GAME ON!

Official word has just come down from on high ... literally! Okemo will open for the 2009-2010 ski and ride season on Saturday, Dec. 5. Terrain will likely be limited to advanced summit terrain, so don't plan on bringing your baby sister for her first day on snow. This weekend is for real skiers and riders.

This from General Manager Bruce Schmidt, "Many thanks to the snowmaking, grooming and Mountain Operations staff….. The plan is for there to be skiing and riding on the upper mountain to include Buckhorn, Count Down, Upper World Cup and Drop Off. "

We're still contemplating what lifts will be running and a lift ticket price has not been established yet.

Stay tuned to the Okemo Snow Report for updates or follow us (okemomountain) on Twitter and friend us on Facebook for breaking news and special deals.

1st Annual Trot-it-Off

5 inches of fluffy white snow on Okemo's summit couldn't stop 72 runners from trotting in the 1st Annual Trot-it-Off 5k and Tots Trot held at the Jackson Gore base area of Okemo this morning. Well, the fact was that the snowline was well above the course, but it did make for a beautiful view from my vantage point at the first major turn of the race. AND, it was chilly and windy at race time!

Traditional Turkey Trots take place the same day as the turkey eating- Thanksgiving Thursday, but Okemo's take on the classic race- take Thanksgiving off! Rest, relax...then punish yourself for your turkey day transgressions on our hilly course. We'll throw in a nice headwind for you, that's the Okemo Difference!

The start sounded at 9:15 in the AM today for 18 young sprinters in our 0.5 mile Tots Trot. Once around the Jackson Gore in as parents and pedestrians cheered for kids aged 5 to 12. Congrats to MacKenzie Spadinger and her winning time 3:32.55. That's fast!

After a few late entries in the adult 5 k (3.16 miles today) race, the starting gun sounded and they were off at 9:45. Under 38 degree sunny skies, Mike Ioffredo ran away with it over dirt, around turns, into a thick headwind along route 100 and back to the Jackson Gore Inn. Despite the raw conditions, runners and walkers alike were in good spirits- all 54 of them. And they should have been- all the proceeds from the race benefit the Patch Chit Neighbor in Need Fuel Assistance Program which helps local families with heating oil for their homes.

Thanks to all the runners and their supporters, as well as Okemo staff and volunteers that made the 1st Annual Trot-it-Off a huge success! See you next year- the Saturday after Thanksgiving.

Results:
Tots Trot
1) 3:32.55 MacKenzie Spadinger
2) 3:52.34 Olivia Thayer
3) 4:07.40 Will Hornyak
4) 4:21.72 Lucas Thayer
5) 4:45.83 Jennifer Stone
6) 4:56.35 Morgan Satter
7) 5:05.14 Max Foster
8) 5:09.82 Jack Grills
9) 5:10.98 Daniel Sattler
10) 5:20.72 Theanne Feldman
11) 5:33.92 Evee Gulick
12) 5:35.67 Keeler Lambertson
13) 5:40.75 Devan Grills
14) 6:08.31 Ryan Hornyak
15) Maverick Foster
16) Luke Hornyak
17) Clay Gulick
18) Sophia Feldman

Trot-it-Off 5k
1) 20:32.21 Mike Ioffredo
2) 20:44.63 Clay Howland
3) 20:52.55 David Burrows
4) 22:14.54 Richard Galera
5) 22:19.19 Mark Foster
6) 23:17.48 Andrew Spadinger
7) 23:43.11 Kay Griffin
8) 25:12.38 Sean Mullen
9) 25:13.30 John Germano
10) 25:51.40 Paul McKeon
11)26:31.93 Lauren Germano
12) 27:06.30 Amy Grundt
13) 27.28.75 Teresa Eagan
14) 27:49.91 Kateri Danay
15) 28:04.12 Harrison Feldman
16) 28:23.77 Sydney Spadinger
17) 29:01.34 Jim Faller
18) 29:14.83 Chris Kassons
19) 30:19.76 Wendy Reeves
20) 30:35.14 Mackenzie Spadinger
21) 30:59.09 Lindy Davis
22) 31:03.68 Megan McKee
23) 31:06.76 Scott Clarkson
24) 31:37.89 Faith Alberti
25) 31:49.99 Regina Corr
26) 31:56.05 Ted Reeves
27) 32:17.68 Stephen McLean
28) 32:44.24 Lee Davis
29) 33:02.81 Judy Flemming
30) 33:13.29 Thomas Philbin
31) 33:18.06 Penelope Kassons
32) 34:04.20 Kelly Rice
33) 35:09.95 Robert Thayer
34) 36:05.19 Natalie Thayer
35) 36:54.13 Lorin Borghini
36) 36:54.43 Chris DeTemple
37) 38:06.75 Laura Bellantoni
38) 38:07.68 Karen Zigmont
39) 42:12.72 Jonathan Zigamont
40) 45:09.62 Kathy McMahon
41) 50:48.12 Patty Greenwood
42) 51:06.98 Jack Hopler
43) Julie McLean
44) Jack DeTemple
45) Pamela DeTemple
46) Ashley Ellis
47) Kevin Ryan
48) Danny McKee
49) Leddy Naudin
50) Henry Corr
51) Jacquie Lambertson
52) Emily Faller
53) Jay Irabucco
54) Elizabeth Trubullo

We're Here So You Don't Have to Be (Not that you don't want to be)

Tom (Twitter @OkemoMtnRoadie) and Rafael (Twitter @RafaelOkemo)

The postponement of opening day is always a total bum-ski, but it wasn't due to lack of effort. Despite the high level of optimism, frequent sacrifices to the snow gods, and all the tribal snow séances, Okemo was just not meant to open on November 21st. Trust us, we are just as eager to start slope sliding as anybody, and our snowmakers have the itchiest trigger fingers in the East. But Mother Nature is hanging on to every bit of warmth she has left before Old Man Winter gives her the boot (he's gentle but thorough, so don't worry).

Rafael and I will be here for you all season long, bringing you the latest snow reports and conditions updates directly from the "snojo" (the snow-reporting dojo), or as the uninspired like to call it, "the office." The snojo is where it all goes down -- live updates on Facebook, Twitter, your mobile devices and Okemo.com to keep you connected to the mountain no matter where you may be.

In a nutshell, here's what's coming up in the days ahead to keep your snow cravings at bay, or to make them even worse (so sorry!):

Annual Ski + Ride Swap for the benefit of the Okemo Mountain School: Begins Friday at 4 p.m in the Clocktower Base Lodge and runs all weekend.

Jason at www.Iwearyourshirt.com reps Okemo all day this Friday, Nov. 20, with free passes and other things to get you ready for the season. Tune in and win.

Okemo storms Boston for the Boston Globe Ski & Snowboard Show at the Bayside Expo Center this Thursday through Sunday. Mr. Ross Powers will be making an appearance Thursday and Friday evenings and the Okemo team has a fun, family activity in store for the crowd.

The Coleman Brook Tavern hosts a Thanksgiving Buffet on Nov. 26 to fill your ski or ride fuel tank to the brim. Call (802) 228-1435 to reserve your part of the bird and much more.

Nov. 28th: "What I Learned This Summer" Rail Jam presented by the Killarney.
"Trot-it-Off 5K Race and Tot's Trot"

Any day now: We open for the 09.10 season! Stay tuned!

Now for an update directly from the slopes with Rafael! http://www.okemo.com/okemowinter/ourmountain/snow/helmetcams.asp

Just One More Week... We Can Do It!!!

Here we are, in the final week before our anticipated opening day for the 09.10 season -- November 21! I tore through my closet the other day and made two piles: one full of the stuff I'll be using in a few days and one full of stuff I'll be selling. The annual Ski & Ride Swap for the benefit of the Okemo Mountain School is coming up this Friday, Nov. 20th - 22nd. I plan on making bank and walking away with a wad of cash, which I will then promptly spend on more new gear (and the vicious cycle continues infinitely). I'm telling you, I need to get out on the slopes already because all this idle time is bad for my bank account. Luckily though, the Ski & Ride Swap has a lot of great deals on both new and used equipment, including hard and soft goods. Also, I just took a stroll through the Snowsports Shop and they have a lot of really great gear from companies like Grenade, Quicksilver, Burton, Bern and Oakley. That place is dangerous, and I like it!

A little bird told me about a special promo going on right now on the official Okemo Mountain Facebook page. Something about the 12 days of Okemo and an exclusive Facebook opening day... That's all I'm saying, or that little bird might morph into Big Bird (Happy 40th Anniversary by the way!) and put a hurtin' on me when he finds all these people on his beloved ski slope.

Alright, I obviously need to get out on the snow soon... very, very soon. It won't be long now. In the meantime, join me on Twitter (@OkemoMountainRoadie). You can also add @RafaelOkemo (my snow-reporting compadre) and the mothership -- @OkemoMountain. Snow reports, special offers, some juicy insider info, and more of my incoherent ramblings are all included free of charge. Enjoy, and we'll catch you on the slopes soon!

P.S. - Look out for Okemo Mountain next week in Boston. We'll be at the Boston Globe Ski & Snowboard Expo from November 19 - 22 at the Bayside Expo Center. A lot of shenanigans will be going on, for sure, so don't miss out on this legendary tribute to the upcoming season.

And while you're in Boston feast your eyes on what's already being called one of the greatest ski films ever made-- The Edge of Never. It will be premiering in the Boston area on the 17th and 18th.

Stick Season Special at Spring House

The leaves are gone and the sticks are showing here at scenic Okemo mountain. Unfortunately, the sticks are legs. Chicken legs. They're in a desperate state of atrophy after a summer of reading about skiing and riding rather actually skiing and riding. Looks like disc golf lunches didn't do enough to keep the legs in shape for crushing bumps on the Plunge and ripping the tree lines at the Gore. It's really quite depressing. I suspect I'm not the only one in this condition.

My old man always said "If you're gonna talk about it, be about it." Leave me alone Dad! I'm going to do something about it. I'm going to start hammering the quads with squats and leg presses, and ramping up the incline on the ellipitcal. I will punish myself to get ready for the season starting...now.

Luckily, it won't cost me an arm and a (stick) leg. The Spring House pool and fitness center at Jackson Gore is offering a $6 midweek day pass from now until 11/25. Six bucks, tax included. From open 'til close. Every Monday - Friday.

That's 15 days worth of torture that I can endure to make sure I'm ready to hike that Sobe S-rail one more time to finally clean the whole thing this winter. I'm sure I'll get it this year.

Come on down and work out with me for $6. Or go for a swim. Or hit the sauna. I'll be the one on the step with the dumbbell crying and sweating...but not stopping!!

Starting...now.

Recession Will Soon Be Over, Says White House

Okemo Mountain Resort Announces Third Consecutive Year of Record Season Pass Sales

"We're Just Going to Start Doing Whatever Okemo's Doing," Says Fed

LUDLOW, VT—Noting the third consecutive year of season pass sales success at Vermont's Okemo Mountain Resort, President Barack Obama on Monday formally announced the beginning of the end of the twenty-two month Great Recession.

"I am, and always have been, most impressed by the commitment to excellence shown by the fine upstanding Vermont-Americans at Okemo Mountain, and I am most impressed that, in these soon-to-be-formerly difficult times, Okemo has shown season pass sales unit increases of 14%, year-to-year... and that on top of two previous consecutive years of growth.

"Let me be clear: whatever they're doing, we're going to start doing," Obama said.

Rep. John R. Boehner (R-OH), House Minority Leader, immediately endorsed Obama's position.

"The President and I agree on very little, but this is a clear area for consensus: offer American consumers an excellent product at an excellent price, and Americans will start spending again -- and enjoying their newfound independence from lift-ticket prices and ticket window lines," said Boehner. "We can learn a lot from Okemo, even if it is located in Vermont."

Rumors that radio personality Rush Limbaugh was part of a group seeking to purchase Okemo Mountain Resort could not be confirmed by press time.

Peak Week

The concensus around the marketing office is that the fall foliage is at, or approaching, peak color this week. It's perfect timing for a long weekend away and Okemo's annual Parrothead Party on Sat., Oct. 10.

The concert, featuring the Reggae beat of Spiritual Rez and Jimmy Buffett tribute band, Changes in Latitudes, is free and open to the public. There will be booze in the blender to render some frozen concoctions and Coleman Brook Tavern will be on hand to provide fresh-from-the-grill burgers, bow wows, and such. Spiritual Rez takes to the stage at 1 p.m.

Okemo's Season Pass early-bird cutoff is approaching Oct. 12, so the Parrothead Party would be a good time to renew your pass for some great pre-season savings.

New this year, the Sunday One-Day Season Pass is a great “starter” pass for weekend day trippers and is priced right at an early-bird rate of $299 for adults ($359 after Oct. 12). This direct-to-lift season pass has four blackout dates, but is valid all other Sundays throughout the season.