Ask the general public to name an alpine skiing “Mecca” — described as a location where people, who share a common interest, yearn to go — even those who don’t ski can come up with at least Aspen or Vail, if not Killington and Sun Valley.

Mid-winter in the Northeast doesn’t have to be all shivery gloom.

Following big snow in the Southwest and Four Corners, a storm will work across the country and deliver fresh snow to many Northeast ski areas to finish the week. With new powder all around, let’s dig into this week’s SnoCast forecast.

There’s something to be said about the magical feeling you get when you look outside and everything is coated in fluffy white snow. To the people who live in ski resort towns, it’s just another wintery day, but to those who come from warmer climates, it’s a winter wonderland! 

Ski towns in America tend to have good beer, but Vermont might be the state to pair powder and brews best. The Green Mountain State has more than 60 operating breweries and approximately two dozen ski areas — the most per capita for each category.

Mountains commonly found around and under Vermont, airports have been known to intimidate pilots flying in from the “flatlands,” but flight instructor and ski industry veteran Charlie Rockwell says the nearby peaks are really no big deal. The terrain, while rugged in places, is certainly no reason to shy away from sampling some of the fine alpine skiing that Rockwell knows even better than the airports in his Green Mountain home.

In an age of continued corporate consolidation in the ski industry, the number of independently owned mountains continues to shrink.  

Over the weekend, I used one of Indy Pass days over at Suicide Six Ski Area in Vermont. Compared to the crowds at other local mountains last weekend, I think I made the right choice.

Encore Renewable Energy and Bromley Mountain Ski Resort announced the completion of a 615kWdc solar project on land owned by Bromley Mountain in Peru, Vermont. The new project, jointly developed by Encore and Tangent Energy Solutions, will generate clean, locally generated solar power and help Bromley reach their sustainability goals. The energized solar array will generate enough electricity to power 70 average households per year and offset the emissions of 120 passenger vehicles annually. 

Getting kids on skis;as early as possible can be rewarding for a lifetime of skiing. But planning a ski trip — especially with kids in tow — isn’t as easy as just picking up and going. Instead of just “following the snow,” you’ll want to pick a ski mountain that truly caters to kids — one that offers top-notch ski lessons, kid-friendly trails and many off-the-snow activities as well.

A town board in Stowe has denied an application for a proposed parking lot aimed at relieving parking pressures for the Stowe Mountain Resort.

The top New England ski towns are the topic of annual debate, but which are the top towns for cross country skiing? Some of the favorite New England towns and areas to go on a cross country (XC) ski vacation include Stowe and Woodstock in Vermont, the Mt. Washington Valley in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, and Bethel in Maine. Here are more details from XCSkiResorts.com about XC skiing at these fabulous New England ski towns:

Weather is ideal leading into the Christmas holiday stretch with seasonably chilly temps and bursts of snow for the East, and a widespread mountain snow for the West. Let’s dig into the details in this week’s SnoCast.

No matter how much you hate the snow, you’ve got to admit that New England knows a thing or two about picturesque ski towns. Whether you’re planning on shredding some pow, cruising the bunny slopes, or just sipping hot drinks in a lodge, here are some of New England’s best ski towns.

No less than nine Heartland ski areas are celebrating significant milestones this year. All have been in business at least 60 years and one started 85 years ago, according to the National Ski Areas Association.

Vermont’s Killington Resort, the largest ski and snowboard destination in Eastern North America and part of POWDR, announced the entertainment lineup for the 2021 HomeLight Killington Cup. Taking place November 27 and November 28, the return of the Audi FIS Ski World Cup will bring the fastest women’s technical alpine skiers in the world ahead of the 2022 Winter Olympics together with music, events, camaraderie and more. Tickets to the HomeLight Killington Cup are available at www.killington.com/worldcup.  

Vermont’s Killington Resort, the largest ski and snowboard destination in Eastern North America, and part of POWDR, will kick off the 2021-22 winter season at 10 a.m. on Friday, November 5, 2021, becoming the first Eastern resort to open for skiing and snowboarding.  

After attempts to sell the Jay Peak ski area were halted at the start of the coronavirus pandemic, sale discussions have been taking place with several interested parties this year, according to an update from the receiver appointed after the former owner was accused of fraud in 2016.

Autumn in Vermont is hard to beat. Fall foliage, brewfests and flannels make for the quintessential New England experience. Many of Vermont's ski areas will be hosting brewfests and Octoberfests as well as providing scenic chairlift rides for leaf peeping. 

The entire travel industry has suffered mightily in the COVID pandemic, but the ski and snowboard sector was especially hard hit.