SKI VERMONT PROMOTES MORE THAN JUST SKIING

Friday, 12 October 2012

SKI VERMONT PROMOTES MORE THAN JUST SKIING

Jovana Arnaut

Sam von Trapp, vice president, director of operations, Trapp Family Lodge and P.J. McSparran, senior sales manager, Mount Snow

Although Ski Vermont has the word ‘ski’ in its title, the state actually has a lot more to offer.

Last night, at a media reception at Toronto’s InterContinental Hotel, select partners of the trade association mingled with guests and discussed the different activities the state has to offer travellers all year round.

The partners in attendance were: Mount Snow, Smugglers’ Notch, Killington, Jay Peak, Stowe, Okemo and Trapp Family Lodge.

Sam von Trapp, vice president, director of operations, Trapp Family Lodge, told TRAVELHotNews.com that there are activities for someone who has never skied before.

“[The best thing to do] is to start out with cross country skiing,” von Trapp said. “One of the great things about [it] is that it teaches a really good feel for the snow and it helps to establish balance so when [people] try downhill skiing [they’re] more likely to have success.”

He said that’s the reason his dad brought the concept of cross-country skiing over from Europe – Austria to be exact. Yes, von Trapp is a famous last name. Yes, the Sound of Music was based on Maria von Trapp’s life. And yes, Maria was von Trapp’s grandmother.

The Trapp Family Lodge offers visitors a unique experience according to von Trapp. For example, he said that eating and drinking, local cuisine in particular, are a big focus in Vermont.

“Vermont has always been ahead of the curve on this - it has had a strong farming tradition,” von Trapp said. “In our case, we have a herd of cattle so we’re actually raising our own grass-fed beef right on the property. The Johannes burger, named after my father Johannes, is being made from our beef.”

Von Trapp said that beer is popular in Vermont and that the state actually has more craft breweries per person than any other place in the U.S.

“We actually have a brewery at our place, so, we’re now making Austrian and German style lagers because we found there was a lack of those around,” he said.

P.J. McSparran, senior sales manager, Mount Snow, named some of the activities for action sport enthusiasts including mountain biking, dog sledding, snow shoeing and snowmobiling.

“In the state, there are over 5,000 miles of maintained terrain and the majority of [it] is groomed flat. It makes for a nice experience,” McSparran said. “Vermont [really] is a four season destination... [there’s] everything from bike paths for mountain biking, nice country slopes and outlet shopping.”

McSparran also said that most of the resorts in Vermont offer free public transportation to get people out of the hotels and into the towns and villages.

Porter offers four weekly roundtrip flights from Dec. 15 to Apr. 8. All flights are direct from Toronto to Burlington, Vermont.

For more information on the resorts in Vermont, visit skivermont.com.

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