2016-17 THE RISE OF THE PARKS ARTISAN CHEESE Plus: Mountain Bike Revolution Food Fun for Kids Hats Off to Hats! “THE PITCHER INN MAY BE VERMONT’S BEST RESTAURANT” THE NEW YORK TIMES The freshest seafood, locally sourced meats, Vermont artisan cheeses, locally gathered wild mushrooms and native fruits are artfully combined with fresh and seasonal vegetables and herbs from nearby farms. Dinner is served in our romantic dining room—275 Main—or perhaps in Tracks, our firelit tavern with classic pub fare and craft beers. The Pitcher Inn is a culinary “true north” for localvore Vermonters celebrating special occasions as well as those visiting the Mad River Valley renowned for an abundant variety of year-round activities. A Relais & Châteaux property and a Condé Nast Top 100 Hotel. The Pitcher Inn Warren, Vermont 05674Warren, 802-496-6350 Vermont www.pitcherinn.com Pitcher_Sugarbush ad 6.14.indd 1 6/15/16 1:55 PM HJVB 28 Everyday Eden Planning the perfect ski day, whatever the conditions, from downhill to cross-country to backcountry BY PETER OLIVER Plus: A Day with the Big Dog 36 The Sugarbush Study Since 1971, Dr. Robert Johnson and his team have been conducting one of the largest studies on skiing and riding injuries in the world. BY CANDICE WHITE 42 Happy Trails The Mad River Riders and other stakeholders are spurring a mountain biking revolution in the Valley. BY KELLY AULT Plus: VMBA Festival at Mt. Ellen 48 The Rise of the PARKS How community and creativity came to define the terrain parks at Sugarbush Sugarbush passholder Alix Klein getting fresh tracks on Castlerock BY JOHN BLEH SUGARBUSH MAGAZINE Inside Lines JA PRESIDENT 4 One on one with Win Smith, owner and Winthrop Smith Jr. president of Sugarbush Resort Food EDITOR Candice White 6 THE CHEESE COURSE Artisan cheese making is helping the von Trapp MANAGING EDITOR Farm thrive for a third generation. Katie Bacon Plus: Stops along the Vermont Cheese Trail 10 PLAY WITH YOUR FOOD! PRODUCTION EDITOR Camps and classes in the Valley where kids 6 Amy Stackhouse can put on their chef’s hat HJVB Plus: Kid-friendly dining ART DIRECTOR Audrey Huffman Wintertime 12 HELPING HAND ADVERTISING MANAGER Roy Tuscany and his High Fives Foundation Jen Schonder have helped more than 100 athletes recover from major injury and return to the sports they love. CONTRIBUTORS Plus: The U.S. Paralympic Adaptive Ski Kelly Ault Race Camp comes to Sugarbush Cory Ayotte Training Ground John Bleh Kelly MacIntyre 16 TRIAL BY SNOW In a one-of-a kind program hosted at Sugarbush, Peter Oliver participants boost their leadership skills 10 STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS through physical and mental challenges. John Atkinson Plus: Corporate bonding Hans Jonathan von Briesen HJVB Summertime 20 CRACKING THE CODE CONTRIBUTING A lesson with Roger King, Sugarbush’s new golf pro PHOTOGRAPHERS Behind the Scenes Eugene Krylov Jason Morris 22 WaTER WORKS Michael Riddell The story behind Sugarbush’s water system Jeb Wallace-Brodeur Mountain Life 26 #SBDISCOVER SUGARBUSH RESORT 1840 Sugarbush Access Road Style Warren, VT 05674 34 TOP HATS 800.53.SUGAR Sugar-Kids sugarbush.com 52 MIND GAMES Discover Sugarbush with a crossword puzzle, ON THE COVER word search, riddles, and some jokes WINTER: Snowboarder Seph Niquette 12 in Riemergasse Park ja 56 Dining Directory Photographer: John Atkinson SON 60 SUMMER: Kelly Ault, third place age-group Lodging Directory M ORRIS winner in the USA Cycling National Timeline Championship cross-country division, 62 A quick history of Sugarbush riding the Revolution trail Photographer: John Atkinson Sugarbush Close-Up 64 Facts and figures about the mountain and the latest developments there 70 Events Calendar 2016–17 34 73 Closing Shot 2 SUGARBUSH MAGAZINE – NeWLY RENOVATED IN 2016 – 3 miles from Sugarbush Rustic Farmhouse Chic Style with riverfront access to the 12 Standard Rooms Mad River, hiking & biking trails. 5 Efficiencies 1 Three-Bedroom House We offer room blocks for 5 Condos 1/4 mile from Lodge weddings and special events. (802)496-3084 731 Route 100 Warren, VT 05674 [email protected] TheWarrenLodge.com h INSIDE LINES JA There is no question that last winter’s El Niño did not make for a great ski season in the Northeast. At Sugarbush, we had only 156 inches of snow at the summit and a mere 70 in the base area—far below our 250-inch norm. In fact, it was the second-lowest snowfall since Sugarbush opened in 1958. However, history shows that other meager snowfall years have been followed by average or above-average years. We certainly hope that history repeats itself. However, hope is never a method. The investment we made in upgrading our snowmaking system has paid dividends. Our new low-energy snowmaking guns Win picks a nice line through Slide Brook. and towers allow us to maximize the water that can be pumped up the mountain and converted into snow. This technology also allows us to use less electricity—a win against climate change. Last winter, we made significantly more snow but used 25 percent less electricity than two years prior. While we have the ability to make snow on 70 percent of our trails, not all are conducive to snowmaking. Natural snow is integral to the uniqueness of places like Castlerock. Fortunately, our location in Vermont is a great advantage: our northern location, higher elevation, and proximity to lake-effect snow from Lake Champlain usually allows for mountain snow even in tough winters like last year. This explains why we were one of the few ski resorts to be 100 percent open last season. Another advantage at Sugarbush is our strong sense of community, and we love to celebrate those from our area who have made a special difference to others. This issue of our magazine, for example, features an article about Roy Tuscany and his High Fives Foundation. After a catastrophic injury of his own, Roy dedicated himself to helping other injured athletes. We are proud and privileged to support Roy. We also talk with Dr. Robert Johnson and his colleagues Carl Ettlinger and Jake Shealy, who have been working at Sugarbush since the early 1970s, making invaluable contributions to skier and rider safety. Another community legend is John Egan, who grew up skiing here at Sugarbush. John loves to share that while he has skied all over the world, he calls Sugarbush home. John is available for private lessons, but do not be surprised if he just skis up to you and offers to show you some of his favorite spots. In addition to John, we have a terrific coaching team in our Ski & Ride School. My children, grandchildren, and I have all benefited from their instruction, and there are now three generations of Smiths enjoying the mountain. While I love the winter months, summer here at Sugarbush is wonderful too, though still somewhat undiscovered. I am very proud of the condition of our Robert Trent Jones Sr.–designed golf course. I’ve witnessed some spectacular weddings here, including mine and Lili’s five years ago. I can personally vouch for the beautiful venue, as well as the top-notch cuisine and service. Our craft brewers festival in June is not to be missed. Mountain biking grows each summer, and we look forward to again hosting the VMBA festival at Mount Ellen in July. If you have young children or grandchildren, give our day camps a try—they are tons of fun. We partner with one of the world’s top tennis programs, New England Tennis Holidays, which oversees our tennis offerings. And, of course, the Valley is filled with great places to dine, fabulous farms whose products are for sale at the farmers’ market and served in our kitchens, numerous swimming holes, and many other recreational opportunities. At Sugarbush, we like to say that Life is better here in the Mad River Valley. We try to better ourselves each year, and we invite you to do the same. The entire Sugarbush team is excited about the upcoming year—both winter and summer—and is committed to making your experience here unforgettable. Cheers, RYLOV K Win Smith UGENE E President, Sugarbush Resort Win and his son Win, competing in the Fat Ski-A-Thon at Mt. Ellen last year 4 SUGARBUSH MAGAZINE Stunning Mountain and Valley Views Two-, Three- and Four-Bedroom Condominiums Ski-In/Ski-Out Residences located in Lincoln Peak Village WHOLE OWNERSHIP Pricing from $725K to $1.3M SUGARBUSH RESORT REAL ESTATE | 800.806.1070 | SUGARBUSH RESORT, WARREN, VT | SUGARBUSHLIVING.COM FOOD The CHEESE Artisan cheese making is helpingCourse the von Trapp Farm thrive for a third generation. BY katie Bacon JA Sebastian von Trapp carrying a set of plastic molds where whey is draining from milk hen Sebastian von Trapp was growing up on his parents’ small dairy farm, bought by his grandparents in 1959, he never imagined he would want to build a life there too. But after four years at the University of Vermont and five years working W for a software company, von Trapp realized that he missed the farm and wanted to go back. The only problem was that the small milking operation of around fifty cows couldn’t support anyone other than his parents. They had already transitioned the farm from conventional to organic milk, which commands a higher price. But even so, with fluctuations in the milk market, they didn’t have control over the price of their product. What they needed was a new product, and one for which they themselves could decide how much to charge. Fast-forward about a decade: now, the works on the farm.