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This is the Week to Go Skiing in America

As I was leaving the office on Friday, I received a flurry of press releases from ski areas across the country. Utah’s Snowbird had just received 30 inches of snow and another storm was on its way today and tomorrow. Just down the road, Park City was getting dumped on pretty heavily. Here in New England, where my yard was green until Saturday, Vermont and New Hampshire ski areas both received up to a foot of snow this past weekend. Also on Saturday, I received word that the Lake Tahoe region would receive up to three feet of snow, snowing more than an inch an hour. So if you were looking forward to calling in sick and hitting the slopes, this would be the week. Check out Liftopia to get discounted lift tickets. 

 

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Seeing is Beleafing

Vermont is rolling out fresh video each week this autumn to give wannabe leaf peepers an accurate assessment of what they’ll see when heading to the state. In the first video in the “Seeing is Beleafing” series, Jen Butson, an old friend from Ski Vermont, gets the plump assignment of going hot air ballooning over Lake Champlain and surrounding rolling fields. The webpage VermontVacation.com/fall will keep you updated with foliage reports and feature weekly recommended driving routes, events, deals and another celebration of the season, Apple to iPods, where visitors to 20 Vermont apple orchards can search for wooden apples and win an Apple iPod, beginning September 7.

 
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Arenal’s Nayara Springs to Open this December

If you have plans to visit Costa Rica this winter and you want a luxurious retreat, consider staying in the Arenal region at the new Nayara Springs. Sister property to the Nayara Hotel, Spa & Gardens, Nayara Springs boasts a collection of 16 private villas. Built atop a mountain in the rainforest, the new property is surrounded by creeks, natural hot springs, and, of course, exquisite views of Arenal Volcano. The highlight will be the pools fed by mineral hot springs that are built into every villa. In addition to full butler service, all accommodations will feature a private garden with open air shower, as well as indoor and outdoor lounging areas. The villas are located steps away from a spa, yoga pavilion, oversized adult pool, and piano bar. At the poolside restaurant, Amor-Loco, guests can enjoy Latin American inspired sushi, fresh grilled fish and vegetables grown at the hotel’s organic garden. The hotel is approximately a 2 ½-hour drive from San Jose Int’l Airport and transfers are available for an additional cost. 

 
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When Staying in Stowe in Winter, Ski or Hike into Smugglers’ Notch

Whenever I stay at Stowe Mountain Lodge at the base of Vermont’s tallest peak, Mount Mansfield, I relish the opportunity to hike into Smugglers’ Notch. Simply take the Over Easy Gondola to the base of the Stowe Ski Area and walk to the end of the plowed portion of Mountain Road, where there’s a small parking lot. The road through the notch is closed in winter. This allows outdoor lovers the opportunity to ascend into a fantastic winter landscape of tall pines and birches, large glacial boulders on the side of the twisting snowed-over road, and iced-over cliffs that form the notch. I’m surrounded by winter enthusiasts of all stripes—hikers, snowshoers, telemark and cross-country skiers, backcountry boarders, and mountain men with full packs strapped to their backs who amble off the road onto small trails, excited to ice climb or bag the peak of Mansfield via the Hellbent Trail. Everyone seems to have a dog that accompanies him or her on their adventure. Breathe in the piney air and peer up in awe at the iced over cliffs. This is one of the many reasons why I return to Stowe winter after winter. 
 
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St. Lucia Week: A Magical Day Sea Kayaking and Snorkeling Ti Kaye

Take it from a travel writer who’s been penning stories since 1990—rarely is a day on the road seamless. I wouldn’t say I’m jaded, just realistic. There always seems to be some problem, whether it’s traffic congestion, the lodging not living up to those over-hyped TripAdvisor reviews, the adventure a bit too touristy and not feeling authentic. Then there’s days like yesterday where everything is perfect and this job is sheer bliss. 

My driver Vaughn is a delight, passionate about the history and people of this island. So much, in fact, that he left Brooklyn after 6 years and returned to St. Lucia to make his mark. He picked me up and drove me to the lush western side of the island, home to the largest banana plantation on the island, a rum distillery, and fishing villages like Anse La Raye, known for its seafood street festival held every Friday. At an overlook peering down at picturesque Marigot Bay, where Mick Jagger and Oprah both own homes along the waterfront, we walked into a nearby store to sample banana ketchup, hot pepper spices, and spiced rum with grenadine. 

Less than an hour later we made it to Ti Kaye, a boutique resort nestled into a hillside above a glorious strip of secluded beachfront. I would soon find out that the best part of the resort is the bay next to that beach called Anse Cochon. I threw my bags down in my room, changed into a swimsuit and practically flew down the 165 steps to the gray colored beach, a mix of volcanic black sand and the usual white sand from the coral. I grabbed an ocean kayak and was soon paddling down the western shoreline past cliffs where vines clung precariously to the top, deserted beaches which I’m sure honeymooners staying at Ti Kaye have taken full advantage of, and a green velvety hillside that led to jagged mountainous ridges. I can’t tell you how liberating it is to grab a kayak and take a paddle just by your lonesome down this unpopulated stretch of coastline. The only person who passed me during the 2-hour paddle was one fisherman.

Back at Ti Kaye’s beachfront bar, Ti Manje, I ordered the smoked marlin salad, slices of fish topped with mixed greens, tomatoes, corn, and a chipotle dressing, washed down with freshly made ice tea. Waves pounded the restaurant as I watched scuba divers take the plunge into Anse Cochon. You want to know one of the most cherished spots for all those scuba diving and snorkeling boats? Yes, this exact spot, which is a preserved marine sanctuary. Avoid the boat traffic in the mid-morning or mid-afternoon and the place is yours. I grabbed snorkeling gear, walked to the far end of the beach and soon was swimming in a natural aquarium of neon-colored fish including parrotfish, the multi-colored queen angelfish, and the bright blue chromis. I also loved seeing fan, organ pipe, and brain coral that was very much alive.

Afterwards I washed off in my outdoor shower and relaxed in the hammock on my porch, where I now relax after another hard day of work. 
 
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New Brunswick Week—A Day of Adventure in St. Andrews

You know it’s a special day when you spot a bald eagle sea kayaking in the morning and then go biking with a kilt on in the afternoon. It was a perfect morning to go out kayaking with Eastern Outdoors, even with the slight wind we had in the beginning. I followed my guide Jess as we circumnavigated Navy Island, the massive fir-studded isle that sits just across St. Andrews in Passamaquoddy Bay. We passed lobster boats picking up their traps, a herring weir whose posts were coated with seaweed, and numerous cormorants flying overhead. As we turned the corner and started heading back I spotted a bird with a white head. It didn’t move and Jess thought it was just a piece of driftwood. Then as we drew close the graceful bald eagle took flight, gliding effortlessly with its wide wingspan. Jess mentioned that her favorite time to paddle was during high tide because you can kayak straight to the storefront. Unfortunately, we were smack dab in the middle of low tide, a 20-foot tidal difference, and had to walk the kayaks the length of a football field to get back to the kayak shop.
 
After lunch of salmon banh mi at the snazzy new Braxton’s Pub at the Algonquin Resort, I high-stepped it over to one of my favorite spots in the entire province, Kingsbrae Garden. In fact, in 2010, I named it one of my Top 5 Destinations of the year. After revisiting the garden, I don’t regret my decision one bit. The mix of whimsy and beauty make it an enchanting outing for all ages. This time of year, the rhododendrons and irises are all in bloom. I love the Scents & Sensitivity Garden, where you can rub the soft velvety lambs ear and smell the sweet lemon scented geranium. Other highlights are the alpacas, including a one-month old, and the Sculpture Garden, a juried show each year that features the rising artistic talent in Canada. 
 
Then it was time to bike, Scottish-style, with Kurt Gumushel. An elementary school gym teacher by day, Kurt runs Off Kilter Bike at nights and in summer. Kurt’s dad moved to Canada in the 60s from Turkey and set up shop in St. Andrews as a tailor. It wasn’t long before he was making kilts for the locals and developed a reputation as a master kilt maker. A few years ago, he designed a kilt for some of the local mountain bikers and Off Kilter Bike was born. Kurt tossed me a kilt to wear and we were off. First we biked along the shoreline of Chamcook Lake on a wide level doubletrack. Then Kurt took me downtown to try the Van Horne Heritage Trail, a sweet ride though forest and along saltwater marsh. One km of the ride is freshly paved, a mere week old, so it was fun to try. Since Kurt grew up here, he knows everything about the history, architecture, and people of St. Andrews. He’s happy to design half or full-day rides based on your interest, be it serious off-road biking or a chilled ride on roads through town to learn about the architecture. 
 
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New Brunswick Week—A Perfect Day on Grand Manan

In desperate need of an iced coffee, I made the wise choice to stop at the Island Arts Café. Not only was the coffee good and strong, but within moments I was meeting an intriguing mix of locals. There was Wayne who spent the morning on the bay designing a herring weir, a fish trap that lures the herring inside a pen. The McCulleys, who fled Portland and moved here after a mere 4 days on the island. They now rent cottages to primarily writers and professors who desperately need to finish their books in quietude. And my personal favorite, Smiles Green, who just turned 100 this past November and still designs model boats. “Someone called me up to make them a sloop,” says Smiles. "Price is no option he said. So I made that sloop and charged him fifty dollars more than I would have.” 
 
Around every bend on Grand Manan is another vista of the sea and, of course, there are a myriad of ways to get out there. Kenda and Peter Wilcox, proprietors of Sea Watch Tours, will take you over to Machias Seal Island to see the puffins and those caped crusaders of the bird world, the razorbill auks. Kevin Sampson, owner of Adventure High, offers guided sea kayaking tours within the many protected coves that surround the island, where you’re almost guaranteed the chance to spot a minke whale and harbor seals. Yet, don’t be in a rush to go right back out to sea. First take time to luxuriate on terra firma.
 
Yesterday morning I drove along lupine-lined roads to the southern tip of the island, the start of a glorious hike atop a bluff that led from the Southwest Head Lighthouse to a distinctive coastal rock formation locals call Flock of Sheep. The narrow trail snaked over roots and moss though a forest of twisted krumholtz and dwarf pines that cling precariously close to the cliff’s edge. I looked down several times at the boulder-strewn coastline below, quickly realizing that with one misstep I’d never leave Grand Manan. I spotted lobstermen in the distance, but it was the exquisite shoreline that grabbed my attention. Usually, I sprint to the finish of a hike. This time I sat on several benches made of makeshift wood to drink in the stunning view. What’s the rush? 
 

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