Snowed Inn Assistant Innkeeper’s Photos Selected for New “Capture My Vermont” Volume II Book; Jim Gasco Named Runner-Up for Cover Photo KILLINGTON, Vt., (June 18, 2013)— A photo of Miller Brook titled “Autumn Brook,” which runs behind the Snowed Inn on Miller Brook Road in Killington, is featured as one of two photos taken by the Inn’s assistant innkeeper,Jim Gasco, to be published in the new Capture My Vermont Volume II Book. The winners were announced last month inRutland. Going into the books’ release party in early May, Gasco knew at least one of his five photos submitted would be published in the book. Two photos were chosen – the one of Miller Brook and one titled “Hot Air Balloon – An Inside View,” which was runner up for the book’s cover photo. “I wish I got the cover but I can’t complain considering the wide array of submissions by some very talented photographers,” said Gasco. “I am grateful for the recognition.” Only 200 of more than 50,000 submissions were chosen for the book. Gasco has been assistant innkeeper at the Snowed Inn since 2005. Family-owned and operated by Manfred and Jeanne Karlhuber, the Snowed Inn is a classic AAA 3-Diamond rated lodging property with 20 different rooms, all with private bath and wireless Internet access. From standard rooms with one, two or three beds, to deluxe rooms with fireplace and/or Jacuzzi tub and even some with a living rooms and kitchen/dining area, staying at the Snowed Inn is intimate yet provides the modern conveniences and amenities just steps away from the front door. A year-round outdoor spa with hot tub is nestled in the woods off the back deck, or guests can sit and share stories of their day in the common living room area. ###
Categories: Discover Vermont
Tags: Capture My Vermont, Snowed Inn
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Are you spring skiing this year? Last week reminded me of our first March in Killington, so many years ago. We had an overnight snowstorm, and in the morning when we looked out the window all you could see of the cars in our parking lot were the tips of their antennas poking out of the snow. Yes, that was back before car antennas were embedded into the windshields. Actually I remember snapping one of those babies off in a car wash once, but I digress. The snowfall this week was truly awesome, and the thrill of a significant snow dump still excites and exhilarates (alright, I’m not the one shoveling, I admit, but still we all get pretty psyched). Skiing has been phenomenal, and the winter season is truly far from over. What could be better than great snow, blue skies and sunshine? Summer will come, and it will be beautiful here in Vermont and we will love it, but shouldn’t we all revel in the gift of a fabulous late season ski interlude while we can?
Categories: Discover Vermont,Killington
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Happy Holidays to All! The calendar shows winter officially starting tomorrow. For us winter officially began weeks ago when Manfred put up the inn’s white lights. And his hard work paid off, as we were the winners of the Killington Festival of Lights! Check out our front page coverage in The Mountain Times. For even more holiday season fun, we created a cheerfully decorated tree, entitled “Lemon Meringue”, for the Killington Holiday Festival. We personally declared it one of our best trees to date, and the bright yellow and white motif was a highlight in the mix of nearly one hundred beautifully decorated trees. Manfred, Jim and I are happy to be back in the winter saddle, and Killington has done a terrific job of snowmaking as usual. We are enjoying welcoming back many of our winter regulars as well as many new faces. And our family is now on its third generation of Killington skiers, as our 5-year-old grandson Calvin is now anxious to hit the slopes again this weekend. Grandson number two, little Wesley, won’t be far behind in his introduction to such a great sport. It has certainly given us much treasured family fun. As we enter the holiday season, please accept our family’s best wishes to you and your loved ones. We look forward to seeing as many of you as possible this winter and beyond!
Categories: Discover Vermont,Killington
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Recharged and Ready for Winter Back from a refreshing vacation and it is snowed big, saucer-size flakes yesterday-a welcome November sight! One true side benefit of getting away between busy tourist seasons is the re-awareness of the benefits of “getting away” from the routine, stress and ordinariness of everyday living and working. It helps me to understand the needs of our guests and their appreciation when a vacation, no matter how long or short, re-energizes their spirit. Not that our time off was all play and relaxation, though. Two of our guestrooms now sport a woodsy, mountain ambience, and our big addition-a brand new hot tub! Still outdoors, a little larger, with lots more jets and a recliner seat, I am sure it will continue to be an important draw for a large number of our visitors. The mountain is open and the skiing, albeit with limited terrain, has been widely praised. Killington has been investing very significant amounts of money and resources into improving its infrastructure and the overall customer experience, and now under the leadership of its extremely capable new president, Mike Solimano, (check out his new blog) its vision for the future is ambitious and comprehensive. I can say this with real confidence, having seen quite a number of resort management teams over the years. Anticipation of the completion of the new peak lodge, now under construction, will certainly grow through the coming year. As I wish ourselves and our wonderful guests a snowy, schuss-filled winter, I also send our very best wishes to those who suffered loss in the wake of Hurricane Sandy-our prayers are with you.
Categories: Discover Vermont,Life in an Inn
Tags: getaway, Killington, skiing, vacation
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Keeping Up with the Calendar, and the Seasons Okay, time is really slipping away now. The headline in today’s local paper states “Snow mixes with mountain foliage.” And I have been intending (and procrastinating) to put my thoughts to paper regarding fall “extremes” in Killington and the surrounding region. Time to do it! Manfred has long been a “serious” athlete, having been a successful soccer player and ski racer in his youth, later a soccer and ski racing coach and tennis instructor, and more recently in addition to his continued passion for skiing, a dedicated cyclist. But the recent trend toward extreme sports is to some degree a different creature and the Killington region lends itself perfectly to the genre. A few weeks ago Killington hosted for the second year the Spartan Race, a grueling test of physical ability and endurance not suited for the faint of heart (or body). Several thousand athletes and their entourages descended upon Killington, among them our son-in-law Stephane and his friend Des. Des and Stephane after tackling The Spartan Beast Race. Seeing this event up close and personal through their blood, sweat and tears put a whole new spin on this type of challenge, with its miles of uphill trekking, often carrying heavy sacks of sand, rope climbing, mudslithering, pond swimming and much more. As a spectator watching the final sprint, or crawl, through a wall of burning logs, I was amazed at the spirit of these men and women and their perseverance and dedication. The consensus was strong-as in skiing, Killington presents the ultimate mountain for fun and physical activity whatever the season. And even more recently our long time guests and friends, Doug and Steve, and their younger colleague Jessica along with their family and friends arrived for their annual participation in the Ascutney 50 Mile Run. Jessica, Doug and Steve run 50-miles in the VT50. Now Doug and Steve first came to our inn almost 30 years ago, so no offense guys, but let’s just say they are “mature” athletes. My hat goes off to them, however, as they completed the race and could still walk the next day! Young Jessica actually looked downright perky after the finish line. For both of these events the bonus was enjoying the good company of both family and friends. The big challenge now for me is to continue to convince Manfred that he has enough physical activity in his repertoire already (and has had enough orthopedic repair) without giving in to the temptation of new extremes!
Categories: Discover Vermont,Killington
Tags: fall foliage, Killington, Spartan Beast, VT50
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Tour Guide – Part Two? Okay, so I admit it: it takes visitors to get me to act like a tourist in my own backyard. First it was my college reunion friends. Then last week came the big challenge-our 5 year old grandson Calvin’s first “no parents along” visit with Nini and Pop. Not only did we face keeping a very energetic little boy occupied, but we had to keep him so busy and happy that he forgot to get homesick. Well, mission accomplished! Okay, so not all of the activities are applicable to potential inn guests, like building Lego space stations and finding Waldo in his various jaunts around the world, but much of what we did was a cram course in great adventures in Killington. Next on the agenda-a fun gondola ride to Killington Peak. Actually it is actually a little hike to the very top, and from there you can see forever. We ate our picnic lunch on the rock tableau and then hiked some more on top and took a good look at the ongoing construction of the new Peak Lodge (very cool). Then onto the wooden cross walk (also very cool), and then all the way down to the base. Brooks, wildflowers, trees to hide behind and jump out from to scare Nini-it was all there. The next day started bright and early (“WHO WANTS TO PLAY LEGOS?”). Manfred and Calvin went to the inn to work breakfast, and then headed to Super Star for a hike-straight up the mountain in a vain attempt to tire the little guy out. That afternoon on our way to bring Calvin home to Boston we stopped at the Vermont Institute of Science in Quechee. What a treasure right in our own backyard. Definitely a family “must do” activity. This facility takes in wounded raptors-most have been hit by cars, nurses them back to health and releases those who are still able to survive in the wild. Those not able to make a complete recovery live at this beautiful location for life. Their living spaces are beautiful and the institute does a fabulous job of educating young and old about these amazing birds. Owls, eagles, falcons,etc fascinated all three of us. All in all, we had a great time, and afterward, boy did we sleep well for a couple of nights! The new lodge at the top of Killington Peak, under construction and slated to open December 2013.
Not only is Kent Pond a great place to kayak-it is also a fun place to fish. Manfred and Calvin caught five fish (and threw them back). Okay, so you probably won’t bring home dinner, but it is a lot of fun and offers a good opportunity to commune with nature in its full beauty. By the way, during fall foliage tree ringed Kent Pond offers one of the most stunning views of color, all reflected in the water for a double dose of eye popping magnificence.
With lots of energy to spare, we headed to the Spa at the Woods for a great swim and hot tub in their beautiful facility. Finished off the day watching “The Muppets in Outer Space” (I slept through part of it) and a Berenstain Bears book.
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Reunion Sightseeing – Becoming a Tour Guide This past weekend I took on a new persona: tourist in Killington and the surrounding region. A group of my college girlfriends and their husbands came to the inn for a reunion, and what a wonderful time we had! In order to showcase the area and maximize the fun, I packed the four days with activities and events. It is very gratifying to experience our region from the “other side”. It was actually a challenge to choose our agenda from the myriad of options available from our perch here in the epicenter of the state. We hiked on Killington Mountain and the Appalachian Trail and around beautiful Kent Pond, kayaked, enjoyed a magnificent performance of Fiddler on the Roof at the amazing Weston Playhouse, and spent time (and money) in the one of a kind Vermont Country Store. Of course we ate extremely well, with fine cuisine at the Bryant House before the show, and at the Brew and Barbeque dinner at the Red Clover Inn. Our lovely deck here at the inn was the location of several impromptu “parties”. Manfred and the more ambitious members of the group took a 60 mile bike ride with the rest of us enjoying the breathtaking beauty of the state by car. Disc golf was a popular experience, as was shopping in the quintessential New England town of Woodstock. All of this was, of course, topped off by the good company of very special friends. Everyone raved about the experience, and I was once again reminded of the very special nature of our beautiful state and how lucky I am to live and work here.
Categories: Discover Vermont,Killington
Tags: disc golf, Killington Resort, Vermont, Vermont Country Store, Weston Playhouse
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Wild Kingdom? Innkeeping is quite a gratifying occupation, yet also often all-consuming, and the concept of “getting away” is just as important to us as it is to those who make their getaway to the Snowed Inn. So Manfred and I headed out for most of the month of May to Florida for a real sun fix. Much of our time was spent sitting on the lanai watching the world go by. Since our lanai looks out into a full blown cypress preserve, the “world” consisted of lots of tropical vegetation and quite a parade of wildlife. Raccoons and cardinals and even hawks carrying prey in their talons overhead didn’t seem all that foreign to us, but when the armadillo, the giant snake turtle, the pink spoon-billed something or other, and ultimately the full grown panther crossed our back yard, we knew we were NOT in Vermont anymore! Sunblock, sand from the beach in our shoes and “ lovebugs” all over our car completed the break from the mountain frame of mind, and we relaxed without a thought of reservations, marketing or heating oil bills. When we got back we knew there were piles of office work and building maintenance and remodeling projects to be tackled, but our outlook is fresh, and we are once again ready to welcome guests to our “summerized” Snowed Inn! Oh, and we are happy to once again spy the more familiar creatures, like deer and weasels and porcupines and moose.
Categories: Discover Vermont,Life in an Inn
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International Friends Jonatan, with us this year from Brazil “Guess who is at the inn right now? “ Manfred called and said to me recently. Wanting to rapidly narrow the guessing game down from every individual on the planet, I said “I don’t know, who?” “Jun-Bo!” he exclaimed. As a seasonal business we have experienced over the years quite a parade of employees. We have been so fortunate to host literally dozens of foreign students over the years, and they have enriched our lives and experiences in so many ways. So many countries have been represented, from Peru to Brazil to Argentina to Costa Rica to far flung countries across the Atlantic like Austria, the Czech Republic, Bulgaria, and even from the far east-South Korea and Australia and New Zealand. Having studied and lived abroad myself for several years, I have a natural curiosity about other cultures, languages and ideas, and these students have taught us so much. I remember nine years ago we had a particularly diverse and yet congenial trio of students, with Roxana from Peru, Aaron from Australia and Jun-Bo from Korea. At the end of the ski season before they all departed in different directions we enjoyed an international dinner together in our home, a bittersweet goodbye feast. Aaron and Jun-Bo had successfully competed on the Snowed Inn Wacky Winter Games team along with Manfred, with Roxana performing the cheerleader duties (she had actually found pompoms somewhere). So when Jun-Bo, now an engineer with Samsung in Seoul, visiting his fiancé, currently a graduate student at Yale, paid us a surprise visit, there were smiles and tears all around. He brought me a small, beautiful pink silk bag, which he called a “Happy Pouch.” It hangs from my bedpost now and brings me joy every morning when I wake up. This year we have the good fortune to have Jonatan, a chiropractic student, from Brazil with us. A surfer at home, he has completely embraced snowboarding and delights every time snow falls. What a litany of memories we have created!
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From Jet Lag to Insight Switching roles can be an educational exercise, and in this case, also a very fun experience. I just returned from a two week trip to Europe, seeing three cities that I had not visited before, each with its own personality, highlights and quirks. It was great fun, exploring the unknown, seeing sights that I had dreamed about for a lifetime. And above all, being a guest and realizing the importance of comfortable lodging when you are away from the familiarity and comforts of your own home. The significance of a smile and a friendly, welcoming face cannot be underestimated, regardless of what language is being spoken. It is critical in the hospitality industry and beyond, not just because it is good for business, but because it is good for humanity. What a valuable reminder that my guests are just like me, away from home, grateful for the warmth of a caring host. Speaking of being grateful, especially with Thanksgiving on the horizon and Irene in our rearview mirror, we have to give thanks for the spectacular recovery efforts and preparations for the ski season that have been underway. Killington Resort has been working feverishly to repair the damaged section of the base lodge and is installing the innovative Umbrella Bar, putting a positive, fun spin on the damage inflicted by Irene. Snowmaking has been pretty consistent in spite of fluctuating temperatures, prompting Manfred to make his first turns of the season today, pronouncing the skiing quite good. I think all of us in our resort town are grateful that Killington Resort once again recognizes the value in being the first ski resort to open, and we all understand the value of that welcoming smile. Come on up-we are ready for your arrival!
Categories: Discover Vermont,Latest News
Tags: hospitality, Killington, skiing, Thanksgiving
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