Wachusett

We went out to Wachusett Mountain today - they were supposed to be having some sort of pre-season event. We didn't really find it, but we did grab lunch & take a free up the chair lift (courtesy of our season passes).

Lunch was surprising. We got sandwiches from the cafeteria line, and while not cheap, they were mighty tasty, and I didn't mind paying $6.50 for the sandwich I had - it was comprable to any sandwich I would get in a regular restaurant. We even found some root beer made by the Polar Soda company (a local company) that didn't contain high fructose corn syrup. I was happy. Far better than most ski area food - and on par with the lunch I had at the Sundance Resort in Utah last winter.

However, because it was the off season still, I couldn't find a place to recycle the glass soda bottles, so I had to bring them home with me to recycle. I've read they have an on-site recycling facility, but there were no bins to be found today.

The weather was beautiful. It's finally getting cold out. It was MAYBE in the mid-50s, and it was very windy (gusts to 25 MPH?). But it was sunny. It was kind of nice to be cold for once. After all my complaining, I'm ready for winter now. Low's tonight in the upper 20s - and all I can think is "Finally". The chairlift ride was beautiful. It felt a little weird being in non-ski gear, and not having a heavy board pulling on my feet, but it was a really pretty (but freezing cold) ride.

When we got to the top, we got off to walk around a bit, even though we had just been there a couple weeks ago. I'm glad we did - there was a circle of Native American's sitting at the top with their drums, singing (not cross legged on the ground - they were sitting in normal chairs, wearing regular clothes, next to their vehicles). I don't know what they were singing - I didn't ask, and I didn't understand the language (no surprise there). But it was fitting somehow. I don't have any idea whether this was a planned event or just a group of people who decided to get together today & do this. Either way it was just really cool. It was such a good day.

So while poking around the Wachusett website, I came across their environment page. I was really excited to find out that they use the heat generated by the air compressors that run their snowmaking equipment to provide 100% of the heat for their base lodge. They also are doing a lot to promote the health of the forest around the mountain. The use pond water to flush their toilets in the lodge. They are a member of the Sustainable Slopes, an environmental charter for ski areas. I did a term paper on Sustainable Slopes in school back in 2000 or so - and sadly I have forgetten many of the details of the program. But I am glad to know that not only is the program still going, but the ski area that I have a season pass to is not only locally owned, but it's a member of Sustainable Slopes.