Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
Welcome to Passport Mommy. I'm your host, Michelle Jerson. This
show is for anyone raising little humans. We feature experts
with tips and advice to enrich the lives of our children.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
Mom and dad. Entrepreneurs tell us.
Speaker 1 (00:13):
Their inspiring stories, learn about products that could make both
you and your child's life easier and more fun, and
of course, fellow parents discuss and laugh about what's happening
in their child's world. Motherhood is a journey. Thanks for
joining me on mine. Welcome to Passport Mommy. I'm Michelle Jerson.
And you know, a few weeks ago at the end
(00:34):
of March, we caught the end of ski season, and
this was a big thing for me and my family
because my kids are five and eight and they've only
been skiing once before and that was to an indoor
ski place at American Dream, and so they had no
idea what.
Speaker 2 (00:50):
They were doing.
Speaker 1 (00:51):
And I basically just said, okay, go ahead and put
on your skis and enjoy go down the hill.
Speaker 2 (00:55):
And so they didn't really know what they were doing.
Speaker 1 (00:58):
I have tried unsuccessfully to ski in the past in
my older age, and then I said, you know what,
maybe this just isn't for me. But when the opportunity
came up to visit Okimo Mountain Resort, I said, you
know what.
Speaker 2 (01:10):
Let's do this.
Speaker 1 (01:11):
Let's take lessons and let's all get on the skis.
And it was such a fabulous experience, and I know
it set the tone for my kids who are looking
forward already to next season. And so I'm thrilled to
have on the show with me today. Bruce Schmid. He
is the vice president and general manager of Okemo. He
has been with Okimo for over forty years, and so
(01:32):
he's going to talk to us just about the mountain resort,
why it's so good to go there if you live
in the Northeast, or even if you don't live in
the Northeast, what type of activities are there, and then
we'll talk about how to stay safe and smart on
the slopes. Hi, Bruce, thank you so much for joining
me today.
Speaker 3 (01:50):
Well, good to talk to you, Michelle, and thank you
for having me.
Speaker 2 (01:55):
My pleasure.
Speaker 1 (01:56):
So let's talk about Okimo Mountain Resort. What makes it
unique compared to other ski resorts in the area.
Speaker 3 (02:02):
I think you know Okeemo, you know, started as a
ski area in nineteen fifty six, and we really you know,
have always been right from the beginning about family. They would,
you know, have season's past programs for families, you know,
when it first started going and really you know, became
(02:24):
a larger, more you know Northeast resort when it was
purchased by Tim and Diyan Muller in nineteen eighty two,
and they were a family of young, two young kids,
and really kept that the whole spirit with it. And
I think it's it's important to note our snowmaking and
(02:44):
grooming is top notch and second to none, so you
have reliable skiing, reliable conditions. We can cover ninety eight
percent of our terrain. We have one hundred and twenty
two lifts and twenty one hundred and twenty two trails
and twenty lifts, and the trails have a lot of
variety for those that are skiing and riding. So we
(03:08):
really think it's a real family experience. And we really
speak about the OCHEMO difference because we do feel we're different.
Speaker 1 (03:14):
Yeah, absolutely, And the fact that you do have the
matric carpets and then the ski lifts, the chair lifts,
it makes it really easy for you to transition from
learner to a little more advanced to then you could
just keep going up the levels because of all of
the different trails that you have and they're so easily accessible.
Speaker 3 (03:31):
Yes, they are, and we do try to we work
in what we call pods. So you will have a
pod in the Jackson Gore area that has some trails,
and then we have a pod in the main base
area called the South Ridge all the way over to
the south Face area. So we like to really focus
(03:52):
on having different types of terrain, of different ability levels
around those pods exactly.
Speaker 1 (03:58):
And so of skiing, I think what makes a great
family vacation is sometimes when there's other things to do
as well as the skiing. So what are some other
activities in and amenities that Okimo offers.
Speaker 3 (04:10):
Well, you know, we focus on the skiing, but we
do start our snow tubing and our mountain coaster right
before the Christmas holidays and it runs through they're open
throughout the rest of the season. Snow tubing is right
outside in the Jackson Gore Base area and has a
magic carpet that will take you and your tube up
(04:33):
to the top of the slope and come down. You
can hitch your tube together, you can ride single. We
also have a mountain coaster, which is a thrilling ride
that goes through the woods. You get pulled up in
your cart and then you control your own speed. And
then the spring House has an indoor pool, hot tub,
fitness center, and of course in the hotel we have
(04:54):
a game room arcade, which is extremely popular, and many
of our dining lopes cater to families, and we always
encouraged when you have dinner in the Colnbrook Tavern to
have the s'mores fire at your table dessert for everyone
to enjoy.
Speaker 1 (05:13):
Yeah, so let's back up and talk about a few
of the things that you just mentioned, because we'll start
with the pools and the steam rooms and the saunas
so nice. And we just happened to be there a
weekend that was probably an anomaly for the whole season,
but there was an ice storm one day and the
mountain was closed. Because you do value safety above everything else,
(05:34):
and I appreciate that, and so.
Speaker 2 (05:37):
We had the best time.
Speaker 1 (05:39):
Just I was almost glad, not that we weren't loving
our ski lessons, but we were there for a few
days and it was nice to have that four s
day off from skiing because we got to enjoy those amenities,
and the gym was terrific, and the indoor and the
outdoor pools what a treat, and the hot tubs and
I think that just goes hand in hand with any
(06:00):
really great skiing adventure and weekend, So I think you
definitely have to make time for those amenities.
Speaker 3 (06:06):
Yeah, and we try to spread out the hot tubs
so they're at different as the Jackson Gore area has
different buildings, there's different hot tubs that are associated, so
we try to make it so it's not as all
in one area. So we have the spring House, we
have the Jackson ware Pool, we have the hot tubs
that around Adams and Bixby, and of course if you're
(06:26):
in the spring House, you need to try the kids
pool with the frog slide and just a lot of
fun for every every age.
Speaker 2 (06:35):
Yes, definitely.
Speaker 1 (06:36):
And then when we were talking about the restaurant and
the s'mores, of course saw that on the menu and
had to get that. And you know, they were a
little bummed because we couldn't do smores outside because of
the storm, and so this was perfect.
Speaker 2 (06:50):
I couldn't get them up from the table.
Speaker 3 (06:52):
That's extremely popular. And they also have another dessert item
called milk and cookies with maple and fused milk that's
very tasty, and cookies that they that they bake. It's
just we really try to offer you know, a fine
wine list and also macaroni and cheese if that's needed
for families, because we know that everyone has different tastes
(07:15):
and we want everyone to feel.
Speaker 1 (07:17):
Welcome, right exactly. Well, you do a great job of it.
I mean everything was phenomenal. So for families who are
booking their first ski trip like we were, what tips
would you give just to make the experience easier more enjoyable.
Speaker 3 (07:32):
Well, I think it's it's really important to do your research,
and our website at chemo dot com is full of
so much valuable information. But you know, plan ahead, we do.
You know, we only have a certain number of instructors,
so when it's busy, we're popular. So I would tell
anyone to book your lesson early for not just for beginners,
(07:57):
I think anyone that wants to fine tune their skiing
ability and and really learn new techniques. You know, lessons
are great. Uh. I would make sure that you know,
everyone has layers you know as your uh you know,
extra layers, gloves, you know, it's better to be uh,
you know, warm and not wet. That's that's really important.
(08:21):
And then also uh book your rentals had you know,
many times people forget that part of it, and you know,
we try to encourage when we know, but we encourage
people to go online. You can make a lessons of
rental reservations for equipment. And we also have a new
program that started at Okemo this year. It spending our
(08:44):
company a couple of years called my Epic Gear where
you have a membership and you can then rent equipment
and it can be picked up at slope side. You
can get boots, skis, poles, helmet, uh and and it's
just you have a big selection of what you might
want for.
Speaker 4 (09:02):
You and your family.
Speaker 1 (09:04):
Yeah, it makes it easy. And I do love the
kids programs that you offer. I think the instructors that
we had were phenomenal for the kids and they really
knew how to teach kids specifically who may just be
starting or like you said, even fine tuning their skills
if they started when they were young already. And you
do offer individual lessons as well as group lessons.
Speaker 3 (09:26):
We do we have what's called private lessons, but private
lessons can be one individual. You can also do half
days and up to six people through our program, and
then of course you can do group lessons with different
levels of ability that someone might be. And we try
(09:47):
to put people if they're doing it they're relatively the same,
from the same family, put people together, but we don't
like to hold up different groups and if people are
different levels, So we really work hard at that. Our
team instructor team returns. We have a probably seventy percent
return rate from our instructors year after year. They've just
(10:09):
such a great group of individuals and very well trained
and know how to provide the experience of a lifetime,
whether you're a beginner or whether you've been skiing all
your life.
Speaker 2 (10:22):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (10:22):
Absolutely, and I want to talk more about that and
just everything that goes into being smart on the slopes.
Speaker 2 (10:27):
Coming up next in the next segment.
Speaker 1 (10:29):
But in the meantime, where can we get more information
on Ochemo Mountain Resort and where to book our stay well?
Speaker 3 (10:37):
Okemo dot com is your best is your best place
for information. There is different pages on the website that
walk you through being a first timer or being someone
who has been around and needs just more information there's
also phone numbers for call center for a little bit
more information. But Okeemo dot com so where you should
(11:01):
go and we will make your stay the best it
can possibly be.
Speaker 2 (11:06):
Terrific. We're speaking with Bruce Schmidt.
Speaker 1 (11:08):
He is the vice president and general manager of Okimo.
More coming up in a few on Passport Mommy. You're
listening to Passport Mommy. I'm Michelle Jerson and we're talking
with Bruce Schmid. He is the vice president and general
manager of Okeimo Mountain Resort.
Speaker 2 (11:24):
We had the best time a few weeks ago with
the family.
Speaker 1 (11:27):
We happened to be first time skiers. My husband a
little more, he's had a little more experience than the
rest of us, but we all found our way there
and we were all able to get what we needed
to meet us at the level we were at. And
you had me, who was the one who was frightened out.
Speaker 2 (11:43):
Of her mind to put skis back.
Speaker 1 (11:45):
On after I had fallen once before years ago. And
then you had my kids who were just super excited
and they advanced very quickly. And then my husband who
was fine tuning some of the skills that he has
already known but may not have been on the slopes
for a while, so firs.
Speaker 2 (12:00):
There so many different ways that.
Speaker 1 (12:02):
We can learn when we're at Okemo, and we were
talking about before the different types of lessons that we
can take.
Speaker 2 (12:08):
How do you keep it fun and engaging.
Speaker 3 (12:11):
It's all about the connection, and our team of instructors
are trained with a lot of information of making the
experience fun with the person. So first they get started
with kind of doing the basics, you know, getting familiar
with the gear, learning how to stop and turn. Then
(12:32):
you progress to more gentle slopes. They really work hard
to create a relaxed and supportive environment and go at
your own at your own speed. Now sometimes doing it
as a family, there may be some that you go
off a little bit, you know a little bit more,
and we may split up sometimes, you know, groups to
help make that process. But it's really don't want to
(12:53):
be rushed. We want it to be a fun, enjoyable experience.
And almost you're doing it, you don't even realize you're
life right exactly.
Speaker 1 (13:01):
And the second day I said, you know what, kids,
you go off because they were if they were some
passing where I was, and I didn't want to hold
them up. And I had a great instructor that I
worked with this. You know, both days they were phenomenal,
but it was just wonderful to be able to do
that and to know that we were with the instructor
that was best for us. And So how would you
say ski less ski lessons differ for children compared to adults.
Speaker 3 (13:25):
I think that adults are going to be a little
more timid. You obviously had the experience where you fell,
so you know that's something we have to get over.
We have to make sure you're not put into a
situation that's going to turn you off from the sport
or make it feel like you're not safe. So with
the kids, it's starting out getting them comfortable. They have
(13:49):
a little more little uh, you know, they're a little
more fearless. So we will kind of get a feeld,
do a quick run lap so to speak with them
and going to get there idea where they are, and
then they'll move them on and as you mentioned, sometimes
the kids will progress a little bit quicker. You know.
With the adults, it's getting the confidence and feeling comfortable
(14:12):
with your instructor as you're talking with them and visualizing
what you're going to do. And we really work hard
to introduce new skills as you're going to try different ways.
You know, start with some simple techniques, then we build
up to more complex you know procedures and processes as
(14:34):
you're turning. But it's all about gaining confidence.
Speaker 1 (14:37):
Yeah, absolutely, And I will say I did not fall
at all this time around, and it really did make
a difference. Yeah, it makes a difference with the instructors.
So what are some other safety tips that you have
for those on the slopes. Obviously, you know it is
downhill skiing, like we were discussing before, and so how
can we keep ourselves as safe as we can.
Speaker 3 (15:00):
We work really hard with you know, trying to make
the experience the best it can be. It is downhill,
you know, on a mountain. Our ski patrol operation and
team is out there slowing people downs as we need to.
Where we have these family areas and slow skiing areas
that are on our trail map, which would be on
(15:20):
okmo dot com and also on our maps around the resort.
We emphasize slower skiing in these areas and they are
more for beginners and those that are learning in the sport.
We also spend you know, time trying to encourage people
to stop where you can be seen stop on the
(15:41):
side of the trail. We have slow skiing zoned signs.
We encourage people to stop behind those so you're not out,
you know, in an area where it might be more
traffic moving at a skiers moving at at a higher
rate of speed. But we encourage people to understand and
the responsibility code.
Speaker 4 (16:02):
Know, you know what.
Speaker 3 (16:03):
Those what those rules are so to speak of. You
know that the downhill skier has the right of way
that you need to speak ski in control and at
your ability level. But we really try to try to
make it fun and we deal with situations that we
have to, but you know, thankfully we just end up
(16:24):
trying to educate people, you know, on it. And we
really think that we have a resort that enhances the
ability for you know, families to come out and really
enjoy themselves.
Speaker 1 (16:37):
Yes, I agree, And again it makes it so easy
because you can literally have breakfast in your room, put
your gear on, come downstairs, and you're ready to go.
And and like you said, you know, there are so
many trails right outside the resort or many very close by.
Speaker 3 (16:54):
Sure, and and you know, I can't say enough about
our lift operations team liftings variance as far as loading
and feeling comfortable getting on the lift, because that can
be a barrier to people of like, do I feel
comfortable in doing this? We have a lot more detachable lifts,
so they're slower as you load, but that can be
(17:14):
something and our team works really hard to make sure
everyone's comfortable as they do that.
Speaker 1 (17:19):
Yeah, well, absolutely, thank you so much for making our
experience so wonderful. We look forward to seeing you again
next season. Where can we go for more information on
Okeemo Mountain Resort.
Speaker 3 (17:30):
Okemo dot com is your best. It's the best place
to get more information, and we really hope you and
your family will come back and, you know, spend a
weekend or longer with us next year.
Speaker 1 (17:40):
Would love to Bruce Smith, the vice president and general
manager of Okemo, thank you so much for joining me
today on Passport Mommy. You're listening to Passport Mommy. I'm
Michelle Jerson and we were just talking with Bruce from
Okemo and we were talking about all of the really
fun things to do at that mountain and the resort
and there's just so much for families and.
Speaker 2 (18:02):
Now I'm thrilled to have on Brian Rovard.
Speaker 1 (18:05):
He is the director of communications at Ski Vermont, and
I was so happy to talk with him throughout the
process as we were getting ready for our trip because
he gave me so much good advice, and so I
thought I would have him on today just to talk
about some tips. If you're planning your trip to Vermont,
maybe you have not been there before and this is
your first time going skiing there. Maybe you've been there
a bunch and you're just looking for some new ideas.
Speaker 2 (18:26):
Brian, thank you so much for joining me.
Speaker 4 (18:29):
Yeah, it's wonderful to be here. Thank you, Michell.
Speaker 2 (18:31):
My pleasure.
Speaker 1 (18:32):
So if a family is interested in going skiing in Vermont,
where would you tell them to get started.
Speaker 4 (18:38):
I think a really great place to start is actually
on our website that's ski Vermont dot com. And one
of the tools that we do have that I think
is a great one is a Mountain Finder, where if
you go on our page and you're looking to start
planning a trip or not sure where you want to
go because there's a lot of considerations, you know, location,
(18:59):
what amenities there are, you can actually pull that up
and see a full map view of the state of Vermont,
and then there's a number of attributes on the side,
and you can kind of click what you're looking for.
If you're looking for kid lessons or you like hot
tubs like we all do, or tubing is another one,
(19:20):
and you can click through and it will slowly filter
out and show you which mountains have what you're looking
for and where they are in the state. And I
think that's important too, especially if you're just beginning your
ski journey or are looking for a new mountain. I'm
a visual person, so I think it really helps to
see where in the state those areas are, because a
(19:42):
lot of times if you just hear the town or
you hear the ski area, it's difficult to really know
where that is a relation to your house. I think
that's just kind of choosing a mountain that's a really
good place to start. And then there are obviously other
ones that other resources in the page about what you'd
wear and and map, but you can always get to
that later. But I think that's that's a really great
(20:02):
place is kind of figure out what mountains interest you
in fit your needs as a family.
Speaker 1 (20:08):
Right exactly, and you might have where not everybody skis.
Maybe Mom likes the hot tubs in the spot while
dad takes the kids out skiing or vice versa. And
so you really want to pick a place that might
be conducive to the family. And I know for us
we struck a nice balance between the two taking our
ski lessons and then going and relaxing in the outdoor pools,
(20:29):
the heated pools and the hot tubs.
Speaker 4 (20:32):
Yeah, that's that's a really wonderful thing. And I'm really
glad to hear that because that's actually something that really
has expanded I think, I don't want to say since
the pandemic, since the dark times of having those multi
generational trips, but also areas catering more to the non
or casual skier that you know, not everyone wants to
(20:54):
go and ski from first chair to last chair. That's
not I don't. I used to, but older my knees
are a little tired and not that into it for
that long. But it really has become a destination for
families both year round, but for multi activity where you
do have some that might want to go JP you
(21:16):
might want to go check out the water park for
a little while, take a break from skiing. For folks
that want to spend some time in a spa. Some
that want to do tubing. There's a couple areas like
Smugglers not to do glow tubing at night, which is
really cool. Yeah, but a bunch of other things where
everyone can kind of do something and you can either
decide as a family to go do different activities, or
sometimes you're older, kids are older, you can split off
(21:39):
and well, I'm going to go with dad to go,
you know, go tubing, and you know mom and someone
else is going to keep skiing. R So the multi
activity thing is really huge, and that's something that I
think is really made it a lot easier than it
had been in previous years or previous back in the day,
I guess you'd say where it was you ski or
(22:00):
you sit in the lodge, and that's very much not
the case anymore.
Speaker 1 (22:03):
Yeah, And that's why I think people need to think
of Vermont as such a great family getaway.
Speaker 2 (22:08):
And if you're local, even better.
Speaker 1 (22:10):
But if you're not, or like where we are in
New York, you just drive a few hours and you
do have a vacation in a weekend, or if you
could spend longer.
Speaker 2 (22:19):
There is so much to do.
Speaker 4 (22:21):
Yeah, there is a lot to do in Vermont, and
that's we make the not really joke, but it's really
a fact that so much of the Vermont ski experience
is getting to and through Vermont because you're going to
stop at areas, breweries, restaurants, shops along the way, and
(22:41):
Vermonts are friendly people. They love talking with you, they
love knowing where you're coming from, and that's going to
be so much of that trip is talking to folks
along the way because they're going to give you advice
on where to go or what you should check out.
And there are so many activities. You know, we have
obviously our covered bridges there. If you're in sugar season,
you could be involved in the checking out sugar houses,
(23:05):
tons of artisans, lots of farms and areas that are
making food. We've got Cabit cheese factory. There's so much
that you can do where even if there wasn't enough
at the skier that you're looking to do, you can
always go off and it's not far to find something
that's really interesting, whether you're into history or hiking or
(23:26):
snowshoeing or anything. So it's a really great state for that. Yeah,
it's we also people come up to visit.
Speaker 1 (23:33):
Yeah, absolutely, And you mentioned all seasons, So when we're
not skiing, when do you recommend coming up and what
should we highlight?
Speaker 4 (23:41):
Come up? Every time, anytime and always No. I think
we're really good at multi season fun. But I think
folks usually really focus on well, let's say spring is
a bit more time to maybe hang out into some
of the cultural things, and that's really fun. Once you
get into summer, you're definitely looking at hiking or some swimming.
(24:04):
A lot of the areas have really moved in heavily
to mountain biking, and the mountain biking infrastructure in Vermont
has really really taken off in the last couple of years,
where a number of both on resort and public trails
and public lands that you can access. We have a
bunch of gravel riding that's a huge, huge here. And
(24:28):
then there's other events where if it's a great place
to get married, a lot of the ski areas move
over and they cater weddings, which is a beautiful opportunity
to get married on top of a mountain. Golfing is
also huge, so if you're a golfer, Vermont has a
lot of great golf areas, especially on resort, and then
obviously when you go into the fall, you've got scenic
(24:48):
lypt rides. We'll be doing all the fall festivals. There's
always something on. A lot of the areas will do
brew fests that sort of thing, and the scenic lypt
rides in the foliage really is obviously kind of what
we're known for in the fall season, and that's huge,
and almost every area will be open and welcoming people
with fall celebrations. So there really is an activity for
(25:10):
every season that you can come up and find.
Speaker 2 (25:12):
Yeah, oh so fun. I love it. And I'm sitting
I'm like, oh, maybe we should move to Vermont.
Speaker 4 (25:18):
We hear that a lot. You'd love you too, Come
on up. It's a wonderful way to live.
Speaker 1 (25:24):
So what are some of the lesser known areas would
you say worth knowing about if we're coming to ski
or otherwise.
Speaker 4 (25:30):
You know, that's a really good question. And I think
that's one of the things that is so fun about Vermont.
And I always say you can find your area here
because they are so varied and so different in size
and culture, and it's really enjoyable to explore them. The
big areas are wonderful They are a lot of fun.
(25:53):
They've got great programming, and there are a number of
really of slightly smaller ones or lesser known ones, or
kind of medium sized mountains that are a blast. You've
got down south middle I'm sorry, at Milbury. Down south
you have Bromley and Magic. Their Magic is independently owned.
Bromley is a southern facing mountain, so where the rest
(26:16):
of the state might be having a cold snap, they've
got some nice sun which can make it really enjoyable
for folks who want to pop up to Vermont for
a little bit of a warmer ski experience. Both great communities.
I remember going to Magic the first time and walking
into the lodge and just being hit with oh I
get it, I understand now. Just the vibe and the
(26:39):
people there very friendly. You immediately feel like you're at home. Similarly,
that's the vibe that you get at Middlebury. Middlebury's obviously
up in Middlebury fantastic skiing for a smaller area. Again,
you've got to drive a little bit to get out there,
but the backside has some incredible ski and they've got
a wonderful front side they do. They have started doing
(27:02):
a bit of night skiing which is really fun. So
you'll see some of the little folks out there or
books like me out getting a couple of nighttime turns in.
So Middlebury's wonderful Sascadina six over by Woodstock is also fantastic,
but huge history there really really long running ski area
right next to Woodstock in again another really fun one.
(27:25):
The thing that I really love about those smaller areas
and you have great cultures at all of them, but
they tend to have really great local buy ins, so
you really do feel like you're becoming part of a
community during your time there. They're always so welcoming and
just the culture around them and the sense of community
(27:48):
really is something to experience. So if you are looking
for something smaller that might be while you're learning or
something off the big path. The medium and smaller sized
air is the community hills are really really worth checking out.
Speaker 2 (28:03):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (28:03):
Absolutely, And you just brought back memories when you were
mentioning all those places.
Speaker 2 (28:07):
We stayed at Seesaw's Lodge.
Speaker 1 (28:10):
I think it was one springtime, so we weren't there
for ski season, but I remember thinking, oh.
Speaker 2 (28:14):
We need to come back.
Speaker 1 (28:16):
And in the Bromley area and then they have in Bromley,
that outdoor adventure park, I think when it's not ski season.
So I love how they always just transform the areas
no matter.
Speaker 4 (28:28):
Yeah, it is really it is really fun and they
have so much different programming. I know, we have a
number of mountain coasters. I think you're down at o Keemo,
that's what they actually even woodsuck in Saskana six they
have a fly fishing program where they actually are partnered
with ORBS and you can go out fly fishing in
(28:49):
an area that you know traditionally is a ski area.
Speaker 1 (28:51):
Right.
Speaker 4 (28:52):
So there are so many different things and I think
that's what makes it really fun and everyone kind of
finds their niche depending on where they are in the state,
what the local culture is, and it is you never
get to you never have to stop exploring, I guess
is the point you can always find something to do
and something to look at.
Speaker 2 (29:09):
Yeah. Absolutely.
Speaker 1 (29:11):
And so what deals or promotions can beginners or families
take advantage of?
Speaker 4 (29:16):
Another great question. There's a number. I think if you're
starting out and you decide there's a certain mountain that
fits for you, I always recommend signing up for their
newsletters because they will have promos. Most areas will have
a beginner option where it's a package of rentals and
lessons and lift tickets. So pretty much anywhere that you
(29:40):
would go is going to have something there. I think
a couple of the ones that come to mind. At
sugar Bush has a really interesting one where it's their
first Timers program where once you complete your series of
lessons and have your Mid Mountain Upper Mountain tickets. Once
those are all completed, you've gone through their program, you
(30:01):
get a season passed for the rest of the season. So, wow,
you've learned, and then you get to spend the rest
of the season practicing, practicing the skills you picked up
from lessons. So there's a lot of those out there.
I wouldn't want to list all of them. There are
so many. Yeah, well, so have that great lesson and
that's that's what I recommend is definitely signing up for
(30:22):
a package and doing it consistently. We found that once
you do something two to three times usually it's nice.
If you can take a weekend and do like three
lessons in a weekend, that's when things, at least for me,
tend to click. So those packages are a really great
way to get started.
Speaker 2 (30:40):
Exactly.
Speaker 1 (30:41):
Yeah, I think, you know, I came into it with
my memory of you know, falling backwards without a lesson
last time, and so it took me the first day
to just you know, get acclimated and say, okay, okay,
I'm not going to be terrified. And then the second
day it was working on the skills. So I think
that is very important to do the consistency. And we
(31:03):
happen to go at the end of the season, But
how great would it be next season now that we
know the kids love it and we'll start up at
the beginning of the season and then be able to
go multiple times. And I love how where we were
there was an Epic Pass where I think, you know,
with the rentals, it makes it easier and so there's
just so many ways to make going skiing in Vermont
so easy.
Speaker 4 (31:23):
Yeah, yeah, it's true. And we obviously we have three
Epic Pass mountains. We also have oh wow, am I blinking,
I'm sorry, the Indie Pass, a number of others Icon Pass,
I'm sorry.
Speaker 2 (31:39):
Oh yeah, so.
Speaker 4 (31:40):
Yeah, a number of passes. One of the things I
should point out, which is great. On our website, we
have a deals page and we actually have listed all
of the either standing deals or little promotions that are
there for all the skiers. So we have college.
Speaker 5 (31:54):
Deals, kids deals, senior deals, military deals, so it's a
confrehensive list of all the areas and what promotions they
might have for any of those folks.
Speaker 4 (32:05):
So if you do have smaller kids, sometimes they're ski
for free. Sometimes there's a lesson deal. So that's a
really great place if you're just looking for a reason
to check out a mountain, there might be one of
our deals, and that's a great place to go. Checks
our deals page because we will have those and almost
every area has a promotion to make it a little
more affordable for beginner skiers.
Speaker 2 (32:25):
Right, well, yeah, that sounds terrific. We are speaking with
Brian Rivard.
Speaker 1 (32:29):
He is the director of Communications at Ski Vermont and
coming up next, Brian, I want to talk with you
about the fifth grade Passport program. I'm Michelle Jerson. More
coming up in a few you're listening to Passport Mommy.
I'm Michelle Jerson and we're speaking with Brian Rivard.
Speaker 2 (32:44):
He is the director of communications at.
Speaker 1 (32:46):
Ski Vermont, and we were just talking about just how
wonderful Vermont is as a destination for skiers, for beginners,
for those more experienced, for families who would like to
get their kids started.
Speaker 2 (32:57):
And I know, Brian, you are a dad. I would
love to hear about your kid's first experience on the slopes.
Speaker 1 (33:04):
But I first wanted to ask you about the fifth
Grade Passport Program because that's something special.
Speaker 3 (33:10):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (33:11):
Yeah, The fifth Grade Passport Program is a long run
program through Skive Vermont's. You can find it on our website.
But basically it's for thirty five dollars, you get a
passport for any fifth grader that's the fifth grade year,
and that is any fifth grader anywhere, And I think
that's an important distinction. A lot of folks think this
is a Vermont based thing, and it's not. You can
(33:33):
be a fifth grader coming from England and you can
get this pass but for thirty five dollars just to
get us get on our platform. You then get access
to basically all the ski areas in Vermont and it
will give you three alpine tickets to every one of
our alpine areas and two two tickets to every one
(33:53):
of the cross country areas. So it's a great opportunity
for any fifth grader or families with the fifth grader
to explore other areas Vermont they might not because that
fifth grader is going to get to ski for free.
And I've known a lot of folks that have really
used this as an excuse to see other areas you
might not normally go to. And some of them are
(34:14):
really really interesting and they wouldn't normally be on your radar.
And this I think is a great way to go
see some new communities, check out the other ski hills,
and really really get a great comprehensive view of what's
skiing and for Mont's about.
Speaker 2 (34:27):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (34:28):
Absolutely, I wish, you know, when I was younger, I
wish my parents had introduced me to skiing because I
would have had a completely different college life and after
and you know, just really be able to go skiing.
And so I think it is so important and that's
why I want to get my kids involved, even though
I'm not an avid skier yet.
Speaker 2 (34:45):
I don't know if it's too late. I don't think so,
but we'll see.
Speaker 1 (34:48):
Oh not at all, not at all really, but yeah,
but I really want to encourage them to become skiers.
So I think that that is a great program. And
I know you have kids how old are your kids?
Speaker 4 (35:01):
They are three, six, and eight.
Speaker 2 (35:03):
Oh wow, so you have your hands fall I do,
I really do. Oh my goodness. So at what age
did they start skiing?
Speaker 4 (35:13):
So they were really lucky. It's funny you mentioned that
I didn't start skiing until my junior year in high
school because no one in my family skied. So and
it really did change the trajectory of my life. It
inflicts influenced where I went to college, for better, for worse,
kind of where I decided to live because I really
fell in love with it. So I think it's really
(35:34):
wonderful to get kids in at an earlier age. And
I know we were joking a little bit before about that,
but it's amazing how quickly they pick it up and
how fast I said, they start going getting really quickly.
So my kids started. I think my oldest son was
a little late because we had just kind of gotten
(35:55):
into Vermont when we moved back. I think she started
at four, and my son started at three, and my
daughter actually was two and a half. She just had
this last season, so yeah, they will get to say
she was pretty much born on skis, and so yeah,
we got them into programs pretty pretty early, and it's
(36:19):
worked out well and obviously has its challenges. And I
think that's one of the really great things about programs
and getting lessons is those instructors are battle tested, so
they have so many tricks and ways to make it
fun and have kids and enjoy themselves, where if you're
out there as a parent, it's so much more difficult
(36:40):
to do that, and they just don't want to listen
to you. But there's some magic that those instructors are
able to pull. And all of a sudden, you've got,
you know, five little three year olds that are all
trucking along and they're tiny little skis heading over to
the bunny hill, and it's amazing. It's a trick I
wish I could bring back home with me. It just
(37:01):
doesn't seem to translate.
Speaker 1 (37:02):
Yeah, yeah, no, absolutely, And I feel, no matter how
good of a skier, you are.
Speaker 2 (37:06):
The same with teaching anything.
Speaker 1 (37:08):
You know, they don't want to listen to us, but
they'll listen to instructors. And you're right, the instructors are magical.
I mean what I saw them do with both of
my kids, I was really amazed. So where again can
we go for more information on Vermont skiing in Vermont and.
Speaker 2 (37:24):
All the deals that you mentioned are available.
Speaker 4 (37:27):
That's a great place to go would be ski Vermont
dot com. We've got a number of resources there. Our
Mountain Finder again where you can decide what you're looking
for in a mountain and see if that'll help you
decide which one's right for you. Our deals page has
standing deals for kids and college students and seniors that'll
(37:47):
give you a comprehensive look at all the deals that
are happening around the state, and then a number of
how to get there or other advice you know how
to make us trip successful when you're coming up to Vermont.
Speaker 2 (37:57):
Thank you so much, Brian Rivard.
Speaker 1 (37:59):
Thank you for me making our trips so special and
I look forward to seeing you on the slopes next season.
Speaker 4 (38:04):
We look forward to having you back. Thank you very much.
Speaker 2 (38:06):
Thank you. I'm Michelle durs and the Passport Mommy. Thank
you so much for tuning in this week. Speak to
you next time.
Welcome to Passport Mommy. I'm your host, Michelle Jerson. This
show is for anyone raising little humans. We feature experts
with tips and advice to enrich the lives of our children.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
Mom and dad. Entrepreneurs tell us.
Speaker 1 (00:13):
Their inspiring stories, learn about products that could make both
you and your child's life easier and more fun, and
of course, fellow parents discuss and laugh about what's happening
in their child's world. Motherhood is a journey. Thanks for
joining me on mine. Welcome to Passport Mommy. I'm Michelle Jerson.
And you know, a few weeks ago at the end
(00:34):
of March, we caught the end of ski season, and
this was a big thing for me and my family
because my kids are five and eight and they've only
been skiing once before and that was to an indoor
ski place at American Dream, and so they had no
idea what.
Speaker 2 (00:50):
They were doing.
Speaker 1 (00:51):
And I basically just said, okay, go ahead and put
on your skis and enjoy go down the hill.
Speaker 2 (00:55):
And so they didn't really know what they were doing.
Speaker 1 (00:58):
I have tried unsuccessfully to ski in the past in
my older age, and then I said, you know what,
maybe this just isn't for me. But when the opportunity
came up to visit Okimo Mountain Resort, I said, you
know what.
Speaker 2 (01:10):
Let's do this.
Speaker 1 (01:11):
Let's take lessons and let's all get on the skis.
And it was such a fabulous experience, and I know
it set the tone for my kids who are looking
forward already to next season. And so I'm thrilled to
have on the show with me today. Bruce Schmid. He
is the vice president and general manager of Okemo. He
has been with Okimo for over forty years, and so
(01:32):
he's going to talk to us just about the mountain resort,
why it's so good to go there if you live
in the Northeast, or even if you don't live in
the Northeast, what type of activities are there, and then
we'll talk about how to stay safe and smart on
the slopes. Hi, Bruce, thank you so much for joining
me today.
Speaker 3 (01:50):
Well, good to talk to you, Michelle, and thank you
for having me.
Speaker 2 (01:55):
My pleasure.
Speaker 1 (01:56):
So let's talk about Okimo Mountain Resort. What makes it
unique compared to other ski resorts in the area.
Speaker 3 (02:02):
I think you know Okeemo, you know, started as a
ski area in nineteen fifty six, and we really you know,
have always been right from the beginning about family. They would,
you know, have season's past programs for families, you know,
when it first started going and really you know, became
(02:24):
a larger, more you know Northeast resort when it was
purchased by Tim and Diyan Muller in nineteen eighty two,
and they were a family of young, two young kids,
and really kept that the whole spirit with it. And
I think it's it's important to note our snowmaking and
(02:44):
grooming is top notch and second to none, so you
have reliable skiing, reliable conditions. We can cover ninety eight
percent of our terrain. We have one hundred and twenty
two lifts and twenty one hundred and twenty two trails
and twenty lifts, and the trails have a lot of
variety for those that are skiing and riding. So we
(03:08):
really think it's a real family experience. And we really
speak about the OCHEMO difference because we do feel we're different.
Speaker 1 (03:14):
Yeah, absolutely, And the fact that you do have the
matric carpets and then the ski lifts, the chair lifts,
it makes it really easy for you to transition from
learner to a little more advanced to then you could
just keep going up the levels because of all of
the different trails that you have and they're so easily accessible.
Speaker 3 (03:31):
Yes, they are, and we do try to we work
in what we call pods. So you will have a
pod in the Jackson Gore area that has some trails,
and then we have a pod in the main base
area called the South Ridge all the way over to
the south Face area. So we like to really focus
(03:52):
on having different types of terrain, of different ability levels
around those pods exactly.
Speaker 1 (03:58):
And so of skiing, I think what makes a great
family vacation is sometimes when there's other things to do
as well as the skiing. So what are some other
activities in and amenities that Okimo offers.
Speaker 3 (04:10):
Well, you know, we focus on the skiing, but we
do start our snow tubing and our mountain coaster right
before the Christmas holidays and it runs through they're open
throughout the rest of the season. Snow tubing is right
outside in the Jackson Gore Base area and has a
magic carpet that will take you and your tube up
(04:33):
to the top of the slope and come down. You
can hitch your tube together, you can ride single. We
also have a mountain coaster, which is a thrilling ride
that goes through the woods. You get pulled up in
your cart and then you control your own speed. And
then the spring House has an indoor pool, hot tub,
fitness center, and of course in the hotel we have
(04:54):
a game room arcade, which is extremely popular, and many
of our dining lopes cater to families, and we always
encouraged when you have dinner in the Colnbrook Tavern to
have the s'mores fire at your table dessert for everyone
to enjoy.
Speaker 1 (05:13):
Yeah, so let's back up and talk about a few
of the things that you just mentioned, because we'll start
with the pools and the steam rooms and the saunas
so nice. And we just happened to be there a
weekend that was probably an anomaly for the whole season,
but there was an ice storm one day and the
mountain was closed. Because you do value safety above everything else,
(05:34):
and I appreciate that, and so.
Speaker 2 (05:37):
We had the best time.
Speaker 1 (05:39):
Just I was almost glad, not that we weren't loving
our ski lessons, but we were there for a few
days and it was nice to have that four s
day off from skiing because we got to enjoy those amenities,
and the gym was terrific, and the indoor and the
outdoor pools what a treat, and the hot tubs and
I think that just goes hand in hand with any
(06:00):
really great skiing adventure and weekend, So I think you
definitely have to make time for those amenities.
Speaker 3 (06:06):
Yeah, and we try to spread out the hot tubs
so they're at different as the Jackson Gore area has
different buildings, there's different hot tubs that are associated, so
we try to make it so it's not as all
in one area. So we have the spring House, we
have the Jackson ware Pool, we have the hot tubs
that around Adams and Bixby, and of course if you're
(06:26):
in the spring House, you need to try the kids
pool with the frog slide and just a lot of
fun for every every age.
Speaker 2 (06:35):
Yes, definitely.
Speaker 1 (06:36):
And then when we were talking about the restaurant and
the s'mores, of course saw that on the menu and
had to get that. And you know, they were a
little bummed because we couldn't do smores outside because of
the storm, and so this was perfect.
Speaker 2 (06:50):
I couldn't get them up from the table.
Speaker 3 (06:52):
That's extremely popular. And they also have another dessert item
called milk and cookies with maple and fused milk that's
very tasty, and cookies that they that they bake. It's
just we really try to offer you know, a fine
wine list and also macaroni and cheese if that's needed
for families, because we know that everyone has different tastes
(07:15):
and we want everyone to feel.
Speaker 1 (07:17):
Welcome, right exactly. Well, you do a great job of it.
I mean everything was phenomenal. So for families who are
booking their first ski trip like we were, what tips
would you give just to make the experience easier more enjoyable.
Speaker 3 (07:32):
Well, I think it's it's really important to do your research,
and our website at chemo dot com is full of
so much valuable information. But you know, plan ahead, we do.
You know, we only have a certain number of instructors,
so when it's busy, we're popular. So I would tell
anyone to book your lesson early for not just for beginners,
(07:57):
I think anyone that wants to fine tune their skiing
ability and and really learn new techniques. You know, lessons
are great. Uh. I would make sure that you know,
everyone has layers you know as your uh you know,
extra layers, gloves, you know, it's better to be uh,
you know, warm and not wet. That's that's really important.
(08:21):
And then also uh book your rentals had you know,
many times people forget that part of it, and you know,
we try to encourage when we know, but we encourage
people to go online. You can make a lessons of
rental reservations for equipment. And we also have a new
program that started at Okemo this year. It spending our
(08:44):
company a couple of years called my Epic Gear where
you have a membership and you can then rent equipment
and it can be picked up at slope side. You
can get boots, skis, poles, helmet, uh and and it's
just you have a big selection of what you might
want for.
Speaker 4 (09:02):
You and your family.
Speaker 1 (09:04):
Yeah, it makes it easy. And I do love the
kids programs that you offer. I think the instructors that
we had were phenomenal for the kids and they really
knew how to teach kids specifically who may just be
starting or like you said, even fine tuning their skills
if they started when they were young already. And you
do offer individual lessons as well as group lessons.
Speaker 3 (09:26):
We do we have what's called private lessons, but private
lessons can be one individual. You can also do half
days and up to six people through our program, and
then of course you can do group lessons with different
levels of ability that someone might be. And we try
(09:47):
to put people if they're doing it they're relatively the same,
from the same family, put people together, but we don't
like to hold up different groups and if people are
different levels, So we really work hard at that. Our
team instructor team returns. We have a probably seventy percent
return rate from our instructors year after year. They've just
(10:09):
such a great group of individuals and very well trained
and know how to provide the experience of a lifetime,
whether you're a beginner or whether you've been skiing all
your life.
Speaker 2 (10:22):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (10:22):
Absolutely, and I want to talk more about that and
just everything that goes into being smart on the slopes.
Speaker 2 (10:27):
Coming up next in the next segment.
Speaker 1 (10:29):
But in the meantime, where can we get more information
on Ochemo Mountain Resort and where to book our stay well?
Speaker 3 (10:37):
Okemo dot com is your best is your best place
for information. There is different pages on the website that
walk you through being a first timer or being someone
who has been around and needs just more information there's
also phone numbers for call center for a little bit
more information. But Okeemo dot com so where you should
(11:01):
go and we will make your stay the best it
can possibly be.
Speaker 2 (11:06):
Terrific. We're speaking with Bruce Schmidt.
Speaker 1 (11:08):
He is the vice president and general manager of Okimo.
More coming up in a few on Passport Mommy. You're
listening to Passport Mommy. I'm Michelle Jerson and we're talking
with Bruce Schmid. He is the vice president and general
manager of Okeimo Mountain Resort.
Speaker 2 (11:24):
We had the best time a few weeks ago with
the family.
Speaker 1 (11:27):
We happened to be first time skiers. My husband a
little more, he's had a little more experience than the
rest of us, but we all found our way there
and we were all able to get what we needed
to meet us at the level we were at. And
you had me, who was the one who was frightened out.
Speaker 2 (11:43):
Of her mind to put skis back.
Speaker 1 (11:45):
On after I had fallen once before years ago. And
then you had my kids who were just super excited
and they advanced very quickly. And then my husband who
was fine tuning some of the skills that he has
already known but may not have been on the slopes
for a while, so firs.
Speaker 2 (12:00):
There so many different ways that.
Speaker 1 (12:02):
We can learn when we're at Okemo, and we were
talking about before the different types of lessons that we
can take.
Speaker 2 (12:08):
How do you keep it fun and engaging.
Speaker 3 (12:11):
It's all about the connection, and our team of instructors
are trained with a lot of information of making the
experience fun with the person. So first they get started
with kind of doing the basics, you know, getting familiar
with the gear, learning how to stop and turn. Then
(12:32):
you progress to more gentle slopes. They really work hard
to create a relaxed and supportive environment and go at
your own at your own speed. Now sometimes doing it
as a family, there may be some that you go
off a little bit, you know a little bit more,
and we may split up sometimes, you know, groups to
help make that process. But it's really don't want to
(12:53):
be rushed. We want it to be a fun, enjoyable experience.
And almost you're doing it, you don't even realize you're
life right exactly.
Speaker 1 (13:01):
And the second day I said, you know what, kids,
you go off because they were if they were some
passing where I was, and I didn't want to hold
them up. And I had a great instructor that I
worked with this. You know, both days they were phenomenal,
but it was just wonderful to be able to do
that and to know that we were with the instructor
that was best for us. And So how would you
say ski less ski lessons differ for children compared to adults.
Speaker 3 (13:25):
I think that adults are going to be a little
more timid. You obviously had the experience where you fell,
so you know that's something we have to get over.
We have to make sure you're not put into a
situation that's going to turn you off from the sport
or make it feel like you're not safe. So with
the kids, it's starting out getting them comfortable. They have
(13:49):
a little more little uh, you know, they're a little
more fearless. So we will kind of get a feeld,
do a quick run lap so to speak with them
and going to get there idea where they are, and
then they'll move them on and as you mentioned, sometimes
the kids will progress a little bit quicker. You know.
With the adults, it's getting the confidence and feeling comfortable
(14:12):
with your instructor as you're talking with them and visualizing
what you're going to do. And we really work hard
to introduce new skills as you're going to try different ways.
You know, start with some simple techniques, then we build
up to more complex you know procedures and processes as
(14:34):
you're turning. But it's all about gaining confidence.
Speaker 1 (14:37):
Yeah, absolutely, And I will say I did not fall
at all this time around, and it really did make
a difference. Yeah, it makes a difference with the instructors.
So what are some other safety tips that you have
for those on the slopes. Obviously, you know it is
downhill skiing, like we were discussing before, and so how
can we keep ourselves as safe as we can.
Speaker 3 (15:00):
We work really hard with you know, trying to make
the experience the best it can be. It is downhill,
you know, on a mountain. Our ski patrol operation and
team is out there slowing people downs as we need to.
Where we have these family areas and slow skiing areas
that are on our trail map, which would be on
(15:20):
okmo dot com and also on our maps around the resort.
We emphasize slower skiing in these areas and they are
more for beginners and those that are learning in the sport.
We also spend you know, time trying to encourage people
to stop where you can be seen stop on the
(15:41):
side of the trail. We have slow skiing zoned signs.
We encourage people to stop behind those so you're not out,
you know, in an area where it might be more
traffic moving at a skiers moving at at a higher
rate of speed. But we encourage people to understand and
the responsibility code.
Speaker 4 (16:02):
Know, you know what.
Speaker 3 (16:03):
Those what those rules are so to speak of. You
know that the downhill skier has the right of way
that you need to speak ski in control and at
your ability level. But we really try to try to
make it fun and we deal with situations that we
have to, but you know, thankfully we just end up
(16:24):
trying to educate people, you know, on it. And we
really think that we have a resort that enhances the
ability for you know, families to come out and really
enjoy themselves.
Speaker 1 (16:37):
Yes, I agree, And again it makes it so easy
because you can literally have breakfast in your room, put
your gear on, come downstairs, and you're ready to go.
And and like you said, you know, there are so
many trails right outside the resort or many very close by.
Speaker 3 (16:54):
Sure, and and you know, I can't say enough about
our lift operations team liftings variance as far as loading
and feeling comfortable getting on the lift, because that can
be a barrier to people of like, do I feel
comfortable in doing this? We have a lot more detachable lifts,
so they're slower as you load, but that can be
(17:14):
something and our team works really hard to make sure
everyone's comfortable as they do that.
Speaker 1 (17:19):
Yeah, well, absolutely, thank you so much for making our
experience so wonderful. We look forward to seeing you again
next season. Where can we go for more information on
Okeemo Mountain Resort.
Speaker 3 (17:30):
Okemo dot com is your best. It's the best place
to get more information, and we really hope you and
your family will come back and, you know, spend a
weekend or longer with us next year.
Speaker 1 (17:40):
Would love to Bruce Smith, the vice president and general
manager of Okemo, thank you so much for joining me
today on Passport Mommy. You're listening to Passport Mommy. I'm
Michelle Jerson and we were just talking with Bruce from
Okemo and we were talking about all of the really
fun things to do at that mountain and the resort
and there's just so much for families and.
Speaker 2 (18:02):
Now I'm thrilled to have on Brian Rovard.
Speaker 1 (18:05):
He is the director of communications at Ski Vermont, and
I was so happy to talk with him throughout the
process as we were getting ready for our trip because
he gave me so much good advice, and so I
thought I would have him on today just to talk
about some tips. If you're planning your trip to Vermont,
maybe you have not been there before and this is
your first time going skiing there. Maybe you've been there
a bunch and you're just looking for some new ideas.
Speaker 2 (18:26):
Brian, thank you so much for joining me.
Speaker 4 (18:29):
Yeah, it's wonderful to be here. Thank you, Michell.
Speaker 2 (18:31):
My pleasure.
Speaker 1 (18:32):
So if a family is interested in going skiing in Vermont,
where would you tell them to get started.
Speaker 4 (18:38):
I think a really great place to start is actually
on our website that's ski Vermont dot com. And one
of the tools that we do have that I think
is a great one is a Mountain Finder, where if
you go on our page and you're looking to start
planning a trip or not sure where you want to
go because there's a lot of considerations, you know, location,
(18:59):
what amenities there are, you can actually pull that up
and see a full map view of the state of Vermont,
and then there's a number of attributes on the side,
and you can kind of click what you're looking for.
If you're looking for kid lessons or you like hot
tubs like we all do, or tubing is another one,
(19:20):
and you can click through and it will slowly filter
out and show you which mountains have what you're looking
for and where they are in the state. And I
think that's important too, especially if you're just beginning your
ski journey or are looking for a new mountain. I'm
a visual person, so I think it really helps to
see where in the state those areas are, because a
(19:42):
lot of times if you just hear the town or
you hear the ski area, it's difficult to really know
where that is a relation to your house. I think
that's just kind of choosing a mountain that's a really
good place to start. And then there are obviously other
ones that other resources in the page about what you'd
wear and and map, but you can always get to
that later. But I think that's that's a really great
(20:02):
place is kind of figure out what mountains interest you
in fit your needs as a family.
Speaker 1 (20:08):
Right exactly, and you might have where not everybody skis.
Maybe Mom likes the hot tubs in the spot while
dad takes the kids out skiing or vice versa. And
so you really want to pick a place that might
be conducive to the family. And I know for us
we struck a nice balance between the two taking our
ski lessons and then going and relaxing in the outdoor pools,
(20:29):
the heated pools and the hot tubs.
Speaker 4 (20:32):
Yeah, that's that's a really wonderful thing. And I'm really
glad to hear that because that's actually something that really
has expanded I think, I don't want to say since
the pandemic, since the dark times of having those multi
generational trips, but also areas catering more to the non
or casual skier that you know, not everyone wants to
(20:54):
go and ski from first chair to last chair. That's
not I don't. I used to, but older my knees
are a little tired and not that into it for
that long. But it really has become a destination for
families both year round, but for multi activity where you
do have some that might want to go JP you
(21:16):
might want to go check out the water park for
a little while, take a break from skiing. For folks
that want to spend some time in a spa. Some
that want to do tubing. There's a couple areas like
Smugglers not to do glow tubing at night, which is
really cool. Yeah, but a bunch of other things where
everyone can kind of do something and you can either
decide as a family to go do different activities, or
sometimes you're older, kids are older, you can split off
(21:39):
and well, I'm going to go with dad to go,
you know, go tubing, and you know mom and someone
else is going to keep skiing. R So the multi
activity thing is really huge, and that's something that I
think is really made it a lot easier than it
had been in previous years or previous back in the day,
I guess you'd say where it was you ski or
(22:00):
you sit in the lodge, and that's very much not
the case anymore.
Speaker 1 (22:03):
Yeah, And that's why I think people need to think
of Vermont as such a great family getaway.
Speaker 2 (22:08):
And if you're local, even better.
Speaker 1 (22:10):
But if you're not, or like where we are in
New York, you just drive a few hours and you
do have a vacation in a weekend, or if you
could spend longer.
Speaker 2 (22:19):
There is so much to do.
Speaker 4 (22:21):
Yeah, there is a lot to do in Vermont, and
that's we make the not really joke, but it's really
a fact that so much of the Vermont ski experience
is getting to and through Vermont because you're going to
stop at areas, breweries, restaurants, shops along the way, and
(22:41):
Vermonts are friendly people. They love talking with you, they
love knowing where you're coming from, and that's going to
be so much of that trip is talking to folks
along the way because they're going to give you advice
on where to go or what you should check out.
And there are so many activities. You know, we have
obviously our covered bridges there. If you're in sugar season,
you could be involved in the checking out sugar houses,
(23:05):
tons of artisans, lots of farms and areas that are
making food. We've got Cabit cheese factory. There's so much
that you can do where even if there wasn't enough
at the skier that you're looking to do, you can
always go off and it's not far to find something
that's really interesting, whether you're into history or hiking or
(23:26):
snowshoeing or anything. So it's a really great state for that. Yeah,
it's we also people come up to visit.
Speaker 1 (23:33):
Yeah, absolutely, And you mentioned all seasons, So when we're
not skiing, when do you recommend coming up and what
should we highlight?
Speaker 4 (23:41):
Come up? Every time, anytime and always No. I think
we're really good at multi season fun. But I think
folks usually really focus on well, let's say spring is
a bit more time to maybe hang out into some
of the cultural things, and that's really fun. Once you
get into summer, you're definitely looking at hiking or some swimming.
(24:04):
A lot of the areas have really moved in heavily
to mountain biking, and the mountain biking infrastructure in Vermont
has really really taken off in the last couple of years,
where a number of both on resort and public trails
and public lands that you can access. We have a
bunch of gravel riding that's a huge, huge here. And
(24:28):
then there's other events where if it's a great place
to get married, a lot of the ski areas move
over and they cater weddings, which is a beautiful opportunity
to get married on top of a mountain. Golfing is
also huge, so if you're a golfer, Vermont has a
lot of great golf areas, especially on resort, and then
obviously when you go into the fall, you've got scenic
(24:48):
lypt rides. We'll be doing all the fall festivals. There's
always something on. A lot of the areas will do
brew fests that sort of thing, and the scenic lypt
rides in the foliage really is obviously kind of what
we're known for in the fall season, and that's huge,
and almost every area will be open and welcoming people
with fall celebrations. So there really is an activity for
(25:10):
every season that you can come up and find.
Speaker 2 (25:12):
Yeah, oh so fun. I love it. And I'm sitting
I'm like, oh, maybe we should move to Vermont.
Speaker 4 (25:18):
We hear that a lot. You'd love you too, Come
on up. It's a wonderful way to live.
Speaker 1 (25:24):
So what are some of the lesser known areas would
you say worth knowing about if we're coming to ski
or otherwise.
Speaker 4 (25:30):
You know, that's a really good question. And I think
that's one of the things that is so fun about Vermont.
And I always say you can find your area here
because they are so varied and so different in size
and culture, and it's really enjoyable to explore them. The
big areas are wonderful They are a lot of fun.
(25:53):
They've got great programming, and there are a number of
really of slightly smaller ones or lesser known ones, or
kind of medium sized mountains that are a blast. You've
got down south middle I'm sorry, at Milbury. Down south
you have Bromley and Magic. Their Magic is independently owned.
Bromley is a southern facing mountain, so where the rest
(26:16):
of the state might be having a cold snap, they've
got some nice sun which can make it really enjoyable
for folks who want to pop up to Vermont for
a little bit of a warmer ski experience. Both great communities.
I remember going to Magic the first time and walking
into the lodge and just being hit with oh I
get it, I understand now. Just the vibe and the
(26:39):
people there very friendly. You immediately feel like you're at home. Similarly,
that's the vibe that you get at Middlebury. Middlebury's obviously
up in Middlebury fantastic skiing for a smaller area. Again,
you've got to drive a little bit to get out there,
but the backside has some incredible ski and they've got
a wonderful front side they do. They have started doing
(27:02):
a bit of night skiing which is really fun. So
you'll see some of the little folks out there or
books like me out getting a couple of nighttime turns in.
So Middlebury's wonderful Sascadina six over by Woodstock is also fantastic,
but huge history there really really long running ski area
right next to Woodstock in again another really fun one.
(27:25):
The thing that I really love about those smaller areas
and you have great cultures at all of them, but
they tend to have really great local buy ins, so
you really do feel like you're becoming part of a
community during your time there. They're always so welcoming and
just the culture around them and the sense of community
(27:48):
really is something to experience. So if you are looking
for something smaller that might be while you're learning or
something off the big path. The medium and smaller sized
air is the community hills are really really worth checking out.
Speaker 2 (28:03):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (28:03):
Absolutely, And you just brought back memories when you were
mentioning all those places.
Speaker 2 (28:07):
We stayed at Seesaw's Lodge.
Speaker 1 (28:10):
I think it was one springtime, so we weren't there
for ski season, but I remember thinking, oh.
Speaker 2 (28:14):
We need to come back.
Speaker 1 (28:16):
And in the Bromley area and then they have in Bromley,
that outdoor adventure park, I think when it's not ski season.
So I love how they always just transform the areas
no matter.
Speaker 4 (28:28):
Yeah, it is really it is really fun and they
have so much different programming. I know, we have a
number of mountain coasters. I think you're down at o Keemo,
that's what they actually even woodsuck in Saskana six they
have a fly fishing program where they actually are partnered
with ORBS and you can go out fly fishing in
(28:49):
an area that you know traditionally is a ski area.
Speaker 1 (28:51):
Right.
Speaker 4 (28:52):
So there are so many different things and I think
that's what makes it really fun and everyone kind of
finds their niche depending on where they are in the state,
what the local culture is, and it is you never
get to you never have to stop exploring, I guess
is the point you can always find something to do
and something to look at.
Speaker 2 (29:09):
Yeah. Absolutely.
Speaker 1 (29:11):
And so what deals or promotions can beginners or families
take advantage of?
Speaker 4 (29:16):
Another great question. There's a number. I think if you're
starting out and you decide there's a certain mountain that
fits for you, I always recommend signing up for their
newsletters because they will have promos. Most areas will have
a beginner option where it's a package of rentals and
lessons and lift tickets. So pretty much anywhere that you
(29:40):
would go is going to have something there. I think
a couple of the ones that come to mind. At
sugar Bush has a really interesting one where it's their
first Timers program where once you complete your series of
lessons and have your Mid Mountain Upper Mountain tickets. Once
those are all completed, you've gone through their program, you
(30:01):
get a season passed for the rest of the season. So, wow,
you've learned, and then you get to spend the rest
of the season practicing, practicing the skills you picked up
from lessons. So there's a lot of those out there.
I wouldn't want to list all of them. There are
so many. Yeah, well, so have that great lesson and
that's that's what I recommend is definitely signing up for
(30:22):
a package and doing it consistently. We found that once
you do something two to three times usually it's nice.
If you can take a weekend and do like three
lessons in a weekend, that's when things, at least for me,
tend to click. So those packages are a really great
way to get started.
Speaker 2 (30:40):
Exactly.
Speaker 1 (30:41):
Yeah, I think, you know, I came into it with
my memory of you know, falling backwards without a lesson
last time, and so it took me the first day
to just you know, get acclimated and say, okay, okay,
I'm not going to be terrified. And then the second
day it was working on the skills. So I think
that is very important to do the consistency. And we
(31:03):
happen to go at the end of the season, But
how great would it be next season now that we
know the kids love it and we'll start up at
the beginning of the season and then be able to
go multiple times. And I love how where we were
there was an Epic Pass where I think, you know,
with the rentals, it makes it easier and so there's
just so many ways to make going skiing in Vermont
so easy.
Speaker 4 (31:23):
Yeah, yeah, it's true. And we obviously we have three
Epic Pass mountains. We also have oh wow, am I blinking,
I'm sorry, the Indie Pass, a number of others Icon Pass,
I'm sorry.
Speaker 2 (31:39):
Oh yeah, so.
Speaker 4 (31:40):
Yeah, a number of passes. One of the things I
should point out, which is great. On our website, we
have a deals page and we actually have listed all
of the either standing deals or little promotions that are
there for all the skiers. So we have college.
Speaker 5 (31:54):
Deals, kids deals, senior deals, military deals, so it's a
confrehensive list of all the areas and what promotions they
might have for any of those folks.
Speaker 4 (32:05):
So if you do have smaller kids, sometimes they're ski
for free. Sometimes there's a lesson deal. So that's a
really great place if you're just looking for a reason
to check out a mountain, there might be one of
our deals, and that's a great place to go. Checks
our deals page because we will have those and almost
every area has a promotion to make it a little
more affordable for beginner skiers.
Speaker 2 (32:25):
Right, well, yeah, that sounds terrific. We are speaking with
Brian Rivard.
Speaker 1 (32:29):
He is the director of Communications at Ski Vermont and
coming up next, Brian, I want to talk with you
about the fifth grade Passport program. I'm Michelle Jerson. More
coming up in a few you're listening to Passport Mommy.
I'm Michelle Jerson and we're speaking with Brian Rivard.
Speaker 2 (32:44):
He is the director of communications at.
Speaker 1 (32:46):
Ski Vermont, and we were just talking about just how
wonderful Vermont is as a destination for skiers, for beginners,
for those more experienced, for families who would like to
get their kids started.
Speaker 2 (32:57):
And I know, Brian, you are a dad. I would
love to hear about your kid's first experience on the slopes.
Speaker 1 (33:04):
But I first wanted to ask you about the fifth
Grade Passport Program because that's something special.
Speaker 3 (33:10):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (33:11):
Yeah, The fifth Grade Passport Program is a long run
program through Skive Vermont's. You can find it on our website.
But basically it's for thirty five dollars, you get a
passport for any fifth grader that's the fifth grade year,
and that is any fifth grader anywhere, And I think
that's an important distinction. A lot of folks think this
is a Vermont based thing, and it's not. You can
(33:33):
be a fifth grader coming from England and you can
get this pass but for thirty five dollars just to
get us get on our platform. You then get access
to basically all the ski areas in Vermont and it
will give you three alpine tickets to every one of
our alpine areas and two two tickets to every one
(33:53):
of the cross country areas. So it's a great opportunity
for any fifth grader or families with the fifth grader
to explore other areas Vermont they might not because that
fifth grader is going to get to ski for free.
And I've known a lot of folks that have really
used this as an excuse to see other areas you
might not normally go to. And some of them are
(34:14):
really really interesting and they wouldn't normally be on your radar.
And this I think is a great way to go
see some new communities, check out the other ski hills,
and really really get a great comprehensive view of what's
skiing and for Mont's about.
Speaker 2 (34:27):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (34:28):
Absolutely, I wish, you know, when I was younger, I
wish my parents had introduced me to skiing because I
would have had a completely different college life and after
and you know, just really be able to go skiing.
And so I think it is so important and that's
why I want to get my kids involved, even though
I'm not an avid skier yet.
Speaker 2 (34:45):
I don't know if it's too late. I don't think so,
but we'll see.
Speaker 1 (34:48):
Oh not at all, not at all really, but yeah,
but I really want to encourage them to become skiers.
So I think that that is a great program. And
I know you have kids how old are your kids?
Speaker 4 (35:01):
They are three, six, and eight.
Speaker 2 (35:03):
Oh wow, so you have your hands fall I do,
I really do. Oh my goodness. So at what age
did they start skiing?
Speaker 4 (35:13):
So they were really lucky. It's funny you mentioned that
I didn't start skiing until my junior year in high
school because no one in my family skied. So and
it really did change the trajectory of my life. It
inflicts influenced where I went to college, for better, for worse,
kind of where I decided to live because I really
fell in love with it. So I think it's really
(35:34):
wonderful to get kids in at an earlier age. And
I know we were joking a little bit before about that,
but it's amazing how quickly they pick it up and
how fast I said, they start going getting really quickly.
So my kids started. I think my oldest son was
a little late because we had just kind of gotten
(35:55):
into Vermont when we moved back. I think she started
at four, and my son started at three, and my
daughter actually was two and a half. She just had
this last season, so yeah, they will get to say
she was pretty much born on skis, and so yeah,
we got them into programs pretty pretty early, and it's
(36:19):
worked out well and obviously has its challenges. And I
think that's one of the really great things about programs
and getting lessons is those instructors are battle tested, so
they have so many tricks and ways to make it
fun and have kids and enjoy themselves, where if you're
out there as a parent, it's so much more difficult
(36:40):
to do that, and they just don't want to listen
to you. But there's some magic that those instructors are
able to pull. And all of a sudden, you've got,
you know, five little three year olds that are all
trucking along and they're tiny little skis heading over to
the bunny hill, and it's amazing. It's a trick I
wish I could bring back home with me. It just
(37:01):
doesn't seem to translate.
Speaker 1 (37:02):
Yeah, yeah, no, absolutely, And I feel, no matter how
good of a skier, you are.
Speaker 2 (37:06):
The same with teaching anything.
Speaker 1 (37:08):
You know, they don't want to listen to us, but
they'll listen to instructors. And you're right, the instructors are magical.
I mean what I saw them do with both of
my kids, I was really amazed. So where again can
we go for more information on Vermont skiing in Vermont and.
Speaker 2 (37:24):
All the deals that you mentioned are available.
Speaker 4 (37:27):
That's a great place to go would be ski Vermont
dot com. We've got a number of resources there. Our
Mountain Finder again where you can decide what you're looking
for in a mountain and see if that'll help you
decide which one's right for you. Our deals page has
standing deals for kids and college students and seniors that'll
(37:47):
give you a comprehensive look at all the deals that
are happening around the state, and then a number of
how to get there or other advice you know how
to make us trip successful when you're coming up to Vermont.
Speaker 2 (37:57):
Thank you so much, Brian Rivard.
Speaker 1 (37:59):
Thank you for me making our trips so special and
I look forward to seeing you on the slopes next season.
Speaker 4 (38:04):
We look forward to having you back. Thank you very much.
Speaker 2 (38:06):
Thank you. I'm Michelle durs and the Passport Mommy. Thank
you so much for tuning in this week. Speak to
you next time.
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
The Joe Rogan Experience
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.