by Lisa Marie Mercer

Created on: November 10, 2007   Last Updated: January 28, 2008

Sometimes, in our haste to find the most challenging ski resort, we neglect one of the most incredible aspects of our sport. While no one would deny that skiing appeals to thrill seekers, it is also a way to bring us into harmony with nature. Unfortunately, the over development of certain ski areas can sometimes promote dissonance, instead of harmony. Yet some areas of Vermont are guaranteed to remind us that our sport has a unique way of getting us in touch with all that is beautiful about being alive. Here are some of them.

Get Stowed Away at Stowe

When the Von Trapp Family, of Sound of Music fame, came to America, they knew that they had found a mountain environment that possessed a charm that was similar to their alpine home in Austria. Today, Stowe, home to the Trapp Family Lodge, has kept its appeal. Often described as "quintessentially New England," Stowe, with its picturesque 19th century village, green rolling hills and bucolic mountain meadows seems to be a town from a storybook. As you stroll down Main Street, the white meeting house and the brick stagecoach inn are bound to make you smile.

The fantasy continues on the Ridgeview Trail. Ski it early in the day. As it tracks the morning sun down the mountain, you will be treated to breathtaking views of the Stowe Valley and the Worcester Mountain Range.

Historic Okemo

The Okemo Resort is located in the Town of Ludlow, Vermont. This former mining town has stayed true to its history. Its beauty lies in its simplicity. Thankfully, the resort owners and town council have resisted the urge to overdevelop the area. As such, it remains a friendly and amiable town with a characteristically understated "New England" charm. On the mountain, Dreamweaver is an intermediate's dream come true. This gently undulating ski trail is famous for its spectacular views of the Connecticut River Valley.

While we all enjoy an occasional challenge on the slopes, sometimes we just have to stop and enjoy the smells of the wood-burning stoves, and the sights of towns that remind us of simpler days. Thankfully, towns like Stowe and Ludlow help us do that.

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