Never a Dull Moment on The Slopes

When I was in high school and college, I worked as a caddie at Century Country Club in Purchase, N.Y.

It would take me about 15 minutes to get there from the Byram section of Greenwich and the cool thing about the ride was that I was in Connecticut on my away there and in New York on my way back.

The yellow line in the center of King Street is the state line.

So I am at Catamount last weekend and the light bulb goes off: “Ooooooh … I can ski in two states.”

So I hopped on the main quad, rode up to the summit, hung a left and hit the greens on that side of the mountain with my 6-year-old daughter.

We were in Massachusetts.

After lunch, it was time to hit New York, so we skated over to the yellow chair, rode that to the top and hit a blue trail called Sidewinder. Yes. We skied in New York.

It all made me start to think about where else this could be accomplished. My only conclusion was Heavenly on the California-Nevada, but then I started thinking about a few other unique things to do you can do on the slopes.

Here are some of my other favorites:

The single chair, Mad River Glen

In the age of high-speed six-packs, the single chair stands alone in the industry. It's not that fast, there is no one to talk to, but it's one of the best rides up a mountain you'll ever get because you know it will access the most challenging terrain in the East.

Oh, The Glen could have put in something a little more high-tech when the original single chair was starting to age, but the co-op that owns the mountain insisted a new single chair be custom designed for the mountain.

And was else could have been put in, really? The single chair fits The Glen's philosophy to a tee: you’re your mouth shut and ski.

Staying with the Princess, Bretton Woods

I was getting ready for an assignment at the Mount Washington Hotel in New Hampshire one season and I was supposed to be staying in the Dorothy Draper Room, an eclectically arranged room inspired by the designer that really does not fit the decor of the grand hotel.

A couple of days before the trip, the PR folks called:

"Uh, we messed up. You can't stay in the Draper Room because it was booked."

"Oh, just put me in the Princes Room."

"We did."

"What?"

The Princess room is named for Caroline Stickney, the wife of the original owner, Joseph Stickney. It is said Caroline still hangs around the hotel and visits guests in the middle of the night, day, whenever she feels like it. After all, it was her hotel. It was her room.

So I arrive in the room ahead of the bellman and explain to Caroline that my child does not sleep so it would be nice to haunt someone else that weekend.

I went to bed without incident.

The next morning, when I was returning from breakfast, two guys were in the hallway, arguing over how a light was turned on at about 2 a.m.

Whoa.

Two weeks later, Caroline made an appearance on one of those ghost-hunting shows.

One tip, if you ever stay there, ask the desk manager to show you THE PICTURE. One day, when the owners cleared the place for an all-inclusive staff photo, a shadowy woman in a Victorian gown appeared in the window in Room 314. The Princess Room.

Après ski, the Widowmaker bar, Sugarloaf

Nah, Let's skip that one.

Après ski, Owl's Head

Let's just say the Canadians liked my toque.

Catching the train, Okemo

At the top of Solitude at Okemo, you can hear a train whistle. Freight trains run through Ludlow, VT, twice a day and you can hear them when they approach Okemo.

As soon as I heard the high-pitched shrill I'd race over to Jackson Gore and try to ski over one of the bridges that head over the tracks. I have no idea why; I just wanted to catch the train.

And one of these days I will.

Riding public transportation, Telluride

So is there anything cooler than this?

You ski over to the gondola at the Colorado resort and head up. It stops at the summit but you do not get off. You stay on the gondola and it drops you off in town. Sling the skis over your shoulder and head to a nearby restaurant for lunch with your boots on.

Rolling on the river

Head into Quebec, and pick a trail at LeMassif. Just about any trail. About one-third of the way down the trail start paying attention. It looks like you’re headed right into the St. Lawrence River.

The view and the experience are just incredible.