It's All Downhill: Fond memories from the bunny hill

[View web version] [It's All Downhill] [Friday, January 13] [Follow Matt Pepin] [A salute to ski instructors] The things I saw on the bunny hill at Wachusett last week still make me smile when I think of them. It's ski club season for a lot of schools, and I volunteer to chaperone the trips in my town. The first one is always chaotic with a lot of first-timers, but it's also really pleasing when you see them smiling and having fun and you know the snowsports bug may have taken hold. That's exactly what happened last week. It took a while to get the newcomers geared up and show them how to click in and get a feel for being on skis or snowboards. Some naturally struggled to get the hang of it, and there was some degree of frustration evident. Then we handed them off to the pros for their lessons, but after their sessions there was still time to practice, so I went back to the beginner slope to keep an eye on them and ski a few runs with them. The transformations were incredible. They rode the magic carpet with confidence, skied the length of the bunny hill without falling, and most importantly, had huge grins on their faces. This after 30 minutes of experimentation and an hour lesson. I'm not sure how they did it, but those instructors certainly impressed me. Those few runs, and the sight of those smiles, were every bit as pleasing as the runs I took on the main hill. [Story Photo] FROM THE FRONT LINES OF AWESOME: As you may know, Squaw Valley and other western ski areas received massive snow last week, and as it happens, the Globe's Jeffrey Ayers, who helped set up this newsletter, was there. He shared the photos above and below (taken by Kyle Weidman), and this description: "It's deep out here!" [squaw2] YEAR-AROUND SKIING IN NEW ENGLAND: The Hartford Courant [reports that Powder Ridge in Connecticut plans to install a synthetics skiing/riding surface] on one slope that will allow it to operate year-around. According to Powder Ridge CEO Sean Hayes, the run will be 2,820 feel long - 80 feet wide at the top and 400 at the base. The Courant's story [includes a video] showing the material and Hayes's explanation of the plan. THE GOOD OLD DAYS: I really enjoyed [a piece in The Snowboarder's Journal about returning to an old haunt], in this case Jiminy Peak in Hancock, Mass., for two reasons. One, it introduced me to [The Snowboarder's Journal], which I plan to explore in more depth because at first glance it looks fascinating. Two, I have designs on returning to some areas I haven't been to in quite a while, and this was a good kickstarter to get that plan in motion. MORE WILD TIMES: Last week, we told you about the lynx spotted on a Colorado slope and my own tale of a black bear sighting. Faithful It's All Downhill reader Ryan Smith brought [this video of a moose on the slopes in Vermont to my attention]. I can only imagine what was running through the mind of the guy who runs away from the moose in the video, especially because he was probably wearing ski or snowboard boots. CLASSIC DAD MOVE: A [video of a father skiing with his kids] is making the online rounds because his 5-year-old ignores his commands and goes flying off a terrain-park style jump. The dad's comments are hilarious, from "holy $4!#" as he realizes what is about to happen to "I hope I got this on video" after he learns the little guy is OK. THE SNOW REPORT: Those of us of a certain age will appreciate the classic ski video game SkiFree used as the theme [in Halley O'Brien's latest trip to the slopes]. Those who do not know about SkiFree, well, Google it. THE MOUNTAIN REPORT: A [visit to Burke in Vermont was on the agenda] this week. Looks like fat-tire biking is in vogue along with the skiing and riding. BUCKET LIST UPDATE: In October, [I detailed my personal quest to visit every ski area in New England] in my lifetime. Happy to say I checked off Gunstock recently and had a great time doing it. And in case you hadn't heard, the view from the top is quite amazing. Here's a look: [gunstock] [Like It's All Downhill? Tell a friend to subscribe]. [Sign up for more Boston Globe newsletters]. About This Email You received this message because you signed up for the It's All Downhill newsletter. To automatically unsubscribe, [please click here.] If you wish to unsubscribe from all BostonGlobe.com newsletters, [please click here.] Please note: this will unsubscribe you from the newsletters 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] Address: The Boston Globe 135 Morrissey Blvd. Boston, MA 02125 ©Copyright 2017 Boston Globe Media Partners, LLC