Lifts And Shuttles For Cross-Country Skiers
Getting Uphill Is Easier With A Lift Or A Ride. Then Gravity Takes Over.
[Editor Note: XCSkiResorts.com Publisher Roger Lohr provided this article from his publication on where you can get a lift or shuttle ride to cross-country ski.]
Great Glen Snowcoach shuttle drops skiers at the trail head.
Credit: XCSKiResorts.com
When it comes to cross country (XC) skiing, the theory of what goes up must come down may be going out of style. Nowadays, many people really enjoy the fun of just going downhill on XC skis, but they’d prefer avoiding the need to laboriously trudge uphill to earn that fun. Ski areas that provide lifts and shuttles can help older cross country skiers go further, stay outdoors longer, and save their energy.
Lifts
At Bretton Woods in New Hampshire’s White Mountains there is a $31 High Country lift ticket that gets you up near the summit to the Mountain Road by way of a chair lift, for a seven kilometer ski back down. The trail is easy enough and skiers can ski in the groomed tracks or on the flat skate lane.
New for 2013-14 season: 3-5km Nordic Terrain on Mt. Stickney
The Bretton Woods lift ticket provides one ride on the high speed detachable quad (which slows down upon egress) and unlimited use of a T-bar, just down the trail. The T-bar provides access to upper elevations of Mount Stickney and the Stickney Cabin, which has snacks, beverages and a place to hang out with indoor seating or outside by a stone fireplace. Skiing back to the Mountain Road offers some choices including a groomed trail or skiing through the glades (trees) with options for different levels of difficulty. The Mountain Road is one of the most fun trails to be had on XC skis in New England!
At 49 Degrees North Mountain Resort, WA, there is a lift-served XC ski trail that is accessed near the top of Chewelah Peak. It descends and winds around the mountain for 12 km. On a clear day one can see all the way to Montana.
Other XC ski trails that are accessed by chair lifts can be found at Giants Ridge ,MN, with a free lift ride when you purchase a trail pass. Boyne Mountain, MI, has the Cold Springs Downhill trail. Royal Gorge, CA, has two surface ski lifts for practicing downhill turns and also having accelerated fun.
Shuttles
At Garnet Hill Lodge, North River, NY, there’s a shuttle ride from the bottom of a long downhill back to the lodge that has been offered since the early eighties. It originated when the lodge owner picked up skiers in his car and was then upgraded to a van and now it’s a mini-bus. Shuttles are offered daily and three to five times a day on weekends and holidays.
The Great Glen Trails Outdoor Center, Gorham, NH, is adjacent to the Mt. Washington Auto Road and offers an uphill ride to achieve “treeline status” in the SnowCoach, a tracked van. The comfortable heated tour takes folks to the 4,000 foot elevation up Mount Washington where the views are breathtaking. Intermediate and advanced skiers can handle skiing down this road, a thrilling four mile decent back to the base lodge. There are various price options for the SnowCoach.
Craftsbury Outdoor Center, VT, has a free shuttle on the weekends that delivers skiers to the Highland Lodge for a 20 km return trek. There’s a net drop of about 300 meters on the groomed trail, which traverses hill top pastures, farmsteads, and quaint Vermont villages. A shorter five km shuttled ride brings skiers back to the lodge from Craftsbury Village at the general store and deli.
At Lone Mountain Ranch, Big Sky, MT, there’s the Upper Trail Shuttle that takes you a couple of miles away from the facility and leaves you with a mostly downhill ski back to the lodge for about 10 km.
Rustic Elegance with Fairy Tale Flair In Stowe
It’s More Than “Just Right” Just One Mile From Stowe Resort.
Tucked in the woods, this is a cozy cabin. No bears, too!
Credit: Homeaway
In Stowe, Vermont, a stone’s throw from world class downhill and cross country skiing sits quintessentially rustic Goldilock’s Cottage, welcoming overnight guests. When Jill Evarts purchased the cabin and four acres of land about twelve years ago, she didn’t need to do a lot of work on it. She had helped the previous owner, a friend and colleague, decorate it with fine fabrics and purchases from flea markets and antique shops all over the northeast. The cottage is clean and tidy with many amenities that appeal to eye and requirement for comfort.
I found the cottage warm and inviting far beyond the “just right” of the fairy tale. The kitchen is well equipped, and I was able to easily prepare a pasta primavera for dinner. It has the right pots and pans and cooking implements for cooking lots of delicious meals. There is even a small spice rack above the stove. The kitchen/dining area was immaculate and comfortable.
The kitchen has everything you need, bring our own porridge.
Credit: Booking.com
The living area of the open concept cottage was equally welcoming with a wood burning stove in the center. Plenty of seasoned firewood makes using the wood stove quick and easy. The cottage has one bathroom which is also decorated in the theme of the rest of the cottage and I found it clean and complete with all the towels you’ll need.
The Master bedroom, complete with a sitting area and sleep sofa, also have an interior decorator’s touch. . The cottage has a spacious deck off the bedroom and a deck accessible from the dining room complete with Adirondack chairs and a gas grill. Those details make the cottage appealing year round.
A large sleeping loft lies above the kitchen/dining area is decorated in lighter colors to take advantage of the skylights. Jill’s remarks from her cottage fact sheet demonstrate the features that makes Goldilock’s so attractive;
Bears can’t climb ladders to the loft.
Credit: Steve Hines
“For those staying in the loft: open the skylight before you go to bed, and be sure to let the fire burn down so. You won’t be hot. Some guests like to turn the heat down at night and use the space heater to supplement in the bedroom to keep the temperature in the loft cool”
Everything you may want or need seems to be taken care of. Jill agrees that this attention to detail makes her place perfect for active seniors who want a winter (or any other season) getaway. The area does come alive in winter however because of the outdoor sports, great restaurants and shopping.
The cottage is close to Stowe and the location makes it easy to get to the Alpine and Nordic skiing. The rest of the year the Mount Mansfield locale has great hiking, cycling, mountain biking. The many fine restaurants in and near Stowe make dining out a pleasure as well.
While I’m not a fan of grading accommodations, you might like to know I give Goldilocks’s cottage an A+. For more details about dates, rates, and availability, visit the cottage’s web site here. Ski season rates start at $250 per night (March) and $270 (Feb). Holidays are more. The cabin can accommodate up to five folks in one bedroom, a sleeping loft and a pull-out couch.
Here’s the Master Bedroom, ultimate cozy.
Credit: Steve Hines
SeniorsSkiing Guide: Schweitzer Mountain Resort
Northern Idaho’s “Little Secret” Steps Up Dining Amenities.
Much of the skiing at Schweitzer Mountain has great views of Lake Pend Oreille and the surrounding mountains.
Credit: John Nelson
Pat Rotchford, 76, sat in The Nest, the new top-of-the-mountain restaurant at Schweitzer Mountain Resort, looking very happy.
He was drinking red wine by the fireplace with his friend, Debbie Stanley, eating prime rib sliders and Vietnamese spring rolls—not your typical mountain fare.
Pat Rotchford and Debbie Stanley enjoy a glass of wine in The Nest inside the new Sky House lodge at Schweitzer.
Credit: John Nelson
“Everything we’ve had here has been excellent,” said Rotchford, who has been skiing for 70 years, many of those at Schweitzer.
Sufficiently refreshed, Rotchford and Stanley geared up and hit the slopes for more afternoon skiing at this exceptional mountain in North Idaho.
Schweitzer has always been a mountain with great terrain and few skiers (“It’s our little secret,” Stanley says). Now, with the just-opened Sky House lodge on Schweitzer’s summit, the resort has taken a step up to match the amenities of great resorts around the country.
The beautiful $3.8 million, 9,000-square-foot facility houses two restaurants with 360 degree views of the Selkirk and Cabinet Mountains and Lake Pend Oreille. Besides the upscale bar-restaurant Nest, the Red Hawk Cafe offers hearty, cafeteria-style mountain fare.
Executive chef Pete Tobin designed the menu at the Sky House lodge at Schweitzer Mountain.
Credit: John Nelson
The Nest has a creative menu of small plates, none more expensive than $13, designed by executive chef Pete Tobin.
“It gives people a chance to have a quick bite and then head back to the slopes,” Tobin said.
Snow, terrain and more
- Location: Schweitzer is about 15 miles from the resort town of Sandpoint on the shores of Lake Pend Oreille. Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, is about 45 minutes away, and Spokane, Wash., with its international airport, is about 90 minutes drive. For those traveling by train, Amtrak stops in Sandpoint.
- Snowfall: 300 inches fall annually, keeping the slopes covered from December to April most years.
- Terrain, lifts: With 2,900 acres of terrain on its front and back sides, Schweitzer is the biggest resort in North Idaho and the state of Washington next door. One high-speed six-pack and two high-speed quads do most of the people-moving, along with one triple and three double chairlifts. About 50 percent of the terrain is rated beginning or intermediate; 50 percent is advanced or expert. Outside the resort’s boundaries, advanced side-country skiing abounds.
- Vertical: 2,400 feet from a summit (6,400 feet) to the back-side base. The main village is at 4,700 feet.
Lot to lift access
- Parking: Schweitzer has two large parking lots on the mountain with unloading zones and also has a large parking lot on the valley floor served by a shuttle bus.
- Public transportation: Several companies offer service from Sandpoint to the resort.
- Accommodations: The Selkirk Lodge and White Pine Lodge are excellent choices at the village base; on-mountain condominiums also are available, as well as lodging in all price-ranges in nearby Sandpoint.
Culture
- The vibe: With its empty slopes on the weekdays, Schweitzer feels like a well-kept secret; friendly locals from Sandpoint, Coeur d’Alene and Spokane are happy to show you the ropes.
- Dining: Besides the Sky House restaurants, the resort offers a back-side lodge called The Outback Inn and a large base lodge restaurant. In the village, there are several restaurants, including Pucci’s Pub, the place to go for a post-shred beer.
- Mountain life: Beyond the lift-skiing, Schweitzer has cat skiing, snowmobiling, tubing and excellent Nordic trails.
Bottom line
- The new Sky House summit lodge, which will remain open this summer for weddings and special events, helps elevate Schweitzer to a top-tier resort.
- Affordable package deals, ample snowfall and empty midweek skiing make Schweitzer an enticing destination for a multiday vacation. Single day senior tickets are $69.30 online.
- Vast terrain gives skiers a lot to explore at one of the Northwest’s best resorts.
The upper-mountain Lakeview Triple delivers skiers to mostly advanced terrain.
Credit: John Nelson
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