In New England, we learn to embrace winter. And a big part of that embrace is skiing. Skiing is one of the best ways to get outside and to enjoy the snow.

But what a lot of non-skiers don’t realize is that a ski weekend is not all speeding down a  frozen mountain in -30 degree weather. There’s the ski fashion, apres and nature to enjoy as well as the actual sport. Lets look at each one of those.

Fashion

Ski fashion has changed a lot over the years. Gone are the puffy jackets of 80s Aspen and in are the sleek, performance-ready Patagonia shells. For real, Patagonia is the place to go for ski gear these days. It is chic, practical and the environmentally friendly (also, I have to mention the very consumer oriented policies regarding standing by their products). And feel free to go crazy, colors are back in.

Apres Ski

What is Apres Ski you ask? Well the short answer is, the huge party that erupts at 3 or 4 in the afternoon at every ski lodge in the world! “Apres Ski” is a french term that means “after ski”, which really translates to “post ski happy hour”. Think about it, you just spent all day out in the cold, what could sound better than a toasty toddy by the fire in the lodge? Also, feel free to go for seconds, I mean you certainly earned it!

Nature

One of my favorite parts of skiing is just the fact that it is an excuse for a weekend away in the winter. Think about it, while everyone is stuck in the city, too cold to do anything fun, you get to drive through beautiful winter scenery on your way to a weekend of fun!

Where to Go

My favorite place is Sugarbush, located in Vermont. The town of Warren, VT is a beautiful, quaint, typically New England place to drive through and Sugarbush has everything you could ask for, great ski trails, excellent cuisine (my favorite restaurant is Timbers) and very helpful staff. Also, if you are a new skier they have an excellent ski academy.