WINTER / SPRING 2014-15
G U I D E
M A G A Z I N E
ADAPTIVE SKI PROGRAM Life on the hill Snow day Stick season Mansfield’s first descent Not So Big House
SKIING • DINING • LODGING • SHOPPING • GALLERIES • INTERIORS • COMPLIMENTARY
91 MAIN STREET, STOWE VILLAGE 802.253.3033 ~ STOWE@FERROJEWELERS.COM WWW.FERROJEWELERS.COM/STOWE LIKE US ON FACEBOOK.COM/FERRO.JEWELERS
WHAT’S NEW AT STOWE GEMS!
STOWE GEMS Named Best of Vermont Vermont Magazine February 1998
his September, we here at Stowe Gems will be celebrating our 32nd year in business in Stowe. We started in a tiny shop behind the Oslo Shop on Main Street. When we were cleaning up what had been an old apartment to build our shop, the ceiling collapsed on my head! When I asked the building manager to remove the old full-sized refrigerator, he suggested we keep sodas in it and showed me that I could make ice. He then opened the freezer to reveal some old deer roast that had not had the benefit of freezing for quite a while. The refrigerator was gone the next day. Caroline ran the shop as she does now, and I suggested that she save the first dollar that she made. She scoffed and said that was old fashioned. When she finally did make a sale three days later, she proudly put that dollar on the wall. We still have it. It has been quite the adventure running a small business here in Stowe, raising our daughter Sarah, and meeting all the wonderful people here, especially Helen Beckerhoff who worked with us for many years. We have customers who shopped here as children who now bring in their own children. A visit to Stowe Gems is like a trip to jewelers row in New York City, a visit to a great natural history museum, and finding your favorite new rock shop all rolled into one! No matter your interests, Stowe Gems will have something to fascinate and capture your imagination. Our collections include our hand-crafted designer jewelry, sparkling mineral displays, and some natural wonders for good measure. We work with virtually every gem from Alexandrite to Zircon. Smoldering red Ruby is enjoying a new found popularity with fresh Star Ruby leading the pack. Sapphire occurs in a rainbow of colors, not just cool blues but hot pinks, canary yellows, and virtually all colors in between, mounted in an array of contemporary styles. Stowe Gems’ fantastic collections of colorful Pearls are delightful. Not just lustrous white Pearls but natural color black Pearls from Tahiti. Peach, pink, chocolate and even lavender colors abound in a variety of designs at a more reasonable price. Fully one half of our inventory is Sterling, ensuring a great selection. With prices starting at fifty cents for a tumbled gem and a genuine Dinosaur Egg on display, Stowe Gems is very “kid friendly.” Stowe Gems is Stowe’e oldest and only family owned Jewelry Gallery. Plan your family’s visit to Stowe Gems today!
Gems 70 Pond St., Stowe
(802) 253-7000 www.stowegems.com
CONTENTS w i n t e r
s p r i n g
2 0 1 4
2 0 1 5
Stowe adaptive ski program by Mark Aiken
From diehard skiers with life-changing injuries to those with cognitive or developmental disabilities, Friends of Stowe Adaptive Sports make a difference. They changes lives.
A history of Stowe’s ski lifts In part two of the history of Stowe’s trails, lifts, and structures our resident ski historian gives the lowdown on Stowe’s most famous chairlift, The Single, and all of those that came before—and after.
Photo essay: Hill life by Greg Petrics
Johnson State College mathematician Greg Petrics’ photographs capture fleeting moments in time on the hill.
BRIAN LINDNER COLLECTION
by Brian Lindner
Nathaniel Goodrich tames the Toll Road by Kim Brown
This unassuming, yet record-setting Dartmouth College librarian made Mansfield’s first descent—100 years ago.
Stick season by Paul Rogers Shed of autumn’s garb, posturing, a quiet landscape awaits winter.
On a journey with Sebastian Sweatman by Jasmine Bigelow
The affirmative journey of Sebastian Sweatmen’s life and art.
Caledonia Spirits by Marialisa Calta
Spirit making as an agricultural tale, as a sense of place, as a master craft.
A grand, but Not So Big, house by Nancy Wolfe Stead
EXCEPT WHERE NOTED: GLENN CALLAHAN
An exquisitely designed jewel of a house seamlessly interwoven with the surrounding landscape, built to nurture, not impress.
A snow day is a tow day by Peter Hartt
Learning the language of a tow master.
Marvin Moriarty and his Ma’s hat by Peter Miller
The story behind one of Stowe’s ski greats and his incomparable Ma.
Seldom Scene Interiors
Wendy Valliere â€“ Principal Designer All Aspects of Interior Design STOWE
2038 Mountain Road, Stowe 05672 www.seldomsceneinteriors.com
s p r i n g
2 0 1 4
2 0 1 5
w i n t e r
16 56 58 60 64 66 68 110 118 122 124
8 14 18 24
Contributors From the editor Goings on
Galleries, arts, & entertainment Helen Day Art Center • Spruce Peak Performing Arts Center • Guides to exhibits, music, and mixed media
Edibles: Local food scene Dining out guide, pp.170
GETTING AROUND 51 100 138 172 210 222
At the mountain: Sprucing up Spruce Cool things: McCollum’s Finish Line Made in Vermont: WhiteRoom Skis Race day: Big track bikes Mountain spotlight: Ski patrol HQ Star Power: Sugardaddies Made in Vermont: Euro Decals Art space: Kickstarting Vermont Studio Center Stowe people: HandTales
Skiing • Cross country • Fishing Backcountry • Skating
Thrill Ride: Mindnich brothers
First person: John Cassel
GETTING OUTDOORS SHOPPING & GALLERIES RESTAURANTS & LODGING REAL ESTATE & LIFESTYLE BUSINESSES & SERVICES INDEX TO ADVERTISERS
Spruce Peak Performing Arts
ON OUR COVER Our cover this winter is Behind Main Street, Stowe, a 20" x 14" watercolor by Stowe artist Lisa Forster Beach. The subjects of Beach’s paintings are varied, ranging from the natural beauty of the Vermont landscape to architecture shaped by human usage and to the nature of people and forms in nature. What unifies her work is a strong sense of composition and the elegant interpretation of light. Literal representation is secondary to the character and impression of what is being translated by her brush. Lisa is a signature member in the National Watercolor Society. She was the recipient of the prestigious Vermont Watercolor Society’s Best of Show award in both 2013 and 2014. She has studied extensively with master painters and holds a master of fine arts degree from the Rochester Institute of Technology. In Stowe, Beach shows at Green Mountain Fine Art Gallery in Stowe Village.
CONTRIBUTORS MARIALISA CALTA IN THIS ISSUE: Caledonia Spirits, p.160. Behind the scenes: I was interested to learn about Vermont’s long, complicated dance with making (legally and illegally), consuming, and regulating alcohol. Another fascinating aspect of the story, which I did not explore, is the close association between the abolition, Prohibition, and women’s suffrage movements. Currently: In her 23rd year of writing a weekly nationally syndicated food column, Marialisa also occasionally contributes to The New York Times, Eating Well, and other publications.
KATE CARTER IN THIS ISSUE: Euro Decals, p.118. How did the story come about: I was listening to NPR while making dinner one evening and they were doing a story about Euro Decals. Much to my surprise they interviewed Earle Williams of Stowe, founder of the original oval-shaped stickers you see on so many cars these days. I had no idea those stickers were made in Vermont, let alone Stowe, and I immediately knew I had to interview Earle and find out the origins of their name. Behind the scenes: Everyone I interviewed for this issue was creative, entrepreneurial, and most of all, friendly, and I am continually amazed at what goes on behind the scenes in Stowe. Currently: Kate is a freelance writer and photographer, and when she’s not researching stories or sitting at her computer, she’s cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and doing dog agility with her border collies Phoebe and Ben.
BRIAN LINDNER IN THIS ISSUE: A History of Stowe’s Chairlifts, p.78. Favorite lift: Like all old timers—The Single. Biggest regret: Not buying a Single tower in 1986 when they went up for sale. I settled for a chair but gave that to a museum. Behind the scenes: As a historian who grew up riding Stowe’s old lifts I am often asked how I feel about them disappearing one at a time to be replaced with new ones. Frankly, I love the change. I also wouldn’t want to drive to Burlington when it’s snowing and 10 below zero via horse and buggy. Currently: Brian retired from National Life Group and now serves part-time as its corporate historian. Likewise, he’s the historian for Stowe Mountain Resort, continues to work on two books about World War II aviation, and serves on the Mt. Mansfield Ski Patrol. “This will be my 61st year on skis and my 41st year at the resort.”
IN THIS ISSUE: Sebastian Sweatman, p.128. Behind the scenes: I got to look at art and make new friends. It doesn’t get much better than that for me.
Most surprising discovery about Seb: There was absolutely nothing unsurprising about Seb. Except that he has a pony and a donkey in his backyard. That was not surprising at all! Seriously, though, I was surprised by most of what I learned while interviewing Sebastian. Writing this story was an important reminder not to judge something you know nothing about. Especially art. And most especially people.
IN THIS ISSUE: Hill Life, p.86.
Currently: Painting and writing and practicing yoga, and getting outdoors as much as possible. As always, loving my job as the marketing director for Stowe Area Association. Feeling gratitude. Finding balance.
MARK AIKEN IN THIS ISSUE: Stowe Adaptive Skiing, p.72. Behind the scenes: A professional ski instructor for 21 years, I first became aware of adaptive programming in my 20s when I tore my ACL. I was invited to serve as guinea pig at my home mountain’s adaptive clinic. They brought me to the beginner slope, where I had taught hundreds of lessons. As a novice in a sit-ski, the bunny hill took on a new persona—like that of Everest. “You want me to ski that?” From that moment, I developed new respect for those who ski using adaptive equipment and those who teach adaptive lessons. Currently: A tale of two halves. One half of the year Mark skis and the other half he writes. In the winter Mark supervises at Stowe’s Ski & Snowboard School and skis the backcountry on his days off. In the summer, Mark concentrates on freelance writing and marathon running. He and his wife (also an endurance runner) are also participants in another endurance sport— parenting.
Behind the scenes: You can imagine my surprise when one day I got an email from a guy named Greg P., claiming to be editor of Stowe Guide & Magazine, saying he wanted to share my photos. “Great,” I thought to myself. “You’re going crazy Greg P.; you’re writing yourself emails inviting yourself to submit photos to a magazine.” Well, it turned out the latter wasn’t true! Most memorable ski job: Fixing a cracked alpine slide track at a ski area in southern Vermont in the late 90s. Every spring, we’d take drills, metal ribs, Bondo, and a pile of lag bolts, and join the cracked pieces back together. The bugs were awful, and the track dust got everywhere. They later found out the slide pieces were loaded with asbestos. Currently: Greg is assistant professor of mathematics at Johnson State College, and when he’s not calculating antiderivatives, you’ll find him hiking, skiing, coding, rock climbing, long boarding, or stacking firewood.
NANCY WOLFE STEAD IN THIS ISSUE: Not So Big House, p.174 Behind the scenes: After living in a resort town and an era suffused with the idea that “More Is Better”— plus four decades in real estate sales—it was a delight to become acquainted with architect Sarah Susanka’s design movement as reflected in her The Not So Big House series. Even better has been the opportunity to meet Maureen and Ed Labenski and write about their commitment to and joy in building the Susanka home of their dreams. It was, Maureen says, “a transformative journey providing an opportunity to re-examine the way we wanted to live.” They assembled a collaborative team of architect, builder, landscape architect, and Vermont craftsmen to create a gem perfectly suited to their lifestyle and aesthetic values. Currently: A longtime resident of Stowe, Nancy enjoys writing about local faces and places, moods, movements, and aberrations.
Photo: Stefan Schlumpf
G U I D E
M A G A Z I N
Gregory J. Popa
Gregory J. Popa
Ed Brennan, Beth Cleveland, Michael Duran, Lou Kiernan
Katerina Pittanaro and Joslyn Richardson
Stuart Bertland, Kate Carter, Kate Crowe, Don Landwehrle, Gordon Miller, Orah Moore, Roger Murphy, Paul Rogers, Kevin Walsh
Mark Aiken, Nathan Burgess, Marialisa Calta, Kate Carter, Nancy Crowe, Willy Dietrich, Elinor Earle, Evelyn Wermer Frey, Robert Kiener, Amanda Kuhnert, Brian Lindner, Lisa McCormack, Roger Murphy, David Rocchio, Julia Shipley, Nancy Wolfe Stead, Molly Triffin, Kevin Walsh
Stowe Guide & Magazine & Stowe-Smugglersâ€™ Guide & Magazine are published twice a year: Winter/Spring & Summer/Fall
Stowe Reporter LLC P.O. Box 489, Stowe VT 05672 Website: stowetoday.com Editorial inquiries: email@example.com Ad submission: firstname.lastname@example.org Phone: (802) 253-2101 Fax: (802) 253-8332 Copyright: Articles and photographs are protected by copyright and cannot be used without permission. Editorial submissions are welcome: Stowe Reporter LLC P.O. Box 489, Stowe VT 05672 Publication is not guaranteed. Enclose SASE for return.
Subscriptions are $12 per year. Check or money order to Stowe Guide, P.O. Box 489, Stowe, 05672 Advertising inquiries are welcome. Call (802) 253-2101 or (800) 734-2101
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FROM THE EDITOR
Sometimes a photo says it all... see the rest of Greg Petricsâ€™ photographs in his essay, Hill Life, on page 86.
COURTESY PHOTO; NEXT PAGE: GLENN CALLAHAN
Crooner, pianist John Cassel warmed many a winter night John Cassel, 78, the jazz pianist who entertained for more than 30 years at Trapp Family Lodge in Stowe, died in September. John Wilson originally wrote this essay for the Stowe Reporter, and it is adapted here.
/ John Wilson
s an aspiring jazz crooner I’d often find myself sitting in the elegant lounge at Trapp Family Lodge in Stowe, trying not to take up too much room, and obviously angling for a chance to sing with local music veteran John Cassel. Kinda tacky, I suppose, and presumptuous, but as Cassel works the room you can see the opportunity. He often calls out for requests and has rarely been stumped, letting those in the lounge bask in the good vibes of the past—but not always that far back. Once, as Cassel played a continuous set of solo standards, I was at a loss to identify the moody, dark strains of a piece he was playing with a classicist’s intensity. Eventually, I realized he was improvising on the main theme from the newest James Bond movie.
PIANO MAN John Cassel in the lounge at Trapp Family Lodge. Inset: In his East Fairfield, Vt., home and studio.
â€œPoachingâ€? is a common term used by alpine skiers and riders for those moments when the snow behind a roped-off trail is just too nice to resist. Last winter, Cassel graciously gave me a chance to lift the proverbial rope and poach a version of Duke Ellingtonâ€™s Donâ€™t Get Around Much Anymore. It was fitting; anyone whoâ€™s seen Cassel play says the same thing: â€œWhy donâ€™t I find myself up at the Trapp lounge more often?â€? A winter duo series, with bassist Will Patton, was Casselâ€™s attempt to do just thatâ€”
draw local folks up to the show. The final planned â€œJazz Nightâ€? of the season kicked off in late March, and it was one of the best shows yet. People at a lounge came not so much for the show but mainly to relax. Cassel explained this to me once: â€œYouâ€™ve got to hold their attention,â€? he said before a pause. â€œBut not for too long.â€? I understood. At Trapp lounge you can often see people react to the first notes of a favorite tune, but then divert their attention to their company, or even just the warmth of the fire, closing their eyes to bask in the cozy atmosphere. But during the last show of the winter, the room had an extra glow.
Clyde Stats played bass. I was delighted when, after a quick run through of The Birth of the Blues, Cassel, whoâ€™d seen me mouthing the words, motioned me up for the vocal. Mouthing the words, it turns out, is easier than actually singing them. A favorite of my mom and dad, itâ€™s one of those familiar tunes to which you know half the words of each lineâ€”at least if youâ€™re me. After bounding up I had to ask, â€œFirst line?â€? â€œThey say some people...â€? Cassel said, leaning over as he and Stats ripped through a rousing arrangement. â€œSome people long ago,â€? I began, â€œwere searching for a different tuneâ€”one that they could croon.â€? And I was on my way for another few lines before Cassel had to help again. Later, with the closing number announced and the audience thanked, Cassel and Stats worked out the first bar of Thelonious Monkâ€™s Blue Monk, and simultaneously nodded in a â€œgot itâ€? manner. But they were interrupted by a request and Cassel quickly changed course. â€œThe old Glenn Miller number,â€? he said to Stats, and they were off into Millerâ€™s Moonlight Sonata. An older couple was seated at a neighboring table, and one rose and presented to the other. The partner rose with a concentrated effort and made the yardâ€™s difference between them in a quickened shuffle before dropping into the settled position of the slow dance and swaying to the familiar melody. The scene, and the expert playing of the music, moistened my eyes. Afterward, the performerâ€™s grace was evident as I made my final gaffe. â€œI really like Moonlight Sonata,â€? I said. Without a beat missed, Cassel said, â€œMoonlight Serenade.â€? I had simply confused Beethovenâ€™s Piano Sonata No. 14 in C-sharp minor with the 1939 big-band classic. An easy mistake for the knowledgeable, if not â€œstudied.â€? Cassel played up at the Trapp lounge almost nightly, offering everything from classical to jazz to pop to rock to something heard on the radio on the way in. Sadly, with Casselâ€™s sudden passing in September, there will be no more â€œJazz Nightsâ€? for local music fans and long-term lovers. But we will have our memories. Thanks John. â–
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John Wilson is a comedian, singer, writer, and former lift attendant at Stowe Mountain Resort. 17
GOINGS ON ONGOING
JANUARY 31, MARCH 7, & MARCH 28
Grom Series Stowe Mountain Resort. stowe.com.
JANUARY 25, FEBRUARY 22, & MARCH 29
Vermont Military Day Military families ski free. Stowe Mountain Resort. stowe.com.
NOVEMBER & DECEMBER
First Trick Rail Unveil Free-flowing rail jam for riders and free skiers. Prizes, DJ, and fun. 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. Location: TBD. Stowe Mountain Resort. stowe.com. DECEMBER 5 – 6
A Traditional Christmas in Stowe See calendar on page 114. DECEMBER 5 – 28
Festival of Trees and Light & Members’ Art Show Work by art center members and communitydecorated Christmas trees. Helen Day Art Center, Stowe Village. 253-8358. DECEMBER 6
Stowe Community Church Christmas Fair Needlecrafts, baked goods, collectibles, wreaths, Pocket Lady, Stowe afghans. Quilt raffle. 9:30 a.m. - 2 p.m. Stowe Community Church, Main Street. 253-7257. stowechurch.org.
S TOW E D E R BY ■
Stowe Nordic BKL Mini-Marathon Fun family tour. 22k, 15k, 5k. Chili feed at end. Stowe Mountain Resort Cross Country Center. 253-3688 or email@example.com.
CAROL VAN DYKE
20th BrewFest Part 1 Sample the finest local and regional craft beers. Music and food. 6 - 10 p.m., 21 and older. $20. Meeting House, Smugglers’ Notch Resort. 644-8851. smuggs.com.
DECEMBER 20 – 21
Holiday Artisan Showcase 25 specialty craft and food venders. Free photos with Santa both days, noon - 4 p.m. Gingerbread making and Dux the Balloon Man. Stowe Mountain Lodge. Saturday noon - 6 p.m.; Sunday noon - 5 p.m. stowe.com. DECEMBER 22
Handel’s Messiah Community Sing-In Soloists perform Handel’s masterpiece. 7 p.m.; doors open 6:30 p.m. $8 per person. Stowe Community Church, Main Street. 253-7257. DECEMBER 27
Mill Trail Cabin Snowshoe Stowe Land Trust snowshoe. Meet at the Mill Trail parking area. 10 a.m. - noon. stowelandtrust.org. DECEMBER 31
Cruise Into the New Year Race Stowe Mountain Resort. teammmsc.org. DECEMBER 31
Mountain Fireworks & Torchlight Parade Stowe Mountain Resort comes alive with spectacle of light. Fireworks from Spruce Camp. stowe.com.
Ski The East Junior Extreme Challenge Statewide qualifier for Ski The East Freeride Tour. Ages 10 to 18. Preregistration required. Stateside Lodge, Jay Peak Resort. jaypeakresort.com. JANUARY 17 – 25
Stowe Winter Carnival See Event Spotlight, page 20. JANUARY 23 – 24
UVM Winter Carnival Division 1 college ski teams compete. Alpine at Stowe Mountain Resort; Nordic races at Trapp Family Lodge. stowe.com or 253-3000.
Stowe Mountainfest Demo Day Demo ‘til you drop. Ski and snowboard reps show off hottest and latest gear. 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. Stowe Toys Demo Center/ForeRunner Quad, Stowe Mountain Resort. stowe.com.
Wiessner Woods Family Snowshoe Meet at the Wiessner Woods parking area. 10 a.m. - noon. stowelandtrust.org.
JANUARY 24 JANUARY 10
Winter Trails Day Free rentals and instructional sessions, noon - 4 p.m. for first-time snowshoers and cross-country skiers. Smugglers’ Notch Resort Nordic Center, Jeffersonville. smuggs.com. JANUARY 10
Race to Slayton Pasture Cabin 5k classical race. How fast can you ski to the cabin? Mass start. 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. Benefits VTXC. Trapp Family Lodge, Stowe. 253-8511. JANUARY 10
Mountain Dew Vertical Challenge Free, fun race open to all ages and abilities 8 a.m. - 3 p.m. jaypeakresort.com. JANUARY 24 – 25
20th Smugglers' Notch Primitive Biathlon Using snowshoes and muzzleloaders. Sterling Ridge Inn and Cabins, Junction Hill Road, Jeffersonville. 644-8232. JANUARY 25
Ladies Nordic Ski Expo All-day expo for women skiers in classic, skating, telemark/BC. Trapp Family Lodge. catamounttrail.org. JANUARY 10
USASA Skier / BoarderCross What’s more fun than bank turns, rollers, jumps, and rubbing elbows on skis or snowboard? $40. 8 a.m. - 3 p.m. Tramside, Jay Peak. jaypeakresort.com.
Protect Your Head at All Times PHAT helmet awareness event. Spruce Camp. Stowe Mountain Resort. stowe.com. JANUARY 25 – 26
FIS Giant Slalom Main Street, Spruce Peak, Stowe. teammmsc.org. JANUARY 31
U14 NVC Race Stowe Mountain Resort. teammmsc.org.
Saturday Night Lights Uphill Event Alternate date is Feb.14. stowe.com.
EXHIBITS: p.100 • • • MUSIC & MIXED MEDIA: p.112 18
GLENN CALLAHAN; INSET: PAUL ROGERS
GOINGS ON KATE CARTER
2015 TD Bank Craftsbury Marathon Classical ski with 25k and 50k races. Craftsbury Outdoor Center. craftsbury.com.
U16 NVC Giant Slalom Stowe Mountain Resort. teammmsc.org. FEBRUARY 7
Winter Trails Festival Hikes, music, and refreshments. Proceeds support the Long Trail. Part of the Waterbury Winter Festival. Green Mountain Club, Waterbury Center. 244-7037. FEBRUARY 7 – 8
Stowe Parks Competition Free Ride Feb. 7; slopestyle Feb. 8. Stowe Mountain Resort. stowe.com FEBRUARY 8
USASA Slalom Vermont’s best slalom skiers compete. Stowe Mountain Resort. stowe.com. FEBRUARY 13
Stowe Derby Recon Pre-ski, practice, observe, and record the Stowe Derby descent. $5 donation. No fat bikes! Lookout Double, Stowe Mountain Resort. 1:30 p.m. sharp. stowederby.com. FEBRUARY 18
Torchlight Parade & Fireworks show Stowe Mountain Resort comes alive with light. Fireworks from Spruce Camp. stowe.com.
S T O W E W I N T E R C A R N I VA L
Get Stowe-ked! • January 17 - 25 JANUARY 17
Kids Karnival Kaos What’s a carnival without games, costume characters, music, and a bouncy house? Dance to a DJ and win prizes! 1 - 3 p.m. Stowe Elementary School. Stowe Squares Revival Hysterical, zany adult version of the Hollywood Squares featuring famous politically incorrect characters. Great prizes. 8 p.m., Rusty Nail nightclub. Chad Hollister Live! Rock in the Winter Carnival. 8 p.m. Spruce Peak Performing Arts Center. Event To Be Determined
Backcountry Ski in Ranch Valley Tour of Stowe’s first trails with the Stowe Land Trust. Intermediate to advanced skiers and riders. 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. stowelandtrust.org.
Hope on the Slopes Vertical Challenge Ski and snowboard to raise money for the American Cancer Society. 8 a.m. - 6 p.m. jaypeakresort.com. FEBRUARY 28
Ben & Jerry’s Winter Festival Ice sculptures, music, games, give-aways, local foods, and plenty of Vermont’s finest. 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. Free. Waterbury factory. benjerry.com.
Full Moon Snowshoe Barnes Camp. 6 - 8 p.m. stowelandtrust.org.
Ice Carving Demo Day Watch pro carvers make masterpieces in front of local business. 9 a.m. - 6 p.m. Ice Carving Stroll Marvel at the ice carvings. 9 a.m. - 1 p.m., Main Street; 1 - 6 p.m., Mountain Road Marketplace. N.I.C.A. Ice Carver’s Welcoming Party Meet and greet the carvers. 7 p.m. Sunset Grille & Tap Room.
Snowvolleyball Party Come taste featured snowvolleyball brews and sign up your team. 5 - 7 p.m. Sunset Grille & Tap Room. JANUARY 24
Snowvolleyball Tournament All-day tournament at the Sunset Grille and Tap Room. 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Extreme Sports Movie Night Vermont Ski Museum, Stowe Village. 7 p.m.
Ice Carvers Rock On Live music at the Rusty Nail, 9 p.m. Matterhorn, 10 p.m.
Stowe Derby Oldest downhill cross-country race starts at the top of Mt. Mansfield and winds its way 16k to the village. Stowe Mountain Resort. teammmsc.org.
Snowgolf Tournament Costumed teams gather at Rimrock’s Mountain Tavern, then play 11 chilly holes of wacky golf. Après party at Rimrock’s. 11 a.m. JANUARY 20
The Voice Karaoke Mimic your favorite recording artist in Stowe’s own The Voice. Be judged by crazy characters that you don’t want to miss. Entry fee, prizes. 9 p.m. Piecasso Restaurant and Bar. JANUARY 21
Pub-style Trivia Challenge Awesome giveaways after each trivia round. 7 - 9 p.m. Piecasso.
15th Nationally Sanctioned Ice Carving Competition Watch as ice carvers turn ice into creative masterpieces. Spruce Peak Courtyard, Stowe Mountain Resort. 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. Après carving award cerermony at Sushi Yoshi from 6 - 9 p.m. Under the Lights Rail Jam Stowe Mountain Resort’s Midway base lodge. 4 - 6 p.m. Ice Carvers Meltdown Parties Come dance the night away with live music. Rusty Nail, 9 p.m. Matterhorn, 10 p.m. JANUARY 25
USASA Slopestyle Slopestyle at Stowe Mountain Resort. 9 a.m. usasa.org
GOINGS ON MARCH 28
Pork Loin Take Out Dinner Pork loin with all the fixings. Pick up at the Waterbury Center Community Church, Route 100, 4 - 6 p.m. Reservations: 244-8089.
36th Beach Party Fun in the sun and snow. Music by High Breaks, giveaways, and games. 3 - 7 p.m. Pump House Waterpark, Jay Peak Resort. jaypeakresort.com.
Ride & Ski of New England Apres Party Annual après party. 3 - 7 p.m. Bull Wheel Bar, Stateside, Jay Peak. jaypeakresort.com. MARCH 8
U10 NVC Duals Stowe Mountain Resort. teammmsc.org. MARCH 8
Extreme Skiing Challenge Ski the Madonna headwall, an ungroomed steep with a double fall line descent filled with cliffs, bumps, trees, chutes, and stumps. Smugglers’ Notch Resort. smuggs.com. MARCH 13 – 16
Sugar on Snow Dinner Seatings at 5 and 6:30 p.m. Waterbury Center Community Church, Route 100. 244-1192. APRIL 4 – 5
Sugar Slalom One of the oldest ski races in the U.S. Shoot the gates, enjoy sugar on snow at the finish. Stowe Mountain Resort. teammmsc.org. APRIL 5
U14 Eastern Championships Stowe Mountain Resort. teammmsc.org. MARCH 14
Trapp Family Lodge Winter Marathon Classic mass start two-lap race, featuring a designated ski change pit on second lap. 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. Stowe. trappfamily.com.
61st Easter Sunrise Service & Easter Egg Hunt Non-denominational service atop Mt. Mansfield. Free gondola rides from 5 - 6 a.m. Arrive early. Easter Egg Hunt, Spruce Plaza, 9 a.m. Stowe Mountain Resort. stowe.com. APRIL 11
MARCH 14 – 15
80s Weekend in Stowe Turn back the clock to relive 1980s fashion, equipment, lifestyle. Retro Jam in the parks, March 14. stowe.com. SHARI LARSEN
The Annual Pond Skim Skim across a 100-foot pond. Prizes. 1 - 3 p.m. LZ Terrain Park. jaypeakresort.com. APRIL 11
Pond Skimming Alternative date is April 18. Stowe Mountain Resort. stowe.com. APRIL 18
Stowe Parks Private/Public Big Air Stowe Mountain Resort. stowe.com. APRIL 19
Scheduled Closing Day Stowe Mountain Resort. stowe.com. APRIL 25
Turkey Takeout Dinner Pick up at the Waterbury Center Community Church, 4 - 6 p.m. Reservations: 244-8089. MARCH 15
Catamount Trail Classic Bolton to Trapps Tour Ski the Catamount Trail. Music, food, refreshments. Start/finish at Trapps Lodge. Ski your own pace. catamounttrail.org. MARCH 21
Relay for Life Nordicstyle Fun-filled, overnight event that raises money to fight cancer. 6 p.m. Trapp Family Lodge, Stowe. relayforlife.org/nordicstylevt. MARCH 22
MMSC Championships Stowe Mountain Resort. teammmsc.org. MARCH 23 – 26
U16 Can Am Stowe Mountain Resort. stowe.com MARCH 28
20th Spring BrewFest Part 2 Music, munchies, prizes, and local/regional brews. 6 - 10 p.m., Meeting House, Smugglers Notch Resort. $20; 21 and older. 644-8851.
MAY 1 – 3
Stowe Weekend of Hope Celebration of life and learning for people with cancer and those who love them. Various locations throughout Stowe. stowehope.org. MAY 16
Stowe Land Trust Outings 9 a.m. - noon, Skyline hike. 8 - 11 a.m., Kirchner Woods bird walk. stowelandtrust.org. MAY 23 – 24
Sugar Social Maple bake sale, sugar on snow, book sale. Waterbury Center Community Church, Route 100. 244-8089. ■
STOWE MOUNTAIN RESORT
starts with a safe arrival.
We want you to be safe and enjoy your visit. Here are some tips for Vermont winter driving. 9 SLOW DOWN. Speed is the leading cause of winter crashes. 9 LEAVE SPACE between cars—more than if the roads were dry. 9 BRAKE EARLY AND SLOWLY to prevent skidding. 9 4-WHEEL DRIVE DOESN’T MAKE YOU INVINCIBLE. 9 USE SNOW TIRES. Proper snow tires (as opposed to all-seasons) ěǰ Ś ǯ 9 CLEAN SNOW OFF ALL WINDOWS AND MIRRORS before you leave. 9 PUT THE PHONE DOWN. It’s now illegal in Vermont to use a Ȭ ǯ ǰ hang up the call—even if it’s hands-free. tiny.cc/winterdriving | 511VT.com
9 CHECK CONDITIONS before you leave by dialing 511.
ONE OF THE NICE GUYS Clockwise from top: Lefty Lewis at the Stowe ski bum races at Spruce Peak. At the Sugar Slalom with Dave Merriam. Lefty poses with some “future” Blue Angels.
remembering lefty: MAN WITH THE IRREPRESSIBLE SMILE hen Wright Lewis died from cancer last April in Vero Beach, Fla., the world—and Stowe—lost one of its ever-cheerful and charismatic personalities. But don’t be glum. That’s not what Lefty, as he was forever known, would have wanted. Though he filled no official role in town, Lefty, who was 81 when he died, might as well have been the mayor, or, at the very least, CEO of Local Cheer. To ski or golf with him was like skiing with the Pope; everyone knew, liked, and hailed Lefty. Lefty lived a life of service and friendship and will be remembered for his boyish enthusiasm, his exuberance, and kindness. His rambunctious, merry self remained in effect just a few days before he died. “He went out to dinner just two days before,” one of his oldest pals, Scott Brooks, recalls. Forget his years flying for the Navy, his Harvard MBA, or his success on Wall Street, where he was such a well-known personality that Oliver Stone cast him as—surprise—well-known stock specialist “Lefty Lewis” in his movie Wall Street. Two scenes. With lines. Around here, Lefty is most familiar for his boundless energy in sporting pastimes, his irrepressible spirit on the golf course, and his joie de vivre while racing in the weekly ski bum race series at Stowe Mountain Resort on his NYSE (pronounced “nice”) Guys team. Many of us have Lefty memories. Here’s one of mine. Five years ago, a leading cancer organization appropriately named Lefty its “Man of the Year,” providing a telling glimpse into his life story. After his diagnosis of myeloma, a form of blood cancer, Lefty shuttled between hospitals for treatments. Meantime, being unfamiliar with playing defense against the grim reaper, Lefty continued to log many days on the slopes. When his cancer went into remission, Lefty’s nurse practitioner at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center asked him if he would consider running for Massachusetts Man of the Year for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Predictably, and cheerfully, he agreed. He tapped into as many friends and contacts as he could from every layer of his life. (What an interesting group that must comprise.) One hundred and fifteen came through, sending in about $40,000. At the society’s dinner-dance, surrounded by his children, grandchildren, and friends, Lefty learned, to his surprise, that he’d raised more money than the five other candidates. “The highlight,” Lewis said later, “was having my grandchildren there with me. They’d sold lemonade and cookies and raised $141 for me.” A friend, Millie Merrill, later remarked that Lefty’s grandchildren wanted to know: “Does everyone in Stowe know you’re the Man of the Year, Grandpa?” Message to the grandkids: We all learned the answer to that question long ago. —Biddle Duke
t only took Chuck Dudley five years to get to know Stowe well enough to write a book about his adopted hometown. After retiring from his job at an accounting and auditing firm, Chuck moved to Stowe for its central location. With relatives scattered throughout the Northeast, Stowe seemed right. His nephew lives here and a vacant apartment at the Churchill House on Maple Street meant Chuck could walk to the village. He soon sold his car and started walking everywhere. “I have learned so much from walking around town and meeting people,” Chuck says. He also learned a great deal from having tea on the Churchill House veranda with Rosemarie Trapp and her teatime guests. “I would sit with them on the porch, drink tea, and talk about the history of Stowe.” Chuck made it a personal mission to keep his mind and feet active when he retired, and
that vow has culminated in a book called The Stowe I’ve Grown to Know. The seed was planted when he visited the Stowe Historical Society in February 2012. He interrupted a board meeting but was quickly invited to join the discussion. That “discussion” lasted a few years as Chuck began compiling material for his book. Chuck initiated the society’s six-week Brown Bag Lunch Series. “My hope was to invite community involvement in the discussion of Stowe’s history,” Chuck explains. “The community’s participation exceeded expectations and we added six additional weeks.” The Stowe I’ve Grown to Know is a 200year historical account of Stowe from 1763 to the 1960s, and features profiles of over 50 people and houses. Chuck, an experienced researcher, delved into official historical society and town records, as well as the census bureau and internet. Chapter one begins when Stowe (then spelled Stow) was first chartered and spans the
era from 1763 to 1830. Chapter two is from 1830 to 1860, when Stowe was the wild, wild, east, and the town’s population increased substantially. Chapters three through five discuss Stowe’s contributions and losses in the Civil War, while chapter six explores recovery from the war, the prominence of women, the reconstruction of Main Street, and three significant buildings: the school, the church, and Mount Mansfield Hotel. Chapter seven reflects on the 1920s, when people began migrating away from Stowe, and subsequent chapters explore material gathered at the Brown Bag Lunch Series. “I uncovered a lot of information when I came to Stowe, and I thought it would be interesting to pull it together in a way people could digest it,” Chuck says. He adds that the Civil War was pivotal in Stowe’s history. “You can’t really know Stowe unless you know the Civil War, who went, and what was happening at home.” —Kate Carter
ESSENTIALS: The Stowe I’ve Grown to Know, 8.5 inches by 11 inches, soft cover, $30 • Available by the end of 2014 at the Stowe Historical Society and Bear Pond Books. 26
‘You have to play in the snow if you’re going to live in it’ Esbert Cardenas takes his hosting seriously! Entrepreneur Esbert Cardenas Jr. grew up in Miami and moved with his family to Stowe in 2008. His Cuban immigrant parents came to the U.S. in 1961 two years after the Cuban Revolution. Esbert, 50, worked for 15 years as a salesman and manager in the seafood industry and in 1998 started the business he and his wife Kirsten now own, Image Outfitters, located in Stowe and Miami. The couple has two sons, Esbert Erik, 12, and Oskar, 10. Esbert is a member of the Stowe Host Program, whose approximately 60 volunteers help create exceptional guest experiences on Stowe Mountain Resort’s ski trails.
How did a Miami boy become a skier? I started skiing as child at Ober Gatlinburg ski resort in Gatlinburg, Tenn., and later skied in Canada and Colorado.
How did you end up in Stowe? My family and I vacationed in Stowe and fell in love with the town and its amazing people. In the winter of 2007 we bought a vacation home. We spent that summer here, and when we got back to Florida it just hit me that we should move to Stowe full time. We went with our gut feeling, and it was the best thing we could have done.
What inspired you to become a Stowe Host? I wanted to get out of the house and be on the mountain. At the time, Image Outfitters was home-based and I wanted to see other people. Now our office is on South Main Street, but it’s only three of us, and I still really like to get up to the mountain. As a host, we do get a ski pass, but that’s not why I joined. I did it to be surrounded by people and to be outside. You have to play in the snow if you’re going to live in it. It’s the only way to survive the winter!
Does being a Stowe Host require any special training?
It is a service-oriented position, and we learn how to handle any situation that might come up. And we definitely have to know how to ski or ride.
What is the most important aspect of being a Stowe Host? You need to be friendly, kind, fun, caring, and most of all you need to smile and keep customers smiling and having fun.
How often do you work as a host? We are required to work a minimum of 25 days during the ski season. Some hosts put in 50 or more days.
What is the most frequently asked question you get as a Stowe Host? “Where’s the best powder!” followed by “What are the best trails?” and “Where are the best-groomed trails?” People ask anything—where is the best snow, where is the best place to eat, where can we take the kids. The whole spectrum. People can come to us for anything, and if we don’t have answers we guide them to the right place for the right answer.
What is the oddest question you’ve been asked? “When are you going to get the wind to die down?” My answers always depend on who I’m talking to, but the answers can be a lot of fun. We always try to be on top of the forecast so we can give an intelligent, yet fun, answer.
INTERVIEW CONDUCTED & COMPILED BY KATE CARTER
where water lives
What do you like about being a Stowe Host? One thing I really like is the diversity of the host staff. They range from doctors, lawyers, and business people to artists, musicians, and retirees. I really enjoy working with them. I also enjoy when people who return to Stowe every year come up and say hello.
What kind of business is Image Outfitters? We are the “A to Z” of the advertising specialties industries. We provide promotional products for businesses and help them promote their corporate image. We source and provide items that fit a business’s image and events, from pens, mouse pads, and customized apparel to rubber duckies. We have clients all over the world, including Banco Santander, Delmonte Fresh, Diona, and the High Fives Foundation, and local businesses such as Stowe Mountain Lodge, Sushi Yoshi, and The Alchemist.
What does your license plate, “ISHARE,” mean? iShareWorks! is a charitable donations program we started in 2013. During the recent economic downturn we realized that many worthwhile charities were suffering from underfunding. iShare allows our new customers the opportunity to give 10 percent of what they spend with us to a charity of their choice. Image Outfitters makes the donation on the customer’s behalf—a win-win situation for our customers and their designated charities. For example, if a customer spends $10,000 with us we give $1,000 to the charity. So far we have given more than $45,000 to over 50 charities. It’s great for everyone. Our customers really like it. The charities love it, and they also encourage their corporate donors to do business with us. It has a broad-reaching effect. We are very community-driven and we like being able to partner with others to contribute to non-profit organizations.
and so much more...
COMPETITION-SIZED SWIMMING POOL WATER SLIDE
TODDLER & CHILD POOL
CARDIOVASCULAR & WEIGHT TRAINING AREAS
Memberships & Day Passes Available
What is something most people do not know about you? It’s my goal, and I am determined to achieve it, to meet everyone who lives in Stowe and all of the surrounding areas. Vermont is a beautiful state, but it is the people who make it shine. The Swimming Hole • 75 Weeks Hill Road • Stowe, VT 802.253.9229 • www.theswimmingholestowe.com
INFO: Go to stowe.com and image-outfitters.com.
Monday - Friday 5:45am - 9:00pm • Saturday 7:00am - 8:00pm • Sunday 8:00am - 8:00pm The Swimming Hole is a non-profit community pool & fitness center that welcomes community support.
1. Alex Dall'Olmo and his fiance, Courtney Grimason, in the Spanish Pyrenees in July. Alex works at Stowe middle and high schools, and both Alex and Courtney work at Stowe Mountain Resort. The couple moved to Stowe in 2011, with plans to marry here next summer. "We hope to make Stowe our permanent residence," says Alex. 2. Joan and Dwight Stecker, aka Ama and Apa, of Port Jefferson, N.Y., and their granddaughter, Ava Stecker of South Orange, N.J., toured the Netherlands and Germany for two weeks in August. Along with visiting many relatives, they enjoyed the sights. Joan and Dwight’s second home is at the Village Green in Stowe. The couple has come to Stowe for more than 27 years. 3. Paul and Wendy Gaynor in Central Square, Dublin, Ireland. The Gaynors own a residence at Notch Brook in Stowe. Do you have a photo of our magazine on some far-flung island or rugged mountain peak? Send a high-res copy to us at firstname.lastname@example.org, with Stowe Magazine in the subject line. We’ll pick the best one—or three!—and run it in a future edition.
RURAL ROUTE PHOTOS GLENN CALLAHAN
LEARNING LAB Stowe middle and high school students Sierra Anderson, Henry Dolan, Cam Anderson, and Hunter Carpenter at Stowe Trading Company.
the POEM remembering the moose Remember the moose, elegantly ungainly, how he did not bother to look, just moseyed past us, through the thorny thicket, to the marshy stream; we pushed through prickly underbrush to follow. When he jolted his head and horns upwards from his drink, water, swilled slow motion, in a sparkly, crystal arc, splashed at our feet, that said close enough, and it was, as if everything froze in place:
At first glance, Stowe Trading Company looks like any other Stowe boutique. Canvas bags, decorative pillows, casual clothing and fashion accessories, handcrafted jewelry, and gourmet foods fill up a cozy space reminiscent of an old barn. But it’s not your typical retail shop. It’s staffed by Stowe middle and high school students who
are learning every aspect of running a business: placing wholesale orders, displaying merchandise, waiting on customers, designing a website. What’s more, a portion of every sale goes to the nonprofit Stowe Education Fund, which exists to “support and enhance” Stowe’s schools. The money will be kept in a separate account, and every six months students will have an opportunity to request grants for special projects and needs.
The store officially opened this fall. The building, on Stowe’s Mountain Road, sits next to Stowe Kitchen Bath & Linens, both owned by Kate Carpenter. She describes the new venture as “old-world employment meets newworld employment. At the heart of this is a learning opportunity for today’s young students to garner work and life experience.” In addition to learning practical skills such as banking, accounting, and running a cash register, organizers hope the experience will build students’ self-esteem and confidence. “You can’t put a price tag on how valuable these experiences are to students,” said Vickie Alekson, chair of the Stowe Education Fund. Merchandise at the store will change frequently. Some of the offerings include Vineyard Vines clothing, Smathers and Branson, Skida hats, and Soulmate socks. The store will also be an official retailer for Vermont Original Moriarty Hats. —Lisa McCormack
that life over there; grandchildren and their parents in stop-motion, around the dinner table, as if what the children said astonished; up there, puffed-up cumulus their shape-shifting halted, as if avoiding a head on collision; over here, raindrops in suspension, all around us, as if their descent waited for our permission to resume; and us, here, our dance, stopped, when the music ran out; that’s as close as we’ll ever get; he sauntered deeper into the marsh, we ceased being anxious about twilight. Gene Arthur, August 2013, Stowe
ONE GREAT MOUNTAIN TOWN Travel and Leisure magazine this summer ranked Stowe No. 3 among America’s favorite mountain
towns. ••• Aspen, Estes Park, and Telluride, all in Colorado, rank one, two, five; Stowe came in third and Lewisburg, W.Va., ranked fourth. The only other New England town among the 22 in the rankings was Ludlow, Vt., at fifteenth. ••• The magazine described Stowe this way: “Stowe was a summer destination for city dwellers seeking respite from the heat long before it became a skiing destination. And to this day, summer is peak season for this tiny Vermont town beneath the Green Mountains. Readers gave Stowe high red-white-and-blue marks for both its patriotism and its old-fashioned July 4th parade and celebration. It also scored highly for its active and athletic locals—the kind of people who’d appreciate the 5.3-mile hiking, biking, and cross-country skiing trail that threads through town. It crosses the West Branch River 11 times over wooden bridges and past the restaurants and shops lining Mountain Road.” ••• Travel and Leisure readers did the voting, evaluating hundreds of towns on everything from burgers to adventure-travel opportunities to friendly locals.
A popular place for woods skiing on Mansfield, flattened by a nosediving gust of wind, provides a perfect example of how Mother Nature doesn’t conform to things like trail maps. On July 3, a microburst hit the woods at the intersection of Goat and Midway trails, snapping and bending tree trunks in a 6.4-acre swath in a matter of seconds. No one was in the area when the sudden 80plus-mph wind shear came up and over the leeward side of Mansfield. According to Scott Whittier, a National Weather Service meteorologist in charge of warning coordination, that’s a good thing. “You may get a quick wind gust just before the rain, because the air is cooler than the wind around it,” he says. “When this happens, it’s just a matter of seconds. You get that wind, the trees will bend, and three seconds later, it’s all over.” The Mansfield microburst didn’t take long enough to form on the radar to give forecasters time, or forethought, to issue a warning. “It kind of briefly maximized over Mansfield and, as quickly as it formed, it fell apart,” Whittier says. Some microbursts can pack winds of up to 168 miles per hour, faster than some tornadoes. Goat Woods is a popular area among skiers and riders who choose to get off the trails in search of tight turns and untracked powder; it’s full of yellow and paper birches, balsams, and red spruce. The microburst will change the nature of those woods, and no one will be coming to clear out the debris. “It can be pretty difficult and dangerous to go and try to clean that out,” says Brad Greenouth, a state lands forester with the Vermont Department of Forests and Parks. “We just let nature wait for a while and heal itself. I think when it grows back it will be very similar to what was there.” Whether Goat Woods will become more open and bowl-like or overly gnarly and impassable is anybody’s guess. But the flattened area offers one benefit. “If you’re going down the (Goat) trail and look to your left,” Greenouth says, “you get a nice view of Smugglers’ Notch you never had before.” —Tommy Gardner
or nearly a quarter century, Wendy Breeden stocked her tiny boutique at Gale Farm Center with fabulous clothing and gorgeous costume jewelry, serving locals, secondhome owners, and customers from as far away as Saudi Arabia and South Africa. “You can never know who your customer will be,” Breeden says. “You just open the door and see who walks in.” Breeden, who usually dresses in jeans and T-shirts, always filled her store with what she found beautiful, rather than fretting over the next fashion trend. In July, Breeden closed up shop. Breeden opened Wendy’s Closet with friend Pat Schwarz, naming the store after Schwarz’s daughter and sister. “Wendy just worked,” Breeden recalls. In 2000, Schwarz opened In Company Clothing and Breeden became sole owner of Wendy’s Closet. Choosing inventory was always a joy for Breeden, who has a passion for luxurious fabrics in beautiful colors and shapes. “I have to be passionate about what I’m selling. You
just have to trust your instinct and go with it.” Breeden frequently worked seven days a week, including most holidays, but says she never felt burned out. “There is not a thing I don’t like about retail,” Breeden says. “I’m not leaving it because I don’t like it. It’s just time for new opportunities.” She credits her success, in part, to the many assistants she’s had over the years. “I never advertised for help,” Breeden says. “I trusted they would show up when the time was right and I was never disappointed. As much as I taught them the ins and outs of business and taking care of customers, they taught me so much more. They were my band of angels.” After closing her shop, she plans to spend some time with her parents at their home on the New Jersey Shore. She’s certain she’ll find new career opportunities, but isn’t sure where they’ll lead. “I’m so excited by all the new possibilities,” Breeden says. “When you make that decision and take that first step, everything opens up and takes you on your way.” —Lisa McCormack
Hardy Avery and Jesse Goldfine.
Nat Goodhue and Tom Jackman.
Caitrin Maloney, Robin Gershman, and Bunny Merrill. COMPILED BY MOLLY TRIFFIN
Jed Lipsky and Caren Goodhue.
Mike Haynes and Chess Brownell.
Stowe Land Trust celebrates: At Eric and Robin Gershmanâ€™s Strawberry Hill Farm, Sept. 7.
Charles Coffin, Bastien Boutin, and Richard Sparks.
Darn Tough Ride: Benefit for Friends of Stowe Adaptive Sports, Aug. 31. Alicia Abad and Andrew Tappe.
Nancy Krakower, Biddle Duke, and Arnie Ziegel.
Go Beer! Helen Day Art Center fundraiser, Oct. 25.
Jim & Georgiana Birmingham, Troy Rivard & Deb Barry, Gayle & Brad Moskowitz, Pete & Lesley Clark, Frank & Julie Motch, Luke & Kristin Shullenberger, Will & Kim Belongia, Mark & Carrie Dessureau, and John & Lini Alberghini.
Sebastian Sweatman, Alison Beckwith, and Julie Jatlow.
David Santamore, Hayley Sweeney, Pascale Savard, and Chris Collin.
Brooke, Isabella, Nicholas, and Bill Alex, and Mitchell, Jonathan, and Jamie Pool.
Melanie Gauthier, Brenda Goss, and Carrie Nourjian. STOWE LAND TRUST PHOTOS / JOHN ATKINSON; GO BEER / HELEN DAY ART CENTER; DARN TOUGH RIDE / PAUL COFFIN; FISHLANTHROPY / JESS GABELER.
High for Fives fundraiser at Sushi Yoshi, Oct. 25. The group helps recovering athletes return to the sports they love. Sushi Yoshi donated 25% of its sales and celebrity servers and bartenders donated their tips. Ella Skalwold with Warren Miller star John Egan.
Hibachi chef Joe.
Lucy Edwards, Sushi Yoshi owner Nate Freund, and Melody Badgett.
Joey Normandeau and Hannah Marshall.
Lisa Lamos and Lucy Edwards, Miss Vermont 2014.
Dan and Bud Keene.
Christopher Lisle, Sam Lukens and Esbert Cardenas Jr.
John Kimmich and Zach Jameson.
Celebrity servers and bartenders.
Michelle and Duncan Tuscany, and Randy Elles.
Nicole Prada and Simone Sparks.
RETRO SKI: Stowe author looks back
kiing, especially in its early years, underwent countless innovations. Dull leather boots became plastic and colorful. Rope tows evolved into highspeed detachable quads. Skis got longer, shorter, then longer again. Through it all, style’s been paramount. “I’m definitely of the era where it was important to look good,” says Greg Morrill, the writer behind the Retro-Ski column in the Stowe Reporter newspaper. “I was definitely a proponent of colorful, flowery shirts.” Launched three years ago, Retro-Ski explores the history and evolution of the sport in weekly installments, complete with trivia questions. Morrill recently turned his column into a book, featuring 50 bite-sized trips down skiing’s memory lane. Retro-Ski, A Nostalgic Look Back at Skiing often dovetails with Morrill’s own ski experiences. For over 60-plus years, Morrill has worn the hot and not-so-hot gear, skied countless famous and infamous trails, and fallen off his share of rope tows and T-bars. “I started off with a list of ideas that took me through the first three years (of the column),” Morrill said. “It’s been mostly memoirs, and it’s been triggering memories in other folks, too.” Morrill grew up on skis, starting at the age of four in his family’s backyard near Conway, N.H. Later, he based decisions on where to live and work on skiing. In 1968, he joined IBM in Essex with its proximity to four ski resorts. “That year, Stowe raised its price to $10 a day. We were like, ‘Who do they think they are?’ ” Morrill says. Soon, though, a friend brought him to Stowe for some spring runs, and Morrill found his mountain. He’s been skiing Mansfield regularly ever since, and now lives in Stowe. He ranks Stowe’s famous Front Four trails up there with any resort’s most hallowed runs. “The Front Four—National, Lift Line, Starr, and Goat—are still a challenge to me,” he says. Morrill traces numerous evolutions in Retro-Ski, such as the changing technologies to move skiers up the mountain, boots through the ages, the origins of resorts like Snowbird and Alta, Mad River and Killington, and famous skiers such as Jean Claude Killy, Billy Kidd, and Penny Pitou. So what technological advancement does Morrill think is most responsible for growing the sport of skiing into the millions? Stretch pants. “By 1955, the pants were available in 42 colors and a wide range of sizes. Suddenly, skiwear was fashionable and sexy. So skiing was fashionable! Skiing was sexy!” Morrill notes in one piece.
He describes how between the end of World War II and the end of the 1960s, the sport grew from fewer than 50,000 skiers to more than four million. “Prior to stretch pants, women took up skiing to meet men, but only after the introduction of stretch pants did men take up skiing to meet women,” he writes. —Tommy Gardner //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// ESSENTIALS: Retro-Ski by Stowe Reporter columnist Greg Morrill is available at Bear Pond Books and the Vermont Ski and Snowboard Museum in Stowe, and at Haymaker Card and Gift in Morrisville.
DINING • LODGING • SHOPPING • GALLERIES • REAL ESTATE • COMPLIMENTARY summer / fall 2013
G U I D E
M A G A Z I
FOUR YEARS RUNNING! For the fourth year in a row the Stowe Guide & Magazine took first place honors at the New England Newspaper & Press Association’s annual awards in the niche publication category. Judges said, “One of the best visitor’s guides in New England. Fantastic ad support. Solid editorial, and that’s not often found in these types of publications.” 40
YOGA • FARM-TO-FORK • ITHIEL FALLS REVIVAL • GAME WARDENS • IPA HIGHWAY
60 YEARS OF CONTINUOUS INSPIRATION IN THE PURSUIT OF TECHNICAL PERFECTION
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ith its progressive choreography and award-winning talent, TRIP Dance Company returns to the Spruce Peak Performing Arts Center on Friday and Saturday, March 20 - 21 to perform for its annual fundraiser. TRIP, which stands for Technique, Rehearse, Implement, and Perform, is a competitive dance company associated with the Stowe Dance Academy and is comprised of 35 dancers ages 9 - 18 from the towns of Stowe, Waterbury Center, Morrisville, Johnson, Hyde Park, and Waitsfield. Now in its 13th year, TRIP offers young dancers in Vermont the opportunity to master technique and performance skills in ballet, jazz, lyrical, modern, and hip hop dance styles. This year’s dance repertoire includes both innovative and classical choreography that will be performed at three leading industry competitions: NUVO Dance Competition in Montreal, New York City Dance Alliance in Boston, and Tremaine Dance Convention in Boston. Well-known dance celebrities such as So You Think You Can Dance choreographers Stacey Tookey and Travis Wall, and finalist Tiffany Maher, will teach and judge the TRIP dancers. “Our dancers are getting exposure and recognition nationally and internationally and continue to explore all options available to them in the dance world,” says TRIP director
Helena Sullivan. “It is exciting to watch these decidedly talented and driven young dancers explore the opportunities available to them.” The senior TRIP dancers were invited to perform on stage this past September with Grace Potter and the Nocturnals at the 4th Annual Grand Point North Music Festival in Burlington. Many of the TRIP dancers spend their summers attending competitive and highly selective dance intensives at world-renowned ballet schools such as the School of American Ballet, Bolshoi Ballet Academy, Boston Ballet, American Ballet Theater, Joffrey Ballet School, and Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet. Outstanding TRIP alumnae include Michaela DePrince, who is currently performing in the Dutch National Ballet’s production of Don Quixote. Broadway’s Liana Hunt, who has starred in major productions of Mama Mia and Newsies was a founding TRIP member. /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// ESSENTIALS: TRIP Dance Company performs at Spruce Peak Performing Arts Center, 122 Hourglass Drive, Stowe on March 20 - 21 at 7 p.m. $25 / $20 for students. Tickets: sprucepeakarts.org.
Quaint sidewalks, a much--photographed white-steepled church, a strong European tradition, and two covered bridges, one strictly for pedestrians and one supposedly haunted since the Civil War. Say hello to the most tech-friendly town in Vermont: Stowe. This little burg has been named Vermont’s eCity for 2014 by Internet powerhouse Google, in a program that recognizes the best online business cities or towns in each state. The eCity title may sound surprising, but stop and think of how many Stowe lodging facilities and resorts, retailers, and restaurants use the Internet to promote themselves and to do business. “We do gets have some high-tech businesses in town, but it also seems the award is based on how many non-hightech businesses are using technology,” says Trevor Crist, co-founder and president of Inntopia, an online resort and destination reservation system, and one of the IT companies based in Stowe singled out by Google. The company also points to the municipal government itself as being cutting-edge: “...residents appreciate the connectivity to Stowe’s online resources. Citizens can pay bills, ask questions, and even view historic documents online.”
GORDON MILLER; INSET: LEIF TILLOTSON
The Tony & Kia Show Let’s talk turkey. Five hundred turkeys, to be exact. That’s the goal Tony the Mailman and Kia Winchell Commo set for this year’s holiday turkey drive for the Waterbury Food Shelf. Now in its fifth year, Tony started the project in 2010 and recruited Kia two years later. “I got the idea from Chris Potter who was doing a turkey drive in Morrisville with the local radio station,” says Tony. “I piggy-backed on that for awhile and then decided to do my own thing.” Tony Cote, aka Tony the Mailman, has delivered mail on foot in Waterbury for 30 years. “Most people don’t even know my last name.” Tony started his annual turkey drive modestly, perched on a giant blow-up turkey in the bed of his pick-up truck that he parks in front of the food shelf on Main Street in Waterbury every November. People would drive by and hand him a frozen turkey. Sometimes two. He collected what he could and gave the birds to the food shelf. Recruiting Kia was a stroke of genius; he couldn’t have found a better promoter. Kia Winchell Commo, the traffic director and office manager at WDEV radio in Waterbury, also puts together the weekly on-air party 44
calendar. People know her, but more importantly they know her voice. “Tony delivers our mail at the radio station,” Kia says. “One day a few years ago he walked in and said, ‘Hey, your mother volunteers at the food shelf, why don’t you do something?’ So I decided to do the turkey drive with him. We promote it mostly on the radio station and also in the local newspapers. Last year we got 186 turkeys, but this year we are aiming for 500 because the food shelf lost one of its annual Christmas donations. So we are collecting turkeys for Thanksgiving as well as Christmas.”
So where does one store 500 frozen turkeys? “The Village Market loans us freezer space,” explains Kia. “When food shelf director Cara Griswold needs to give someone a turkey she just walks over to the Village Market and gets it.” So now both Tony and Kia hang out for three hours every November in Tony’s pick-up, but only Tony sits on the blow-up turkey. “It’s pretty much throw-and-go,” says Kia, but people do stop and chat. Tony is an Oriole’s fan so there’s always baseball chatter and
THE GOAL LINE Tony Cote and Kia Commo at last year’s Tony the Mailman and Kia’s Turkey Drive.
Surprise! Imagine someone making a secret documentary about your life. That’s what happened to Ken Squier of Stowe, owner of Radio Vermont Group, who was honored at a surprise party this fall and shown a movie about his life. Ken Squier, His Life … So Far, made secretly by Ed Dooley, president of Mad River Media in Waitsfield, was screened for the first time at a party at the Burlington Hilton, and among the 200 viewers were Gov. Peter Shumlin, Lt. Gov. Phil Scott, and state business and arts leaders. Squier, 79, runs a string of Vermont radio stations from the WDEV offices in Waterbury, has been a star announcer on national auto-racing coverage, and owns the Thunder Road stock car racetrack in Barre. Two members of NASCAR’s Hall of Fame, Bobby Allison and Darrell Waltrip, came to Burlington for the event. In making the 70-minute documentary, Dooley traveled all over the country to interview people about Squier. The film captures the memories of about 30 people. Some remember him growing up in Waterbury; others remember his sports coverage for CBS-TV, with auto racing in the forefront, but also major golf tournaments and the Olympics. He has also worked for ABC, Fox, and the WTBS superstation.
people always want to talk with Kia about the radio station. The average donation is two turkeys, but some people give three or four. Sometimes people ask if the turkeys are for sale. Kara remembers the time a young woman came by with a turkey. The woman explained that when she and her young son needed help, the food shelf came to her aid. Now she wanted to give back. “Occasionally we all need a bit of help,” Kia says. “If I can help get a turkey to someone, I’m happy to do it.” —Kate Carter
RURAL ROUTE The new runway expands the safe day and night use of the airport, which can now handle planes as large as small jets. The former crumbling runway and inadequate lighting and navigation made it impossible or unsafe for many aircraft and pilots. “This has been an amazing collaboration between private enterprise and governmen. The state and the federal government have handed us a state-of-the-art (runway) facility.” —Tom Anderson, Stowe Aviation president and chief operating officer
FLIGHT TIME Governor Peter Shumlin took part in the ribbon-cutting ceremony marking the completion of a new runway at the Morrisville-Stowe Airport. An aerial view. Airport development rendering. Stowe Aviation founder and CEO Russell Barr stands with the plans for the new and improved airport. CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT TOP: GLENN CALLAHAN; MARK GREENBERG; COURTESY PHOTO; GLENN CALLAHAN
AT MORRISVILLE-STOWE AIRPORT
he Morrisville-Stowe Airport reopened this summer with a new $4.5 million runway, the first phase of $27 million in investments expected to turn the airport into a major economic engine for the region. The rebuilt runway includes new taxiways, parking aprons, and state-of-the-art lighting and navigational aids. State and federal transportation agencies funded the project. Stowe Aviation took over management of the facility. The group’s development plan includes an aviation school, a charter air service, airplane storage, a modern maintenance-and-repair business, and a restaurant. The new runway expands the safe day and night use of the airport, which can now handle small jets. Business travelers, visitors, and locals can now reach New York, Boston, Toronto, and Montreal in a matter of hours by regular charter or private flight, says Russell Barr, a Stowe lawyer who is founder and CEO of Stowe Aviation.
“There are approximately 72 million people living within a 90-minute flight of the Morrisville-Stowe State Airport,” he says. “Despite this fact and the billions of dollars spent on local tourism infrastructure over the years, our airport has been largely untouched.” This is the airport’s first significant upgrade in 35 years. Stowe Aviation hopes to raise the $20 million through the EB-5 process, which allows immigrants to obtain green cards if they invest at least $500,000 in projects that create at least 10 jobs. “This is going to open up markets for our area,” says Barr, who noted that the airport’s location north of Stowe, one step closer to the Northeast Kingdom and nearby Jay Peak Ski Resort, will be a boost to that region. —Stowe Guide staff
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LIGHT SHOW S.D. Ireland’s No. 6 in Johnson village last winter.
A CONCRETE CHRISTMAS ucked away in The North, Santa’s elves look rugged these days, dressed in boots, work-shirts and pants. They’re hustling too, what with the holidays fast approaching. But forget the eight tiny reindeer, and think 365 horsepower engine instead. And if you were expecting “sleigh,” think again. Think Concrete Mixer. In the third bay in a garage on Grove Street in South Burlington, the S.D. Ireland Concrete Company is prepping truck No. 6 for its next outing. Unlike the trucks in the other bays, No. 6 won’t be serving up concrete for any sidewalks, driveways, foundations, footings, or bridges in the near future. The drum has been washed out and its hopper removed. SD Ireland technicians, nee elves, deck the truck with strands of little gold and white lights—about 25,000 of them. Starting now and lasting through the new year, No. 6 will deliver an entirely different but equally valuable good to neighborhoods from Burlington to Bennington and back again: delight. So how did one of the largest concrete companies in Vermont become an emissary of holiday cheer? Kim Ireland, the wife of Scott David Ireland, is the Mrs. Claus behind it all. She and her husband were on a plane to Washington, D.C., when, perhaps inspired by the twinkling houses beyond the plane’s window, she proposed turning a few of the fleet’s 26,000 pound vehicles into spectacles of light. So, over the past nine years, Kim has routinely showed up at Lowes, Creative Habitat, and the Christmas Store, sometimes purchasing up to 40,000 lights at a time. No. 6’s hood has already been illuminated and now a worker is starting on the passenger side door, methodically taping the lights in a back-and-forth pattern so that everything is lit—everything, even the offshoot stem of the side mirror. Nearby there are more reels, the kind cable is usually wound on, where last year’s strands are wrapped in tidy spools. Dud bulbs litter the floor like peanut shells. Delight, it turns out, is an arduous, time-consuming procedure. When No. 6 is ready to go, the truck’s generator will run most of the lights as its empty barrel spins. S.D. Ireland drivers will take turns parading the lit-up truck through November and December’s darkest days, enjoying the chance to be at the helm of a vehicle that has all the spectacle of a blazing ambulance combined with the happy anticipation of an ice-cream truck. The wonder that this concrete truck first generated when it debuted in 2005, haloed in its lights, cruising the streets and state highways of Vermont, has given way to expectation, “People get upset if it isn’t around,” Kim Ireland says. “Oh there it is!” you can hear a passenger exclaim in one of the numerous YouTube videos that truck No. 6 has inspired. In one video, the camera simply follows the truck, lit up in its merry glory as it dashes down I-89 and puts on its turn signal, which adds one more light to the brilliant spectacle. Then the camera records the truck’s lights as they become a twinkling, fading glow, as No. 6 veers off into the night. —Julia Shipley
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COURTESY STOWE MOUNTAIN RESORT
towe’s two magnificent mountains, Mount Mansfield and Spruce Peak, form a grand panorama defined by the rugged cliffs of Smugglers’ Notch, and Stowe’s bounty of natural snow, its open glades, uninterrupted fall line, and the spectacular twin summits of Vermont’s highest peak were a magnet for the pioneers of skiing in America. Today, over 75 years later, alpine, crosscountry, and freestyle skiers—and snowboarders—continue to bring world fame to this proud mountain community. In fact, of all of America’s winter Olympic teams, few have failed to have a representative from Stowe. Mount Mansfield and Spruce Peak capture skiers’ and snowboarders’ interest because they boast a total of 2,160 feet of vertical on 485 acres, offering the longest average trail length in the East. Skiers and riders will find every type of terrain, from wide-open cruisers to narrow, winding trails and glades. What makes Stowe so special? It starts with Mt. Mansfield, Vermont’s highest mountain at 4,393 feet and home to the East’s greatest natural ski terrain. Stowe thrills guests with its famous doublediamond Front Four trails: National, Liftline, Starr, and Goat. The Front Four are the quintessential classic New England trails with steeps and bumps that pump even the most accomplished skier’s adrenaline. They hold their place with the world’s great runs, and among skiers the world over they’re household words. LONG HISTORY OF SKIERS Its awesome and timeless beauty inevitably strikes first-time skiers at Mt. Mansfield and Spruce Peak. Gliding toward the top of Mt. Mansfield, one is embraced by the stillness of a panoramic bowl that stretches toward forbidding cliffs
THE NSAA CODE* Skier / Snowboarder Responsibility Code Always stay in control. People ahead of you have the right of way. ■ Stop in a safe place for you and others. ■ Whenever starting downhill or merging, look uphill and yield. ■ Use devices to help prevent runaway equipment. ■ Observe signs and warnings, and keep off closed trails. ■ Know how to use the lifts safely. Be safety conscious and know the code. It’s your responsibility. ■ ■
* This is a partial list. Source: National Ski Areas Association
Continues on page 52
GETTING OUTDOORS DANA ALLEN
rosty fall mornings, Vs of geese heading south and fading foliage turn snowsports enthusiasts’ thoughts to winter. For Louise Lintilhac, freeskier with Stowe connections, this fall culminated a season of work and planning aimed at bringing a new look to snow sports. Lintilhac is featured in Lynsey Dyer’s allfemale ski film Pretty Faces. Dyer is a professional big mountain skier and co-founder, in 2007, of the nonprofit shejumps.org, with the mission to increase female participation in outdoor activities. Dyer had put out a call on her website, unicornpicnic.com, for contributions to the proposed film with this caveat: “If you feel you have what it takes and/or have an engaging story that revolves around skiing, document it on film for a possible chance to be a part of the film.” Lintilhac heard about Pretty Faces from her friend Berne Broudy, a female adventure journalist, and reached out to Dyer. She initially proposed the idea of a webisode of East Coast skiing to be used after the main film. This evolved into an East Coast segment. Lintilhac says, “My segment was truly crowdSki movie: sourced. I am lucky to ski with Meathead Films and so I used them as a resource along with other videographers I know, including my husband, Dana Allen, who shot quite a bit of footage for both the main film and the webisode.” A lot of the footage was shot in Stowe, both on the mountain and in the backcountry. Additional footage comes from trips Lintilhac took with friends, including Paige Fitzgerald and Carla von Trapp Hunter. Fitzgerald and Lintilhac traveled to the Chic Choc mountains in northern Quebec, and von Trapp Hunter joined them for a filming trip on Mount Washington. Lintilhac started skiing in Stowe and raced for the Mt. Mansfield Ski Club and Academy. She praises her coaches, giving a special nod to Christine Colangeli, “who really defined me as an athlete. She inspired me to explore beyond the boundaries of the trail and take my other lady friends on these missions with me.” She was not aware of freeskiing/backcountry skiing as an option when she was growing up, and hopes that changes for future generations of women adventurers. “I also have some incredible female ski friends and the sense of camaraderie here in Vermont is very strong. I wanted to be able to highlight for the world that East Coast women are not to be forgotten. People like to bash the East Coast when it comes to skiing, but I wanted to show that Vermont is an incredible place to live and play and we can get after it just as hard as anyone in the world.” —By Deb Fennell
ESSENTIALS: Pretty Faces: an All Female Ski Movie, Sunday, Feb. 15, 7 p.m. Spruce Peak Performing Arts Center at Stowe Mountain Resort, in cooperation with the Stowe Mountain Film Festival and Vermont Ski and Snowboard Museum. $12.
Areas of Stowe Mountain Resort marked outside of the ski area boundary on trail maps and with signage on the mountain itself, is hazardous backcountry terrain, containing unmarked hazards such as cliffs, thick, brushy terrain, riverbeds, stumps, rocks, avalanches. This area is not patrolled or maintained. Vermont law states that any person who uses ski area facilities to access terrain that is outside the open and designated trails shall be liable for any costs of rescue, medical, or other services. —Stowe.com 52
Continues from page 51
guarding the narrow pass known as Smugglers’ Notch. Many of the trails gracing the flanks of Vermont’s highest mountain can trace their history back to the birth of skiing in North America. Nathaniel Goodrich, a Dartmouth College librarian, made the first recorded descent in 1914. Others soon followed. By the 1930s, even before the first lift, skiers flocked to Stowe. These ski pioneers came here first for a simple reason: best mountain, best snow. Most of Stowe’s trails were cut in the first half of the 1900s, and without the benefit of bulldozers. The first ones were handcut by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1940s. Charlie Lord, the architect of trails like Nose Dive, Goat, and Perry Merrill, had a natural sense of a mountain’s fall line. His trails flow down the mountain like poetry. Those of you who like to follow the sun will find Stowe is laid out perfectly to ski around the mountain. In the morning, the Front Four bask in soft morning light. In the early afternoon, work your way to the right and ski off the gondola. And to catch that elusive afternoon warmth, head to Spruce, which gets magnificent afternoon sunshine. The forgiving terrain of Spruce Peak’s sun-washed slopes also provides a haven for the youngest or newest skiers. On Mt. Mansfield, the 3.7-mile-long Toll Road is the perfect spot for beginners. The trail meanders through woods, letting you work on finding a rhythm, and you’ll see absolutely breathtaking views. The wonderful thing about the Toll Road is that it allows beginners to enjoy an experience that advanced skiers get all the time: seeing the whole mountain. Intermediate skiers can test themselves on miles of groomed cruising runs. The broad expanses of Gondolier and Perry Merrill at the Gondola, or Sunrise and Standard, where the sun shines late on the shortSTOWE MOUNTAIN RESORT est days of winter, are popular with skiers and riders of every ability. Skiers who like wide cruisers will be completely exhilarated after taking a few runs down Gondolier. A favorite of many skiers is at the top, off the quad. Ridgeview, not quite as wide open as Gondolier, provides the perfect place to practice short-radius turns. Spruce Peak is also an intermediate skier’s paradise. For those learning to tackle bumps, Gulch is covered with medium-sized moguls, so skiers can concentrate on technique without being tossed around. Mt. Mansfield also has premier glade skiing for the adventurous. After a storm when there’s a solid base of snow, advanced intermediates will want to head for the consummate off-piste experience. Stowe Mountain Resort offers a number of gladed areas—all described on the ski area’s handy interactive trail map—including Tres Amigos, Sunrise, and Nose Dive glades. Remember too that venturing into terrain that is not on the trail map can be very dangerous, especially if you aren’t familiar with the area. Those who require rescue may be held liable for the expenses. This is worth noting because Stowe has seen an increasing number of people who think it would be exciting to venture into the woods and end up getting hurt, lost, or both. You can still find plenty of excitement on trail. So be safe, and have fun! ■
① ⑥ ②
④ ⑤ ③ WINTER TRAILS FESTIVAL FEB. 7: Lots of hiking and non-hiking fun for all ages all day. Music and refreshments. Green Mountain Club, Route 100, Waterbury Center. Part of Waterbury’s two-week Winter Festival.
SNOWMOBILE CLUBS: EDEN: Gihon Trak Packers / 802 635-7515, gihontrakpackers.org MORRISVILLE: Lamoille County Snow Packers / 802 888-2281 JEFFERSONVILLE: Smugglers’ Notch Snowmobile Club / 802 730-4360 JOHNSON: Sterling Snow Riders / 802 635-8388 STOWE: Stowe Snowmobile Club / 802 253-4540, stowesnowmobile.org WOLCOTT: Wolcott Snow Travelers / 802 888-3224 PHOTOS: GLENN CALLAHAN; SNOWMOBILER: DON LANDWEHRLE
On skinny skis Stowe boasts one of the largest, most diverse trail systems in the United States. More than 150 kilometers of groomed and 100 kilometers of backcountry trails crisscross its landscape. One of those backcountry trails is the Catamount Trail, 300 miles of wilderness skiing over the spine of the Green Mountains from Massachusetts to Quebec. It connects 15 ski centers throughout the state, including those in Stowe. Trapp Family Lodge, the first commercial ski center in the U.S., is the heart of Stowe’s network with 60k of groomed trails and 100k of backcountry trails. Stowe Mountain Resort CrossCountry Touring Center’s accessibility to the downhill ski area creates an uncommon fusion of Nordic and alpine skiing. Stowe Mountain Resort’s 35k of groomed and 40k of backcountry trails are the highest in elevation in Stowe. Topnotch at Stowe Resort and Spa offers additional terrain. Over the mountain in Cambridge, the Smugglers’ Cross Country Center at Smugglers’ Resort offers 30k of cross-country trails and 24k of dedicated snowshoe trails through woods and fields.
Figure 8, anyone? Public skating is offered daily at Jackson Arena. The arena has skate rentals. Call the hotline for public skating schedules: (802) 253-3721.
Winter fish tales This may be the Ski Capital of the East, but don’t tell the fish that! Fish do not go dormant in the winter. Their metabolism slows, but they still need to eat. So if you enjoy eating—or just catching—fish, there’s nothing better than a mess of yellow perch out of Vermont’s frigid waters. Local outfitters will be thrilled to help you set your line.
Snowshoe heaven The Stowe area is home to one of the most extensive and diverse trails systems in the East, making it the perfect destination for snowshoeing. From the flat 5.3-mile Stowe Recreation Path to the challenging summit of Madonna Mountain, snowshoers go at their own pace and reap the benefits of a safe, aerobic exercise. The Green Mountain Club, on Route 100 in Waterbury Center (greenmountainclub.org), has compiled a list of favorite snowshoe hikes in the Stowe-Smugglers’ area. Stowe Land Trust (stowelandtrust.org) allows snowshoeing on many of its conserved properties.
It’s VAST out there Imagine a 5,000-mile highway that suddenly appears every winter. One that goes through backcountry and snow-covered mountains, secluded valleys, and friendly villages. In Vermont, you don’t have to imagine it; it’s the winter world of snowmobiling. All riders in Vermont must belong to the Vermont Association of Snow Travelers (VAST), a non-profit, private group of over a hundred snowmobile clubs with tens of thousands of members. (See our list of local clubs at left.)
Maple mojo Mid- to late-winter means maple time in Vermont, producer of the world’s best maple syrup. Many maple producers keep their sugarhouses open year round. It’s most fun during boiling time! A great resource is vermontmaple.org. 55
AT LEFT: NILS PRESTON SCHLEBUSCH. AT RIGHT: DEAN BLOTTO GRAY
SNOWBOARD DREAMS Stowe’s Mindnich brothers chase the snow
/ Kate Carter
he snowboarding Mindnich brothers, Hans and Nils, cut their teeth on Mt. Mansfield when they were young. Really young. Now fixtures on the backcountry snowboarding scene, Hans, 21, and Nils, 19, have impressive snowboarding resumes. They appeared in Warren Miller’s film Playground, won several national championships, sat atop the podium at both the U.S. and European Open Junior Jams, and were featured in Transworld and Snowboarder magazines. Their new movie, Foreward, premiered this fall.
“Riding out of Stowe, which is one of the best mountains in Vermont, Hans and Nils are quite the young superstars,” Andy Coghlan, snowboard director at the Winter Sports School in Park City, told the Stowe Reporter in 2009. “Hans and Nils are part of the newest generation of great snowboarders to come out of Vermont.” Both Mindnich brothers eventually attended the Utah academy, which holds classes in the summer so student-athletes can ski and ride full time in the winter. They rode for the Mt. Mansfield Ski & Snowboard Club, with “Danger” Dave Boldwin as a personal coach. By high school, the brothers were traveling extensively, training and competing across the country. Today, Hans spends his summers in Stowe, working as a carpenter for Dolan Builders, but once the weather turns he heads to Utah to pursue powder and his snowboarding passion. Nils now calls Utah home, where he works
<ĂƚŚĞƌŝŶĞ 'ƌĂǀĞƐ͕ Dd͕ ,^ AIRBORNE From left: Nils Mindnich at the grand opening of the Stash Terrain Park in Killington in 2009 when he was 14. Hans Mindnich, in red, at the photo shoot for the launch of Snowboarder magazine in 2010, when he was 17. Inset: Nils on the podium at the U.S. Open Snowboarding Championships in 2007.
part time at The Mine Climbing Gym in Park City. He goes to school at the local community college, eyeing a degree in mechanical engineering. But that’s his summer life. Winter is exclusively devoted to snowboarding. Hans and Nils were invited to join the team shooting the movie Foreward for Snowboarder magazine. “It’s the first movie Snowboarder has made in 15 years,” says Nils. “They selected 10 of the most promising and influential amateur riders to be in it.” According to the Snowboarder website, the magazine “handpicked ten of the most promising young snowboarding talents and brought them around the globe to show the world what the future of the sport looks like. . . Foreword is a film that will not only get you excited to ride but it will also inform everyone that when it comes to snowboarding’s next generation, the kids are alright.” Nils and Hans are two of those “kids.” Over the years, both brothers have earned numerous awards and podium appearances. But they’ve left the competitive aspect of snowboarding behind and are committed to the backcountry and making movies that promote the sport. The brothers are sponsored by North Face, VonZipper, Suny Action Cam, and Elm Company. Even though Hans and Nils are sibs and have spent their lives riding together and pushing each other’s limits, their styles are very different. Hans says Nils’s strengths are urban, handrails, and freestyle, while his own strengths are in the halfpipe, and he’s had more experience in the backcountry. “It’s cool that our paths have diverged a bit, but we’re still riding together,” he says. ■
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ESSENTIALS: Foreward is available on iTunes for $9.99. 57
AT T H E M O U N TA I N
COURTESY STOWE MOUNTAIN RESORT; GLENN CALLAHAN
OUTDOOR FUN ZONE An outdoor ice rink, adventure center, and alpine clubhouse were among the projects under construction this summer at Stowe Mountain Resort’s Spruce Peak complex. Inset: Summer construction.
Several new projects now underway will likely help Stowe Mountain Resort retain its reputation as the Ski Capital of the East, while also generating new business during the summer and fall. The additions and improvements are part of the resort’s long-term $500 million master expansion plan, which broke ground in 2003. At the center of the project is a new outdoor ice rink that will double as a community plaza and green in the summer. Other improvements include: • The Stowe Mountain Club Alpine Clubhouse and children’s Adventure Center, which will house a ski-and-ride school, year-round day care facilities, and activities center. • Retail shops, restaurants, food markets, and underground parking for Alpine Club members. • A zipline, expected to open this spring, starts at the top of the Gondola and skips down the mountain in a few sections. • A makeover for the Gondola so skiers and riders can stash their gear on outside racks. • Completion of a $3 million snowmaking improvement project. • New beginner terrain and lift. “It’s exciting that this next phase of development is under way,” says Michael Colbourn, vice president of marketing, sales, and communication for the resort. “When we built the base plaza and Stowe Mountain Lodge, it really raised the resort experience to another level for our guests. When you add the outdoor ice rink and the other improvements, especially the children’s Adventure Center, that’s really exciting. The new children’s Adventure Center and Alpine Club building will blend old and new styles and tie into nature motifs. “Visually, they will blend with what’s there now,” Colbourn says.
Ice rink, adventure center on tap
SPRUCING UP SPRUCE
The new Adventure Center will have two levels. The Alpine Club will take its cues from the surrounding forest, with a pine-coneinspired shape. A smaller structure at the base of the ice rink will provide a shelter where people can lace up their skates, inspired by the old Civilian Conservation Corps buildings from the 1930s. Resort officials intend to keep the project green. Geothermal energy will be used to operate the mechanical systems for part of the new development. Stowe Mountain Resort is one of only four “sustainable communities” and the only mountain resort recognized by Audubon International. Most everything will be up and running in time for the 2015-16 ski season. ■ —Lisa McCormack
COOL THINGS SPIRIT OF THE SPORT Bill McCollom shares ski-racing wisdom in his new book The View From the Finish Line.
ast March I met Bill McCollom on a chairlift at the Masters National championship races at Okemo Mountain in southern Vermont. A mid-pack skier, at best, Bill asked how I did after my downhill run. “I shaved a few tenths off of my training runs,” I told him with satisfaction. Bill was genuinely interested and commended me on a fine race, offering a gentle smile that I failed to interpret at the time. But after reading his new book, The View From the Finish Line, it became clear. Bill applies the same approach, whether following the world’s most prestigious ski racers or talking to a mid-pack skier on the side of a Vermont ski mountain. During his career, Bill covered ski racing at the World Cup level for Ski Racing Magazine, and is also a diehard masters racer and a former Middlebury College athlete. Ski racing is a fascinating sport. Each appearance at the start wand is a test of a ski racer’s will. It represents the culmination of his or her mental and physical preparation, as well as the fickle hand of fate. Whether it’s Bode Miller standing in the gate at Hahnenkamm in the Kitzbühel Alps or a skinnyBook review: legged high-school skier at the start of a short GS, every race is an event. Bill absolutely appreciates that fact, and understands the spirit of ski racing. His book carves a long arc through the world of skiing, from renowned World Cup events in Europe to his home ski area at Suicide Six, with its 650 feet of vertical. The book’s charm lies in the fact that to Bill the thrill of an opening day at Suicide Six is equal to or greater than the thrill of a helicopter ride on a powder day at St. Moritz. His observations are all seen through the eyes of a common-sense Vermonter. From the emotional peaks and valleys of elite World Cup skiers to the challenges faced by aging masters racers, Bill jumps obstacles with observations like: “The best way to get in shape for racing is to never get out of shape.” Golf, tennis, cycling, and horsemanship can help keep athletes sharp in the offseason. He waxes with multiple layers of story, including his personal experiences with torn ACLs (both knees), and overlays with insights from ski-racing legends like Kjetil André Aamodt. The author does not avoid the sharp edges of a sport that carries significant danger. He recounts the stories of seriously injured racers, trying to understand the
strength of character they use to rebuild their lives. Their inspiring lives make you realize just how tough some people can be. This compilation of Bill’s magazine columns includes many of the lessons gained from one of the most physically and mentally challenging sports ever conceived. Bill describes ski racing as a sport that has its origins in “pure, uninhibited recklessness.” His writing scrapes away layers of pretension with wry humor and brushes it with a finish of wisdom that will be appreciated by racers, skiers, and athletes at all levels. Bill confesses to a philosophy that seems endemic in skiing: “I’ve spent a lifetime rationalizing self indulgence, so why stop now?” —Ed Brennan Ed Brennan, of Duxbury, sells advertising for this magazine and spends as much time as possible on skis.
ESSENTIALS: The View From The Finish Line is available from Enfield Publishing, enfielddistribution.net.
Stowe bus: Mt. Road Shuttle makes getting around easy The Stowe Mountain Road Shuttle (operated by GMTA) offers FREE convenient service to many popular destinations in the Stowe area. ••• From the lower and main villages up the Mountain Road to the base of Mt. Mansfield, Vermont’s highest peak, this seasonal service runs daily, approximately every 20 to 30 minutes, from 6:40 a.m. to 9:55 p.m. ••• For specific dates of service and a complete listing of GMTA's routes and services call (802) 223-7287, or visit gmtaride.org. ••• The Mountain Road Shuttle also offers complementary paratransit service; call (802) 864-0211 for more information. 60
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COOL THINGS TRAILS, TRAILS, TRAILS The newly refurbished Barnes Camp, with historic postcard of the original structure. Mountain biking in Stowe. A section of the Lamoille Valley Rail Trail in Johnson.
he renovation of historic Barnes Camp in Smugglers’ Notch is done. It now serves as a welcome and environmental education center for the Smugglers’ Notch Scenic Highway and State Park. Barnes Camp, built in 1927 and located at the southern gateway to Smugglers’ Notch, provided food and shelter for hikers and skiers at the dawn of the state’s ski industry. The building’s exterior was returned to the appearance of an earlier era, including restoration of now-missing or Now open! blocked windows, a refurbished fireplace, and reconstruction of a south wing depicted in historic photos. The interior of the building contains meeting and display space, as well as two composting toilets. As part of the effort, the Long Trail will be relocated so that hikers no longer need to walk on the shoulder of Route 108. Barnes Camp will serve as a trailhead. The renovation of Barnes Camp is a major effort of the Friends of Smugglers’ Notch, a group of area businesses, non-profit organizations, and state agencies working to protect the environment and improve visitor safety and enjoyment in the Notch. —Stowe Guide & Magazine staff
or more than a century, the Lamoille Valley Railroad carried passengers and freight throughout northern Vermont. Now, the longabandoned rail route is being transformed into a four-season recreation trail that’s expected to provide an economic boost to the region. The 93-mile Lamoille Valley Rail Trail is being built in three sections—a leg linking Morristown, Hyde Park, Johnson, and Cambridge; a trail from St. Johnsbury to Danville; and a stretch from Sheldon to Swanton. 93 miles Construction began last summer on the first 44-mile section, and includes one stretch from St. Johnsbury to Danville and another from Cambridge to Morristown. That work is expected to wrap up in late 2015. When completed, the rail trail will be the longest in New England. It will follow the route of the former St. Johnsbury and Lake Champlain Railroad, which operated from 1877 to 1994.
Waterbury (10 miles south of Stowe) is studying the idea of a trail that would connect its downtown with Little River State Park and the Perry Hill mountain bike trail system. In the long run, such a trail could be key to establishing the WaterburyStowe area as an International Ride Center, as designated by the International Mountain Bicycling Association. Winning that designation is a big deal. It certifies that a community has large-scale mountain bike facilities that offer something for every rider, and is a key to building mountain-biking tourism. As of August, the U.S. had only one gold-level ride center: Park City, Utah. Silver-level ride centers were in Bentonville, Ark.; Oakridge Area, Ore.; Santa Fe, N.M.; Sun Valley, Idaho; the Teton Region from Jackson, Wyo., to Driggs, Idaho; Tucson, Ariz.; and Copper Harbor, Mich. Twelve other communities have bronze-level ridecenter status.
Walkers, cyclists, and horseback riders will be able to use the rail trail in the summer; people will use it to cross-country ski, snowshoe, and ride snowmobiles in winter. ATVs and motorcycles will be prohibited from the trail. Vermont Association of Snow Travelers is working with the Vermont Department of Transportation to coordinate the project, which is expected to cost just over $10 million. The project received $5.2 million in federal money in 2005; much of the rest will come from fundraising. —Stowe Guide & Magazine staff
MADE IN VERMONT
STORY / Tommy Gardner PHOTOGRAPHS / Glenn Callahan
WhiteRoom Skis are rugged works of art, hand-carved from wood harvested from the North Woods and decorated with colorful inlays that just might prompt some people to hang them on their walls instead of drilling holes for bindings.
WhiteRoom Skis should be counted as an agricultural product. Faraci hand-makes his vertically laminated skis out of four different types of wood, all sourced locally from a friend. He uses hardwood like maple in areas where binding screws need to be set, and soft woods such as white ash and yellow birch in the rest of the core. When he needs to cut weight and add flex, he uses poplar. Faraci doesn’t skimp on materials, using quality epoxy resins made especially for skis, P-tex sidewalls, steel edges, triaxial fiberglass, and carbon fiber. Faraci also built his press and molds from scratch, consulting the Internet and picking the brains of people he knows in the industry. Doug Adams, owner of Today’s Edge on Stowe’s Mountain Road, says the $850 price tag is a real deal, considering the amount of money Faraci spends on materials for each pair. Adams showcased WhiteRooms at his shop last winter, the only retailer anywhere to offer the skis. Adams doesn’t like the skis just because they’re locally made or beautiful to look at. He visited Faraci in his workshop and was impressed by the construction. “I’ve seen lots of handmade skis, and they’re pretty enough,” Adams says. “But Faraci probably has a couple hundred bucks worth of materials in his skis.”
WHITEROOM SKIS Not just another pretty face But don’t let these beautiful works of art fool you. These skis are solid to the core. “It’s what’s inside. It really is,” says Vin Faraci, who creates the skis in his tiny workshop next to his house in Hyde Park. “Plus, I ski pretty hard, so they’ve got to be durable.” In a state that values using local products, 64
As Adams holds up a pair of WhiteRoom girls’ skis with a tropical flower and red shell inlay on top, he turns it over and reveals something even more important: the joint where the steel edges meet at the tip is so tight he can’t even get a fingernail to catch in the seam. “That’s a tight joint,” he says. Each pair takes about 20 hours to make, and since Faraci is employed full-time as a certified athletic trainer, those 20 hours stretch out over a few weeks. Faraci makes his skis in the offseason. And, until recently, the only people who skied on a pair of WhiteRoom skis were family and friends. But Faraci isn’t just building skis, he’s telling peoples’ stories. One client, for example, wanted Faraci to honor on a pair of skis the foster daughter he had to give up. She was with the man since the age of seven weeks, but the court ordered the child returned to a maternal grandmother three and a half years later. Faraci filled the skis with personal images of the child’s life: her favorite stuffed monkey, a
CUSTOM BOARDS Clockwise from left: A flower inlay. Vin Faraci in the doorway of his workshop. Building the ski. Faraci personalizes his custom skis with inlays and phrases important to the customer. The WhiteRoom ski logo.
snowflake for their mutual love of the white stuff, and a phrase the little girl often used on the slopes: “Faster Daddy!” He also made a trio of skis for the IAN Fund, a non-profit that stands for International Avalanche Nest-Egg, and named after local skier Ian Lamphere, who was killed in an avalanche last year while skiing in Colorado. Each pair features the stylized IAN logo, but a larger version of the logo appears when all three pairs of skis are placed side by side. “It was very nice to be involved with them. They’re great people,” Faraci says. For a state with such a rich winter sports tradition, Faraci is surprised there are so few custom ski builders in Vermont. “If you travel to almost any major ski market in the country, you’ll find local custom ski builders, except here in Vermont,” he says. He’s now trying to turn WhiteRoom from hobby to small business, after years of people asking where they could get a pair. When making skis, he makes sure his customers are intimately involved in the design process, and not just the aesthetics. He wants to know each customer’s skiing style. “I feel like every pair is still mine even after I hand them off to their new owner,” he says. “I want to build skis that the owner and I can both be proud of.” ■
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R A C E D AY
DIEHARDS Mountain bikers enjoy the trails of the Cady Hill Forest in Stowe on their fat bikes.
STORY / Roger Murphy PHOTOS / Glenn Callahan
ermont has long attracted bikers, it’s scenic byways and rural villages filled with cyclists on tour. Today, mountain bikers and mountain bike trails enjoy a similar popularity, with the Stowe Mountain Bike Club and other dedicated riders creating opportunities for a growing off-road crowd. But until recently, cyclists had to put their padded shorts and helmets away for the winter, trading in their cleated shoes for ski boots. Not anymore. In the last few years, bikers in growing numbers are hopping onto fat bikes equipped with monstrous four- to five-inch tires designed to travel over packed snow. The popularity of the sport has increased so dramatically that even mainstream bike manufacturers are designing and selling fat bikes. Quality Bicycle Products (QPB), which serves over 5,000 independent shops and is arguably the largest bicycle wholesaler and distributor in the industry, has organized a Fat Bike Summit the last three years, and the group reports that sales topped $10 million. It’s both a growth industry and a growth sport. Locally, fat bikes are here to stay, as evidenced by the unprecedented acceptance of a new category of racers for this year’s 70th anniversary of the Stowe Derby ski race—over 100 fat bikers. (See sidebar) Fat biking has its roots at both ends of the climate spectrum. Riders in northern Canada and Alaska wanted to ride their bikes in the snow,
Stowe Derby welcomes fat bikes
BIG TRACK GOES BIG
while riders in Florida and the Southwest wanted to ride their bikes in the sand. What both groups discovered was that high volume tires, combined with lower tire pressure, allowed for just the right amount of traction and float. Soon, riders customized their bikes with two rims welded together to accommodate a larger tire, or even used a custom hub design that stacked three normal tires side by side. In the early days of fat biking its aficionados could be, well, a bit eccentric. Soon enough, though, more doubters hopped on, took a spin, and could no longer deny the sport’s fun factor. Ryan Thibault, owner and editor of MTBVT, recalls the early days of fat biking in Stowe when there were very few riders. “You could tell who had been riding on the trails by the tire tracks,” he said of those first early converts. Today, several local shops offer rentals and demos, with at least one offering guided fat bike tours.
RIDE YOUR BIKE IN THE STOWE DERBY! The real coming-of-age for fat biking in Stowe? You can ride one in the Stowe Derby for the first time ever! This year’s Stowe Derby, on Sunday, Feb. 22, will welcome over 100 fat bikers. They won’t get to start at the top of Mansfield’s Toll Road due to logistical and safety issues. Instead fat bikers will start at the Mt. Mansfield Touring Center after all of the skiers. The Stowe Derby, put on by the Mt. Mansfield Ski and Snowboard Club, started in 1945 as a personal challenge between Sepp Ruschp, the first head of the Stowe Ski School, and Erling Strom, a famous Norwegian mountaineer. Today, the challenge remains: Ski from the top of Mt. Mansfield to Stowe Village … on one pair of skis. Ruschp won that first derby. The 20km course challenges participants on a variety of terrain, from the slopes of Mt. Mansfield to flat terrain of the Stowe Recreation Path, with a vertical drop of over 2,600 feet. For information, check out stowederby.com.
“Fat biking is the antidote to Vermont’s fickle winter weather,” says Ryan. “When the skiing is bad, the fat biking tends to be good. It fits well into the winter activity list for the outdoor enthusiast.” Keep in mind that just because there is snow on the ground, not all trails are open to fat bikers. Vermont Association of Snow Travelers (VAST) trails, the Catamount Trail, and some of Stowe’s own mountain bike trails are closed to bikers for various reasons, but mostly related to the agreement between the trail associations and the landowners whose lands the trails cross. Similarly, most local cross-country ski centers are not open to fat bikers, Trapp Family Lodge’s Touring Center included. Kingdom Trails in East Burke will have 30km groomed for fat biking, and both Millstone Trails Association in Barre and Catamount Family Center in Williston will have fat bike offerings. Even with the restrictions, miles and miles of lightly traveled dirt roads and countless farm roads are available in the greater Stowe area. In response to demand, Ryan and some Canadian friends have created Le Grand Fat Tour, which consists of six winter biking events, three in Canada and three in Vermont. One of them, the Uberwintern, presented by MTBVT and hosted by the Stowe Mountain Bike Club, drew over 100 riders last year, despite temps of 20 degrees below zero. ■
ESSENTIALS: stowemtnbike.com. 67
MOUNT MANSFIELD SKI PATROL PHOTOS, STEVE HILL
2-6-9 Clockwise from top: Brian Picard and Tim Lambert inside the Mt. Mansfield Ski Patrol headquarters. Patroller Will League. Zeb Groskin emerges from 2-6-9.
STORY / Brian Lindner
SKI PATROL HQ Stowe goes state-of-the-art for its patrollers
At some ski areas the ski patrol is just another expense, with patrollers working from drafty, old shacks. Every day many of these hard-working volunteers struggle to make these inadequate buildings function—often without electricity—while trying to dole out emergency medical services to sick and injured skiers and boarders. Not so at Stowe Mountain Resort. Officials at Stowe see the Mt. Mansfield Ski Patrol as a valueadded service that contributes to a guest’s overall experience, and not just when the MMSP’s paramedics, EMTs, doctors, and nurses respond to accidents or illness. Stowe’s ski patrollers l
perform other, less well-known tasks every day. They check every safety awareness device—signs, pads, bamboo markers, ropes, etc.—on every open trail. Patrollers help run lifts, move materials around, check snowmaking operations, answer endless questions from guests, report problems areas to groomers, ride and check all lifts before they open, find lost people, and remove fallen trees… that is, when they’re not training, training, training. The most prominent symbol of the importance Stowe Mountain Resort places on its ski patrol is firmly planted at the top of the FourRunner Quad. When you get off the lift look for the “2-6-9.” That’s the headquarters of the Mt. Mansfield Ski Patrol, which the resort built and paid for and which opened on Nov. 23, 2011. The building was designed and built by patrollers, for patrollers. It is exactly what a modern ski patrol needs to do its work. “2-6-9” is the decades-old telephone extension number for the patrol’s headquarters. The Stowe ski patrol identifies all of its stations by the last three digits of their phone numbers. The building is packed with telephone, radio, and computer systems that are vital to any modern patrol. Ski patrol dispatch works from here amid a couple of tons of response gear. Photos and other memorabilia decorate the natural pine walls to both remind and promote the history of America’s oldest ski patrol. Photographs show uniformed patrollers from the 1930s down through the decades. Samples of old equipment vividly show how ski patrol services have evolved and improved over the last 80 years. Toboggans are housed inside at “2-6-9” so that blankets and gear are dry at all times. The facility also houses Stowe’s toboggan repair shop, where equipment can be cleaned, repaired, and dried, away from the patrol’s daily activities. The large facility allows for training individuals as well as bigger groups. It’s the rare day when the large-screen TV isn’t showing a training video on topics ranging from splinting to safe operation of snowmobiles. ■
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FEEL BEAUTIFULLY CARED FOR
Installing the Patrol’s logo.
ADAPT The Friends of Stowe Adaptive Sports and Stowe Mountain Resort help put disabled athletes back on the hill.
Story / M a r k A i k e n Photographs / G l e n n C a l l a h a n
Chris Tagatac recalls his first day on snow at Stowe. Not that first day learning to ski at age six; rather, his first day the second time around. Chris severed his spinal cord after a July 2011 accident at his home, paralyzing him from the chest down. It wasn’t easy for this lifelong skier to stomach, going back to square one and the Magic Carpet beginner’s area, but that’s where his coaches—Cynthia Needham of Stowe Mountain Resort and his friend Pascale Savard—brought him. “I was always a speed guy,” says Chris. “It didn’t feel good going back to the beginning.” But Chris is a skier. “I can’t not ski,” he says, as if the very thought is inconceivable. He had to start somewhere. That first day back wasn’t full of wonder and joy. “It was frustrating,” Chris says, “spending my first full day on the Carpet.” But Chris’s experience with paralysis has taught him numerous lessons—more than most outsiders looking in can possibly imagine. “Rehab is about creating a new normal,” Chris explains. So for those first days back on snow, it helped for him to continually remind himself of his goals. “My goal now in any sport is to be able to do things with my family,” he says. “ ‘Just get down the hill,’ I kept telling myself.” He finally advanced to a point where Cynthia felt he could attempt Inspiration, the beginner slope off the Adventure Triple at Spruce Peak. For Chris, one of the happiest sounds he’s ever heard was the squeaking of the wheels turning under the weight of the lift cable. He describes his first couple of runs, referring less to the breeze on his face and the snow under his sit-ski (a bucket-like seat affixed to a ski), and more about the chattering of his kids, Madeline and Cameron, and hearing them say, “Dad’s doing pretty well!” At the end of the first run, Cameron “squeezed me as tightly as any kid could ever squeeze his father.” The Tagatacs were once again a skiing family. Whether they realize it or not, every Stowe skier and rider has seen adaptive athletes creeping—or cruising—down the mountain. That’s because adaptive athletes come in all shapes and sizes, all ages, and all ability levels. “We have worked with 4 year olds to an 80 year old,” says Cynthia Needham, the driving force behind Stowe’s adaptive program for the past 13 years. The most visible athletes, says Cynthia, ride sit-skis like Chris. These athletes make up 40 percent of Stowe adaptive lessons. “We work with people with physical, cognitive, or developmental disabilities,” she says. The remaining 60 percent, except for the few who wear vests saying things like “Blind Skier,” will look like any other skier. Take Ella MacDonald, an 11-year old with autism. Ella is nonverbal, and she processes external stimuli more slowly than most. She communicates most effectively through art (visit ellaskyeart.com), and she sometimes responds strongly to certain noises, visual cues, or unexpected chaos around her. Skiing wasn’t an activity to which Ella’s mom Laura really gave serious consideration. But when the MacDonalds first moved to Stowe five years ago, they found the area’s prevailing “cando” attitude refreshing. “Stowe is a special place and a very accepting community,” she says. The MacDonalds have found this acceptance in the form of one-on-one aides in the school system and in the attitudes of other children and parents toward Ella. “And the Friday program is simply amazing,” says Laura, referring to the local program where Stowe schoolchildren ski on Friday afternoons. Realistically Ella couldn’t participate in the Friday program with her peers for the same reasons she requires a one-on-one aide in the classroom. Enter Cynthia, who fairly matter-of-factly informed Laura that, yes, they could teach Ella to ski. That was four years ago, when Ella became a regular skier on Fridays. She meets an adaptive coach—usually the same coach each week, which 74
COMMITMENT Clockwise from top right: Laura MacDonald enjoys a moment with her daughter, Ella, outside the lodge at Stowe Mountain Resort. Jordan Carrell carves a turn. (Photo by Mike Hitelman) Cynthia Needham in action, riding with Carrell and Erik Kondo. (Photo by Pascale Savard) Chris Tagatac gets outfitted in the lodge at the resort, his first time participating in the Stowe Adaptive Ski Program. (Photo by Pascale Savard) Previous page: Ella MacDonald.
has been key, since Ella finds solace and security in routine. Meanwhile, she responds well to visual aids and sensory cues, so her coaches use colored tape on her hands, cowbells, and other tools. Interestingly, says Laura, Ella’s adaptive skiing experience didn’t start on the snow with adaptive professionals. It started at a local ski shop—AJ’s Ski & Sports—where they rented equipment before her first lesson. “I wondered how this was going to go,” Laura remembers, knowing that her daughter would only wear dresses because jeans were too restrictive. How would she respond when they attempted to put her in ski boots? “AJ’s staff was calm, relaxed, and unfazed,” says Laura. It was another example of acceptance of the whole Stowe ski community.
Laura MacDonald is very straightforward about Ella’s opportunity to ski every Friday. “Without Friends of Stowe Adaptive Sports we couldn’t afford it,” she says. As an adaptive coach in the ski school, Cynthia has encouraged and trained scores of Stowe adaptive pros over the years, including the resort’s current adaptive supervisor Keja MacEwan. But perhaps Cynthia’s biggest contribution to the program has been the formation and development of the nonprofit Friends of Stowe Adaptive Sports. Since its inception in 2010, when Cynthia organized a party to raise funds to purchase a mono-ski, a sit-ski for an individual incapable of steering and balancing, Friends of Stowe Adaptive Sports has focused on three areas. It raises funds to purchase adaptive equipment, which it leases to Stowe Mountain Resort. Second, it funds training opportunities for
POSITIVE ATTITUDE Clockwise from top right: Patrick Lewis is helped onto the gondola by two Stowe ski instructors who participate in the adaptive ski program. The view Mary Anne Lewis really loves: her son Patrickâ€™s wheelchair behind the van in the parking lot. Seven sit skiers of all levels reunite in Stowe with the Friends of Stowe Adaptive Sports for some fun on the mountain. (Pascale Savard photo) Patrick on his way down the mountain.
Stowe coaches—like attending National Adaptive Academy courses at Breckenridge and events with the Wounded Warrior project. Finally, it raises scholarship money. Friends of Stowe Adaptive Sports has sponsored over 50 disabled athletes. Lessons paid for by the nonprofit account for over 25 percent of all adaptive lessons taught at the resort. One difference between the Stowe ski school’s adaptive program and many others is that Stowe uses trained professionals and not volunteers. But professionals cost money, as do lessons at Stowe. Adaptive lessons, with their one-to-one ratios, are priced like private lessons, which are more than some locals can afford. “We are truly thankful for the opportunity,” says George Lewis, innkeeper at Stowe’s Brass Lantern Inn, whose son, Patrick, 22, has cerebral palsy. “It means everything to us.” While the Lewises wouldn’t be able to afford to send Patrick up the mountain with a specialized coach, Patrick’s mom Mary Anne Lewis appreciates being connected with trained pros. “It ensures a sense of security and trust for a mom,” she says, pointing out that Patrick is blind, excitable, cannot communicate verbally, and has a seizure disorder. He might express happiness through hand-flapping or by humming. Patrick’s scholarship allowed him to ski 10 times last winter—with the same coach nearly every time and an assistant coach to help load the lifts. “Matt—and everyone—was so helpful and understanding,” says Mary Anne, referring to Matt Lindemer, Patrick’s coach. “Matt is great about stopping to check on him,” says Mary Anne. “And he takes Patrick in the terrain park.” The Lewises share the challenges every family faces in getting up to the mountain in time for lessons. But do most families have to clear an extra wide swath on their walkways in order to wheel their son though? Do they need to ensure their wheelchair-accessible van (and its hydraulic lift) is sufficiently warm? Do they need to sew covers over the arms of a jacket because their son won’t tolerate gloves? “We make it work,” says Mary Ann. “There’s a lot we can’t do as a family, but skiing is something we can do.” Mary Anne and George—and sometimes their other children Deseray and Dustin—ski alongside Matt and Patrick in his sit-ski. “He is so happy at the mountain,” Mary Anne says, adding that her only regret is that Patrick can’t enjoy the view due to his blindness. There is one view, however, that Mary Anne finds priceless: Patrick’s empty wheelchair behind the van in the parking lot. “It means he is up there doing something he loves,” she says.
Regardless of one’s disability, skiing is not easy—from a physical or emotional perspective. “It’s not going to be the same as it was pre-injury,” says Chris Tagatac, who points out the permanence of situations like these. And irreversible injuries and illnesses don’t just affect individuals. “They are family injuries,” he says, thinking of his wife, kids, and friends. Adaptive lessons are multi-faceted, says Cynthia, and inherently difficult to teach. Many are physically demanding. All require adapting to an individual’s unique set of needs and finding the right combination of teaching techniques and equipment. “You have to adjust your expectations and your definition of success.” Jordan Carrell was an expert rider who severed his spinal cord in a snowboarding accident in 2006. He recalls throwing his outriggers (balancing tools that attach to a sit-skier’s arms) on the ground and swearing in frustration throughout most of his first day back. “Looking back, even though I was pissed off the whole day, it was still a really, really good day,” Jordan says, grinning sheepishly. “Your attitude is so important,” says Chris, who, despite striving to be independent and as much like the “old Chris” as he can, still battles illnesses that are semi-related to his injury—and certainly depression. “What I should be focusing on—and what I try to focus on—is that I am lucky to be alive,” he says. Cynthia Needham and Friends of Stowe Adaptive Sports are doing their part to help disabled people live their lives in a ski town. “It’s such an improvement on my life,” Jordan says. “I can do something I loved before my injury—and that I still love after my injury.” For Jordan and others, adaptive coaches, his family, and everyone at Stowe (“the lifties really know what they’re doing,” he adds) turned a difficult student into—once again—a rider. “Cynthia’s positivity made it special,” he says. “Participating in sports—being active—dramatically improves your quality of life,” Jordan says. “The efforts of Friends of Stowe Adaptive are really making a difference.” ■
ESSENTIALS: Stowe Ski School, stowe.com/ski-ride/adaptive, (802) 253-3681. Friends of Stowe Adaptive Sports, stoweadaptive.org. Ella MacDonald’s 2015 calendar is available at ellaskyeart.com.
a history of stowe’s
by BRIAN LINDNER
SKI LIFTS 78
OLD AND NEW Clockwise from top: The bullwheel for the Spruce Double, aka Big Pig. (Photo by Glenn Callahan) The Mansfield Double, with the Single Chair in the background. Stoweâ€™s first lift, the Toll House rope tow. The new gondola that transports skiers over Route 108 between Mansfield and Spruce peaks. (Stowe Mountain Resort) The Spruce Peak double. The Big Spruce Double when new. It was 6,200 feet in length and could carry 800 skiers per hour. (Unless noted, photos courtesy of Brian Lindner.)
The history of lifts at Stowe Mountain Resort mirrors the history and development of skiing as a sport in the United States, from T-bars to high-speed detachable lifts. At Stowe, it all began with ropes. The first lift at Stowe was a good old-fashioned rope tow, completed the last two months of 1936 on the gentle slopes behind the Toll House. Nearly 80 years later the careful observer, standing under the Easy Mile lift and looking uphill, can still see the bare remains of its original lift line. As a collector of artifacts from Stoweâ€™s skiing history, I still lose sleep over the fact that the rope from this original lift was still on site in the early 1980s. It vanished one summer and no part of that original lift is known to survive.
SINGLE CHAIR Clockwise from top: An early linen postcard of the Mt. Mansfield Single Chair and lift line, 1940s. The Single in the 1950s; note the pile of blankets which kept skiers warm on the cold ride uphill. A sign warns skiers to “SIT STILL WHILE RIDING ON CHAIR LIFT.” Snow fence was used to pad the towers, 1950s. This would appear to be Andy Mansfield, who ran the Single from the 1940s to the 1960s, performing maintenance on the lift.
oubts persist about the origins of this first lift. Fortunately, notes from Stowe’s famous historian, engineer, and trail builder, Charlie Lord, resolve any confusion. One of Lord’s memos pinpoints the beginning of modern (lift) skiing in Stowe as Feb. 7, 1937. Construction of the Toll House Rope Tow was finished by late 1936, but a lack of snow meant it couldn’t be used until months later. Single rides cost 10 cents. “Straight from the horse’s mouth, none other than Wesley Pope of Jeffersonville, says, ‘I sold the rope tow to Mr. Craig O. Burt, Jr. in the fall of 1936, and I put it up with plenty of help furnished by Mr. Burt plus a pair of horses and driver,” according to Lord’s notes. “We finished it about the time Sepp Ruschp arrived around the middle of November 1936. (His arrival was actually Dec. 10.) It was 1,000-feet long and was powered by a 1927 Cadillac motor.’ ” Differing accounts put the price tag as low as $300 or as high as $900, either being a princely sum during the Great Depression. In 1956, a new T-bar replaced the Toll House Rope Tow. Over its 26-year history, this lift served millions of skiers when the Toll House area was Stowe’s primary beginners’ area. The engine room still stands with its attached ticket window, but the rest of the lift was removed in 1982. Just after leaving the base on a ride up today’s Easy Mile lift, look under your chair and at the edge of the woods you can see the remains of an old concrete T-bar tower base. Since 1982, this old T-bar has served skiers at the Lyndon Outing Club in northeastern Vermont. Stowe’s second rope tow, the Mansfield Rope Tow, was built in 1937-1938 on North Slope, specifically for use by the Sepp Ruschp Ski School. (Ruschp was Stowe’s first ski instructor and ran the fledgling ski school as the sport gained a foothold on Mt. Mansfield. He later served as president of the Mt. Mansfield Co.) The Mansfield Rope Tow was mostly abandoned in 1946-1947 and sat idle until July 1960 when it was finally torn down and the engine room burned. There are reports that it operated occasionally during the 1950s. In the mid-1940s, my father, Erwin Lindner and fellow Mt. Mansfield ski patrolman Sears Raymond were skiing North Slope when screams sent them flying down the mountain toward an obviously panicked skier. Arriving at the top of the North Slope Rope Tow, they found a young woman still
clinging to the rope long after she should have let go. In fact, she held on so long that her hands were tightly pinned between the rope and the top bullwheel. To add insult to injury, she was suspended several feet in the air. According to Raymond, the incident affected her career, at least for a few weeks. She was a concert pianist. Without question, the most famous lift at Stowe was the old Single Chair. It went up Lift Line at nearly the same location as today’s FourRunner Quad. It was built in the summer of 1940, and at its completion was the longest and highest “aerial tramway” in the world. It was a feat of engineering. Ship fitters from Atlantic coast shipyards assembled each steel tower on location. Even people who skied at Stowe for decades believed or assumed that the old Single Chair towers were held together by nuts and bolts. Wrong. They were riveted together with exactly the same technique that was used on ocean liners and warships of the period. Laborers heated rivets in portable furnaces until they were red hot. Using a pair of tongs, they removed the rivets from the furnace and tossed them up to men who caught each one in a funnel-like device. The rivets were quickly driven into place so that workers on the other side could hammer the red hot metal into shape before it cooled and hardened. Here are some little-known facts about the Single Chair, also known as the “Aerial Ski Chair Ropeway.” On its first official day of operation, Dec. 9, 1940, it was found to be grossly underpowered. Each chair was loaded but it soon became apparent that the lift was moving slower and slower. It finally stopped with the first official rider, “Nose Dive Annie” Cooke, about halfway up the mountain. The lift wouldn’t go in reverse and no procedures had been worked out to evacuate passengers. Eventually, they tied a rope to the bottom chairs and teams began manually pulling the lift backwards so that passengers could get off. For the rest of the season, they loaded only every third or fourth chair. Despite the fuel shortages of WWII, the U.S. Department of War determined that Stowe’s Single Chair should operate for its contribution to the morale of the country. The Single ran almost daily throughout the entire war. The American Steel & Wire Company that erected the Single actually built another, now forgotten lift that ran all the way to the top. It was a temporary work-lift used to trans-
TOP TO BOTTOM Clockwise from top left: A 1944 view from the Single Chair gantry looking down the line. Stowe’s first gondola, a four-person job with a ski patroller inside. An early postcard of the Spruce Peak Double.
port workers, concrete, steel, and other supplies up the line to construct the Single. The work-lift was an amazing feat of construction in its own right. While the Single proved to be an extremely reliable lift and a great historic relic, it did little to help keep lift lines short, and was finally removed in 1986. The towers were riveted together so strongly that they couldn’t be easily disassembled; they had to be cut apart with torches. In low snow conditions, look under the Quad on Upper Lift Line. Those old concrete blocks served as footings for the Single Chair towers. While many of us sometimes pine for the “good old days” and the “wind-proof” Single Chair—and those great woolen blankets that were handed out on cold days—more people enjoy the drastically shorter waits in today’s lift lines. The Single only saw two significant improvements. In the summer of 1950 hooks were welded onto the posts so that skiers could hang their poles during the ride to the summit. These were removed in the early 1980s and the footrests were simplified in response to a lawsuit at another ski area. Charlie Lord, who surveyed the entire project in 1940, was the last person to ride the lift when it closed forever on Sunday, April 13, 1986. One of the chairs is on display in the Octagon. In 1946, the Mt. Mansfield T-bar, originally called the Alpine Lift, was built, leaving from nearly the same location as the current Triple Lift (built in 1985) and ending at “Sun Spot” where today’s North Slope and Standard come together. In 1947, it was extended about 1,000 feet to a point at the top of Standard where the Christienda Restaurant was located. Looking uphill and into the woods from the top of the Standard, you can still see the large concrete counterweight from that lift. (A sheave wheel from this lift was found in the woods in November 2006 and is now displayed in the Vermont Ski & Snowboard Museum in Stowe Village.) Today’s skiers are amazed to learn that a restaurant, the Christienda, once stood at the top of this T-bar. The restaurant now only exists in photographs. Even its outhouses with half-moons on the doors—really!—are long gone. A newspaper clipping from Dec. 27, 1949 shows three new rope tows on Little Spruce. One ran from the base to about halfway up East Slope. At that point another took over and tugged skiers to the plateau at the top of the slope. The third was installed and rose about halfway up the area known today as The Meadows. Precious little is known about these lifts, although a photo shows one in operation. It would appear that all three rope tows were soon removed when the Little Spruce Alpine T-bar was built on East Slope for the 1950 season. The 800-skiers-per-hour Spruce T-bar was built by John A. Roebling & Sons Co., and definitely took a level of skill to ride. It wasn’t unusual to see an unfortunate soul fall off near the top and slide back down the line, taking out a few other riders in his wake. If you look up the left side of East Slope you can just barely see the foundation for the tiny lift shack for the top attendant, decades after the lift vanished. The Little Spruce T-bar served faithfully until 1982 when the beginner’s ski school moved from the Toll House to Little Spruce. The T-bar was then replaced by the Alpine and Easy Street lifts, both of which dramatically improved the lives of beginners. The Alpine Lift ceased operations on 82
Sunday, April 13, 2014 with ski patrollers Cort Johnson and Brian Lindner riding the last official chair, No. 31. The Easy Street Lift, which only ran during the busiest days of the season, officially closed on the same date as the Alpine Lift. By the time it stopped carrying passengers, the lift had 39,252 hours of operation on its time meter. The Big Spruce Double Chair was built in 1954 and had its official opening at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 18. It was America’s first double chairlift and featured the largest uphill capacity of any lift in the U.S. During the 1950s, it served as Stowe’s showpiece lift. In fact, the very first Stowe Antique Car Show was held in the parking lot next to the base of this lift because this was then the center of Stowe’s attractions. In summer, the chair took riders to the summit for spectacular views from The Outlook, a beautiful Alpine restaurant at the top. Its broad porch offered sweeping panoramic views. Unfortunately, the building fell into disrepair and was torn down in the 1980s. Just like the ponchos made available for riders on the single and double chairs, at Big Spruce riders had their choice of coonskin or Army surplus coats. Big and bulky, yes, but they sure were warm! In 1987, the Big Spruce lift was modernized by the Poma Company and was completely replaced in 2005 as Stowe continued to upgrade this area of the resort.
On Dec. 17, 2005 the new Sensation Quad on Spruce officially opened. It drastically improved uphill capacity and took skiers to a plateau below the summit, which means this lift can run when winds would shut down a lift that went all the way to the top. The year 1963 saw the construction of a newfangled electric lift at Stowe. It opened on Dec. 21, 1963 with the first passengers being Mountain Manager Henry Simoneau and Ski School Director Kerr Sparks or Mountain Company President Sepp Ruschp, depending on which report you believe. When the Little Spruce Double Chair was built—site of today’s Sunny Spruce Lift—it was Stowe’s first lift that didn’t run off the internal combustion engine. To this day, some of us old timers still refer to this as “The Electric Chair” even though all the lifts now run on electricity. This lift became history in the spring of 2004. Interestingly, the footrest on the chairs of the Little Spruce Double Chair changed after it was built, probably around 1976. Originally, when you raised the safety bar over your head, the footrest automatically retracted backward and tucked itself under the seat. It was a neat design but not entirely compatible with a ski’s safety straps, the precursor to ski brakes. One day, before the modifications, I happily stood up at the top ramp totally unaware that the footrest and my safety strap had got-
BLANKET ME Clockwise from top left: The Mt. Mansfield T-bar, circa 1940s-1950s. Top of the Single Chair. Note the woman in the Johnson Woolen Mills’ poncho, which were available at the base for extra warmth on the way up. The ski resort eliminated the ponchos in the 1980s because they required an extra lift attendant at both the top and bottom. Corporate sponsors emerged and the now logo-clad ponchos lasted until 1986 when the FourRunner Quad opened. The Adventure Triple at Spruce Peak. (Glenn Callahan) Inset: Stowe Reporter newspaper ad from July 3, 1986 offering Single towers and chairs for sale. All but one tower went to the junkyard.
ten entangled. Within seconds I was hanging bottom-side up by that dinky little strap. As Mother Earth dropped away from me I continued to “ride” the lift upward, toward the bullwheel. It’s an interesting perspective to hang by your foot underneath a chairlift and know that you are still going higher. Luckily, the top attendant stopped the lift and reached as high as he could, partially supporting my weight so I could unhitch the strap. Gravity instantly took over as I hurtled headfirst toward a remarkably safe landing. After that event, I rank the invention of the ski brake right up there with the wheel and fire. In May 2004, “the electric lift” was removed when the revitalization of Spruce Peak began. More modern lifts, not to mention a new base village, were in the offing. On Dec. 4, the new Sunny Spruce Quad was officially dedicated. It was built on nearly the same location as the old Little Spruce Double Chair. Designed and built by POMA, this chair became one of the first major projects in the massive and ongoing expansion at Stowe.
Days later, the new Adventure Triple also opened on Little Spruce. Designed purely as a chair for beginners, it services the Inspiration Trail. It’s hard to imagine how any lift could be more beginner friendly… slow… low to the ground… easy to mount and dismount. Moving back to Mansfield, do any of you old timers ever wonder about that little shack that used to sit on the left as you rode up the FourRunner Quad, just before breaking over the top? While the Single was nearly windproof, the Mansfield Double definitely was not. Lifties sat in this shack and called attendants at the top to slow the lift down if chairs swung too close to the towers. The Mansfield Double once traveled up the mountain just to the left of the Single. Near the uphill junction of National and Lift Line a sharp eye can spot the base of one of its old towers during times of thin snow cover. Likewise, a circular chair guide from the old double still rests hidden under the scrubby spruce trees just after the Quad goes over the Haychute. A large covered walkway was built at the
summit so that skiers riding up on the left side of the Mansfield Double wouldn’t have to cross under the lift to reach the Octagon. Completed in 1960—its first day of operation being Dec. 18—the Double was plagued with problems during its first year. By the second season, the bulk of the problems had been fixed and was generally considered to be reliable until its eventual removal. Its first riders were Gov. Robert Stafford and company president Sepp Ruschp. This lift was removed from Stowe in 1986 and reassembled in New Mexico, where it is believed to still be in operation today. Today’s Mt. Mansfield Ski Patrol headquarters sits on the exact location of the engine room for the old Double Chair. The Lookout Lift was installed in 1979. It was designed to get skiers to most major trails and avoid the lift lines at the Single and Double chairs. It, too, was badly plagued with problems in its first seasons. Significantly rebuilt in 1985, it has become a very dependable lift that can often operate in winds when the Quad cannot. It’s a meat and potatoes lift. Story continues on page 206
fleeting moments on the mountain
HILL LIFE Essay & Photography
/ Greg Petrics
The moments don’t last long. Alpenglow casts itself on Mt. Mansfield’s ridgeline as the sun comes up over Hunger Mountain. A skier descends the S-turns through new snow from last night’s storm. Your friend’s smile flashes by you as she skates toward the Gondola along Route 108. These are all subjects of what I call Hill Life, the focus of my photography. Unlike still life photography, with its careful setup and staging, there’s no time to waste when shooting Life on the Hill. Those subjects reveal themselves for mere seconds before disappearing. The angle of the light changes. The skier emerges from a cloud of snow. A buddy’s attention shifts to the next adventure. Be ready. If you miss the moment, it’s gone forever. This ephemeral nature of the mountains sparked my interest in photography. I enjoy the challenge of capturing a small slice of space and time on my two-dimensional camera. Mt. Mansfield will hover over Stowe for eternity, but the moments of anticipation, excitement, and beauty each of us experience on the mountain—however numerous— are one-time-only events. Photographs provide the best record of their fleeting nature. To me, the best photographs of Hill Life reveal not just what is captured in that moment, but also what came before and what will happen next. With a great photo of Hill Life, there’s no need for a video. The viewer’s imagination fills in the rest. My aesthetic developed by studying, of all things, mathematics. While I have no formal training in photography, I am a mathematics professor at Johnson State College. With my students at JSC, I study the shape of solutions to mathematical objects called differential equations, and what these solutions tell us about the world. The answers to many of life’s mysteries and puzzles depend on differential equations, from the interaction of species in the wild to the functional architecture of neurons in the brain. One particularly important, and especially notorious, equation among snow-sports addicts asks: if one knows the weather around the earth, can one deduce the weather tomorrow? In mathematics, the current weather is called an initial condition. A future forecast, or prediction respecting the laws and equations of atmospheric science, is called a solution. I’m interested in these problems not only because of their utility, but also because they address in a very precise way the philosophical debate between determinism and free will. Can we predict the future by knowing the present? Or is there undecidability; is there free will; does chaos reign? I like to think my photographs touch on this debate in a small way by thinking of them as initial conditions—those fleeting moments on the Hill. Each viewer, then, can supply his or her own solution. ■ See Greg Petrics’ work at Piecasso on Stowe’s Mountain Road through November—perhaps beyond! 87
Nathaniel Goodrich tames the Toll Road Story
s the Toll Road on Mt. Mansfield America’s oldest continuously skied trail, as once suggested in a story published by the International Skiing History Association? Evidence suggests otherwise, but it is indisputable that skiers have enjoyed the Toll Road, first built in 1855 as a road to the Summit House Hotel near the top of Vermont’s highest peak, as a ski trail for more than a century. The story of Mt. Mansfield’s Toll Road as ski trail begins with an unlikely hero, an outdoor-loving librarian named Nathaniel Goodrich, who made the first known descent of the trail on Feb. 1, 1914. The seeds of Nathaniel Goodrich’s lifelong love of the mountains were sown in the Waterville Valley of New Hampshire’s White Mountains, where he summered with his family. An Amherst College graduate, Goodrich worked in West Virginia and Texas before becoming a librarian at Dartmouth College in 1911. It was a job that would change his life forever. At Dartmouth Goodrich saw a few students enjoying the snow on long boards and it appealed to him immediately. “There were no ski instructors in those days and we had to teach ourselves from a book or by watching students,” he told Abner Coleman in an interview published in a 1943 Mt. Mansfield Ski Club bulletin. “I think at that time I had not got beyond a snowplow and a rudimentary telemark which I could not execute at any great speed. I felt like tackling something more interesting than the pasture hills around Hanover. Mt. Washington Road had been skied but that to a complete novice seemed alarming. Also I wanted to try something which apparently had not been done before. My friend, Charles Blood, came up from Boston for a weekend and we decided to see what could be done with the Mt. Mansfield carriage road. Mr. Blood did not ski but decided to go along on snowshoes.” The two adventurers took a sleigh to the base of the Toll Road on a cloudy wet day. A long trek up brought them to the Summit House, just a few hundred feet below Mansfield’s 4,393-foot summit. As he told Coleman: “It was not exactly snowing or raining but a sort of hail was falling which had deposited on top of a firm base two or three inches of icy pellets. For an expert these would have made an ideal running surface but to me they were altogether too much like ball bearings, and even on that gentle slope I got up a speed which was beyond my ability to handle.” That first descent, while entertaining, was also humbling. “My stops— voluntary and otherwise—were frequent. I reached the foot of the mountain somewhat weary but definitely pleased with myself at least until Mr. Blood hove into view a few minutes later. Steady plodding on snowshoes. So, although this may have been one of the first descents of the Toll Road on skis, it was certainly nothing to boast about as ski running.”
/ Kim Brown
As far as Stowe skiers go, Goodrich quickly faded from public view as little was known about him except for that ski club bulletin interview. Yet Goodrich led a long and interesting life in which his love of skiing and mountaineering played a prominent role. After serving as a captain in military intelligence during World War I, he returned to Dartmouth. An early member of the Appalachian Mountain Club—he edited its newsletter from 1934-1940, formative years in the ski world—Goodrich liked to explore the woods and open meadows rather than spend an afternoon riding a ski tow. He was an enthusiastic trail cutter, involved with the creation of famous wilderness trails still in existence, like the Garfield Trail near Franconia, N.H. Describing a day spent on Garfield at age 69, he said, “While people were lined up at Cannon … we had Garfield all to ourselves, six miles of powder snow and a three-mile run down.” Along with another Dartmouth climber John Holden, Goodrich is credited with the first ascent of the Central Gully on Mt. Washington in 1927. He climbed 65 peaks over 4,000 feet in elevation in New Hampshire as well as 24 more in Maine, Vermont, and New York, and was a charter member of the Appalachian Mountain Club’s Four Thousand Footer Club. He climbed and skied in places ranging from the Sangre de Cristo Mountains of southwest Colorado to the Alps, but never lost his love of the East. “Skiing in the East is fun and that’s what I think skiing should be,” he said in a 1951 Ski Magazine story called Yankee Mountaineer. “I don’t belittle the Alps or California or the Canadian Rockies. I have pleasant memories of them all, and of other places. But no more so than my memories of New Hampshire and Vermont.” Perhaps his greatest legacy can be found in the libraries of Dartmouth, where he served for 38 years. The library is filled with a wonderful collection of stories and photographs from the early days of skiing due, in part, to his enthusiasm for skiing and climbing. In June 1941 his alma mater, Amherst College, awarded him an honorary doctorate in recognition of his outstanding service in the world of college libraries. After retirement he continued to climb and ski. While his skills were still limited to the telemark turn, it suited him well in the deep powder he loved. Goodrich died in 1957 at age 77, but here in Stowe, almost six decades after that first known ski run down Mt. Mansfield, he leaves a legacy that should never be forgotten. ■
Nathaniel Goodrich on Mt. Mansfield in 1920. (Dartmouth College archives)
stick season Photographs and Essay
/ Paul Rogers
Shed of autumn’s garb, posturing, a quiet landscape awaits winter.
here are no calendar dates to mark the beginning or end of stick season. Its advent—as poets, artists, and observers have noted—is unhurried, filling the void of autumn’s passing foliage. But its end is sudden, vanishing with the first lasting snow. In north-central Vermont, we usually greet stick season in late October and bid it farewell in the waning days of November.
Stick season embodies two natures. The first, as postscript to fall, gives us pause after the fame and glory of a jeweled autumn. Leaves may yet be found, branch-clinging, waving but unwavering, until at last their grounded fate is sealed. Its second nature, as preamble to winter, foretastes the cold and envisions a whiter world. Stick season embraces snow—but only the irresolute, which shall be gone tomorrow. Locals cherish this time, when the demands of busier seasons are left behind and the rush of winter is not yet here. Still, there are chores and holidays, harvests, and hunting seasons. But in respite, we reflect on the passing of seasons and gaze upon an unadorned landscape and its people. Paul Rogers is a native of Stowe, and graduate of the School of Photographic Arts & Sciences at Rochester Institute of Technology. He has photographed Vermont and her stick season for many years. Additional photographs may be viewed at stickseason.com.
Julia Shipley /////
Snow shower, Lyndon, 2012. Duck hunting, Missisquoi National Wildlife Refuge, Swanton, 2012.
Beech trees in Smugglersâ€™ Notch, Cambridge, 2013. Red Truck and homestead, Stowe, 2013. Lepine Farm at dusk, Morristown, 2012. Wheels for Warmth tire sale, Montpelier, 2013. Dairy Creme, Montpelier, 2013.
Wild turkeys, South Pomfret, 2012. Field border, Charlotte, 2012. Red berries, Bolton, 2008.
SHOPPING & GALLERIES
Detail, Moonlight Serenity, oil by Ann Lisner, Bryan Memorial Gallery.
HE HELEN DAY ART CENTER OCCUPIES A central place in Stowe’s art scene, both literally and figuratively. Since taking over the top floor of the old Stowe High School building at the head of School Street in 1981, the Helen Day has provided Stowe with world-class exhibits, community programs, art education, and outreach to tens of thousands of schoolchildren. Notable artists such as Pablo Picasso and Wolf Kahn have shared the space with local artists like Stan Marc Wright, Rett Sturman, and Walton Blodgett, and with countless others from throughout Vermont, the region, and the world. On the other side of the mountain, the Bryan Memorial Gallery in Jeffersonville is named for Jeffersonville artists Mary and Alden Bryan. Mary Bryan died in 1978 and her husband, also now deceased, built and opened the non-profit gallery in her memory in 1984.
EXHIBITS & OPENINGS BRYAN MEMORIAL GALLERY Main Street, Jeffersonville. Through December 28, Thursday – Sunday, 11 - 4, or by appointment. 644-5100. Over 200 artists exhibit, with a focus on landscape painting. bryanmemorialgallery.org.
Through December 28 Land & Light & Water & Air Through December 28 The Legacy Collection & Gallery artists Through December 28 Gems
Barton River, Elizabeth Nelson,
oil on canvas, Bryan Gallery.
GREEN MOUNTAIN FINE ART GALLERY 64 S. Main St., Stowe Village. 253-1818. greenmountainfineart.com. Diverse collection of traditional and contemporary works by a variety of Vermont and regional artists.
November 16 – January 10 Peter Fiore: American landscape painter known for light, striking use of color January 15 – March 31 Marieluise Hutchinson: Roads less traveled: vanishing homesteads, fields, and farmlands of rural America. Exhibit calendar continues on page 104
GLENN CALLAHAN; ALL OTHERS: VTSSM
VERMONT SKI MUSEUM
SKI HISTORY Clockwise from left: The museum’s interior. An old Stowe poster. The building at night. From the museum’s collection. Logo from a new winter exhibit.
VERMONT SKI & SNOWBOARD MUSEUM Open daily except Tuesday • 12 - 5 p.m. Handicap accessible. Admission is $5/$10 for a family. 253-9911. vtssm.com.
November 29 Matchstick Production’s Days of My Youth Exploring the globe and redefining what’s possible on skis. Spruce Peak Performing Arts Center, 7 p.m. $12.
December 26 – 29 & January 2
Vermont Ski & Snowboard Museum
Warren Miller’s No Turning Back Miller’s 65th film. Spruce Peak Performing Arts Center, 7 p.m. $12.
Located in the historic 1818 Town Hall on Stowe’s Main Street, the Vermont Ski & Snowboard Museum collects, preserves, and celebrates Vermont’s rich skiing and snowboarding history. The museum enters its second decade in Stowe with a plan to make sure visitors want to return again and again. Permanent and rotating exhibits include handcrafted skis eight feet in length, lost ski areas, the story of the 10th Mountain Division, and Vermont Olympians. These are just a few of the treasures and stories the museum holds. Originally built as Stowe’s town hall, the building once sat on the site of the community church, and was rolled into place at its current home in the 1860s. When you visit, take some time to watch the films on the first-floor large screen. Display cases contain memorabilia from some of the many
illustrious skiers from Vermont, a children’s space, and an exhibit about technological innovations in alpine, cross-country, telemark skiing, and snowboarding. Exhibits at the museum include: ■
SlopeStyle: Fashion on Snow 1930 - 2014 (Opens Nov. 28)
Kick and Glide: Vermont’s Nordic Skiing Legacy
Moving Upwards in Skiing: 75 Years of Lift Technology
Artifacts from the Private Collections of Jeff Brushie and the Vermont Slope Posse
Vermont and the 10th Mountain Division
Pantani: the Accidental Death of a Cyclist Film about life and struggles of the Italian cyclist. Spruce Peak Performing Arts Center, 7 p.m. $12.
January 18 Warren Miller’s No Turning Back Spruce Peak Performing Arts Center, 7 p.m.
February 15 Stowe Mountain Film Festival Spruce Peak Performing Arts Center. Details at sprucepeakarts.org. 7 p.m.
February 28 Old New England Winter Nordic Festival Museum fundraiser with x-c races, ski jumping, waxing clinics, kids games. Hanover, N.H.
March 14 Vermont Antique Nordic Ski Race Old-school gear and period dress. Pico Ski Area.
April 11 DamNation (film) How rivers are tied to the planet’s health. Spruce Peak Performing Arts Center, 7 p.m. Check the Museum’s website for details.
EXHIBITS Exhibit calendar continues from page 100
HELEN DAY ART CENTER Stowe Village, Stowe. 253-8358. Wednesday – Sunday, Noon - 5 p.m. Donations welcome. See exhibits, page 106.
Detail, Quiet Winter Day, Fiona Cooper, Inside Out Gallery.
INSIDE OUT GALLERY 299 Mountain Road, Stowe. insideoutgalleryvt.com. 253-6945. Ongoing exhibit of paintings by Vermont artists Robin Nuse, Fiona Cooper, and others. JULIAN SCOTT MEMORIAL GALLERY Dibden Center for Arts, Johnson State, 635-1469. Monday - Friday, 10 - 6, Saturday 10 - 4. Changing exhibit of student artists and others.
Through December 20 Mariam Ezzat: Artist talk Dec. 4, 3 p.m. LITTLE RIVER HOTGLASS 593 Moscow Rd., Stowe. littleriverhotglass.com. 253-0889. Nationally recognized art glass studio features resident artist Michael Trimpol’s studio.
OLD FIREHOUSE / GRACE GALLERY 59 Mill St., Hardwick, 472-6857, Monday – Thursday 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. graceart.org. Ongoing: GRACE artists display at Old Firehouse Annex, Hardwick, and Stoweflake Mountain Resort.
The Knitting Studio Vermont's friendliest yarn store! Local Products.
112 Main Street Montpelier, Vermont 802-229-2444 www.vtknits.com
RED MILL GALLERY Vermont Studio Center, Pearl Street, Johnson. 635-2727. vermontstudiocenter.org.
Through December 9 Becca Johnson-Grozinsky December 10 – January 13 Liz Kauffman RIVER ARTS 74 Pleasant St., Morrisville. riverartsvt.org, 888-1261.
Through January 4 Whimsy, paintings by Sarah LeVeille. Reception/ artist talk Dec. 18, 5 - 7 p.m. Copley Common Space Gallery. Through January 4 Photographer Lauren Stagnitti. Reception/artist talk Dec. 18, 5 - 7 p.m. Gallery at River Arts. Exhibit calendar continues on page 108
Alexander Volkov • Oil Terry Gilecki • Oil
Sergio Roffo • Oil
ROBERT PAUL GALLERIES • American & European Paintings •
Thomas Arvid • Oil
CELEBRATING 24 YEARS OF EXCELLENCE
Heralded as one of the countries finest art galleries, we offer a truly outstanding selection of original paintings, sculpture and fine photography by locally, nationally and internationally acclaimed artists. Open every day. Baggy Knees Shopping Center • 394 Mountain Road P.O. Box 1413, Stowe, VT 05672 • (802) 253-7282 www.robertpaulgalleries.com
Fred Swan • Acrylic
Gerhard Nesvada • Oil
Brian Miller • Mixed Media
Marina Dieul • Oil
Katrina Swanson • Oil
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: GLENN CALLAHAN, COURTESY OF RICHARD WHITTEN. INSET: GLENN CALLAHAN
EXHIBITS & OPENINGS
Stowe’s Helen Day Art Center THE HELEN DAY ART CENTER AND the Stowe Free Library share a beautifully restored 1863 Greek Revival building in the heart of picturesque Stowe Village. The art center offers exhibitions of national and international artists, as well as rotating exhibitions of Vermont artists. Art classes and workshops, lectures, and children’s programs are offered throughout the year.
HELEN DAY ART CENTER Stowe Village. 253-8358. Wednesday – Sunday, Noon - 5 p.m. helenday.org. Free; donations welcome.
December 5 – 28 Member Art Show & Festival of Trees and Lights Art show that celebrates the rich and varied talents of the Helen Day membership, paired with communitydecorated evergreens. Opening Dec. 5, 5 p.m.
January 16 – April 12 Play Exhibition on the theme of play filled with interactive artwork from regional and national artists.
January 16 – February 22 David Powell & Peter Thomashow in the East Gallery Exhibition of sculpture (Peter Thomashow) and collage (David Powell). The work is playful, scientific, historical, and a mix of imagined and real. Opening reception: Friday, Jan. 16, 6 p.m.
March 6 – April 12 Richard Whitten in the East Gallery Rhode Island artist Richard Whitten creates gorgeously imagined spaces, painted realistically in an architectural format. On display will be large and small paintings and the accompanying study models he creates for the paintings. Opening reception: Friday, March 6, 6 p.m.
Month of May Student Art Show 2015 The 34th exhibition of local students’ work from Stowe elementary, middle, and high schools, as well as a group of invited schools.
Spring Benefit Gala The must-attend gala event in Stowe. Date and time to be determined.
Clockwise from top left: The Helen Day exhibit space. Study model for Caccia, mixed media sculpture, 8.5" x 5" x 3", 2012, by Richard Whitten. Whitten’s Double Square, oil on wood panel, 7.25" x 7.25", 2012. A tree ornament from the Festival of Trees & Light.
EXHIBITS & OPENINGS NORTHERN VERMONT’S ONLY OUTLET CENTER Exhibit calendar continues from page 104
At top: Christopher Griffin, Dwell Bird. Tari Swenson, Three Trees.
WEST BRANCH GALLERY & SCULPTURE PARK One mile from the village on the Mountain Road, Stowe. 253-8943. westbranchgallery.com. Indoor gallery and 3.5 acre outdoor sculpture park committed to promoting exceptional contemporary art in varied media and styles by regional, national, and international artists. Four gallery spaces spanning 3,400 square feet, showing 60 contemporary artists.
45 MINUTES FROM STOWE: RT-108 SOUTH TO RT-100 SOUTH. WHEN YOU REACH I-89 TAKE IT NORTH TO EXIT 11 (RICHMOND). AT THE STOP SIGN, TURN RIGHT ON RT-117 TO VT-289 WEST, TRAVEL ON VT-289 TO EXIT 10, TURN RIGHT ONTO ESSEX WAY, ESSEX OUTLETS & CINEMA WILL BE ON YOUR LEFT.
Franz porcelain teapot.
ROBERT PAUL GALLERIES
ESSEX OUTLETS & CINEMA | 21 ESSEX WAY, ESSEX JUNCTION, VT | WWW.ESSEXOUTLETS.COM | 802.878.2851
ROBERT PAUL GALLERIES Baggy Knees Shopping Center, 394 Mountain Rd. 253-7282. robertpaulgalleries.com. Original paintings, sculpture, and fine photography by artists from around the world. STOWE CRAFT GALLERY & DESIGN CENTER 55 Mountain Road and 34 S. Main St., Stowe. 253-7677 or 253-4693. stowecraft.com Fine crafts, furniture, sculpture, and art. STOWE GALLERY ALLIANCE For event details, go to stowegalleries.com.
ÂŠVERMONT STUDIO CENTER
Visiting artists: Clockwise from top left: artist John Dilg, writer Aracelis Girmay, artist Nicole Cherubini, and artist Emily Cheng. VERMONT STUDIO CENTER LECTURE SERIES VSC Lecture Hall, Main Street, Johnson. 8 p.m. Free, confirm day of the event, 635-2727. vermontstudiocenter.org
Rosy Keyser (Artist)
Brenda Garand (Artist)
Miguel Luciano (Artist)
December 12 December 15
Tom McGrath (Artist) John Yau (Writer)
Sarah Amos (Artist)
Fabienne Lasserre (Artist)
Phillip Lopate (Writer)
Ward Shelley (Artist)
Jeremy Gilbert-Rolfe (Artist)
Aracelis Girmay (Writer)
William Villalongo (Artist)
Will Lamson (Artist)
Jane South (Artist)
Bonnie Jo Campbell (Writer)
Marilyn Nelson (Writer)
March 5 March 9
Brian Teare (Writer) Jose Lerma (Artist)
Richard Rezac (Artist)
Rosemarie Fiore (Artist)
Melissa Meyer (Artist)
Edward Hirsch (Writer)
Jean Valentine (Writer)
Angela Dufresne (Artist)
Mika Rottenberg (Artist)
Willard Boepple (Artist)
John Dilg (Artist)
Ann Pancake (Writer)
Sherwin Bitsui (Writer)
Emily Cheng (Artist)
Kim Jones (Artist)
Nicole Cherubini (Artist)
Matthew Blackwell (Artist)
Matt Bell (Writer)
S TA R POWER
SUGAR DADDIES Stowe’s best-known band you can’t hire STORY / Kate Carter
The Sugardaddies first met in nursery school. Each of the five Sugardaddies had children enrolled at the non-profit Stowe Cooperative Nursery School, which relies on fundraising to sustain itself. Bake sales, however, just weren’t cutting it. So Barry Lyden, director of fundraising, and some of the dads brainstormed and came up with the idea of putting together a band for a special fundraising event. “Coincidently, five of us dads play music,” Barry explains. “The school needed to do something bigger .... We put the band together with the intent of playing one fundraising gig at the Matterhorn. The idea was to get people in the door who weren’t parents of kids at the nursery school. We made $10,000 that night. It was a home run for the school and really, for us, too.” Eight years and twenty gigs later, The Sugardaddies have raised over $100,000 for local charities. In addition to the Stowe Cooperative Nursery School, the group has played at fundraisers for the Stowe Land Trust, the Stowe Area Association, The Stowe Rotary, Odyssey of the Mind, and others. “We do have a few criteria if you want to hire us,” says vocalist and guitarist Eric Gershman. “You have to have a cause, you have to feed us, you have to let us drink all we want, and you have to help us lift the equipment.” A mom—Tania Kratt—suggested the name. The Sugardaddies was perfect for five sweet dads from the land of maple syrup. The name 110
stuck, but don’t Google it. You won’t find the band, but you will find some very weird stuff. “We don’t promote ourselves at all, but everyone knows us. We fly under the radar. We don’t have a website, but we do have a Facebook page,” says Gershman. The five dads are Trevor Crist on drums and vocals; Barry Lyden on keyboards; Eric Gershman on guitar and vocals; John “Spence” Spencer on bass guitar; and Chris “Tag” Tagatac on guitar and vocals. The Sugardaddies play 18 songs a gig, with each of the three lead singers taking the lead on six songs. After having so much fun at that first gig, the dads decided to play a second one at Stowe Mountain Resort. “This really was the turning point for us. We went with our best material. Joey the Clown opened and he blew us off the stage. We decided that we better get our act together and practice,” says Gershman. They started practicing weekly at a cabin on Gershman’s property. “The cabin was critical,” says Lyden. “We can leave our equipment set up and just show up and start playing.” Their playlist consists of 350 songs from a wide variety of genres, including tunes from Neil Diamond, The Cure, Elvis Costello, Rolling Stones, Ramones, and a whole lot more. “Our goal is to get everyone up dancing,” says Gershman. Thirty percent of the Sugardaddies’ music is original. They’ve played their own tunes so much that songs like Mountain Road 108 have become hits with the locals. “Mountain Road 108 is our signature song,” says Lyden. “We play it at every gig.” “When we play our own music we play our best. That’s when we all really step it up,” adds Gershman. In real life, The Sugardaddies are all busy dads, husbands, skiers, riders, and business professionals. Trevor Crist is the founder and CEO of Inntopia, a travel reservations software company in Stowe. John Spencer works there as well. Barry Lyden was a member of the New
JAMMING DADS Eric Gershman riffs at Stowe Mountain Resort. The band: Gershman, Barry Lyden, Chris Tagatac, Trevor Crist, and John Spencer. Trevor Crist takes the lead at the 3rd Stowe Land Jam to benefit the land trust.
York Stock Exchange and is now a private investor. Eric Gershman is a financial recruiter for Consultants Period. Chris “Tag” Tagatac travels around the country as an ambassador for Ekso Bionics, a company that is pioneering the field of robotic exoskeletons, which augment human strength, endurance, and mobility in people with illness or spinal cord injuries. An accident three years ago left Tagatac paralyzed from the chest down, but he’s still actively involved with the band. If you missed the Sugardaddies at the recent Stowe Oktoberfest, which benefitted Lamoille Home Health & Hospice, you can catch them in the spring at the annual Sugar Slalom at Spruce Camp, one of their favorite gigs. The group announces its upcoming gigs on Facebook. “The band is really about community,” says Gershman. “We play to fundraise and we galvanize the community.” ■
Open 10 - 5:30 Daily
Noon - 5 Sunday
come see what’s in for winter
orla kiely Red Engine Jeans Johnny Was Second Yoga 111
TALENT EXPLOSION Some of the acts coming to Spruce Peak Performing Arts Center this winter (clockwise from right): Comedian Jimmy Tingle. Blue Gardenias. Christopher Plummer in the film The Tempest. The Golden Dragon Acrobats. Inset: Comedian Bob Marley.
SPRUCE PEAK PERFORMING ARTS CENTER 122 Hourglass Drive, Spruce Peak at Stowe Mountain Resort. sprucepeakarts.org. 802-760-4634. Subject to change.
Friday, November 28 The Golden Dragon Acrobats Centuries-old Chinese royal tradition, blending lavish costumes, acrobatics, and traditional dance. 3 and 7 p.m.
Saturday, November 29
Pantani: The Accidental Death of a Cyclist (film) Story of the most important Italian cyclist of his generation: man versus mountain, athlete versus addiction, Marco Pantani versus himself. 7 p.m.
Saturday, January 17 Chad Hollister Band Nine-piece band blends heartfelt, honest songwriting with catchy melodies, lyrics, and grooves. Jamie Kent opens. 7:30 p.m.
Days Of My Youth (film) MSP/Matchstick Productions film exposes the joys and struggles with a lifetime built around skiing, with cast of modern day ski superstars. 7 p.m.
Sunday, January 18
Saturday, December 6 Moulin Rouge—The Ballet (film) Created by the Royal Winnipeg Ballet, a passionate story of love, ambition, and heartbreak in turn-of-the-century Paris. 144 minutes plus intermission. 7 p.m.
Swan Lake, by Rudolf Nureyev State Ballet Theatre of Russia 50+ member ballet company offers tale of the young princess Odette transformed into a swan, the handsome prince Siegfried, and triumph over adversity. Music by Tchaikovsky. 7 p.m.
Saturday, December 13
Saturday, February 7
An Irish Christmas in America Traditional Irish music, history, humor and dance. 7 p.m.
The Woods Tea Co. Sea shanties, folk songs, Irish drinking songs, and Celtic music, tied together with stories, humor, and good cheer. 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, December 20 Heliand Classical Solstice with the Heliand Consort Woodwind quintets, quartets, and trios, including Renaissance-themed quintets by Milhaud and Roseman, and Scandinavian solstice songs. Guest horn player Patty Evans, principal horn of the Winnipeg Symphony. 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, December 27 Ruckus—A Cirque Spectacular Stunning circus arts with trapezists, jugglers, contortionists, and more. 7 p.m.
Sunday, December 28 & Friday, January 2 Warren Miller’s No Turning Back (film) Miller’s 65th ski film takes ski fans to the world’s most exotic destinations and reveals legendary lines with skiing and boarding stars. 7 p.m.
Saturday, January 3 Maple Jam, Sweet Vermont A Cappella Jazz An a cappella jazz octet, specializing in Grade-A fancy vocal arrangements of sweet love songs and swinging big band favorites. 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, January 10
Warren Miller ‘s No Turning Back, 7 p.m.
Saturday, January 31
Saturday, February 14 More—Songs for Celebrating with the Blue Gardenias Harmonies out of the American songbook, with Vermont jazz legend Tom Cleary on piano, and singers Juliet McVicker, Taryn Noelle, and Amber deLaurentis. 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, February 15 Pretty Faces: All Female Ski Movie (film) Celebrating women who thrive in the snow. 7 p.m.
Thursday, February 19 Fashion Film TBD, 7 p.m.
Saturday, February 21 The Tempest (film) Griping Shakespeare play captured by 14 highdefinition cameras for an intimate theatrical experience unlike any other. 7 p.m.
Thursday, February 26 Comedian Bob Marley A regular on late night TV, and radio’s Blue Collar and RawDog comedy shows. 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, February 28 Puttin’ On The Ritz: Onion River Jazz Band Traditional New Orleans Dixieland Jazz. 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, March 7 Lauren Fox in Canyon Folkies—Over the Hills & Under the Cover The music of Jackson Browne, Joni Mitchell, Neil Young, and more. 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, March 14 Comedian Jimmy Tingle Tingle will make you laugh, make you think, and make you feel better. 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, March 21 & Sunday, March 2 TRIP Dance Company Fund raiser Ballet, jazz, lyrical/contemporary, modern, tap, hiphop. Nearly 50 dancers ages 6 - 18. 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, March 28 Jamie Adkins in Circus Incognitus In the everyman tradition of Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton. It’s real and it’s all impossible. 7 p.m.
Saturday, April 11 DamNation (film) Where obsolete dams come down, rivers bound back to life. 7 p.m.
Sunday, April 12 Sunday in France with Capital City Concerts New York City Ballet concertmaster Arturo Delmoni on violin and viola, flutist Karen Kevra, and harpist Rebecca Kauffman. Works by Ibert, Berlioz, Saint-Saëns, and Debussy. 3 p.m.
M. Lewis Antiques Offering a nice variety of antiques and collectibles
Saturday, April 25 ANIMAL With choreography by Hanna Satterlee, ANIMAL explores physical power, visceral communication, and energetic intuition. Interdisciplinary production of dance, film, sound, costuming, lighting. 7 p.m.
10 Stowe Street Historic Downtown Waterbury, VT
Saturday, May 16 Vermont Vaudeville Combines old-school vaudeville entertainment with new and cutting-edge music, stunts, and comedy. 7 p.m. Mixed media continues on page 114
Martha M. Lewis, Owner Mon. - Sat. Sunday
10 a.m. - 5 p.m. 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. 113
Mixed media continues from page 113
LIVE MUSIC AT SPRUCE CAMP Live music in Spruce Camp and Spruce Plaza is from 2 - 6 p.m., 2nd floor. Free hot cocoa and s’mores every Saturday and Sunday (Dec. 26 – April 12) and every day during holiday periods, 2 - 4 p.m., Spruce Plaza firepit. Subject to change. stowe.com, 253-3500, or stowetoday.com.
Nov. 29 Dec. 6 Dec. 7
Santa greets a youngster. The Constitution Brass Quintet. Alpine Christmas Market.
Dec. 13 Dec. 20 Dec. 21 Dec. 22 Dec. 26 Dec. 27 Dec. 28 Dec. 29 Dec. 30 Jan. 1 Jan. 3 Jan. 10 Jan. 17 Jan. 19 Jan. 24 Jan. 31 Feb. 7 Feb. 14 Feb. 17 Feb. 18
Scott Forrest, 2 - 6 p.m. The Funkleberries, 2 - 6 p.m. 40th Army Band with special guest Rusty DeWees, 2 p.m. Matt Borello Duo, 2 - 6 p.m. Funky Crustaceans Brady Crain Chad Hollister Brett Hughes Dave Keller Band Richie Ortiz Dan Walker trio Richie Ortiz Annie in the Water Brett Hughes Honky Tonk Trio Danielle Miraglia Duo Mark Douglas Berardo Richie Ortiz Crunchy Western Boys Starline Rhythm Boys Dave Keller Band Charlie Orlando Chad Hollister Funkleberries
PHOTOS COURTESY NOBLE STUDIOS
Feb. 19 Feb. 21 Feb. 28 March 7 March 14 March 17 March 21 March 28 April 4 April 11
Dan Walker Trio Brady Crain Auburn Mode Duo Danielle Miraglia Duo Starline Rhythm Boys Colin McCaffrey Trio Brett Hughes Duo Malicious Brothers Woedoggies Charlie Orlando
ARTS & CRAFTS AT SPRUCE CAMP Spruce Camp. Noon - 4 p.m., 1st floor. Free hot cocoa and s’mores every Saturday and Sunday (Dec. 26 – April 12) and every day during holiday periods, 2 - 4 p.m., Spruce Plaza firepit. Subject to change. stowe.com, stowetoday.com, or 253-3500.
Nov. 30 Dec. 7 Dec. 14 Dec. 21 Dec. 26 Dec. 27 Dec. 28 Dec. 29 Dec. 30 Jan. 4 Jan. 11 Jan. 18
Face painting / Shirley Pine Holiday ornaments / Sarah Sprague Dux the Balloon Man Caricature drawing / Marc Hughes Snowflake art / Kate Morrissey Dux the Balloon Man Face painting / Shirley Pine Dux the Balloon Man Caricature drawing / Marc Hughes Henna tattoos /Jo McKay Logo & stencil design / Jackie Mangione Logo & stencil design / J. Mangione
Jan. 25 Feb. 1 Feb. 8 Feb. 15 Feb. 16 Feb. 17 Feb. 18 Feb. 20 Feb. 21 Feb. 22 March 1 March 8 March 15 March 22 March 29 April 5 April 12
Caricature drawing / Marc Hughes Dux the Balloon Man Snowflake art / Sarah Sprague Custom ski painting / Alison Bergman Face painting / Shirley Pine Dux the Balloon Man Caricature Drawing / Marc Hughes Face painting / Shirley Pine Dux the Balloon Man Jewelry beading / Kate Morrissey Face painting / Shirley Pine Bracelet beading / Sarah Sprague Logo and stencil design / J. Mangione Dux the Balloon Man Henna tattoos / Jo McKay Mixed media art / Kate Morrissey Dux the Balloon Man
HOLIDAY FAMILY PHOTOGRAPHS Holiday family photos with Jesse Schloff Photography. Spruce Plaza, 2 - 4 p.m. Dec. 27, 28, 30, 31
ICE CARVING Spruce Plaza, Stowe Mountain Resort.
Dec. 26 Dec. 28 Dec. 29 Dec. 30 Feb. 14 Feb. 20 Feb. 22
Ice Slide Wildlife Wildlife Ice Throne Ice Slide To be announced To be announced
SPRUCE PEAK FIREWORKS & TORCHLIGHT PARADE Spruce Camp Base Lodge at Stowe Mountain Resort. Dec. 31 & Feb. 18
A TRADITIONAL CHRISTMAS IN STOWE Various venues in Stowe Village. Calendar of events subject to change. stowevibrancy.com or facebook.com/stowevibrancy. December 4 ■ Constitution Brass Quintet presents joyful music to celebrate the season, with carol sing-along. $10/kids free. Free reception follows at Helen Day Art Center. 7:30 p.m. Presented by Stowe Performing Arts. December 5 ■ Lantern Parade, Caroling & Tree Lighting: Green Mountain Choraleers. Begins at Stowe Elementary School. 4:30 - 5:30 p.m. ■ Festival of Trees and Light Opening: Helen Day Art Center. 6 - 8 p.m. December 6 ■ Alpine Christmas Market: Local artists and artisans, food, fun. Akeley Memorial Building, Main Street. 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. ■ Annual Christmas Fair at Stowe Community Church. 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. ■ Candy Cane Making: Laughing Moon Chocolates, 11 a.m. & 2 p.m. Fee. ■ Christmas Caroling: Local choral groups. Stowe Village. 11:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. ■ Santa Visits: Stowe Mercantile, Main Street. 11:30 a.m. arrival; visits from noon - 3 p.m. ■ Hay Rides: Stops at Stowe Mercantile and David Gale Center. Free. Noon - 3 p.m. ■ Christmas Cookie Making: Café on Main. Noon - 3 p.m. ■ Welcome to Winter Family Day at David Gale Center. Noon - 3 p.m. ■ Stowe Arena Ice Show: figure skaters from Vermont perform to favorite holiday tunes. Family skate follows. Noon - 3 p.m.
BOYDEN VALLEY WINERY & SPIRITS 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. 64 Vt. Route 104, Cambridge. 644-8151. boydenvalley.com.
December 13 – 14 Vermont Ice Wine Tasting: Free tastings of Vermont ice wine and cider, tours, more. February 14 – 15 Wine & Chocolate: Free pairings of wines and local chocolates. March 28 – 29 Maple Sugar Festival: Maple syrup demos demonstrations, syrup tastings, maple wines and spirits tastings, tours, maple donuts, more. 40TH ARMY BAND CONCERT Spruce Camp, 2nd floor. Stowe Mountain Resort. 253-3500. stowe.com
December 7 Special pre-holiday concert featuring the 40th Army Band. Special appearance from Rusty DeWees. 2 - 3 p.m. GREEN MOUNTAIN FILM FESTIVAL Dozens of films and documentaries from around the world. Filmmaker talks, special events. Venues throughout Montpelier. (802) 262-3423, gmffestival.org. March 20 – 29
Michael Fisher's Attic.
Mixed media continues on page 116
“Skaters at Sunset” by Robin Nuse, oil.
Mixed media continues from page 114
Visit Vermont’s most dynamic gallery for the exhibition of
New England Landscape Painters Open Thursday – Sunday 11-4 and by appointment Closed in January 180 Main Street, Jeffersonville, VT 05464 802-644-5100 firstname.lastname@example.org
w w w . b r y a n g a l l e r y . o r g
Electric Hot Tuna.
JAY PEAK MUSIC SERIES The Foeger Ballroom. jaypeakresort.com/events, (802) 327-2154.
December 6 Electric Hot Tuna: Jefferson Airplane alums offer traditional blues. Donna the Buffalo opens. 7 p.m. - 12 a.m. $50. January 17 Clare Dunn: Country music star. 7 p.m. - 12 a.m. $20. JSC DIBDEN CENTER FOR THE ARTS Johnson State College. 635-1476. Most events free. All at 7 p.m. (unless noted) jsc.edu/dibden.
December 6 Danceland! Raucous dance celebration by the JSC Dance Club. Fee. December 10 Funk/Fusion Ensemble, Jazz Ensemble, and Percussion Ensemble. December 12 Johnson State College Band Concert Music will include the JSC World Music Ensemble performing vocally and playing the Japanese Koto, African Mbira, and Javanese Gamelan. December 15 Holiday Musical Gala Music of the season with the JSC Chorale and Chamber Singers, jazz ensemble, and concert band. February16 Zora Dibden Center Stage. 7 p.m.
ROUTE 15 • JOHNSON, VERMONT (11⁄2 miles west of the village)
Open 7 days a week: 10AM – 7PM
Famous Label, OFF PRICE Clothing for Men, Women & Teens 116
JOHNSON VILLAGE HOLIDAY JUBILEE December 5 Scavenger Hunt, SD Ireland Truck, visits with local businesses, Christmas treats, more. 3 - 7 p.m.
RIVER ARTS CENTER WORKSHOPS Inquire about fees, registration, and materials. Courses constantly added, check website often. 74 Pleasant St., Morrisville. RiverArtsVT.org, 888-1261.
Tuesdays: Open figure class: 6 - 8:30 p.m. First & Third Tuesdays: Open poetry, 6 - 8 p.m. Thursdays: Open gym / pre gymnastics for ages 0 - 5. 10 - 11:30 a.m. Fridays: Kinder Arts with Kelly Holt. Ages 3 - 5. 10 - 11 a.m. Tuesdays & Thursdays: Pilates. 6:30 - 7:30 p.m. $5. Morrisville Senior Center. Thursdays: Zumba, 5:15 - 6:15 p.m. $10. STOWE COMMUNITY CHURCH 7 p.m.; doors open 6:30 p.m. $8 per person. Stowe Community Church, Main Street. 253-7257.
December 22 Handel’s Messiah Community Sing-In: Soloists perform Handel’s masterpiece. Join in to sing Handel’s great choruses conducted by Jane Bouffard Lambert and accompanied by orchestra. No rehearsal required. Singers and listeners are both welcome. Scores available but bring your own if you have one. TRIP DANCE COMPANY Spruce Peak Performing Arts Center, 1 Hourglass Lane, Spruce Peak. 7:30 p.m. sprucepeaksarts.org.
March 21 – 22 Nearly 50 dancers, ages 6 - 18, perform ballet, jazz, contemporary, modern, tap, and hip-hop.
VERMONT PUBLIC TELEVISION FILM SERIES Johnson State College, Stearns Hall cinema. 7 p.m. Free. 635-1200.
December 2 Evolution of a Criminal: A bank robber connects with family, community. January 20 A Path Appears: Sex trafficking and prostitution. February 10 American Denial: Story of foreign researcher and Nobel Laureate Gunnar Myrdal. March 31 The Homestretch: Life and times of three homeless teens. May 5 Limited Partnership: Pioneering gay couple seeks marriage rights in the 1970s. ■
MADE IN VERMONT
E U R O S: STORY / Kate Carter PHOTOGRAPHS / Glenn Callahan
Stowe is decal central
ou see them everywhere, those oval bumper stickers showcasing a couple of letters: MV, KPT, BDA, ACK. When they first popped up two decades ago, only people in the know knew what they meant. But now it seems that just about every car sports one of these eye-catching stickers that represent a favorite resort, city, college, hobby, or sport. They’re Euro decals, and the company that makes them, Euros, is located right here, in a quintessential brick farmhouse on the Mountain Road in Stowe. Earle Williams, founding owner of Euros, based his contemporary decals on the oval stickers used by the United Nations in the late 1960s to identify a car’s country of origin. The UN designated the official oval shape, sticker size, color, and letter style. Years later, while
visiting Cape Cod, Earle spotted one of those black-and-white oval stickers that read MV, for Martha’s Vineyard. “It stuck with me,” Earle says. “I checked it out, thought about it, and waited a year before doing anything. I didn’t want to infringe on a copyright.” He launched his idea in 1994 while living in Woodstock, Vt. His first decal was VT in green and white. “My take on the black and white oval decal was to add colors,” Earle says. Soon he produced MV and ACK (Nantucket). “They started showing up all over Massachusetts, and then we got a call from the Boston Globe.” This was an idea with legs, and the beginning of a long and successful business venture. Surprisingly, Earle’s professional background is in women’s clothing. He went to Rhode Island School of Design and majored in business and retailing. He sold women’s
hosiery to ladies’ specialty shops and eventually became a sales director for Kayser-Roth. From there he segued into clothing sales for college bookstores. “It was a fun job and is what really got me into the decal business,” Earle says. “I liked the idea of locations and destination resorts or cities. My idea for Euros was a non-stereotypical approach to the standard rectangular bumper sticker. I wanted to give it a little class and I liked the oval shape.” A year after he launched Euros, Earle began making logo cotton T-shirts, sweatshirts, and hats under the Euro Wear name. Made from 100-percent pigment-dyed cotton, Euro Wear products are all made in the U.S. “Our Euro Wear continues to find a receptive audience in upscale resort and gift shops around the country,” he says. In 2006 Earle and his wife Priscilla moved to Stowe. “We rented a house for awhile, and then Jan and Chuck Perkins put a for sale sign in front of their brick cape on the Mountain Road,” Earle says. “I realized it was the perfect set-up for a home business, so we made an offer and they accepted.” Euros now employs three full-time staffers. Jamie McVeigh is the graphic designer and Christine Vandeberg is Earle’s multi-tasking assistant. “Autumn Fahey was with us for seven years as a designer. It would be remiss of me to not mention her contributions. She died at the age of 31 from cancer this past March,” Earle says. The team now services between 400 and 500 regular accounts, including colleges and resorts such as Hilton Head (HH), Block Island (BI), and Jackson Hole (JH). Jamie McVeigh creates the designs and works with clients to get their decals exactly right. The final product is drop-shipped from a number of different printing companies in the U.S. that specialize in decals. Stock inventory is shipped from the home office in Stowe. l
Retail Therapy from Head to Toe J Brand Calypso St. Barths Magaschoni Majestic Chan Luu Frye Coclico Cynthia Vincent Old Gringo Cydwoq & more
2 8 5 0 M O U N TA I N R O A D STOWE, VERMONT (802) 253-6077 7 D AY S A W E E K 1 0 A M - 6 P M WELLHEELEDSTOWE.COM
Visit our gallery for fine handmade pieces for giving, wearing & using. Wood, metal, glass, jewelry, fine art & more!
55 Mountain Road, Stowe | 802-253-4693 | www.stowecraf t.com 119
6 Sunset Street, Stowe Village / 802-253-7066 / pret-a-porter vt.com
“It’s been a blast,” Earle says. “We’ve made over 5,000 different designs in 20 years. The road has not always been a smooth one. Copycats are all over the place. We went through a difficult time because of knock-offs and competition, but somehow we’ve managed to survive.” To secure their market niche, Earle trademarked the Euros name and they continue to market themselves as “the original ones.” They’ve participated in innumerable trade shows over the years, and lately they’ve been attending dog shows. Their dog breed decals are a hot item, with over 100 breed profiles available in the Euro-style oval. Now in his early 70s, Earle is anticipating his next business venture. He’s returning to his clothing roots and starting an apparel line called Canu. “We will do fleece jackets and hoodies, golf shirts, and branch out to backpacks, bags, and headwear. Our products will be 100 percent made in the USA, from thread to finished product, made of natural fibers—cotton, wool, bamboo, hemp. And we plan to use Vermont sewers.” Earle contributes his business success to operating by the Golden Rule—treat others as you would like to be treated. “The people we do business with are most important to me. We bend over backwards to satisfy our customers. We have a lot of return business, so we must be doing something right.” ■ ESSENTIALS: eurodecals.com or (800) 650-3876.
One of America's Unique Independent Schools COMMUNITY SCHOOL OF SUN VALLEY, IDAHO A DISTINCTIVE EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE • An exceptional outdoor program integrated into the curriculum • Excellent boarding program at the base of Sun Valley Ski Resort, 3,400 foot vertical • National recognition for developing character strengths, including grit • 100% of grads attend outstanding colleges from Maine to California
COMMUNITY SCHOOL INCLUDES THE SUN VALLEY SKI ACADEMY • Numerous Olympians and National Team members from Sun Valley • Top-rated alpine, Nordic, freestyle coaching and facilities in partnership with award-winning Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation FOR MORE INFORMATION, GO TO COMMUNITYSCHOOL.ORG OR CONTACT THE OFFICE OF ADMISSIONS, 208-622-3955 120
PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE ARTISTS
A R T S PA C E
Getting kick-started at Vermont Studio Center Artists use funding platform to pursue artistic dreams STORY / Kate Carter
Any poor starving artist pursuing his or her artistic passion needs studio space, food and shelter, time to create and, most importantly, money. Vermont Studio Center in Johnson has the first four covered. They award studio residencies to over 50 artists and writers per month. The residencies include private studio space, private rooms, excellent food, and up to 12 weeks to create art. The center also offers financial aid to cover some of the costs, but most artists and writers pay their own way. The fees are substantial, approximately $1,000 per week, and for many, that’s an insurmountable obstacle. Enter Kickstarter, a worldwide crowd-funding platform for creative types. As of 2012, about 32 artists used Kickstarter to raise the funds needed to attend the Vermont Studio Center, and a handful of others are currently in the midst of Kickstarter campaigns. Without Kickstarter, Boston painter Emma Balder couldn’t have attended her month-long residency. Friends from school suggested she give it a try. “I really needed the money. It’s a good chunk of change,” she notes. The most surprising aspect to Kickstarter for Emma was the number of people she didn’t know who donated. “You really have to be proactive and let people know you’re doing it. You need to reach out to new people every day and not be afraid to ask for money,” she says, and adds that to be successful you need to explain your mission clearly, present yourself professionally, and check in daily to see if there’s been any online activity. “Being here at the Studio Center has given me hope that I can make a career in the arts, whether it’s as a full-time studio artist, a teacher, or something with art therapy,” Emma says, “but I know I do want to continue my studio work.” Emma’s goal was to raise $2,000. She topped that
KICKSTARTER Emma Balder in her studio. Inset: Stephanie by Christoper Dolan. Both artists used Kickstarter to help fund residencies at the Vermont Studio Center in Johnson.
at $2,054. Her experience was so rewarding she decided to stay in Johnson for a year. Chris Dolan, an artist currently living in Washington, D.C., spent last August at the Studio Center. “I didn’t get a fellowship, so I decided to create my own fellowship,” he says. Chris researched several online fundraising opportunities and settled on Kickstarter. “The most important thing is to set a realistic goal, because if you don’t make your goal in the allotted time, you don’t get anything.” “It’s an entrepreneurial approach,” Chris says. “You have to promote yourself and solicit on your own behalf. I had to overcome that and take a more business-like approach to my work. I had to write a successful statement and produce a successful campaign. It was a bit of introspection. Why was I doing what I was doing?” Chris’s goal was to raise $1,500 and he nearly doubled that. The $1,500 was enough to cover the residency, but he also had travel and living expenses to pay for, as well as art supplies. The additional money covered those costs. “The Vermont Studio Center was the sort of experience I was hoping it would be,” he says. “I did get a lot of work done and I got some projects in motion and was able to keep the momentum going. I generated the nucleus of a new body of work.” Chris will have a solo exhibit at Bowery Gallery in New York City this December. “Kickstarter is a useful tool for the right sort of person,” Chris says. “I wasn’t prepared for the amount of work that was required on my end. It was more ephemeral than I expected. I would recommend Kickstarter with the caveat that it requires some effort.” As with Emma, Chris was also surprised at the number of people he didn’t know who made donations. “Largely my contributors were friends and acquaintances, but there were a few people I didn’t know, which I found gratifying yet perplexing. Were they friends of the Vermont Studio Center? Were they Kickstarter fans?” Eventually Chris will find out who those surprise donors were, when he fulfills the “rewards” you are required to offer for different levels of donations. For artists, that reward is usually a piece of their art. One thing is for sure: Kickstarter proves that a lot of people are willing to invest in other’s ambitions. ■ ESSENTIALS: Emma’s work can be seen at emmabalder.com. Chris’ work can be seen at csdolan.com.
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H A N D T A L E S: STORY / Kate Carter PHOTOGRAPHS / Glenn Callahan
‘Your life purpose in your hands’
hen Mary Collins of Elmore, Vt., decided to explore hand analysis it was partly because she was intrigued, but also because she needed a helping hand from someone who was neutral and unbiased and would respect her with honesty and compassion. “There have been different times in my life when I’ve been preoccupied with a topic. I’m introverted and introspective, and as a result I can brood,” Mary explains. Her circle of friends includes several who are interested in personal growth from a grounded, spiritual place, with an interest in understanding themselves and how they fit in the world. Those connections led Mary to Janet Savage, a master hand analyst. Hand analysis is not palm reading, or palmistry, which is the practice of reading a person’s character or future from
the lines on the palms of his or her hands. Hand analysis, pioneered by Richard Unger, founder of the International Institute of Hand Analysis, unites the ancient art of non-predictive palmistry with the modern science of fingerprint analysis. It is anecdotal research, but 40 years of applied research by Unger and his master teachers have validated his original premise, it’s proponents say. As a master hand analyst, Janet Savage looks at the three interrelated systems in someone’s hands that reveal his or her unique story: highest purpose, what is getting in the way of living it, and true personality expression. Fingerprint patterns reveal a life purpose
ALL IN THE HANDS Janet Savage. Handprints for analysis. Janet helps her students unlock their “passion, purpose, and success.”
and a life lesson. Learning how to translate them into a life of meaning, success, and balance is the core of what Janet does. “You have to have life experience and life challenges before you can know your patterns that show up consistently,” she says. “I’ve had great jobs throughout my life, but they were never my passion,” says Janet, who worked for a human development project in the Phillipines and taught courses and workshops in public health at University of California, Berkeley, for many years. “A friend suggested I look into hand analysis and I found it fascinating. I attended the International Institute of Hand Analysis and started learning about it.” l
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In hand analysis there are different hand archetypes. Janet has hands of science. “Now I’m combining my lust for data with my growing ability to be intuitive,” she says. Janet blends data, intuition, and her knack for creative storytelling to give clients examples of what their individual purposes in the world might be. “I help them discover their highest calling in life, which could imply a better career choice.” Following a divorce, career change, and personal challenges, Janet returned to Stowe, where she grew up. “Vermont is where my soul resides and I was happy to come home and be with family.” Janet calls her business Hand Tales because of the stories contained in everyone’s hands. Her clients come from all over the world. She meets with them in her home, and also does phone and Skype consultations. For long-distance meetings, Janet sends her clients a hand-printing kit that they can return in the mail or digitally, along with photos of their hands shot at different angles. “I prefer to not know anything about a client and just work from the hands,” Janet says. She has read over 10,000 pairs of hands and her clients’ ages are typically 40 to 60, with 85 percent female. Janet believes this demographic is a reflection of herself. “I tend to attract women in that age group because that’s where I’m at.” Janet notes that most of her clients are undergoing some sort of transition, lacking clarity, looking for a new career, confronted with creative blocks, or are in a changing relationship. “They come to me because they are committed to doing what it takes to make the transition they need to make.” In a world of uncertainty, Janet helps people access what they already know about themselves and how to find more success, passion, and meaning in their lives using the information in their hands. “The process of hand analysis is about being true to yourself and growing more conscious. You have to be willing to look at your warts as well as your potential.” Mary Collins, who began seeing Janet when she needed a helping hand, says her time spent with Janet has shown her a roadmap of her life. “I could do 50 sessions of traditional therapy or five sessions with Janet,” she says. “I choose Janet. I always learn something about myself and about my relationships, job, health, and my journey in this world. Janet’s work has helped clarify things for me in amazing ways. I’ve gained a sense of peace, that I’m okay, that I have purpose, and to trust my skills.” ■
HAND TA L E S
he largest selection of fine artist materials at tremendous savings. Call us or stop by. It’s worth the drive. 635-2203 800-887-2203 2 Lower Main St., Johnson, Vermont Open Tues. - Sat. 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. Sun. 12 p.m. - 5 p.m. thestudiostore.com 126
ESSENTIALS: Reach Janet through her website, handtales.com, or at email@example.com.
ON A JOU
â– Sebastian Sweatman in his gallery. Angel Hall, 48" x 36", acrylic on canvas. 128
RNEY Gallery SEB reveals artâ€™s significant other: The Artist
â– Clockwise: Flight to Venus, 78" x 60", acrylic on canvas. Gallery SEB. Patience Dance,
11' x 8', acrylic and latex on canvas.
story by Jasmine Bigelow
photographs by Glenn Callahan
canvases by Sebastian Sweatman
Every artist has a constant companion. There is the person, and then—alongside the person—the art. They’re steady partners. They share a parallel existence, yet remain two separate beings. And that’s good. Because appreciation of one should never be confined by the temperament of the other. The picture of each becomes more detailed— and interesting—if you are lucky enough to know them both. Artist Sebastian Sweatman is a longtime Stowe guy. Most locals know him well enough to give at least a simple physical description: tall, athletic, with an infectious grin and a sound gaze. Offering a smile and a wave in passing, Sebastian seems a positive, spirited person. Now, with his new gallery, SEB, the town is getting to know his paintings too. And the less obvious, more interpretive, more curious narrative of Seb, the person, shines through.
Both are admirable. Independent and divergent. Thoughtful and dynamic. Humble and genuine. Both the man and the art are stable enough, rooted in education and a community of family and friends. But both remain on
Coins & Estate Jewelry Fine Estate Jewelry & Repair Rings • Bracelets • Watches • Pendants • Earrings the journey, changing direction occasionally on a quest to be who and what feels right. At the same time, man and art are completely capable in their current states. What’s remarkable is that in getting to know Seb’s art—and in getting to know Seb better through his art—is less about what specifically hangs on gallery walls and more about the process of how it got there. To Seb, that is his art’s significance. It sounds like an oxymoron, but Gallery SEB is not about self-promotion. He’s not an artist
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■ footballer, 5' x 8', acyrlic on canvas. Seb’s paints. 132
putting on a show. The gallery is the ship he must sail for his own self-preservation. That’s because Seb was meant to be a painter. Seb is studied in art, and has been painting for most of his life. But, until now, art sat on the sidelines while he dabbled in various business ventures. Now he paints full-time. Like it’s his job. And, finally, it is.
Gallery SEB is an unforeseen, affirmative art experience. Its one room is cuddled up close to Phoenix Table & Bar on the Mountain Road. The sign for the gallery is small, muted, and easy to overlook. It’s the enormous windows that reveal just enough to draw the attention of passersby. Inside, the space is both stark and soothing. Bright white walls, exposed beams, worn wood floors, natural light. A little table with a guest book, a catalog of paintings not currently on display, and a short stack of business cards rest in the corner. There’s a mid-century modern desk chair. No one sits in it. There is no one in the gallery. Not even Seb.
The door is open. It’s always open. Even when Seb isn’t there—which is most of the time. It’s a surreptitiously public spot that is welcoming and friendly and simply about the art. And that’s the environment Seb has created for sharing his work. It’s the extroverted side of Seb. Approachable and kind. Seb is refreshingly modest and relaxed about his work. He’s comfortable enough to talk openly and willingly about it, but wary of sounding commercialized. He embraces the eminent juxtaposition of life as a full-time artist: to make a living as an artist requires getting your work out, labeling it, and exposing your choices. That is hard. He frowns at assigning names to his paintings: he doesn’t want titles to influence people’s own perception. He thinks his signature is a
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“I am rough on my canvas. The effect of the barn board creeps through if you look closely, and the bottoms of the paintings are a little dirty. But, it’s like
the earth—the ground—on the edge of the painting, and I like that.”
■ Sebastian Sweatman in his fair-weather studio.
handicap: it limits the potential of the painting. By signing “SEB,” he’s telling the viewer which direction is up. He doesn’t want to have that control over the painting or other people’s interactions with it. But collectors like titles and signatures. And Seb—like all professional artists—needs collectors. So Seb places names to satisfy those who read the label before stepping back and analyzing the art. And while they’re in the gallery deciding how they feel about it, he’s at home working on the next thing. His home studio is raw. It’s rustic and real. It’s messy and marvelous. It’s quiet and lovely. It’s the introverted side of Seb. It’s his element.
In the summer and fall, Seb paints outside His canvases are colossal in size and hang on the outside walls of a bucolic barn at this house. He rigs tarp canopies from the roof, and when it rains water puddles at his feet. But the tarps provide enough shelter to continue to paint. Seb says it’s probably not ideal. “I am rough on my canvas. The effect of the barn board creeps through if you look closely, and the bottoms of the paintings are a little dirty. But, it’s like the earth—the ground—on the edge of the painting, and I like that.” Ideally, Seb would have a renovated barn stu-
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dio—with outside space, of course—including a stone patio footing where water doesn’t collect, and a suitable backing for his canvas that keeps it neat and tidy. But, his real ideal is to just paint. In the winter, Seb paints in his basement garage. It’s a complete one-eighty from his summertime digs, and the change in scenery offers new creative opportunity. In his garage studio, Seb tends to work flat and will rotate a painting from side to side to gain new perspective. The absence of natural light inspires a more colorful palate. “I use more vibrant colors in the winter. I like color. Maybe too much,” he says. His style could certainly be described as colorful. Or energetic. But it could not be characterized by either of those terms: Seb’s work is distinguished by not being stuck in a proverbial box. He’s an explorer. A risk taker. The result is a fresh experience, time and time again. As a painter who indulges in the process of painting, Seb is captivated by certain tools and techniques he discovers along the way. He tends to paint in series, and each series is evidence of a section of road traveled on his exploration. On every journey there are obstacles and collateral changes that have an effect on what you discover and where you end up: “Sometimes, I’ll figure something out—I’ll solve a problem—and later, forget and end up in the same situation. And then I’ll remember—‘Oh, yeah, that’s why I did it that way.’ ” Sometimes a shift in how you see is exactly what you need: “I use my phone a lot to take a snapshot of the entire painting, and look at it on the small screen. When I do that, I can often see immediately what I need to do. It’s just a change of perspective.” Seb works primarily in acrylic these days, and on canvas or paper. His paintings are big and abstract. He started with figures: semi-realism portraits of people, in which he consistently uses artistic license. His migration to abstract painting is a further developed statement of independence. “Figures and figurative work is always a copy, in a sense. Maybe not an exact copy, but always with some basic compositional imitation. I really wanted to do my own thing.” Working in the abstract allows him that artistic freedom. A 2014 piece, which Seb calls The Competitor, delivers a sense of calm chaos. There are two intangible faces, both in motion. One appears to be struggling. The other appears to be tranquil. Could this parallel Seb’s own internal race to equilibrium? Maybe. Maybe not. Maybe sort of. Seb wants you to decide. Be an independent thinker. Exercise your interpretative freedom. Lucky for us, Seb—the art and artist collaboration—has arrived. And we get to travel with them whenever we want to. The door is always open. ■
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ESSENTIALS: Gallery SEB, 1652 Mountain Rd., Stowe. sebart.tv.
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DINING & LODGING
The Stowe area boasts a variety of cuisines and dining atmospheres, from swanky bistros that embrace the local-food movement to fine-dining establishments featuring award-winning chefs and busy pubs with the latest microbrews—and everything in between! Check out the area’s great places to stay, as well, from full-service resorts to quaint country inns. Our guide to dining and lodging outlines the myriad choices from which to choose.
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EDIBLES is compiled by Lisa McCormack and photographed by Glenn Callahan.
DRAFT PICKS The Bench offers 28 brews on tap displayed on a copper wall and coded to the taps below.
STORY / Hannah Marshall PHOTOGRAPHS / Matt Bruhns
ie in the Sky closed abruptly last spring, leaving an empty space and a cold oven. But this fall, Mark Frier and Chad Fry, co-owners of the popular Reservoir Restaurant and Tap Room in Waterbury, brought fire back to the hearth. Gone are the cloud-painted walls and cheese planets. Ceilings have been elevated, opening up the space for a new look that uses lots of wood, industrial-chic lighting, and rustic charm. The space is purposefully designed for a family-friendly atmosphere, with the hulking wood-fired oven catching your eye as you walk in the door. The Bench bar boasts 28 draft lines, with two rows of sleek black handles against a gleaming copper wall. There’s the predictably wonderful selection of primarily Vermont beers, along with two wines and a dedicated Rookie’s Root Beer line. The Bench will also offer a more comprehensive wine list than its Waterbury counterpart. A quick tour under the bar reveals a huge, customdesigned beer storage area, chilled with an air conditioning unit—a unique and cost-effective solution, originally designed to cool dairy products, Frier says. Shiny kegs line the walls, and plastic lines snake up the
Puts the fire back in the oven
ceiling to connect behind the bar’s wall, just a few feet north of the whole operation. The menu will feature woodfired entrées and appetizers, as well as a selection of one-size specialty pizzas, but pizza won’t be the restaurant’s main focus. Starters range from poutine, hand-cut fries with Bridport cheddar curds and ale gravy, to oven-roasted mussels fra diavolo or an arugula salad with beets, roasted corn, pepitas, Green Mountain Blue cheese and topped with a sour cherry vinaigrette. Entrees run the gamut from the signature Bench burger—Vermont Family Farm ground beef (Enosburg Falls, Vt.) topped with Mt. l
Mansfield Creamery Inspiration cheese, Sugar Mountain pork belly, balsamic onions, and house pickles to wood-fired pizza like the Pipeline—EVOO, a balsamic reduction, arugula, basil, prosciutto, and mozzarella—or the HellBrook, with red sauce, red peppers, Vermont Smoke and Cure pepperoni, and mozzarella. A healthy selection of sandwiches and comfort foods, such as meatloaf, fish and chips, pasta bologonese, and a grilled ribeye round out the menu. The Bench will use many of the same purveyors as the Reservoir—Black River Produce, for example—but vendors that don’t include Stowe in their delivery area will swapped for ones that do. Bread will come from Elmore Mountain Bread, not Red Hen Baking, and fish will come from Stowe Seafood rather than Wood Mountain Fish. Frier and Fry are no strangers to the area—both are Waterbury residents and have skied at Stowe for years—and understand the draw for locals and tourists alike. “For people on vacation, they’re going to go out and eat two or three meals a day, and we want to be on that list,” Frier says. Residents looking to add a new player to their Stowe restaurant roster will find Bench’s hearth-warmed space to be “approachable, with a little something for everyone,” he adds.
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BEN OR JERRY? Ice cream entrepreneur Travis Stearns in the kitchen of The Manor, a nursing home in Morrisville where he is a cook.
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Diva Hops ice cream Another type of cold one A local ice-cream maker is putting a new spin on an old favorite—cold beer. Travis Stearns of Johnson recently turned his passion for making ice cream into a fledgling business, Diva Hops Ice Cream Co. Like many Vermont ice creams, his feature locally produced ingredients, including cream, eggs, and maple syrup. Stearns offers classic flavors such as vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, coffee, maple, and maple-walnut, but he also offers a few varieties you won’t find in most ice cream coolers. One is flavored with Ridge Runner beer from Rock Art Brewery, while another is flavored with the brewery’s Bourbon Barrel beer. He has also experimented with beer from the Hill Farmstead Brewery in Hardwick. The result is rich, creamy artisan ice cream with a kick. Stearns, 22, works as a cook and dietary aide at The Manor, a nursing home in Morrisville, where he serves his homemade ice cream at ice cream socials and sometimes churns out batches for residents’ birthday celebrations. But he jokes that the residents, most of whom are on restricted diets, haven’t sampled the beer-infused varieties. Stearns is a 2013 New England Culinary School graduate. During his second year there, he took a course called plated desserts where, among other things, students made ice creams and sorbets. He perfected his ice-cream making skills during an internship at an inn. Shortly after starting his job at The Manor, he began making ice cream for its residents.
He produces it at his home in small batches using a Breville ice cream maker, which instantly freezes the ice cream to the desired hardness level. He uses local products when possible and avoids high fructose corn syrup, preservatives, and additives such as guar gum. A NECI field trip to a food trade show featuring Guinness-flavored ice cream inspired his experiments with beer. When it comes to mixing beer and ice cream, “the darker the beer, the better. You don’t need as much and it’s less icy,” Stearns says. Making ice cream with beer is not as easy as one might think. First, the beer must be frozen. Any remaining liquid is drained, and that process is repeated about five times until a concentrate is produced. The beer-laden liquid is then used to flavor the ice cream. Stearns is applying for state permits to sell his ice cream in retail shops. In the meantime, he sells it to family, friends, and coworkers. “Personally, I’d like to have my own little ice cream shop,” Stearns says. “It would be cheaper and easier” than selling it by the pint. In the meantime, he enjoys serving it to Manor residents. “They love his coffee ice cream,” says Amy Manchester, hospitality director for the Manor. “It’s delicious.” —Lisa McCormack ESSENTIALS: facebook.com/DivaHopsllc2014. 145
Foodies take note: Stowe is tops Stowe made Fodor’s Travel World’s Best 10 Ski Towns for Foodies list, placing second behind Courchevel, France. Here’s what Fodor’s said about Stowe: “Stowe is known as one of the best spots to ski in New England, but it is arguably just as famous for its proximity to the Ben & Jerry’s factory in nearby Waterbury. Like the bearded duo behind the ice cream brand, the culinary ethos here is simple, uncomplicated but delicious. Before you hit the slopes, stock up on cider donuts and maple shortbread at the Cold Hollow Cider Mill. Après ski, head to Stowe Mountain Lodge for farm-to-table cuisine, such as smoked and braised duck legs or rack of lamb with thyme demiglace. Hen of the Wood is a nearby, a longtime favorite; the menu highlights New England cuisine such as day boat Gloucester cod and goat cheese dumplings.” No other eastern ski resort made the list. Following Courchevel and Stowe were Whistler, British Columbia; Vail, Colo.; Zermatt, Switzerland; Niseko, Japan; Telluride, Colo.; Cortina, Italy; Park City, Utah; and Taos, N.M.
Golden Eagle passes the torch Nearly 20 years before the Newhart show told its innkeeper tale, Herb and Ann Hillman moved from New Jersey to Stowe, bought a small 12-room place, and called it the Golden Eagle. Now, after 51 years in the family, the Golden Eagle has landed in new hands. “We wanted to do something in Vermont, and Stowe had a reputation of having the best school system in the state. It was kind of an impulse,” says Herb as he walked the grounds of his old resort where, in recent years, he took pleasure in maintaining the flowers and greenery. Carol Van Dyke, the Hillmans’ daughter, has run the inn with her husband, Neil Van Dyke, since the late 1980s. “We had a good run and it was an important part of our lives,” Carol says. “It gave us a platform so we could be a real part of the Stowe community.” The 31-acre resort on Stowe’s Mountain Road sold for $3.66 million to a five-person corporation called Dimand Real Estate Association LLC. The Linchris Hotel Corp. will run the inn. When the Hillmans bought the property in 1963, it was a simple row of 12 rooms. The resort eventually expanded to 89 units, with indoor and outdoor pools, tennis courts, a fitness and conference center, and the Colonial Cafe restaurant, a popular place for breakfast, even with non-guests. —Tommy Gardner 146
SUMPTUOUS SYRUPS on Horrigan was working part time as a bartender at a restaurant in Hardwick in 2009 when he was inspired to create cocktails using local ingredients. Meanwhile, his friend Linda Fox was concocting flavored syrups using berries from her garden. So the duo joined forces and Sumptuous Syrups of Vermont, which makes premium farm-to-bar cocktail syrups, was born. You won’t find maple among the flavors offered by Sumptuous Syrups, but you will find plenty of other local ingredients from local family farms, bottled in small artisan batches at the Vermont Food Venture Center in Hardwick. Horrigan is the mixologist, constantly creating new recipes for cocktails and non-alcoholic beverages; he also handles marketing. Fox, the syrup master, is the company’s chief executive officer. They source as many local ingredients as possible. The Provender Farm in Cabot provides basil and blackberries while Mystic Morning Farm in Greensboro Bend provides basil and chili peppers. Black currants come from New York’s Hudson River Valley. Horrigan hires locals to pick wild blackberries. “I get a hundred pounds at a time,” he says. When Horrigan and Fox can’t purchase ingredients locally, they search for organic fair-trade substitutes. For instance, the yellow ginger for one variety of syrup comes from a small cooperative farm in Peru. “We want to get the best products we can,” Horrigan says. Syrup flavors include black currant, yellow ginger, blackberry, lemon-basil, and chocolate mole. —Lisa McCormack
MIXOLOGY 101 Don Horrigan mixes up a ginger old fashioned using his ginger syrup. Inset: Sumptuous Syrups’ line of sumptuousities.
ESSENTIALS: $30 for two 8-ounce bottles. Purchase syrups at sumptuoussyrups.com.
GINGER OLD FASHIONED 2 oz. Smugglers’ Notch Bourbon ½ oz. Sumptuous Syrups Ginger Syrup Dash Urban Moonshine Maple Bitters Place ingredients in a cocktail mixer and shake. Pour into an ice-filled bourbon glass. Place a sliver of orange peel along the rim. ITALIAN-STYLE SODA ½ to 3⁄4 oz. Sumptuous Syrup Pour into a 12-ounce glass. Add a squeeze of citrus and fill with seltzer water. Add a splash of cream for a French-style soda.
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No matter the season, we provide the perfect setting for dining and relaxation. Whether enjoying our elegant Main Dining Room, the Lounge, or our casual DeliBakery. Join us for Austrian inspired seasonal menus, Trapp lagers and weekly wine tastings in our Wine Cellar.
802 253 8511
Soon, there won’t be any more chasing down of delivery trucks. Or standing in line at the liquor or convenience store. Or jonesing when you get to the cooler and realize the Heady’s all gone. Sometime late next year, or by early 2016, you’ll be able to pick up your four-pack of Heady Topper—arguably the most popular beer in the world!—right here in Stowe. That’s because The Alchemist, producer of the hard-to-find, internationally renowned double IPA, is expanding. The brewery’s flagship beer, Heady Topper, consistently ranks as one of the best in the world by various trade publications and beer blogs, and Rendering of proposed people stalk visitors’ center and brewery the Heady Topper truck all over the state. Alchemist owners John and Jen Kimmich plan to open a 14,000-square-foot brewery, tasting room, and store on Cottage Club Road in Stowe. The brewery expects that roughly 350 cases of beer a day will be sold from the new facility. Heady Topper will still only be brewed at the Alchemist’s existing Waterbury brewery. The couple lives in Stowe with their two children and looks forward to expanding their beer empire: “Stowe needs more business, especially during slow tourism months. We’ve seen so many businesses close lately. … It’s going to be a good boost for Stowe,” John says. The new building may be industrial, but designers promise an agrarian thread will run through the whole design. The brewery will have gardens, with strings of hops and a small barley field. It will be ringed with cherry and maple trees and tall evergreens. Sculptures will dot the grounds. The brewery still needs state environmental permits. —Lisa McCormack
FOOD PHOTOS COURTESY BEN LAZAR AND COMMODITIES MARKET
GOOD EATS The produce aisle at Commodities Market in the East Village, which also offers a large variety of bulk foods. Next page: Audra and Michael Hughes.
COMMODITIES Organic market grows in Stowe Stowe foodies will soon have a new field to harvest: Commodities Natural Market, an organic grocery, is being cultivated on the Mountain Road. It’s been nearly two decades since Stowe had an organic food market, Food for Thought in Stowe’s Lower Village, but Michael and Audra Hughes, who both have longtime Stowe connections, are about to change all that. A native New Yorker, Michael started running his stepmother’s small natural foods store in Tribeca in Manhattan at age 21. “It was a crazy life experience, but a good one,” he recalls. He went on to open his own store, Commodities Natural Market, in the East Village in 1993, and it was soon thriving. While walking in Weissner Woods, a chance encounter 152
with Stowe entrepreneur and icon, the late Marvin Gameroff, led to a discussion about Michael’s natural foods store in New York. Gameroff, always inquisitive and motivational, suggested he open one in Stowe. Michael and Audra—Michael wooed his future wife at a gym with a bag of organic groceries!—started looking for a Stowe location. Their growing family, the sudden loss of a child, an existing connection to the area, and a desire to leave the hectic pace of city life also played minor and major roles in the couple’s decision to relocate to Vermont. “Once you have a child … your senses change,” says Michael. “It was always on my mind to get out of the rat race.” The couple eventually settled on a spacious new space on Stowe’s Mountain Road. It’s a good fit. The next-door neighbor is Stowe
Seafood. The store is expected to open before Christmas. Michael and Audra hope to recreate their successful New York operation here: a traditional natural foods store with fresh, 100-percent organic produce from as many local purveyors as possible, a comprehensive bulk foods section and, once details are worked out, fresh-pressed juices and health-conscious ready-to-eat sandwiches, soups, and meals. The Hugheses are working with local individuals and organizations to produce prepared foods off site. The New York location carries about 5,000 items, including some popular Vermont products—Deep Root Organic Co-Op, Mount Mansfield Creamery, Vermont Butter & Cheese, Vermont Smoke & Cure, Neighborly Farms, and Fat Toad Farm, to name a few. The Hugheses want to bring a similar amount and variety to Stowe, including household products from Seventh Generation and Ecover, natural baby products, and vitamins. In New York, the Hugheses partner with a cooperative that allows small farms to have access to larger distributors, and are thrilled by the proximity of so many farms in Vermont and the ability to easily stock a multitude of ultra-local products. The Hugheses are passionate about organic food. “It’s different, it’s unique, and it usually tastes better,” Michael says. He wants to give customers a chance to experience organic food and say, “Wow, this is organic, and it’s the best thing I’ve ever had.” —Hannah Marshall
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Sandie and Ken Powers.
Passing the Pinot: Stowe Wine and Cheese welcomes new oenophiles ran and Susan Parda commemorate two big milestones this summer, and you can bet they’re not celebrating with a cheap bottle of grocery store Merlot. This summer, they sold one of the longest-running family businesses in town, Mountain Cheese and Wine, on the 40-year anniversary of their opening of the store in Stowe. And next month, the couple celebrates their golden wedding anniversary. Their wine of choice for their anniversary? A bottle of 1964 Amarone, the vintage from the same year they said their vows. “On that day, that will be the best bottle of wine I’ve ever drunk,” Fran says. The Pardas passed the corkscrew to Kenny and Sandie Powers, who have skied in Stowe since the 1990s. The new owners will keep things much as the Pardas did for 40 years, but with some minor changes in mind.
There’s a slightly different name, Stowe Wine and Cheese, but the store is still in the same Red Barn Shop location on the Mountain Road. The Powerses will beef up the craft beer selection and do some tastings in the future, but for the most part, Stowe Wine and Cheese will carry on the 40-year tradition. “We think this place is a gem. We just want to polish it,” says Kenny, who brings 25 years of experience in wine distribution to the operations. Adds Sandie: “We really just want to honor what they’ve done here.” That’s another way the new owners are similar to their new store’s founders: They finish each other’s sentences just as surely as Champagne complements caviar. And the two couples have become vociferous supporters of each other. “They’ve been two of the most wonderful people,” Sandie says. Kenny says the Pardas amassed a “thought-
ful collection” over the years, and he intends to listen to loyal customers and area restaurant owners to see what kind of wine scene Stoweites want. For their part, the Pardas are happy the Powers are going to highlight local beers and wines. Sandie—who calls the Pardas “fromage-ophiles”—says the cheese scene in Vermont will give her plenty of tasty homework to do in the coming years. She just hopes she won’t have to deal with a runaway wheel. That’s one of the Pardas’ favorite yarns. It dates from the 1970s, when Mountain Cheese and Wine was located in the Stowe Center, down the stairs by the old gym’s swimming pool. One day, a delivery truck dropped off a 230-pound wheel of Emmental Swiss. Literally. It rolled down the stairs, stopping just short of the pool. Fran and Susan Parda opened up shop on Continued on page 156
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Continued from page 154
Fran and Sue Parda and Sandie and Ken Powers.
July 4, 1974. They’d been married 10 years, Fran working at the Grand Union grocery store and Susan teaching high school history. Fran was also drumming in rock ’n’ roll bands, most notably as house drummer for the American Bandstand TV show. “We wanted to do something together,” Susan says. “Now, we’re ending 40 years of our three-year get-rich scheme.” Says Kenny, “We realize the size of the shoes we’ve got to fill.” —Tommy Gardner ESSENTIALS: 1799 Mountain Rd. Daily 10 a.m. - 6 p.m., Sundays noon - 5 p.m. 253-8606, stowewineandcheese.com.
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•••• Stowe’s popular Sunset Grille, famous for its barbecue, live music, and backyard volleyball court, celebrates 25 years of success this year. “It feels good, 25 years,” says Sunset Grille chef and co-owner Rich Haab over a cup of coffee at his bar. “But it’s tiring!” Haab founded the Sunset Grille with his wife, Nancy, in 1988, a few years after they met in what used to be Little Avenues Tavern. When the building went up for sale, the couple went for it. “We were both up here being ski bums and chefs,” says Haab, who graduated from the Culinary Institute of America, and after buying their new restaurant decided to specialize in what they call “Northern Southern barbecue,” because they couldn’t find any decent bar food in town. Haab tweaks the menu constantly, as he has since he started cooking. “When other people openly copy my ideas, then I come up with new ones,” he says. He’s just started smoking his own ham and bacon, for instance. Haab said the Stowe restaurant scene is unique because eateries have their own niches, which helps spread the business around.
Beyond hard work, Haab says the secret to success is consistency, creativity, and loyal employees. His restaurant has remained open from 11:30 a.m. to midnight, 362 days a year, since its founding, steady hours that ensure recommendations from hotels and locals, he says. —Anna Windemuth ESSENTIALS: 140 Cottage Club Rd., Stowe. Daily for lunch, dinner, and late night. 253-9281. sunsetgrillevt.com. •••• McCarthy’s Restaurant in Stowe celebrates its 40th anniversary this year. The landmark breakfast and lunch spot moved to its current Mountain Road location in 1985. Owner Diane McCarthy recalls the early days: “I took a picture of the first guy that came in. … I didn’t think we’d make it.” Forty years and as many St. Patrick’s Day celebrations later, the business is still going strong, beloved by locals and out-of-towners alike. The town retains its reputation as a “ski mecca,” but the clientele has calmed down since the party days of the 1970s and 1980s, says McCarthy, and she has seen multiple generations grow up—and grow old—at the restaurant. John Cassel played piano on Sunday nights; Anabel Moriarty of Moriarty hat fame served breakfast. “People would come in for breakfast after dancing all night at the Baggy Knees,” laughs McCarthy. “It was crazy.” The restaurant will celebrate in the community with a scavenger hunt of sorts — look for hidden clues around town that will lead to tasty prizes. — Hannah Marshall
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ESSENTIALS: McCarthy’s Restaurant, 454 Mountain Rd. Daily 6:30 a.m. - 2 p.m. 253-8626. mccarthysrestaurantstowe.com. •••• Susan Camley loves to bake custom cakes, often incorporating her customers’ favorite colors or themes to help them celebrate a birthday, anniversary, wedding, or just about any other special occasion. Custom cakes are at the centerpiece of Cake & Crumb Bakery, which Camley and her business partner and daughter Julie Rogers opened this fall. The baking duo also makes cookies, muffins, cupcakes, pastries, pies, and other treats. Located on Winter Street in Morrisville, the cozy former carriage house offers a coffee bar and small tables for customers who want to enjoy their treats right away. Camley, of Morristown, is a self-taught baker. She owned a bakeshop in Mississippi before moving back to Vermont in 2008. Continued on page 159
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Camley says she enjoys making recipes and designs that suit her customers’ preferences. “I like to be challenged when people come in for something different,” she says. ... “A happy little neighborhood place.” —Lisa McCormack
ESSENTIALS: 27 Winter St., Morrisville. 888-4100. facebook.com/cakeandcrumbvt.
Dave Juenker, Maggie Palilonis, and Lynn Mason.
As regular patrons of Waterbury’s Blackback Pub and Flyshop, Lynn Mason and Dave Juenker were always fishing for an opportunity to one day own the Main Street watering hole. One night, while seated at the long wooden bar that extends across both of Blackback’s quaint basement rooms, Mason and Juenker started dropping hints to owner Rick Binet about how much they’d like to own and manage a place exactly like the popular pub. The couple, who both have backgrounds in hospitality, were looking for a small, manageable spot near their home in Waterbury where they could easily jump back into the restaurant scene. They kept at him. “We came back at him a couple of other times and one day he said, ‘Let’s talk,’ and we kind of knew he was ready to move on to a new venture,” Mason says. Blackback offers 22 beers on tap, and its new menu was created by 30-year-old chef Maggie Palilonis, who is no stranger to the pub scene— she grew up in Ireland, where the pubs are community gathering places. The menu features a poblano chili and garden bruschetta, and a tasty plate featuring walnut goat cheese spread, Gruyere, Cabot cheddar, kalamata olives, and fresh fruit. The menu is rounded out with two hearty salad options and a variety of what Palilonis calls “toasties,” her take on toasted Cuban, roast beef, and turkey club-style sandwiches. —Miranda Orso
hew! Here we are two years into this adventure and Linda and I are humbled, grateful, and amazed by your business and friendship. I vividly remember thinking the night before we opened, “Would anybody come? Does anybody know we’re here?” And, “How do I run this credit card machine anyway!?!” Since then we’ve been blessed with your business, humbled again by your return, we’ve been part of your celebrations, and caught up with you over casual dinners. Ever the romantic, Linda has loved helping brides and grooms organize rehearsal dinners and intimate weddings which we can host in our beautiful private dining room or, for those grander celebrations, in the restaurant itself. We’ve met many new wonderful friends and continue to cherish the memories our guests share with us about their time at Ten Acres over the years. Safe to say, we’re starting to feel like we can pretend that we know what we’re doing! We’re coming off our summer of family and friends visiting us—thankfully they gave us a year to get out of the weeds before arriving. It was wonderful to share our adventure with them and have them meet our phenomenal team. Chef Gary (Super G,) is a joy to work with. Not only does he outwork everyone and take time to teach and inspire his team he also makes sure every plate is something we can all be proud off. As we go into the new season, we are excited to taste Chef Gary’s new menu ideas—it’s a tough job but someone’s got to do it!
Flavorfully Created Entrees. Handmade Soups, Breads, Salads & Desserts. Craft Beers. Thoughtfully Selected Wines. Fresh Pressed Cocktails. Seafood Special Changes Daily. Fireside Lounge • Bar Seating Elegant Dining • Beautiful Views
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After I finished Linda’s Landscaping To-Do List for the summer she let me sponsor, and play for the Bistro at Ten Acres co-ed softball team. What great fun! I’m not sure what I’ll need to do for her next summer to get out on the golf course but I will be helped by Harry (16), Hamish (12), and Carter (4) to get everything accomplished. Linda and I hope you can join us this season. Cheers!
ESSENTIALS: 1 Stowe St., Waterbury. Daily, noon to midnight. 244-0123. blackbackpub.com. Continued on page 167
14 Barrows Rd., Stowe • tenacreslodge.com • (802) 253-6838 159
Caledonia Spirits’ Tom Cat gin. The distillery’s signature gin. Founder Todd Hardie.
of artisan distilleries and agricultural tales
C A L E D O Ns pI i rAi t s Story by Marialisa Calta
Photographs by Glenn Callahan
onnecting the world to the family farm,” reads one of the statements, scrawled on a large piece of paper. “Respect for our customer, our community, our families, and each other,” proclaims another. They may read like the core values of a non-profit with a mission, when, in fact, they are the guiding principals of a distillery. That’s the spirit behind Caledonia Spirits, a company that has been selling liquor from its Hardwick headquarters since 2011. It originates with founder Todd Hardie, a soft-spoken, articulate entrepreneur who comes across as more of a humble philosopher than a hardcore businessman. In conversation, for example, he uses “we” not “I” because, he explains, “everything is a team effort.” He talks about his realization that “the way you’re taking care of your resources and your people goes into every product, every bottle.” He speaks of learning from “wise elders.” His motto, which came from his great, great grandfather is: “The best fertilizer is always the footprint of a farmer.” Hardie’s footprints, side by side with those of his team and his community, are all over his products. On the face of it, the story of Caledonia Spirits is a trend story; it represents one of the many new artisan distilleries popping up all over Vermont in the last 160
decade. The state Department of Liquor Control estimates there are about 18 currently operating, with more in the works, churning out spirits distilled from or flavored with corn, barley, maple syrup, whey, and apples. Caledonia’s signature is honey. A beekeeper by trade and passion, Hardie has in his career produced raw honey, honeybased medicinal, or “apitherapy,” products, mead, and now booze. His Barr Hill Gin and Barr Hill Vodka, both made using honey, are available in 14 states, and are winning accolades and awards around the country. Caledonia Spirits also produces a barrel-aged Tom Cat gin and Corn Whiskey, and will soon be bottling the bourbon and rye whiskey currently aging in barrels. The company’s Elderberry Cordial will resume production once Hardie can establish a sustainable supply of berries.
The story of Caledonia Spirits is also an agricultural tale. Since childhood, Hardie has had a reverence for the land, for farming, and for the people who farm. He began tending bees on his family’s farm in Maryland when he was 12 years old, and came to appreciate honey and honeybee products (beeswax, propolis) as “a food and a medicine.” After graduating from Cornell University’s School of Agriculture, he decided he wanted to become part of “a community where agriculture is respected” and worked his way, after a stint studying with “elders”—experienced beekeepers in New York’s Finger Lakes region—to Hardwick and then further north to Morses Line, on the Quebec border. It’s an interesting aside that his home and honey house in that community 161
Ryan Christiansen, head distiller, surrounded by the stills.
was next door to the site of the renowned Prohibition-era speakeasy Bucket of Blood; the bar straddled the border, and on the Canadian side, Vermonters could drink legally. (And, recalls Hardie, its yard was littered with shards of glass.) Another interesting aside: Hardie hails from the distilling family of J & W Hardie of Edinburgh, Scotland, makers of a still-prized blended Scotch called The Antiquary. Yet distilling spirits, in his early beekeeping days, was far from his mind. hile in Morses Line, Hardie worked as a bee inspector for the Vermont Department of Agriculture, but he eventually moved his beekeeping operation to the more fertile Champlain Valley. For years he ran a business based in Ferrisburgh, Vt., selling honey and honey-based traditional plant medicines, such as wild cherry and elderberry syrups, a throat spray, and a salve under the Honey Gardens label. He later sold the business, which is now headquartered in Utah, but he kept in touch with his friends in the Northeast Kingdom, and returned five years ago to farm in Greensboro and to work on opening his distillery. He counts among his confidants and inspirations the leaders of the vibrant agricultural community in the area: Pete Johnson of Pete’s Greens, Mateo Kehler of Jasper Hill Cheeses, Tom Stearns of High Mowing Organic Seeds, and Andrew Meyer of Vermont Soy. And he honors the memory of the late, renowned nurseryman Lewis Hill, who introduced him to elderberries. “We are constantly learning from each other and trying to help each other,” he says. “Vermonters take care of Vermonters.” He named his gin and vodka after Greensboro’s Barr Hill, where juniper berries grow wild. 162
Vermont’s complicated relationship with alcohol, like that of the rest of the country, goes way back. In Last Call, a history of Prohibition, Daniel Okrent writes that as early as 1763, New England boasted 159 rum distilleries. George Washington kept a still; John Adams began each day with a tankard of hard cider; Thomas Jefferson made rye whiskey from his own crops; and James Madison drank a pint of whiskey a day. By 1810, 14,000 distilleries were operating nationwide. “By 1830 American adults were guzzling, per capita, a staggering seven gallons of pure alcohol a year,” Okrent writes, noting that staggering is an apt word. Or, as historian W.J. Rorabaugh quipped in The Alcoholic Republic, “Americans drank from the crack of dawn to the crack of dawn.” Vermont held its own: by 1818, according to Rumrunners and Revenuers by Vermont historian Scott Wheeler, the Green Mountain State counted 200 distilleries in operation. But just as the small distilleries nationwide could
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not survive Prohibition, Vermont’s distilleries saw a steep decline due to the efforts of an early and vigorous temperance movement. By 1840, Wheeler writes, Vermont had only two distilleries and one brewery in operation. The state even voted to go dry in 1845, an experiment that lasted only one year. A law passed in 1851, however, banned the manufacture of alcohol, and kept the commercial distilling business out of Vermont until the turn of the century. Less than 20 years later, the 18th Amendment was ratified nationally, turning Vermont dry once again. We seem to have been distillery-free (or, at least, free of commercial distilleries) until the late 1980s, when entrepreneurs Brian Tyrol and Steven Israel opened Vermont Distillers— making several spirits, including vodka, gin, and a maple-based brew—in Waterbury. It was the first distillery in the state—and possibly in
Rye whiskey ages in barrels. Tyler Buswell writes the batch number and year on a bottle. The bottles get ginned up.
the country—to open since Prohibition, Tyrol said recently. Citing distribution problems, it closed after three years. “We were ahead of our time,” says Tyrol, who has retired from a successful career in the industry and lives in Plainfield. “We plowed a lot of ground.” (Note: The company is unrelated to Vermont Distillers of Marlboro, makers of Metcalfe’s Vermont Maple Cream Liqueur.) hile Vermont Distillers of the 1980s may have been ahead of the curve, momentum was definitely gaining. The localvore movement heightened interest in sustainable agriculture, and the craft-brewery movement spotlighted high-quality, artisan beverages. Local vineyards began flourishing. In the past decade, distillers have come to the fore. l
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“Caledonia Spirits embodies the ideas of sustainability and terroir,” says Justin Lane Briggs, a Calais native and Brooklyn-based mixologist, who designs bar programs for restaurants around the country. Since honey is so deeply and directly connected to the crops the bees are pollinating, he says, Barr Hill Gin and Barr Hill Vodka “are inherently defined by place.” Or, as writer Warren Bobrow observed, “honey has a memory.” obrow, a friend of Hardie’s, food writer, spirits blogger (cocktail whisperer.com), and author of Apothecary Cocktails: Restorative Drinks from Yesterday and Today, warns that since there are no laws requiring disclosure of ingredients for alcoholic beverages, some distilleries use “garbage” in their products— artificial flavors and colors and other chemical additives. This is even true of some so-called craft distilleries, some of whom claim to be distilling a spirit, when in fact they simply buy industrially-produced booze, bottle it, and label it as an artisan product. (Templeton Rye of Iowa, for example, is the subject of a classaction lawsuit alleging that it is not, as claimed, a small-batch product made from a “Prohibition era” recipe, but is simply purchased from a large Indiana distillery and rebottled in Templeton). Bobrow praises Caledonia Spirits for its purity and authenticity: “I love them,” he says simply. Don Horrigan, a mixologist based in Hardwick who designed cocktails for restaurants including Positive Pie and the now defunct Clare’s restaurant, and who also makes Sumptuous Syrups at the Food Venture Center, praises Hardie and his team for “doing things as right as they can be done.” The Caledonia Spirits crew work hard at it. Master distiller Ryan Christiansen, 29, who describes himself as an idealist, says the company’s goal is no less than “improving the food system” by becoming reliable buyers of high-quality local and regional crops, thereby making those crops sustainable sources of income for small-scale farmers. As it is now, the company works hard to source the raw honey used in flavoring its gin and as the base for distilling its vodka, purchasing it from Vermont and New York. Organic rye comes from a small farm just north of the Quebec border. The corn for the Corn Whiskey (now sold out, but in the works for the future) was grown by Jack Lazor at Butterworks Farm in Westfield. Hardie and Christiansen recently located a Vermont source of white oak, along with copper from upstate New York, to make barrels in which to age whiskey, bourbon, rye, and a barrel-aged gin. “Caledonia Spirits is closing a loop,” says Cocktail Whisperer Bobrow. “They are distilling the link between the land and the farmer and the consumer. Their spirits are the best kind: they tell a story.” ■ ESSENTIALS: caledoniaspirits.com.
Continued from page 159
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A massive expansion at Trapp Lager Brewery is well underway. The project has been in the works for several years, and in early November the sparkling steel brewhouse equipment arrived at its new home. South Burlington-based construction company Neagley & Chase is working on the sleek, energy-efficient structure, which will house the brewing operation as well as kegging, bottling, and packaging lines. An attached restaurant/beer garden is planned for the future. Future beer hall visitors will be able to gaze in on the massive brewing equipment, made by German company ROLEC. Craig Street is the Trapp brewery’s project manager from ROLEC; he has set up camp in Stowe, along with a team of welders from Bavaria, to make sure the project runs smoothly during the 15week installation. Now, the Trapps brewery can produce about 1,905 barrels (60,000 gallons) of beer per year; once the new brewhouse is fully operational, it will be able to pump out about 50,000 barrels per year (1.5 million gallons). The expansion will also bump the brewery’s designation from microbrewery to small regional craft brewery. Head brewer JP Williams said the brewery will be operational in January, and the first batch—after the equipment’s introductory “water brew”—will be Trapp’s popular Helles lager. The grain will be stored in silos inside the brewhouse—the only fully indoor setup in New England, according to Williams. All ingredients will continue to be imported from Europe, mostly Germany, with some hops from the Czech Republic. Trapps’ own spring water will continue to be used for the beer. The brewhouse will open with a functional kegging line, and work up to production on the bottling and packaging setup, releasing 12-ounce bottles in 12 packs—yes, start getting excited—as well as 22-ounce bombers. Trapp beer will continue to be distributed throughout Vermont and New Hampshire, and the company recently signed a deal to distribute in Massachussetts. ■ —Hannah Marshall
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A small circle of people assembled at Bridgeside Books in Waterbury on a drizzly June afternoon, an even split of locals and out-of-towners, ranging in age from twentysomethings to mid-60s. Standing beside a small table laden with books and a steel ice tub full of Heady Topper was Ben Keene, author of The Great Northeast Brewery Tour. Speaking with a current and informed ease, he could have been just another bandwagon craft-brew-seeking, plaid-shirted dude, but in lieu of speculation, he had solid and intriguing answers for every inquiry posed by the rapt audience. Keene knows more than a little about the beer industry—among other accomplishments, he contributed to The Oxford Companion to Beer (2011) and recently joined BeerAdvocate magazine as managing editor. The discussion flowed, lively and interactive, the mood a pleasant mix of relaxed, intellectual, and cheery, everyone happily clutching plastic cups of beer. Beaming Bridgeside Books owner Hiata Defeo made sure everyone was topped off. The conversation bounced around, touching on brewery locations and the East-West Coast differences, hop growing and, of course, the amazing local offerings.
Waterbury at center of craft-brewing movement
STORY / Hannah Marshall PHOTOGRAPHS / Glenn Callahan
Not for everyone In the spirit of supporting local brews and slaking our own thirst, Keene agreed to meet me down the street at Prohibition Pig. I snagged a couple of seats, smack in the middle of the bar, with a great view of the incredibly talented and good-looking bartenders, and equally attractive beer offerings. The man next to me struck up a dour conversation. “They don’t have my kind of beer here,” he said. “I only drink one kind of beer. I.C. Light. Iron City? From Pennsylvania.” BeerAdvocate gives it a 60 out of 100; the brewing company’s website touts its 95 measly calories and mango option. I ask the gentleman if he’s from Pennsylvania. “No. Florida.” He and his friend came to Vermont on business, and they are not loving the scene. Apparently, not everyone wants to ride the delicious craft beer wagon. They lament the lack of “nightlife,” and despair at the local food and drink offerings. I point them toward the Stowe golf courses and chain restaurants in Burlington; they seem appeased.
TAPPED Clockwise from top left: Mark Drutman restocks a shelf at Craft Beer Cellar on Elm Street in Waterbury. The Reservoir in Waterbury boasts a whopping 38 taps, many for Vermont beers; other local pubs also have impressive numbers. Ben Keene. Frankenlager American double/imperial pilsner, Smuttynose Brewing Company, Hampton, N.H. Scurry Altbier, Off Color Brewing, Chicago, Ill. Baudelaire IO Saison, Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales, Dexter, Mich.
Making introductions BETHANY BANDERA
I enjoy a housemade schizandra berry kombucha, which I can only assume will give me digestive superpowers. Keene joins me after a time, and I tell him about my new friends, who have since abandoned me in search of urbanity. He wishes he could have gone through each of tonight’s 20plus draft offerings with them, confident he would have found something they liked. He loves introducing new beers to people—or is he introducing new people to the beers? And if corporations can be people, why not breweries? They’re certainly more friendly. At the book signing, Keene relayed a fascinating anecdote about Pabst Blue Ribbon, the ubiquitous and dubiously award-winning American lager favored by flannel-clad hipsters nationwide. Keene said that, in the Milwaukee plant’s heyday, union rules mandated that workers have three 15-minute breaks per day, and could drink a beer during each one. l
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BEER TOWN I ask Keene what his favorite “low-brow” beer is. He has a genuinely hard time answering this question. He literally can’t remember the last time he had a true bottom-barrel beer. They’re usually touted as “ice cold,” because that’s pretty much the only way you can actually drink them—unless you’re under 25; then a pass could perhaps be granted (and points awarded for creative intake). Finally, he cops to Red Stripe, the Jamaican-style lager, and we agree that it’s one of the better worse options.
Look at the taps Back on the finer end of the spectrum, the staggering quantity of craft beers available today is illustrated temptingly in front of our eyes. At current count, Waterbury’s bars are extremely well-stocked: Prohibition Pig has 22 taps, with 10 to 14 Vermont beers on at a time; Blackback has 22 draft lines, about half local; the Reservoir claims the most taps in the state, with a prodigious 38, usually 50 to 60 percent local; and even Arvad’s has 10 lines, nine of which are currently flowing with Vermont brews. To keep up with the Joneses, especially in this crossroads haven for beer enthusiasts, a successful establishment needs to be pretty stacked. Craft Beer Cellar, which opened at the end of
last year, boasts 547 libations from 168 local, domestic, and international breweries, with bottled and canned beers, ciders, meads and a growler station to suit any palate or whim. Keene recalls wild beers he’s experienced: a malty, earthy beet beer, an Old Bay-seasoned beer from crab-happy Maryland (Flying Dog’s Dead Rise), which he said was tasty yet confusing to the taste buds, and a slightly horrifying tale of pig’s head beer (“Would you have to skim the hairs out?”), which he has not personally imbibed. One lovely and rather unconventional style we discuss is gose, the salt-and-coriander flavored unfiltered wheat beer; Lost Nation in Morrisville makes a great one, and the Pig tapped a cask of its Galaxy-hopped gose on July 4. You’re welcome, America!
Why now? Why here? I have been tasked with one specific inquiry from the editorial powers-that-be: to find out why we so love the giant, in-your-face, double(like our beloved Heady), triple- or even quadhopped IPAs. Keene offers several possible explanations: their “monochromatic” styling may appeal to Americans’ penchant for gravitating toward foods and flavors of a distinct focus; nothing too far out of place. “We’ve trained our palates for flavor categories: salty, sweet, sour, bitter, savory, etc.,” he says. “The IPA arms race seems
to appeal to that, at least in part.” Another motive for the major hop love is a kind of rebellion by today’s brewers against the boring, flat, big-business beers so common in the past decades. “They’re going to go to the other end of the spectrum and yell, Hey, check out this stuff!” says Keene. Keene also notes that the hoppy madness that we see today might have started earlier, had it not been for the biological demise of the booming New York hop industry in the early 1900s, followed shortly by Prohibition (the bummer, not the brewpub). There was a bump in popularity toward bigger, hoppier flavors in the 1990s, but the meteoric rise started sometime around 2002. Vermont may not be on the cutting edge of all aspects of culture, but we definitely hold fast the attention of the widespread beer-loving community. Beer has created a niche tourism industry, people of every ilk waiting in queues 100 strong, piling with friends into their beater sedans or flying across the country to get their hands onto precious limited-release hypermicrobrew four-packs, or to partake of one-nightonly pours of ephemeral casked elixirs. Keene elucidates. “Vermont beers are like designer beers. This is kind of the sexiest you can get for liquid, right?” Looking toward the future of the beer, Keene estimates that we’re about halfway there, wherever “there” turns out to be. ■
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R E A L E S TAT E & H O M E S Are you searching for the perfect home or vacation getaway? Looking to update your 1970s kitchen, add a great room, or find a stone mason to redo your uneven terrace? Well, the search is over. Our guide to real estate and homes is your one-stop shop to find a new home or connect with the finest architects, interior designers, builders, and other craftsmen and suppliers for everything home-related. Remember STEPHANIE POTTER
too, that our Web sites—stowetoday.com, stowereporter.com, and waterburyrecord.com—are great real-estate resources.
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A grand, but Not So Big, house
ome homes lure you, urge you, to the front door. Once inside, they not only embrace you, but also set up a sense of delightful anticipation of what lies beyond. That is the special effect of Ed and Maureen Labenskiâ€™s home, an exquisitely designed jewel of interior space seamlessly interwoven with the surrounding landscape, tucked into a high meadow of the Worcester Range, with eye-popping views of the Green Mountains. The house, built in 1998, was designed by architect Sarah Susanka, the author of the Not So Big House series, advocating homes be designed with less square footage but more detail and care, built to nurture, not impress, and to reflect the lifestyles of their
owners. The concept was revolutionary in the 1990s, an era of McMansions conceived by architects who added ever more rooms for endless specific purposes that increased square footage, but were seldom used. Homes built for the ego, not the soul. Story continues on page 192
the away room
DETAILS: GLENN CALLAHAN. INTERIORS: DERRICK BARRETT
DETAIL: GLENN CALLAHAN. INTERIORS: DERRICK BARRETT
DETAILS: GLENN CALLAHAN. INTERIORS: DERRICK BARRETT
EXTERIORS: DERRICK BARRETT
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INSET: GLENN CALLAHAN. INTERIOR: DERRICK BARRETT
INSETS: GLENN CALLAHAN. INTERIOR: DERRICK BARRETT
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Story continues from page 174
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It was no accident that when Maureen, a seventh-generation Vermonter living in Minneapolis, but planning retirement with husband Ed in her home state, met Susanka, they immediately clicked. “We could finish each other’s sentences,” says Maureen, and Susanka, who was also based in Minneapolis at the time, became the couple’s Vermont architect. “Sarah gave people a vocabulary to talk about what they like in a house,” explains Maureen. “She developed concepts, like ‘shelter around activity’ and ‘a pod of space,’ that describe how we feel in different spaces. It’s a great gift. It is probably similar to how the vocabulary for wine developed that now allows us to describe their tastes.” Susanka has given flesh to concepts first expressed in A Pattern Language published by architect Christopher Alexander and colleagues in 1977. That dense, somewhat obscure treatise gave names to design patterns and spatial concepts that have for millennia intuitively pleased humanity and are integral to architecture. With language, both architect and client better understand what makes spaces work and how to create them. The magic of the Labenski house is that architect, clients, and landscape architect Cynthia Knauf were all devotees of Alexander, and came to the building project with unified intent. It was symbiosis. Ruminating on what she desires in a home, Maureen says, “I want detail. I want a place for all the things I love. I want enough to make it feel like home.” Susanka’s job was to deliver that with minimum square footage—the initial goal was 2,700 square feet; the end result was 3,046 square feet. Downsizing is achieved by having rooms fill multiple functions. The living room is actually living area with fireplace and comfortable seating, TV room, dining room, quiet reading nook, and display area for an expansive lifetime collection of art and artifacts. At right angles to the dining area is a roomy, carefully designed kitchen where the couple cooks together. Key to the Susanka concept is the use of varied ceiling heights and materials to enliven the larger space while creating areas of defined use within. Lowered soffits, changes in color and texture, and latticed cherry ceiling screens demark transitions of use. They add interest while establishing proportions that are comfortable to the occupant. There are almost no space-wasting, walled hallways. The architect designs with transitional pathways through rooms, what she calls sequence of place. She wants people to view where they are going and anticipate it. When the Labenski’s first-floor master bedroom door is open, you can see from the front hallway through a variety of intriguing spaces and out the bedroom window at the far end. The sight begs you to explore.
NOT SO BIG HOUSE
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Upstairs is ostensibly guest area, but again, rooms do double duty. One guest room is permanently set up for service, but the second, on most days, is Maureen’s capacious office. Her desk is between corner windows, facing gardens and glimpses of a pond in the foreground and the ever-changing panorama of distant mountains. When needed, a Murphy bed opens, her work cupboard closes, and the room welcomes company. Stowe builder John Steele was 100 percent on board. With four decades of experience in finehome construction, he and his team were committed to creating “a quality product for Ed and Maureen.” Steele immediately recognized the organic nature of the house design. It was much more than an assemblage of construction parts. To be successful it was necessary to envision each piece’s role in the entire finished product before the first nail was struck. Susanka’s architecture draws inspiration from the Prairie School-style of architects led by Frank Lloyd Wright. Roof overhangs and pitch, the repetition of shadow, the immense but subtle importance of detail, the blurring of lines between outdoor and indoor space—all are key. The Labenski’s Minneapolis home was a 1910 Prairie School-style residence designed by Wright’s foremost followers, Purcell & Elmslie. Steele was flown to Minnesota to familiarize his team with the style. Steele is quick to emphasize the importance of Cynthia Knauf’s landscape design as an integral part of the house. Knauf says, “I was doing outside what Maureen was doing inside. It’s not often that happens. Everyone needs to read Alexander’s book.” Her design is based on the Japanese aesthetic of creating flow. “There can be no break,” she explains. “Everything flows into the next. That is what all of us—owner, builder, and landscape designer—were working together on.”
NOT SO BIG HOUSE
“Maureen didn’t want a lot of lawn,” she explains. “She wanted a manicured necklace around the house, a lot of detail, a lot of variety, a lot happening, I have to say, in a confined space.” Knauf’s mission was to create “a tapestry of patterns, textures and colors” for year-round interest using mainly hardy, native, north-central Vermont species that could substitute for traditional Japanese garden plantings. Red maple, paper birch, pine, and luxuriant ferns already grew on the old pastureland. Winterberry, vibernum, and a wide variety of blossoming shrubs were added. Closer to the house she added “eye-catchers”: non-native, non-invasive and Vermont-hardy species such as Korean purple-leaf maple, Amur maple, Russian cypress, weeping larch, and Norway spruce. There is even a rain garden under the convergence of two rooflines where rain falls over weeping white pine and spruce to pool on a mosaic of deftly arranged stones and tiles.The planter, Robert Stoeklein, was a sublime master of his craft; Jake Barbour of Morrisville has nurtured his gardens with exquisite care over the ensuing years. Mark Moody’s magnificent stone walls and paths make stylized transition from porch to stepping stones, then sweep through gardens to, as Maureen says, “lure you to hidden mysteries.” It is significant that in interviewing the individuals responsible for the various components of the Labenski house, each party was profuse in paying respect to the others. All acknowledge the importance of architect, landscape architect, builder, and clients being integrated from the beginning. Ed and Maureen were looking for teamwork, and teamwork accomplished the exceptional. Plus, Maureen says, she got to meet the most amazing number of Vermont’s first-rate artists and artisans. They may indeed be called on again as the Labenski’s contemplate living even smaller in the heart of Burlington. ■ 195
S T O R Y:
SNOW DAY IS A TOW DAY
The smiles are wide as Monday’s inch-an-hour storm dumps all over Stowe. If it were a gold-mining town it would be raining gold dust, but it’s a ski town and snow is the mother lode. Off the hill, away from the brightly colored skiers in their high-tech parkas, Willie Noyes is zipped into his utilitarian dark blue coveralls, working on cars and waiting for calls. As much as it is snowstorm, it is also a tow storm. The speech in Willie’s garage is rife with four-letter words, one in particular that is used equally as a noun, verb, and adjective, often in the same sentence. Without those words and compound words built from them, the story is simple and businesslike. “I remember one Christmas Day I was just sitting down to dinner when David Wolfgang called and said there was a car off the road at the bottom of Harlow Hill,” Willie says. “I went up there and it was more like 30 cars. I pulled out the first two and told them to wait down at the Matterhorn, but they just drove off. Then I started collecting before we got them out. Six hours
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Willie Noyes and Shawn Wells work along the Mountain Road in Stowe to pull a delivery truck from a snowdrift after a storm subsides.
and $600 later I went home for Christmas dinner.” It’s not that simple, and business teachers would be aghast at Willie’s customer relations policy. “I try to get the job done,” Willie says. And the rest? “I don’t think I’ve ever scared anyone away. I get a lot of return business,” he adds smiling. The four-letter words are an integral part of the speech in the garage, but are often used without anger. “It’s usually pretty easy if the —— people just listen,” Willies says. “They just don’t —— understand when you tell them to turn the wheels toward the ditch. They’re —— afraid they’re going to go back in. I try to tell them that I’ve got the back of the —— car hooked in the back and it isn’t going anywhere.” Willie Noyes built Willie’s Village Auto in 1975. He bought his first tow truck within a year. He learned the towing art, and likely some of the art of public relations, under the guidance of local hook198
and-haul legend Wayne Blaisdell. It’s a business that has become increasingly competitive. Now Willie has three one-ton tow trucks, a flat bed, and a massive Mac plow truck that can handle up to 30 tons and snow days like Monday’s are easy paydays. By 9:30 in the morning Willie’s trucks have been out four times and the snow is still falling. The number of calls isn’t as high as some garages because the independent mechanic refuses to be an AAA towing service. “Those ——, they want you to do $100 worth of work for $20,” he says. “I won’t get
my head off the pillow at three in the morning for $20.” But when Earl runs his propane delivery truck into a ditch on the Waterbury side of Stowe Hollow, he knows who to call. “Want to come,” Willie asks. “You can meet the truck in the village.” Shawn Wells drives Willie’s big town truck, which takes 50 gallons and $90 worth of diesel fuel on the way to the tow. It’s the beginning of three hours of work, laughs, cigarettes and, of course, cursing. The big wrecker has tire chains in the rear, 15 speeds, twin winches, and creeps along Route 100 south at about 25 miles per hour. Up through Gold Brook and back toward Stowe Hollow. At the covered bridge, where Covered Bridge, Gold Brook, and Stowe Hollow roads meet, the heavy truck turns left and starts up the snow-covered road. A couple hundred yards up the road the big truck meets Willie and one of the onetons, towing a car out of the ditch. Shawn drives the truck between the wrecker and the wreck, over the cable and continues up the road. From the start it seems that the big truck is struggling with the mealy snow, even with the chains, and as the road gets steeper the truck slows to a crawl. Willie, his tow finished, catches up and eventually passes when the big truck, its cab filled with smoke from a straining diesel clutch, stops a few yards short of the top the hill. “The —— snow is too heavy,” says Shawn, who has been driving trucks and heavy equipment since he was old enough to see over the steering wheel. “I can’t go anywhere.” It’s the start of a wrecker call that will eventually involve both tow trucks, two snowplows, three separate pulls out of ditches, two trees, and an estimated 3,000 curse words. Willie makes it to the top of the hill and then stops. Shawn and Willie try to use the winch on the small wrecker to tug the big wrecker over the crest of the hill. The pull helps pull the Mac higher, but also tugs it toward the ditch on the right, before they decide it isn’t going to work. “We’ve just got to get a —— plow through here,” Willie says. “This is tough snow.” As Shawn sits in the middle of the road Willie goes in search of Earl and the stuck propane truck. His voice crackles over the radio asking for directions again, because the truck doesn’t seem to be where it was supposed to be, cursing developers who build long driveways, the people who live at the end of them, and snowplowers. Shawn finally decides to take action, using a tree to pull himself back into the
603.359.1912 / geobarns.com 199
road, then back down the hill to a driveway to get out of the road. Willie finally returns, having found the customer, and pulls into the drive. Minutes later a Walker Construction plow truck driven by Jay drives by, then stops. Willie asks if he can take a couple of runs at the snow-covered road and he does, clearing it enough to get both trucks over the hill. A mile down the road, with a town plow and Jay now following, the two trucks turn into the driveway and stop a quarter mile in as the town plow turns around and heads back toward the village. Up the hill a second plow, which Willie asked to plow the driveway, is stuck and Willie uses the small town truck to pull it out. The plowing continues, but the snow is too heavy for the older truck and it gives up. That leaves the hill to Jay and he quickly clears a path up to the propane truck and gets out of the way. Already out of the garage for more than an hour, Willie and Shawn, two bystanders, and Earl survey the situation. The propane truck, cocked on its side, is headed down the hill with both right wheels in the ditch. It’s been there for more than two hours. By the time Shawn gets the truck out the cables have been hooked and unhooked three times, the Mac tow truck has been chained to a tree, Willie has the small tow truck stuck at the bottom of the hill, and small patches of snow have melted from the language. Shawn nearly collapses laughing when Willie’s speedy backwards descent down the drive lands him in the ditch, but the levity helps break up an increasingly frustrating afternoon. After hooking the tow truck to a tree and tow cables to the propane truck, Earl is pulled clear. The two big trucks jockey around the limited space at the top of the hill so that Shawn can go down first to pull Willie out. There hours after he filled up on Main Street, Shawn leads a parade of the tow trucks and propane truck back down the road. “They aren’t normally this hard,” Shawn says. “It was tough snow.” It may be the first time since noon that a sentence hasn’t included an expletive. Before the end of the day the big wrecker will have been called out twice more. “I like the snow,” Willie says the next day. “Yesterday was very frustrating, it was a rare day.” It was a snow day. ■
(This story was first published in the Stowe Reporter, Feb. 17, 2000. The late Peter Hartt, who grew up in Stowe, edited the Stowe Reporter for a half dozen years in the early 2000s.) 200
Enjoy the uncomplicated way of life
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Marvin Moriarty and his Maâ€™s hat Anabel Moriarty and her son Marvin were inducted into the Vermont Ski and Snowboard Museumâ€™s Hall of Fame this fall. They were presented for induction by longtime friend Peter Miller, whose photographs and essay, Marvin Moriarty and his Maâ€™s hat, first appeared in Skiing Heritage, September 1999. Ma started her ski hat business in 1957, and it grew into a phenomenon. Marvin Moriarty was the youngest man ever named to the U.S. Olympic team. Story follows on page 204
Marvin Moriarty and his Ma’s hat “You see, the Americans were sort of pussy. They would make two arvin Moriarty of Stowe was a phenomenal ski racer, a to three runs a day and stop and look at the branches on the trail and natural athlete who excelled in every sport he particihash out the bumps. The Austrians skied up and down half a dozen pated in. Like many Vermonters, he is an independent times a day and it wasn’t long before they were going full bore over the cuss and doesn’t know what politically correct means. trouble spots. I followed those guys, but I didn’t have much of a Marvin will be best remembered for the hat on his chance, they were so good. I did win the slalom at the Davos Cup and head, and how Ma knitted it into shape. the King’s Cup slalom in Norway, but usually I came in third. “When I was in grade school in Stowe—couldn’t have been over “In 1959 Bob Beattie was coach and he wanted an all-college team. I five, about 1942, we used to ski on Marshall’s Hill. We had old wooden was 22 and I was just a woodchuck from Stowe and he dropped me. skis with toe plates and I stole my grandmother’s canning jar rubbers, My love for Bob Beattie is not overwhelmwhich I stretched around the toe plate and ing. I came home in 1958 and in 1959 won over the heel of my boots. It was like a more races than anyone on the ski team.” cable binding. Kids are so light they flutter Marvin entered the professional circuit about on skis. Those jar rubbers gave us for a year, then retired from ski racing to some stability.” Aspen, where he ran the Mad Dog Bar, “It was the mid-1940s that I graduated to which was famously infamous. He did some the Toll House. I skied for 25 cents a day other things that would be best viewed in a on the rope tow. Here the Austrians gave movie. Let’s just say that shoulder holster lessons but also set up slalom gates. They for his pistol is scratched and worn as an would run through the flush and I would old leather ski boot. He came back to Stowe watch and copy them. I was eight years old in 1973. The last race Marvin participated in at the time. I graduated to the big T-bar on was a Calcutta pro-am dual slalom event Mt. Mansfield and Bob Cochran, a ski held at Stratton in 1992, in honor of Emo patrolman, took me up to the mountain and Heinrich, Stratton’s first ski school director, he suggested we ski the Nose Dive.” for its 30th anniversary. Marvin’s team “Nope,” I said. “I’m scairt.” came in first and other teams were howling “Come on, you can do it.” that Marvin, who had a coronary bypass, “Well, he finally got his way and after was a ringer, he improved so much in the the first run I said to him, ‘Jeezus, that ain’t elimination. Although Marvin’s team won, as bad as the Lift Line!’ It wasn’t too long the award went to Emo’s team. Ski racing in Aspen, 1950s. before I was out-skiing Mr. Cochran. I was “Politics,” sighed Marvin. 11 years lacking a few months.” The other half of the Moriarty legend is “I started to race in high school and Ma, his mother. The Moriarty Hat came about in 1957, when Austrian since my first year I won all the state races and any others; it didn’t super racer and one-time Stowe ski instructor and coach Othmar make any difference. I won the Eastern Championships before and Schneider gave Marvin his hat, a toque. Marvin asked his mother to after high school—downhill, giant slalom, and slalom.” copy it and she used white yarn on a knitting loom. The machine “In 1955 there was a series of Olympic qualifying races around the couldn’t knit a rounded top so she made the hat with a triangular peak. country. I was 17 years old and ended up fourth overall. The college A Mt. Mansfield ski patrolman saw it and wanted one, then a national racers, Bill Beck and Lee Streeter, didn’t like being beaten by such a ski team member asked for another and it wasn’t long before it was the youngster as I was. I found out early that many in the ski racing crowd hat to have. wanted glory rather then having the fastest skier win the race.” “In our best year we made 15,000 hats and 4,000 sweaters all knitted “I was on the 1956 Olympic team and went to Cortina but I by Vermont women at their homes with their knitting machines,” said bummed up my leg. I raced with the national ski team in Europe in Marvin. 1957. We didn’t have the best of coaching. Bobo Sheehan was watchThe business was finally sold to Ed Morrison, who still runs it out of ing me practice a downhill pre-jump. He finally yelled at me, ‘You nearby Morrisville, Vermont. * ought to go back home if you can’t get that jump right.’ ” Ma Moriarty died in 1982. She will always be remembered for her “Yeah, I should,” I retorted, “and then you can put all your college hat and the way she decked a customer who insulted her. Marvin lives boys in.” in Stowe and Florida with his high school sweetheart (that’s another “From that day on I didn’t train with the team but with ‘The Black story) Beth McMahon, whose mother, Marilyn Shaw, was a well-know Crow.’ That’s what we called Friedl Pfeiffer, who was coach of the ski racer in the 1940s and 1950s. ■ women’s team.”
“At the end of the day Bodo would ask me, ‘Where you been?’ ” “I’ve been training on the downhill.” “I didn’t see you.” “I made six runs.”
About the author: Waterbury writer and photographer Peter Miller’s latest book, A Lifetime of Vermont People, features profiles and photos of more than 60 Vermonters, including a few from the Stowe area:
* Editor’s note: Read a story about Ma’s grandson Scott and his family, who have restarted the family hat business. Go to http://bit.ly/R8erC8
Mud City farmers and sugarmakers David and Charlene Rooney, Ann and Frank Lackey, Loren Darling, Bambi Freeman, and Ma and Marvin Moriarty, to name a few.
Though a “flatlander” by birth, Miller, who now lives in Waterbury, has been around long enough to form an opinion about what a “True Vermonter” is—a respectful, humble, easygoing member of the community who is open to all races, creeds, and sexual orientations, but who stops short of telling other people how to live their lives.
A Lifetime of Vermont People (Silver Print Press, 208 pages, silverprintpress.com) represents the culmination of 63 years of photography, featuring 203 black-and-white photos, and lyrical essays about “True Vermonters.” At its core, the book represents Miller’s fiercely independent worldview.
It’s a dying breed, he writes in the book’s introduction. “For the last 20 years of the 20th century to the present day, gentrification is blending Vermont into a suburban culture. Vermonters are getting pulled along—grudgingly, I might add.” (Purchase Peter’s book at silverprintpress.com.)
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Story continues from page 85
If you want to reach the bulk of Stowe’s best trails, go here. You will rarely have to wait in line, even on the busiest of days. In 1968, Charlie Lord’s vision, from an article published on Jan. 27, 1945, finally came to fruition. That’s when he’d first written how the area under The Chin on Mansfield would make an excellent place for several new trails. Stowe’s four-person Gondola began operation here in December 1968. Just like the old Single, the first day was a disaster, but repairs were soon made and the lift ran faithfully and safely for the next 23 years. Interestingly, in February 1967 plans were unveiled that called for a double lift at this location with an egg-shaped hood that would protect all 165 chairs. History proved that building the Gondola was a far better choice. The Gondola’s original base terminal sits where the Midway Lodge cafeteria is today. Look up at the ceiling and you’ll see some of the old sections of steel that supported the machinery for the Gondola’s lower bullwheel. In 1986, the modern world of high-speed lifts came to Stowe Mountain Resort. The old Single and Double were replaced by the first FourRunner, a high-speed, detachable quad, manufactured by Doppelmayr. It was America’s first high-speed quad east of the Mississippi River, and I can still remember my surprise on that first ride at how we seemed to blast out of the bottom terminal. It had normal teething problems but proved to be a high-quality and reliable lift that quickly became Stowe’s most favorite means of going uphill. High-speed detachable lifts are very complex—look at all those moving parts and marvel at how it runs so reliably. (Yes, I know it didn’t like high winds. Do you?) Unfortunately, the construction of the first FourRunner was problematic. Bad weather hindered most aspects of construction and everything was delayed. At least one chair fell off during testing. Frustration levels grew as official opening after official opening was postponed. Finally, by mid-morning on Thursday, Dec. 18, 1986 the lift began loading skiers, bringing Stowe’s uphill capacity to 1,500 riders per hour. The first riders on the new quad included Stowe’s trail designer and historian, Charlie Lord, and longtime president of the Mt. Mansfield Company, Sepp Ruschp. Did others join them on that first ride? No one knows as it opened with no official ceremony, but the first unofficial riders were lift mechanics Ron Chadwick and Mark Fletcher, along with ski patroller Stacia Andrews at about 9 p.m. the night before the official opening. After 24 years of operation the original FourRunner Quad ceased carrying skiers on April 17, 2011. The last official chair was
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No. 55 and was taken by Bill Schaaf, ski patrol director, Gary Gendimenico, lift attendant manager, Tom Hubbs, resort weatherman, and Barry Shonio, lift maintenance supervisor. Soon it would be replaced by a more modern and reliable quad. Initial construction on the new Doppelmayr quad began the week of May 1, 2011, when Tatro Construction began removing the “hump” between the Octagon and Nose Dive. Deconstruction lasted into June. Some tower bases were left in place to be used by the new lift, and a new barn was built at the base to house the chairs. For the first time at Stowe, waste heat from a ski lift was used to heat a building. The heat from the new FourRunner engine/drive is piped underground to the Mansfield Ski Patrol building (aka “2-6-9”) and is its primary source of heat when the lift is spinning. The new FourRunner Quad, which cost $5 million, was built and installed right on time during the summer of 2011. Load testing was completed on Friday, Nov. 4, and the keys to the lift were turned over to Stowe Mountain Resort on the next day. The ceremonial first chair, No. 69, went up the mountain on Nov. 23, carrying Jake and Donna Carpenter of Burton Snowboards, along with 10th Mountain Division veteran Midge
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Tozloski and ski patroller and resort historian Brian Lindner. This lift gave Stowe an uphill capacity of 2,400 riders per hour. The 2011-2012 season also marked an enormous milestone with the introduction of Evolution Stowe, the new radio frequency electronic ticketing system, which quickly proved its value. On Nov. 23, when the gates opened for the first ceremonial chair, a man was caught within minutes attempting to sneak onto the lift. On Dec. 20, 1991, the old Gondola was replaced by the new Poma-designed eightpassenger lift. When completed, this was the fastest eight-passenger Gondola on the planet. It has run virtually trouble free since its first days. Gobbling guests eight at a time means the lift line moves with amazing speed. At full speed on busy days, the “Gondi” just plain flies. (This summer both the top and bottom drives were completely rebuilt while all of the cabins were completely refurbished.) In the 1970s, real estate was thought to be the financial future of the ski industry. Stowe began to develop plans for new slopeside condominiums to attract long-term customers. The company had land near the Toll House but lacked the necessary lift to call the area “slopeside.” In 1983, the Easy Mile Lift was constructed to take guests from the condo development up the mountain. Look at the concrete under the top bullwheel and note the inscription of “09/13/83” made by the construction crew. For a variety of reasons, the condo explosion at the Toll House never happened but Stowe ended up with a lift that is absolutely fantastic for beginner and intermediate skiers. This lift has ideal terrain for both ability levels. Check it out. You can also avoid the main parking lot congestion if you park at the Toll House and ride this lift up to Mansfield. The Magic Carpet beginner’s lift came to Stowe during the winter of 2002-2003. This was a moving “carpet” on which beginners could stand and be gently carried uphill, dramatically cutting the instruction time needed at the earliest stages. The lift has been at various locations around Little Spruce, and a brand new one will operate this coming season. Likewise the Alpine and Easy Street lifts were removed this summer and replaced by a new Doppelmayr “carpet loaded” lift on Little Spruce. Finally, one of the single greatest improvements at Stowe Mountain Resort came from the Vermont Tramway Board at 2:55 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 8, 2006. That’s when the new Easy Over Gondola from Mansfield to Spruce opened and made the lives of guests and employees dramatically easier. A friend once said, “The only way I enjoy gardening is if there is a motor attached.” Many of us feel the same way about skiing. Stowe has a rich history of its lifts and all those motors carrying us uphill make the sport what it is today. ■
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ANTIQUES M. LEWIS ANTIQUES At this location since 1998, Martha Lewis Antiques holds an extremely large variety of antiques and collectibles, with inventory changing daily. Daily 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.; Sundays 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. 10 Stowe St., Waterbury. (802) 244-8919.
ARCHITECTS ANDREW VOLANSKY, ARCHITECT, AIA Architectural services: Creative, intuitive, functional, efficient, design solutions for those who value elegant design, natural materials, and environmental consciousness in their home or business. (802) 253-2169. cushmandesign.com.
BROWN & DAVIS DESIGN We are a small architecture firm dedicated to the belief that good design matters. We specialize in thoughtfully crafted design for both residential and commercial projects. (802) 899-1155, brownanddavis.com.
HARRY HUNT ARCHITECTS Designing environmentally sustainable buildings and communities that stay true to the spirit of Vermont. Member American Institute of Architects LEED AP. (802) 253-2374. harryhuntarchitects.com.
J. GRAHAM GOLDSMITH, ARCHITECTS Quality design and professional architectural services specializing in residential, hotel, restaurant, retail, and resort development. Member Stowe Area. (800) 862-4053. jggarchitects.com. Email: VT@jggarchitects.com.
TRUEXCULLINS ARCHITECTURE & INTERIOR DESIGN Designing luxury-custom homes that connect with their natural setting and meet the desires of our clients. View our homes at truexcullins.com. (802) 658-2775.
LEE HUNTER ARCHITECT, AIA A Stowe-based architectural firm offering a personal approach to creative, elegant design. Residential, commercial, and renovations. (802) 253-9928. leehunterarchitect.com.
PAUL ROBERT ROUSSELLE, ARCHITECT AIA Professional architectural services offering a comprehensive and creative design approach—responsive to the needs of clients. Projects that are exquisitely detailed, beautifully built, and inspiring to those that use them. (802) 253-2110. paulrobertrousselle.com.
ROOTS DESIGN STUDIO Designing thoughtful buildings that complement the character of the land as well as the style and needs of the client. Full service: architecture and architectural interiors. Member: AIA. (802) 922-2949, rootsdesignstudio.com.
ARCHITECTURAL DESIGNERS BENSONWOOD For more than 40 years, Bensonwood has designed and built beautiful, healthy, high-performance homes. Our legendary craftsmanship, cutting-edge technology, and off-site fabrication deliver timeless design and sustainable living … painlessly. bensonwood.com.
CUSHMAN DESIGN GROUP INC. Architectural services: Creative, intuitive, functional, efficient design solutions for those who value elegant design, natural materials, and environmental consciousness in their home or business. (802) 253-2169. cushmandesign.com.
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SAM SCOFIELD, ARCHITECT AIA Professional architectural services for all phases of design and construction. Residential and commercial. Carlson Building, Main Street, Stowe. samscofieldarchitect.com. (802) 253-9948.
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Vermont’s premier gallery for landscape painting features over 200 artists in a year-round exhibition schedule. Open Thurs.-Sun. 11-4, and by appointment. Closed January. 180 Main St., Jeffersonville. bryanmemorialgallery.org. (802) 644-5100.
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In the heart of the village. Displaying Stowe’s most diverse collection of traditional and contemporary works by regional artists. Open daily 11-6. 64 South Main, Stowe. (802) 253-1818. greenmountainfineart.com.
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HELEN DAY ART CENTER Center for contemporary art and art education, established in 1981. Local, national, and international exhibitors. Art classes. Cultural events. Schedule: Wednesday-Sunday 125. 90 Pond St., Stowe. (802) 253-8358, helenday.com.
INSIDE OUT GALLERY We offer original fine art and crafts by Vermont and American artists in a spectrum of mediums, styles, and price points, from small gifts to major showpieces. 299 Mountain Rd., Stowe. (802) 253-6945, insideoutgallery.com.
MAGIC HAT BREWERY & ARTIFACTORY Where ancient alchemy meets modern-day science to create the best tasting beer on the planet. Visit our brewery for free samples, free tours, and a most unusual shopping experience. (802) 658-BREW. magichat.net.
TRAPP FAMILY LODGE The Trapp Family Lodge Brewery offers a selection of authentic Austrian lagers. Stop by for a pint and enjoy our mountaintop views in our DeliBakery, lounge, or dining room. (802) 253-5705. trappfamily.com.
ROBERT PAUL GALLERIES One of the country’s finest art galleries, offering an outstanding selection of original paintings, sculpture, and fine photography by locally, nationally, and internationally acclaimed artists. Celebrating 25 years. Baggy Knees Shopping Center, Stowe. robertpaulgalleries.com. (802) 253-7282.
WEST BRANCH GALLERY & SCULPTURE PARK Contemporary fine art and sculpture indoors and outside on the riverside sculpture grounds. Regional, international, and local artists. Tuesday-Sunday 11-6. One mile from Stowe Village on Mountain Road. (802) 253-8943. westbranchgallery.com.
ART SUPPLIES THE ART STORE Your in-town art supply. Be inspired by the range of products and gifts for artists of all ages. Painting, drawing, crafting, children’s activities, classes, Made in USA, sustainable options, more. (802) 253-ARTS (2787), stoweartstore.com.
THE STUDIO STORE The largest selection of fine artist materials at tremendous savings. Call us or stop by; it’s worth a drive. (802) 6352203, or (800) 887-2203. 2 Lower Main, Johnson. Open Tuesday-Saturday, 10-6; Sundays, 12-5.
BAKERIES EDELWEISS Homemade breakfast sandwiches and pastries like sticky buns, turnovers, and crosissants. Cookies, pies, whoopie pies, cakes, and bars. Special orders/requests with notice. Daily 6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. 2251 Mountain Rd. (802) 253-4034.
HARVEST MARKET Homemade muffins, cookies, tarts, pies, cakes, and other luscious treats. Incredible breads, including our own French country bread baked in traditional wood-fired ovens. Fine coffees and espresso. Daily 7-7 (in season). (802) 253-3800. harvestatstowe.com.
TRAPP FAMILY LODGE—DELIBAKERY Offering a variety of baked goods, soups, salads, sandwiches, daily specials, and our Trapp lagers. Open daily 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Hours vary seasonally. (802) 253-5705. trappfamily.com.
BOOKSTORES BEAR POND BOOKS Complete family bookstore. NY Times bestsellers and new releases. Children and adult hardcovers, paperbacks, books on CD, daily papers, games, greeting cards. Open 7 days. Depot Building, Main Street, Stowe. (802) 253-8236.
BUILDERS & CONTRACTORS ADAMS CONSTRUCTION VT LLC Stowe construction company specializing in residential and commercial renovations, custom home building, and construction-project management. (802) 253-7893. adamsconstructionvt.com.
BEACON HILL BUILDERS A family owned and operated custom-home building company. Over 30+ years of experience building and managing fine custom homes, additions, remodels, and energy efficient upgrades in Stowe and beyond. (802) 244-6767. beaconhillvt.com.
BENSONWOOD For more than 40 years, Bensonwood has designed and built beautiful, healthy, high-performance homes. Our legendary craftsmanship, cutting-edge technology and off-site fabrication deliver timeless design and sustainable living … painlessly. bensonwood.com.
GORDON DIXON CONSTRUCTION, INC. Highly respected for fine craftsmanship, attention to detail, integrity, and dependable workmanship. Over 25 years experience. Custom homes, additions, renovations, design/build, and project management. 626 Mountain Rd., Stowe. (802) 253-9367. gordondixonconstruction.com.
GEOBARNS Geobarns is an environmentally conscious, minimal waste builder, specializing in artistic barns using modified postand-beam structures with diagonal framing to achieve a combination of strength, versatility, and beauty at reasonable prices. (802) 295-9687. geobarns.com.
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MANSFIELD CUSTOM HOMES Cost effective quality. Specializing in the construction of high-quality single-family, multi-family, and commercial structures using the efficiency, speed, and quality that only a panelized company can offer. (802) 279-2373. mansfieldcustomhomes.com.
SISLER BUILDERS INC. Custom home building, remodeling, woodworking, home energy audits and retrofits, quality craftsmanship, resource efficient construction, modest additions to multi-million dollar estates. 30 years in Stowe. References available. sislerbuilders.com. (802) 253-5672.
STEEL CONSTRUCTION, INC. Steel Construction, Inc., has consistently proven to be one of Vermont’s finest custom homebuilders. We have three decades of proven experience and a long list of satisfied homeowners. (802) 253-4572. steelconstructionvt.com.
TIM MEEHAN BUILDERS BRICKHOUSE BOOKSHOP Books, paintings, and sculptures on display at the Brickhouse Bookshop, Morristown Corners. 37 years in business. Search and mail services. Open daily by chance or appointment, call ahead. (802) 888-4300.
BREWERIES CROP BISTRO & BREWERY PUB Featuring an array of lagers and ales brewed on site. Enjoy a beer sampler in the pub or relax by our fireplace. Open 7 days. Mountain Road, Stowe. (802) 253-4765. cropvt.com.
Creative remodeling, building excellence, award-winning construction. Post & beam, vintage barns, historic restoration. Construction management consultation. 30 years plus in Stowe. Tim Meehan, (802) 777-0283. northernnehomes.com.
VERMONT SUN STRUCTURES Conservatories, sunrooms, and solar greenhouses custom designed and installed throughout Vermont. Unique timber frame design. Energy efficient, solar friendly—soon to be your favorite room. vermontsunstructures.com. (802) 879-6645.
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S TOWE-SMUGGLERS’ BUSINESS DIRECTORY BUILDING MATERIALS LOEWEN WINDOW CENTER OF VT & NH Beautifully crafted Douglas fir windows and doors for the discerning homeowner. Double- and triple-glazed options available in aluminum, copper, and bronze clad. Style Inspired By You. loewenvtnh.com, (800) 505-1892, firstname.lastname@example.org.
PARKER & STEARNS, INC. Providing quality building supplies in Johnson and Stowe, we are the contractor’s choice and the homeowner’s advantage. We sell Integrity by Marvin and Merrilat custom kitchens. A True Value Member. Stowe (802) 253-9757; Johnson (802) 635-2377.
UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST FELLOWSHIP OF STOWE Services Sundays at 4:30 at St. John’s Episcopal Church, Mountain Road in Stowe, September through June. For more information call: (802) 244-7665 or sites.google.com/site/uustowe/home.
WATERBURY CENTER COMMUNITY Route 100 next to the Cider Mill. Pastor SangChuri Bae. Sunday worship and Sunday school at 10 a.m. Handicapped accessible. Church is a National Historic Place. We warmly welcome visitors. (802) 244-6286.
BEN & JERRY'S ICE CREAM CAKES Ice cream cakes are ready-to-go or custom ordered. Call (802) 882-2034. Let us bring the euphoria! We cater cups and cones to full sundae bars. Call (802) 882-2052.
Fabulous contemporary fashion for women. From casual to professional, Boutique can make you feel beautiful any time. Lingerie, dresses, skirts, tops, jeans, sweaters, more. We’ll dress you for any occasion. Depot Building, Main Street, Stowe. (802) 253-3712.
CHIROPRACTORS STOWE CHIROPRACTIC Dr. Palmer Peet. 30 years experience. Vacationers welcome. Prompt appointments available. Emergency care. X-rays on premises. (802) 253-6955. stowechiro.com.
CHURCHES & SYNAGOGUES BLESSED SACRAMENT CATHOLIC Mass schedule: Saturday, 4:30 p.m., Sunday, 8 and 10:30 a.m.; Daily masses: Tuesday, 5:30 p.m., Wednesday, 8:30 a.m. Thursday, noon, Friday, 8:30 a.m. Confessions Tuesday 6-7 p.m., and Saturday 3:45-4:15 p.m. Rev. Benedict Kiely, pastor. 728 Mountain Rd., Stowe. (802) 253-7536.
GRACE BIBLE CHURCH 856 Moscow Rd., Moscow. Sunday: Bible Study, 9 a.m., worship service, 10:30 a.m. Prayer meeting Thursday 6:30 p.m. (802) 253-4731. gracemoscow.org.
HUNGER MOUNTAIN CHRISTIAN ASSEMBLY Route 100, Waterbury Center. Sunday worship service at 10 a.m. (802) 244-5921.
JEWISH COMMUNITY OF GREATER STOWE For information regarding services, holiday gatherings, classes, and workshops: JCOGS, P.O. Box 253, Stowe, Vt. 05672. 1189 Cape Cod Rd., Stowe. (802) 253-1800 or jcogs.org.
Women’s apparel and ski wear. “Because friends shouldn’t let friends pay retail.” Established in 2001. Monday through Saturday, 10 - 5. Sunday, noon - 5. 393 Mountain Rd., Stowe. (802) 253-8100.
DECISIONS DECISIONS Ladies find what they need to look their best in stylish sportswear, dresses, sleepwear, swimwear, lingerie, hosiery, jewelry and accessories from NYDJ, Nic and Zoe, Tribal, Joseph Ribkoff, Calvin Klein, Spanx, Wacoal, Hanky Panky. (802) 253-4183.
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FIRST CHAIR ALPINE CO. Located in the base village at Spruce Creek, First Chair Alpine Co. opens this December showcasing KJUS as its prominent apparel provider along with other notable highend apparel brands. Stowe Mountain Resort. (802) 760-4695
FJALLRAVEN We develop equipment for active outdoor use. Only products that are functional, durable, timeless, dependable, user-friendly, and versatile meet our quality requirements. Our friendly staff is here to help you. (802) 448-7197. fjallraven.us.
FORGET-ME-NOT-SHOP THE MOUNTAIN CHAPEL At the halfway point on the Mt. Mansfield Toll Road. A place for meditation, prayer and praise for skiers, hikers, and tourists. Seasonal Sunday service 2 p.m. The Rev. Dr. David P. Ransom. (802) 644-8144.
Treasure hunt through our huge selection of famous label off price clothing for men, women, and teens at 60%-80% off. Route 15 Johnson, just 1.5 miles west of Johnson Village. Open 10-7.
GREEN ENVY ST. JOHN’S IN THE MOUNTAINS EPISCOPAL CHURCH At the crossroads of Mountain Road and Luce Hill Road. The Holy Eucharist is celebrated every Sunday at 8 and 10 a.m. June through October. The Rev. Rick Swanson officiating. St. John’s is wheelchair friendly and visitors and children are welcome. Office open Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. (802) 253-7578. stjohnsinthemountains.org.
SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST 65 Best St., Rte. 100 South, Morrisville. (802) 888-7884. Bible Study at 9:30 a.m. Worship at 11 a.m. Saturday. Fellowship meal following service. Pastor: Cornel Preda. Everyone welcome.
STOWE COMMUNITY CHURCH Sunday worship services 9:30 a.m. Sunday School 9:30 a.m. (Sept.-June), Bible studies: Sundays 8:30 a.m.; Wednesdays (Sept-May) 8:30 a.m.-10 at church, 10:30 a.m. at Copley Woodlands. The Rev. Bruce S. Comiskey: 279-5811, Church: (802) 253-7257.
Home of famous Johnson Woolen Outerwear and headquarters for Carhartt, Filson, Pendleton, Woolrich, woolen blankets, fine men’s and ladies sportswear, sweaters, hats, gloves, scarves, socks. Since 1842. Johnson, VT. (802) 635-2271. johnsonwoolenmills.com.
LENNY’S SHOE AND APPAREL Locally owned outfitters with footwear by Merrell, Keen, and Dansko. Clothing by Prana, Lole, and Horny Toad. Darn Tough Vermont Socks and accessories for the whole family. Williston, St. Albans, Barre. lennyshoe.com.
NORTH FACE STORE AT KL SPORT
CLOTHING & ACCESSORIES BOUTIQUE AT STOWE MERCANTILE
CAKES & CATERING
JOHNSON WOOLEN MILLS
Luxury clothing, jewelry, handbags, accessories, shoes. Top designers: Theory, AG, Hudson, Eileen Fisher, Haute Hippie, Longchamp, Joie, Vince, Kate Spade, Free People. Jewelry from Alex & Ani and top designers and local artists. Mon.-Sat. 10-6, Sun. 10-5. 1800 Mountain Rd., Stowe. 253-2661.
IN COMPANY Come see what’s in at In Company Clothing- what’s elegant, what’s hot, what’s next. Jewelry, accessories, and top designer clothes for causal, business and country elegance. 10-5:30 daily. Noon-5 Sunday. 344 Mountain Rd., Stowe. (802) 253-4595. incompanyclothing.com.
JOHNSON HARDWARE RENTAL, FARM & GARDEN A big store in a little town, family owned and run for three generations. Rental equipment, plumbing, heating, electrical, Milwaukee tools/repair, toys, clothing, footwear, camping gear, and much more. Route 15, Johnson. (802) 635-7282. jhrvt.com.
Epic adventures begin with the proper gear. We carry a comprehensive selection of exclusive outdoor brands like The North Face, Marmot, Mountain Hardwear, Burton, and Black Diamond. (802) 284-3270. klmountainshop.com.
PRET-A-PORTER Pret-a-Porter is a chic consignment boutique that features designer read-to-wear handbags, shoes, and accessories, showing off the designs of Judy Klimek statement jewelry. 6 Sunset St., Stowe Village. (802) 253-7066, pret-a-portervt.com.
SHAW'S GENERAL STORE Winter Clothing by The North Face, Patagonia, Kuhl, Mountain Khaki, Barbour, Woolrich, Icelandic, and more. Helping Vermonters survive in style since 1895. 54 Main St., Stowe. (802) 253-4040.
SPORTIVE Largest Bogner selection in northern New England. Toni Sailer, Kjus, Parajumpers, Helly Hansen, Autumn Cashmere, White + Warren, Magashoni, Tecnica, Ugg, Pajar, Smartwool, Alpen Rock. (802) 496-3272. Route 100, Waitsfield. sportiveinc.com.
WELL HEELED Come see what the buzz is all about. A tempting assortment of designer shoes, boots, handbags, belts, clothing, and jewelry presented in a classic 1840s farmhouse. Open 7 days, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. (802) 253-6077. Mountain Rd., Stowe. wellheeledstowe.com.
WINTERFELL A gathering place to experience luxury retail in a livingroom-like setting, featuring Bogner, Fire & Ice, Astis, Colmar, Para-Jumpers, and more. 1940 Mountain Rd., Stowe (above Edgewise). (802) 253-0130. winterfellvt.com.
YELLOW TURTLE Fabulous children's clothing, rainwear and skiwear—babies to tween size 16. Splendid, Ella Moss, Hudson, Joes, DL1961, Patagonia, Marmot, Columbia, Roxy, Persnickety, Quick Silver, Bogs, Frye, EGG, Silkberry Baby, JoJo Maman Bebe, Obermyer, Jonny O’, Magnificent Baby. 253-4434. yellow-turtle.com.
COFFEE HOUSES THE BAGEL Freshly ground Green Mountain Coffee, plus Nespresso espressos, lattes, and cappuccinos. Breakfast and lunch sandwiches all day plus soups and salads. 394 Mountain Rd., 6:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. daily. (802) 253-9943.
BLACK CAP COFFEE Fresh coffee and authentic espresso in a warm inviting atmosphere. House-baked pastries and tasty treats, light breakfast and lunch options. Open Monday-Saturday at 7 a.m., Sunday at 8 a.m. 144 Main St. across from the Stowe Community Church. (802) 253-2123. See us on Facebook.
HARVEST MARKET Homemade muffins, cookies, tarts, pies, cakes, and other luscious treats. Incredible breads, including our French country bread baked in traditional wood-fired ovens. Fine coffees and espresso. Daily 7-7 (in season). (802) 253-3800. harvestatstowe.com.
COMPUTERS & SOFTWARE FIXPC FixPC is the leader in sales, maintenance, and troubleshooting of business and personal computers and local area networks. On-site and drop-off service available. Visit 908 South Main St., Stowe. Call (802) 253-8006.
Extraordinary Interiors from The Biggest Little Tile Shop in New England
DELICATESSEN THE BAGEL Breakfast sandwiches, Nova lox, Reubens, deli sandwiches on breads, English muffins, wraps or NY-style bagels. Salads, soups, baked goods. Baggy Knees, Mountain Rd., Stowe. 6:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (802) 253-9943.
EDELWEISS New York-style deli sandwiches. Bakery products baked daily. Breads, muffins, croissants, pastries, pies. Beer, wine, soda, groceries, party and pastry trays, Vermont products. Stowe’s No. 1 deli and convenience store. Daily 6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. 2251 Mountain Rd. (802) 253-4034.
DENTISTRY JEFFREY R. MCKECHNIE, DMD & CHRISTOPHER P. ALTADONNA, DDS (802) 253-7932. stowedentalassociates.com.
STOWE FAMILY DENTISTRY Chris Pazandak, DDS, Tessa Milnes, DDS, and John Hirce, DMD. Route 100 North. Gentle, quality care. Full range of state-of-the-art dental services including porcelain crowns, complete in one day. New patients welcome. (802) 253-4157. stowefamilydentistry.com.
Gallery Showroom Featuring a Dazzling Selection from Around the World
CERAMIC AND STONE TILE FOR EVERY APPLICATION EXTENSIVE COLLECTION OF DECORATIVE & HAND-PAINTED TILES CORK & CLASSIC RECLAIMED FLOORING GRANITE, MARBLE, SLATE & SOAPSTONE CUSTOM COUNTERTOPS Design Services • Supplies • Estimates 723 SYLVAN PARK RD., OFF RTE. 100, LOWER VILLAGE • STOWE W W W. D O W N E A S T T I L E . C O M
WATERBURY FAMILY DENTISTRY General dentistry, dentures, crown and bridgework, implant crowns, Invisalign, Six Month Smile. New patients welcome. Waterbury Family Dentistry, 77 S. Main St., Waterbury, (802) 244-6366. Gary L. Morris DDS, 294 Upper Main St., Morrisville, (802) 888-7766.
DOGSLED TOURS EDEN DOGSLEDDING Educational adventure tours for all ages. Join our one-of-akind, “Un-Chained Gang” of friendly huskies for a personalized, hands-on tour. Snow-sledding in winter, dogsledding-on-wheels spring, summer and fall. (802) 635-9070. edendogsledding.com.
DRY CLEANING & LAUNDRY DENOIA’S DRY CLEANERS Perc-free dry cleaning and laundry. Same-day service. Wash, dry, and fold. Free pick-up and delivery. Repairs, suede, leather, storage. Satisfaction guaranteed. Mon.-Fri. 8-6, Sat. 9-1. 638 South Main St., Stoware Common. (802) 253-7861. vermontdrycleaner.com.
STOWE LAUNDRY CO. Full-service Laundromat and dry cleaners. Drop-off washand-dry and fold, same-day service, and alterations. Professional dry cleaning and shirt service. 44 Park Place, Stowe Village. Open 7 days. (802) 253-9332.
EDUCATION & COLLEGES COLORADO MOUNTAIN COLLEGE Learn at 11 of the most stunning mountain communities in Colorado. Choose from two-year career training, bachelor's degrees, and transfer degrees. Small classes, dedicated faculty. coloradomtn.edu. l
S TOWE-SMUGGLERS’ BUSINESS DIRECTORY EDUCATION & COLLEGES COMMUNITY SCHOOL OF SUN VALLEY, IDAHO An outstanding academic foundation, we build important character strengths, such as grit and resiliency. Mandatory outdoor program offers an advanced track and certification in mountain and rock, winter backcountry, and river. communityschool.org.
JOHNSON STATE COLLEGE Centrally located near Stowe and Smugglers’ Notch, Johnson State College offers undergraduate and graduate programs in education, environmental science, health sciences, outdoor education, the arts, and more from its scenic hilltop campus. (800) 635-2356, jsc.edu.
KIMBALL UNION ACADEMY Top-flight ski racing and academics at the country’s 5th oldest independent school. FIS, USSA, and interscholastic competition with rigorous college prep curriculum. 20 minutes from Dartmouth College. (603) 469-2100 or kua.org.
PLANET HARDWOOD Vermont business specializing in green materials, with an emphasis on wood flooring. Our 6,000 sq. ft. showroom is the best place to really see wood as well as fabulous green products. (802) 482-4404. planethardwood.com.
FLORISTS & FLOWERS DESIGNS BY WILDFLOWER Stowe’s leading full-service florist. Providing Stowe with quality, creativity, and service for 22 years. Specializing in wildflower, formal, and garden-style weddings and events. “Supporting local growers.” Local deliveries. (802) 253-6303. wildflowerdesignsstowe.com.
VERMONT TESTING & CONSULTING CORP. Engineering, structural, geotechnical. Laboratory and fieldtesting and inspection, consulting. vermonttesting.com. (802) 244-6131.
Fascinating jewelry, beautiful functional crafts, local art, prints and photography for over 20 years. No brand names here. Only made in Vermont and select artist studios across America. 55 Mountain Rd. (802) 253-4693. stowecraft.com.
STOWE KITCHEN BATH & LINENS More than just a kitchen store. Two floors of accessories, gifts, and food for the entire home. Gourmet kitchenware, bedding, shower curtains, lotions, gels. Tons of unique clothing and gifts. 1813 Mountain Rd. (802) 253-8050. stowekitchen.net.
STOWE MERCANTILE FROM MARIA’S GARDEN Country garden elegance. Specializing in simply beautiful fresh English garden, herbal, and wildflower designs for weddings and events. Well known for our personalized attention to details and service on your special day. By appointment. (802) 253-3698, email@example.com.
Fabulous old country store, Vermont specialty foods, penny candy, clothing, bath and body, wine, craft beer and cider, gift baskets, and toys. Play a game of checkers or a tune on our piano. Depot Building, Main Street, Stowe. (802) 253-4554. stowemercantile.com.
TRAPP FAMILY LODGE SPORT & GIFTS
STOWE CRAFT GALLERY
BOURNES ENERGY Local one-stop shop for all your energy needs. Biofuels, propane, solar, bioheat, heating, cooling, plumbing, autodelivery, remote heat monitoring, expert service. Bourne’s Energy—Fueling the Future. (800) 326-8763. bournesenergy.com.
Trapp Family Lodge books, music, clothing, and food. Austrian specialty gifts and gourmet products. Vermontmade products and maple syrup. Visit our two locations. Shop online: trappfamily.com. (802) 253-8511.
HAIR SALONS LUSH SALON & BOUTIQUE
EXCAVATING DALE E. PERCY, INC. Excavating contractors, commercial and residential. Earthmoving equipment. Site work. trucking, sand, gravel, soil, sewer, water, drainage systems, and supplies. Snow removal, salting, sanding. Weeks Hill Road. (802) 253-8503. Fax: (802) 253-8520.
FISHING & HUNTING CATAMOUNT FISHING ADVENTURES Guided fly-fishing, spin-fishing, ice-fishing adventures. River wading, canoe, float tube, motorboat fishing. Guiding Vermont since 1994. Equipment provided. All abilities welcome. Willy, owner/guide, (802) 253-8500. Federation of Fly Fishers certified. Licensed, insured. catamountfishing.com.
FLY ROD SHOP Vermont’s most experienced guide service. Live bait, ice fishing supplies. Drift-boat rips or river wading for fly fishing, spinning. Family fishing trips. Simms clothing, waders. 10,000 flies. Visit our hunting department. Route 100 South, Stowe. (802) 253-7346. flyrodshop.com.
FITNESS EQUIPMENT EARL’S CYCLERY & FITNESS Treadmills, elliptical trainers, and indoor bike trainers from Vision Fitness, Landice, Cycle-ops, and Lemond. Full fitness service department and free delivery in Chittenden County. (802) 864-9197. Toll-free (866) 327-5725. earlsbikes.com.
PERSONAL FITNESS INTERIORS Carrying a wide range of fitness products and equipment from leaders in the industry. Precor, True, Inspire, Octane, Tuff Stuff, and more. Quality, selection, service. Locally owned for 25 years. (802) 860-1030, personalfitnessvt.com.
FURNITURE BISBEE'S HOME STORE Serving central Vermont for over 60 years now with our newest location at 1880 Mountain Rd., in Stowe with a full line of Serta mattresses. (802) 760-6678. bisbeesvt.com.
Locally owned by Miss VT USA 2012, Jamie Dragon. Stowe’s premier luxury salon and makeup boutique offering hair, makeup, nails, waxing as well as Oribe, Jane Iredale, Clarisonic, and more. 2850 Mountain Rd., Stowe. (802) 253-7750. lushstowe.com.
SALON SALON HOOKER’S FURNITURE Customize your home with beautiful furniture. Vermontmade dining rooms and bedrooms by Lyndon Furniture. Mattresses by Sealy and Stearns & Foster. Living room by Klaussner and Flexsteel. Route 100, Waterbury Center. (802) 244-4034. hookersfurniturevt.com.
Experience the ultimate. World-class Aveda concept salon for men and women. Haircuts, highlighting, coloring, hair straightening, manicures, pedicures, facials, body waxing, body treatments, massage, complete wedding services. Downer Farm Shops, 232 Mountain Rd. By appt. (802) 253-7378. salonsalonvt.com.
INSIDE OUT GALLERY Be inspired and refresh your sense of home, inside and out, through vignettes of transcontinental seating, tables, lamps, and mirrors. Our samples are just the beginning; we’ll special order too. 299 Mountain Rd., Stowe. (802) 253-6945, insideoutgallery.com.
VERMONT FURNITURE DESIGNS We manufacture solid hardwood furniture of the highest quality for the home and office. Our Factory Store offers our entire line at reduced prices. It’s worth the trip. Mon.Sat., 10-4. 4 Tigan St., Winooski, Vt. (802) 655-6568, vermontfurnituredesigns.com.
WENDELL’S FURNITURE & VERMONT BED STORE Best selection for quality, style, price. Copeland, Norwalk, Flexsteel, and more. Bedroom, living and dining rooms, nursery, office, and entertainment. Next to Costco, 697 Hercules Dr., Colchester. (802) 861-7700. wendellsfurniture.com.
GIFT & SPECIALTY SHOPS INSIDE OUT GALLERY Find a full range of gifts and wedding presents, Vermont fine art and crafts, photographs, jewelry, table furnishings, candleholders, picture frames, and outdoor décor. A short walk up from Main Street. 299 Mountain Rd., Stowe. (802) 253-6945, insideoutgallery.com.
HARDWARE STOWE HARDWARE & DRY GOODS Unique hardware store providing North Country necessities and quality products such as Craftsman tools, Cabot Stain, Carhartt clothing, a complete selection of fasteners, houseware, homecare products. Open 8-5:30 Mon.-Sat., Sundays 9-3:30. 430 Mountain Rd. Established since 1829. (802) 253-7205.
HEALTH CARE COPLEY HOSPITAL Expert, personalized care. Women’s and children’s services, general surgery, orthopedics, 24-hour emergency services, outpatient services, cardiology, urology, rehabilitation and wellness programs. Morrisville, 888-8888, copleyvt.org.
STOWE FAMILY PRACTICE Stowe Family Practice provides routine medical care and treats winter-related and sports injuries. We can cast and splint most types of fractures. Available 24/7 with evening and weekend hours. Call (802) 253-4853. chslv.org.
HEALTH CLUBS & SPAS
RED BARN SHOPS FLOORING AMERICA Flooring America in Williston provides a leading collection of carpeting and flooring. We specialize in a variety of flooring colors and materials. 800 Marshall Ave #30. (802) 862-5757. flooringamerica-vt.com.
Stowe’s most exciting stores: Decisions, Decisions (ladies apparel); Stowe Cheese & Wine; Yellow Turtle (children’s clothing/outdoor apparel); The Toy Store/Once Upon a Time Toys. 1799 Mountain Rd., 2 miles north of downtown Stowe.
GOLDEN EAGLE RESORT Daily membership gives you access to the indoor pool, hot tub, saunas, and fitness room. Massage also available. (802) 253-4811 ext. 164; 511 Mountain Rd., Stowe. goldeneagleresort.com.
SWIMMING HOLE Stowe’s premier family fitness and recreation center. 25m lap pool, children’s pool, waterslide, group exercise classes, personal training, aqua aerobics, masters swimming, group lessons, kids fitness programs. State-of-the-art facility. Day passes available. (802) 253-9229. theswimmingholestowe.com.
HOME ENTERTAINMENT & SMART HOMES VERMONT ELECTRONICS Providing local support for custom design and installation of home theater, whole house audio, lighting control, shade control, thermostat control, home automation, and your security needs. (802) 253-6509. firstname.lastname@example.org.
HOUSEKEEPING STOWE COUNTRY HOMES Fully bonded, insured, and trained housekeepers available for private homes or rental properties. We use environmentally friendly products and supplies whenever possible. Call and ask for Reggie. (802) 253-8132, ext. 105. email@example.com.
INNS & RESORTS BUTLER HOUSE, STOWE Unique lodging in the heart of Stowe Village. Light and airy accommodations boast scenic second-floor views and fully equipped kitchens. Onsite dining at Mi Casa Kitchen & Bar. (802) 253-7422. butlerhousestowe.com.
COMMODORES INN Spacious rooms, fireside living room, indoor and outdoor pool, game room, restaurant, popular sports bar, salad bar. Kids free, pets welcome. 823 S. Main St., Stowe. commodoresinn.com. (802) 253-7131.
EDSON HILL 24 unique rooms, wood-burning fireplaces, restaurant, tavern, and outdoor terraces, Newly renovated 38-acre country estate features luxe accommodations, classic New England cuisine, and outstanding beverage program in a plush 1940s setting. 1500 Edson Hill Rd, 253-7371, edsonhill.com.
GREEN MOUNTAIN INN Classic 1833 resort in Stowe Village. Over 100 rooms, luxury and family suites, apartments and townhouses, many with fireside Jacuzzis. Two restaurants, newly renovated outdoor year-round heated pool and in-ground spa, two firepits, health club with Jacuzzi, sauna, massage therapy, game room. Complimentary tea and cookies. (802) 253-7301. greenmountaininn.com.
INN AT THE MOUNTAIN & CONDOMINIUMS AT STOWE MOUNTAIN RESORT Classic New England inn at the base Mansfield. Spacious rooms and suites, game room, exercise room, library. Fully equipped 1-4 bedroom condos, great for families. Complimentary continental breakfast. Specials and packages: (802) 253-3649, stowe.com.
SMUGGLERS’ NOTCH, VERMONT America’s Family Resort. Mountainside lodging. Award-winning kids’ programs. Year-round zipline canopy tours. Winter: 3 big interconnected mountains, 2,610' vertical. Summer: 8 heated pools, 4 waterslides. Family fun guaranteed. smuggs.com/sg, (888) 256-7623.
STOWEFLAKE MOUNTAIN RESORT & SPA Ideally located in the heart of Stowe, featuring luxurious guestrooms and townhouses, Charlie B’s Pub & Restaurant for fireside deck-dining and live entertainment, and Spa at Stoweflake with unique treatments beyond the traditional. (802) 253-7355. stoweflake.com.
SUNSET MOTOR INN AAA 55 units and 3 houses, free wi-fi. Located on the VAST trail for snowmobiling. $3 breakfast coupon. 10 miles from Stowe. (800) 544-2347. sunsetmotorinn.com.
TOPNOTCH RESORT & SPA Totally reimagined and refreshingly restored, Topnotch wows with all new rooms and suites, 2-3 bedroom resort homes, airy lobby bar and restaurant, top-ranked bistro, world-class Tennis Center and Spa, adventure center, indoor/outdoor pools. (802) 253-8585. topnotchresort.com.
TRAPP FAMILY LODGE Mountain resort in the European tradition. 96-rooms and suites with spectacular mountain views. European-style cuisine, musical entertainment, fitness center, outdoor hot tub, indoor pool, climbing wall, yoga, cross-country and backcountry skiing, snowshoeing, von Trapp history tours. (802) 253-8511. trappfamily.com.
GREEN ENVY Expansive collection of contemporary jewelry and accessories. Hand-crafted from local artists to worldwide. Alex and Ani, In2 Design, Coralia Leets, Sonja Renee, Baroni, Dogeared. Mon.-Sat. 10-6, Sun 10-5. 1800 Mountain Rd., Stowe. 253-2661.
GREEN MOUNTAIN COINS & ESTATE JEWELRY Huge selection of fine estate jewelry and high-end numismatic coins, including museum quality U.S. coins from the 1700s to 1960s. We buy gold, silver, coins, estate jewelry. 9 South Main St., Waterbury. (802) 777-5550, greenmountaincoins.com and Facebook.
INSIDE OUT GALLERY VILLAGE GREEN AT STOWE Fully furnished condominiums at the center of all Stowe has to offer. Fireplaces, indoor pool, sauna, Jacuzzi. Affordable. (802) 253-9705 or (800) 451-3297. vgasstowe.com.
INSURANCE HICKOK & BOARDMAN, INC. Providing superior service and innovative solutions for all your insurance needs. Home, auto, and business insurance since 1821. “Here when you need us.” 618 So. Main St., Stowe. (802) 253-9707.
STOWE INSURANCE AGENCY, INC. Stowe’s premier multi-line insurance agency since 1955. Our pricing and service is second to none. Glenn Mink, Teela Leach, Robert Mink, and Renee Davis. (802) 253-4855.
INTERIOR DESIGN & DECORATING AMBER HODGINS DESIGN Full-service interior architecture and design, decorative painting, and color consultations. Specializing in décor, renovations, and new construction for residential or commercial projects. (802) 585-5544. amberhodgins.com.
DESIGN STUDIO OF STOWE Specializing in renovations. Creative solutions for interior spaces—residential and light commercial work. Services: Design, specify, order, and install. Showroom at 626 Mountain Rd. Allied Member ASID. (802) 253-9600. firstname.lastname@example.org, designstudioofstowe.com.
GORDON’S WINDOW DÉCOR Gordon’s Window Décor offers no obligation in home consultations for draperies, shades, shutters, window film, and much more. Call or go online to schedule an appointment. gordonswindowdecor.com or (802) 655-7777.
SELDOM SCENE INTERIORS INC. All aspects of interior design. Stowe and Boston. Full architectural services, design build, and project management. Large comprehensive portfolio. By appointment only. 2038 Mountain Rd., Stowe. (802) 253-3770. seldomsceneinteriors.com.
STOWE CRAFT DESIGN CENTER Visit our 1,800-sq. ft. showroom for interior design services. Browse handcrafted and custom furniture, unique lighting, art, and sculpture. Shop local and American made home décor. 34 S. Main St. (802) 253-7677. stowecraft.com.
JEWELRY FERRO JEWELERS Stowe’s premier full-service jewelers since 2006. We specialize in estate jewelry, fine diamonds, custom design, |jewelry repair, and appraisals. American Gem Society. 91 Main St., Stowe. (802) 253-3033. ferrojewelers.com/stowe. Visit us on Facebook.
Discover new colorful and creative designs made by American artists. Add inspiration and fun to every day. Easy prices. Enjoyable shopping. Short walk up from Main Street. 299 Mountain Rd., Stowe. (802) 253-6945, insideoutgallery.com.
PERRYWINKLE’S Every piece of Perrywinkle’s jewelry is unlike any other. The finest diamonds and gemstones are hand selected for crafting our celebrated designs. We invite you to visit our Burlington location. (802) 865-2624, perrywinkles.com
STOWE GEMS Fine handcrafted gold, platinum, sterling jewelry. Diamonds, engagement rings, wedding bands. Amazing selection of tanzanite, tourmaline, Tahitian pearls, North American diamonds. Vermont charms, estate jewelry. Named “Best of Vermont.” Stowe Village. (802) 253-7000. stowegems.com.
KITCHENS & BATHS ALLAIRE CONSTRUCTION Providing professional, personalized quality renovation/remodeling services for 32 years. Our trustworthy team has extensive knowledge in planning, design, and construction for all your individualized kitchen and bath needs. Brent: (802) 793-2675, email@example.com.
ALLEN KITCHEN AND BATH Specializing in kitchens, bath, doors, and windows. Locations in Barre, Montpelier, St. Johnsbury, and Waitsfield. 800-696-9663. allenlumbercompany.com.
BARRE TILE Rediscovering elegance in the home-place. Our Stone Shop is Vermont's source for kitchen countertops, bathroom vanities, thresholds, fireplace hearths, more. Make an appointment today to view our extensive stone slab inventory. Over 25 colors. (802) 476-0912. barretile.com.
BOUCHARD-PIERCE Our professional designers and staff create spaces that reflect your unique style. We offer brand-name cabinetry, countertops, appliances, and more. We fit every design and budget. Essex Junction. (802) 878-4822; Berlin, (802) 476-6644. bouchardpierce.com.
KNITTING & YARN SHOPS KNITTING STUDIO Full-service knitting store specializing in customer service. Our goal is to help you from the beginning of the process to completion of your project. We carry a huge array of yarns and patterns and offer knitting classes for every level. 112 Main St., Montpelier. 229-2444. vtknits.com.
SHEEP THRILLS 134 S. Main St., Stowe. Lessons, inspiration, fun. Wednesday through Sunday: 1-5 p.m. Handspinning, knitting, crocheting, needle felting. See our hand-spun, handdried yarns and fiber products, all natural and all handmade in Vermont. (802) 585-2013.
S TOWE-SMUGGLERS’ BUSINESS DIRECTORY LANDSCAPE DESIGN AMBLER DESIGN Full-service landscape architecture and construction company in Stowe. Working with plants, water, stone, and earth, we create unique, exceptional, and beautiful outdoor spaces. Recent projects: Piecasso Restaurant entrance and the 2011 HGTV Dream Home. (802) 253-4536. amblerdesign.com.
CYNTHIA KNAUF LANDSCAPE DESIGN Beautiful, functional, and green. Creating memorable outdoor spaces that link buildings and people to the site. Emphasis on sustainability through local materials and craftsmanship, green roofs, and rain gardens. (802) 655-0552. cynthiaknauf.com.
WAGNER HODGSON LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE The process of uniting program, context, form and materials provides the basis for our work, crafting modern sculptural landscapes expressing the essential inherent beauty of natural materials. (802) 864-0010. wagnerhodgson.com.
WALPOLE WOODWORKERS Walpole suits your outdoor lifestyle, from pergolas, arbors, and fence to planters, lattice panels, outdoor furniture, and more. In natural cedar or low-maintenance cellular vinyl, an advanced material with the look and feel of wood. (800) 343-6948. walpolewoodworkers.com.
MAD RIVER ANTLER Handcrafted one-of-a-kind antler creations in the form of chandeliers, sconces, table lamps, floor lamps, and custom creations using naturally shed antler from moose, deer, and elk. (802) 496-9290, madriverantler.com.
DARBY THORNDIKE KOLTER & NORDLE, LLP General civil practice, real estate, environmental, estate planning, corporate, litigation, personal injury, and family law. Stowe: 25 Main St., (802) 253-7165; Waterbury: 89 S. Main St. (802) 244-7352.
OLSON & ASSOCIATES, PLC General law practice: commercial and residential real estate, estate planning and probate administration, business formation and maintenance, general litigation, family law, mediation services. 188 South Main St., Stowe. (802) 253-7810.
STACKPOLE AND FRENCH Litigation, real estate, corporate, utility, wills, and estate administration. 255 Maple St., Stowe. (802) 253-7339. stackpolefrench.com.
Bra fitting and fine lingerie store with knowledgeable lingerie specialists and over 100 bra sizes. Carrying brands of exceptional quality, this elegant boutique makes bra shopping fun for all shapes and sizes. 61 Church St., Burlington. (802) 497-3913. aristelle.com.
MARKETS HARVEST MARKET Stowe’s one-stop gourmet store. Delicious salads, entrées, baked goods, and breads—prepared by our own chefs and bakers. Specialty cheeses and meats. Espresso bar. Farm fresh produce. Great wine selection. Daily 7-7 (in season). (802) 253-3800. harvestatstowe.com.
VALSANGIACOMO DETORA & MCQUESTEN Personal injury, medical malpractice, wrongful death, real estate, and environmental law. 172 North Main St., Barre. (802) 476-4181 x309.
Transform your state of being through massage. Restore, replenish, rejuvenate naturally with Swedish, sports, Reiki, or neuromuscular therapies. Hot stones or body treatments. Daily by appointment. (802) 253-4811, x164. 511 Mountain Rd., Stowe. goldeneagleresort.com.
KATE GRAVES, CMT, BHS Relaxation, deep tissue, moist heat, energy work (Brennan graduate), maternity, Thai. Practicing integrative medicine over 30 years. Competitive rates. Stowe Yoga Center, 515 Moscow Rd. firstname.lastname@example.org, (802) 253-8427, stoweyoga.com.
Massage center offers exceptional bodywork services from relaxation to injury recovery. Certified practitioners in a casual atmosphere. 60-minute massages starting from $75. Daily from 9 a.m. - 7 p.m. 49 Depot St., Stowe. Book online at stowevillagemassage.com. (802) 253-6555. email@example.com.
TRAPP FAMILY LODGE FITNESS CENTER Massage therapists use a blend of techniques to address needs including Swedish, deep tissue, acupressure, and Shiatsu. Other treatments include reflexology, salt glows, and hot stone therapy. Appointments available daily. (802) 253-5722.
MOVIE THEATERS STOWE CINEMA 3-PLEX First-run movies, all new 7.1 Digital Surround EX and 5.1 digital sound with silver screens and RealD 3D. Full bar available as you view. Fresh popcorn, real butter, full concession. Conventional seating too. 454 Mountain Rd. Movie phone (802) 253-4678; stowecinema.com; or Facebook.
BARRE ELECTRIC & LIGHTING SUPPLY, INC.
COMMODITIES NATURAL MARKET
Conant Metal & Light is a creative designer, maker, restorer, and retailer of fine lighting and decorative accessories. We provide bold, energy-efficient solutions for projects that demand that extraordinary custom touch. (800) 832-4482. conantmetalandlight.com.
DR. ROBERT C. BAUMAN & ASSOCIATES Comprehensive eye exams, immediate treatment of eye injuries/infections. Same-day service on most eyeglasses including bifocals. Area’s largest selection glasses and contact lenses, immediate replacement of lost or damaged contact lenses. Saturday hours available. (802) 253-6322. drrobertbauman.com.
BERLIN OPTICAL EXPRESSIONS Quality eye care and personal attention. A family optometry practice that prides itself on the individual care and attention paid to all of its patients. (802) 223-2090, oeberlin.com.
At Stowe Eye Care, we provide personalized vision services. We use advanced technology for the most accurate diagnosis, as well as having a frame selection as unique as we are. stowe-eyecare.com. (802) 253-7201.
PHARMACY HERITAGE PHARMACY Full-service pharmacy. Compounding available. Over-thecounter remedies, health and beauty aids, first-aid supplies. Conveniently located at 1878 Mountain Rd. (802) 253-2544. heritagedrugs.com.
STOWE VILLAGE MASSAGE
CONANT METAL & LIGHT
STOWE EYE CARE GOLDEN EAGLE RESORT
LIGHTING Indoor and outdoor lighting, fans and home accents. The supplier of choice for area electricians and builders. Come visit our 3,000-square foot showroom featuring working displays for kitchen and bath lighting. Route 302, Barre. (802) 476-0280. barreelectric.com.
A 5-star rated nursing home, residential care, and shortterm rehabilitation facility in Morrisville providing a caring home environment in a professional health-care setting. ACHA Silver Award recipient. (802) 888-8700. themanorvt.org.
MASSAGE & BODYWORK
STEVENS LAW OFFICE Residential and commercial real estate, criminal and family law, civil litigation, personal injury, estate planning, and business formation. 30+ years experience. Stowe and Derby offices. (802) 253-8547 or (866) 786-9530.
BARR LAW Member Vermont, New York, Massachusetts bars. 125 Mountain Rd., Stowe. Vermont, (802) 253-6272; 100 Park Ave., New York, NY, (212) 486-3910.
Commodities Natural Market—your one stop for all things organic, natural, and gourmet. 512 Mountain Rd., Stowe. 253-4464. commoditiesnaturalmarket.com.
NEEDLEWORK THE WOODEN NEEDLE Charming needle arts shop in heart of Stowe Village. Counted cross-stitch and needlepoint featured. Specializing in linens, hand-painted canvases, Paternayan wool, Weeks Dye Works, Gentle Art cottons, fun fibers. Park and Pond Streets. (802) 253-3086, wooden-needle.com.
PHOTOGRAPHY KATE CARTER PHOTOGRAPHY Professional digital photography services for weddings, pet and people portraits, interiors, landscapes, products. Memorable images for digital and print publication, and for fine art prints. (802) 244-5017, wordsandphotosbykate.com.
ORAH MOORE PHOTOGRAPHY Weddings, children, reunions. Fine art photography. Studied with Ansel Adams. Location or studio sittings. Visit my retail store: Haymaker Card and Gift. 84 Lower Main, Morrisville, 10-5ish Mon. - Sat. (802) 888-2309. orahmoorephotography.com.
PAUL ROGERS PHOTOGRAPHY Since 1982, offering quality photographic services to Vermont businesses. Creative images of people, products, and locations. Photography of artwork. Private photographic instruction. RIT photo graduate. (802) 253-7879, paulrogersphotography.com.
PHYSICAL THERAPY CVMC REHABILITATION SERVICES Physical, occupational, and speech therapies. Specialized service: Parkinson’s disease, urinary incontinence, vertigo, concussions, and more. Clinic in Waterbury. Get evaluated within 48 hours at Rehab ExpressCARE in Berlin. cvmc.org/rehab. (802) 371-4242.
COPLEY REHABILITATION SERVICES Therapies include physical, occupational, hand, speech, aquatic, pediatric, cardiac and pulmonary, work conditioning and other comprehensive rehab services. Clinics in Stowe, Hardwick, and Morrisville (Mansfield Orthopaedics and Copley Hospital). (802) 888-8303, copleyvt.org.
ADAM KUNIN, MD — CARDIOLOGIST
GREEN MOUNTAIN GLAZE
Personalized cardiac care. Board-certified in cardiology, nuclear cardiology, and internal medicine. Providing general cardiology, advanced cardiac tests, and imaging. Morrisville. (802) 888-8372, copleyvt.org.
“Paint-your-own” pottery studio and art gallery. Fun for all ages and perfect for parties or rainy days. Walk-ins welcome. 2595 Mountain Rd., Stowe. (802) 760-6366. greenmountainglaze.com.
PATRICIA JAQUA, MD — GENERAL SURGEON Providing a wide spectrum of inpatient and outpatient surgical care. Care includes, but not limited to: gallbladder, hernia, trauma, biopsies, and minor surgical procedures. Morrisville. (802) 888-8372, copleyvt.org.
THE WOMEN’S CENTER: OB/GYN Board-certified specialists William Ellis, MD, and Anne Stohrer, MD, and certified-nurse midwives, Kipp Bovey, Jackie Bromley, and Marge Kelso. Comprehensive gynecological care. The Women’s Center, (802) 888-8100, copleyvt.org.
PHYSICIANS–Orthopaedics CENTRAL VERMONT ORTHOPAEDICS Dr. Mahlon Bradley: orthopaedics and sports medicine for active patients of all ages. Berlin. (802) 225-3970. Dr. John Braun: specializing in diseases and conditions of the spine. Berlin. (802) 225-3965. cvmc.org/ortho.
GREEN MOUNTAIN ORTHOPAEDIC SURGERY Why let an orthopaedic problem keep you from doing what you love? Depend on Green Mountain Orthopaedic Surgery, located in Berlin, Vt., since 2002 to provide you with trusted superior care. (802) 229-2663. greenmountainortho.com.
MANSFIELD ORTHOPAEDICS AT COPLEY Brian Aros, MD; Bryan Huber, MD; John Macy, MD; Joseph McLaughlin, MD; and Saul Trevino, MD. On-site radiology and rehabilitation facility. Morrisville and Waterbury. (802) 888-8405, mansfieldorthopaedics.com.
PICTURE FRAMING VERMONT FRAME GAME The Burlington and Stowe area's premier custom frame shop. Locally owned and operated for over 35 years. Custom framing, ready made frames, laminating, more. 1203 Williston Rd., S. Burlington. (802) 863-3099. vermontframegame.com.
PIZZA BENCH Unique to Stowe, wood-fired comfort food including pizza with a focus on local ingredients in a relaxed, rustic modern Vermont atmosphere. Enjoy après ski or dinner. 28 taps, craft beer, cocktails, and extensive wine list. Daily. 492 Mountain Rd., Stowe. benchvt.com. (802) 253-5100.
PIECASSO PIZZERIA & LOUNGE Traditional, hand-tossed New York style pizza with modern style, eclectic music, and great vibes. A local favorite, voted a “Top 11 Slice in the Country” by travelandleisure.com. Creative entrees, craft beer, gluten-free menu, online ordering, takeout, delivery. (802) 253-4411, piecasso.com.
PORTABLE TOILET RENTALS HARTIGAN COMPANY SEPTIC SERVICE Special events, construction sites, crowd pleasers, commercial, residential. Locally owned and operated since 1956. (802) 253-0376. 800-696-0761. hartigancompany.com.
Stowe and Lamoille County’s leading real-estate company serving Central and Northern Vermont from 3 offices and 24 hours a day at pallspera.com. Exclusive affiliate of Christie’s International Real Estate. (802) 253-9771, (802) 253-1806, (802) 888-1102. pallspera.com.
SPRUCE PEAK AT STOWE
BETSY PEREZ, MD — UROLOGIST Board-certified urologist. Specializing in diagnosis and treatment of problems of the male and female urinary tract and the male reproductive organs. Morrisville. (802) 888-8372, copleyvt.org.
PALL SPERA COMPANY REALTORS
PRINTING THE X PRESS Custom business and personal print, copy, and design services. Brochures, letterhead, envelopes, business cards, forms, labels, invitations, banners, specialty products for over 25 years. Office supplies, shipping, scanning/fax service. (802) 253-7883 (fax). Stowe Village, M-F, 8-4:30. (802) 253-9788. thexpressink.com.
PROPERTY MANAGEMENT ALLAIRE CONSTRUCTION Providing personalized care for your home and business needs for 32 years. Professional, reliable, trustworthy, quality workmanship. Eliminate hiring multiple contractors. Security and home checks available. Brent: (802) 793-2675, firstname.lastname@example.org.
STOWE COUNTRY HOMES Property management, maintenance, repair, and renovations specialists. Lawn and garden care, landscaping, trash removal, etc. Renovations large and small. Quality work guaranteed—on budget and schedule. . (802) 253-8132, ext. 102, or email@example.com. stowecountryhomes.com/propertymanagement.
STOWE HOME CARE MAINTENANCE INC. Full-service property management. Snow plowing/removal, snow shoveling, roofs, and walkways, lot and driveway sanding. Land clearing, driveway grading, trash pick-up, carpentry, furniture moving, brush hogging, tree removal. (802) 888-7736, firstname.lastname@example.org, stowehomecaremaintenance.com.
STOWE RESORT HOMES Personalized management for Stowe’s vacation homes. Home checks, personal shopping, remodeling project management, maintenance coordination, more. We also offer marketing and rental agent services for select vacation homes. (802) 760-1157. stoweresorthomes.com.
REAL ESTATE & RENTALS BECKWITH REAL ESTATE & LUXURY RENTALS Personal service, local knowledge, and expertise combine for the ultimate experience when buying or renting in Stowe. “Stowe’s Luxury Rental Agent.” Buying or selling: we have a pulse on the market. 1069 Mountain Rd. 253-8858. beckwithrealestate.com, beckwithrentals.com.
COLDWELL BANKER CARLSON REAL ESTATE Real estate sales and rentals, representing Stowe and surrounding communities. Our talented team leads the industry in technology, innovation, and passion. 91 Main St., Stowe. In the Ferro building (802) 253-7358. stowevermontrealestate.com.
MOUNTAIN ASSOCIATES REALTORS Bigger is not always better. We have chosen to remain small; allowing us to offer experienced representation, personalized service and a team approach to sales and rentals. (802) 253-8518. mountainassociates.com.
Spruce Peak at Stowe, a year round alpine community that includes world-class skiing, golfing, fine dining, and spa services. Residences from $179,000. (877) 977-7823 or sprucepeak.com.
STOWE COUNTRY HOMES Vacation homes and condos for short- or long-term rental. Professionally and locally managed. Luxury slopeside properties, secluded private homes, affordable condos —we have what you want, meeting all budgets. (802) 253-8132. stowecountryhomes.com.
STOWE REALTY Stowe Realty is the leader in Stowe vacation rentals. By the season or by the weekend, from trailside condos and fine private homes to quaint cabins, we have the best selection and prices for Stowe rentals. 25 Main St., Stowe. (802) 253-8484. stowerealtyrentals.com.
STOWE RED BARN REALTY A small boutique office of four professionals, each with a unique love of Vermont. 17 Towne Farm Lane on the Mountain Road, Stowe. We look forward to helping you fulfill your real estate sales and rental needs. (802) 253-4994. stoweredbarnrealty.com.
STOWE RESORT HOMES Luxury vacation homes for the savvy traveler. Book some of Stowe’s best resort homes—online. Well-appointed, tastefully decorated homes at Topnotch, Spruce Peak, and throughout Stowe. (802) 760-1157. stoweresorthomes.com.
THE VILLAS AT TRAPP FAMILY LODGE Luxurious 3 bedroom villas available for purchase as fractional or whole ownership. Over 2,500 sq. ft. include a “lock-off” master suite, full gourmet kitchen, European-style décor, and use of the lodge amenities. Nightly and weekly rentals also available. (800) 826-7000 or (802) 253-8511.
RECYCLING 1-800-GOT-JUNK Say goodbye to your junk without lifting a finger. Whether it's old furniture, appliances, electronics, or renovation debris, we do all the loading and clean-up. We recycle and re-purpose materials. 1-800-Got-Junk. 1800gotjunk.com.
RESTAURANTS & NIGHTCLUBS BENCH Unique to Stowe, wood-fired comfort food including pizza. Local ingredients in a relaxed, rustic modern Vermont atmosphere. Enjoy après ski or dinner with family and friends. 28 taps, craft beer, cocktails, and extensive wine list. Daily. 492 Mountain Rd., Stowe. benchvt.com. (802) 253-5100.
THE BISTRO AT TEN ACRES imply great, handmade, flavorful food. Craft beers, delicious wines, fresh-pressed cocktails. 1820s Vermont Farmhouse with bar seating, elegant dining rooms, fireside lounge, and beautiful views. Barrows and Luce Hill Roads, Stowe. tenacreslodge.com. (802) 253-6838.
NEW ENGLAND LANDMARK REALTY A unique team approach to real estate marketing, sales, and rentals. Harnessing technology to create innovative strategies to maximize exposure for our clients. Offices in Stowe and Waterbury. (866) 324-2427. (802) 253-4711. nelandmark.com.
BLUE DONKEY The best burgers in town. Wraps, sandwiches, hand-cut fries, Donkey chips, milkshakes, beer, and wine. Just off the rec path on the Mountain Road. Take-out. Closed Tuesdays. 253-3100. More restaurants l
S TOWE-SMUGGLERS’ BUSINESS DIRECTORY RESTAURANTS & NIGHTCLUBS BLUE MOON CAFÉ The best of American fine dining with a distinctly Mediterranean flair, featuring beef tenderloin, lamb, duck, Atlantic fishes, and seasonal produce. New menu every month. 35 School St., Stowe. 253-7006. bluemoonstowe.com.
CACTUS CAFE Chef owned/operated. Fresh authentic Mexican entrées, nightly specials and our famous 16 oz. handmade margaritas. Dinner nightly from 4:30. Aprés ski weekends from 3 p.m. Over 34 different tequilas. 2160 Mountain Rd., Stowe. Reservations accepted. Family friendly. 253-7770.
CHARLIE B’S PUB & RESTAURANT Charlie B’s is a Stowe tradition featuring upscale pub fare, an award-winning wine list, and Vermont craft brews on tap. Enjoy fireside deck dining and live entertainment in season. (802) 760-1096, charliebspub.com.
CLIFF HOUSE RESTAURANT Opening in December, enjoy panoramic views atop Mt. Mansfield (3,625’), award-winning American cuisine with rustic Vermont flair, fresh seasonal, artisanal ingredients. Hand-selected wine list, tantalizing cocktails. Lunch daily, 11:30 a.m. - 3 p.m. Reservations: email@example.com. stowe.com.
CROP BISTRO & BREWERY Bistro and brewery featuring American cuisine utilizing fresh local and regional ingredients, handcrafted ales and lagers made on premise. Innovative cocktails, spirits, wines, and local hard ciders. Mountain Road, Stowe. (802) 253-4765. cropvt.com.
DEPOT ST. MALT SHOP Moderately priced breakfasts, lunches, and dinners. Kids’ menu. 1950s soda fountain atmosphere. Thick creamy malts, frappes, sundaes, ice cream sodas, Vermont beef burgers, sandwiches, homemade soups, take-out. Call for hours. Stowe Village. (802) 253-4269.
GOLDEN EAGLE COLONIAL CAFÉ Delicious breakfasts at reasonable prices in cozy country dining room. Start the day with fresh baked muffins, homemade breads, local eggs and pancakes with Vermont maple syrup. Daily 7 a.m., 511 Mountain Rd.. (802) 253-4811. goldeneagleresort.com.
GRACIE’S RESTAURANT Serving black angus steaks and creative seafood. Vermont Boyden Farm burgers and an array of salad favorites. Gracie’s bakery produces all desserts, breads, and pastries. Large children’s menu, reservations recommended, catering available. (802) 253-8741.
GREAT ROOM GRILL AT SPRUCE CAMP Unparalleled chef-orchestrated base lodge dining from four exhibition cooking stations serving breakfast, lunch, après-ski fare. Spruce Camp Bar is the gathering place for après-ski cocktails and live entertainment. 253-4754 or stowe.com.
GREEN GODDESS CAFÉ Breakfast and lunch meals, sandwiches, paninis, wraps, soups—all made from scratch and in house. Famous custom salads with over 40 options. Homemade breads, baked goodies. Open daily. 618 S. Main St., Lower Village, Stowe. (802) 253-5255.
HARRISON’S RESTAURANT & BAR Located in historic Stowe Village. Serving seafood, steaks, burgers, and homemade desserts. Dinner nightly. Experience a local favorite in a cozy atmosphere. Reservations accepted. (802) 253-7773.
HOB KNOB RESTAURANT Specializing in certified Angus steaks, duck, and seafood served in an intimate setting. Family owned and operated. Fireside dining with mountain views. Dinner served Thursday through Saturday. Private parties welcome. Reservations appreciated. (802) 253-8549. hobknobinn.com.
Seasonal American food celebrating the farms of Vermont and the Northeast. Serving dinner 5-9 p.m. Tues.-Sat. 92 Stowe St. Waterbury. (802) 244-7300. henofthewood.com.
Elegant without being stuffy, Solstice features local artisaninspired cuisine made using farm-to-table produce, Vermont cheeses, and all-natural meats. Private wine-tastings and dining room for up to 16 guests are also available. 7604735. solsticevermont.com. Reservations recommended.
STONEGRILL RESTAURANT & PUB MCCARTHY’S RESTAURANT / CATERING Delicious breakfasts and lunches. Soups, daily specials. Kids’ menu, low-calorie, low-carb offerings. Homemade muffins, pies etc. Gluten free bread, cappuccino, milkshakes, smoothies. 6:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Mountain Road, Stowe. (802) 253-8626.
MI CASA KITCHEN & BAR Fresh Mexican fare with a Vermont twist served in a fun, friendly atmosphere at the historic Butler House in the heart of Stowe Village. Vegan and low gluten free options. Bar, lounge, groups. Open daily. 128 Main St. (802) 253-5333. micasastowe.com.
MICHAEL’S ON THE HILL Farm-to-table European cuisine. Swiss chef owned. Restaurateur & Chef of the Year, Wine Spectator Award of Excellence, certified green restaurant, Best Chefs America. Bar, lounge, group facilities, on and offsite catering. 5 minutes from Stowe. Route 100, Waterbury Center. 244-7476. michaelsonthehill.com.
O’GRADY’S GRILL AND BAR Relax and enjoy Irish warmth, fresh, local comfort food, extensive beer/wine selection, convenient Mountain Road location. Kids welcome, large parties easily accommodated, catering. Serving 4-10 p.m. 7 days per week. 504 Mountain Road, Stowe. (802) 253-8233. ogradysgrill.com.
PHOENIX TABLE AND BAR Dinner, lunch, weekend brunch. Seven days a week. Moderate pricing, full bar, vegetarian offerings, full handicap access. (802) 253-2838, phoenixtableandbar.com.
PIECASSO PIZZERIA & LOUNGE Traditional, hand-tossed New York style pizza with modern style, eclectic music and great vibes. A local favorite, voted a “Top 11 Slice in the Country” by travelandleisure.com. Creative entrees, craft beer, gluten-free menu, online ordering, takeout, delivery. 253-4411, piecasso.com.
Try our new heart healthy stone grilled meals or enjoy one of your American favorites. Open daily 6-9 p.m. Live entertainment weekly in our pub. Banquet room with wi-fi. Route 15, Morrisville. (802) 888-4242.
SUSHI YOSHI Experience the best in Chinese and Japanese cuisine. Eclectic menu with something for everyone. Have a great time with the entire family at Sushi Yoshi Chinese Gourmet Hibachi Steakhouse. Open daily. Outdoor seating. Call for free shuttle. 1128 Mountain Rd., Stowe. (802) 253-4135. sushistowe.com.
SWISS FONDUE BY HEINZ A cozy rustic alpine setting serving savory and sweet crepes and fondue. Lunch 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. serving crepes and fondue; dinner 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., fondue only. For reservations, call (802) 999-8785, firstname.lastname@example.org.
TRAPP FAMILY LODGE — LOUNGE & DINING ROOM Seasonal menus reflecting both Austrian and Vermont traditions. Open daily. Dining room: breakfast 7:30-10:30 a.m.; dinner 5:30-9 p.m. Reservations: (802) 253-5733. Lounge: lunch 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m.; tea 3:30-4:30 p.m.; dinner 5-9 p.m.; bar nightly until 11 p.m.; (802) 253-5734.
TRATTORIA LA FESTA Old-fashioned full-service family-style Italian restaurant. Wine Spectator best wine list. Great place to meet locals and celebrities, great music. Dinner 5 to close; closed on Sundays except on long weekends. Reservations: (802) 253-8480. email@example.com. trattoriastowe.com.
VERMONT ALE HOUSE Craft beer bar within walking distance from Stowe Village. Hot roast beef, fried chicken, flatbreads, grilled wings, and salads. Hand-crafted cocktails. Fireplace and library. 294 Mountain Rd. (802) 253-6253. vermontalehouse.com.
PLATE Winner of the “Best New Restaurant” Daisies award. California flavor meets Vermont style. 50 seats, full bar, open kitchen. Food ranges from serious meat eaters to healthy vegetarians. Everything is homemade, utilizing many local farms. Dinner Wednesday - Sunday 5-10. 91 Main St. (802) 253-2691. platestowe.com.
WHIP BAR & GRILL Friendly, casual atmosphere with open grill in our newly renovated restaurant and bar. Fresh seafood, hand-cut steaks, vegetarian, homemade soups, salads and desserts, healthy children’s menu. Lunch/dinner daily, Sunday brunch. At the Green Mountain Inn. (802) 253-4400. thewhip.com.
THE PUB AT GREY FOX INN AND RESORT Join us by the fireplace for a drink. Full-service bar, domestic and international bottled beer, local microbrews, wines. Appetizers, soups, salads, burgers, pub fare, dinner entrees, delectable desserts. Wed.-Sat. 5-9 p.m. 990 Mountain Rd., Stowe. (802) 253-8921. greyfoxinn.com.
RIMROCK’S MOUNTAIN TAVERN Dinner daily 4 - 10 p.m. Lunch Thurs.-Sun. Burgers, wings, tacos, sandwiches, more. Craft beer, kids menu, gameroom. Stowe’s best sports venue. DJs Thurs.-Sat. 10 p.m. – close. 394 Mountain Rd. (802) 253-9593. rimrocksmountaintavern.com. See events on Facebook.
THE ROOST & FLANNEL AT TOPNOTCH RESORT Choose from a new lobby bar and restaurant with aweinspiring views and après attitude, or a warm, friendly bistro with open kitchen. Topnotch masterfully fuses contemporary fare and casual vibe into two superb gathering spots. (802) 253-6445. topnotchresort.com.
RUSTY NAIL NIGHTCLUB HEN OF THE WOOD—WATERBURY
Are you ready to rock? Stowe’s favorite nightclub is back. Area’s best bands and internationally known performers. Tasty pub fare, wood-fired pizza, après ski. Host birthdays, weddings, rehearsals, and corporate events. Show schedule/events: rustynailvt.com. (802) 253-NAIL.
RESTAURANTS & SPORTS BARS RIMROCKS Dinner daily 4 - 10 p.m. Lunch Thurs.-Sun. Burgers, wings, tacos, sandwiches, more. Craft beer, full bar, kids menu, game room. DirectTV, HD, large screens. DJs Thurs.-Sat. 10 p.m. – close. 394 Mountain Rd. (802) 253-9593. rimrocksmountaintavern.com. See events on Facebook.
SUNSET GRILLE & TAP ROOM Serving a unique brand of Northern style southern barbecue with a side of sports. Barbecue, seafood, steaks, burgers. 30 TVs, six big screens, satellite system. Just off the beaten path. Cottage Club Road, Stowe. (802) 253-9281. sunsetgrillevt.com.
RETIREMENT COMMUNITY COPLEY WOODLANDS Independent living in a supportive community. Spacious retirement condos with leasing or ownership options available for adults 55+. Copley Woodlands, 125 Thomas Lane, Stowe. (802) 253-7200. copleywoodlands.com.
SKIING – Cross Country
HARTIGAN COMPANY SEPTIC SERVICE
STOWE MOUNTAIN RESORT CROSS COUNTRY CENTER
THE SPA AT STOWEFLAKE
Septic tank pumping, portable toilets, grease trap, and tank pumping. Pump station repair, TV camera inspection, culvert and catch basin cleaning, line jetting, frozen line thawing. (802) 253-0376, (800) 696-0761. hartigancompany.com.
SHOE STORES SHAW'S GENERAL STORE Winter footwear by Ugg, Sorel, The North Face, Kamik, Bos & Co, Bogs, and more. Helping Vermonters survive in style since 1895. 54 Main St., Stowe. 253-4040.
45 km of groomed trails and 30 km of backcountry terrain. Rental shop offers Nordic gear, snowshoes, touring gear, classic and skate skis, backcountry, and telemark. Group clinics and private lessons upon request. (802) 253-3688.
TRAPP FAMILY LODGE OUTDOOR CENTER Over 100 km of groomed and backcountry trails in woodlands and meadows with spectacular mountain views. Private, group instruction, rentals, retail shop. Lunch at the Slayton Pasture Cabin. 253-8511. Snow reports: (802) 253-5720.
WELL HEELED Come see what the buzz is all about. A tempting assortment of designer shoes, boots, handbags, belts, clothing, and jewelry presented in a classic 1840s farmhouse. Open 7 days, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. (802) 253-6077. Mountain Road, Stowe. wellheeledstowe.com.
SKI & SNOWBOARD SHOPS – Rentals & Demos AJ’S SKI & SPORTS Largest selection of equipment and ski demo center in Stowe. New K2 rentals skis. Atomic, Volkl, Salomon, Rossignol, K-2, Nordica, Tecnica, Dalbello. Burton snowboard demos. 8-8. Fri., Sat., holidays until 9 p.m. (802) 253-4593. stowesports.com.
SKIER'S EDGE The No. 1 technical ski conditioner in the world is your edge to better skiing. We make beginner skiers good, good skiers great and, great skiers the best. skiersedge.com.
SKI RESORT BOLTON VALLEY SKI RESORT Bolton Valley is the best value in big mountain skiing and riding in Vermont. Enjoy ski-in/ski-out lodging with access to 71 trails and glades. Just 10 minutes from Exit 10 off I89. 1-877-9BOLTON, boltonvalley.com.
JAY PEAK RESORT Jay Peak offers skiing and riding on the most snow in eastern North America, Vermont’s only aerial tramway, championship golf, an indoor ice arena, and pump house— Vermont’s only indoor water park. (800) 451-4449. jaypeakresort.com.
MAD RIVER GLEN America’s only cooperatively owned ski area. A mountain where skiing remains an outdoor adventure in an unspoiled natural setting. Its skier-owners are dedicated to protecting and preserving the unique experience forever. (802) 496-3551, madriverglen.com.
STOWE MOUNTAIN RESORT STOWE TOYS RENTAL & DEMO CENTERS Rent at Mansfield Base Lodge, Stowe Toys Demo Center next to the FourRunner Quad chairlift or Spruce Camp Base Lodge. Rent the latest skis, snowboards, helmets, more. Rentals and tech support where you need it–on the mountain. 253-3000.
With $9.8 million in snowmaking improvements, ski and ride instruction for every level, world-class amenities, exceptional service and legendary terrain on Vermont’s highest peak, Stowe Mountain Resort truly is bigger than a mountain. stowe.com, 253-3500.
SKI TUNING SKI & SNOWBOARD SHOPS – Retail AJ’S SKI & SPORTS Fine ski and snowboard clothing with names like Patagonia, Arc'teryx, Burton, Kjus, Helly Hanson, Mountain Hardwear, more. Kids and adult. 8-8. Fri., Sat., holidays until 9 p.m. (802) 253-4593. stowesports.com.
NORDIC BARN A full-service ski shop specializing in backcountry, alpine, telemark, AT, and Nordic rental equipment for all winter activities. All this in a cozy atmosphere like no other. Mountain Road, Stowe. (802) 253-6433. nordicbarnvt.com.
OUTDOOR GEAR EXCHANGE & GEARX.COM Locally owned since 1995, offering the area’s best prices, service, and selection of gear and clothing for Nordic, telemark, alpine touring, snowshoeing, ice climbing. Open 7 days. Burlington. (802) 860-0190.
STOWE MOUNTAIN RESORT SHOPS Expert staff quickly and efficiently addresses your equipment and clothing needs—slopeside. Best selection, competitive pricing. New First Chair Alpine Co., Spruce Peak Sports, Mansfield Sports, Midway Lodge retail, Gondola Summit Shop, Stowe Toys Demo Center. (802) 253-3000.
STAY TUNED AT STOWE MOUNTAIN RESORT Convenient, slopeside service centers with state-of-the-art tuning and expert technicians. Leave your gear overnight for tomorrow’s first tracks. Mount Mansfield Base Lodge, Spruce Camp Base Lodge, or Stowe Toys Demo Center. 253-3000.
SLEIGH RIDES GENTLE GIANTS SLEIGH RIDES AT TOPNOTCH New England’s favorite scenic and romantic ride. Go back in time through a covered bridge along a rambling brook in the woods. Spectacular mountain views. Daily. Private couple, family, and group rides. Recommended by Yankee Magazine. 253-2216. gentlegiantsrides.com.
World-class spa integrates natural surroundings, luxurious amenities, over 150 treatments. Bingham Hydrotherapy waterfall, Hungarian mineral soaking pool, men’s and women’s private lounges with steam, sauna, hot tub, Jacuzzi, yoga, Pilates, fitness classes available to public. (802) 760-1083, spaatstoweflake.com.
THE SPA & WELLNESS CENTER AT STOWE MOUNTAIN LODGE Enjoy a healing lodge with sauna, herbal steam room, Jacuzzi, and cooling rain shower; full-service salon; 18 treatment rooms; full fitness center with heated outdoor pool and classes. (802) 760-4782. stowemountainlodge.com.
TOPNOTCH SPA Voted Vermont’s #1 spa, with 120 spa and salon services— for body, skin, fitness, beauty, peace. Choose “pathways to wellness” or indivudal treatments and enjoy full-day access to our secluded spa sanctuary, fitness center, his and hers spa lounges, indoor/outdoor pools. (802) 253-6463. topnotchresort.com.
SPECIAL ATTRACTIONS ARBORTREK CANOPY ADVENTURES, LLC Family-friendly, year-round treetop adventures including Vermont’s first “world-class” zipline canopy tour, new treetop obstacle course, and climbing program. Adventures from serene to extreme. Ages 4+, good health, max weight: 250 lbs. Reservations recommended. (802) 644-9300. arbortrek.com.
COLD HOLLOW CIDER MILL Watch our old-fashioned rack-and-cloth press at work during a self-guided tour with free cider samples. Fresh bakery, live observation beehive, Vermont maple products. Manufacturing hours change with seasons. Route 100, Waterbury. (800) 3-APPLES. coldhollow.com.
LITTLE RIVER HOTGLASS STUDIO A nationally recognized art glass studio with glass blowing demonstrations. Adjacent gallery features work of resident artist Michael Trimpol. Call for studio hours. (802) 253-0889. littleriverhotglass.com.
SPRUCE PEAK PERFORMING ARTS CENTER Enjoy “Peak Experiences” in this intimate and acoustically superior arts center with the best in music, dance, comedy, theater, film, and Vermont artists presented each week, year round. (802) 760-4634 or sprucepeakarts.org.
STOWE HISTORICAL SOCIETY & MUSEUM Preserving Stowe’s rich history. Visit the museum at the West Branch and Bloody Brook Schoolhouses, next to the Stowe Library in the village. Tuesday and Thursday 2 - 5 p.m.; Saturday 12 - 3 p.m. in summer, and when the flags are out. (802) 253-1518. stowehistoricalsociety.org, firstname.lastname@example.org.
VERMONT TEDDY BEAR FACTORY TOURS One of the most popular Vermont activities. Come and experience our store, take a factory tour and make your own bear. 6655 Shelburne Rd., just south of Shelburne Village. (802) 985-3001. vermontteddybear.com.
GREEN MOUNTAIN SNOWMOBILE ADVENTURES
Follow a guide on a snowmobile tour through wooded and scenic Vermont trails. Beginner or expert, private or group, we have a tour for you. (802) 644-1438 or visit us online at greenmtnsnowmobile.com.
Stowe’s one-stop gourmet store. Delicious salads, entrées, baked goods and breads—prepared by our own chefs and bakers. Specialty cheeses and meats. Espresso bar. Farm fresh produce. Great wine selection. Daily 7-7 (in season). (802) 253-3800. harvestatstowe.com.
LAKE CHAMPLAIN CHOCOLATES UMIAK OUTDOOR OUTFITTERS Featuring Ben & Jerry’s, fondue dinner, and moonlight cabin snowshoe tours. Guided dogsled tours. Snowshoes, telemark, AT and XC skis, winter clothing. Sales and rentals. Open daily 9-6. (802) 253-2317. umiak.com.
STOWE SNOWMOBILE TOURS Beginner to expert. Enjoy all-scenic tours of Mt. Mansfield State Forest. Singles or doubles on new Polaris snowmobiles. Take guided, safe trips at speeds where everyone will feel comfortable. (802) 253-6221. snowmobilevermont.com.
What the New York Times calls “some of the best chocolate in the country.” Made from Belgian chocolate, Vermont cream, other natural ingredients. Caramels, truffles, creamy fudge, pralines, factory seconds. 9-6 daily. Cabot Annex. (802) 241-4150. lakechamplainchocolates.com.
S TOWE-SMUGGLERS’ BUSINESS DIRECTORY SPORTING GOODS POWER PLAY SPORTS The authentic small town sporting goods store that has everything. Ski and snowboard sales and service, rentals, backcountry, XC, snowshoes, hockey, bikes, lacrosse, and more. Open 7 days. 35 Portland St., Morrisville. (802) 888-6557. powerplaysportsvt.com.
SURVEYORS LITTLE RIVER SURVEY COMPANY Surveying, mapping. Boundary, subdivision and topographic surveys. Site plans, FEMA elevation certificates and LOMA’s. Large document copying, scanning, reducing. (802) 253-8214; littleriversurveyvt.com.
TILE DOWN EAST TILE The biggest little tile shop in New England. Tiles from around the world. Ceramic and stone tile; local artisans; custom natural stone countertops. Decorative tile our specialty. Cork, reclaimed stone flooring. Design services, installation supplies. Sylvan Park Road, Stowe. (802) 253-7001. downeasttile.com.
TOURS & TOUR OPERATORS
SNOWFLAKE TAXI Stowe’s favorite taxi. Safe, clean, reliable service. 24 hour, 365 days a year. 4x4. Check out our new luxury 12-passenger van. Airport shuttle. Local family business. (802) 253-7666. snowflaketaxi.com.
STOWE MOUNTAIN ROAD SHUTTLE GMTA operates Stowe’s Mountain Road shuttle. This free bus service travels along Route 100 to the gondola at Stowe Mountain Resort. Can accommodate ski/snowboard equipment. For more information visit gmtaride.org.
VERMONT CHAUFFEURED TRANSPORTATION Enjoy ease, comfort, and convenience with personalized chauffeured transportation to/from Stowe, Burlington airport, Montreal, throughout Vermont, New England, Northeast. Group excursions, shuttle services, wine/brewery tours, conferences, corporate events, weddings. (802) 760-3838. stoweride.com.
TRAVEL AGENCIES MILNE TRAVEL An independent, family owned, travel management company founded in Barre, Vt., in 1975. We operate eight local storefronts in Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and New York with nearly 100 employees. (877) MILNE-4-U. milnetravel.com.
SOJOURN Sojourn specializes in deluxe bicycling vacations in stunning locations throughout the U.S. and Canada. Premiere accommodations, fabulous tour leaders, unfailing attention to detail. the good life, by bike™. gosojourn.com.
YAMPU TOURS Experience more with Yampu’s passionate travel professionals who tailor make sightseeing, culinary, safari, family, and adventure itineraries to Latin America, India, Asia, and Africa. (888) 926-7801, yampu.com.
TOYS & GAMES ONCE UPON A TIME TOYS/THE TOY STORE Ever built an R/C dino, then heard it roar? Heard a singing skirt? Vermont’s most exciting toy store for 39 years. Lego/Playmobil, Breyer, music boxes, science/building toys, party/art supplies. Having a birthday? Come in and get your free balloon. 1799 Mountain Rd. (802) 253-8319. stowetoys.com.
TRANSPORTATION & TAXIS BLAZER TRANSPORTATION Stowe’s premier taxi service for 10 years. Now with stateof-the-art GPS, satellite dispatching. Offering the best price in airport transfers. Licensed and insured. Call anytime (802) 253-0013.
PEG’S PICK UP/STOWE TAXI For all your transportation needs. Airport, bus, train. (Burlington, Boston, Montréal, New York). Errands and deliveries. Daily courier runs to Burlington. Full taxi service. (802) 253-9490, (800) 370-9490, (800) 293-PEGS.
WEDDING FACILITIES STOWEFLAKE MOUNTAIN RESORT & SPA Leave the planning to us. The perfect wedding location in the heart of Stowe. Indoor and outdoor spaces for any wedding, reception, or rehearsal. Bridal services at Spa at Stoweflake from hair to makeup on your special day. (802) 760-1130, stoweflake.com.
TRAPP FAMILY LODGE From intimate ceremonies in our lodge to grand receptions under a tent with spectacular mountain views, we tailor to individual tastes and budgets. European-style cuisine, accommodations. (800) 826-7000, (802) 253-8511. trappfamily.com.
WINE & BEER CRAFT BEER CELLAR Extensive beer selection from all over. Eight rotating taps for Growlers, specializing in local breweries. Full-service home brew section. Weekly classes and tastings. Knowledgeable customer service. Waterbury. (802) 882-8034. craftbeercellar.com/waterbury.
FINE WINE CELLARS Fantastic wine selections from around the world. Great prices. From the rare to the exceptional value. Under $10-$100+ we’re nuts about wine. Please see our ad on page 2. (802) 253-2630. finewinecellars.us.
HARVEST MARKET Great wine selection from Cabernet to Viognier, California, Italy, Argentina, Australia, and more. Local Vermont beers. Weekly specials. Daily 7-7 (in season). (802) 253-3800. harvestatstowe.com.
STOWE BEVERAGE Full-service wine, beer, liquor, mixers, snacks. Stowe’s best wine selection. Best price in town on Vermont maple syrup. Cigars. Free local paper with wine purchases. 9-9 Monday through Saturday; Sunday 11-6. (802) 2534525.
WINERIES & SPIRITS BOYDEN VALLEY WINERY & SPIRITS TASTING ROOM Taste our award-winning wines, Vermont ice wines, hard ciders, and cream liqueurs. Opening 2015 at Cold Hollow Cider Mill in Stowe/Waterbury. 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Friday – Sunday. (802) 644-8151. boydenvalley.com or on Facebook.
BOYDEN VALLEY WINERY Taste our award-winning wines, Vermont ice wines, hard ciders, and cream liqueurs. Free tours 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. Open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. May-December, and Friday to Sunday January-April. Winery: Routes 15 & 104, Cambridge, Vt. (802) 644-8151. boydenvalley.com or Facebook.
FRESH TRACKS FARM VINEYARD & WINERY Award-winning wines from our 14 acres of cold-hardy grapevines. Please check out our website or call for tasting room, directions, and hours. 4373 VT Route 12, Berlin. (802) 223-1151 or freshtracksfarm.com.
SHELBURNE VINEYARD Taste our award-winning wines and enjoy touring our ecofriendly winery to learn about our adventure growing grapes and making wine in Vermont’s northern climate. Open everyday 11-5 (Nov.-April); 11-6 (May-Oct.). (802) 985-8222. shelburnevineyard.com.
SMUGGLERS’ NOTCH DISTILLERY This father/son team creates distinctive spirits in small batches: vodka, rated #1 domestic vodka (Wine Enthusiast), true-distilled blend 802 Gin and Hopped Gin, bourbon barrel-aged rum, bourbon whiskey. Open afternoons daily. 276 Main St., Jeffersonville. (802) 3093077. smugglersnotchdistillery.com.
STOWE WINE AND CHEESE 1,000 wines, imported and local artisanal cheeses and pates, craft beers, custom gift baskets, maple syrup, fresh baguettes, coffee, croissants, and much more. 253-8606. Find us on Facebook or stowewineandcheese.com.
YOGA & PILATES STOWE YOGA CENTER Gentle multi-level classes include guided meditation. Special series: prenatal, mom-baby, senior chair, couples, chakras. Drop-ins $15, private $60. Class cards and mats available. Online schedule. 515 Moscow Rd. (802) 253-8427, stoweyoga.com.
the answer is very simple . . . it works. Summer / Fall 2015 advertising deadline: Friday, March 6 220
Getting married in Vermont? Pick up your copy today.
DISPL AY ADVERTISING
ADULT NOVELTIES GOOD STUFF
COFFEE HOUSES 136
ANTIQUES M. LEWIS ANTIQUES
INTERIOR DESIGN & DECORATING
THE BAGEL BLACK CAP COFFEE HARVEST MARKET
164 166 156
AMBER HODGINS DESIGN GORDON’S WINDOW DECOR SELDOM SCENE INTERIORS INC. STOWE CRAFT DESIGN CENTER
DELICATESSEN ARCHITECTS ANDREW VOLANSKY BROWN & DAVIS DESIGN HARRY HUNT ARCHITECTS J. GRAHAM GOLDSMITH, ARCHITECTS LEE HUNTER ARCHITECT, AIA ROOTS DESIGN STUDIO TEKTONIKA STUDIO ARCHITECTS TRUEXCULLINS ARCHITECTURE & INTERIORS
183 197 206 189 206 194 193 195
DENTISTRY STOWE FAMILY DENTISTRY WATERBURY FAMILY DENTISTRY
EDUCATION & COLLEGE
BENSONWOOD CUSHMAN DESIGN GROUP INC.
COLORADO MOUNTAIN COLLEGE COMMUNITY SCHOOL OF SUN VALLEY JOHNSON STATE COLLEGE KIMBALL UNION ACADEMY
BRYAN MEMORIAL GALLERY GREEN MOUNTAIN FINE ART GALLERY INSIDE OUT GALLERY ROBERT PAUL GALLERIES WEST BRANCH GALLERY & SCULPTURE PARK
116 103 113 105 101
ART SUPPLIES THE STUDIO STORE
BAKERIES EDELWEISS HARVEST MARKET TRAPP FAMILY LODGE—DELIBAKERY
146 156 150
BREWERIES CROP BISTRO & BREWERY MAGIC HAT BREWERY & ARTIFACTORY TRAPP FAMILY LODGE
172 27 199 207 209 195 193 197 193
CATAMOUNT FISHING ADVENTURES
FITNESS EQUIPMENT EARL’S CYCLERY & FITNESS PERSONAL FITNESS INTERIORS
FLOORING FLOORING AMERICA PLANET HARDWOOD
ALLEN KITCHEN & BATHS BARRE TILE BOUCHARD PIERCE
200 194 201
KNITTING & YARN SHOPS KNITTING STUDIO
CYNTHIA KNAUF LANDSCAPE DESIGN WAGNER HODGSON LANDSCAPE ARCH WALPOLE WOODWORKERS
193 191 185
LAWYERS STEVENS LAW OFFICE LEIGHTON C. DETORA ATTORNEY
201 209 113 192 173
GIFT & SPECIALTY SHOPS INSIDE OUT GALLERY RED BARN SHOPS STOWE CRAFT GALLERY STOWE KITCHEN BATH & LINENS STOWE MERCANTILE TRAPP FAMILY LODGE SPORT & GIFTS
LUSH SALON & BOUTIQUE SALON SALON
STOWE FAMILY PRACTICE
113 47 12, 119 104 43 12, 150
MASSAGE & BODYWORK KATE GRAVES, CMT, BHS STOWE VILLAGE MASSAGE TRAPP FAMILY LODGE FITNESS CENTER
57 55 12, 150
NATURAL FOOD COMMODITIES NATURAL MARKET
NURSING HOME MANOR
BERLIN OPTICAL DR. ROBERT C. BAUMAN
PHOTOGRAPHY PAUL ROGERS PHOTOGRAPHY
GREEN MOUNTAIN ORTHOPAEDIC
VERMONT FRAME GAME
INNS & RESORTS BUTLER HOUSE, STOWE 138 COMMODORES INN 146 EDSON HILL MANOR 155 GREEN MOUNTAIN INN 39, 165 HOB KNOB INN & RESTAURANT 142 INN AT THE MOUNTAIN AND CONDOS 13 SMUGGLERS’ NOTCH, VERMONT 67 STOWEFLAKE MOUNTAIN RESORT INSIDE BACK SUNSET MOTOR INN 156 TOPNOTCH RESORT & SPA 35 TRAPP FAMILY LODGE 12, 150 VILLAGE GREEN AT STOWE INSIDE BACK COVER
HOME ENTERTAINMENT & SMART HOMES
STOWE COUNTRY HOMES
THE WOODEN NEEDLE 123 70
HEALTH CLUBS & SPAS SWIMMING HOLE
BARRE ELECTRIC & LIGHTING SUPPLY, INC. CONANT METAL & LIGHT
BISBEE’S HOME STORE HOOKER’S FURNITURE INSIDE OUT GALLERY VERMONT FURNITURE DESIGNS WENDELL’S FURNITURE & VERMONT BED STORE
127 137 125 45 120 107, 135 21 119 9 47, 117
KITCHENS & BATHS
STOWE HARDWARE & DRY GOODS
121 137 47 108 10, 11 121 116 109, 123 111
FERRO JEWELERS 2 GREEN ENVY BOUTIQUE 109, 123 131 GREEN MOUNTAIN COINS & ESTATE JEWELRY 113 INSIDE OUT GALLERY 41 PERRYWINKLE’S STOWE GEMS 3
CLOTHING & ACCESSORIES BOUTIQUE AT STOWE MERCANTILE CREATIVE CONSIGNMENTS DECISIONS DECISIONS ESSEX OUTLETS & CINEMA FIRST CHAIR ALPINE CO. FJÄLLRÄVEN FORGET ME NOT SHOP GREEN ENVY BOUTIQUE IN COMPANY JOHNSON HARDWARE RENTAL, FARM & GARDEN JOHNSON WOOLEN MILLS LENNY’S SHOE AND APPAREL NORTH FACE STORE AT KL SPORT PRET-A-PORTER SHAW’S GENERAL STORE SPORTIVE WELL HEELED WINTERFELL YELLOW TURTLE
FISHING & HUNTING
CAKES & CATERING BEN & JERRY’S
63 120 63 65
BUILDING MATERIALS LOEWEN WINDOW CENTER OF VT & NH PARKER & STEARNS
FURNITURE 151 158 12, 150
BUILDERS & CONTRACTORS BEACON HILL BUILDERS BENSONWOOD GEOBARNS GORDON DIXON CONSTRUCTION, INC. MANSFIELD CUSTOM HOMES SISLER BUILDERS INC. STEEL CONSTRUCTION, INC. TIM MEEHAN BUILDERS VERMONT SUN STRUCTURES
THE BAGEL EDELWEISS
189 207 5 12, 119
PIZZA BENCH PIECASSO PIZZERIA & LOUNGE
POTTERY GREEN MOUNTAIN GLAZE
PROPERTY MANAGEMENT STOWE COUNTRY HOMES STOWE HOME CARE MAINTENANCE INC. STOWE RESORT HOMES
207 210 17
LOCAL CHURCHES REAL ESTATE & RENTALS
205 COLDWELL BANKER CARLSON REAL ESTATE SPRUCE PEAK AT STOWE INSIDE FRONT COVER STOWE COUNTRY HOMES 207 201 STOWE RED BARN REALTY STOWE RESORT HOMES 17 THE VILLAS AT TRAPP FAMILY LODGE 12, 150 WILLIAM RAVEIS STOWE REALTY 7
STOWE MOUNTAIN RESORT SKI SHOPS
RESTAURANT & NIGHTCLUBS 164 THE BAGEL 145 BENCH THE BISTRO AT TEN ACRES 159 BLUE DONKEY 166 153 BLUE MOON CAFE CACTUS CAFÉ 161 CHARLIE B’S PUB & REST INSIDE BACK COVER CLIFF HOUSE RESTAURANT 143 151 CROP BISTRO & BREWERY DEPOT ST. MALT SHOP 165 DUTCH PANCAKE CAFE 163 FLANNEL AT TOPNOTCH RESORT 35 143 GREAT ROOM GRILL AT SPRUCE CAMP GREEN GODDESS CAFÉ 142 169 HARRISON’S RESTAURANT & BAR HEN OF THE WOOD 144 HOB KNOB RESTAURANT 142 MCCARTHY’S RESTAURANT / CATERING 165 MI CASA KITCHEN & BAR 138 MICHAEL’S ON THE HILL 157 O’GRADY’S GRILL AND BAR 161 PHOENIX TABLE & BAR 145 PIECASSO PIZZERIA & LOUNGE 141 PLATE 144 PUB AT GREY FOX INN 163 RIMROCK’S MOUNTAIN TAVERN 147 RUSTY NAIL 149 THE ROOST AT TOPNOTCH RESORT 35 SOLSTICE 15 STONEGRILL RESTAURANT & PUB 163 SUSHI YOSHI 139 SWISS FONDUE BY HEINZ 150 TRAPP FAMILY LODGE — LOUNGE & DINING ROOM 12, 150 TRATTORIA LA FESTA 157 VERMONT ALE HOUSE 163 WHIP BAR & GRILL 153
SNOWMOBILE TOURS GREEN MOUNTAIN SNOWMOBILES STOWE SNOWMOBILE TOURS
SPA THE SPA & WELLNESS CENTER AT STOWE MOUNTAIN LODGE TOPNOTCH SPA
SPECIAL ATTRACTIONS ARBORTREK CANOPY ADVENTURES, LLC COLD HOLLOW CIDER MILL LITTLE RIVER HOTGLASS STUDIO SPRUCE PEAK PERFORMING ARTS CENTER STOWE HISTORICAL SOCIETY & MUSEUM VERMONT TEDDY BEAR FACTORY TOURS
61 133 131 115 133 61
SHOE STORES SHAW’S GENERAL STORE WELL HEELED
107, 135 119
HARVEST MARKET LAKE CHAMPLAIN CHOCOLATES
TILE DOWN EAST TILE
TOURS & TOUR OPERATORS
AJ’S SKI & SPORTS SKIER’S EDGE STOWE TOYS RENTAL & DEMO CENTERS
SKI & SNOWBOARD SHOPS – RETAIL AJ’S SKI & SPORTS NORDIC BARN OUTDOOR GEAR EXCHANGE & GEARX.COM STOWE MOUNTAIN RESORT SKI SHOPS UMIAK OUTFITTERS
1 33 57 19 50
Cornerstone Four Square Church, Morrisville, 888-5683
Elmore United Methodist Church, First Congregational Church of Christ, Morrisville, 888-2225
Grace Bible Church, Stowe, 253-4731 Holy Cross Catholic Church, Morrisville, 888-3318
Hunger Mountain Christian Assembly, TOYS & GAMES ONCE UPON A TIME TOYS
MOUNTAIN ROAD SHUTTLE SNOWFLAKE TAXI VERMONT CHAUFFEURED TRANSPORTATION
71 135 136
TRAVEL AGENCIES MILNE TRAVEL
WEDDING FACILITIES STOWEFLAKE RESORT TRAPP FAMILY LODGE
INSIDE BACK COVER 12, 150
Morrisville Baptist Church, 888-5276 Mountain Chapel, Stowe, 644-8144 New Beginning Miracle Fellowship, Morrisville, 888-4730
164 2 156 169 47
158 55 22 22
St. John’s in the Mountains Episcopal,
St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Cambridge,
Second Congregational Church, Hyde Park, 888-3636; Jeffersonville, 644-5533
Seventh-Day Adventist, Morrisville, 888-7884
WINERIES & SPIRITS BOYDEN VALLEY WINERY AND SPIRITS FRESH TRACKS FARM VINEYARD & WINERY SHELBURNE VINEYARD SMUGGLERS’ NOTCH DISTILLERY
Jeffersonville, 644-5322; Morrisville, 888-5610
Jewish Community of Greater Stowe,
Puffer United Methodist Church,
WINE & BEER CRAFT BEER CELLAR FINE WINE CELLARS HARVEST MARKET STOWE BEVERAGE STOWE WINE & CHEESE
Waterbury Center, 244-5921
TRANSPORTATION & TAXIS
STOWE YOGA CENTER 1 69 19
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Johnson, 635-2009 Church of Jesus Christ, Johnson, 635-2009 Church of the Nazarene, Johnson,
St. John’s the Apostles Church, Johnson, 635-7817
YOGA & PILATES SKI & SNOWBOARD SHOPS – RENTALS & DEMOS
Cambridge United Church, Main St.,
RESTAURANTS & SPORTS BARS RIMROCK’S MOUNTAIN TAVERN SUNSET GRILLE & TAP ROOM
Advent Christian, Morrisville, 888-4633 Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church,
St. Teresa’s Parish Center, Morrisville, 888-2761
Stowe Community Church, 253-7257 Trinity Assembly of God, Hyde Park, 888-7326
Unitarian Universalist Fellowhip, Stowe, 595-0807
SKIING – CROSS COUNTRY STOWE MOUNTAIN RESORT CROSS COUNTRY CENTER TRAPP FAMILY LODGE OUTDOOR CENTER
13 12, 150
SKI RESORT BOLTON VALLEY SKI RESORT JAY PEAK RESORT MAD RIVER GLEN STOWE MOUNTAIN RESORT
United Church of Johnson, 635-7249 Waterbury Alliance Church, 244-6463 Waterbury Center Community Church, 244-6286
61 31 59 13, 53
Waterbury Center Standard Church, 244-6345
Wesley United Methodist Church, Waterbury, 244-6677 223
INDEX 200 1-800-GOT-JUNK 1 AJ’S SKI & SPORTS ALLEN’S KITCHEN & BATH 200 AMBER HODGINS DESIGN 189 ARBORTREK CANOPY ADVENTURES 61 ARISTELLE 49 BAGEL 164 208 BARRE ELECTRIC & LIGHTING SUPPLY 194 BARRE TILE 172 BEACON HILL BUILDERS 171 BEN & JERRY’S 145 BENCH RESTAURANT 27 BENSONWOOD BERLIN OPTICAL EXPRESSIONS 208 BISBEE’S HOME STORE 201 BISTRO AT TEN ACRES 159 BLACK CAP COFFEE 166 166 BLUE DONKEY 153 BLUE MOON CAFE BOLTON VALLEY SKI RESORT 61 201 BOUCHARD PIERCE BOURNE’S ENERGY 187 121 BOUTIQUE AT STOWE MERCANTILE BOYDEN VALLEY WINERY 158 197 BROWN + DAVIS DESIGN 116 BRYAN MEMORIAL GALLERY BUTLER HOUSE 138 CACTUS CAFÉ 161 CATAMOUNT FISHING ADVENTURES 70 CHARLIE B’S PUB & REST INSIDE BACK CLIFF HOUSE RESTAURANT 143 COLD HOLLOW CIDER MILL 133 COLDWELL BANKER CARLSON REAL ESTATE 205 COLORADO MOUNTAIN COLLEGE 63 COMMODITIES NATURAL MARKET 167 COMMODORES INN 146 COMMUNITY SCHOOL OF SUN VALLEY 120 CONANT METAL & LIGHT 192 CRAFT BEER CELLAR 164 CREATIVE CONSIGNMENTS 137 CROP BISTRO & BREWERY 151 CUSHMAN DESIGN GROUP 183 CYNTHIA KNAUF LANDSCAPE DESIGN 193 DECISIONS, DECISIONS 47 DEPOT STREET MALT SHOPPE 165 DR. ROBERT BAUMAN OPTOMETRY 39 DOWN EAST TILE 213 DUTCH PANCAKE CAFÉ 163 EARL’S CYCLERY & FITNESS 45 EDELWEISS MOUNTAIN DELI 146 EDEN DOG SLEDDING 50 EDSON HILL MANOR 155 ESSEX SHOPPES & CINEMA 108 FERRO ESTATE & CUSTOM JEWELERS 2 FINE WINE CELLARS 2 FIRST CHAIR ALPINE CO. 10, 11 FJÄLLRÄVEN 121 FLOORING AMERICA 205 FORGET-ME-NOT-SHOP 116 FRESH TRACKS FARM 55 GEO BARNS 199 GOOD STUFF 136 GORDON DIXON CONSTRUCTION 207 GORDON’S WINDOW DECOR 207 GREAT ROOM GRILL & SPRUCE CAMP 143 GREEN ENVY BOUTIQUE 109, 123
142 GREEN GODDESS CAFÉ 131 GREEN MOUNTAIN COIN & JEWELRY GREEN MOUNTAIN FINE ART GALLERY 103 GREEN MOUNTAIN GLAZE 125 GREEN MOUNTAIN INN 39, 165 GREEN MOUNTAIN ORTHOPAEDIC SURGERY 205 GREEN MOUNTAIN SNOWMOBILES 50 169 HARRISON’S RESTAURANT & BAR 206 HARRY HUNT ARCHITECTS 156 HARVEST MARKET 144 HEN OF THE WOOD RESTAURANT 142 HOB KNOB INN & RESTAURANT 209 HOOKER’S FURNITURE IN COMPANY CLOTHING 111 INSIDE OUT GALLERY 113 J. GRAHAM GOLDSMITH ARCHITECTS 189 JAY PEAK VERMONT 31 JOHNSON HARDWARE RENTAL, FARM & GARDEN 127 63 JOHNSON STATE COLLEGE JOHNSON WOOLEN MILLS 137 57 KATHERINE GRAVES CMT BHS KIMBALL UNION ACADEMY 65 104 KNITTING STUDIO LAKE CHAMPLAIN CHOCOLATES 127 206 LEE HUNTER ARCHITECT 50 LEIGHTON C. DETORA, ATTORNEY LENNY’S SHOE & APPAREL 125 LITTLE RIVER HOTGLASS STUDIO & GALLERY 131 LOEWEN WINDOW CENTER OF VT & NH 199 LUSH SALON & BOUTIQUE 123 M. LEWIS ANTIQUES 113 MAD RIVER GLEN SKI AREA 59 MAGIC HAT BREWERY & ARTIFACTORY 158 MANOR NURSING HOME 108 MANSFIELD CUSTOM HOMES 209 MCCARTHY’S RESTAURANT & CATERING 165 MI CASA KITCHEN & BAR 138 MICHAEL’S ON THE HILL 157 MILNE TRAVEL 208 MOUNTAIN ROAD SHUTTLE 71 NORDIC BARN 33 NORTH FACE STORE AT KL MOUNTAIN SHOP 45 O’GRADY’S GRILL & BAR 161 OUTDOOR GEAR EXCHANGE & GEARX.COM 57 PARKER & STEARNS 213 PAUL ROGERS PHOTOGRAPHY 126 PERRYWINKLE’S FINE JEWELRY 41 PERSONAL FITNESS INTERIORS 65 PHOENIX TABLE & BAR 145 PIECASSO PIZZERIA & LOUNGE 141 PLANET HARDWOOD 213 PLATE 144 PRET-A-PORTER 120 PUB AT GREY FOX INN 163 RED BARN SHOPS 47 RIMROCK’S MOUNTAIN TAVERN 147 ROBERT PAUL GALLERIES 105 ROOTS DESIGN STUDIO 194 RUSTY NAIL 149 SALON SALON 70 SELDOM SCENE INTERIORS 5 SHAW’S GENERAL STORE 107, 135 SHELBURNE VINEYARD 22 SISLER BUILDERS 195 SKIER’S EDGE 69 SMUGGLERS’ NOTCH DISTILLERY 22
67 SMUGGLERS’ NOTCH RESORT 135 SNOWFLAKE TAXI SOJOURN BICYCLING & ACTIVE VACATIONS 25 SOLSTICE 15 SPORTIVE 21 SPRUCE PEAK AT STOWE INSIDE FRONT SPRUCE PEAK PERFORMING ARTS CENTER 115 193 STEEL CONSTRUCTION 210 STEVENS LAW OFFICE 163 STONEGRILL RESTAURANT & PUB 169 STOWE BEVERAGE & LIQUOR STORE 207 STOWE COUNTRY HOMES 12, 119 STOWE CRAFT GALLERY & DESIGN CENTER STOWE FAMILY DENTISTRY 185 STOWE FAMILY PRACTICE 191 STOWE GEMS 3 STOWE HARDWARE & DRY GOODS 211 133 STOWE HISTORICAL SOCIETY 210 STOWE HOME CARE MAINTENANCE STOWE KITCHEN BATH & LINENS 104 43 STOWE MERCANTILE STOWE MOUNTAIN LODGE 15 13, 53 STOWE MOUNTAIN RESORT STOWE MOUNTAIN RESORT SKI SHOPS 19 201 STOWE RED BARN REALTY 17 STOWE RESORT HOMES STOWE SNOWMOBILE 139 STOWE VILLAGE MASSAGE 55 STOWE WINE & CHEESE 47 STOWE YOGA CENTER 57 STOWEFLAKE RESORT INSIDE BACK STUDIO STORE 126 SUNSET GRILLE & TAP ROOM 171 SUNSET MOTOR INN 156 SUSHI YOSHI CHINESE GOURMET 139 SWIMMING HOLE 29 SWISS FONDUE BY HEINZ 150 TEKTONIKA STUDIO ARCHITECTS 193 TIM MEEHAN BUILDERS 197 TOPNOTCH RESORT & SPA 35 TOY STORE/ONCE UPON A TIME 47 TRAPP FAMILY LODGE 12, 150 TRATTORIA LA FESTA 157 TRUEX CULLINS ARCHITECTURE 195 UMIAK OUTDOOR OUTFITTERS 50 VERMONT ALE HOUSE 163 VERMONT BED STORE 173 VERMONT CHAUFFEURED TRANSPORTATION 136 VERMONT ELECTRONICS 187 VERMONT FRAME GAME 127 VERMONT FURNITURE DESIGNS 192 VERMONT SUN STRUCTURES 193 VERMONT TEDDY BEAR FACTORY 61 VILLAGE GREEN AT STOWE BACK COVER VTRANS 23 WAGNER HODGSON LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT 191 WALPOLE WOODWORKERS 185 WATERBURY FAMILY DENTISTRY 208 WELL HEELED 119 WENDELL’S FURNITURE 173 WEST BRANCH GALLERY & SCULPTURE PARK 101 WHIP BAR & GRILL 153 WILLIAM RAVEIS STOWE REALTY 7 WINTERFELL 9 WOODEN NEEDLE 120 YELLOW TURTLE 47, 117
THE HEART of Stowe Spa & Wellness Center at Stoweflake
• Vermont’s most awardwinning spa • Over 150 treatments • Aqua Solarium with cascading waterfalls • Full service salon • Private men and women’s sanctuaries • Day access pass available
• 5 fitness studios with daily classes • Indoor and outdoor heated pools • Sauna, steam, jacuzzi • Nine-hole par three golf course • Tennis, squash & racquetball court
Charlie B’s Pub & Restaurant
• Festive, fun atmosphere • Steak & Seafood • Spa cuisine • Vermont farm fresh food • 50 wines by the glass, Vermont Craft Brews on tap.
• Serving breakfast, lunch and dinner • Kid-friendly menu • Fireside dining • Live music in season • Deck dining
Stowe’s upscale, four-season resort featuring luxurious accommodations and 1,2, and 3 bedroom townhouses with spectacular mountain or garden views. Select room amenities include wet bar, fireplaces and Jacuzzis.
800-253-2232 802-253-7355 www.stoweflake.com
THE VILLAGE GREEN AT STOWE A Condominium Resort For All Seasons Offering affordable rentals for 2 nights or more
Our Town Homes Provide
Amenities 2 pools (1 indoor) * whirlpool * sauna * 2 outdoor tennis courts * recreation center * video games * ping pong * pool table
*spacious 2 & 3 bedroom accommodations * fully equipped kitchens * fireplace * cable TV
Other Special Features Include * Majestic views from 40 acres of beautiful property * Direct access to Stowe’s award winning recreation path * Surrounded by the Stowe Country Club & golf course * Discounted rates for midweek, weekly or monthly stays
1003 CAPE COD ROAD, STOWE, VERMONT 05672 802-253-9705 • 800-451-3297 Visit our website at www.vgasstowe.com for more info and rates