That loving feeling
Valentine’s Day ideas to get you in the mood
It’s easy to love someone when you’re skiing. Maybe it’s the fresh air. Perhaps it’s the adrenaline and joy you feel from coasting down a mountain side. It could be the backdrop. Or it could be all of the above and more. I know that in my 33 years of marriage (and four years of dating), skiing always has helped my husband and I reconnect, relax and sometimes (because hey, for better or for worse) forgive.
That’s what makes Valentine’s Day on snow extra great. For as long as I can remember, the ski days around this date have always been at least a little bit about romance. When I was an adolescent zipping down trails all day with a gang of boys and girls, we always looked forward to and hoped for a chairlift ride with whomever had caught our eye that season.
Later in life, long after I’d married, I suddenly realized that I wished my husband had proposed to me on a mountaintop. My friend Maureen and her husband eloped to Breckenridge, Colo. They said their vows atop the mountain and then skied down side by side, she in a wedding gown. Now that’s embracing the holiday.
And while we all probably aspire to that kind of dedication to our love of skiing coupled with our loved one, we don’t have to go to that length to make the day a special ski day. Here in the East, resorts embrace the holiday and offer special events and deals to show just how much they love that we love. And even without trying, some offer spots just perfect for feeling the love.
Consider these ideas for getting on the mountain and sharing your love with your love on the day that is truly all about the love.
• The Red Double Chairlift,
Black Mountain, N.H.: As much as I celebrate the modernization of ski lifts, there is something about a classic double chairlift that just pulls at the heart strings. They’re cozy, a little slower and just kind of special. At Black Mountain in Jackson, the double chair is even a beautiful candy heart red. It meanders its way to the very top of the mountain, giving you lovely views, moments in the thick trees, and plenty of time to cozy up to your loved one. What say you? You don’t have a loved one? Black has the solution to that, too, just in time for Valentine’s Day. On Saturday, Feb. 11, they host their annual “Chairlift Speed Dating” event. Sign up and ride the chair each time with potential dates, giving you time to chit chat, bond and then check out their skiing ability. Better than Tinder by a long shot: instead of swiping right, you choose to ride the chair with the person again. An après party follows. Check out www.blackmt.com.
• The Orange Bubble Chair,
Okemo, Vt.: Sure, you cannot always ride it alone, but if you get out there early or plan for a late last track, you can grab a ride on one of Okemo’s two orange bubble chairs. Once you settle into their heated seats, you pull a bubble cover down over you for the entire ride, giving you privacy while tinting the world with a rather magical orange hue. Grab a ride up with your love for some alone time, then cruise down to the Jackson Gore base and share some tabletop s’mores and a special crafted cocktail. Go to www.okemo.com.
• Teamwork WINS at King
Pine, N.H.: It’s sometimes fun to compete against one another, but it’s even better to win as a team. The Sweetheart Race is sponsored by Bavarian Chocolate Haus, located in nearby North Conway. The three teams with the combined fastest times earn Bavarian Chocolate Haus chocolate gift baskets. First place also wins a dinner for two gift certificate for the Traditions Restaurant & Pub.
The Sweetheart race draws many couples looking to share their love and speed, but also is a lot of fun for platonic love, and often includes moms and dads and kids. A bonus is the fun and romance of night skiing. Participants (and all skiers and riders) can continue skiing into the night for just $10. Visit www.kingpine.com. • Bretton Woods Room 400: The majestic Mount Washington Hotel is an iconic winter vision. Facing it, to the far right, are two large red towers. Both of those towers make up one special room — Room 400. Staying in Room 400 is a special experience. You look out over the world from there, high above the rest of the hotel. It’s just plain beautiful. There’s something about being out skiing or snow shoeing, pointing up at those towers and saying, “That’s my room, right there.” A Princess (and Princely) experience. Visit www.mountwashingtonhotel.com. • There are more: Toll Road at Stowe, a long, windy and beautiful easy run that opens up to a clearing with a stone chapel. The midmountain stop at Wachusett where folks are making you the most amazing hot apple cider doughnuts all day long. The slopes of Mount Sunapee where you can hunt for hearts and win prizes. Or just a beautiful trail on a crisp winter day with the one you love. Skiing is all about the love.