It's All Downhill: Any advice for a hungry skier?

[View web version]( [It's All Downhill] Friday, March 31 [Follow Matt Pepin]( [What do you say we stop for a bite to eat?](#) There used to be a Burger Chef in Greenfield, Mass., that during my youth I thought was just about as good as it gets when it came to après-ski dining. We'd stop there on the way home from Berkshire East or Okemo or Mount Snow, because back then the I-91 corridor was our sweet spot for day trips from Connecticut. And with a carload of teenage boys, Burger Chef made the most sense. Cheeseburgers were like 50 cents each, and I think my record was four. I always saved $5 for the return trip (I was often invited along on my buddy Jeff's family's day trips) for Burger Chef. I thought about that Burger Chef while having lunch on my way to Sugarloaf on Sunday at Bob's Clam Hut in Kittery, Maine. That's the new must-stop place while on a Maine ski trip. Jeff and I still ski together every year, and we often hit Bob's on both the way up and back. The ability to stop there is actually a bit of a factor when we plan our annual ski trip. [bobs_clam_hut] So this particular time, as I enjoyed a fried haddock basket, I got to thinking that there must be other places close to, or on the way to/from New England ski areas that are the must-stop food joints for skiers. I mean, you can always find somewhere, but I'm talking places you crave, places that make the trip that much better, places that really light your fire. And honestly, I don't know that many. Really, that Burger Chef and Bob's are the only two that really stand out for me when I think about New England ski areas. So what do you say, how about a little help? Yes, I realize this is not only like asking a fisherman where he caught the big one but also what he used, but I'm banking on a little goodwill from my fellow skiers. Just one ground rule: No chain restaurants. If it's a place that has more than one location that's cool, but as my colleague Fluto Shinzawa likes to point out in [his Hockey Food series about the places he eats at while covering the Bruins]( anyone can just find the local Olive Garden or Cracker Barrel. We need real gems, the kind you'd find on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives. Just to show my good faith here, I'll give you my other secret dining joint, because Bob's certainly needs no advertising help from me. If you go skiing anywhere along New York's Adirondack Northway, stop at Hattie's in Saratoga. The fried chicken is beyond amazing. Please email me with your suggestions. [I'm at matt.pepin@globe.com](mailto:matt.pepin@globe.com?subject=matt.pepin@globe.com). A FEW TAKEAWAYS FROM SUGARLOAF: The reason I went to Sugarloaf on Sunday was the US Alpine Championships, but I also got to ski a bit as well. One thing that's just awesome about watching racing at Sugarloaf is the finish line area is halfway up the mountain, so the best way to get to/from it is to ski. The big takeaway is this: Sugarloaf has tons of snow right now. It's everywhere, as though it were the dead of winter. There's snow in and on the trees, giant mounds of it surrounding the parking lots, and of course all over the slopes and trails. I don't recall seeing bare ground pretty much anywhere except the roads. I also don't recall seeing any "trail closed" signs. Another impression: Sugarloaf is really good at grooming. A perfect Sunday turned into a messy Monday, with sleet and snow falling and turning into crud snow. But Tuesday morning, first tracks on some groomers were just glorious. But my single favorite thing to see was this: At the end of the day Sunday, as a long line formed for the shuttle bus behind the lodge, a Sugarloaf ambassador passed out cookies to those waiting. Nice touch. LOOKING UPHILL OR DOWN? I took the photo below on Tuesday morning because the way the fog had settled created a kind of spooky atmosphere and I wanted to capture that. But when I showed it to my wife, her first reaction was to ask if it was shot looking uphill or down, and upon closer inspection I realized it really was tough to tell. Go ahead, make your guess. I'll reveal the answer, and the slope upon which I took it, next week. [foggy_slope] RISING STAR: One of the reasons I went to the US Alpine Championships was to meet Alice Merryweather, a rising star on the US ski team from Hingham, Mass. She won the Junior World downhill in early March, and will race in World Cup downhills next season. [Here's the full profile I wrote about her for the Globe](. INTERESTING IDEA: Two women who were injured in separate skiing accidents in Colorado are proposing that ski industry officials come together for a safety summit, [according to Denver's Channel 7](. The most interesting part of their proposal is for ski areas to consider installing cameras on some runs to watch for out-of-control skiers/boarders. Both women were hit by other people. I'm not sure I could be on board with the idea of cameras on the slopes. Our lives are tracked in so many ways, but the slopes feel like they should be a place to get away from all that. I'm all in favor of added safety measures, and I hope the women's efforts are noticed and taken seriously, but here's hoping an alternative can be found to cameras. THANKS, MR. KAUFMAN: Alex Kaufman [announced this week that he'd be shutting down his Wintry Mix podcast for now]( which is really too bad. I understand his reasons, and will fondly recall many great stories he told us. Among my favorites: [How a group of locals revived Mount Ascutney]( [An introduction to skiing in Newfoundland]( [An interview with a Vermont snow plow driver]( [An interview with the Denver Post's excellent snow sports reporter Jason Blevins]( and [the story of two guys who bought their local ski areas in New York](. Kaufman brought a certain Ski The East edge to his podcasts and always had a good rapport with his guests. I really looked forward to a new Wintry Mix popping into my phone. Here's hoping the muse strikes again soon. CONGRATS: Okemo finished sixth [in the resort team standings]( at the NASTAR National Championships held recently at Steamboat in Colorado. It was the highest finish of any New England ski area. Okemo's NASTAR coordinator Pat Moore led the team, with help from his grandchildren, Ryan, Archie, and Lauchie Cameron; Chloe and Jen Blount; Marti Brueckner; Florin Castor; Isiah Delage; Rob Dexter; Gerard Heckler; Mary Lou and Bob Morell; Dan and Olivia Shpak; and Peter Wepplo. The next-best New England finish was Wachusett's team in 20th. [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). 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