It's All Downhill: Next year for sure

[View web version]( [It's All Downhill. The latest from the slopes of New England and beyone by Matt Pepin] Friday, March 30 | [Follow Matt Pepin on Twitter]( A TOUGH DECISION This was going to be the year. I was so close, too. For a long time I've wanted to just take off on a spur-of-the-moment ski trip immediately after a big snowfall on a day that happened to be a work day, and I thought everything was lined up just about right this month. As the storm forecasts began rolling in, I began plotting, justifying it with all those times I've been told to seize the day or you'll regret it or some other advice often associated with a choice between pleasure and business. The first storm kind of got me thinking of skiing again because it perked the New England conditions back up from what could generally be termed as poor. The second really lit a fire, and the third led to a day full of regret for not braving the storm and going north. So when the fourth was on the horizon, I was determined to go for it, even though this storm was extremely difficult to forecast. Two days before, things looked good. It appeared it would deliver enough snow to make a decent powder day somewhere close by, but not so much that I'd be worried about driving in it. I wasn't sure if I should outright call out sick, or just say I suddenly needed to use one of the million vacation days I haven't used. That was going to be a game-time decision. Then the forecast wavered some more and maybe this wasn't going to be like the first three storms. Then additional work responsibilities started to pile up. A project was taking longer than we thought, and now doubts about my ability to get back on track, work-wise, if I banged out for a day were starting to consume me. There was still hope the day before, but it was fading fast. Then I arrived home in the evening — a time I'd reserved for clearing the driveway to prepare for the next day's departure — and the snow hadn't even started. It might not start at all, actually, and by the time I turned on the Bruins game that night, I'd flipped. The forecast was calling for less and less snow, and I made the call. The trip was off. In the end, I didn't miss much. The storm didn't amount to a whole lot in ski country, and working in an office that was mostly deserted because so many were working from home was quite productive. I suppose being on the brink of doing it was a good thing. If nothing else, I felt that little adrenaline surge that came with veering from the norm and following a passion. But for now, it's wait till fall. That's when it's really happening for sure. I think. Fingers crossed. CLICKWORTHY NO SKIERS ALLOWED? While it was a little early for the old "bogus news story" trick that always crops up on April 1, Teton Gravity Research was good for a laugh with [its March 16 humor piece headlined "Resort bans skiing - moguls vanish overnight."]( I would actually love to see this — a snowboard-only area — really happen someday. NO ONE ALLOWED: The Hermitage in Vermont, the private club at what used to be a ski area called Haystack, was forced to shut down because it has not paid more than $1 million in taxes, [according to Vermont Public Radio.]( Maybe Teton Gravity Research will buy it and make it a snowboarding-only mountain? INTERESTING OFFER: Killington announced recently it is offering a pass for year-round activities at the Vermont resort. [The Beast 365 pass]( is only available through June 14, but it includes unlimited skiing and mountain biking lift rides, golf course greens fees, scenic gondola rides, and access to its adventure center. It costs $99 a month for adults. THE MOUNTAIN REPORT: This week's visit was to Mount Sunapee in New Hampshire to tell us all about the spring festivities, including "Bode Bonanza" to benefit adaptive ski programs. [Check it out here.]( RACING SEASON WRAPS UP: The World Cup action has concluded for the year, but there has been much debate about the state of American ski racing, which didn't have a ton of success this season beyond Mikaela Shiffrin and Lindsey Vonn. SkiRacing.com's Marina Knight has [a good overview in the premium section of the website,]( and US Ski and Snowboard president Tiger Shaw [explained his strategy for the future in a letter to the editor.]( Also on SkiRacing.com, [Gabbi Hall has an excellent review of the World Cup season]( that is creative, informative, and entertaining. FOLLOW-UP: There hasn't been a ton of new information after the horrific ski lift accident in at Georgia's Gudauri Ski Resort. [Al-Jazeera had some details in the aftermath]( focusing on the country's damage control effort, and reported that those injured were being invited back for an expenses-paid visit next winter. [Subscribe to BostonGlobe.com]( mountain view Here's the view from the top of Blast Off at Mount Sunapee. I took the shot on the weekend after the biggest storm of March, and the conditions were just perfect, especially if you waited out the crowd and skied until last chair. [Like It's All Downhill? Tell a friend to subscribe.]( [Sign up for more Boston Globe newsletters.]( [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Instagram]( [Pinterest]( About This Email You received this message because you signed up for the It's All Downhill newsletter. To automatically unsubscribe, [please click here.]( Please note: this will unsubscribe you from the newsletter only. If you wish to cancel your BostonGlobe.com subscription, please call 1-888-MY-GLOBE (1-888-694-5623). [Manage Your Account]( | [Terms of Service]( | [Privacy Policy]( | [Help Center]( | [Advertise](mailto:mbentley@globe.com?subject=Advertising in BostonGlobe.com) Address: The Boston Globe 1 Exchange Place Suite 201 Boston, MA 02109-2132 ©Copyright 2018 Boston Globe Media Partners, LLC