Into each life a little #@*& must fall.

In the ski world - at least at Okemo - we refer to it as the "r" word. and it is most certainly a four-letter word. On most days, it's an easy job to extol the virtues of Okemo's weather and conditions (in fact, the readers of SKI Magazine rated Okemo in the Top Ten in the East for snow, grooming and weather, plus seven other categories) in our snow report but there is the occasional day when we just have to acquiesce to Longfellow ...

Be still sad heart and cease repining;
Behind the clouds the sun is shining,
Thy fate is the common fate of all,
Into each life a little rain must fall,
Some days must be dark and dreary.

My second day on skis, ever, (30 years ago) was spent wearing a black plastic garbage bag at Sugarbush North, and it is still one of my most memorable days on snow. Hard-core skiers and riders know that gray-weather days generally offer up sumptuously soft snow, short or nonexistent lift lines, and wide open trails. It's all about dressing for the weather. Okay, so maybe a snorkel and swimming goggles is a little over the top, but breathable waterproof clothing - or a garbage bag - is amazing on a damp day.

I absolutely delight in the creative writing artistry of snow reporting that fills the blogosphere on days filled with precipitation.

My friend Karen says, "When I worked at [undisclosed ski area] I couldn't tell people it was raining -- I had to say there was "moisture in the air."

What's your favorite euphemism for the "r" word? Have you ever worked as a snow reporter? If so, what was your company line? How would you handle it if you were a snow reporter on a rainy (there, I said it!) day? Cheers.

'Twas a Coupla Days After Christmas...

Many years ago, when I was but a little OkeMoppet, this was my absolute favorite time of the year. Not just for Christmas Day, but for the entire Christmas season, which in my family meant our annual trip up from the wild, untamed wilderness of New Jersey (youse gotta problem wit dat?) to the beautiful, picturesque mountains of Vermont.

Opening the presents on Christmas Day was a blast, but the REAL fun came a couple of days later when we all packed into the ol' Subaru station wagon (color: "yellow creme") and made the drive northward to Okemo, complete with the obligatory "roll down the windows and smell the clean air" pantomime upon crossing the Vermont state border.

Well, I live up here now, and after all these years, I now work for the same resort I used to dream about when I was a kid. (I also still do the "rolling down the windows" thing. People tend to look at me funny.) Trust me -- there's still no better place to be at this time of year.

This year, we've got a brand-new Family New Year's Eve party and a fancy-schmancy adults-only New Year's Eve dinner-and-dancing celebration at the Coleman Brook Tavern. And did I mention the four feet of snow we've gotten this December?

So come on up for the holidays and make your own lifelong memories. It's worth the trip -- even if you don't own a yellow creme Subaru.

What to do on New Year's Eve

New Year's Eve is a challenge for me. Staying up until midnight? Not a chance. So in my house, if you're brave enough to stay up all by yourself until midnight - go for it. Grab a blanket and make a nest in front of the tv to watch the ball because there is definitely no mommy service after 10 pm. That's why I'm excited to find out that this year Okemo has planned a whole night full of fun activities for the whole family - and the New Year officially rings in at 10 pm. Perfect.

So, if you are looking for the ultimate compromise (and something a little new) - how about ice skating, snow tubing, cookie decorating, wagon rides, marshmallow roasting, a DJ dance party, pizza, and a good old fashioned count-down at 10 pm complete with noisemakers and balloons. Your kids will think you rock and you'll be in bed long before midnight (if you're lucky)!

Their website has all the details - definitely check it out.

100 PERCENT OPEN MONDAY!

We're going to have to go back into the record books to see if we've ever done this before - 100 percent open before Christmas! That includes our two new trails, White Lightning and Rolling Thunder!
The past two days here have felt a little like life in a snow globe. By the time this two-day dump is done, we'll have two feet of champagne powder on the ground ... and that's on top of all the snow we've been making.
Don't think for a single moment that our snowmakers are sitting by the fire eating bon bons. They're hard at work continuing their efforts to make more of the white stuff - even while Mother Nature does her part.
I can already hear the squeak of the packed powder beneath my skis as I envision what this is going to look like once the groomers add their part to the mix.