If you’re not skiing in Vermont, you’re missing out on something very special!

Vermont played a large part in the early days of snowboarding. Vermont was the first state to open a snowboarding park, where snowboarders were welcome to do their thing.

A visit to a local Vermont ski area no longer means simply groomed, bumps and glade trails. Snowboard parks have sprung up like mushrooms across the terrain. At one time, snowboarders were viewed as somewhat of an oddity or perhaps a fad that would soon become as extinct as the pet rock. This was not to be the case though as “knuckle draggers” soon multiplied in numbers, almost equivalent to the number of downhill skiers.

Vermont skiing is still popular and thriving (depending on the whims of Vermont winter weather gods).

Many of the local ski areas are lost to time and covered over by brush and weeds. Sadly, like many small, self-sufficient towns throughout Vermont, their glory days have passed into history. These days, mega-hotels and resort conglomerates rule the mountains at ski areas such as Sugarbush, Killington and others. The history of skiing in Vermont reminds us of simpler times when Vermont was much more independent than it is now.

As they say, all things must pass but winter sports are still alive and thriving throughout the Green Mountains. Many changes for the old (Vermont skiing) but plenty of room for the new (snowboarding).

For something a little different try night skiing at Stowe or Bolton Valley for a change of pace.