Travel (Okemo Mountain Resort)

It’s hard to remember that Okemo once deferred to its neighboring Vermont ski areas, which drew the big crowds as Okemo built a niche as a good mountain for families that wanted a dependable skiing and riding experience. Okemo back then was neither flashy nor flamboyant. Year by year, Okemo kept increasing its loyal fan base, and every year the prescient ownership of Tim and Diane Mueller kept expanding and putting more money into trails, snow-making and on-mountain lodging improvements. Then, about a decade ago, the ski industry awoke to the realization that Okemo, the ski area that winter travelers used to pass on the way to other mountains, was more popular than almost any other resort in Vermont.

Okemo’s success is deserved and its formula is simple: vast snow-making resources keep conditions reliable even in snow-challenged winters, it’s still a good place for families, it caters to snowboarders and free skiers with a multitude of terrain-park choices and half-pipes, and perhaps most important, it has plenty of ski in/ski out accommodations.

Now, if you visit, you will experience more than just a good business plan. With two base areas and more than 100 trails, there’s plenty of room to lose the crowds and get lost in some glades. There are many long, enjoyable cruisers and plenty for the beginning skier or rider. There is not a wealth of truly extreme terrain, but there are challenging runs, especially below the Jackson Gore peak ( map), which opened in 2002. Jackson Gore has helped remake Okemo, with a condo hotel and residences, rental shop, restaurants, fitness center and ice-skating rink — all a short walk from a high-speed lift.

The town of Ludlow just below the resort was somewhat like Okemo — once slumbering and now rejuvenated. It is not as quaint or entertaining as some New England crossroads, but it has the services, restaurants and bars most needed by weekenders. For those taking a day off from the slopes, the outlet center of Manchester Center is just 30 miles away.

STATS
Summit 3,344 feet, with a base elevation of 1,144 feet
Vertical Drop 2,200 feet
Terrain 624 acres
Trails 117 trails
Lifts 19: 9 quads, 3 triple chairs and 7 surface lifts
Price The adult lift ticket peak rate is $74
Rentals $35 for ski or snowboard package for a full day; helmets are optional at $9.
Average Season Dates Early November to late April