Close Comfortable Catamount

It had been too long. If my notes are correct my last real day of skiing last season was March 8. We all know what happened, I’ll try not to dwell on it, too much.

Last weekend I went online and figured out how to get reservations at Catamount on our Indy Passes. I’d already waxed our skis so I just had to warn Junior that he was getting up early on Sunday and we were all set.

The drive up the Taconic Parkway went smoothly; Junior slept in the passenger seat and I enjoyed the familiar scenery. I exited onto Route 23 and headed east to the border of New York and Massachusetts where Catamount straddles the line.

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Catamount: Into the Clouds

Lately, my kids have been showing less patience with my early morning ski day routine. Even worse then that, dragging them out of bed has been negatively affecting their staying power on the slopes. On our last couple of trips, they’ve been crying uncle early — to the point that we’ve quit by 2 PM.

sleeping skier

I figured the situation called for a little parental flexibility, so this time I tried something new, letting them sleep while I booted up and got ready for the lifts to spin. I figured an extra hour of sleep might make a big difference.

When I pulled into the lot at Catamount on Saturday I was greeted by a mountain wrapped in pea soup. I was also greeted by Rich Edwards, Catamount’s “Marketing Director.”

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Notchview: The Usual Suspects

At zero dark thirty on Sunday, I left NJ for Notchview Reservation in Windsor, Massachusetts. The mission: rendezvous with the usual suspects.

In Pittsfield, I stopped for breakfast at Otto’s, across from the Berkshire County courthouse. Who ever heard of a Cuban omelet? It was tasty as well as novel, and the coffee was good. Then I set out for Notchview. Although I’ve skied there a half dozen times over the years, the last few miles are always a bit sketchy. “Hmmm, I think I turn right here.”

It’s a long gradual climb through Dalton to Windsor. Situated atop a plateau, Notchview is 50 miles southeast of Vermont’s Prospect Mountain, and 200 feet lower in elevation. The two ski centers share similar weather patterns.

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