Here we are at the Thanksgiving weekend, which is the traditional start to the winter season. Many are hopeful for a great winter. We could certainly use a good, snowy winter season. If we can get a little cold weather and some snowfall to stick around, the prognosis for the valley should be very healthy indeed. Skiers and riders will come, snowmobilers will rev up their motors, and the economic engine of the valley could start running on all cylinders again.

We’re especially excited about the new opportunities presented at both Mount Snow and Haystack. Mount Snow is finishing up a significant upgrade to the resorts’ lift capacity, and that should translate into more skiers hitting the slopes to check out the new Bluebird Express six-passenger bubble chair.

Haystack is coming back online again, and although this season the resort will offer modest skiing to a limited number of guests, the opportunities to bring in additional skiers and riders are there. We have said many times in this space that an idle and shuttered Haystack was the elephant in the room when it came to economic development in the valley. No one wanted to talk about it, but there it was, waiting to be dealt with. Now that new owners and new energy seem intent on completing the Haystack Club concept, the future finally seems to be clear and bright for the beleaguered ski area.

Let’s hope for snow, and be thankful to see all the smiling faces around the valley this winter.