A Christmas Miracle!!

In these all-too-familiar days of warm winters and rainy summers, we sometimes forget that old-fashioned miracles do happen ... And we got one here in Jackson this week in the form of a foot of snow, with more on the way! It is going to be a white Christmas after all!!

If you're looking out your window to a sea of brown grass and bleak scenery, do not take this to be the state of the winter in other parts of New England.  We have indeed been blessed with  some long-awaited snow and both the weather forecast as well as the skiing is great. Who could ask for more? But don't take my word for it...

This comes from today's Mountain Report from Wildcat Mountain: 'Thank you for the snow, Mother Nature!  Keep it coming because we are loving it. Here at Wildcat we've received a ton of snow and the skiing and riding has been epic. Today looks like a great day to enjoy the slopes. Some trails are natural snowcover and ungroomed, while others are fully groomed for your cruising pleasure ...'

On the other side of the mountain, Bretton Woods has this to say: ' Come ski and ride the mountain with the most open terrain in NH -- over 200 acres!! With over half a foot of new snow we're dropping ropes left and right and have doubled our trail count in the last 48 hours! ... also 5K of cross-country trails...'

Thom Perkins, Director of the Jackson Cross-Country Ski Touring Foundation, called us yesterday positively giddy over conditions of the XC trails! His description was confirmed for us as we watched an entire ski team sail over the Ellis River Trail in an almost-unending chain this morning while we were eating breakfast. What a beautiful sight!  But Thom, in particular, was especially excited about the Prospect Farm Trail, up at the end of Carter Notch Road. Higher elevations like Prospect Farm received pure, fluffy snow the other day when we got some mixed precipitation. You can see it in the hills this morning ... winter is here!

So if it is not going to be a white Christmas in your neck of the woods, we can wrap up some wholesome winter adventure for you and your family in the form of discount ski tickets to all 5 downhill ski areas (Wildcat, Attitash, Cranmore, Bretton Woods and Black Mtn.), and free passes to XC, snowshoe or go tubin at Great Glen Trails!  Jackson Ski Touring, as always, grooms right up to our door! 
Wishing you a very Merry Christmas, and we hope to see you in the wonderful week between Christmas and New Years ... and in the winter of 2013!

This Week at The Lodge: April 8 - 14, 2012

Spring has sprung in New Hampshire …

Buds, Bulbs, Birds … and Spring Skiing at Tuckerman Ravine!

It’s a great time to be living, as everything comes alive in the North Country! Now is THE perfect time for viewing waterfalls and hiking the trails in the White Mountain National Forest. No traffic, no bugs, and low, low rates!

“Tea with Cinderella” Story Land  Special   - NEW this year!

The Lodge at Jackson Village, your Story Land Experts, are excited to announce their awesome new Package for 2012. Included in this package are…

·        2 FREE tickets to “Tea with Cinderella” Event

·        2 nights lodging in a double room – Kids stay FREE!

·        Breakfast each morning in July and August (weekends only in June & Sept.)

·        Royal Hanneford Circus: Returning again this year with spectacular all-new acts, the circus shows are 12, 2 and 4 pm daily under the Big Top.

·        FUNsation Celebration: A Dance Party for Kids! Let your children dance to the music with their favorite Story Land characters.  Meet at the StoryLand theme gazebo one-half hour before the park closes.

·        PRICES are based on number of people and dates of reservation. Call for details.

·        Optional Weekend Package Upgrade: Story Land Character Dinners: $20/adult, $10/child (under 12. Starting July 6 through August 18, Story Land is offering Character Dinners every Friday and Saturday evening from 6-7:30 pm at their Friends Around the World Pavilion.  Enjoy an All-You-Can-Eat Dinner Theater extravaganza while watching your favorite characters perform.

2012 Polar Express Packages on sale NOW!

As one of the area’s largest sponsors, once again we are known as The Polar Express-perts! Book your package by June 15, and receive 2 Free StoryLand Tickets or $50 discount off your package. Included in this package:

·        2 Nights Lodging in a Double Room

·        Polar Express tickets (under 1 year old FREE)

·        Tickets to the Miracle at Nestlenook Pageant

·        Horse Drawn Sleighride through the woods, and feed the LIVE reindeer!

·        Homemade New England-style Continental breakfast featuring our famous Maple Bread pudding, Wild Blueberry muffins, Old Fashioned oatmeal, our Signature Cinnamon Coffee Cake and Homemade Granola.

·        Book Grab Bag

·        FREE Tubing, Snow shoe and XC Ski passes at Great Glen Trails (weather permitting)

·        Golden Souvenir Tickets for the kids

·        Afternoon candy canes and homemade cookies

·        Santa’s Surprise Goodie Bag in each room with presents for the children

·        Personalized Christmas letter for each child

·        View our Signature Christmas “Critter Tree” and the Lodge’s amazing  annual Gingerbread House.

This Week at The Lodge - April 1-7, 2012

April Fools Day came and went at The Lodge without a single LodgeLady prank ... which was an historical occasion! But then Mother Nature seemed like she had already played enough tricks on us with the weather, after having given us temperatures in the 80's one week and in the teens the next. Mt. Washington had a 90 degree fluctuation in one week ... amazing! Obviously the unseasonable temps put an end to maple syruping and most skiing, but Wildcat Mountain is still going strong! With 4" of new fluffy Snowfall on Sunday night and the return to winter-like temperatures at night, they plan to stay open as long as they can into the spring. Guests say the spring skiing is awesome.

Our week at The Lodge started out with a full house as we opened our doors to two wonderful groups: a Singles group, and a Corporate retreat. We were bustling -- full to the brim -- and enjoying every minute! Things have calmed down now to the normal spring pace which is "PEACEFUL" -- it's a fabulous time to be in the Mount Washington Valley! Enjoy low spring rates, no traffic or crowds, and an awakening spring bursting with new growth, moose sightings and waterfalls galore!  It is one of our favorite times of year.

This Week at The Lodge: March 25 – 31, 2012

Here we are at the end of March already … for all intents and purposes cross-country skiing is over, (unless you hit the higher elevations in the backcountry) but downhill remains a Rite of Spring! Wildcat, Mountain is the diehard that is going strong.  If you’re a real adventurer, check out the Snow Bridge up at Tuckerman Ravine, or hike up with your skis and ski down the bowl. 

Not a skier? As we transition into this new season, however, there are many other activities that start coming to the forefront which you will NOT want to miss! Waterfalls, for example! Never have I seen so many waterfalls in an area as I have here in New Hampshire ( … er, well …  except maybe when hubby and I went to Hawaii before our kids were born!).  But barring a trip to the south Pacific, New Hampshire is THE place to be for the best waterfall tours that I know of. This time of year the rivers and streams sound awesome!  We can direct you to a number of beautiful waterfall hikes of all levels, lengths and abilities to get you your “waterfall fix” for the spring. With temperatures warm, and spring snowmelts a daily occurrence, the water is flowing for some great photo-ops and romantic water-side picnics.

Secondly, we are right in the thick of Maple Syrup season, with sugar houses all over Jackson boiling up a storm! Take a sugar house tour, and as a special gift, when you come to The Lodge this week we’ll give you a little jar of syrup to take home as a souvenir!  Isn’t spring ‘Sweet’?!

This Week at The Lodge: March 18-24, 2012

This may be ‘it’ for Cross Country skiing by the end of the coming weekend, but downhill conditions are still great. Great Glen Trails has closed its doors to XC-ers, but Tom Perkins of the Jackson Ski Touring Foundation says deep snow still covers cross country trails in our neck of the woods. Just bring sunscreen and sunglasses! 

There is nothing like downhill  ‘Spring Skiing’!   First there’s the ‘culture’ of it … groups of buddies getting away together to enjoy the exhilaration of a hard day of skiing, and good food at a local pub in the evening.  Then there is the pure comfort of warm temperatures and the birds and scent of springtime that make it extra enjoyable. Combine that with no crowds or traffic, and low springtime rates, and you’ve got a recipe for success!  Until April 1, eat at any of the Valley Originals restaurants for Buy-one-Get the other at Half Price!  Get a special voucher for this at check-in.  If you’re having a hard time imagining snow when your backyard is pushing up daffodils, then take a look at this video snow report from Cranmore!!  Seeing is believing! Hope to see you this weekend!

This Week at The Lodge: March 11-17, 2012

The Lodge Lady has returned, and with her she has brought some spring-like weather!   Having spent a week in the Hudson Valley of New York, where T-shirts, robins and crocus’ were the norm, it was a shock to return to NH and see snow everywhere … even where it WASN’T when I left!  When I departed, my travels took me through Bretton Woods on my way to Route 91 South… and when I left the Lodge, I could not believe my eyes when I got to the OTHER side of Mount Washington!  BARE GROUND! NO SNOW!!  It was a reminder just how idiosyncratic the weather can be around this mountain.  As I passed through the area, I took a photo with my cell phone and texted it to my husband, who had stayed home to mind the ‘store’ while I was away! I knew he wouldn’t believe me, when we had so much still on the ground.  However, when I returned, the Bretton Woods side had received considerable snowfall, and was looking like winter would be hanging around for some time.  This is just a reminder that just because spring has sprung in your neck of the woods, don’t overlook outrageous spring skiing in the mountains of NH.  We may be only a few hours distant, but this time of year, our weather can be WORLDs away!

This Week at The Lodge: March 4-10, 2012

The Lodge Lady is taking a spring vacation this week … a rarity for an innkeeper!  And although when I originally made my plans our reservation calendar looked a bit sparse, my hubby will be hosting  guests nearing the 75% occupancy mark this weekend.  This is unusual for this time of year.  The reason for so many reservations?  Fantastic spring skiing! Cross country and downhill centers alike are seeing record numbers, and the temperatures are delightful.  Come check it out for yourselves!