Peggy Smith

The Smuggler’s Notch road has been closed for the season. This is one of the first signs that winter is just around the corner. Of course reaching this conclusion is not much of a leap when it’s already snowed enough for a few brave skiers and riders hit the hill. Along with that, temperatures have been cool enough for the Stowe Mountain Resort to have the snow guns going. You can see the mist raise off the top of the Mountain like fog.

The surest sign is my daughters constant praying for snow and praising of her new skis. Oh and how she’ll need a helmet this year, so she doesn’t knock herself out upon her return to downhill skis from teley after 18 years.

Yes, winter is knocking at the door in Stowe, Vermont. And if the early snow is any signal, we’re in for another good year of snow!

As I watched the snow fall yesterday it brought me back to the afternoon I spent on New Years day with my daughter and husband. We rolled out of bed and found the snow had picked up again from the day before. Seeing this we decided to forgo the couch and head to Trapp’s Family Lodge for a ski.They have miles of the best cross country trails and the best views in Vermont.

It had been so beautiful the day before, even my tired 30 year old Maggie, was convinced to come along. She moved back from California last year and I still love the idea of having her in Burlington; easily accessible for something as simple as a xc ski and latte.

It is days like yesterday and over the New Year that I am reminded why I moved to Vermont all those years ago and why she decided to move back East. With the snow clinging to the trees ,deep in the woods at Trapp’s ,it is hard to miss the beauty of this place.

We skied for a few hours and grabbed a bite at the Stowe Coffee House. A cup of soup, panini and latte satisfied our hunger. We drove up Taber Hill, content, happy and ready to do some couch time. So, yesterday as I watched the snow drift down to cover our nearly bare lawn, I smiled and remembered, life is pretty good in Stowe, Vermont.