Yesterday my friends and I took full advantage of our short “winter break” and drove up to Wachusett Mountain for a day of skiing. It was the first time we’d had the opportunity to all ski together and we had a blast. We’d been saying for years that we had to do it and I’m really glad we finally did.
I hadn’t been skiing at Wachusett since I was a kid and I had forgotten how family-friendly the mountain is. We had a few second/third time skiers and one brand new skier, plus a few of us veterans. Wachusett is a great mountain when you have a mix of people who are skiing at all different levels. The trails are short and easier than you’ll find on a mountain further north in New England, but they’re fun all the same.
We truly lucked out with the day we got. The conditions were beautiful (they’d been able to make snow the night before) and the mountain was all but empty. If you can get out to Wachusett on an off-day, you’ll benefit. We got eight runs in before noon and another ten in after a quick snack break in the lodge. There was never a line at the lift and we just went up and down, again and again.
My favorite part of the day was seeing the confidence my friends (the newbies!) gained on a much more manageable mountain. For a new skier, Wachusett is a dream! The trails are wide and incredibly manageable. We had such a fun day skiing together as a group, which is so much tougher at many other mountains.
As a kid, skiing was about getting on the slopes when the lifts open, stopping for a quick bagged lunch from home, and walking off the slopes when things closed down for the day. Now, I’m part of those groups of “adults” I used to see hanging out, laughing together, and enjoying some apres ski after many, many runs. Let me tell you- it feels good.
Even though it was just yesterday, I’m already itching to get back on the slopes. That’s the thing about skiing- you finally get the chance to go and then you can’t help but want more. Based on this winter, I’m not sure we’ll get much spring skiing opportunity, but you never know! My fingers are definitely crossed…