No Wimpy Winter, This One!

NO Wimpy Winter, This One!

It seems that we’ve gotten so accustomed to wimpy winters the last couple of years that we get literally ecstatic when Mother Nature performs the way she is supposed to!!  Well, Carlene’s annual Snow Goddess Dance has paid off for us this winter in spades, (er, I mean ‘snow shovels’!) and we are literally buried in gorgeous snow, with no end in sight for the immediate future! March may be upon us, but it will be winter in Jackson for a LONG while yet. The Blizzard worked its magic a couple of weeks ago with a couple feet of powder on top of a 2-foot base. It was followed a day or so later by 4” more. The other day we got 8 inches of snow here at the Lodge, and 13 more are coming today and tomorrow. Our winter total is making it a spectacular winter any way you look at it! Phones are ringing for ski packages, so join us for discount ski tickets at The Lodge or just cuddle up in front of our fireplace this weekend. You’ll be in lots of good company!

 

Vacation Week!

In a word, the atmosphere at The Lodge can be summed up in one word: VACATION!  If this suggests the festive spirit of fun, outdoor adventure and SNOW, then you get an accurate picture of what’s happening in Jackson this week. Lots of families are taking advantage of the ski schools associated with the various alpine mountains, to give their kids a leg up on skills and techniques, and allow them to get more enjoyment out of the downhill experience overall. We currently have a family here from Florida, whose kids have never seen snow.  This is a first for them, and it is such a thrill to be part of that’s family’s first experience of New England in winter.  Cross-country skiing is just as important as downhill … we ARE in Jackson, NH after all … the largest XC ski center in the eastern US! And as if that weren’t enough, we have free passes to the trail system up at Great Glen Trails, only a short 10-minute drive from our door. Everyone is getting involved … age is no factor!  From the nonagenarian sisters who never miss a day of Cross-country skiing when staying with us … to the toddlers who get the ride of their lives in the enclosed toboggan-like pulks their parents pull them in … everyone can get in the act. And of course, homemade cookies, a cup of hot tea and relaxation in front of the fireplace always puts a nice finish on a day in the wonderful outdoors.

Is There Anything Better Than a February Blizzard?

I don’t think so … at least not in Jackson, NH! Last weekend’s storm deposited 2+ feet of fluffy powder, and the hearty souls who drove through it to get to the Lodge despite the forecast, weren’t disappointed, either!  Skiing was fantastic, and all of Jackson looked like a fairy village. From sleigh-riding at Nestlenook, to the XC-skiing right from our door, to downhill powder skiing at all 5 mountains, it was a winter-lover’s heaven. As for me, I baked cookies for our guests, did a 500-piece jigsaw puzzle from our puzzle collection with friends, and took reservations galore from folks who are thinking about the upcoming vacation week! With 5-6 inches that have fallen since Nemo, it is shaping up to be one heck of a week!

Red Fox Re-opens and Ready for Super Bowl Sunday!

The Red Fox re-opened last week after their ill-timed Columbus Day fire, and we are thrilled to have them back amongst the living!  That sounds strange, I know, but if you have to be at the mercy of the fates, Columbus Day is the worst possible day in all the world to have to close. Not only was it a Sunday on which they typically serve well over 1000 all-you-can-eat brunches, and at least as many dinners, but it was also the busiest weekend of the year. The 4-month renovation kept them out of commission for Thanksgiving, Polar Express Season, Christmas and New Year’s. It was a tragedy of catastrophic proportions. However, during that time they not only gutted the restaurant, they moved walls, added a mezzanine, completely renovated the children’s area and created basically a totally brand new restaurant. The menu is as delicious as ever, however. And today, for Super Bowl Sunday, their pub, with its enormous flat-screened TVs, is the place to be! Welcome back, Red Fox!  We have all missed you tremendously!

Lodge Sponsors 1st Place Winner of Snow Sculpture Competition

Every year, we at The Lodge sponsor and donate lodging for a team of Snow Sculptors for the State Finals of the Snow Sculpture Competition.  This year we hosted two teams, and one of them took home the State First Place Trophy!  Kathy Fraise, along with team members Sandy Hall and Eric Marnich, won hands down with their beautiful angel sculpture entitled “A Wing and a Prayer”.  But to be fair, I thought every sculpture was totally amazing.  I would not have wanted to be in the position of Judge for this event. To view more photos, see the WMUR link http://www.wmtw.com/news/maine/Snow-sculptors-compete-in-NH/-/8792012/18293580/-/jr18lr/-/index.html  or the Jackson Chamber of Commerce website at http://www.jacksonnh.com/event/14/NH-Sanctioned-Snow-Sculpting-at-Black-Mountain

Brace Yourself for Winter Fun!

I love winter! I could never enjoy living in a place that didn't have the change of seasons like I enjoy them here in New England.  To me it is the best of all possible worlds. This week we brace ourselves, literally, for some pretty cold temperatures! The red polls at our birfeeders, normally arctic dwellers, seem to feel pretty much at home. The snow in Jackson is FANTASTIC!  We just had a full house for Martin Luther King weekend, and just about everyone went skiing and took advantage of either our free XC passes or our significantly discounted lift tickets to all the downhill slopes. The consensus was a unanimous 'GREAT!' when describing the current snow conditions. This week promises to bring even more, possibly a total of 7" of fresh new powder by the weekend. This is just in time for one of the most outrageously fun Winter Events of the year: The Annual Snow Sculpture Competition, which is held up at Black Mountain, just mnutes from our front door! This year we will be hosting two teams of sculptors, so you'll get to meet and greet sometime over the weekend. Fifteen plus teams will be creating amazing, 8' high pieces of art for all to enjoy.  There will be a bonfire to warm your hands and toes, great food, vendors, and fun for the entire family. The event is free, and it starts on Friday, January 25th at noon, and continues until noon on Sunday. You're welcome to join the Welcome dinner where you can meet and talk with the sculptors, and then join the Awards Banquet. Tickets for both events are sold separately through the Jackson Chamber of Commerce at (603) 383-9356.

It's January in Jackson ... Can the Snow Sculptures be Very Far Off?

 

So the awesome ice carving competition has happened (see last week’s blog), and the ice sculptures will be hanging out at the Wentworth for the foreseeable future as long as current temps hold.  They were AWESOME!  My favorite was the Mayan Calendar … how about you? Come check them out!  It’s not everyday (or even EVER in most places) that you see such talent and variety persormed on a solid block of ice.  But here it is mid-January now, so I ask you: ‘Can the Annual Snow Carving Competition  be very far off?’  And the answer, of course,  is NO … it’s just around the corner!!

This event attracts a wide variety of sculptors, both amateur and professional. In fact, many of the Competing Teams will be using the weekend as a practice run for Lake Geneva and the Nationals. Other sanctioned states holding championship competitions include Alaska, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, and Wisconsin. Each team of sculptors consists of 2 or 3 members, and in order to be eligible to compete in the State Championship, team members must be 18 years or older and reside or work in New Hampshire. The winning team of the State Championship will receive a trophy and an invitation to compete in the United States National Snow Sculpting Competition, to be held at Lake Geneva, Wisconsin in 2014. Our New Hampshire State Sanctioned winners for 2012 was the Greg Grady, Jr. team who will be headed to Lake Geneva for the 2013 Nationals representing the entire state of New Hampshire. Dick Devellian who is from Jackson, New Hampshire, have been a past winner a few times. The winners of the Nationals then go on to compete in international competitions offered by sanctioned member countries such as Switzerland, France, Italy, Japan, Canada, China, Norway and Russia. 

Amateurs and professionals of any age are eligible to compete in the Overall and People's Choice Awards. Team members come from a variety of backgrounds including chefs from fine restaurants, architects, students of culinary and art schools, and various civic organizations. Sculptors from outside of New Hampshire will also be in Jackson participating in the invitational, exhibiting their magnificent works of snow art. Each team will be given a cylinder shaped block of snow 4 feet in diameter by 8 feet tall to create their snow sculptures. Most of the teams will start sculpting on Friday, January 25th and continue working through the night on Saturday to complete their sculptures in time for the judging on Sunday afternoon January 27th starting at Noon. Judging is based on creativity, technique and message. 

Other activities planned for the snow sculpture weekend include a welcome reception dinner, with a bon fire and roasting of marshmallows, sleigh rides and more. Be sure to check back as we get closer to the date of the event for complete details.