blast, with lots of kids taking turns as the bar got lower and lower, until only Jay Paxson, of Dedham, Mass., could make it under the bar, winning him a new pair of skis! There were lots of other prizes for all contestants as well.

Back in the Base Lodge’s Mountainside Lounge, the reggae got going again with perennial Reggae Spring Fling favorites Loose Caboose, as they played their three sets to a full house from 3:30 to 6:30 pm. Finally, Ras Moon played in Brown’s Tavern that night, capping one of the best events of the year her at Ascutney Mountain Resort!

 We now look forward to this weekend’s Margaritaville Spring Bash and the 1^st Annual Slush Cup on Saturday, April 5^th. Come on out and try your luck skimming the pond that will be created especially for this event next to the base lodge!

With abundant snow, great conditions and a nearly 100% open mountain, the skiing is some of the best we’ve seen all year! You’ve got to ski it to believe it!!

See you on the mountain!  

           

Jonathan’s Blog  – 3/24/08

Well, our annual Easter Egg Hunt was a LOT of fun and from all the egg hunters out there, it was Eric McCauley who found the Golden Egg, which won him a Junior Season Pass for next year! Congratulations Eric and everyone who joined in the hunt!

Spring is here on the calendar, and the afternoon conditions have been, like the jokes on Hee Haw, very corny! (insert groans here!) More great spring skiing is expected over the next couple of weeks, but we are already expecting our closing date for this ski season to be on Sunday, April 6^th, 2008.

Between now and then we still have a LOT of fun in store, especially this weekend’s 9^th Annual Red Stripe Reggae Spring Fling, which will start Friday night in Brown’s Tavern, with Kaila, featuring Wise, as the first of FOUR great reggae bands which will keep the resort boppin’ until midnight Saturday night. Saturday from noon ‘til 3 pm the live reggae will continue, with The Alchemystics playing outside on the base lodge’s front balcony, just above the Jamaican Barbecue and Ascutney’s Famous Snowbar, which will be serving ice cold Red Stripe Jamaican Beer and lots of other cold drinks. Of course, it wouldn’t be the Reggae Spring Fling without our annual Limbo Contest on Skis! Win prizes and have fun as the bar goes lower and lower!  

The Apres-Ski Party comes next in the Mountainside Lounge, on the top floor of the base lodge, with perennial Reggae Weekend favorite, Loose Caboose taking the stage from 3:30 – 6:30 pm. A New England institution, Loose Caboose has been regaling reggae fans all over the country for over 30 years!   And if that’s not enough, and really, it darn-well ought to be, then head back on down to Brown’s Tavern on Saturday night, for Ras Moon, the last of the four reggae bands, playing from 8 pm ‘til midnight! 

That’s all for now, and I’ll see YOU on the slopes! 

 

Jonathan Blog  – 3/17/08

Happy St. Patrick’s Day one and all!

Our Annual Shamrock Hunt was a lot of fun yesterday, with 100 shamrocks that were hidden all over the mountain, including the elusive Golden Shamrock, whose finder won a Season Pass, good for all next year! 

Well, March spring skiing is finally upon us, and after a very long and very snowy winter, we can now look forward to the warmer weather, the longer days (with lifts running until 5pm!) and, of course, that beautiful soft spring corn snow!

We’ve still got a lot of fun events coming up in the few weeks that are left.

Of course, Cheddar’s Kids Club will take place from 5 -8 pm on this Saturday evening, as will the Bumps Teen Center with live DJ; and the Alpine Cinema will be showing the PG-rated “Daddy Day Camp” at 7:30 pm, with doors opening at 7 pm.

In Brown’s Tavern we have Rich Thomas playing Thursday night from 6:30 until 10 pm, followed by Wayne DeVaul on Friday night from 7:30 ‘til 11:30 pm, and then reggae and more with Wise on Saturday night from 7 – 11 pm. Wise will also be playing that afternoon in the Mountainside Lounge on the top floor of the base lodge during the Harpoon Brewery Apres-Ski Party from 2 – 5:30 pm, with lots of fun prizes and giveaways. Jason Cann will be the musical entertainment in the Mountainside Lounge the following day, Easter Sunday, from 1 – 4 pm.

And speaking of Easter Sunday, we’ll start the day off with an Easter Service at the top of the mountain, with complimentary coffee, hot chocolate and doughnuts at 8 am. Those wishing to attend can board the Snowdance Triple Chairlift starting at 7:30 am, and then ski down after the service. There will also be an Easter Sunday Breakfast Buffet in the Hotel’s Harvest Inn from 7:30 – 11:30 am. From 9:00 am on, there will be the Annual Easter Egg Hunt, with 500 colored Easter Eggs to be found hidden around the ski area, each with a prize inside, including the coveted Golden Egg, with a Junior Season Pass for the one who finds it!

That’s all for now….. and I’ll see YOU on the slopes!

 

Jonathan’s Blog  – 3/10/08

Spring is here!  Now that we’re back on eastern daylight time, the days are getting longer, the sun is getting warmer and higher in the sky and the sugary, spring corn snow is upon us! Now is the time to come on out and enjoy some nice soft turns on the best hero snow of the year! The base depths are holding nicely and we’re looking forward to some of the best skiing of the year!

Ascutney’s 5^th Annual Vermont Antique Ski Race was another resounding success! We were proud to welcome back former US Olympic and Ski Team legends Marilyn Cochran Brown, Cece Teague and Suzy “Chapstick” Chaffee, along with ski racing author, founder of the Burke Mountain (Ski) Academy and former World Champion Waterskier Warren Witherell. The annual benefit for the Vermont Ski Museum went off without a hitch and great fun was had by all!

We now look forward to next Sunday’s Annual St. Patty’s Day Shamrock Hunt on March 16^th, with shamrocks hidden all over the mountain with prizes ranging from base lodge food items to the Grand Prize, The Golden Shamrock, which earns the finder a Junior Season Pass for next year!

We’ll follow that with our Annual Easter Egg Hunt on the following Sunday, March 23^rd, with Easter Eggs hidden all over the lodge and mountain, with the finder of the coveted Golden Egg winning a Junior Season Pass for next year!

Of course, it wouldn’t really be spring without our annual Red Stripe Reggae Spring Fling Weekend! There will be live reggae bands playing around the resort all weekend, including outside on the base lodge’s front deck, over Ascutney’s famous SnoBar and Jamaican BBQ! Come on out and join de party….yah mon!!

Stay tuned for more upcoming news!

 

Jonathan's Mountain Blog – 3/4/08

What a winter it's been! We've had powder days galore so far this year, and with March just underway, you can be sure that Mother Nature has a few more in store for us!  Since the two storms this past week, we've been playing in knee-deep fluff and soft snow on all 57 trails, and everywhere you look are smiling faces!

We're really looking forward to this weekend, with our last of four Warren Miller Appreciation Days on Saturday, the 8^th, and, of course, the 5th Annual Vermont Antique Ski Race, with the Cross-Country Race on Saturday, the 8th, and the Alpine Race on Sunday, the 9th.  Suzy "Chapstick" Chaffee will be back to defend her title, along with Warren Witherell and many other former US Ski Team and Olympic Legends!  Also on display in the base lodge will be many old pairs of vintage skis from the collection of perennial Vermont Antique Ski Race attendee, Grant Reynolds of Tinmouth, VT; as well as my own personal collection of ski magazines and periodicals dating back to 1892!

Come join in the FUN!!