Plattepalooza Weekend

We awoke to gray and rainy skies. Threw some bags and other items in the car and started north up the Thruway. The rain slowly let up and by the time we reached Kingston, it had stopped and the skies began to clear. After a quick break for some tasty fresh baked goods at Bread Alone, we stopped and unloaded a few things at the house and got to Plattepalooza at 1 and it was already sunny with the last bit of overcast skies burning away:

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After catching up with some good friends, we ate some lunch on the deck. Then it was time to hop on the triple for a quick ride to the top. Then a walk staight down The Face trail, under the lift was a great way to cap off the afternoon.

It was a nice, crisp, cool night and the next day dawned bright and clear. The view off the deck of the Bearpen Mountain ridgeline:

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My 8 year old summed up the day and weekend by saying that “It felt so good to be back at our 2nd home, Plattekill!!”

Day 2: Jiminy Peak: December 2, 2012

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Keepin’ it real, fun and lighthearted for the girls.

Jiminy Peak, despite being in the Berkshire Mountains, consistently offers a very long ski season, comparable to most of the large resorts in southern Vermont.  They blow a great deal of snow and maintain a consistent snow product across the hill.  For this reason, I tend to keep my eyes out for their “E-Coupon” deals that they run every so often throughout the season.  For us, Jiminy’s snow making prowess allows to get a day out skiing early in the season before Plattekill opens.  So, December 2, 2012 was just one of those E-Coupon Sundays.  If I recall correctly, just $25 for a lift ticket.

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Day 1: Local Woods: November 8, 2012 (Post Sandy Snow storm)

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About 6″ of heavy wet snow fell on the still leaf-laden trees of mid-autumn.  The trees were not happy, many completely snapped, others were leaning over at unnatural angles.  Sandy had just blown down some two dozen trees in the local woods that were blocking the network of trails.  Plus, there were even more blown down on some of our single track trails that my buddies and I have made over the years. (Mostly my buddies, but I have/do help as well). Continue reading