Resorts tout long ski season

Ski Vermont officials believe it’s uplifting to see temperatures go on a downward slide. And they add that that cold weather doesn’t lead to snow-making equipment being idled.

“When it is cold, Vermont (ski resorts) is making snow,” Ski Vermont’s Bryan Rivard said during a late October Toronto event.

Ski Vermont, which promotes skiing in Vermont, also brought Ski Vermont president Molly Mahar to Toronto, enabling her to promote her jurisdiction as one that’s great for schussers and x-c skiers alike.

“We had a good foliage season and now our attention turns to winter,” said Mahar, in Toronto with colleagues for the Toronto Ski Show.

Abby Sessock of the Vermont Department of Tourism said Vermont is an idyllic part of the world, with the city of Montpelier being the only U.S. capital city that doesn’t have a McDonald’s and the state having many covered bridges.

“Vermont really is quite an outdoor recreation destination,” she continued.

Ski Vermont member resorts — vulnerable to global warming — have long been committed to sustainability, Mahar added.

Meanwhile, Kristel Killary of Killington/Pico Ski Resort Partners said Killington has the longest ski season of any ski resort in the eastern United States, with visitors likely able to take to slopes into June,

The Pico ski resort is found close to Killington, with Killary praising Pico as a “great place to learn to ski.”

John Bleh of Sugarbush resort said Mother Nature is lending his resort a helping hand to its ski season. “We just got our first inch of snow last week.”

He said Sugarbush is a conscientious enterprise that gives staff paid leave to do volunteer work in communities.

Scott Pellegrini of Bolton Valley — found close to the Québec border — said it’s using LED lighting for night skiing underscores its sustainability commitment.

Pellegrini added that Bolton Valley is a great destination in seasons other than winter, citing the likes of a “rough-and-tumble” network of mountain bike trails.