Roadside Attraction: A Concrete Gorilla

In the small town of Leicester, Vermont, the gorilla statue on Route 7 is hard to miss. The 19-foot concrete gorilla, known as "Queen Connie," stands in front of Pioneer Auto Sales proudly holding up an old VW Beetle.

The statue was crafted in the 1980s by sculptor T.J. Neil, who wanted to build something that would really help the auto business stand out. Looks like the plan worked. The statue is one of the most photographed roadside attractions in Vermont.

Route 100A in Plymouth Notch

Travel along Route 100A in Plymouth Notch, Vermont and you'll come across the President Calvin Coolidge State Historic Site. Plymouth Notch is where President Coolidge was born, assumed the presidency, and governed the country for a brief time in the summer of 1924 during his term (1923-1929).

Across from the village and east of Route 100A are steep hillsides and rolling meadows. I occasionally take this route in the summer and fall to admire the landscape. But on a recent winter afternoon, it looked more beautiful than ever.

A Snowshoe Trek to Slayton Pasture Cabin

Dave and I went snowshoeing on a recent Saturday afternoon at Trapp Family Lodge in Stowe, Vermont. Owned by the von Trapp family (of The Sound of Music fame), the lodge has a world-class Nordic ski center with 100 km of terrain. Our goal was to trek three miles through the snow up to Slayton Pasture Cabin, which the von Trapps built in 1971 deep in the woods behind the main lodge.

After winding through a series of trails and working up quite a sweat, we finally climbed one final hill and saw the cabin in the distance. At the time it felt like a huge accomplishment, as if we were crossing a marathon finish line. But we were quickly humbled after a couple of 8-year-old kids zipped past us toward the cabin on their cross-country skis.

Still, reaching the cabin was a great reward. Maybe we didn't make record time, but the journey and the destination made it all worthwhile.

A Vermont Photographer Inspired by Winter

Photos taken by Wilson "Snowflake" Bentley in 1902.

If you were asked to describe a snowflake, what would you say?

Wilson "Snowflake" Bentley, who lived in Jericho, Vermont, was fascinated by snowflakes. A small collection of his 19th century photographs of snowflakes went on sale last week at the American Antiques Show in New York. Bentley was the first person to capture a snowflake with his camera, and a collection of his groundbreaking images are on permanent exhibition at the Jericho Historical Society's Snowflake Bentley Museum.

Bentley, who died in 1931, discovered that no two snowflakes are alike. He described snowflakes as miracles of beauty and that every crystal was a masterpiece of design. When a snowflake melted, he said, that design was forever lost.

Even though I appreciate the beauty of snow, I've never really thought about it that way. But for the next two months, I'm going to try.

Fresh snowflakes falling in my backyard, a few miles from Bentley's hometown of Jericho.

Vermont Winter Scenes

Lincoln Peak at Sugarbush Resort (photo taken in Waitsfield, Vermont).

Icy branches in Waitsfield, Vermont.

Mount Mansfield (photo taken in Jericho, Vermont).

Lost Ski Area: Snow Valley in Winhall, Vermont

The small but wonderful Snow Valley ski area in Winhall, Vermont operated between 1938 and 1982. The mountain had 15 trails with memorable names like Steeple Chase, Bulldozer, Boomerang, and Misery (a tough trail!).

Growing up in nearby Manchester, I was fortunate enough to spend my childhood skiing at four Vermont mountains - Stratton, Bromley, Magic Mountain, and Snow Valley. When Snow Valley closed, locals and out-of-state visitors mourned the loss of this no-frills, friendly little mountain.

Nearly 30 years later, plans to revitalize Snow Valley as a private ski area are in the works, thanks to a relatively new owner who is trying to bring the mountain back to life. You can read more about the rebirth of Snow Valley on the New England Lost Ski Areas Project's website, which has an extensive history of lost and revitalized ski areas. Visit www.nelsap.org.

A ski map of Snow Valley from the 1940s.
(Courtesy of Eric Maloney and the New England Lost Ski Areas Project).

Merck Forest and Farmland Center

The first time I visited Merck Forest and Farmland Center in Rupert, Vermont was in the early 1980s during an elementary school field trip. I've returned to the 3,100-acre forest over the years, but never in winter.

On Saturday I stopped by and saw quite a few people exploring the grounds on snowshoes and cross-country skis. At least a half-dozen people were walking their dogs, and a few brave souls were hiking into the woods for some winter camping.

Located off Route 315 in southwestern Vermont, Merck Forest was set aside in the 1950s as a foundation by George Merck of the Merck Drug Company. The non-profit organization's mission is to teach and demonstrate the benefits of innovative and sustainable management of forest and farmland.

Maintained through donations, Merck Forest is open year-round and offers hiking, camping, swimming, picnic areas, educational programs, summer camps for kids, and more. Since this is a working farm, you'll also see sheep, chickens and horses. Visit www.merckforest.org.