Letters from Lindsay: Vol. 2

To Our Beloved BV Family –  

Bolton Valley was in the news again last week as part of the nationwide launch of the new Indy Pass – a collective designed to make it easier for people to find and ski at independently owned ski areas like BV. While this won’t replace our season passes or powder pass, which we JUST launched, it could be a great option for our out of town friends and family to consider – and we’re excited to see if it helps new guests find their way here as well. 

There’s so much change in the ski industry right now – especially with the massive conglomeration of resorts under Vail’s umbrella. People are asking me a lot lately how I think this will impact the ski industry and what it means for smaller, independent – and in our case, family-run – resorts. Honestly, I don’t think any of us know yet what the real impact will be on the industry or how it’ll play out in the next few years, but I do think we’ll learn a lot about what people want from their mountain experience. 

When I think about my experience as a skier and a mountain recreator, I know that I want my mountain to be my mountain. I’m looking for an experience with flavor and a deep, rich sense of place and community. I want my mountain to feed my soul and to help spark creative energy that will carry forward into the rest of my life. The mountain is where I go to encounter beauty, it’s where I go to clear my mind and recharge, and it’s where I go to have fun with my family and friends! 

I was up in Maine this summer with my daughter, two of my nephews, and my brother, and we visited a friend’s place on an island in the bay of Friendship. He was growing oysters off his dock and we got to pull a handful right out of the bag, shuck them, and eat them fresh from the water. From the experience, I learned a new word: merroir. It’s like terroir with wine, but with oysters you get merroir – the flavor of the sea – of the exact bay the oysters are pulled from. I thought that was totally awesome and I feel that at Bolton we get to experience a flavor that’s just as unique to our mountain as those oysters are to Friendship Bay. There’s nowhere else like it. It’s Bolton Valley. It’s one of the most beautiful places on earth. That’s why we love it so much. 

With all this in mind, we know Bolton Valley needs to continue evolving to thrive, and positive change and growth are on the horizon. My dad, my brothers, and I – together with our awesome and committed staff – have been really busy all summer laying the ground work for a series of improvements that will take place over the next few years, and will ensure a bright future for Bolton Valley to grow, evolve, and thrive, independently, into the future. 

If you’ve been paying attention this summer, or have come up to ride your bike, play disc golf, skate in the indoor park, check out music or food events, or just drop your kids off at camp, then you already know it’s been going off up here! I’m also really pleased to share that we have some cool things on the horizon for this winter too, not the least of which is a major improvement to our night skiing! We’re replacing all our night skiing lights with new, bright, high efficiency LED lights! It’ll pair energy efficiency with brighter skiing, and it’s going to be awesome! 

Another really cool improvement in the works is a new backcountry warming hut. It will provide a comfortable resting spot and a chance to get out of the weather, warm up, dry your gear, or have a snack. 

Thanks to a $1 Million community development block grant – awarded to the town of Bolton by the state – and to the investment of a small group of amazing local partners who love BV and want to make sure we stick around for the long term, we’re also beginning a major renovation of our hotel that we aim to complete next summer. 

With the wind at our backs from an amazing summer, these improvements in the works, and more on the way, I hope you are feeling the same excitement, energy, and rejuvenation that we’re feeling up here. This is the just the beginning, and the future is bright for Bolton Valley. Thanks so much for being a part of it! 

I’ll see you on the trails. 

Lindsay