For a good long time it looked as if outdoor recreation — skinning, hiking and camping — would be our savior during COVID-19. This week, things look different. Uphill skiing has been shut down at resorts around the state and popular backcountry destinations such as Mt. Washington (shown here, during a warm day in 2018) are discouraging visitors and putting an end to the Mount Washington Avalanche Center avalanche reports. Vermont State Parks were open (though facilities are all closed, as is usually the cas … (read more)
First, the ski areas closed their lifts. Then, one by one, they shut down their parking lots. Now, the message is consistent and clear: Curb your turns. “We were seeing just too many people who may or may not be social distancing, but the risk was there,” … (read more)